PALADIN-Class
Fleet Destroyer ordered from
John Brown, Clydebank en 2nd October 1939 with
2nd Emergency Flotilla. She was
laid down on 22nd July 1940 and launched on 11th
June 1941 as the 2nd RN
warship to bear the name that of the knights of
Charlemagne and had previously
used for a WW1 destroyer sold in 1921. Build was
completed en 12th December 1941 for a cost of
£411,262, which excluded Admiralty supplied
items such as guns and
communications outfits. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was
adopted by the civil community
of Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
DIEGO
SUAREZ 1942
-
SICILY 1943 -
MEDITERRANEAN 1942 - BURMA 1944-45
H e r al d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a
Field Blue, a sword
erect White, pommel and hilt Gold
enfiled with two spurs in Saltire also Gold.
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 4 1
December
Contractors trials and commissioning.
Nominated for
service in East Indies with 12th Destroyer
Flotilla.
7th
Carried
out Speed Trials on Arran
Measured Mile.
12th
Build completion and continued
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of
trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow
for work-up with Home Fleet.
1 9 4 2
January
Worked-up
with tons Fleet for operational service.
Nominated for
escort of military convoy to Middle East
during passage to Indian Ocean.
February
Took
passage from Scapa Flow to Clyde.
21st
Joined military convoy WS16 during
passage from Clyde for Ocean Escort with HM
Cruiser NEWCASTLE.
March
1st
Detached from WS16
on arrival at Freetown.
Made
independent passage to
Capetown with HMS PANTHER.
5th
Called at St. Helena.
9th
Arrived at Capetown
12th
Sailed from Capetown
as escort for HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE
during passage in
Indian Ocean with
HMS PANTHER
18th
Called at Mauritius.
24th
Joined Eastern
Fleet.
(Note: Eastern
Fleet was in course of formation following the
outbreak of war with Japan.
See
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and Naval Staff History)
Ships
of Eastern Fleet included
HM
Battleships WARSPITE, RESOLUTION, REVENGE and
ROYAL
SOVEREIGN.
HM Aircraft Carriers HERMES, FORMIDABLE and
INDOMITABLE.
HM Cruisers DORSETSHIRE, CORNWALL, ENTERPRISE,
EMERALD
and
DRAGON, HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, NAPIER,
NESTOR,
PANTHER
and HOTSPUR.
31st
Deployed with screen
for HMS WARSPITE, HMS FORMIDABLE, HMS
INDOMITABLE,
HM
Cruiser EMERALD, ENTERPRISE, DORSETSHIRE and
CORNWALL as Force A
during
search for a raiding
force of Japanese drips reported en passage
for air attacks on Ceylon.
(Note: Force A was
covered by the other Eastern Fleet ships
designated Force B during the
search
south of Ceylon. See WAR WITH JAPAN and THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET
by J
Winton.)
April
5th
Sailed from Addu
Atoll with screen of Force A after refuelling.
Force A search for
Japanese ships which had attacked Colombo was
unsuccessful.
See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and OPERATION
PACIFIC by
E Grey)
6th
Took part in rescue
of survivors from HM Cruisers DORSETSHIRE and
HMS CORNWALL
with HM Cruiser
EMERALD and HM Destroyer PANTHER.
(Note: The two
cruisers were sunk in Japanese air attacks on
5th. 1,122 survivors were rescued.)
9th
Deployment with Force A screen in
Arabian Sea to protect communications between
India and
East African
ports.
10th
Boiler clean at Bombay
13th
Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation
24th
Transferred to Kilindini with
Eastern Fleet.
(Note: This move
was made in view of the vulnerability of
Ceylon to air attack).
May
Deployed
at Kilindini.
Nominated
for support of
planned landings in Madagascar (Operation
IRONCLAD.
For details see
WAR WITH JAPAN, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
OPERATION PACIFIC
and THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson.)
Joined Force F to
provide escort during passage of the assault
convoys.
(Note: Other ships involved were:
HMS
RAMILLIES, HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS,
HM
Cruisers HERMIONE, DEVONSHIRE, HM Destroyers
ANTHONY, ACTIVE,
DUNCAN,
INCONSTANT, JAVELIN, LAFOREY, LIGHTNING,
LOOKOUT
PAKENHAM
and
PANTHER, HM Minesweepers CROMER, CROMARTY,
POOLE,
ROMNEY,
HM Corvettes CYCLAMEN, FREESIA, FRITILLARY,
GENISTA,
JASMINE
and NIGELLA.)
5th
Deployed with HMS RAMILLIES, HMS
HERMIONE, H M Destroyers PANTHER, JAVELIN
and ANTHONY for
bombardment of Vichy French positions at Diego
Suarez.
(Note: The enemy
surrendered after 15 minutes.)
HM
Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE provided air cover
against Japanese air
intervention.
7th
Entered harbour at Diego Suarez
with HMS RAMILLIES, HM Cruiser HERMIONE and HM
Destroyer
PANTHER.
After release
from IRONCLAD transferred with HM Destroyers
PAKENHAM and
INCONSTANT to
Mediterranean.
(Note:
To replace the
losses and major damage to destroyers in
defence of Crete.
Took passage to
Alexandria.
June
Deployed
for Fleet duties on arrival in 12th Destroyer
Flotilla.
13th
Sailed from Alexandria as part of
screen for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, BIRMINGHAM,
CLEOPATRA, DIDO,
EURYALUS, HERMIONE and NEWCASTLE with HM
Destroyers
HASTY, HERO,
INCONSTANT, JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN, NAPIER,
NESTOR (RAN),
NIZAM, NORMAN
(RAN), PAKENHAM, SIKH and ZULU to provide
cover for passage of
Convoy MW11 to
Malta (Operation VIGOROUS).
14th
Joined escort for MW11 with Fleet
units.
Under sustained
air attacks and later by U77 were driven HMS
PAKENHAM.
Under
threat of surface
attack by Italian squadron including two
battleships
15th
Convoy ordered to return eastwards
by CinC at Alexandria.
Under night
attack by German E-Boats during which HMS
NEWCASTLE was hit and HMS
HASTY was sunk by
HMS HOTSPUR (part of main escort).
Heavy air attacks
resumed after daylight resulting in sinking of
H M Destroyers AIREDALE
(part
of main escort) and damage
to other escorts.)
(Note: A series
of conflicting orders were received from shore
during the day but shortage of
AA
ammunition made necessary abandonment of
VIGOROUS.
Convoy took
passage to return to Alexandria.
16th
Under air attacks during which
HMS NESTOR was damaged and had to be sunk by
HMS
JAVELIN.
17th
Detached from MW11 and arrived at
Alexandria.
(Note: For
details of this disastrous operation with its
conflicting direction from shore
see
THE
BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. Macintyre,
ENGAGE THE
ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff History.)
July
Retained
at Alexandria in view of VIGOROUS losses and
damage.
Deployed
in eastern Mediterranean
for Fleet and patrol duties.
14th
Escorted convoy to Cyprus from
Port Said with HM Destroyers PANTHER, JERVIS
and
JAVELIN
Returned to Port
Said.
19th
Deployed with HM Cruiser ORION,
HM Destroyers PANTHER, JERVIS and JAVELIN
during
bombardment of Mersa Matruh.
August
10th
Joined HMS ARETHUSA and HMS EURYALUS
as screen with HM Destroyers JERVIS
KELVIN,
PAKENHAM, ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON,
ERIDGE,
HURSLEY and
HURWORTH, HM Corvette HYACINTH and HM
Auxiliary ANTWERP
for escort of Convoy MW12
(Three ships) from
Port Said as a diversionary operation during
passage of
relief Malta convoy from Gibraltar.
(Operation MG3 -
Diversion for Operation PEDESTAL).
(For
details see
PEDESTAL by P Smith.)
11th
Convoy MW12 joined by supply ship
from Haifa escorted by H M Cruisers CLEOPATRA,
DIDO, HM
Destroyers JAVELIN, SIKH and ZULU for joint
passage westward.
13th
Returned to Port Said with joint
diversionary convoy.
September
Mediterranean
Fleet screening and patrol in continuation.
10th
Boiler Clean at Suez with
assistance from HMS WOOLWICH staff.
On completion
resumed Fleet duties.
Carried out
bombardment on positions near Tobruk
(Note: Did not
take part in disastrous attack at Tobruk
(Operation AGREEMENT)..
October
Flotilla duties for screening
of major units and patrol in eastern
Mediterranean,
November
16th
Joined HMS EURYALUS with HM
Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN, NUBIAN,
PAKENHAM
and PETARD as escort
for Convoy MW13 during passage to Malta.
(Operation
STONEAGE/MG9 - First attempt to pass
westward convoy since VIGOROUS.)
(Note: Made
possible by military advance from El Alamein
which enabled provision of air
cover
from bases in North Africa.)
17th
Detached fro MW13 with Fleet
destroyers on relief by HUNT Class destroyers.
Took return
passage to Alexandria and joined Fleet units.
18th
Deployed with same Fleet
destroyers to screen H M Cruisers ARETHUSA,
CLEOPATRA,
DIDO and ORION
during cover of MW13.
Rejoined convoy
during passage to Malta.
Came under air
attacks off Derna during which HMS ARETHUSA
was hit by a torpedo and
had to be towed
back to Alexandria by HMS PETARD
19th
Detached from MW13 with ships of
escort and returned to Alexandria.
(Note: MW13 arrived
in Malta on 20th.).
December
Mediterranean Fleet duties in
continuation.
Deployed at
Malta
(Note: Did not
take part in escort of Convoy MW14 (Operation
PORTCULLIS).
25th
Carried out interception patrol
from Malta
26th Returned
from patrol.
1 9 4 3
January Transferred
to Malta for
convoy defence and interception duties.
13th
Deployed with escort for convoy
during passage to Port Said with HMS ORION, HM
Destroyers
JAVELIN, NUBIAN, PANTHER and HURSLEY.
February
Deployed for convoy escort.
17th
Carried cut attacks on submarine
with BISLEY aircraft during escort of coastal
convoy TX1
off Derna.
After BISLEY
reported submarine on surface detached and
found U205 abandoned.
Placed boarding
party on submarine which was then taken in tow
by HM Corvette
GLOXINIA.
42 survivors
rescued by escorts. Shared credit for sinking.
U205 sank on
entry to Ras-el-Hiba Bay 100 miles west of
Tobruk.
See HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and U-BOATS DESTROYED by
P Kemp.
(Note: Special
salvage operation was carried out later.
ENIGMA
data was recovered and
sent to GCHQ at Bletchley Park.)
March
Malta deployment in
continuation.
8th
Escorted HM Fast Minelayer ABDIEL
to Malta after minelay in Sicilian Narrows.
On
completion
carried cut interception patrol with HM
Destroyer PAKENHAM.
Sank Ferry
Barge off Pantellaria.
15th
Joined escort of convoy on
passage from ?Port Said to Malta with HMS
PANTHER and
Greek destroyer
VASILISSA OLGA for final stage of passage.
17th
Took part in exercises off Malta.
April
Deployed with H M
Destroyers NUBIAN, PETARD and JERVIS based in
Malta as Force
K for
interception of enemy supply convoys to and
from ports in North Africa.
5th
Detached to escort HMS ABDIEL
with HM Destroyer KELVIN during minelay on
Skerki
Bank..
See Naval Staff
History (Mining).
19th
During interception patrol with
HMS PAKENHAM in action with escort of an Italian
convoy
SW of Marsala.
Sank
Torpedo Boat CIGNO which had
seriously damaged HMS PAKENHAM.
Damaged Torpedo
Boat CASSIOPEA.
Established tow
of HMS PAKENHAM but later abandoned owing to
threat of air attack.
.
Sank HMS PAKENHAM by
torpedo.
(Note: Convoy
escaped. Damaged CASSIOPEA taken in tow by
Torpedo boat CLIMENE.
30th
During interception patrol with
HMS NUBIAN sank transport FAUNA off Sicily
May
1st
Deployed with HMS JERVIS and HMS
NUBIAN for unsuccessful interaction.
4th
Deployed with HMS NUBIAN and HMS
PETARD for
interception patrol.
Sank transport
COMPOBASSO and Torpedo Boat PERSEO off
Kelibia, Tunisia.
7th
Deployed with ships of Force K and
Malta based destroyers for blockade of North
African ports
to prevent
evacuation of enemy forces.
(Operation
RETRIBUTION. See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
and references.)
8th
Deployed with HM Destroyer JERVIS
and NUBIAN for bombardment of Kelebia in
support
of military
operations.
Passage to
Algiers to assist in clearance of harbour
after explosion of ship carrying ammunition.
Towed US
mercantile which had caught fire to position
clear of harbour.
June
1st
Bombarded Pantellaria with HM
Cruiser PENELOPE and HM Destroyer PETARD.
(Operation
CORKSCREW).
2nd
Further bombardment with HM Cruiser
ORION and HM Destroyer TROUBRIDGE.
6th
Deployed with HM Cruisers
EURYALUS, AURORA and HM Destroyer JERVIS as
escort for
convoy from
Bizerta to Alexandria
through Sicilian Narrows.
10th
Escorted HM Landing Ship LARGS
carrying 1st British Division to Pantellaria
with
HMS PETARD and
HM River Gunboat APHIS.
July
Nominated
for support of
planned landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY).
Deployed at
Algiers.
10th
Joined HM Destroyers PATHFINDER,
JERVIS, PANTHER, PENN and PETARD for escort
duty
with Reserve
Covering Force for HUSKY.
Deployed south
of Sardinia as screen for HM Battleships KING
GEORGE V and HOWE, HM
Cruisers DIDO
and SIRIUS.
Transferred
to Bizerta on release
from escort duties.
August Based
at Bizerta for support
of military operations en mainland of Italy.
9th
Carried out bombardment of coastal
areas near Naples and west coast of Calabria.
(Operation
ANNOYANCE).
16th
Deployed with HMS EURYALUS, HMS
AURORA and HMS JERVIS for bombardment of
Scalea.
(Note: During
passage from Palermo intercepted and sank
Siebel Ferries used for transfer of
troops
to mainland of Italy from Sicily.
22nd
Took passage to Palermo with HM
Cruisers AURORA, DIDO, SIRIUS, PENELOPE, HM
Destroyers
JERVIS and PAKENHAM for interception and
military support duties.
September
Passage to Algiers to join support
for planned landings on Italian mainland.
(Operation
AVALANCHE).
3rd
Took part in preparatory exercises
for AVALANCHE.
Deployed with
screen for HMS KING GEORGE V and HMS HOWE.
7th
Passage to Augusta with screen for
battleships.
9th
Nominated for support of planned
landings at Taranto and joined Force Z.
Passage to
Taranto as part of escort for HMS KING GEORGE
V.
Present at
Taranto to support landings by 1st Airborne
Division. (Operation SLAPSTICK)
(Note: HM Fast
Minelayer ABDIEL which had troops embarked was
sunk in Taranto harbour
after
detonating a mine. There was heavy loss of
life.)
11th
Deployed as HQ ship at Taranto
after loss of HMS ABDIEL.
17th
After release from Guardship duty
deployed with ships of Flotilla for escort of
aircraft carriers
to
Gibraltar after service in
Mediterranean.
(Note: The
carriers may have been CVE which were
returning to UK.
22nd
Sailed from Gibraltar with HM
Destroyers JERVIS, PATHFINDER and PENN for
passage
to Malta.
23rd
Detached from
other destroyers and took passage to Arzeu,
Algiers for repair of blocked
condenser
inlets.
24th
During resumed
passage to Malta struck submerged object and
damaged port screw.
Took passage to
Bone for examination of defects.
27th
Passage to Gibraltar with convoy
of mercantiles.
29th
Taken in hand for docking at HM
Dockyard Gibraltar.
October
Awaiting repair in Gibraltar.
(Note: Port shaft was found to bent
and replacement had to be sent from UK.)
23rd
Sailed from Gibraltar as part of
escort for military convoy to Alexandria.
(New shaft was
carried on board for fitting during planned
docking.)
31st
Taken in hand for docking at
Alexandria to replace shaft.
November
14th
Carried out post refit trials
after undocking.
On completion
took passage to Naples for support of military
operations.
20th
Deployed for patrol and support
of military operations based in Naples with H
M Cruiser
ORION, HM
Destroyers ILEX and MENDIP for bombardments
and patrol.
27th
Carried out bombardment of
Minturno area.
December Nominated
for transfer to
Eastern Fleet.
1st
Bombarded targets in Gulf of
Gaeta with HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE and
TEAZER.
Passage
to Alexandria.
31st
Took passage from Mediterranean
with HM Destroyers PATHFINDER, PENN and PETARD
as escort for HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS,
HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH
and VALIANT
during passage to join Eastern Fleet based in
Ceylon.
1 9 4 4
January
28th
Arrived at Trincomalee to join 16th
Destroyer Flotilla.
Passage to
Kilindini with HMS PETARD to join military
convoy KR8 as escort.
(Note: HMS
PENN should have also been deployed but was
under repair.)
February Arrived
at Kilindini
5th
Sailed frcm Kilindini as escort
for Convoy KR8 during passage to Colombo with
HM
Cruiser
HAWKINS, HM Destroyer PETARD, HM Cutters
LULWORTH and SENNEN
and HM Corvette
HONESTY.
(Note: Convoy
comprised five troop transports carrying army
and naval personnel
including
WRNS, ATS and Nursing staff.)
9th
HMS LULWORTH, HMS SENNEN and HMS
HONESTY detached and returned to Kilindini.
(Note: These
ships had insufficient fuel capacity to remain
for whole voyage.)
12th
Convoy under attack by Japanese
submarine 127.
Troopship
KHEDIVE ISMAIL was hit by two torpedoes and
sank very quickly.
(Note: Only 214 of 1,115 personnel were
rescued.)
After ASDIC
contact, carried out depth charge attack on
I27 with HMS PETARD.
(Note: Some
these fell amongst the survivors and caused
many deaths.
Submarine
surfaced and was then engaged by surface
gunfire.
After a
decision by the commanding officer, (Lt. O N
Bailey, RN), to ram the submarine
this order was
countermanded by Lt. Cdr. R Eagen, RN, Senior
Officer on board PETARD.
During
subsequent helm adjustments ship collided with
one of the hydroplanes of I27
causing
very extensive
damage aft and major flooding.
Ship was
disabled and unable to take a part in further
action against I27 which was
eventually
sunk by
torpedo from HMS PETARD.
12th
(Note: For full details of this
disaster and the destruction of I27 see
PASSAGE TO
DESTINY by
Brian Crabb which includes names of all
casualties and the survivors.
WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO) also gives more information.)
List
due to flooding was partially
corrected by jettison of topweight including
torpedoes.
Survivors and
all Starboard Watch were transferred to HMS
PETARD.
Taken in tow
to Addu Atoll by HMS PETARD.
13th
Tow parted on arrival and ship
anchored until tow re-established.
Secured
alongside tanker BRITISH LOYALTY to await
emergency repair at Addu Atoll
(Note: It
is presumed that the repair
personnel came from either Trincomalee or
Kilindini.
In
any case their arrival was delayed by
torpedoing of ship in which they took
passage.)
Moved from
tanker to HMS HAWKINS for assistance to reduce
list by pumping out flooded
compartments.
Returned to
BRITISH LOYALTY for completion of temporary
repair to enable safe passage.
(Note: Hull
fracture extended about 80 feet was patched.)
March
Repair and
preparation for passage in continuation.
Permanent
repair
arranged at Simonstown.
3rd
Sailed from
Addu Atoll with escort and with only one
engine and shaft in use.
22nd
Arrived at
Simonstown after calls at Mombasa and Durban.
Taken
in
hand for repair and refit by HM Dockyard
Simonstown.
April
Under repair
to
June
July
On completion of
post refit trials took passage to rejoin Fleet
at Trincomalee.
29th At
Durban.
August Passage
to Trincomalee
with call at Addu Atoll.
Joined
16th Destroyer Division, Eastern Fleet on
arrival
(Note:
Division
included HM Destroyers PENN, PETARD and
PATHFINDER.)
Worked-up
for operational service.
September
Deployed
for screening, patrol and special operations.
to
(Note:
Destroyers of
Eastern Fleet were used for clandestine
operations by SOE to land or collect
December
agents
in Burma, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies.
See OPERATION PACIFIC
by E
Gray,
WAR WITH
JAPAN (HMSO) and Naval Staff Histories for
details of naval activities
in
Indian Ocean.)
1 9 4 5
January Eastern
Fleet
re-designated East Indies Fleet.
Worked-up
for operational service.
(Note:
Ships of Division were taking part in
preparatory exercises for planned
landings in
Burma.
Did
not take part in Akyab landings (Operation
MATADOR)
Carried
out search for HM Submarine PORPOISE which was
missing after minelaying
operation
off Penang.
(Note:
Submarine was later declared as lost on 16th.)
23rd
Deployed with HM Destroyer
RAPID, HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA and
KENYA
as Force
65 to land Royal Marines on Cheduba Island
south of Ramree, Burma.
(Operation
SANKEY - See THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH
JAPAN
25th
HM Cruiser
PHOEBE, HM Escort Carrier AMEER, HM Destroyers
NORMAN and
RAIDER, HM
Frigates TEVIOT and SPEY
joined Assault Force.
26th
Carried out
bombardment of assault area with HM Destroyers
NORMAN, RAIDER and
RAPID
before landings.
On
completion anchored off
Searle Point during unopposed landings.
30th
Passage to
Trincomalee on release from SANKEY.
.
February Eastern
Fleet duties in
continuation with Division.
9th
Deployed with HM Destroyer
PATHFINDER for escort and support of Motor
Launches,
Landing
Craft and Minesweepers during offensive
operations in rivers estuaries at
Ratnree
Island
to intercept
Japanese troops attempting evacuation.
(Operation BLOCK).
11th
Under
attack by two HAMP-ZEKE aircraft and sustained
slight damage.
(Note:
HMS PATHFINDER received a direct hit and had
to be withdrawn from BLOCK
operations
after temporary repair.)
18th
Intercepted
and destroyed evacuation craft. See THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET.
22nd
Returned to
Trincomalee.
March
Deployment at
Trincomalee with Division in continuation.
April
Preparation of
support of landings at Rangoon (Operation
DRACULA).
(Note:
Lt. Cdr Hewlett joined to relieve Lt. Cundell
as commanding officer.)
26th
Deployed as
escort for Fleet Oilers RFA OLWEN and EASDALE
in Force 69 for
replenishment
of Task Force 63 destroyers
deployed in the Andaman Sea to prevent any
Japanese
naval interference during cover of landings at
Rangoon (Operation BISHOP).
(Note:
This operation also included air strikes and
bombardments of Nice-bars.
See
above references for details of ships in Force
63.).)
On
completion of replenishment duty returned to
Trincomalee with RFA OLWEN.
May
10th
Deployed as escort for
Fleet Oiler RFA ECHODALE in Force 70 for
replenishment of ships
of Force
61 during interception of Japanese warships
reported on passage in Malacca
Straits
(Operation
DUKEDOM).
(Note:
This operation by the East Indies Fleet
culminated in sinking of cruiser
HAGURO.
See
SINK
THE HAGURO by J Winton and above references.)
June
5th
Sailed from Trincomalee
with HM Destroyers TARTAR, ESKIMO, NUBIAN and
PENN
(Force
65) to attack snipping between Nicobars and
Sabang (Operation IRREGULAR).
7th Detached
from Force 65 to
collect SOE party from Batu Island.
8th Patrolled
off Batu Islands
until relieved by HMS PENN. Passage to
Trincomalee.
July Preparation
for
Fleet escort duty with Flotilla during planned
operations.
(Note:
These included minesweeping operations off
Phuket Island as a diversion.
See
above
references.)
19th
Deployed with HM
Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, RAIDER and
the 7th
Minesweeping
Flotilla as screen for Force 63 units of East
Indies Fleet.
(Note:
Force 63 comprised HM Battleship NELSON, HM
Cruiser SUSSEX, HM Escort
Aircraft
Carriers EMPRESS and AMEER with above
destroyers.
24th
Provided cover for Force 63
during minesweeping by 7th Minesweeping
Flotilla. During the
first day
of the operation HM Minesweeper SQUIRREL hit a
mine and had to be sunk by own
ships See above references.
26th
Under attack by suicide
aircraft during which BM Minesweeper VESTAL
was hit and badly
damaged.
(Note: HMS VESTAL was sunk by 8in gunfire from
HM Cruiser SUSSEX after surface fire
from
destroyers had been unsuccessful.
This
type of air attack had not previously been
used against East Indies
Fleet ships.)
Returned to
Trincomalee with Force 63 ships.
August
At Trincomalee
preparing for landing in Malaya (Operation
ZIPPER).
(Note:
These were delayed at insistence of US
government and problems relating to
return to
UK
of servicemen under PYTHON scheme.
Landings
did not take place until after VJ Day.
See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET and
Final
Report
to Chiefs of Staff by Supreme Commander
(HMSO).
Passage to
Penang with screen for East Indies Fleet ships
to support landings.
(Note:
Passage from Trincomalee via Rangoon to be
confirmed.)
September
3rd
Secured alongside at Penang
during occupation by RM units.
8th
Passage to Singapore.
9th
Provided support during landings MORIB
area near Port Swettenham
Passage to
Singapore.
12th
Ship's company took part in
formal surrender ceremonies by providing party
for street lining.
Deployed
at Singapore
for escort of relief convoys and support of
repatriation and
re-occupation
operations.
Nominated
for return to UK and took passage to
Trincomalee.
October
Prepared for return
passage.
20th
Sailed from Trincomalee with
HM Destroyers TARTAR and NUBIAN.
November
Passage
to Portsmouth with calls at Aden, Malta and
Gibraltar.
18th
Arrived at Portsmouth to pay
off.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS PALADIN was
retained in
service and deployed with the Portsmouth Local
Flotilla and later in Clyde for
submarine exercises with 3rd
Submarine Flotilla. In 1947 she was reduced.
to Reserve status and laid-up at Harwich.
Later she was
transferred to Chatham. After being selected
for conversion to a Type 16 A/S
Frigate with the Squid A/S mortar in 1952 she
was taken in hand at HM Dockyard Rosyth. On
completion in March 1954 she commissioned
briefly for
trials and then replaced in Reserve. The ship
was re-commissioned in January
1958 and deployed for service based at
Chatham. In March 1958
she escorted the Royal Yacht during a
visit to the Netherlands. Her service ended in
June 1961 when placed on
the Disposal List. She was sold during 1962 to
Clayton & Davie and arrived
under tow at the Breakers' Yard in Dunston on
25th October.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
PALADIN
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
11/06/42
|
13/06/42
|
MW
011
|
16/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
16/11/42
|
16/11/42
|
MW
013
|
20/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
MW
015
|
10/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
01/01/43
|
MW
018
|
02/01/43
|
02/01/43
|
13/01/43
|
13/01/43
|
ME
015
|
18/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
MH
003/M
|
26/01/43
|
26/01/43
|
06/02/43
|
09/02/43
|
MW
020A
|
09/02/43
|
10/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
TX
001/1
|
15/02/43
|
18/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
ME
017
|
18/02/43
|
18/02/43
|
17/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
KMS
014X
|
26/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
19/09/43
|
26/09/43
|
GUS
016
|
28/09/43
|
15/10/43
|
16/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
KMF
025
|
29/10/43
|
30/10/43
|
17/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
MKF
026
|
21/11/43
|
09/12/43
|
05/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
KR
008
|
14/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
31/07/44
|
31/07/44
|
DK
021A
|
02/08/44
|
02/08/44
|
06/09/44
|
06/09/44
|
KR
012
|
14/09/44
|
14/09/44
|
09/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
ABF
005A
|
14/11/44
|
14/11/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
SERVICE ON HMS PALADIN
with thanks to Howard Bell
(25 Jul 2011)
Howard's father served on
both HMS JACKAL and HMS PALADIN and has
supplied photographs of both ships, as well
as one of the crew of HMS PALADIN at
Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) sometime
in 1945. His father is in the third row,
seven from left (red dot), next to a
bearded CPO.