V-Class
destroyer ordered from Stephen's of
Govan, Glasgow under 1916-17 Programme
(9th Order) on 30th June 1916. She was
laid down on 7th December that year and
launched on 15th December 1917 as the
first RN warship to carry this name.
After completion on 20th February 1918
she joined the Fleet and remained in
service after the Armistice. The ship
was put in Reserve as explained in the
General Information sheet and was
brought into service again in 1939.After
a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in February 1942 this destroyer was
adopted by the civil community of Skipton,
then in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
1 9
3 9
September
Deployed
on convoy defence and anti-submarine
patrol in Channel and SW Approaches.
to
December
1 9
4 0
January
Convoy escort duty in English
Channel and North Sea in
continuation.
to
April
May
Deployed at Harwich for evacuation
support
with the 19th Destroyer Flotilla.
(For
details of operations in Channel
during May and June 1940 see Naval
Staff.
History
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY BY
Corelli Barnett).
10th
Embarked demolition party for
passage to
Ymuiden
to destroy oil tanks.
(Operation
XD).
13th
Assisted in
evacuation from
Hook
of Holland.
(Operation ORDNANCE).
Pennant
Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to 155.
June
Deployed
at Dover with 19th Flotilla and
provided naval gunfire support to
the
British
Expeditionary Force at Treport.
July
Joined
21st Destroyer Flotilla based at
Sheerness for anti-invasion patrols
and
escort
duties in Channel and North Sea.
(For
details of naval activities in the
Channel and North Sea during 1940
and
1941
see HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith,
BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS
by P. Scott) and
THE BATTLE
OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)
August
Invasion patrol and escort duty in
continuation.
September
13th
Deployed with HM Destroyers GARTH
and
CAMPBELL for anti-invasion patrol
off the
Dutch coast.
Bombardment of Ostend cancelled
because of poor
visibility.
October
Deployed
on convoy escort duty in Channel and
North Sea.
8th
Towed damaged Escort Destroyer HMS
HAMBLEDON to Sheerness after being
mined in
Thames
Estuary.
November
Channel and North Sea deployment
in
continuation.
December
Nominated
for service in Western Approaches
and took passage to-Clyde.
19th
Joined HM Destroyers HARVESTER and
HIGHLANDER in Clyde to supplement
the Local
Escort
for military convoy WS5A during
passage in NW Approaches. Detached
from WS5A
with same
ships and returned to Clyde.
21st
Detached from WS5Awith same ships
and
returned to Clyde.
1 9
4 1
January
Western
Approaches deployment for Atlantic
convoy escort in continuation.
to
(For
details of Atlantic convoy defence
see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by
December
Macintyre ,
SEEK and STRIKE by P Hackman,
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO))
1 9
4 2
January
Deployed
on convoy escort duty in Atlantic.
to
July
August
31st
In collision with
HM Destroyer VIVACIOUS which
sustained major damage.
September
Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
to
Selected
for conversion to Long Range Escort
Destroyer
December
1 9
4 3
January
Under
conversion to Long Range Escort
to
July
August
On
completion of post refit trials took
passage to Tobermory for work-up.
September
Joined
2nd British Escort Group after
work-up and deployed for Atlantic
convoy
defence.
October
Atlantic convoy escort and support
duties in
continuation.
to
(For
details of operations to ensure safe
passage of convoys and use of newly
December
developed
weapons and procedures see CONVOY
ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton
and the
above references).
1 9
4 4
January
Deployed
with 6th British Escort Group in NW
Approaches.
February
Escorted
Convoy ONS29 in Atlantic with HM
Destroyers FAME and VANQUISHER,
HM
Frigate DEVERON, HM Corvettes
KINGCUP, VERVAIN and EGLANTINE,
HM
Corvettes ROSE,
EGLANTINE and ACANTHUS (all manned
by Norway).
14th
Under air attack
by two Ju88 aircraft.
March
Atlantic
convoy escort and support in
continuation with Group.
April
Nominated
for duty in support of proposed
allied landings in Normandy with
Western Task
Force
O (Operation NEPTUNE).
(For
details of naval activities prior to
and during landings see OPERATION
NEPTUNE
by
K Edwards and
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
June 1944
(HMSO)).
May
Passage
to join Force O and joined HM
Corvette AZALEA to form Escort Group
142.
Took
part in preparatory exercises prior
to NEPTUNE
June
Joined ships of Force O at
Portland for Assault
Phase.
5th
Deployed for
defence of assault convoys on
passage to OMAHA
area.
6th
Group deployment in continuation..
7th
Joined HM Trawlers GRASSHOLM and
NEAVE
for escort of Convoy EBC1 from
Solent
as Escort
Group 142. Convoy consisted of 23
pre-loaded
coasters and an Armament Stores
Ship
(ASIS).
8th
Escort duty with
Group from Milford Haven assembly
area.
Continued
duty with Group for duration of
build-up Phase.
On release from
NEPTUNE
deployed in English
Channel for convoy defence.
July
Channel escort duty in
continuation.
to
September
October
Deployed
for coastal convoy defence in
coastal waters.
to
(Note:
During this period SCHNORKEL fitted
submarines concentrated attacks on
December
focal areas for convoy assembly
and movement of coastal
traffic.
See
references.)
1 9
4 5
January
Channel
convoy defence in continuation.
to
(Note:
The removal of the air threat from
German aircraft based in France
allowed the
May
re-routing
of Atlantic convoys through English
Channel to East Coast ports and
escorts
were strengthened with additional
newly commissioned
warships.)
