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)