J or JAVELIN-Class Destroyer ordered from William
Denny at Dunbarton on 25th March 1937 under the
1936
Build Programme and laid down on 25th November
1937. She was launched on 22nd November
1938 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Her build cost,
excluding equipment supplied by the Admiralty such as communications outfits and weapons was £392,363. The average total
cost for this Class, complete with all equipment and stores was £596,197. Build was completed on 12th September 1939 and she was commissioned for service in the 7th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.
Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in November 1941 this ship was adopted by the civil
community of the city of Gloucester.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
DUNKIRK 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MATAPAN 1941 - CRETE
1941 - MEDITERRANEAN 1941 - LIBYA 1941-42 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue a Jaguar statant, guardant proper.
M o t t o
'They shall
not pass'
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 Contractors trials and
commissioning.
12th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
19th Accepted into service and took
passage to Portland for brief
work-up.
26th Deployed with Flotilla at Grimsby on completion of weapons
trials
and storing.
Deployed for
patrol duties in North Sea and Dover Straits
(Note: Patrols lasted about three days and were intended to
intercept enemy surface ships and submarines
attempting passage and to inspect neutral ships for
enforcement of contraband control.)
October Sustained damage in Firth of
Forth after grounding.
11th Under repair to shafts and
propellers at Leith
November
2nd Resumed North Sea
convoy defence and patrol deployment
Under air attacks.
December Flotilla duties in continuation
(For details of
naval activities in 1939 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C
Barnett and the Naval Staff History)
1 9 4 0
January North Sea deployment in continuation.
to February
March Nominated for refit and repairs at Caledon Shipyard, Dundee
15th Taken in
hand for repair at Dundee.
(Note: Repair work included leaks due to high speed
operation in rough weather conditions and
was common to this Class. Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to
G34.)
April Under repair
May
1st Resumed
North Sea deployment on completion of Post Repair Trials. and covered special
operations.
Deployed with HM
Corvette PUFFIN, HM Destroyers JACKAL and JAVELIN
20th Provided cover for HM Trawlers
GRAMPIAN, JAMES LAY, MILFORD QUEEN,
MILFORD PRINCES and CAPE MELVILLE off coast of East Anglia to cut communication
cables
between UK and island of Borkum (Operation
QUIXOTE).
25th Carried out unsuccessful attack
on U9 with HM Destroyers JACKAL, JAVELIN and
GALLANT
off coast of Norfolk during patrol.
26th Took passage to Dover for
detached service with 1st Destroyer Flotilla of evacuation of allied
troops from Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO)
27th Deployed with HM Destroyers
CODRINGTON, MALCOLM, GRENADE, GALLANT,
ESK, EXPRESS,
JAVELIN and HARVESTER for defence patrol and support off beaches.
28th Rescued survivor from ss ABOUKIR which had
been torpedoed.
29th Deployed with HM Destroyers
GRENADE and GALLANT to assess the strength of shore
batteries at La
Panne
Embarked 370
troops inside harbour at Dunkirk under air attacks and sustained damage when
HMS GRENADE,
berthed alongside, was hit by bomb and sank.
On return passage
to Dover came under further air attack and disabled by near miss
. Unable to proceed
and some troops transferred to another ship which established tow.
Restored power
and arrived at Dover under own steam.
30th Repair arranged at Immingham and took
passage to Humber.
June
1st Taken in hand
for repair in commercial shipyard at Immingham.
23rd On completion
of post repair trials took passage to resumed deployment at Harwich
with HMS JAVELIN.
July Harwich patrol and
convoy defence duties in continuation.
4th Deployed with
HMS JACKAL as escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK
during minelay in East
Coast Barrier (Operation BS21).
(Note: See
Naval Staff History (Mining) for details.).
August North Sea deployment in
continuation.
17th Escorted ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron with HM Cruiser CAIRO as AA Guardship
and HM Destroyers
INGLEFIELD, JAVELIN and FIREDRAKE during minelay in
Moray Firth to
extend East Coast Barrier
(Operation SN12 - See
Naval Staff History (Mining).)
September North Sea anti-invasion patrol.
(Note: Repair at
Dundee to be confirmed)
October On completion of short refit joined escort for south bound East Coast
convoy.
Transferred with
Flotilla to Plymouth for interception of destroyers based in Cherbourg
and Brest for
attacks on Channel coastal convoys. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by
P Smith.)
10th Escorted HM Battleship REVENGE
for bombardment of Cherbourg with HM Destroyers
JAVELIN, JUPITER,
JACKAL, KASHMIR and KIPLING.
(Note: Cover was provided
by HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE and EMERALD screened by
HM
Destroyers BROKE, WANDERER, Polish destroyers ORP BURZA and
ORP
GARLAND.)
11th Took part in bombardment with
other ships.
On completion
took passage to Portsmouth with escort for HMS REVENGE.
Nominated for
refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport and took passage to Plymouth
14th Taken in hand repair including
fit of degaussing equipment.
Nominated for
transfer to Gibraltar for duty with Force H.
November
1st Resumed Flotilla duties at
Plymouth.
13th Passage to Clyde to join HM
Cruisers MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON as escort during
passage to Gibraltar
with HM Destroyer KELVIN.
15th Passage to Gibraltar.
(Note: These
cruisers were on passage to reinforce the Fleet at Alexandria (Operation COLLAR)
21st Joined Force
H.
23rd Deployed with escort for HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN during Atlantic passage into Gibraltar.
25th Deployed with HM
Destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, FURY WISHART,
ENCOUNTER and
KELVIN as screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, H M Aircraft Carrier
ARK ROYAL, HM
Cruiser DESPATCH and SHEFFIELD as Force
B to provide cover for
the passage of reinforcement ships to Sicilian Channel
(Operation COLLAR).
(Note: Onward
passage from central Mediterranean was covered by ships of the Mediterranean
Fleet from Alexandria.)
For details of
naval activities in the Mediterranean in 1940-42 see THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by
D MacIntyre, THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN by
J Greene and A
Massignani and the Naval Staff History.)
27th Detached with
HMS KELVIN as screen for HMS ARK ROYAL when the Italian battleships
VITTORIO VENETO and GUILIO CESARE with seven cruisers
and 18 destroyers were
sighted. (Battle
of Spartivento – See above references.)
December
Gibraltar deployment in continuation.
20th Joined Group II
of Force H with HM Destroyers DUNCAN, ENCOUNTER, ISIS and
WISHART to
provide cover for passage of HM Battleship MALAYA and Convoy MG1
from Malta.
(Operation HIDE).
21st Detached from
Group with HM Destroyers DUNCAN, WISHART and ENCOUNTER to
join HMS MALAYA and MG1
ships as escort.
22nd Relieved HM
Destroyers HYPERION, ILEX and JERVIS of Mediterranean Fleet as escort
and rejoined
ships of Force H.
(Note: HMS
HYPERION sank after hitting a mine during return passage in the Sicilian
Channel.)
24th Arrived at
Gibraltar with ships of Force H and Convoy MG1.
1 9 4 1
January
Nominated for transfer to
Alexandria for service with Mediterranean Fleet
1st Deployed with
HM Destroyers DUNCAN, FOXHOUND and FIREDRAKE to intercept
Vichy French
convoy off the North African coast.
2nd Placed boarding
party on liner CHANTILLY which was obstructed in the task of taking ship
into Gibraltar
and in consequent action two passengers lost their lives in exchange of fire.
Came under fire from
coastal batteries but not damaged.
(Note: Convoy
consisted of CHANTILLY, SALLY MAERSK. OCTANE and another tanker
with a trawler as escort.)
6th Embarked
passengers for transit to Malta.
7th Joined HM
Cruiser BONAVENTURE with H M Destroyers HASTY, HERO and
HEREWARD as
Force F for escort of supply convoy to Malta.
(Operation
EXCESS – Convoy was taking tanks and military stores to Piraeus and Egypt with
personnel. See
above references.)
9th Under attack
by Italian aircraft which was ineffective.
10th Convoy under
attack by Italian Torpedo Boats CIRCE and VEGA.
(Note: VEGA
was sunk by HMS BONAVENTURE.)
Mediterranean
Fleet ships including HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS joined escort and EXCESS
convoy came
under attack by aircraft of German
Fliegerkorps X recently arrived in Mediterranean
(Note: These
attacks were concentrated on HMS ILLUSTRIOUS that was badly damaged.)
Detached from EXCESS Convoy with HM Destroyer HASTY as the escort for
HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS to Malta for repair.
14th Sailed from Malta with HMS
HASTY to escort HMS BONAVENTURE and HM Cruiser ORION
during passage to Alexandria.
16th Arrived at
Alexandria and joined 14th Destroyer Flotilla.
February Deployed at Alexandria for
Fleet duties.
(Note: Lack of
an aircraft carrier prevented passage of Malta convoy from Egypt.
Transferred to
Suda Bay, Crete with HM Destroyer DAINTY
(Note: Joined
later by HM Destroyers JANUS, JERVIS and MOHAWK.)
27th Deployed with
HM Destroyers DECOY, HERO and HASTY as the screen for HM
Cruisers
BONAVENTURE and PERTH (RAN) to cover evacuation of Commando
landed on
island. (Operation ABSTENTION).
(Note: This
had been made on 26th by commando unit and was to be reinforced by
Sherwood Foresters which never landed. See Naval Staff History)
28th Under air
attacks and engaged Italian destroyer CRISSPI which was covering landing
of
reinforcement Italian troops. British forces withdrew from island and ship
returned
to Alexandria.
(Note: This
operation was a disaster and revealed many weaknesses in planning and
execution as well as the need for up-to-date intelligence prior to any
amphibious
operation. See above reference by J Greene and THE WATERY MAZE by
B.
Fergusson.)
March Fleet duties with Flotilla
in continuation.
(Note: During
this period a series of convoys were escorted to and from Greece and
covered by units of the Mediterranean Fleet (Operation LUSTRE).)
26th. Part of escort
for Convoy AG9 on passage to Piraeus with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA,
HM Destroyers JUNO
and DEFENDER.
27th Nominated as
Force D with HMS JUNO and DEFENDER and deployed for patrol
NW of Crete in
anticipation of attempt by an Italian Battle Squadron to intercept
LUSTRE Convoys.
28th Took part in
the Battle of Matapan.
(Note: For
details see above references and MATAPAN by SW Pack.)
April
Returned to Alexandria with
Fleet units.
3rd Nominated for
support of military operations in Somaliland (Operation APPEARANCE.)
(Note: This
was never implemented because of the sinking of Italian destroyers in the
Red Sea by aircraft from HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE.)
18th Deployed as
screen for HM Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT with HM
Destroyers ENCOUNTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO and JUNO during
passage to Suda
Bay,
19th Refuelled at Suda Bay.
20th Joined HM Destroyers HOTSPUR,
HAVOCK, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, JERVIS,
JANUS and JUNO
as screen for H M Battleships WARSPITE,
BARHAM, VALIANT
and HM Cruiser
GLOUCESTER (Force B) during bombardment of
Tripoli
(Operation
MD2).
21st Took part in bombardment.
On completion
took passage to Malta with HMS JANUS, HMS JERVIS and
HMS JUNO .
(Note: These ships
formed Force K for the interception and
of enemy supply
convoys to and from North African ports.
24th Took part in interception of
convoy off Tripoli during which the Italian auxiliary
EGEO was sunk
by ships of Force K.
(Note: Ships
in convoy escaped destruction.)
28th On relief by HM Destroyers
JACKAL, JERSEY, KASHMIR, KELLY, KELVIN and
KIPLING
as Force K took passage to Alexandria with HM Cruisers DIDO, and
ABDIEL, HM
Destroyers IMPERIAL, JERVIS and JUNO as escort for HM Supply
Ship
BRECONSHIRE during passage from Malta.
30th Rejoined Flotilla with HMS
JERVIS and HMS JUNO on arrival in Alexandria.
May Flotilla deployment at
Alexandria in continuation.
(Note: No
record of deployment with TIGER Convoy has bee traced and ship
may have been under refit.)
22nd Took passage from Alexandria
with HM Destroyer DEFENDER with supply
of ammunition
for delivery to Suda Bay for defence of Crete.
Joined ships of
Force A on passage.
23rd Detached from Force A for delivery of
ammunition.
24th Took passage to Alexandria with
evacuated naval personnel.
25th On arrival joined HM Cruiser
COVENTRY and HM Destroyer STUART (RAN)
for escort of HM Supply Ship
GLENROY taking troops to reinforce
defence of
Crete at
Tymbaki
26th Under air attacks on passage
during which HMS GLENROY was damaged
Took part in rescue of personnel
from HMS GLENROY that was then abandoned.
(Note: HMS GLENROY was later salved and converted for use as a Landing Ship
(Infantry).
27th Passage to Alexandria with
other escorts.
29th Sailed from Alexandria with HMS
COVENTRY and HMS DEFENDER to
reinforce air
defence of ships carrying out evacuation of allied troops at Sphakia.
30th Under air attacks. during
return passage but without serious damage.
(For details of
operations see Naval Staff History, THE
LOST BATTLE CRETE
by C.
Macdonald.)
June Nominated for support
of military operation in Syria with 10th Destroyer Flotilla
as part of
Force B (Operation EXPORTER)
7th Sailed from Alexandria with HM
Cruisers AJAX, PHOEBE, HM Destroyers
KIMBERLEY,
KANDAHAR, JACKAL, JANUS, STUART, GRIFFIN and
DEFENDER to
cover passage of HM Supply Ship GLENGYLE with Commando
unit embarked for raid north of Tyre
prior to the commencement of military
operations
against Vichy French in Syria.
8th Operation abandoned because of
weather conditions.
9th During support of landings by patrol
off Sidon, deployed with HMS JANUS and
HMS KIMBERLEY
to intercept Vichy French warships carrying out bombardment.
Remained with
Force B when HM Destroyers ISIS, HOTSPUR, JANUS and JACKAL
were detached
to continue surveillance.
Took passage to
Haifa with Force B but returned to assist the destroyers left on patrol
when they came under fire from Vichy
French destroyers VALMY and GUEPARD.
(Note: HMS
JANUS sustained casualties and damage after five hits.)
Remained with
Force B for patrol and support when HMS AJAX, and HMS
KANDAHAR were
detached to assist HMS JANUS
(For details of
EXPORTER See RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute and NAVAL
WAR IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN
23rd Took part in engagement of
VALMY and GUEPARD with HM Cruisers LEANDER
and NAIAD.
Deployed off
coast of Syria for naval gunfire support and convoy defence
July EXPORTER deployment in
continuation.
7th Passage to Alexandria to
resume Flotilla duties.
10th Embarked RAF personnel in Port
Said for passage to Cyprus.
(Operation
GUILLOTINE – HM Cruisers LATONA and ABDIEL also took part.)
22nd Deployed with
HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL, JERVIS, KANDAHAR,
KIMBERLEY,
KINGSTON, NIZAM and NUBIAN as screen for HM Cruisers AJAX,
HOBART (RAN),
CARLISLE, LEANDER, NAIAD, NEPTUNE, PHOEBE,
ABDIEL and
LATONA during cruise in eastern Mediterranean.
(Note: This was
a Diversion during passage of a relief convoy to Malta from Gibraltar .
Fleet Operation MD5 – Part of overall Operation SUBSTANCE).
25th Returned to Alexandria with
Fleet units.
August Took part in support of Tobruk and
military operations in western Desert prior to
Operation
CHIEFTAIN by 8th Army.
5th Arrived at Tobruk with relief
convoy from Alexandria..
14th Arrived at Tobruk with relief
convoy.
September
17th Arrived at Tobruk with relief
convoy.
22nd Arrived at Tobruk with relief
convoy
(Note: In this
period ships at Alexandria carried out bombardments of Bardia, interception
of
Axis convoys, and a Diversion operation during HALBERD convoy from
Gibraltar).
October Military support and
interception duties in continuation.
18th Arrived at Tobruk with relief
convoy.
21st Deployed with
HM Destroyer GRIFFIN to assist HM River Gunboat GNAT which had been
torpedoed by U79
north of Bardia. Covered tow of HMS GNAT by HMS GRIFFIN during
passage back to
Alexandria.
(Note: HMS GNAT was
beached on arrival and declared a Total Loss.)
November Resumed Fleet duties with
Flotilla.
(Note: After
Fleet operation to intercept a supply convoy off North Africa
HMS
BARHAM was torpedoed and sunk by U331 0with heavy
loss of life on 24th.
Survivors were rescued by destroyer screen.
30th Deployed off Derna with HMS
JERVIS and HMS JACKAL covered by HMS NAIAD and
HMS EURYALUS for
interception of two Italian destroyers on passage from Navarin with
supplies to
North Africa.
During return
passage came under attack by torpedo aircraft off Derna.
HMS JACKAL was
hit by a torpedo but resumed passage after repair to steering equipment.)
December
1st Commanding Officer. Lt. Cdr.
J F W Hines, RN was killed.
(Note: Naval
Staff History records this was during the air attacks by fire from HMS JERVIS,
but
another states the death was caused by the accidental discharge of a 4.7in gun
on
board HMS JERVIS.
2nd Returned to
Alexandria from an unsuccessful interception.
6th Sailed from
Alexandria with HMS HOBART and HMS KANDAHAR to meet HM Supply
Ship BRECONSHIRE
on passage from Malta. (Operation MD8).
7th Detached with
HMS KANDAHAR after meeting and took passage to Malta joining HM
Cruisers NEPTUNE
and AJAX in transit.
9th Deployed at
Malta for interception of Axis convoys.
17th Sailed from
Malta with HMS NEPTUNE and HMS KANDAHAR. to join Force C and
Force K
escorting HMS BRECONSHIRE to Malta with cargo of fuel (Operation MF1).
(Note: This
deployment was ordered because of a threat from Italian warships known to be
in the
area escorting Convoy M42 to Benghazi.
Engaged enemy
briefly but the Italian ships withdrew on approach of destroyers.
(Note: 1st
Battle of Sirte - See above references for details.)
18th Returned to
Malta with Force K.
As Emergency
Destroyer despatched to assist HMS KANDAHAR which was disabled after
striking a mine
off Tripoli.
(Note: HM
Cruiser NEPTUNE had been sunk by a mine and both HM Cruisers AURORA
and
PENELOPE damaged by mines at the same
time in a recently laid Italian
minefield. See references.).
19th Located HMS
KANDAHAR which had a broken back.
Unable to go
alongside because of weather conditions.
20th Rescued 174
survivors who had jumped into the sea.
Sank HMS
KANDAHAR by torpedo.
(Note: This
rescue was carried out in daylight and the threat of air attack restricted the
length
of time available. The aircraft which
reported stricken destroyer was later shot down
without any survivors.)
1 9 4 2
January
6th Deployed with HM Destroyers
HAVOCK, LANCE and LIVELY as
Force C to
escort HMS BRECONSHIRE from Malta during her
passage to meet
ships of Force B west of Derna for
onward transit
to Alexandria
(Operation MF2).
8th Returned to
Malta as escort for HM Supply Ship GLENGYLE with
ships of Force
C.
17th Sailed from
Malta with HM Cruiser PENELOPE as screen with HM Destroyers
LANCE, LIVELY,
SIKH and ZULU as Force K to escort convoy MW8A/B
into Malta after
meeting ships of Force B which had escorted mercantiles
from Alexandria
(Operation MF3)
18th Transferred to
Force B and joined HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, HAVOCK,
HOTSPUR, KELVIN
and KIPLING in screen for HM Cruisers DIDO, EURYALUS
and NAIAD.
20th Arrived at
Alexandria with ships of Force B after air attacks on passage.
(Note: No ships
were lost during passage of MW8A/B)
February
12th Joined HM Destroyers ARROW,
GRIFFIN, HASTY, HAVOCK, JERVIS, KELVIN
and KIPLING as
screen for HM Cruisers NAIAD, EURYALUS and DIDO as Force
B for escort
of Convoy MW9A/B to Malta (Operation MF4).
(Note: Passage
of all convoys to Malta were subject to heavy and sustained air attacks
and
a threat of surface attack by superior force of Italian warships as well as
from submarines
. Many
ships in convoy and escorts were sunk. See above references.)
13th Convoy MW9A
merged with convoy MW9B and under air attacks.
(Note: ss CLAN
CAMPBELL was damaged and sent to Tobruk.
ss
CLAN CHATTAN was hit in further air attacks, set on fire and had to be
abandoned.)
14th Met Force “K”
which was escorting Convoy ME10 on passage from Malta to Egypt.
(Note:
Remaining ship of MW9, ss ROWALLAN CASTLE was then transferred for escort by
Force K to Malta but was hit during air attacks and sunk.)
15th Returned to
Alexandria with ships of Force B.
March Deployed for escort of
supply convoys and support of Tobruk.
13th Carried out
anti-submarine operations off North African coast to prevent attacks on supply
convoys to
Tobruk.
26th During escort
of RFA SLAVOK with Greek destroyer QUEEN OLGA came under
attack by U652
.Whilst rescuing survivors from RFA which had been set on fire aft being
torpedoed by
U652 was herself hit by two torpedoes from same submarine in position
north east of
Sollum (31.53N 26.18N.)
Sank immediately
with only 53 survivors who were rescued by HM Whaler KLO (SANF).
193 of ship’s
company lost their lives.
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
The 2nd RN ship to carry this name was an
Anti-aircraft Frigate launched by the same shipyard on 30th July 1957. She was the last warship built by William Denny and
her completion was delayed by defects found on trials. The ship entered service in 1969 and after 13 years service was
placed in Reserve. Place on the Sales List she was sold to Bangladesh in 1978 and renamed ALI HAIDER.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
JAGUAR
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
18/12/39
|
18/12/39
|
NARVIK 2
|
23/12/39
|
24/12/39
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
FS 0090
|
09/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
11/02/40
|
11/02/40
|
FS 0093
|
13/02/40
|
13/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
MT 004
|
05/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
FS 0099
|
20/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
MT 014
|
18/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
MT 015
|
20/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
04/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
ON 017A/
|
08/03/40
|
08/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
FS 0119
|
13/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
MT 028
|
12/03/40
|
12/03/40
|
12/07/40
|
13/07/40
|
FS 0221
|
13/07/40
|
14/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
23/07/40
|
FN 0229
|
23/07/40
|
24/07/40
|
03/08/40
|
04/08/40
|
FN 0241
|
05/08/40
|
05/08/40
|
25/08/40
|
26/08/40
|
OA 204
|
26/08/40
|
29/08/40
|
27/08/40
|
02/09/40
|
TC 007
|
04/09/40
|
04/09/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)