V-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from JS White, Cowes IoW with the 8th Emergency Flotilla on 1st September 1941 and laid down on 31st December 1942. The ship was launched on 15th December 1943 as the 5th RN warship to carry this name, previously used for a corvette sold in 1904 and introduced for a Prize captured in 1798. She had been adopted by to civil community of Pocklington, then in the East Riding of Yorkshire following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942. Build was completed on 26th May 1944 and the ship was fitted for Arctic service.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

LISSA 1811 - ADEN 1839 - CHINA 1839-42 - BALTIC 1853 - ARCTIC 1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, a Red Admiral butterfly Proper.

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

1 9 4 4

May                  Contractor's sea trials and commissioned. for service with 26th Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet

        26th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

                         On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work up with ships of Home

June                  Worked up with Home Fleet

July                   On completion joined Flotilla for Fleet duties with Flotilla.

August

         8th           Deployed with Flotilla on preliminary exercise for planned operation off Norway

.       10th          Escorted H M Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE, TRUMPETER, NABOB, HM Cruisers

                         KENT and DEVONSHIRE with Flotilla for air attacks on shipping and shore targets between

                         Lepsoy and Haramsa Is., Norway .

                         (Operation OFFSPRING - For details see Naval Staff History (MINING) and CONVOY ! by P

                         Kemp).

September       Deployed with Flotilla in NW Approaches.

        17th          Part of screen for HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Aircraft Carriers

                         CAMPANIA and STRIKER with HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR, MUSKETEER,

                          SAUMAREZ, SCORPION, VENUS, VERULAM and VIRAGO as escort for passage of

                         Russian Convoy JW60 to Kola Inlet.

                         (Note: HMS RODNEY was included in case of any attack by the German battleship TIRPITZ

                                     but German ship was disabled in an RAF raid on 15th Sept.)

        23rd          Detached on arrival of JW60 after uneventful passage.

        28th          Sailed as escort for return convoy RA60 with same ships.

        29th          Convoy attacked by U310 which sank two mercantiles.

October

         3rd           Detached with HMS RODNEY and other Home Fleet ships before arrival of convoy in Loch

                         Ewe.

                         (For full details of Russian Convoy operations see CONVOY! by P Kemp, CONVOYS TO

                         RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS

                         by R. Woodman.).

        14th          Joined Force 9 as escort for HM Cruiser EURYALUS, HM Aircraft Carriers TRUMPETER and

                         FENCER with HM Destroyers MYNGS, SCORPION, SERAPIS, HM Canadian Destroyers

                         ALGONQUIN and SIOUX for air minelay and attacks on shipping off Norwegian coast.

                         (Operation LYCIDAS - For details see above references.)

.       17th          Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser BELLONA with Flotilla for

                         air attacks and photo-reconnaissance off Norwegian Coast

        26th          Escorted HMS IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser MAURITIUS with Home Fleet destroyers for

                         air attacks on targets in Bodo/Sandnessjoen, Lodingen and Kristiansund North.

November        Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet_with 26th Destroyer Flotilla.

                          Refitted in Leith at a commercial shipyard prior to foreign service

December         Under refit.

1 9 4 5

January             On completion of post refit trials rejoined Flotilla.

                          Took passage to join Eastern Fleet in Ceylon.

February           Joined Eastern Fleet for screening and patrol duties with Flotilla.

        24th           Part of escort for HM Aircraft Carrier EMPRESS, HM Aircraft Carrier AMEER, and HM

                          Cruiser KENYA with HM Destroyer VIGILANT, HM Destroyer VIRAGO and frigates of the

                          Eastern Fleet for air photo-reconnaissance of Malacca Straits areas.

                          During outward and return passages bombarded targets in Andamans

                          (Operation STAGEY).

March

        14th           Deployed with HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ and RAPID as Force 70 for reconnaissance

                          of Langkawi Sound and took passage to Malacca Straits.

                          (Operation TRANSPORT).

        16th           Reconnaissance abandoned and deployed on shipping sweep.

        17th           Bombarded railway works at Sigli, Sumatra.

        18th           Unsuccessful search for shipping in Nicobar islands.

        19th           After closing Port Blair harbour found no shipping.

                          Arrived of Stewart Sound with Force 70.

                          Condenser defect prevented use of one shaft and remained outside Sound.

                          Fired air bursts over shore batteries.

                          Under shore fire during which HMS RAPID was hit.

                          (Note: HMS RAPID was serious damaged with several casualties and loss of steam.

                          Temporarily disabled by shore fire whilst HMS SAUMAREZ was towing HMS RAPID out

                          of Stewart Sound but able to resume passage.

                          (Note: Three ratings killed and eight wounded.  For full details see THE FORGOTTEN

                                      FLEET by J Winton and WARE WITH JAPAN (HMSO)

                          All three ships of Force 70 returned to Akyab under own power.

        25th           Sailed with HMS SAUMAREZ, HMS VIRAGO and HMS VIGILANT as Force 70 to carry

                          out an anti-shipping sweep between Andamans and Malayan coast

                          (Operation ON BOARD).

        26th           Carried out an attack on enemy convoy of four ships escorted by two Japanese Sub Chasers

                          on passage from Singapore to Port Blair.

                          After half an hour during which surface gunfire and torpedoes were used without success

                          aircraft support was provided by Liberator aircraft.

                          Four mercantiles were then sunk in a series of air and surface attacks. See above references.

        28th           Returned to Trincomalee with 52 Japanese survivors from convoy.

                          (Note: 18 torpedoes and 3,160 rounds of 4.7in ammunition were expended by ships of Force

                                     during the attacks and the action was later described by the Senior Officer as

                                     exasperatingly unsatisfactory.

                                     Convoy was taking stores to the Andaman garrison and the passengers included some

                                     comfort ladies for their entertainment !).

April                 Indian Ocean convoy defence and interception of U-Boat supply ships.

                          Nominated for refit and took passage to Durban.

May                  Under refit.

to                      (Note: During this refit an additional warning radar, Type 291 was fitted. and an improved

June                              submarine detection set (A/S Type 147B ), as well as a radio equipment for direction

                                     finding of wireless communication transmissions.

                                     The Arctic fittings were removed to reduce top-weight. For details of development

                                     and use of radio and ASDIC equipment during WW2 see RADAR AT SEA by D

                                     Howse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

July                   On completion of post refit trials took passage to rejoin Flotilla in East Indies Fleet.

August             Deployed with Flotilla for screening duties and prepared for support of planned landings in Malaya

                          (Operation ZIPPER)

                          (Note: For details of delay in the start of this operation see above references, WAR WITH JAPAN

                                     (HMSO) and Final Report of the Supreme Commander SEAC.)

                          Passage to Penang as part of screen for major units of East Indies Fleet

        31st           Sailed from Trincomalee to join ships deployed for re-occupation of Penang.

September        At Penang for re-occupation.

                           Sailed for Port Dickson area for support of landings (Operation ZIPPER)

                          (Note: For details of ZIPPER and the earlier delays until after VJ Day see THE FORGOTTEN

                                     FLEET, WAR WITH JAPAN and Final Report of  Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO).

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS VOLAGE returned to Trincomalee and deployed with Flotilla for local duties. Later took passage to UK with Flotilla and nominated for service in 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet in Malta. Prepared for service at Portsmouth before passage to Malta. On the 22nd October 1946 she sustained major damage after striking a mine in the Corfu Channel (below - Navy Photos/Peter Crocker). The ship was repaired in Malta but returned to UK in 1949 and went into Reserve. After conversion for use as an Anti-Submarine Frigate by her builders she rejoined the Fleet in 1954 and served in the Dartmouth Training Squadron for two years. During 1956 she again went into Reserve and was laid-up at Portsmouth. The ship never re-commissioned. whilst at Portsmouth in 1964 ship was used for harbour training of Royal Marines. Placed on the Disposal List she was sold  to BISCO in on 28th October 1972 and towed to the breakers’ yard for breaking-up by Pounds at Portchester later that year.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS VOLAGE

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)