W-Class
destroyer ordered from
Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn,
Newcastle on 9th December
1916 under the 1916-17 Programme
in the 10th Destroyer order. The
ship was laid down on 25th
May 1917 and launched on 12
March 1918 that as the first RN
warship to carry the name. Build
was completed
on 11th May 1918 and she served
in the Grand Fleet during WW1.
She attended the surrender of
the German High
Seas Fleet on 12th November 1918
and later with the 6th Destroyer
Flotilla in
the Atlantic Fleet. This ship
was attached to the Torpedo
School at Portsmouth
during the inter-war years and
remained in commission after the
mobilisation in
1939.
B a
t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1939-1940
H e
r a l d i c
D a t a
Crest:
On a
Field Gold, the Dragon of Egbert,
Red.
M o
t t
o
Proles
militum:
'Offspring of soldiers'
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
September
Took-up War Station with 17th
Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth.
Joined HM Destroyers KEPPEL,
VANESSA, VISCOUNT, VIVACIOUS,
VORTIGERN,
WAKEFUL and VESPER for convoy
defence and patrol in English
Channel and SW Approaches.
(Note: Flotilla was later
designated 13th Destroyer
Flotilla.)
October
Plymouth deployment in
continuation.
to
December.
(Note: Ships to and from Thames
estuary were escorted to join
Atlantic convoys through
the English Channel.)
1
9 4 0
January
Convoy defence in continuation.
to
March
April
Transferred to Nore Command for
support of military operations
and convoy defence.
May
14th
Embarked British Naval Attache
to Netherlands at Hook of
Holland for return to UK
after German invasion.
Deployed in Dover Command for
support of military in defence
against German advance
into Belgium and France.
24th
Despatched from Dover to bombard
enemy troop formations advancing
on Calais with
HM Destroyers VIMIERA, WOLFHOUND
and Polish ORP BURZA.
Came under sustained dive
bombing attack by Stuka aircraft
soon after start of bombardment.
Hit by three bombs and sank
quickly. Survivors were rescued
by HMS VIMIERA which
sustained serious damage and had
to withdraw.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WESSEX
(i)
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
BC
003R
|
25/09/39
|
25/09/39
|
|
06/10/39
|
06/10/39
|
BC
009/1
|
08/10/39
|
08/10/39
|
|
08/10/39
|
08/10/39
|
BC
008R
|
10/10/39
|
10/10/39
|
|
16/10/39
|
16/10/39
|
BC
011/1
|
17/10/39
|
17/10/39
|
|
17/10/39
|
28/10/39
|
HX
005
|
29/10/39
|
29/10/39
|
|
17/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
BC
019/1
|
19/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
|
10/01/40
|
10/01/40
|
BC
022/1
|
12/01/40
|
12/01/40
|
|
26/04/40
|
01/05/40
|
HX
038
|
12/05/40
|
12/05/40
|
|
12/05/40
|
unknown
|
OA
147
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
