D
or DEFENDER-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered
from John I Thornycroft
at Woolston,
Southampton in the 1930 Programme.
The ship was laid
down on 18th June 1931 and launched on 7th April
1932. She was the 5th RN ship
to carry the name, introduced in 1801 and
previously used by a destroyer sold
in 1912. Build was completed on 25th November
1932 for a contract price of
£225,536 excluding the Admiralty supplied
equipment such as guns, ammunition
and communications equipment. She joined the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla in the
Mediterranean early the next year. The ship
re-commissioned in April 1934 after
refit at Sheerness.. In December 1934 she sailed
to join the 8th Destroyer
Flotilla on the China Station and served there
until the outbreak of war. Her
captain until arrival at Singapore was the
renowned Lord Louis Mountbatten.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
None
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field
Black, an arm and a hand in a cresset of
fire all Proper.
M
o t t
o
Splendide audax :
'Finely daring’
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
Passage to join Fleet at Alexandria with HM
Destroyers DUNCAN, DIANA and DAINTY.
26th
Detached on arrival at Aden for patrol and contraband control in
Red Sea.
October
Deployed at Aden.
November
Passage to Malta to join Flotilla.
25th
Taken in hand for docking and repair in
Malta
(Note: The condition of many ships of
Flotilla had been found unsatisfactory on
arrival in the
Mediterranean.
HMS DECOY and HMS DUNCAN were also taken
in
hand after joining the
Mediterranean Fleet).
December
Nominated for service in 3rd Destroyer
Flotilla Home Fleet.
20th
On completion prepared for passage.
1
9 4 0
January
Passage to Belfast as escort for rms
DUNNOTAR CASTLE from Gibraltar.
7th
Arrived in Clyde and took passage to
Portsmouth.
(Note: This was her first arrival in UK
since leaving for China in 1930.)
10th
Under repair at Portsmouth.
25th
On completion took passage via Irish Sea to
join Flotilla in Scapa Flow.
February
10th
Joined Flotilla at Scapa Flow.
Deployed for escort of convoys to and from
Norway.
18th
During escort of Convoy HN12 from Norway
torpedoed by U23 and sank very quickly
in position 58.39N 01.10W after being hit in
stern and capsizing.
There were only 15 survivors, five of whom
were rescued by HM Submarine THISTLE
which had witnessed attack. 157 of ship's
company were lost.
U29 was commanded by Kretschmer who later
was responsible for sinking many ships
during Atlantic convoy attacks during 1941.
P
o s t W a r
N o t e
This name was carried forward in August 1949 when given to a Fleet
Destroyer launched at Wallsend
by Swan Hunter. She served at home and abroad
until scrapped in 1971.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
DARING
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
30/01/40
|
05/02/40
|
TC
003
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
HN
012
|
18/02/40
|
19/02/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)