BEAGLE-Class destroyer ordered from Palmer’s at Jarrow on Tyne in the 1938 Build Programme on 22nd March 1929. The ship was laid down on 22nd July 1929 and was launched on 11th June 1930 as the 5th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1757 for a 6th Rate and last used by a Trawler hired during WW1.Build was completed on 20th February 1931 at a contract price of £221,156 which excluded supply of guns and communications equipment by the Admiralty. Until 1938 this ship served in the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet and then joined the Home Fleet. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Southall, the in Middlesex and now part of the London Borough of Ealing.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

LOUISBERG 1759 - HAVANA 1762 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1940 - ATLANTIC 1941-2 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a field Black, a winged figure Gold with

Silver breath.

(Note: Boreas is the God of the North wind.)

 

M o t t o

Vente favente: 'With favouring wind'

 

 

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

 

Deployed in Home Fleet for aircraft carrier safety duties. Nominated War Station: 19th Destroyer Flotilla in Nore Command.

 

September

 

3rd - Joined HM Destroyers CODRINGTON, KEITH, BASILISK, BEAGLE, BLANCHE, BOADICEA, BRILLIANT and BRAZEN at Dover to form Flotilla for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence duties in North Sea and English Channel.

 

October

 

Flotilla duties at Dover in continuation.

 

14th - Recovered five bodies during patrol in Dover Straits. (Note: These were German seamen from U40 which had been sunk by a mine in the Dover Barrage on 13th October whilst attempting passage to the Atlantic through the English Channel.)

 

November

 

Channel deployment in continuation. (For details of naval activities in Home waters during 1939 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)

 

December

 

15th - Deployed with HM Destroyers BASILISK, ESK and EXPRESS as escort for HM Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA during minelay in Galloper area of North Sea. (Operation GF – See Naval Staff History (Mining).

 

 

1 9 4 0

 

January

 

Transferred to Rosyth Command for escort of convoys during passage to Clyde through NW Approaches.

 

February

 

4th - Under air attack off NE Scotland whilst assisting HM Minesweeper SPHINX which had been disabled in an earlier air attack on 3rd. Sustained damage to stern structure. (Note: HMS SPHINX later foundered.)

 

Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth On completion resumed North Sea convoy defence.

 

March

 

1st - Deployed with HMS BRAZEN to escort HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK during lay of deep minefield in Moray Firth. (Operation DML – See above reference.)

 

29th - Transferred to 12th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth in continuation of North Sea convoy defence.

 

April

 

Rosyth Escort Force service in continuation.

 

May

 

5th - Deployed with HMS BRILLIANT and HMS VERITY to escort HM Auxiliary Minelayer HAMPTON during minelay in Galloper area (Operation DML3 – See above reference.)

 

14th - Deployed at Harwich for support of military operations in Holland.

 

15th - Sustained damage in collision with HMS BRILLIANT during passage to Hook of Holland. (Note: HMS BRILLIANT was taking demolition party.)

 

18th - Under repair in Thames commercial shipyard.

 

June

 

20th - On completion took passage to Dover for detached service with 1st Destroyer Flotilla for Channel convoy defence.

 

July

 

Channel deployment in continuation.

 

25th - Under air attack off Dover during passage to intercept E-Boats with HMS BRILLIANT. Disabled by near misses which also caused slow flooding aft. After repair proceeded at 17 knots using emergency steering, but in a subsequent attack hit in bridge area by two bombs and badly damaged. 21 fatal casualties and ship taken in tow to Dover.

 

26th - Repair arranged at commercial shipyard in London.

 

28th - Tow to Millwall Dock.

 

30th - Taken in hand for repair.

 

August to December

 

Under repair. (Note: Work included modification of Depth Charge arrangements to enable firing of 10 charge pattern.

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

 

Under repair.

 

19th - Sustained superficial damage from bomb splinters during air raid.

 

23rd - On completion of post repair trials took passage to Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of Home Fleet.

 

February

 

Transferred to Western Approaches Command. Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence in NW Approaches.

 

March

 

NW Approaches deployment in continuation. Nominated with HMS BRILLIANT for transfer to Freetown for convoy defence with 18th Destroyer Flotilla in place of HM Destroyers FOXHOUND and DUNCAN. Prepared for foreign service.

 

April

 

Deployed as escort for HM Armed Merchant Cruiser COMORIN and ss GLENARTNEY with HM Canadian Destroyer ASSINIBOINE during passage to Gibraltar from Clyde (Note: HMCS ASSINIBOINE was damaged in a collision on 5th)

 

11th - Arrived at Gibraltar and taken in hand for repair of defects.

 

21st - Took passage to Freetown on completion.

 

28th - Joined Flotilla on arrival at Freetown. (Note: HMS DUNCAN was retained in South Atlantic Command until July)

 

May

 

Deployed at Freetown for Local Escort duties with Flotilla.

 

6th - Deployed with HM Destroyer HIGHLANDER as Local Escort for military convoy WS8A during passage into Freetown.

 

9th - Detached from WS8A on arrival at Freetown.

 

14th - Deployed with HM Destroyer WISHART as Local escort for WS8A on departure from Freetown for Cape of Good Hope.

 

15th - Detached from WS8A and returned to Freetown with HMS WISHART (Note: HM Cruiser MAURITIUS provided Ocean Escort)

 

June

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

2nd - Joined military convoy WS8B with HMS DUNCAN as Local Escort during passage into Freetown.

 

4th - Detached from WS8B with Local Escort on arrival.

 

6th - Joined WS8B on departure from Freetown with HM Destroyers DUNCAN and HIGHLANDER as Local Escort during passage in Freetown area. (Note: HM Cruiser EXETER continued duty as Ocean Escort during passage to Aden.)

 

8th - Detached from WS8B with Local Escort for return to Freetown.

 

13th - Joined HM Destroyers VANSITTART and WILD SWAN with HM Destroyer BRILLIANT, VELOX and HIGHLANDER as Local Escort of military convoy WS9A into Freetown.

 

18th - Detached from WS9B with Local Escort on arrival.

 

20th - Joined WS9A with HM Destroyers VANSITTART VELOX and WILD SWAN as Local Escort during passage in Freetown area.

 

22nd - Detached from WS9A with Local Escort for return to Freetown. (Note: HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM provided Ocean Escort during passage in Atlantic until July 2nd.)

 

July

 

16th - Joined military convoy WS9B with HM Destroyers BRILLIANT, VELOX and VANSITTART as Local Escort during passage in Freetown area.

 

18th - Detached from WS9B with Local Escort for return to Freetown. (Note: HM Cruiser GALATEA provided Ocean Escort during passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

August

 

Part of escort for Freetown – Gibraltar convoy.

 

10th - Deployed with escort of convoy HG70 for passage to UK (Note: Several attempts were made by U-Boats to attack this convoy but these were all frustrated by air and surface escort – For details see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR, Volume 1 by C Blair.)

 

24th - Detached from HG70 to carry out search for survivors off the coast of Portugal. Rescued five survivors from British steamer ALVA , sunk on 19th, four from British freighter ALDERGOVE sunk on 23rd, four from British tug EMPIRE OAK sunk on 22nd and five from Norwegian freighter SPIND sunk on 23rd). (Note: In view of the failure of attacks on HG70 the ships were either independents or from another convoy.) Took passage to land survivors at Gibraltar.

 

25th - Landed passengers and sailed for UK for refit

 

September

 

Passage to South Shields.

 

19th - Taken in hand for refit by commercial shipyard at Middle Dock..

 

October to December

 

Under refit

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

 

Completed post refit trials

 

5th - Passage to Greenock to resume Atlantic convoy defence duties with Flotilla at Freetown.

 

8th - Nominated for escort of military convoy during passage to Freetown

 

12th - Deployed with HM Armed Merchant Cruisers ASCANIA and CHESHIRE, Dutch AA Cruiser, HEEMSKERK, Polish Destroyer ORP GARLAND, HM Destroyers NORMAN, VANSITTART and VIMY as Ocean Escort for military convoy WS15 during passage from Clyde to Freetown.

 

17th - HM Battleship RESOLUTION joined as Ocean Escort)

 

25th - Detached from Ocean Escort of WS15 on arrival at Freetown and resumed Local convoy defence with Flotilla.

 

February

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

26th - Joined military convoy WS16 with HM Destroyers BRILLIANT and WILD SWAN as Local Escort during passage into Freetown

 

March

 

1st - Detached from WS16 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

April

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

26th - Joined military convoy WS18 with HM Destroyer WILD SWAN and HM Corvette PETUNIA as Local Escort for passage into Freetown.

 

29th - Detached from WS18 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

May

 

3rd - Joined WS18 with HM Destroyer WIVERN as Local Escort for passage in Freetown area.

 

4th - Detached from WS18 with Local Escort for return to Freetown. (Note: Ocean Escort was provided by HM Cruiser GAMBIA for passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

20th - Joined military convoy WS19 escorted by HMS VELOX with HM Destroyer WILD SWAN for Local Escort during passage into Freetown.

 

22nd - Detached from WS19 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

26th - Joined HM Destroyer VELOX as Local Escort from Freetown for WS19.

 

28th - Detached from WS19 with HMS VELOX and for return to Freetown. (Note: HM Cruiser MAURITIUS, HM Destroyer HURSLEY and HM Sloop MILFORD provided Ocean Escort for passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

June

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

30th - Joined military convoy WS20 with HM Destroyer to supplement Local Escort into Freetown by HM Destroyers BLACKMORE and BRILLIANT.

 

July

 

2nd - Detached from WS20 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

6th - Joined WS20 with HM Destroyer VELOX as Local Escort during passage in Freetown area.

 

8th - Detached with HMS VELOX and returned to Freetown. (Note: HM Battleship MALAYA provided Ocean Escort to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

August

 

2nd - Joined military convoy WS21P as Local Escort during passage from Freetown. (Note: Ocean Escort was provided by HM Cruiser ORION, HM Destroyer NEPAL and Dutch Destroyer TJERK HIDDES which had been with convoy since leaving UK.)

 

6th - Detached from WS21P and returned to Freetown.

 

September

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

October

 

Nominated for service in Eastern Mediterranean. Took passage from Freetown via Cape of Good Hope (Note: May have been part of escort for convoy for all or part of passage. but NOT with a WS military convoy.)

 

November

 

Passage in Red Sea to join Fleet at Alexandria.

 

11th - Arrived at Alexandria.

 

12th - Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean (Note: Participation in Operation STONEAGE the first relief convoy from Alexandria which is recorded in one source cannot be confirmed in MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodhead and requires substantiation. HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, EURYALUS and DIDO with nine destroyers based at Alexandria formed escort.)

 

December

 

Deployed in eastern Mediterranean for convoy escort. (Note: Malta relief convoys and return shipping were extensive)

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January

 

Deployed as escort for convoy to Malta and took passage to Gibraltar for convoy defence with 13th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

February

 

Deployed briefly at Gibraltar before passage to Freetown to resume Atlantic and Local convoy defence with 18th Flotilla.

 

March

 

Deployed at Freetown for Flotilla duties.

 

April

 

Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

26th - Joined military convoy WS29A for Local Escort during passage into Freetown in place of HM Destroyers ANTHONY and BRISSENDEN. (Note: HM Destroyer LEWES remained with convoy).

 

May

 

Called at Casablanca and Dakar with WS29A

 

4th - Detached from WS29A with HMS LEWES on arrival.

 

6th - Joined military convoy WS29 with HM Destroyers WITCH, MALCOLM, RAPID and WOLVERINE as Local Escort during passage from Freetown. (Note: WS29 had arrived at Freetown on 28th April and been joined by WS29A for onward passage to Indian Ocean. HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE provided Ocean Escort for passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

8th - Detached from WS29 with HMS WITCH and returned to Freetown. Nominated for transfer to Gibraltar for defence of convoys during build-up for planned allied landings in Sicily

 

June

 

Passage to Gibraltar

 

July

 

Deployed for convoy defence at Gibraltar (Note: It may be assumed that as no Battle Honour SICILY was awarded this ship was not part of escort for the assault or build-up convoys during Operation HUSKY.)

 

August

 

Transfer of ship to Royal Hellenic Navy under consideration. Passage to UK for refit prior to loan service.

 

September

 

Taken in hand for refit by Cammell Laird shipyard in Liverpool.

 

October to December

 

Under refit

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

Under refit.

 

February

 

Carried out post refit trials

 

11th - Transferred on loan to Royal Hellenic Navy.

 

March

 

Formal hand-over at Liverpool

 

25th - Commissioned as HHelMS SALAMIS

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e   a s   H  H e l  M  S   S A L A M I S

 

April

 

Worked-up at Scapa Flow with Home Fleet. Sustained damage in collision during work-up.

 

28th - Taken in hand for repair by Amos and Smith Shipyard in Hull.

 

May

 

Under repair.

 

June

 

On completion resumed work-up with Home Fleet.

 

July

 

Passage to Gibraltar for convoy defence deployment.

 

August to September

 

Deployed at Gibraltar

 

October

 

Transferred to eastern Mediterranean for service in support of operations to recover occupied Greek islands and landings in Greece.

 

November to December Deployed in eastern Mediterranean in support of military operations.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to May

 

Deployed in Greek waters for support duties.

 

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HHelMS SALAMIS remained in the Royal Hellenic Navy until handed back to the Royal Navy in Malta on 10th May 1951. Resuming her former name HMS BOREAS was placed on the Disposal List and sold to BISCO on 23rd November 1951. She was taken in tow to Charlestown near Rosyth for demolition by Metal Industries and arrived at the Breaker’s Yard on 15th April 1952.

 

---

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS BOREAS

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)