Modified
W-Class
destroyer ordered from Yarrow, at Scotstoun
with 13th
Order of the 1918-19 Programme in April
1918. The ship was laid down in June
1918 and launched on 11 November 1919. She
was the 3rd RN warship to carry this
name which was introduced in 1653. After
launch she was towed to HM Dockyard,
Pembroke Dock for completion which was
delayed until 23rd January 1923. This
ship was deployed as rescue ship for Home
Fleet aircraft carriers in 1938.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-40 - NORWAY
1940 - ATLANTIC 1943-45* -
BISCAY 1943-44* - NORMANDY 1944*
- ARCTIC 1944*
(*
Awarded to HM Sloop WREN)
H e r a
l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, a Wren on a branch,
all Gold.
M o t t
o
Ex parvalis magna: 'from small things
(come) great'
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
Transferred to 16th Destroyer Flotilla at
Portsmouth for convoy defence and anti-
submarine
patrol in English Channel and SW Approaches.
7th
Deployed for escort of troop convoy from
Portsmouth to Cherbourg
13th
Deployed with HM Destroyer VENOMOUS for
escort of military convoy MB2 during passage
in English Channel.
14th
Deployed with HMS VENOMOUS for escort of
military convoy DB2 in English Channel.
October
Channel deployment in continuation.
November
Transferred to More Command for convoy
defence in North Sea.
December
North Sea convoy defence in continuation.
1
9 4 0
January
Deployed with 18th Destroyer Flotilla,
Western Approaches Command
for convoy defence in SW Approaches.
February
Deployed in SW Approaches.
20th
Passage to meet inward Convoy HG19F from
Gibraltar as relief for two French warships
21st
Joined HG19F as escort during passage to
Liverpool.
23rd
Detached from HG19F on arrival at Liverpool.
April
8th
Transferred to Home Fleet for after German
invasion of Norway to escort military
convoys
to Norway.
May
Convoy defence in support of allied
operations in Norway in continuation.
12th
Deployed with HM Battleship RESOLUTION, HM
Cruisers AURORA, EFFINGHAM.
VINDICTIVE, HM Destroyers FAME, BASILISK
HAVELOCK, SOMALI and HM
Netlayer PROTECTOR for support of planned
military operation to capture Narvik.
13th
Provided naval gunfire support during
landings at Bjerkvik.
On release from landing operations resumed
convoy defence duties
(Note: This ship did not take part in the
later evacuation operations.
See Naval Staff History (HMSO-2002)
June
25th
Resumed convoy escort and patrol duties in
with 16th Destroyer Flotilla based at
Harwich in Nore Command.
July
27th
Deployed with HM Destroyer MONTROSE to
provide AA protection during
minesweeping operations by six trawlers off
Aldeburgh Suffolk.
Under heavy and sustained dive bombing
attacks by fifteen aircraft.
Damaged by several near misses which holed
her below the waterline causing
extensive flooding due to collapse of
bulkheads.
Ship sank quickly in position 52. 10N 02.06E
although stern structure was exposed,
37 of the ship's company lost their lives.
Survivors were rescued by trawlers.
(Note: HMS MONTROSE was badly damaged in
this and later attacks but remained
afloat and was towed to Harwich.)
Special Note
HM Sloop WREN was the fourth ship to
carry the name and
was completed in February 1943. She was one
of the BLACK SWAN Class and built on the
Clyde by Denny of
Dumbarton. This ship served with an Escort
Group in the Atlantic and took part
in the sinking of five U-Boats.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WREN
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/09/39
|
15/09/39
|
DB
002
|
16/09/39
|
16/09/39
|
13/10/39
|
19/10/39
|
HG
003
|
21/10/39
|
21/10/39
|
02/11/39
|
02/11/39
|
OB
029
|
unknown
|
07/11/39
|
11/11/39
|
11/11/39
|
OG
006
|
11/11/39
|
14/11/39
|
10/11/39
|
11/11/39
|
OA
033
|
12/11/39
|
15/11/39
|
31/10/39
|
16/11/39
|
SL
007
|
16/11/39
|
16/11/39
|
20/11/39
|
20/11/39
|
OA
038
|
unknown
|
23/11/39
|
26/11/39
|
28/11/39
|
OA
042
|
unknown
|
30/11/39
|
04/12/39
|
04/12/39
|
OA
047
|
07/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
OA
049
|
09/12/39
|
11/12/39
|
16/12/39
|
16/12/39
|
OA
054
|
unknown
|
19/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
HXF
013
|
29/12/39
|
30/12/39
|
01/01/40
|
01/01/40
|
OA
064
|
03/01/40
|
04/01/40
|
06/01/40
|
18/01/40
|
HX
015
|
19/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
21/01/40
|
OA
077
|
22/01/40
|
24/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
OA
081
|
30/01/40
|
31/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
02/02/40
|
SL
017
|
04/02/40
|
04/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
OA
087
|
09/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
OA
093GF
|
19/02/40
|
19/02/40
|
14/02/40
|
21/02/40
|
HG
019F
|
23/02/40
|
23/02/40
|
24/02/40
|
24/02/40
|
OA
098GF
|
26/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
22/02/40
|
06/03/40
|
HX
022
|
09/03/40
|
09/03/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)