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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 WINDSOR (D 42) -  V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Walker, W-class sister ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Admiralty W-Class Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock on 9th December 1916 with the 10th order of the 1916-1? Programme. The snip was laid down in April 1917 and launched on 21st June 1918. She was the 3rd ship to bear this name introduced in 1695 for a 4th Rate and was used for a trawler in WW1. On completion on 28th August 1918 she joined the Fleet and was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in November 1916. This ship served in the 6th Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet in 1921 and was part of the Portsmouth Local Flotilla in 1928. Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in torch 1942 she was was adopted by the civil community of the Urban District of Windsor, Berkshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

CARTAGENA 1741 - FINISTERRE  (I and II) 1747 - ATLANTIC 1939-1940 - DUNKIRK 1940 - ARCTIC  1942 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-43 - NORTH SEA 1942-45 - NORMANDY   1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Red., a castle silver surmounted by.

the Royal Crown Proiper.

 

M o t t o

Stat fortuna domus: 'May the fortune of the House stand'

 

 

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

                3rd          Deployed with 18th Destroyer Flotilla at Portland for convoy escort and patrol in the Channel

                                and SW Approaches.

 

October                  Transferred to Western Approaches Command in continuation of convoy defence.

to                            Deployed in SW Approaches for convoy defence.

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Deployed in SW Approaches based at Plymouth for convoy defence.

to

February

 

March

                1Ith         Joined inward convoy HG21 with HM Destroyer WINCHELSEA as escort in place of two

                                French warships during final stage of passage to Liverpool.

                13th        Detached with HMS WINCHELSEA on arrival of HG21 in Liverpool.

 

April                       SW Approaches convoy defence in continuation

 

May                        Transferred to 19th Destroyer Flotilla based at Dover and deployed to support

                                military operations and evacuation of personnel from ports in Holland. Assisted in

                                evacuation at Hook of Holland.

                23rd        Deployed for patrol off Boulogne with HMS VENETIA for support of defence of port.

                                Engaged enemy troops advancing towards town.

                26th        Nominated for service during evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk.

                                Operation DYNAMO - For details see Naval Staff History and BEF SHIPS by J de Winser.)

                27th        Deployment for patrol of beaches and escort duties in continuation.

                                Provided medical aid to passenger ship MONA'S ISLE after air attacks whilst on passage to

                                Dover with over 1,000 troops from Dunkirk.

                                (Note: 23 of those on board were killed and another 60 wounded.)

                                Escorted MONA'S ISLE to Dover.

                28th        During patrol came under heavy and sustained bomb and machine gun attack by 15 aircraft

                                with significant damage and 30 casualties.

                                Returned to Dover

                 30th        Landed 606 troops at Dover.

                 31st        Made two trips to Dunkirk and landed 658 troops in first return and 588 on second return.

 

June

                1st           Landed 493 troops.

               2nd          Landed 644 troops in two trips.

                3rd          Landed 1,022 troops

                                (Note: This ship carried 3,991 troops in all during DYNAMO)

                4th          Passage to Liverpool for repair and refit.

                                (Note: During dockyard work Army twin 6pdr guns fitted, to improve close range defence

                                against aircraft and E-Boats.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to I42 to conform with

                                new identities introduced for all RN ships.

 

July                         On completion joined HM Destroyers MONTROSE, WALPOLE and WHITSHED in 16th

                                Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich for convoy defence and patrol in North Sea.

 

August                  North Sea convoy defence and patrol duties with Flotilla in continuation.

to                            (Note: During this period extensive deployments were made in the North Sea to

December              provide anti-invasion patrols with cover by cruisers of the Home Fleet based in

                                the Humber and Thames Estuaries.

                                See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by C Bamett).

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence with Flotilla in continuation.

to                            (For details of North Sea convoy escort duties see THREE CORVETTES by Nicholas

April                       Monsarrat).

 

May                        Detached for duty with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

                                Deployed with screen for major warships during exercises in NW Approaches.

                17th        Escorted HM Battleship KING GEORGE V with HM Destroyer WALPOLE during gunnery

                                exercise.

 

June                        Home Fleet escort duties in continuation.

 

July                         Rejoined 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich.

 

August                  North Sea convoy defence and patrol with Flotilla.

to

December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Deployed with Flotilla in North Sea for convoy defence and E-Boat interception patrols

to                            (See THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter Scott).

February

 

March                    Flotilla duties in continuation.

                13th        Deployed with HM Destroyers BLENCATHRA, CALPE, FERNIE and WALPOLE in English

                                Channel to intercept German commerce raider MICHEL known to be about to make passage

                                from Flushing to enter Atlantic.

                                Enemy ship had an escort of five Torpedo Boats and nine Minesweepers.

                14th        Engaged enemy ships with surface gunfire which was returned and made a torpedo attack and

                                surface gun action against enemy ships.

                                Superficial damage was sustained.

                                (Note: Post war details indicate that little damage was inflicted on any enemy ship.)

 

April                       Resumed convoy defence and patrol in North Sea and Channel.

to

July

 

August                  Detached with HM Destroyers MONTROSE, WALPOLE and WORCESTER for duty at Scapa

                                Flow with Home Fleet.

                                Deployed in NW Approaches for anti-submarine patrols and escort of Fleet units.

 

September             Nominated for support duty during passage of Russian Convoy PQ18 and returning

                                Convoy QP14.

                                (For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg

                                ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield,

                                CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).

                8th          Joined escort for PQ18.

                9th          Detached with HM Destroyer WORCESTER, HM Escort Destroyers COWDRAY and

                                OAKLEY as escort for Fleet Tankers BLUE RANGER and OLIGARCH as Force "P".

                                Passage to Lowe Sound Spitsbergen to establish fuelling base at for the escorting destroyers

                                of Russian Convoys.

                12th        At Lowe Sound as Guardship.

                21st         On completion of refuelling took passage to Iceland.

                26th        On return to Iceland took passage to resume Flotilla duties in North Sea.

 

October                  Rejoined Flotilla and resumed North Sea duties.

 

November              North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

 

December              Detached for further Home Fleet duties.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed with Home Fleet in NW Approaches.

                                Resumed North Sea convoy defence and patrol with Flotilla..

                24th        During escort of North Sea convoy with HM Escort Destroyer MENDIP engaged group

                                of E-Boats off Lowestoft and drove them off.

                                (See above reference).

 

February                North Sea duties in continuation.

 

March

                4th          In action with H M Escort Destroyer SOUTHDOWN and HM Corvette SHELDRAKE against

                                E-Boats off Great Yarmouth.

                28th        Drove off attacks by E-Boats with HM Escort Destroyer BLENCATHRA, HM MGB321 and

                                HM MGB 333 on Convoy FS1074 off Smith's Knoll.

 

April                       North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

to                            (Note: By this period the ship had been converted for use as a Close Range Escort.

December              or details of changes to machinery and armament see V AND W DESTROYERS by

                                A Preston and BRITISH DESTROYERS by E March).

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  North Sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

to

April

 

May                        Nominated for escort of military convoys during Normandy landings.

                                (Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities prior to and during these

                                landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June

                                1944 (HMSO - Naval Staff History).

 

June                        Joined HM Corvette STARWORT and two Motor Launches of Coastal Forces as Escort

                                Group 132 off Southend for escort of Convoy ETC2Y.

                4th          Passage to Solent from Thames Estuary with Convoy.

                                (Note: Convoy comprised 13 coasters taking Pre-loaded transport for British Build-up

                                Division, five Water Carriers and ten Oil Tankers).

                                Escort Group was supplemented by HM Corvette BUTTERCUP and a Motor Minesweeper.

                5th          Operation delayed for 21 hours.

                7th          Passage through Swept Channel to Eastern Task Force area Discharge position.

                                On arrival of convoy returned to Nore to commence 'cycle' of Build-up convoys.

                8th          Escort duty with Group for planned escort programme.

 

July                         Resumed North Sea convoy defence with Flotilla.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Flotilla duties in continuation

to                            (Note: During this period there was intense E-Boat and submarine activity in

May                        southern North Sea including mining of convoy routes to coastal ports

                                In addition to convoy escort duties ships of Flotilla were extensively deployed on

                                patrols to intercept any enemy operations.

                                Atlantic Convoys were also re-routed through Channel and escorts were deployed

                                accordingly from Nore Command.)

 

June                        Withdrawn from operational service and placed in Reserve.

to

August

  

P o s t   W a r  N o t e s

 

HMS WINDSOR remained in Reserve and was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day. She was sold for to BISCO for breaking-up by Metal Industries in March 1947 and arrived in tow at the breakers yard in Charleston near Rosyth in May 1949. 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WINDSOR

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

 

 

 

 

 

20/11/39

20/11/39

SA 018

21/11/39

21/11/39

27/11/39

27/11/39

SA 019

28/11/39

29/11/39

11/12/39

11/12/39

SA 021

12/12/39

12/12/39

12/12/39

12/12/39

OB 052

14/12/39

17/12/39

18/12/39

18/12/39

OA 055G

21/12/39

21/12/39

20/12/39

21/12/39

OA 057

23/12/39

23/12/39

28/12/39

28/12/39

OA 062

30/12/39

31/12/39

27/12/39

09/01/40

SL 014F

11/01/40

11/01/40

12/01/40

12/01/40

OA 071

14/01/40

16/01/40

14/01/40

25/01/40

HX 016

28/01/40

28/01/40

29/01/40

29/01/40

OA 082

30/01/40

unknown

24/01/40

09/02/40

SL 018

12/02/40

12/02/40

18/02/40

02/03/40

HX 021

04/03/40

04/03/40

27/02/40

unknown

OA 099

unknown

01/03/40

04/03/40

11/03/40

HG 021

13/03/40

13/03/40

15/03/40

15/03/40

OA 110G

16/03/40

unknown

21/03/40

23/03/40

OA 114

23/03/40

24/03/40

28/03/40

unknown

OA 119

unknown

unknown

13/03/40

25/03/40

HX 027

28/03/40

28/03/40

01/04/40

03/04/40

OA 121

04/04/40

04/04/40

22/03/40

05/04/40

SL 025

08/04/40

08/04/40

09/04/40

09/04/40

OA 126

10/04/40

12/04/40

10/04/40

23/04/40

HX 034

26/04/40

26/04/40

27/04/40

28/04/40

OA 137

unknown

unknown

09/05/40

09/05/40

OG 029F

09/05/40

14/05/40

04/05/40

10/05/40

HG 029F

13/05/40

13/05/40

16/05/40

16/05/40

FS 0172

18/05/40

18/05/40

20/07/40

20/07/40

CW 007

22/07/40

22/07/40

02/09/42

10/09/42

PQ 018

10/09/42

21/09/42

13/09/42

unknown

QP 014

20/09/42

26/09/42

27/06/43

27/06/43

CW 189

28/06/43

28/06/43

28/06/43

28/06/43

CE 187

29/06/43

29/06/43

13/07/43

13/07/43

CW 193

14/07/43

14/07/43

14/07/43

14/07/43

CE 191

15/07/43

15/07/43

26/08/43

26/08/43

CW 204

27/08/43

27/08/43

27/08/43

27/08/43

CE 202

28/08/43

28/08/43

19/09/43

19/09/43

CW 210

20/09/43

20/09/43

20/09/43

20/09/43

CE 208

21/09/43

21/09/43

04/12/43

04/12/43

CW 229

05/12/43

05/12/43

05/12/43

05/12/43

CE 227

06/12/43

06/12/43

11/06/44

11/06/44

ETC 007

13/06/44

13/06/44

14/06/44

14/06/44

FTM 007

15/06/44

15/06/44

17/06/44

17/06/44

ETC 012

18/06/44

18/06/44

19/06/44

19/06/44

FTC 012

20/06/44

20/06/44

30/06/44

30/06/44

ETC 023

01/07/44

01/07/44

28/06/44

08/07/44

FTC 020

09/07/44

unknown

12/07/44

12/07/44

ETM 034

13/07/44

13/07/44

14/07/44

14/07/44

FTM 037

15/07/44

15/07/44

17/07/44

17/07/44

ETC 040

18/07/44

18/07/44

19/07/44

19/07/44

FTC 041

20/07/44

20/07/44

23/07/44

23/07/44

ETC 046

24/07/44

24/07/44

25/07/44

25/07/44

FTC 047

26/07/44

26/07/44

29/07/44

29/07/44

ETC 052

30/07/44

30/07/44

31/07/44

31/07/44

FTC 053

01/08/44

01/08/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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