E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 1st November
1932 from Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle under the 1931 Build Programs. The ship
was laid down on 15th March 1933, the same day as her sister ship HMS ENCOUNTER
also built in this shipyard. She was launched on 15th February 1934 as the
seventh RN snip to carry the name introduced for a Brig Sloop in 1760 and last
used for hired Trawler in WW1 as well as for a Boom Defence Vessel known as
ELECTRA II during WW2. Build was completed on 13th September 1934 for a cost of
£253,350 excluding the items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns and communications
equipment. Her peace time service in the Home Fleet included deployment for intervention
patrol during the Spanish civil war. The ship was refitted at Sheerness in 1938
before being place in Reserve.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-40 - NORWAY 1940 - BISMARCK Action
1941 - ARCTIC 1941
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, a female head proper, rising out of wavelets Silver and Green.
M o t t o
Fulgens ab undis: 'Shining from the waves'
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
2nd Brought forward with
Reservist ship's company for Royal Review in Weymouth Bay.
26th Attended Review by
King George VI.
September Retained in commission and
took passage to war station.
Joined 12th
Destroyer Flotilla at Portland for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence
duty in SW
Approaches.
3rd Took part in rescue
of survivors from ss ATHENIA and arrived before the sinking of this
liner
after being torpedoed by U30 west of Ireland.
October Transferred to Greenock
Escort Force for service in in NW Approaches.
to Deployed for
defence of convoys between Clyde and Forth.
December Boiler cleaning carried out
at Rosyth.
1 9 4 0
January Atlantic aid North Sea convoy defence in continuation.
to
March
April Deployment with 12th
Flotilla in Rosyth Command for escort of convoys between Forth
and Clyde
8th Transferred with
Flotilla for service with Home Fleet after German invasion of Norway.
(Note: Flotilla
also included HM Destroyers ECHO, ESCORT, ESCAPADE,
ENCOUNTER
and ECLIPSE.)
12th Joined HM Cruiser
SOUTHAMPTON as escort during passage to Vaagsfjord with HMS
ESCAPADE.
(Note: General
Mackesey, Commanding Land Forces in Norway was embarked in HM
Cruiser SOUTHAMPTON with an Advance Party to prepare for the planned military
operation.
See NAVAL OPERATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN OFF NORWAY (HMSO.)
14th Arrived at Vaagsfjord
and remained for support duties in Norway.
24th Escorted HM Cruiser
VINDICTIVE during passage from Bogen for landing by Irish
Guards in
Narvik area after bombardment by HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Cruisers
AURORA, EFFINGHAM and ENTERPRISE.
May Norwegian support and
convoy escort duties in continuation
(For details of
the disastrous operations off Norway sea CARRIER GLORIOUS by J
Winton,
NARVIK by D Macintyre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams and Naval
Staff History
(HMSO, 2001) )
8th Ship had been at 30
mins Notice for steam or under way since 3rd April.
Returned to Scapa
Flow to replenish..
June Deployed
for screening of Home Fleet ships covering passage of evacuation
convoys
from Narvik area.
11th Part of escort for HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL during air attacks on Trondheim.
13th Sustained major
structural damage in collision with HM Destroyer ANTELOPE.
Passage to UK.
Taken in hand for
repair in commercial shipyard at Troon.
July Under repair at
Troon.
(Note: During
this period the after torpedo tubes were removed and replaced by a 3in
AA gun.
20mm Oerlikon guns were fitted on the bridge wings as an additional defence
against
close range air attack).
August Refit and modifications
in continuation.
31st Carried out post
refit trials on completion of shipyard work.
September On completion of trials
joined 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Hone Fleet based at Scapa Flow for
escort of
major Fleet units.
11th Deployed for escort
of ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron with HM Destroyers JACKAL,
VERSATILE and
VIMY during lay of deep minefield in NW approaches to Irish Sea.
(Operation SN41 -
See the Naval Staff History (MINING).
October Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
November
6th Part of escort for
HM Battlecruiser REPULSE during search for German battleship
SCHEER
after sinking of HM Armed Merchant Cruiser RAWALPINDI.
(Note: Provided
covered for passage of Convoy HX 84 during this operation.)
December Deployed with Home Fleet in
search for commerce raider in North Atlantic lasting over
Xmas
period.
(See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Bamett for details of this period).
1 9 4 1
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
3rd Part of screen for
HM Battlecruiser HOOD during provision of cover for minelay in the
Northern Barrage
by ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron.
(Operations SN6
and SN65 - See above reference).
7th Resumed Flotilla
duties in (tea Fleet on release from SN65)
Escorted single
merchant ship through Irish Sea and on return passage rescued three
survivors
from Coastal Command ANSON aircraft which crashed nearby.
25th Part of screen for
Fleet units engaged in escort of Norwegian mercantiles which had
escaped
from Baltic ports (Operation RUBBLE).
26th Deployed with screen
for major Home Fleet units during search in NW Approaches for
German
battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU.
30th Resumed Home Fleet
Flotilla duties.
February
8th Part of
anti-submarine screen for HM Battleship RODNEY during Hone Fleet cover for
minelay in
Northern Barrage (Operation SK7A - See above reference).
15th Deployed as screen
for HMS RODNEY with HM Destroyer ECLIPSE during Ocean
Escort of
military Convoy WS6A during passage from Clyde to Freetown
17th Detached from WS6A
with HMS RODNEY and HMS ECLIPSE on relief by HM
Battlecruiser
RENOWN.
19th Escorted HM
Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH and HM Battlecruiser HOOD during
search for
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU after sighting by RODNEY.
(Note: This
search lasted three days.)
29th Escorted HM
Battleship PRINCE OF WALES during contractor's trials.
March Home Fleet screening
duties in continuation.
to
April
May
15th Escorted ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron during minelay in Northern Barrage.
(Operation SN9B -
See above reference).
23rd Escorted HMS HOOD
from Scapa Flow with HM Destroyers ICARUS and ANTHONY
for the
interception of the German battleship BISMARCK known to be on passage to
attack Atlantic
convoys.
(Note: Ship was
therefore not present when HMS HOOD was sunk)
24th Detached with other
escorts to carry cut search towards the north.
Returned to area
and rescued the only 3 survivors.
Refuelled in
Iceland.
29th Escorted damaged
PRINCE OF WALES to Rosyth.
June Nominated for refit.
23rd Joined escort for
routine convoy to Thames for passage to refit in London at Green and
Silley
Weir shipyard.
25th Taken in hand for
refit.
July Under refit.
(Note: Radar
Type 286 to provide limited surface and air warning fitted.
See RADAR AT SEA by D. Hawse for details of the development and use of radar in
RN.
August Post refit trials.
5th On completion of
dockyard work took passage to Sheerness to ammunition after carrying
out post
refit trials..
Joined escort for
routine East Coast convoy on return to rejoin Home Fleet.
12th Deployed as Senior
Officers ship of the escort for first Russian Convoy.
(Operation
DERVISH)
Passage via
Iceland to Archangel.
(Note: For
details of all Russian convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B Schoefield
31st Remained at
Archangel after arrival of DERVISH convoy.
September Deployed at Archangel and carried cut anti-submarine patrol duties.
26th Joined escort for
first returning Russian Convoy OP1 with HM Destroyer ACTIVE,
HM Cruisers
LONDON and SHROPSHIRE.
October
8th Detached from QP1
and took passage to Scapa Flow.
Nominated for
foreign service.
10th At Rosyth to give
leave.
18th Deployed at Scapa
Flow with Home Fleet.
21st Took passage to
Greenock to embark stores prior to foreign service.
23rd Sailed from Greenock
with HM Destroyer EXPRESS to join HM Battleship PRINCE OF
WALES as escort
during passage to Singapore.
November On passage with calls at
Freetown and Capetown.
28th Joined HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER and JUPITER after
arrival at
Colombo.
(Note: These
ships formed FORCE Z ).
30th Passage to Singapore
with Force Z
December
2nd Arrived at Singapore
with Force Z.
8th Sailed with Force Z
to Intercept reported landings on East coast of Malaya.
10th Under attack by
Japanese aircraft during which both HMS PRINCE OP WALES and
HMS
REPULSE were sunk.
Took part in
rescue operations and embarked 600 survivors.
Signalled news of
sinking of HMS PRINCE OF WALES to Singapore.
11th Arrived at Singapore
with survivors.
(For details see
THE HUNTING OF FORCE Z by R Hough. ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and
Naval Staff History).
15th Deployed on convoy
escort including inward military convoys and ships evacuating
civilians
from Singapore to Ceylon.
1 9 4 2
January Convoy defence at
Singapore in continuation.
18th In action with
aircraft in Sunda Strait.
27th. In action with HM
Australian Destroyer VAMPIRE against invasion craft In Gulf of Slam
February
3rd Towed HM Destroyer
ISIS to Java.
(Note: This ship
has been under repair at Singapore)
Returned to
Singapore on completion of tow.
11th Deployed with HM
Cruisers EXETER, HOBART (RAN) and Dutch cruiser JAVA in
search for
Japanese invasion craft off Singapore.
Redeployed at
Tangjong Prick for escort duties with allied fleet units.
Subjected to many
air attacks
25th Sailed for Sourabaya
with HMS EXETER, HMAS PERTH, HMS ENCOUNTER and HMS
JUPITER to join
ABDA Fleet.
27th Deployed in
unsuccessful search with ABDA ships for invasion ships.
During return
passage enemy ships reported and deployed to intercept.
In action with
Japanese cruiser JINTSU and destroyers.
Engaged Japanese
destroyer ASAGUMA and obtained hits.
Hit by 5in return
fire whilst making torpedo attack and caught fire.
Ship disabled and
sank rapidly with the loss of 108 of her ship's company.
54 survivors ware
rescued by US submarine USS S38 and taken to Java.
(Note: 7 of
those rescued later died leaving only 42 from 178 on board.
Further details
of war service are in available in T. J. Cain's book HMS ELECTRA.
Mailer 1959).
See also THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ELECTRA
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/09/39
|
06/09/39
|
RED 1
|
06/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
17/09/39
|
17/09/39
|
BC 001S
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
17/09/39
|
17/09/39
|
BC 001FR
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
BC 004/1
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
BC 003FR
|
22/09/39
|
22/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
BC 004F
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
BC 004R
|
25/09/39
|
25/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
BC 007/1
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
BC 006R
|
03/10/39
|
03/10/39
|
13/10/39
|
13/10/39
|
OA 019
|
17/10/39
|
17/10/39
|
13/10/39
|
19/10/39
|
HG 003
|
19/10/39
|
21/10/39
|
23/10/39
|
23/10/39
|
OA 024G
|
26/10/39
|
26/10/39
|
23/10/39
|
08/11/39
|
SL 006
|
10/11/39
|
10/11/39
|
12/11/39
|
12/11/39
|
OA 034
|
14/11/39
|
unknown
|
28/11/39
|
28/11/39
|
OA 043
|
30/11/39
|
01/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
HN 004
|
12/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
17/02/40
|
17/02/40
|
ON 014/1
|
22/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
HN 014
|
25/02/40
|
26/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
ON 016/1
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
HN 016
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
ON 018/1
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
HN 018
|
13/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
ON 020/1
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
HN 020
|
21/03/40
|
22/03/40
|
08/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
OB 295
|
14/03/41
|
14/03/41
|
20/04/41
|
04/05/41
|
HX 122
|
08/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
12/08/41
|
12/08/41
|
DERVISH
|
29/08/41
|
31/08/41
|
28/09/41
|
28/09/41
|
QP 001
|
09/10/41
|
10/10/41
|
08/01/42
|
20/01/42
|
BM 010
|
22/01/42
|
25/01/42
|
19/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
BM 011
|
29/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
03/02/42
|
12/02/42
|
JS 001
|
14/02/42
|
14/02/42
|
17/02/42
|
17/02/42
|
SJ 003
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
21/02/42
|
21/02/42
|
SJ 006
|
22/02/42
|
23/02/42
|
22/12/41
|
03/01/43
|
BM 009B
|
06/01/42
|
06/01/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)