Admiralty W-Class Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock on 9th December 1916 with the 10th order of the 1916-17 Programme. The ship was laid down in April 1917 and launched on 24th February. 1918. She was the 1st ship to bear this name. On completion on 18th April 1918 she joined the Fleet and was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in November 1918. After the Armistice the ship served in the Baltic and was damaged in action with Russian warships. She served in the 6th Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet in 1921 and later went into Reserve. As part of the re-armament programme in 1939 this ship was selected for conversion to an AA Escort and was taken in hand by Devonport Dockyard before the outbreak of WW2.

 

B a t t l e   Honours

 

NORTH SEA  1940-43 - ENGLISH  CHANNEL  1943

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, a Portcullis Gold.

 

Mo t t o

Pro populo et gloria:  ' For the people and glory’.

 

 

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             Under conversion to AA Escort Destroyer (WAIR).

to                            Pennant No change to L40 from D45 to conform with use as a Escort Destroyer.

December              Post conversion harbour and sea trials

                                Commissioned for trials..

                                Nominated for convoy defence duty in North Sea. Joined Rosyth Escort Force.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  On completion of trials and storing commissioned for service/

                                Passage to join Rosyth Escort Force for North Sea convoy defence.

 

February                Deployed in North Sea

to                            (For details of East Coast convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by

March                    JP Foynes).

 

April                       Transferred to Dover Command for convoy defence and for the support of military

                                operations.

 

May                        Assisted in evacuation of Flushing.

                20th        Reinforced French AA defences at Dunkirk (Operation FA).

                                Sustained damaged after striking submerged wreck at Dunkirk.

                                Repair work taken in hand at Dunkirk.

                                (Note: Last ship to be repaired there before German invasion)

 

June                        On completion of repair work resumed convoy defence in North Sea.

 

July                         Deployed for convoy defence in North Sea

to

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

to September

 

October

                12th        Carried out attacks on E-Boats of 2nd German Flotilla with HM Destroyers WOLSEY

                                and COTSWOLD in defence of Convoy FN31 during passage off Norfolk coast.

 

November              North sea deployment in continuation

to December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Convoy defence defence and interception patrol to prevent E- Boat attacks in North Sea.

to December

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed in North Sea and English Channel for convoy defence and E-Boat

to March                interception patrol.

 

April                       In action against E-Boats off Lowestoft with HM Corvette WIDGEON HM Motor Gunboats

                                88 and 91. See THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott,

 

May                        North Sea deployment in continuation

to December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  North Sea and Channel deployment in continuation.

to December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  North Sea and Channel duties in continuation

to May                   (Note : During this period Atlantic convoys were rerouted through English Channel and

                                convoy defence deployments were adjusted to meet this alteration with the new

                                escort ships available. In addition an increase in minelaying activities by submarine

                                in Thames estuary as well as E Boat attacks in Thames Estuary required additional

                                patrol activities.)

 

June                        Withdrawn from operational service and placed in Paid-off.

to August              Reduced to Reserve status.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS WESTMINSTER remained in Reserve and after the end of hostilities with Japan. She was put on the Disposal List. in 1946 and sold to BISCO for demolition by Metal Industries on 4th March 1947. The ship arrived in tow at the breakers’ yard in Charlestown, near Rosyth during August 1948.

 

S p e c i a l   Note

 

As this ship had been converted for use as an Escort and fitted with suitable high angle 4in armament for AA defence she was retained for protection of the vital East coast convoys and not deployed for other use such as support of the allied landings in Normandy and service for escort of Russian convoys. She was also fitted with other weapons for attacks on E-Boats as well as with special radio equipment for communication with aircraft and other escorts. Some ships deployed in the North Sea also had special radio receivers for interception of E-Boat radio signals.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WESTMINSTER

by Don Kindell

 

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

 

(Note on Convoys)