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)
1 9 3 9
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.
1 9 4 0
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.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS KEITH
by Don Kindell
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy
sailed |
Joined convoy
as escort |
Convoy No. |
Left convoy |
Date convoy
arrived |
|
|
|
|
|
11/09/39
|
11/09/39
|
BC 001F
|
12/09/39
|
12/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
BC 006F
|
29/09/39
|
29/09/39
|
13/10/39
|
19/10/39
|
HG 003
|
21/10/39
|
21/10/39
|
14/11/39
|
14/11/39
|
OA 035
|
14/11/39
|
19/11/39
|
03/12/39
|
04/12/39
|
OA 046
|
05/12/39
|
unknown
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
OA 049
|
10/12/39
|
11/12/39
|
11/01/40
|
13/01/40
|
OA 070G
|
14/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
OG 015
|
22/01/40
|
27/01/40
|
22/01/40
|
03/02/40
|
HX 017
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)