Flotilla Leader of B-Class Destroyers ordered from Vickers Armstrong at Barrow under the 1928 Programme on 22nd March 1929-She was laid down on 1st October 1929 as Yard No. 656 and launched on 10th July 1930, the 1st RN ship to carry this name to commemorate the name of Admiral George Keith Elphinstone, later Lord Keith who captured Capetown in 1795-97. Build completed on 20 March 1931. Although originally to have only three 4" mountings so that additional structure could be built aft to accommodate Staff officers, this was not implements and she retained the 4th mounting aft. Staff officers who could not be accommodated were borne in other ships of the Flotilla. During pre war service she collided with a mercantile in fog and sustained major damage. After repair and modification to ventilation she was put in Reserve for six month. Re-commissioned in 1937, the ship carried out Non-intervention patrols during the Spanish civil war and returned to reserve in November that year. Refitted in 1938 she rejoined the Fleet and carried out patrols based at Gibraltar until May 1939. Following a refit she re-commissioned for service in the Reserve Fleet at Chatham and in August attended the Royal Review of the Reserve Fleet in Weymouth Bay in August.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-40 - DUNKIRK  1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

On a  Field Silver, a Boar's head, Red.

 

M o t t o

Fatis Fortitor Virtua :   'Valour is stronger than fate'

 

 

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)

 

 

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August                  Remained in commission after Royal Review and took passage to war station at Scapa Flow

                                with Hone Fleet.

 

September             Deployed with 17th Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet.

                3rd          Transferred to Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Based at Milford Haven.

                11th        Escorted Convoy BC1 with HM Destroyer VIVACIOUS.

 

October                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                29th        Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla and took passage to Harwich.

 

November              Joined Flotilla for service as Leader of Polish Destroyer Division.

                                Deployed for convoy escort and patrol in North Sea.

                                (Note: Flotilla comprised HM Destroyers BOADICEA, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and GIPSY.

                                HMS GIPSY sank after detonating a magnetic mine off Harwich on 27th Nov.)

 

December              Detached for repair to propellers by HM Dockyard Devonport.

 

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January                  Under repair at Devonport.

                10th        On completion of trials took passage to rejoin Flotilla at Harwich.

                21st         Deployed with HM Destroyers WHIRLWIND and WITHERINGTON as escort for outward

                                convoy OG15 during passage in SW Approaches.

 

February                Transferred to 19th Destroyer Flotilla based at Dover for contraband control and convoy

                                defence in Channel and southern North Sea.

                                Relieved HM Destroyer CODRINGTON as Leader.

                                Involved in collision with Armed Yacht at Dover and taken in hand for repair by HM

                                Dockyard, Chatham.

 

March                    On completion rejoined Flotilla at Dover.

                5th          Escorted damaged tanker CHARLES F. MEYER which had been damaged by a Mine and

                                under tow to Southampton by HM Destroyer BOADICEA.

                7th          Escorted m Auxiliary Minelayer HAMPTON with HMS BOADICEA during Deep Field lay in

                                the Galloper area.

                                (Operation DML9 - See Naval Staff History (Mining).

                13th        Ran aground en Goodwin Sands.

                                Taken in hand for repair.

 

April                       Under repair.

                                On completion rejoined Flotilla at Dover.

 

May                        Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayer HAMPTON with HMS BRILLIANT during continuation of

                                Deep Field minelay in the Galloper area. (Operation DML9 - See Naval Staff History

                                (Mining).)

                10th        Deployed with HM Destroyer BOREAS as escort for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA and

                                GALATEA carrying bullion from Ijmuiden to UK.

                12th        Returned to Hook of Holland to embark allied troops for evacuation.

                19th        Rescued survivors from HM Destroyer WHITLEY beached at Nieuport after air attack

                                Subsequently destroyed wreck by gunfire.

                23rd        Under fire from shore at Boulogne whilst landing reinforcement troops.

                                Hit by mortar shell and machine gun fire.

                                Captain was killed.

                26th        Deployed for evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO).

                                (For details see NINE DAYS OF DUNKIRK by AD Divine. BEF SHIPS by J de S Winser and

                                Naval Staff History.)

                27th        Responsible for co-ordination of evacuation arrangements at La Panne.

                to            Remained offshore.

                30th        (See MEN OF ACTION by K Edwards for details.)

                31st         Rear Admiral W F Wake-Walker embarked as Senior Naval Officer (Afloat).

                                Wore Flag of Rear Admiral.

                                Under shore fire off La Panne.

                                Embarked 992 troops at Dunkirk including officers of Army HQ staff except General Lord

                                Gort who had gone to HM Minesweeper HEBE.

 

June

                1st           Took passage to La Panne with SNO (Afloat).

                                Under fire from shore and then by air attack which damaged steering gear.

                                Disabled ship anchored and continued to repel aircraft.

                                Ammunition almost totally expended.

                                Straddled by bombs including one which entered No 2 Boiler Room down after funnel

                                killing all inside and starting a fire

.                               Ship disabled.

                                Rear Admiral Wake-Walker transferred to HM MTB102 and ship abandoned.

                                (Note: Intention to transfer Flag to HM Destroyer BOADICEA could not be implemented

                                as this ship had been sunk in air attacks.)

                                Later sank in position 51.04N 06.26E.

                                Casualties included 36 killed but 130 of ship's company survived.

                                (Note: 100 survivors were later lost in the tug ST ABBS which rescued them and was sunk by air

                                attack later that day.)

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS KEITH

by Don Kindell

(Note on Convoys)