W-Class
Destroyer ordered from Swan
Hunter at Wallsend
on 9th December 1916 under the 1916 17
Programme
as
part of the 10th Destroyer
Order. The ship was laid down
in May 1917 and
launched on
15th
December
1917 as the first RN warship
to carry this
name.
Build was
completed on 15th March 1918
and the design included a minelaying
capability. After joining the
Fleet this destroyer took part
in the raids
on Zeebrugge and Ostend.
After the armistice she was
deployed in
the 1st Destroyer Flotilla,
Atlantic Fleet
before
being placed in Reserve.
B
a t t
l
e H o n o u r s
ZEEBRUGGE
1918 -
OSTEND
1918 - ATLANTIC
1939-40
- NORWAY
1940
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Crest:
On
a Field Blue. a
head proper with wind issuant.
from
the mouth
M
o t t
o
Tot
itinera
tot venti:
'Every voyage has its
gales'
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
Commissioned from Reserve
manned by Royal Fleet Reserve
and RNVR personnel
to attend Royal Review of
Reserve Fleet in Weymouth by
HM King George VI.
Remained in commission when
Fleet mobilised and took
passage to War Station.
September
Joined 11th Destroyer Flotilla
for convoy defence in Western
Approaches based at
Plymouth
(Note: Other ships in Flotilla
were:
HM Destroyers MACKAY,
VANQUISHER, VERSATILE, VIMY
WALKER, WARWICK and
WINCHELSEA.)
13th
Escorted outward Convoy OB4
with HM Destroyer WESTCOTT
during passage
SW Approaches.
16th
Detached from OB4 when convoy
dispersed in position 44.28N
15.44W.
October
Convoy defence duties based at
Plymouth
in continuation.
to
November
December
28th
Joined outward Convoy OG12 on
formation in SW Approaches
with HM Destroyers
VANOC, WHITEHALL and WIVERN
for escort during initial
stage of passage to
Gibraltar.
29th
Detached from OG12 with escort
and returned to Plymouth
1
9 4 0
January
21st
Joined outward Convoy OG15 on
formation in SW Approaches
with HM Destroyers
KEITH and WITHERINGTON for
escort during initial stage of
passage to Gibraltar.
22nd
Detached from OG15 with escort
and returned to Plymouth.
February
27th
Joined outward Convoy OG20F on
formation in SW approaches
with Destroyer VANOC,
HM Sloops SCARBOROUGH and
WELLINGTON for escort during
passage to Gibraltar.
Detached later from HG20F and
took passage to join HM
Destroyer VANOC for
escort of inward Convoy HG20F
during passage in SW
Approaches.
28th
Deployed with HM Sloop
SANDWICH and HMS VANOC as escort for HG20F during
passage in SW Approaches to
Liverpool.
Later detached from HG20F and
returned to Plymouth with HMS
VANOC.
March
SW Approaches convoy defence
in continuation.
4th
Carried out unsuccessful
anti-submarine search
operation with HM Destroyers
WILD SWAN, VETERAN and
VOLUNTEER.
5th
Joined outward Convoy OG21F on
formation in SW Approaches
with HM Destroyer
VOLUNTEER, HM Sloops
ENCHANTRESS, SANDWICH for
escort during passage
to Gibraltar.
6th
Detached from OG21F with HMS
VOLUNTEER and took passage to
join HM Destroyer
WITCH for escort of inward
Convoy HG21F during passage to
Liverpool.
7th
Joined HG21F with HMS WITCH
and relieved two French
warships as escort during
passage in SW Approaches.
10th
Detached from HG21F and took
passage to Plymouth.
April
8th
Detached for duty with Home
Fleet after German invasion of
Norway and took passage
to Scapa Flow for escort of military convoys to
Norway.
11th
Deployed with HM Destroyers
WITHERINGTON, VANOC, VOLUNTEER
and
HIGHLANDER as screen for HM
Cruisers MANCHESTER,
BIRMINGHAM, CAIRO
and HM Netlayer PROTECTOR as
escort for military convoy NP1
during passage from
Greenock to Narvik (Operation R4/RUPERT)
For details see Naval Staff
History, NARVIK by D
Macintyre, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION by Adams and
CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton.
14th
Detached from NP1 with HMS
MANCHESTER, HMS BIRMINGHAM,
HMS CAIRO,
HMS VANOC and HMS HIGHLANDER
as escort for troopships
CHOBRY and rms
EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA to
Norway.
17th
Deployed with HM Destroyer
VANOC as screen for troopship
CHOBRY during passage
from Lillesjona to Namsos
(Operation MAURICE)
For details see Naval Staff
History.
May
Norwegian support and escort
of convoys in continuation.
Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to
I30 to conform with new
identities introduced for RN
warships.
June
Released from support of
evacuation operations and
resumed service in Western
Approaches
Command for Atlantic convoy
defence.
28th
Deployed with HM Cruiser
CUMBERLAND, HM Destroyers
HARVESTER,
HIGHLANDER and VOLUNTEER as
escort for rms QUEEN MARY, rms
AQUITANIA
and rms MAURETANIA during passage in NW Approaches as Convoy
WS1.
(Note: WS1 was carrying
reinforcements to
Egypt and destined for
Ceylon
where
troops would be transferred
for onward passage in Red
Sea.)
30th
Detached from WS1 with escort
and returned to Clyde.
July
Deployed in SW Approaches for
anti-submarine search
operation.
4th
Hit by torpedo from U34 and
sustained serious damage which
disabled ship.
57 of ship’s company were
killed and survivors rescued
by HM Destroyer WESTCOTT.
Hulk was sunk four hours later
by HMS WESTCOTT in position
120 miles west of
Lands End.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WHIRLWIND
(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
|
|
|
|
|
|
13/09/39
|
13/09/39
|
OB
004
|
16/09/39
|
16/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
OB
007
|
20/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
OB
009
|
26/09/39
|
26/09/39
|
03/10/39
|
04/10/39
|
OB
014
|
unknown
|
06/10/39
|
16/10/39
|
16/10/39
|
OB
020
|
18/10/39
|
17/10/39
|
17/10/39
|
18/10/39
|
OG
003
|
19/10/39
|
26/10/39
|
25/10/39
|
25/10/39
|
OB
025
|
28/10/39
|
30/10/39
|
02/11/39
|
03/11/39
|
OB
029
|
05/11/39
|
07/11/39
|
25/10/39
|
06/11/39
|
HX
006
|
unknown
|
06/11/39
|
12/11/39
|
12/11/39
|
OB
034
|
15/11/39
|
18/11/39
|
06/12/39
|
06/12/39
|
OB
048
|
09/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
24/11/39
|
10/12/39
|
SL
010
|
10/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
16/12/39
|
16/12/39
|
OB
054
|
19/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
26/12/39
|
26/12/39
|
OB
060
|
28/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
OG
012
|
29/12/39
|
04/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
OB
075
|
21/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
OG
015
|
22/01/40
|
27/01/40
|
24/02/40
|
24/02/40
|
OB
098
|
27/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
OG
020F
|
27/02/40
|
02/03/40
|
22/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
HG
020F
|
28/02/40
|
03/03/40
|
03/03/40
|
03/03/40
|
OB
103
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
OG
021F
|
06/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
01/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
HG
021F
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
16/03/40
|
16/03/40
|
OB
111
|
19/03/40
|
20/03/40
|
24/03/40
|
25/03/40
|
OB
116
|
27/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
11/04/40
|
11/04/40
|
NP
001
|
15/04/40
|
15/04/40
|
23/04/40
|
01/05/40
|
FP
003
|
05/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
12/06/40
|
12/06/40
|
HEBREW
|
14/06/40
|
14/06/40
|
21/06/40
|
21/06/40
|
OB
172
|
24/06/40
|
16/06/40
|
13/06/40
|
25/06/40
|
HX
050
|
27/06/40
|
30/06/40
|
29/06/40
|
29/06/40
|
WS
001
|
30/06/40
|
29/07/40
|
03/07/40
|
03/07/40
|
OB
178
|
05/07/40
|
07/07/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)