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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS WAKEFUL (i) (H 88) -  V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Wakeful (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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W-Class destroyer ordered from Beardmore at Dalmuir on 9th December 1916 under the 1916-17 Programme in the 10th Destroyer order. The ship was laid down on 17th January 1917 and launched on 6th October that year as the first RN warship to carry the name. Build was completed on 16th December 1917 and she served in the Grand Fleet during WW1. Before going into Reserve she attended the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-40 - DUNKIRK 1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Crest : On a Field Black, an eye proper with rays ensuing therefrom, Gold.

 

M o t t o

 Si dormiam capiar: 'Catch a weasel asleep'

 

 

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

 

August                  Brought forward from Reserve and commissioned for attendance at Royal Review of

                                Reserve Fleet in Weymouth Bay.

 

September             Remained in commission and took up war station at Plymouth for service in 17th Destroyer

                                Flotilla.

                3rd          Deployed for convoy escort in SW Approaches and English Channel.

                5th          Escorted coastal convoy during passage from Clyde with HM Destroyers VIVACIOUS,

                                VANQUISHER and VANESSA.

                15th        Escorted coastal convoy in SW Approaches with HM Destroyer WOLVERINE.

 

October                 Western Approaches Command convoy defence duties with Flotilla in continuation at

to December         Plymouth.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Deployment at Plymouth for convoy defence in continuation.

to February

 

March

                23rd        Joined inward Convoy HG23F with HM Destroyers WHITEHALL and WINCHELSEA

                                to relieve escort by two French warships.

                26th        Detached with escort on arrival of HG23F at Liverpool..

 

April

                3rd          Joined outward Convoy OG24 on formation in SE Approaches with HM Trawler LEEDS

                                UNITED, HM Destroyers MONTROSE and VERDUN as escort during initial stage of passage

                                to Gibraltar.

                                Detached from OG24 and took passage to join inward Convoy HG24 as escort during passage

                                from Gibraltar to Liverpool.

                4th          Joined HM Sloops ENCHANTRESS and SANDWICH in escort of Convoy HG24.

                7th          Detached from HG24 on arrival at Liverpool.

                10th        Joined outward Convoy OG25 with HM Destroyers BROKE and VERITY on formation in SW

                                Approaches as escort during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar

                                Detached from OG25 escort and took passage to resume service at Liverpool.

                                (Note: Destroyers based at Plymouth were transferred to Liverpool when the headquarters

                                of Western Approaches Command were moved to Liverpool)

 

May                        Transferred to Dover Command for detached service in support of military

                                operations in Holland, Belgium and France.

                                Passage to Dover.

                26th        Nominated for support of evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO).

                                Deployed with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND,

                                GRAFTON, IMPULSIVE, SABRE, VIMY and VIVACIOUS at Dunkirk.

                27th        Embarked 631 troops for passage to Dover.

                                Under air attack and sustained some damage above the waterline from near miss.

                28th        Returned to Dunkirk to continue embarkation of troops.

                29th        Under attack by E-Boat S30 whilst off Dunkirk and hit in forward Boiler Room by one of

                                the two torpedoes fired. Ship split in two with forward part sinking immediately.

                                Only one of the 640 soldiers embarked survived with 25 of the ship’s company.

                                Rescue was carried out by HM Minesweepers GOSSAMER, LYDD, HM Destroyer

                                GRAFTON and HM Drifter COMFORT.

                                (Note: HMS GRAFTON was later sunk by a torpedo from U32 and HMS COMFORT was

                                rammed by HMS LYDD. See FRIEND OR FOE by P Kemp, BEF SHIPS by

                                J de Winser and Naval Staff History for details of the tragic and heavy losses

                                of life during rescue work.)

 

Special Notes

 

The Pennant Number L91 used for visual signalling purposes was allocated to this ship before her loss. As this was used for destroyers converted for escort duties this may suggest that the ship was intended to be modified for that role

 

The name was carried forward for a destroyer ordered from Fairfield of Govan, Glasgow in 1941. Although intended to be named ZEBRA, this name was changed as part of a rationalisation of names of both W and Z-Classes. She was launched on 30the June 1943 and became the second RN destroyer to bear the name.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WAKEFUL (i)

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

 

 

 

 

 

05/09/39

05/09/39

RED 1

06/09/39

27/09/39

15/09/39

15/09/39

BC 002/1

17/09/39

17/09/39

20/09/39

20/09/39

BC 002/2

22/09/39

22/09/39

20/09/39

20/09/39

BC 002R

22/09/39

22/09/39

30/09/39

30/09/39

BC 007F

01/10/39

unknown

15/10/39

15/10/39

AXS 001

17/10/39

17/10/39

22/10/39

22/10/39

AXS 002

24/10/39

24/10/39

29/10/39

29/10/39

OA 027

31/10/39

unknown

06/11/39

06/11/39

AXS 004

07/11/39

07/11/39

08/11/39

10/11/39

OA 032G

11/11/39

11/11/39

11/11/39

11/11/39

OG 006

11/11/39

14/11/39

16/11/39

16/11/39

OA 036G

16/11/39

24/11/39

01/12/39

01/12/39

OA 044

02/12/39

03/12/39

26/11/39

08/12/39

HX 010

unknown

10/12/39

02/03/40

14/03/40

HX 024

17/03/40

17/03/40

17/03/40

23/03/40

HG 023F

26/03/40

26/03/40

27/03/40

unknown

OA 118

unknown

28/03/40

03/04/40

03/04/40

OG 024

04/04/40

08/04/40

28/03/40

04/04/40

HG 024

07/04/40

07/04/40

08/04/40

08/04/40

OA 125G

10/04/40

10/04/40

10/04/40

10/04/40

OG 025

10/04/40

16/04/40

18/04/40

30/04/40

HX 036

03/05/40

03/05/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 11/7/11
further editing and formatting is required