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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS VANITY  (D 28) - V & W-class Destroyer
 including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Vanity (Photo Ships, click to enlarge)

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Admiralty V Class-destroyer order from Beardmore of Glasgow in June 1918 with the 9th Order, 1916-17 Programme and laid down on 28th July 1917. The ship was launched on 3rd May 1918 and was the second RN warship to carry the name dating from about 1650. She served with the Fleet until the 1930's when she was placed in Reserve until re-commissioned in 1939. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during December 1941 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Scunthorpe, then in Lincolnshire,

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA 1939 - ENGLISH CHANNEL  1943

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

 Badge : On a Field Black, a Peacock's feather, Gold, Blue and Green.

 

M o t t o

Vanitas vanitatum: 'Vanity of Vanities'

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  Brought forward from Maintenance Reserve at Rosyth and commissioned for attendance

                                at the Royal Review of the Reserve Fleet.

 

September             Remained in commission and joined 15th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth.

                                Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in North Sea.

                                Nominated for conversion to Anti-Aircraft Escort (WAIR)

                                (See General Information and BRITISH DESTROYERS by Edgar March).

 

October                  Taken in hand for refit and conversion.

 

November              Under refit and conversion.

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Refit and conversion in continuation.

to                            (Note : Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to L38 to conform

June                        with new identity for Fleet and Auxiliary vessels.)

 

July                         Post refit trials and preparation for convoy escort duty.

 

August                  Deployed on convoy escort duty in North Sea.

to                            (For details of East Coast convoy defence see THREE CORVETTES by N. Monsarrat

December              and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P. Scott).

                                (Note : Ships based on east coast were deployed for anti-invasion patrols after July 1940)

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Convoy defence and interception patrol in continuation.

to

December

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Detached for duty with Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

                                Escorted blockade runners carrying steel products from Sweden during passage in

                                North Sea. (Operation PERFORMANCE)

                                (Note : Cover was provided by Home Fleet units.)

 

February                Resumed North Sea convoy defence and interception duties

 

March                    North Sea deployment in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed in North Sea and English Channel for convoy defence and patrol duty.

to                            (For details of naval operations in English Channel see HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith)

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in North Sea.

to                            (Note : Remained in North Sea and not detached for defence of invasion convoys

December              during Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE).

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

 

February                Transferred to English Channel.

                                (Note : Atlantic convoys had been re-routed through English Channel after German

                                air attacks were no longer from bases in France. In addition there was an

                                increase in activity of 'Schnorkel' fitted U-Boats that were concentrating in

                                convoy focal points. As a result the number of escorts was increased).

 

March                    Channel convoy defence in continuation.

to                            (For details of German submarine deployments in 1945 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY

May                        MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, SEEK. AND STRIKE by P Hackmann, and

                                HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VANITY was withdrawn from operational service after the end of hostilities in Europe and placed in Reserve. In 1946 the ship went on the Disposal List and was sold for breaking-up at Grangemouth in 1947.

 

Special Note

 

HMS VANITY was one of many WW1 built destroyers that were unsung ships whose routine work in defence of coastal convoys received little publicity. She was frequently in action against enemy torpedo boats (E-Boats) during her many months of North Sea and Channel duties. Service in this Class of destroyer was especially unpleasant and the performance of ship's companies under the abominable living conditions was quite outstanding. (See THE V AND W DESTROYERS by A Preston).

 

 

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VANITY

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

05/09/40

05/09/40

FS 0273

07/09/40

07/09/40

09/09/40

09/09/40

FN 0277B

11/09/40

11/09/40

14/09/40

14/09/40

FS 0281

16/09/40

16/09/40

17/09/40

17/09/40

FN 0283

19/09/40

19/09/40

25/09/40

25/09/40

FS 0290

26/09/40

26/09/40

27/09/40

27/09/40

FN 0292

29/09/40

29/09/40

01/10/40

01/10/40

FS 0297

03/10/40

03/10/40

04/10/40

04/10/40

FN 0299

06/10/40

06/10/40

10/10/40

10/10/40

FS 0305

12/10/40

12/10/40

13/10/40

13/10/40

FN 0307

15/10/40

16/10/40

24/10/40

24/10/40

FN 0318

26/10/40

26/10/40

29/10/40

29/10/40

FS 0322

01/11/40

01/11/40

02/11/40

02/11/40

FN 0325

04/11/40

04/11/40

06/11/40

06/11/40

FS 0329

08/11/40

08/11/40

09/11/40

09/11/40

FN 0330

11/11/40

11/11/40

19/11/40

19/11/40

FS 0339

21/11/40

21/11/40

22/11/40

22/11/40

FN 0340

24/11/40

24/11/40

26/11/40

26/11/40

FS 0345

28/11/40

28/11/40

29/11/40

29/11/40

FN 0346

01/12/40

01/12/40

06/12/40

06/12/40

FN 0352

08/12/40

08/12/40

14/12/40

14/12/40

FS 0361

16/12/40

16/12/40

22/12/40

22/12/40

FS 0368

25/12/40

25/12/40

04/01/41

04/01/41

FN 0375

06/01/41

06/01/41

12/01/41

12/01/41

FS 0386

14/01/41

14/01/41

23/01/41

23/01/41

FS 0395

26/01/41

26/01/41

27/01/41

27/01/41

FN 0393

29/01/41

29/01/41

31/01/41

31/01/41

FS 0400

02/02/41

02/02/41

04/02/41

04/02/41

FN 0400

06/02/41

06/02/41

20/02/41

06/03/41

HG 054

12/03/41

12/03/41

16/03/41

16/03/41

OB 298

18/03/41

20/03/41

19/03/41

20/03/41

OB 299

24/03/41

25/03/41

11/03/41

24/03/41

HX 114

unknown

30/03/41

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)
 

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revised 10/7/11
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