QUILLIAM-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from JS White, Cowes on 2nd April 1940 with ships of the 3rd. Emergency Flotilla. She was laid down on 14 October 1940 and launched on 31st January 1941 as the first RN ship to carry this name. Her completion was delayed due to air raid damage in the Build yard and she did not commission until July 1942. Build cost was £436,769 excluding items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns, communications outfits and radar equipment. Completion date was on 22nd July 1942. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this destroyer was adopted by the civil community of West Ham in Greater London. She was transferred on loan to the Royal Australian Navy after acceptance in 1942.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

MEDITERRANEAN 1942  - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - ATLANTIC 1943 - OKINAWA 1945

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: A hawk rising, Ermine, armed and bellied. Gold, charged on the

breast within a chaplet of laurel also Gold. on a Blue Field.

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e  a s   H M A S   Q U I B E R O N

1 9 4 2

July

Contractors trials

6th - Commissioned for service.

22nd - Build completion and commenced acceptance trials.

Passage to Scapa Flow after acceptance and completion of storing.

August

Worked-up at Scapa Flow with ships of the Home Fleet.

19th - Joined military convoy WS22 in Clyde as Ocean Escort with HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Destroyer PARTRIDGE and HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CARTHAGE.

September

9th - Detached from WS22 on arrival at Freetown.

13th - Rejoined WS22 as Ocean Escort with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser ALCANTARA and HMS PARTRIDGE.

25th - Detached from WS22 on arrival at Capetown and took passage to Gibraltar for service in the Mediterranean.

October

2nd - Refuelled at Bathurst, The Gambia.

7th - Nominated for service with Force Q and took passage to Algiers.

11th - Joined HM Cruisers AURORA, ARGONAUT, SIRIUS and HM Destroyer QUENTIN IN Force Q. Deployed for interception of enemy supply convoys off North African coast and defence of convoys.

November

Force Q deployment in continuation.

28th - Sank Italian submarine DESSIE north of Bone, with HMS QUENTIN.

December

1st - Deployed as screen for HMS AURORA, ARGONAUT and SIRIUS during interception patrol off North African coast.

2nd - In action with ships of Force Q against convoy of four ships north of Cape Bon. All ships in convoy and the Italian destroyer FOLGORE were sunk with three other escorts damaged. (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre.)

3rd - During later passage to Bone under torpedo attack by aircraft during which HMS QUENTIN was sunk.

1 9 4 3

January

Deployed at Gibraltar for convoy defence.

13th - Reinforced escort of tanker convoy TM1 on passage from West Indies to Mediterranean and under attack from DELFIN U-Boat Group with serious losses. (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, Volume 2.). HM Corvettes PENTSTEMON and SAMPHIRE was also deployed as part of this reinforcement.

21st - Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet.

31st - Joined military convoy WS26 during passage to Freetown after it had detached from ships of military convoy KMF8 as joint convoy to position off Gibraltar. Other ships joining escort were HM Destroyers QUALITY, QUICKMATCH. RACEHORSE and REDOUBT. (Note: HM Armed Merchant Cruisers CANTON, CILICIA, HM Destroyers QUADRANT and RELENTLESS were already with convoy as Ocean Escort.)

February

6th - Detached from WS26 on arrival at Freetown.

9th - Rejoined WS26 as Ocean Escort for passage to Cape of Good Hope with HMS CANTON, HMS CILICIA and HMS QUICKMATCH.

23rd - Detached from WS 26 with HMS CILICIA and HMS QUICKMATCH. Took independent passage to Durban to join 4th Destroyer Flotilla for Indian Ocean interception patrol and convoy defence of convoys in Indian Ocean.

March

Deployed at Durban with HMS QUICKMATCH and QUALITY of Flotilla.

4th - Reinforced HM Corvette NIGELLA and three trawlers in escort of Convoy DN21 with HMS RELENTLESS after series of attacks by U160.

April to July  

Indian Ocean convoy defence and interception duties in continuation.

August

Passage to South Atlantic for escort of military convoy.

12th - Joined military convoy WS32 with HM Destroyers NORMAN, RAPID and RELENTLESS during passage to Cape of Good Hope from Freetown.

18th - Detached from WS32 on arrival at Capetown.

19th - Passage to Durban to resume Indian Ocean convoy defence.

28th - Rejoined military convoy WS32 at Durban with HM Cruiser HAWKINS, HMS NORMAN and HMS RAPID as Ocean Escort during Indian Ocean passage.

September

3rd - Detached from WS32 with Ocean Escort on arrival of HM Cruiser EMERALD.

October to December  

Indian Ocean patrol and convoy defence deployment in continuation.

1 9 4 4

January

Indian Ocean deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

February

Nominated for transfer with 4th Destroyer Flotilla to Eastern Fleet at Ceylon. Passage to Trincomalee.

March

Joined Fleet with H M Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH and QUICKMATCH (RAN).

21st - Joined screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, H M Cruisers LONDON, GAMBIA (RNZN), CEYLON and CUMBERLAND with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH, NAPIER (RAN), NORMAN (RAN), NEPAL (RAN), PATHFINDER, Dutch VAN GALEN and Dutch TJERK HIDDES for offensive sweep in Indian Ocean (Operation DIPLOMAT). (For details of Eastern Fleet activities in 1944-5 see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY AND WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)

27th - Met US aircraft carrier SARATOGA and escort of four destroyers (Task Group 58.5) on passage to join Eastern Fleet for future operations in Indian Ocean.

April

16th - Joined Task Force 65 with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, PETARD, PENN, NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM and Dutch VAN GALEN as screen for H M Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH VALIANT, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA, CEYLON, GAMBIA and Dutch TROMP to cover air attacks on Sabang, Sumatra by Task Force 70 (Operation COCKPIT.

19th - Deployed with screen for TF69 during air attacks by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA on airfields and shore installations.

May

6th - Joined HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, PENN, NAPIER, NEPAL, QUICKMATCH and Dutch VAN GALEN as screen for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT, French RICHELIEU, HMS NEWCASTLE, HMS NIGERIA and Dutch TROMP to cover air attacks by Task Force 65 on Soerabaya, Java (Operation TRANSOM).

15th - Replenished from tankers in Exmouth Bay, North Australia.

17th - Deployed with screen during air attacks by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA.

June to September  

Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and screening duties in Indian Ocean.

October

15th - Joined Task Group 63-1 with HMS QUILLIAM and HMS QUEENBOROUGH as screen for HMS RENOWN to cover air attacks and bombardments of targets in the Nicobar Islands by Task Units TGU 63.2 and TGU 63.3 as a diversion during US landings on Leyte. (Operation MILLET).

17th - Remained with screen during carrier air operations by HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS.

19th - Under attacks by torpedo aircraft which were intercepted by carrier fighters.

November

Flotilla duties with Eastern Fleet in continuation.

22nd - Transferred with Flotilla to British Pacific Fleet on formation at Trincomalee. Took passage from Ceylon to Sydney

December

Passage to Australia to prepare for BPF service.

10th - Arrived at Sydney to prepare for service with US Navy in SW Pacific. (Note: Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D20 to conform with US identity for destroyers.)

1 9 4 5

January

Deployed for exercises with ships of BPF including use of US Navy signalling and manoeuvring procedures. Re-designated as part of Task Force 113 with other ships of BPF. Nominated for special duty and detached for escort of liner carrying the Governor General of Australia designate, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, to take up his appointment. Deployed with HM Australian Destroyer QUICKMATCH and joined HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN, HM Cruiser SUFFOLK and HM Destroyer ULSTER in escort for liner during final stage of passage from Trincomalee off Australian coast, On completion resumed Flotilla duties.

February

Deployed with Flotilla with BPF ships in further preparatory exercises.

28th - Took passage with ships of BPF to Forward British Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands to await instructions for joining US Navy operations with ships of Task Force 113. (See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), Appendix S.)

March

7th - Arrived at Manus.

Carried out further preparatory exercises with Task Force 113 whilst based at Manus.

18th - Took passage from Manus to US Forward Base at Ulithi with Task Force 113.

20th - Arrived at Ulithi with Task Force 113.

23rd - Sailed from Ulithi as Task Force 57 to join ships of US 5th Fleet in operations off Sakishima -Gunto island Group. (Operation ICEBERG ONE). (Note: After delay by US Joint Chiefs of Staff in giving approval for use of RN ships in operations with USN in Pacific. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)

British Pacific Fleet was designated Task Force 57 on departure from Ulithi.

31st - Deployed as screen for TG57 ships during renewed attacks. (For full details of ships involved see TF57 by P Smith, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton, CARRIER VICTORY by J M Ludley, Naval Staff History and above references).

April

Deployed as screen for BPF ships during air attacks on North Formosa.

May

3rd to 25th- Deployed as screen for BPF aircraft carriers during resumed joint air attack on Sakishima Gunto Group (Operation ICEBERG TWO - see above references). Came under KAMIKAZE attacks.

June

BPF Transferred to US 3rd Fleet and redesignated Task Force 37.

July

Deployed, with TF38 for Joint air attacks and bombardments of targets in Japan.

16th - Part of screen for aircraft carriers during air raids on Tokyo-Yokohama area.

17th - Carried out bombardment of targets in Hitachi area NE of Tokyo with HM Battleship KING GEORGE V and HMS QUALITY.

August

Deployed with screen for BPF ships during Joint air operations on airfields and shipping in North Honshu and Hokkaido followed by attacks in Tokyo area.

13th - Returned with TF37 ships to Manus because of lack of fuel from British tankers. (Note: HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS INDEFATIGABLE, HMS GAMBIA, HMS NEWFOUNDLAND and HM Destroyers BARFLEUR, NAPIER, NIZAM, WAKEFUL, TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT, TENACIOUS and TEAZER remained in Japanese waters and re-designated Task Group 38.5).

27th - Transferred to British Task Group 111.3 and joined HM Aircraft Carrier COLOSSUS, HM Cruisers BERMUDA and ARGONAUT as screen with HM Destroyers TYRIAN, TUMULT and TUSCAN.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMAS QUIBERON was deployed with TG111.3 to assist in collection of allied nationals from Shanghai and was deployed in the Pacific with other RAN ships during the rest of 1945. Loan from RN was extended after end of hostilities and permanent transfer made in October 1945. During 1950 this ship was selected for conversion to an Anti-Submarine Frigate and she-rejoined the Fleet in 1952 after completion. She remained operational until reduced to Reserve status in 1964.. Placed on the Disposal List in 1970 and in January 1972 was sold to a Japanese shipbreaker. The ship left Sydney in tow for passage to Japan on 10 April that year.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS QUIBERON

by Don Kindell

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above 

(Note on Convoys)