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ZAMBESI or Z-Class
Destroyer ordered from
Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow under the Emergency
War Programme On 12th February 1942 with HMS
MYNGS for the 10th Emergency Flotilla. The
ship was laid down on 13th July 1942 and
launched on 15th July 1943 as the ninth Royal
Navy ship to bear the name, introduced in 1757
when the when the Sloop MARTIN captured by the
French off Brest a year earlier was renamed.
This Sloop was again
taken by the French in 1788 and was again
recaptured but
burnt in the action. It was last used for a 310
ton Torpedo Boat destroyer built by Hanna Donald
and Wilson at Paisley in 1895 which was scrapped at Rainham in
1920. Build was completed
on 6th September 1944 This destroyer replaced HM
Destroyer LIGHTNING which
was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian MTB in the
Mediterranean in March 1943, and had been
adopted by the civil
community of Doncaster after a WARSHIP WEEK in
1942.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC 1759 -
MARTINIQUE 1762 -
COPENHAGEN 1801 -
BALTIC 1854 -
ARCTIC 1945
H
e r a l d i c
D a t a
On
a Field Blue, a representation of Zephyrus, the
West wind.
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 4
August
Contractors Trials
September
Commissioned for service in 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.
9th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of
trials, storing and calibrations took passage to
work-up
with ships of
Home Fleet.
October
Deployed for work-up
prior to operational
service with Flotilla.
23rd
Joined HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
SERAPIS and two other Home Fleet
destroyers as
screen for HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort
Carriers TRUMPETER
and CAMPANIA as Force 2 for combined air minelay
and shipping
strike off the
coast of Norway (Operation HARDY)
Sailed for HARDY
with Force 2
24th
Provided screen during aircraft
minelay.
25th
Shipping strike cancelled because of
weather conditions.
27th
Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2.
(For details of
all minelaying operations see The Naval Staff
History (Mining)
November Flotilla
deployment with Home
Fleet in continuation.
14th
Deployed with HM Destroyer CAESAR,
NUBIAN and VENUS as screen for
HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier PURSUER and HM Cruiser EURYALUS
during
attacks on
shipping off Trondheim during which a German
escort V6413 was
sunk. See ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.
27th
Deployed with HM Destroyers MYNGS,
SCOURGE, SCORPION, SIOUX (RCN),
and ALGONQUIN
(RCN) as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier
IMPLACABLE and
HM Cruiser DIDO
during air attacks on southbound convoy off Mosjoen,
north of
Namsos,
Norway
(Note: Three
ships were sunk in these attacks, one of which
was carrying Russian
PoW, many off whom
were killed. See above references.)
December Flotilla
deployment with Home
Fleet at Scapa Flow in continuation.
12th
Joined HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, SIOUX
(RCN), ALGONQUIN (RCN), SAVAGE,
and SERAPIS for
screening of HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort
Carriers
PREMIER and
TRUMPETER as Force 2 for joint air minelay and
shipping strike
off Norwegian
coast. (Operation LACERATE)
Sailed from Scapa Flow with Force 2.
`14th
Provided screen during air
operations and came under attack by
torpedo aircraft of
KG26 which was
unsuccessful.
15th
Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2.
30th
Deployed for anti-submarine operations
west of Orkney Islands with HM Destroyers
ZEST
and ORWELL.
(Note: German
submarines were known to be assembling for
attacks on Home Fleet
ships
deployed for attacks off Norway. See HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair,
Volume II)
31st
Came under attack by U1020
attacks on Home
Fleet operations off Norway, came under attack
by U1020.
Hit by homing
torpedo and sustained major damage.
Taken in tow to Scapa Flow by HM Destroyer ORWELL.
1
9 4 5
January Damage
surveyed and ship
withdrawn from operational service.
Repair arranged
at commercial shipyard in Dundee
Passage to Dundee.
February
Under repair.
to
March.
April On
completion of post
repair trials resumed Home Fleet duties at Scapa
Flow with
Flotilla.
Nominated for
escort duty with ships of Flotilla in defence of
convoy to North Russia.
18th
Deployed with HM Destroyers OFFA,
ZEALOUS, ZEST, ZODIAC, HAIDA (RCN),
HURON
(RCN), IROQUOIS (RCN) and Norwegian
destroyer STORD as screen for
HM Cruiser
BELLONA, HM Escort Aircraft Carriers PREMIER and
VINDEX as
escort for
Russian Convoy JW 66 during passage to Kola
Inlet.
(Note: Close
escort included HM Corvettes ALNWICK CASTLE,
BAMBOROUGH
CASTLE.
FAREHAM CASTLE, HONEYSUCKLE, LOTUS, OXLIP and
RHODODENDRON
and HM
Sloop CYGNET with Anti-submarine Frigates
LOCH
INSH, LOCH SHIN, COTTON, GOODALL and ANGUILLA of
19th
Escort
Group were also deployed with JW66 for
additional support.
For
details of all Russian convoy operations see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by
RA Ruegg, CONVOY!
by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield and
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by R Woodman with details of
German
submarine activities in HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR.)
25th Arrived
at Kola Inlet with JW66 after
uninterrupted passage.
29th Joined
return convoy RA66 with same
ships as escort for passage to Clyde.
(Note: Ships of
19th Escort Group which had been deployed for
special minelaying
operation
(TRAMMEL)
returned to Kola Inlet to carry out a sustained
anti-submarine
operation against a group of 10 U-Boats lying in
wait
for
departure of RA66. See references for details.)
HMS
GOODALL torpedoed by U 969 and
survivors rescued by HMS
HONEYSUCKLE
before the
stricken ship was scuttled.
May
Deployed for defence
of RA66.
7th
Detached from escort of RA66 and took
passage with HM Destroyers HAIDA,
HURON,
IROQUOIS and Norwegian
destroyer STORD.
8th
Joined screen for HM Cruisers
BIRMINGHAM and DIDO during passage to
Copenhagen to
accept surrender of German cruisers PRINZ EUGEN
and NURNBERG
after German
armistice. Screen also included HM Destroyers
ZEALOUS, ZEST
and ZODIAC of
2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
9th At
Copenhagen for formal surrender of
ships.
13th
Took passage from Copenhagen with HMS ZEST
to resume Flotilla duties with Home
Fleet after
relief by HMCS IROQUOIS and HMS SAVAGE.
June
Flotilla deployment in
continuation
to
August
(Note: Home Fleet ship
Flotilla deployment included periods as
Guardship at
German
ports and support of Norwegian re-occupation.)
September
Home Fleet deployment in continuation
with visits to Home ports.
to
December
1
9 4 6
January
Deployed with 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla in Home Waters
to
March
April
Transferred to 4th
Destroyer Flotilla as part of Post War Fleet
re-organisation.
May
Home Fleet deployment
in continuation with 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
to
December
(Note: For details of naval
activities in Home waters and problems relating
to
manning
shortages see THE DECLINE OF BRITISH SEAPOWER by
D
Wettern.)
In September
deployed in English Cannel and went to
assistance of Tug TID62
which was in
difficulties and later sank off Dover on 20th.
1
9 4 7
January
Deployed in Home waters
with Flotilla and took part in Fleet Exercise
and visits
to
March
programme.
April
Under repair by HM
Dockyard Chatham.
to
June
July
Transferred to
Portsmouth Flotilla as Tender to HMS EXCELLENT
for Gunnery
Trials and
Training duties.
August
Portsmouth trials duties
in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 8
January
Portsmouth trials duties
in continuation.
February
Transferred to 3rd Escort
Flotilla based at Portland.
March
Deployed at Portland
for anti-submarine training and general duties
in
to
December Channel
area.
Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changed to
D19
1
9 4 9
January
3rd Escort Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
February Transferred
to 2nd
Training Flotilla and deployed at Portland as
Leader
with HM
Destroyers ZEST and ZODIAC, HM Corvettes
HELMSDALE CASTLE,
FLINT
CASTLE, HEDINGHAM CASTLE, LEEDS CASTLE, OAKHAM
CASTLE
and TINTAGEL
CASTLE for anti-submarine training and trials.
March
Deployment at Portland
with 2nd Training Flotilla in continuation.
to
December
1
9 5 0
Flotilla
duties at Portland in continuation.
In March
1950 this ship was deployed with HM Destroyers
ROEBUCK,
FINISTERRE,
WIZARD and WRANGLER as escort for French
Light Fleet
Aircraft Carrier ARROMANCHES (Ex HMS COLOSSUS)
during
passage in Channel with French President
embarked for visit to UK.
In November
she was again deployed as escort for an official
visit to UK by
Queen of the
Netherlands with HM Destroyers MYNGS, WHIRLWIND,
WIZARD
and WRANGLER.
1
9 5 1 t
o 1 9 5 2
Flotilla
training duties at Portland in continuation.
In 1952 the
ship was involved in a collision with HM
Submarine SLEUTH
whilst at
Portland and sustained slight structural damage.
1
9 5 3
Flotilla
duties at Portland in continuation.
Attended the
Coronation Review of the Fleet at Spithead
during June.
1
9 5 4
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status and Paid-off at
Portsmouth.
After
de-storing and reduction procedures completed
joined Reserve
Fleet
division at Portsmouth and laid-up.
1
9 5 5 t
o
1 9 5 7
Laid-up in
Reserve at Portsmouth.
1
9 5 8
January
Placed on Disposal List
to
May
June
Sold to BISCO for
breaking-up
July
Under tow to
breaker’s yard at Dunston.
2nd
Arrived at Dunston
by Clayton and Davie for demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
ZEPHYR
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked with
the text above
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Date
convoy sailed
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Joined
convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left
convoy
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Date
convoy arrived
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16/04/45
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18/04/45
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JW
066
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25/04/45
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25/04/45
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29/04/45
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29/04/45
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RA
066
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06/05/45
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08/05/45
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(Note
on Convoys)
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