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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS  VEGA (L 41) - V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Vega (Photo Ships, click to enlarge)

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Admiralty V-Class Destroyer ordered in June 1916 from Doxford of Sunderland under 9th Order in the 1916-17 Build Programme. The ship was laid down on 11th December 1916 and was launched en 1st September 1917. She was the 2nd RN ship to carry the name introduced in 1860 for a captured Slave Ship. Build was completed on 12th December 1917 and she was damaged in 1918 whilst serving with the Fleet. During 1921 she was part of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet and later was put in Reserve (See General Information). She was selected for conversion to an Anti-Aircraft Escort (WAIR) as part of the Re-armament Programme in 1939 and taken in hand at Chatham Dockyard in May 1939. This ship was adopted by Godalming, Surrey after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in December 1941 .

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r

 

NORTH SEA 1940-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Blue, a Lyre Gold thereon in chief a star Silver

 

M o t t o

 Praeclare fulgens:   'Shining brightly’

 

 

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 3 9

 

September             Under conversion at Chatham

 

October                  Post refit harbour and sea trials.

                                Nominated for escort of North Sea convoys.

 

November              Joined Rosyth Escort Force.

 

December              Deployed as escort for East coast convoys.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  East coast convoy defence in continuation.

to

April

 

May                        Detached for support of military operations in Channel area.

                                Assisted in evacuation from Ostend and Zeebrugge.

                26th        Deployed as Senior Naval Officer's ship for operation to sink two blockships at

                                Zeebrugge (Operation LYSTER).

                                (Note : Records of ships carrying troops from Dunkirk do not include this ships and

                                No Battle Honour DUNKIRK was awarded to her.)

 

June                        Channel deployment in support of military operations in continuation.

                10th        Escorted blockships to block harbour entrance at Dieppe and on completion provided support

                                for evacuation of personnel from Le Havre.

                17th        Deployed in support of evacuation from St Nazaire and the Bay of Biscay ports.

                                (Operation AERIAL).

 

July                         Resumed North Sea convoy escort duty.

 

August                  North Sea convoy escort In continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 1    t o    1 9 4 4

 

                                Deployment for patrol and convoy escort in North Sea continued.

                                Fire control radar (Type 285) fitted for main armament.

                                An aircraft warning radar (Type 286P) was installed during 1942 and later a naval

                                designed surface warning radar for detection of E-Boats and submarines was also

                                installed (Type 271).

                                In order to provide efficient radio telephone communication between escorts for contact

                                with aircraft when under attack by E-Boats or aircraft a suitable RAF equipment was

                                made available by 1943.

                                In addition radio receivers were fitted to listen to transmissions from E-Boats. These were

                                referred to as ‘HEADACHE’ or ‘Y’ Outfits.

                                For details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse

                                and further information about East coast convoy defence is available in THREE

                                CORVETTES by N Monsarrat and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                   North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

to

May

 

June                        Deployed in support of re-occupation operations.

to                            Nominated for reduction to Reserve.

August

 

P o s t  W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VEGA Paid-off and was reduced to Reserve after VJ Day and later placed on the Disposal List. The ship was sold to BISCO for breaking up by Clayton and Davies at Dunston on Tyne on 4th March 1947. She arrived in tow at the breakers on 26th March that year.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VEGA

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

 

 

 

 

 

28/12/39

28/12/39

FS 0060

29/12/39

29/12/39

02/02/40

02/02/40

FS 0085

04/02/40

04/02/40

11/02/40

11/02/40

FS 0093

13/02/40

13/02/40

18/02/40

18/02/40

FS 0099

20/02/40

20/02/40

18/02/40

18/02/40

MT 014

18/02/40

18/02/40

29/02/40

29/02/40

FS 0109

02/03/40

02/03/40

04/03/40

04/03/40

FN 0111

06/03/40

06/03/40

08/03/40

08/03/40

FS 0116

10/03/40

10/03/40

11/03/40

11/03/40

FN 0118

13/03/40

13/03/40

15/03/40

15/03/40

FS 0122

17/03/40

17/03/40

15/03/40

15/03/40

MT 031

15/03/40

15/03/40

18/03/40

18/03/40

FN 0123

20/03/40

20/03/40

18/03/40

18/03/40

FN 0124

20/03/40

20/03/40

28/03/40

28/03/40

FS 0132

30/03/40

30/03/40

28/03/40

28/03/40

MT 039

28/03/40

28/03/40

02/04/40

02/04/40

TM 037

03/04/40

03/04/40

11/04/40

11/04/40

FS 0143

13/04/40

13/04/40

18/04/40

18/04/40

FS 0149

20/04/40

20/04/40

18/04/40

18/04/40

MT 054

18/04/40

18/04/40

18/06/40

18/06/40

FS 0198

20/06/40

20/06/40

24/06/40

24/06/40

MT 095

26/06/40

26/06/40

25/06/40

25/06/40

FS 0204

27/06/40

27/06/40

28/06/40

28/06/40

FN 0207

30/06/40

30/06/40

02/07/40

02/07/40

FS 0210

03/07/40

03/07/40

05/07/40

05/07/40

FN 0214

07/07/40

07/07/40

02/08/40

02/08/40

FS 0239

03/08/40

03/08/40

09/08/40

09/08/40

FS 0247

11/08/40

11/08/40

16/08/40

16/08/40

FS 0254

18/08/40

18/08/40

26/08/40

26/08/40

FS 0263

28/08/40

28/08/40

29/08/40

29/08/40

FN 0266

31/08/40

31/08/40

05/09/40

05/09/40

FN 0273

07/09/40

07/09/40

10/09/40

10/09/40

FS 0277

11/09/40

11/09/40

13/09/40

13/09/40

FN 0279

15/09/40

15/09/40

18/09/40

18/09/40

FS 0285

21/09/40

21/09/40

21/09/40

21/09/40

FN 0287

23/09/40

23/09/40

25/09/40

25/09/40

FS 0291

27/09/40

27/09/40

28/09/40

28/09/40

FN 0293

30/09/40

30/09/40

05/10/40

05/10/40

FS 0301

07/10/40

07/10/40

08/10/40

08/10/40

FN 0303

10/10/40

10/10/40

13/10/40

13/10/40

FS 0308

17/10/40

17/10/40

16/10/40

16/10/40

FN 0310

18/10/40

18/10/40

23/10/40

23/10/40

FN 0316

25/10/40

25/10/40

01/11/40

01/11/40

FS 0325

03/11/40

03/11/40

04/11/40

04/11/40

FN 0327

06/11/40

06/11/40

09/11/40

09/11/40

FS 0332

11/11/40

11/11/40

27/03/43

27/03/43

CW 166

28/03/43

28/03/43

28/03/43

28/03/43

CE 164

29/03/43

29/03/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 10/7/11
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