V-Class Fleet Destroyer, fitted for use as Leader and ordered with 8th Emergency Flotilla from John Brown at Clydebank on 1st  September 1941. The ship was laid down on 14th May 1942 and launched on 18th March 1943. Build apart from installation of the new design Mk 6 Directors was completed on 18th March 1943. Acceptance Trials were delayed pending the completion of this essential item and she was the first ship of this Class to carry out trials in August 1943. During build HMS HARDY was fitted for service in Arctic waters. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by Chelmsford, Essex. This name had previously been carried by eight RN warships. Her immediate predecessor was a Fleet Destroyer was lost during the first Battle of Narvik in May 1940 when her Captain was awarded a Posthumous Victoria Cross.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

BLACK SEA 1855 - CHINA 1860 - JUTLAND 1916 - ATLANTIC 1940

NARVIK 1940 - ARCTIC 1943-44

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field "Peon" (Black with gold ermine tails)

a scallop shell Silver.

M o t t o

Amicitia et virtute:  ' With  friendship and valour ’.

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 3

March                   Build completion except installation of new design Gunnery Fire Control Director.

April                     Final completion delayed by arrival of Director and essential setting to work of gunnery

to                           fire control equipment.

July

August                  Carried out Acceptance Trials and commissioned for service.

September             Joined Home Fleet and worked up for service at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet.

October

             14th          Escorted HM Battleship ANSON with HM Destroyers HAIDA (RCN), IROQUOIS (RCN),

                              JANUS and VIGILANT for passage to Spitsbergen with relief garrison.

November

             23rd          Part of escort for Russian Convoy JW54B with HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ, VIGILANT.

                               SAVAGE, VENUS, SCORPION, SCOURGE, and Norwegian destroyer STORD.

                               (For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R Ruegg, THE

                               RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefield and CONVOY ! by P Kemp).

December

               2nd          Detached from JW54B and returned to Scapa Flow independently and rejoined Home Fleet.

1 9 4 4

January                 Deployed with Home Fleet.

            21st          Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW56A at Akureyri, Iceland with HM Destroyers VIRAGO,

                             VIGILANT, VENUS, INCONSTANT, OBDURATE, OFFA, SAVAGE and Norwegian STORD

                             as Senior Officer (Escort).

            28th          On arrival at Kola Inlet with JW56A and sailed to reinforce escort for incoming Convoy

                             JW56B under sustained series of U-Boat attacks by WEREWOLF Group in area of Bear Island.

              29th         Joined JW56B

              30th         Hit by acoustic GNAT torpedo (T5) fired by U278 during defence of convoy against enemy

                              submarine attacks.

                               After rescue of ships’ company the hulk was sunk by torpedo from HMS VENUS.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS HARDY (ii)

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)