E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 1st November 1932 from Scotts at Greenock under the 1931 Build Programme. The ship was laid down en 30th March 1932, the same day as her sister ship HMS ESCAPADE also built in this shipyard. She was Launched on 29th January 1934 as the fifth RN ship to carry the name, introduced for the French Prize ESCORTS and used only for minor warships since that date. Build was completed en 30 October 1934 for a cost of £249,587,excluding items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns and communications equipment. Much of her service after 1935 was away from UK, although actually part of the Home Fleet. She was detached in the Mediterranean and off the northern Spanish Coast during the Spanish civil war.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

BELLISLE 1761 - ATLANTIC  1939-40 - NORTH SEA  1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green, a Yeoman of the Guard

with partizan all Proper.

 

M o t t o

Fidelitar: 'Faithfully’

 

 

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 Reserve Fleet for training duties.

 

September               Commissioned for operational service.

                                  Joined 12th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy defence and anti-submarine patrol duty

                                  in the Atlantic and western Approaches.

                3rd            Rescued survivors from ss ATHENIA with HM Destroyer ELECTRA.

 

October                   Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

to                             (For details of 1939 naval activities in Home Waters see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

November               CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).

 

December               Transferred to Rosyth for anti-submarine defence of UK - Norway convoys.

                                 Nominated for refit.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                   Passage to Falmouth

                10th         Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Falmouth.

 

February

                12th         On completion resumed convoy duties in North Sea.

                25th         Participated in sinking of U63 with HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD and ESCAPADE and

                                IMOGEN during escort of Convoy HN14 in position 56.40N O1.10W.

                                (Note: Submarine had been sighted by HM Submarine NARWHAL and these destroyers

                                carried out hunt for two hours before submarine surfaced.

                                24 of her crew were rescued.)

                                See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) for further details of the

                                development of German submarine operations and tactics).

 

March                     Convoy defence duty in North Sea in continuation.

 

April                       Under repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.

                                Rejoined Home Fleet on completion

                11th         Under air attacks with Home Fleet units in North Sea.

                                Detached with HM Cruiser YORK and HM Destroyer HYPERION to stand by HM Destroyer

                                ECLIPSE which had been disabled after bomb hit and was disabled. Took damaged destroyer in

                                tow to Sullom Voe.

                                (For details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NARVIK by Donald MacIntyre,

                                CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton and THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams.)

                25th         Escorted HM Aircraft Carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS in Norwegian waters

                                during air operations in defence of Fleet units and support of military

                                (Operation DX).

                27th         Escorted HMS GLORIOUS to Scapa Flow to replenish aircraft.

 

 May                       Fleet and escort duties off Norway.                       .

                11th         Slightly damaged in collision with Polish Liner CHOBRY.

                                Deployed for Fleet escort at Scapa Flow.

 

June                         Nominated for foreign service in Mediterranean with 12th Destroyer Flotilla.

                26th         Passage to Gibraltar.

                28th         Joined force H on formation

 

July

                2nd          Arrived at Gibraltar and Joined Flotilla for duty with Force H.

                                Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESTER of 8th

                                Destroyer Flotilla and HM destroyers KEPPEL, ACTIVE, WRESTLER. VIDETTE and

                                VORTIGERN as screen for HM Battlecruiser HOOD, HM Battleships VALIANT and

                                RESOLUTION, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser ARETHUSA and HM

                                Cruiser ENTERPRISE for passage to Oran.

                3rd           Present during bombardment of French warships at Mer-el Kebir after negotiation to

                                determine future of French Fleet had failed. (Operation CATAPULT)

                                See THE DEADLY STROKE by W Tute and Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001)

                6th           Joined HM Destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FORESTER, WISHART,

                                VORTIGERN, VIDETTE, ACTIVE end VERSATILE to provide screen for HMS HOOD,

                                HMS VALIANT, HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS ARETHUSA and HMS ENTERPRISE

                                during second series of air attacks on French battleship DUNKERQUE at Mers-el-Kebir

                                (Operation LEVER).

                8th           Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESTER,

                                DOUGLAS, ACTIVE, VELOX, VORTIGERN and WRESTLER as destroyer screen for

                                HMS HOOD, HMS VALIANT, HMS RESOLUTION, HMS ARK ROYAL, HM

                                Cruisers ARETHUSA, DELHI and ENTERPRISE for planned air attacks on Cagliari

                                airfield in Sardinia (Operation MA5)

                                After heavy attacks by Italian aircraft operation cancelled and ships forced to return to

                                Gibraltar since advantage of surprise had been lost.

                                (For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).

                                During return passage torpedoed by Italian submarine GUGLIEMO MARCONI.

                                Hit on Starboard side between Boiler Rooms causing 20 ft size hole and immediate

                                extensive flooding.

                                Two of the ship's company were killed.

                                Damage control operations allowed HMS FORESTER to take the ship in tow.

                                HMS FAULKNOR stood by the two ships for passage.

                10th         Towing operation in continuation and damage control still in hand.

                11th         Sudden list of 34 degrees developed at 0610 and ship had to be abandoned.

                                Remainder of ship’s company rescued before ship broke in two parts five hours later

                                (See above references)

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ESCORT

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)