D or
DEFENDER-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Palmer's on 2nd
February 1931 under the 1930 Build
Programme. The ship was laid down on 20th
June 1931 at the same time as sister
ship HMS DIANA. She was launched on
19th
July 1932 as the 4th RN ship to bear this
name, introduced in 1852 and last used for a
Paddle Minesweeper.
Build of this destroyer was completed on
27th January 1933 and cost of £229,367
excluding the Admiralty supplied equipment
such as the weapons and
communications equipment. This ship served
in the Mediterranean and in 1934
refitted at Chatham for service on the China
Station in the 8th Destroyer
Flotilla until September 1939.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
PORTLAND 1653
- GABBARD 1653 - SCHEVENINGEN
1653 - BEACHY HEAD 1690 -
BARFLEUR 1692 - BURMA
1824-26 - NORWAY 1940
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On
a Field Blue, a Duchess's coronet
Proper over a
terrestrial globe Silver.
M o t t
o
Duchi non trahi: 'To be led but not dragged'
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
Deployed with 21st Destroyer Flotilla at
Hong Kong.
(Note: The 8th Destroyer Flotilla in China
had been renumbered 21st Flotilla in April
1939)
28th
Took passage from Hong Kong to join the
Fleet in Mediterranean at Alexandria.
October
12th
Arrived at Malta.
Deployed for Fleet screening and contraband
control.
November
Fleet duties in continuation.
December
6th
Sailed from Gibraltar as escort for HM
Battleship BARHAM for return to UK.
10th
Collided with HMS BARHAM in NW Approaches
west of Mull of Kintyre in thick fog.
Sank in position 55.21N 06.02W with the loss
of 134 of ship's company.
S p e c i a l N o
t e
This name was
carried forward
for the 5th time when used for a DARING
Class Fleet Destroyer in 1951. This
ship served with the Fleet until 1971 when
she was scrapped.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS DUCHESS
by
Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been
cross-checked with the text above
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Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
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30/09/39
|
30/09/39
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BLUE
003
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05/10/39
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11/10/39
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(Note
on Convoys)
