E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 1st November 1932
from Denny at Dumbarton under the 1931 Build
Programme. The ship was laid down on 20th
March 1932 and launched
on 16th February January 1934 as the ninth
RN ship to carry the name introduced for a
Prize taken in 1756. It was last used for a
Sloop sold
about 1828. Build was completed on
22nd October 1934 far a cost of £247,009,
excluding items supplied by the Admiralty
such as guns and communications equipment.
Much of her service was in the
Mediterranean until 1937 because of the
Abyssinian crisis. In January she rejoined
the Home Fleet with the
5th Destroyer Flotilla but a fire en board
in 1938 kept her in dock for some months.
After a further period of refit
she was deployed again in the Mediterranean
for a few months before serving in Home
waters. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 this ship was adopted by the
civil community of
Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC
1759 -
MARTINIQUE 1762
- HAVANA 1762 -
CAPE OF GOOD
HOPE 1795 - ATLANTIC
1939 -
NORWAY 1940 - BISMARCK Action
1941 - ARCTIC
1941-43 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 -
SICILY
1943
- SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Party per
pale Green and Blue.
Two
horns counterchanged Gold and Silver.
M
o t t o
Marte et Arts : ‘By Mars and by
Art’
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
Under
boiler
repair at Sheerness.
September
On
completion
of post refit trials transferred to 12th
Destroyer Flotilla for anti- submarine
patrol and convoy defence in Channel and SW
Approaches.
17th
- Took
part in rescue operations after sinking of
HM Aircraft Carrier COURAGEOUS by U29 in
position 50.10N 14.45W SW of Irish coast.
October
Channel
and SW
Approaches deployment in continuation.
13th
- Grounded
whilst entering Plymouth In fog.
14th
- Taken in
hand for repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.
November
Under
repair.
13th
- On
completion rejoined Flotilla in continuation
of duty.
December
Channel
and SW
Approaches patrol and convoy defence in
continuation.
1
9 4 0
January
Re-deployed
with
Flotilla at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet escort
and patrol.
February
5th
- Detached
with HM Destroyer ECLIPSE for escort of H M
Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS
VICTORIA during lay of Dummy mines along
East
Coast Barrier off
Scottish
coast. (Operation LD1 - For
details of all minelaying activities in WW2
see
Naval
Staff History (MINING)).
Resumed
Flotilla
duties in Home Fleet on completion.
20th
- Taken in
hand for refit at Leith.
March
Under
refit.
April
Under
refit.
30th
- On
completion rejoined Home Fleet.
May
Deployed
in
support of military operations in Norway for
convoy defence and escort of major
Fleet units.
18th
- Took
part in rescue of troops and ship's company
from HM Cruiser EFFINGHAM which had
run aground off Norway. (Note: This
cruiser later became a total wreck in
position 16.17N 13.55E.).
29th
- Assisted
in evacuation of Bodo with HM Destroyers
ARROW, FIREDRAKE, HAVELOCK
and VANOC.
June
Transferred
to
3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet Deployed
for escort of final evacuation convoys from
Norway.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations
off Norway see NARVIK by Donald MacIntyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION by
Adams
and The Naval Staff History).
Home
Fleet deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
13th
- Detached
to assist in rescue operations after HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser SCOTSTOUN
torpedoed by U25 in position 00.09N 09-57W.
July
2nd
- Detached
to assist in rescue operations after mv
ARANDORA Star had been torpedoed
in position 56.20N 10.40W.
9th
- Escorted
ss ULSTER PRINCE carrying troops to Iceland.
19th
- Resumed
Home Fleet duties with Flotilla after
escorting ULSTER PRINCE back to UK.
August
Home
Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
5th
- Detached
and joined HM Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM
destroyers INGLEFIELD, BERKELEY
and GARTH for escort of ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron for minelay in SW
Approaches. (Operation SN32)
21st
- Detached
with HM Destroyer ECLIPSE for escort of
ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron for minelay
in Northern Barrage (Operation SN2).
28th
- Detached
for duty in support of French expedition to
Dakar (Operation MENACE). (For full
details of this ill-fated and poorly planned
operation see MENACE by A. Marder.)
Escorted
HM Battleship BARHAM with HM Destroyers
ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE and INGLEFIELD
for
passage to Gibraltar.
September
2nd
- Arrived
at Gibraltar with HMS BARHAM.
6th
- Sailed to
join Force M during its passage from UK to
Freetown for MENACE.
13th
- Met
Force M.
20th
- Deployed
with HMS BARHAM to cover HM Cruisers
CORNWALL and DELHI during operation
to intercept Vichy French warships off
African coast.
22nd
- Sailed
from Freetown as screen for Force M ships.
23rd
- Laid off
Dakar during negotiations.
24th
- Deployed
as screen for HMS BARHAM during bombardment.
25th
- MENACE
abandoned because of risk of damage from
shore-fire.
Escorted
damaged HMS BARHAM towed by HM Battleship
RESOLUTION to
Freetown
29th
- On
release from MENACE retained at Freetown for
local convoy defence.
October
Convoy
defence
off West Africa in continuation. Recalled
to
rejoin Flotilla in Home Fleet and took
passage to UK as part of escort for Freetown-UK
convoy.
26th
- Detached
from escort to assist in rescue work after
ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA had been set on
fire by air attacks NW of Donegal Bay.
27th
- Landed
survivors at Greenock.
30th
- Under
repair to boilers at Greenock.
31st
- Rejoined
Flotilla in Home Fleet.
November
to
December
Deployed
with
Flotilla for Fleet duties in NW Approaches.
1
9 4 1
January
Home
Fleet duty
with Flotilla in continuation.
5th
- Resumed
Home Fleet duties in Flotilla on completion
of second minelay.
23rd
- Part of
screen for Home Fleet major units providing
cover for the passage in North Sea of
Norwegian ships which had broken out of
Baltic
from Sweden.
(Operation
RUBBLE).
February
6th
- Joined
screen of Home Fleet destroyers escorting HM
Battleship RODNEY to cover a minelay in
Northern Barrage by ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron.
(Operation
SN7A).
March
Part
of screen
for Horns Fleet major units covering raid by
Commando units on the Lofoten
Islands
(See
COMBINED OPERATIONS (HMSO) and WATERY MAZE
by B Fergusson).
16th
- Resumed
Home Fleet Flotilla duties.
19th
- Rescued
survivors from Norwegian ss LEO in NW
Approaches.
April
Home
Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
13th
- Detached
with HM Destroyer LEGION to assist in rescue
of survivors from H M Armed Merchant
Cruiser RAJPUTANA which had been sunk by
U108
in position 64.50N
27.25W.
May
Home
Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
21st
to 24th - Deployed
as escort for cruisers on passage to
Northern Patrol in Denmark Strait.
25th
- After
sinking of HM Battle cruiser HOOD joined
Fleet units off Iceland for escort of damaged
battleship HMS PRINCE OF WALES to Iceland. (For
details of the BISMARCK action and search
operations see PURSUIT by L Kennedy
and
BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by Baron von Mullenheim
Rechberg).
June
Home
Fleet
duties in continuation with Flotilla.
July
23rd
- Deployed
with destroyer screen for HM Aircraft
Carriers FURIOUS and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers
DEVONSHIRE and SUFFOLK as Force P.
30th
- Screen
deployment during air attacks on Petsamo and
Kirkenes.
31st
- Screen
deployment during air attacks on Tromso.
(See
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman).
August
Home
Fleet
duties in continuation.
9th
- Joined
escort for military convoy WS8C in Clyde for
passage to Scapa Flow. (Note: This
convoy comprised eight Landing Ships
(Infantry), two Landing Ships (Tank),
six
Motor Transport Ships, four Troopships and
two tankers. These ships were to take
part in an operation to occupy the Azores
(Operation GRAY).)
10th
- Arrived
at Scapa Flow with WS8C.
15th
- Sailed
from Scapa Flow with escort for WS8C when
operation was cancelled.
17th
- Resumed escort duties on arrival in Clyde
with WS8C.
Nominated
for refit
Passage
to Thames. Taken in
hand for refit at Harland and Wolff
shipyard,
North Woolwich.
September
to
October
Under
refit.
November
Post
refit
trials.
4th
- On
completion of trials rejoined Flotilla in
Home Fleet.
December
Home
Fleet
screening duties in continuation.
8th
- Escorted
Russian Convoy PQ6 as screen for HM Cruiser
EDINBURGH with HM Destroyer
ESCAPADE during passage to Kola Inlet.
19th
- Detached
with HMS EDINBURGH and HMS ESCAPADE on
arrival off Kola Inlet to escort two
Russian mercantiles to Murmansk. Detached
from HMS EDINBURGH to escort one of the
mercantiles into Murmansk. Came
under air
attack from 2 Ju88 and during avoiding
action at high speed two men were swept
overboard from the foc'sle. Enemy driven
off by Russian Hurricanes and the
arrival of
HMS EDINBURGH in area. See ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R Woodman.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations
including names of warships involved see ARCTIC
CONVOYS, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp
and
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield).
1
9 4 2
January
4th
- Sailed
from Kola Inlet with same ships to join
return Convoy QP4 as Ocean Escort.
5th
- Joined
convoy.
8th
- Detached
when convoy dispersed.
9th
- Deployed
on patrol south of convoy route with HMS
EDINBURGH and HMS ESCAPADE.
10th
- Rejoined
Flotilla on arrival at Scapa Flow.
February
Deployed
with
screen for Home Fleet ships in search for
German warships TIRPITZ, PRINZ EUGEN
and ADMIRAL SCHEER reported at sea off
Norway.
March
Part
of
destroyer screen for HM Battleships KING
GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS and
Home
Fleet cruisers to cover passage
of Russian Convoys PQ12 and PQ13 as well
as returning QP8 and QP9.
April
Deployed
with
Hone Fleet in continuation. Nominated
for detached
duty as escort for aircraft carriers during
Malta aircraft deliveries.
13th
- Joined
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Cruisers CAIRO
and CHARYBDIS as destroyer
screen for passage to Gibraltar with HM
Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ITHURIEL,
PARTRIDGE
and US destroyers USS LANG and USS MADISON.
19th
- Joined
Force W with same ships and destroyers of
13th Destroyer Flotilla for the delivery of
Spitfire aircraft to Malta (Operation
CALENDAR).
21st
- Passage
to Scapa Flow to rejoin Home Fleet.
20th
- Aircraft
launched despite known problems with long
range fuel tanks and defective radio
equipment
(Note:
The aircraft arrived safely but were all
destroyed on the ground by air
attacks.)
May
Detached
for
further aircraft delivery operation. Joined
HMS RENOWN and USS WASP as destroyer screen
for passage to Gibraltar with HM
Destroyers INTREPID, GEORGETOWN and
SALISBURY,
US Destroyers
USS
LANG and USS STERRET.
8th
- Joined
Force W - HMS RENOWN, HMS CHARYBDIS, USS
WASP, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, as
screen with same ships and destroyers of
13th Flotilla for delivery to Malta of
Spitfire aircraft (Operation BOWERY). (Note:
The safe arrival of the 61 aircraft of the
64 launched and their immediate availability
for the defence of Malta turned the tide
of the air war over the island.)
11th
- Passage
to Scapa Flow as escort for USS WASP with
same ships of Home Fleet.
15th
- Deployed
in NW Approaches for anti-submarine defence
of UK-Iceland convoys.
June
Home
Fleet
duties in continuation. Nominated
for
refit.
18th
- Taken in
hand for refit in Humber shipyard.
July
Under
refit.
August
Under
refit.
22nd
- On
completion of post refit trials took passage
to join 8th Destroyer, Home Fleet
at
Scapa
Flow for escort duty in NW
Approaches.
September
Deployed
for
support of Russian Convoy PQ18 and return
Convoy QP14.
8th
- Escorted
HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND and SHEFFIELD with H
M Destroyers AMAZON,
ECLIPSE, BULLDOG and VENOMOUS to establish
fuelling base at Lowe Sound,
Spitzbergen
and to take stores to Norwegian
meteorological station at Barentsberg.
Returned
to Scapa Flow after completion of refuelling
of escort destroyers. Resumed
Flotilla duties in NW Approaches.
October
Home
Fleet
Flotilla duties in continuation.
November
Home
Fleet
Flotilla duties in continuation.
20th
- Joined
escort for returning Convoy OP15 during
passage from Kola Inlet.
22nd
- Detached
from QP15 and resumed duties in NW
Approaches.
December
18th
- Joined
Russian Convoy JW51A with HM Destroyers
BOADICEA, ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR,
FURY and INGLEFIELD as Ocean Escort.
25th
- Detached
on arrival at Kola Inlet. (Note:
German
warships failed to intercept this convoy -
see references)
30th
- Joined
return Convoy RA51 as Ocean Escort with same
ships, except HMS BOADICEA.
1
9 4 3
January
6th
- Detached
with same ships from RA51 after
uninterrupted passage due to the German operation
against JW51B during which battleship
SCHARNHORST was sunk. (See
above
references).
23rd
- Deployed
with screen for HM Battleship ANSON and H M
Cruiser SHEFFIELD providing
Distant Cover for passage of Russian Convoy
JW52 with 6 RN destroyers and
Polish
destroyer ORP ORKAN.
February
Taken
in hand
for refit in Humber shipyard.
March
to May
Under
refit.
Flotilla
nominated
for duty in Mediterranean in support of
future operations.
June
Joined
Flotilla
in Home Fleet on completion of post refit
trials.
17th
- Passage
to Gibraltar with 8th Destroyer Flotilla
July
Nominated
for escort of major Fleet unit during allied
landings in Sicily. (Operation
HUSKY - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and
Naval
History). Passage to
Alexandria with Call at Gibraltar.
7th
- At
Alexandria
10th
- Part of
screen for Covering Force during assault
landings.
11th
- Deployed
with HM Destroyer ILEX as screen for HM
Cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE
for interception patrol.
13th
- Sank
Italian submarine NEREIDE in Straits of
Messina with HM Destroyer ILEX.
August
Deployed
in
support of operations in Sicily with Fleet
units.
September
Deployment
with
Mediterranean Fleet in continuation.
8th
- Deployed
with Flotilla as screen for HM Battleships
NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE and
VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS
and
FORMIDABLE in Covering Force
during
allied landings at Salerno (Operation
AVALANCHE).
9th
- Under air
attack by German torpedo bombers which were
unsuccessful.
10th
- Part of
screen for HM Battleships WARSPITE and
VALIANT with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FURY, INTREPID, RAIDER, Greek destroyer
VASILISSA OLGA and
French
LE TERRIBLE which met Italian
Fleet on passage off Malta to surrender.
12th
- Nominated
for support of military operations to occupy
islands in Aegean which were garrisoned
by Italian troops.
14th
- Deployed
with five other destroyers as screen for HM
Battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE
during passage to Alexandria as escort for
surrendered Italian battleships VITTORIO
VENETO
and ITALIA, four cruisers for
demilitarisation.
16th
- Arrived
in Alexandria with Italian warships. Re-deployed
for support of operations in Eastern
Mediterranean to occupy islands in Aegean.
17th
- During
interception patrol with HM Destroyer
INTREPID sank Submarine Chaser UJ2104 off
Stampalia.
19th
- With HM
Destroyer INTREPID embarked troops of Durham
Light Infantry and four Bofor guns
at Haifa for passage to Leros.
October
Detached
from
Aegean operations.
1st
- Escorted
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE from
Alexandria to Malta.
5th
- Resumed
support of Aegean operations.
25th
- Deployed
with HM Destroyer ROCKWOOD and Polish
destroyer KRAKOWIAK for offensive
patrol.
Under
air attack SE of Casteloriso.
29th
- Carried
out further offensive patrol.
November
Aegean
deployments
in continuation.
3rd
- Deployed
with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, PENN and
PATHFINDER to take troops of 1st
Battalion Kings Own Royal Rifles from
Alexandria to Leros.
12th
- Embarked
troops for passage to Leros.
13th
- Rescued
109 survivors from HM Destroyer DULVERTON
sunk by air attack off Kos.
14th
- Bombarded
German positions on Mount Appetica, Leros in
support of British troops. Evacuated
troops from Samos and took them to Leros.
15th
- Engaged
and sank F-Lighters attempting to reinforce
Cos.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations
in defence of the Aegean Islands See WAR IN THE
AEGEAN by P Smith and E Walker, FIGHTING
DESTROYER by G C
Cornell
and THE LAST DESTROYER by FA
Mason).
After
surrender of Leros resumed
Fleet duties in Eastern Mediterranean.
December
Transferred
to
Central Mediterranean, based at Malta for
support of the military operations
in Italy.
Nominated
for refit.
12th
- Deployed
in Gulf of Gaeta.
22nd
- Taken in
hand for refit in Malta.
1
9 4 4
January
to
March
Under
refit. Arrangements made for transfer to
Royal Hellenic Navy.
April
5th
- Paid off
from RN service as HMS ECHO. Transferred
to
Greece and renamed NAVARINON
W
a r S e r v i c e a
s H H e l M
S
N
A V A R I N O N
May
to October
On
completion
of post refit trials and work-up deployed
for support of military in Adriatic
and central Mediterranean, convoy escort and
patrol.
Based
in Malta.
November
Transferred
to
Piraeus after assisting in re-occupation of
Greek islands in the Aegean and support
of allied landings in Greece
December
Support
duty in
continuation.
1
9 4 5
January
to May
Deployed
in
Greek coastal waters for support against
Communist insurgents.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This
ship was retained in the
Royal Hellenic Navy after the end of
hostilities in Europe and in 1953
represented Greece at
Spithead during the Coronation Review.
Before return to the RN in 1956 she was
used for training duties. On 8th
March 1956 she was handed back to the RN in
Malta and was placed on the
Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition
by Clayton and Davie she arrived in
tow at the breakers’ yard in Dunston on Tyne
during April
1956 and breaking-up had been completed by
April 1957.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ECHO
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
27/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
OA
011
|
30/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
26/09/39
|
05/10/39
|
HG
001
|
06/10/39
|
06/10/39
|
07/10/39
|
07/10/39
|
OA
016G
|
09/10/39
|
11/10/39
|
09/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
ON
011/1
|
12/02/40
|
12/02/40
|
17/02/41
|
25/02/41
|
TC
009
|
27/02/41
|
27/02/41
|
08/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
OB
295
|
14/03/41
|
14/03/41
|
10/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
TC
010
|
19/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
08/12/41
|
11/12/41
|
PQ
006
|
20/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
26/12/41
|
05/01/42
|
QP
004
|
09/01/42
|
09/01/42
|
01/03/42
|
06/03/42
|
PQ
012
|
10/03/42
|
12/03/42
|
10/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
PQ
013
|
23/03/42
|
31/03/42
|
21/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
QP
009
|
23/03/42
|
03/04/42
|
02/09/42
|
14/09/42
|
PQ
018
|
22/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
14/09/42
|
QP
014
|
22/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
17/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
QP
015
|
22/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
15/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
JW
051A
|
25/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
RA
051
|
06/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
17/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
JW
052
|
24/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
21/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
NV
012B
|
22/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
as
HMHS NAVARINON
|
|
|
|
|
|
30/05/44
|
07/06/44
|
MKS
051
|
09/06/44
|
09/06/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)