E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 1st November 1932
from Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle under the 1931 Build Programme. The ship was
laid down on 15th March 1933, the same day as her sister ship HMS ELECTRA also
built in this shipyard. She was launched on 29th March 1934 as the fifth RN
ship to carry the name introduced for a Gun Brig in 1805 and last used for 1902
Cruiser transferred to the RAN and hulked in 1929. Build was completed on 2nd November 1934 for a cost of
£252,250 excluding the items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns
and communications equipment. Her peace time service including no less than 3
collisions and foreign service in the Mediterranean. This destroyer carried out
Non-intervention patrol during 'the Spanish civil war. Although intended to
transfer to Reserve in 1939 she remained in commission with a crew of
Reservists.
B a t t l e H o n
o u r s
CAPE OF GOOD
HOPE 1806 - BASQUE ROADS 1809 - CHINA
1856-60 - PEI-HO FORTS 1859 - ASHANTEE 1873-74 - ATLANTIC 1939 - NORWAY 1940 -
SPARTIVENTO 1940
- LIBYA 1941 - MALTA
CONVOYS 1941 - MEDITERRANEAN 1941
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Green,
two rapiers crossed Silver
M o t t
o
Acta non verba: ‘Deeds not words’
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
Retained in service instead of refitting.
Reservists joined.
War Station allocated as 12th Destroyer Flotilla
based at Portland.
28th Attended Review of Reserve Fleet by HM King George
VI in Weymouth Bay.
September Deployed for escort and patrol in SW Approaches and took
up War Station.
Based at Milford Haven for convoy defence.
October SW Approaches deployment in continuation.
(For details of naval activities in Home waters
between Sept. 1939 and early in 1940
see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett
and Naval Staff History).
Sustained weather damage and taken in hand for
repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.
November On completion of dockyard work took passage to Scapa Flow
for duties with Home Fleet.
December Deployed at Scapa Flow for convoy defence and anti-submarine duties in
North Sea and NW
Approaches.
1 9 4 0
January Scapa Flow deployment in continuation.
February
18th Joined escort of Convoy HN2 with HM Destroyer
BRAZEN in place of HM Destroyer
DARING which had been torpedoed and sunk by U23.
March Transferred to Rosyth for North Sea convoy defence.
Nominated for support of minelaying operation
off Norway.
April
4th Escorted tanker BRITISH LADY with HM Destroyer
GRENADE to Skaelfjord, Norway
to support ships deployed for minelaying
(Operation WILFRED - See NARVIK by D Macintyre
and Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001)
12th On completion deployed with Home Fleet units for
support of allied landings in Norway.
24th Took part in bombardment of Narvik with HM
Battleship WARSPITE and cruisers.
Escorted Carrier Group engaged in provision of
air support for Norwegian military campaign
(Operation DX).
May Home Fleet duties off Norway including escort of HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL.
For details of the disastrous operations in
Norway see CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton,
NARVIK by D Macintyre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
Adams and Naval; Staff History.
(HMSO-2001)
Passage to Rosyth for routine docking.
June
Provided anti-submarine defence with HM
Destroyer MASHONA for ships recovering
equipment from the wreck of HM Boom Carrier
ASTRONOMER lost off Kinnaird Head.
On completion deployed with HM Destroyer ESCORT
in an unsuccessful search for a
U-Boat reported by an RAF aircraft.
Sustained damage by grounding and took passage
to Sheerness.
20th Taken in hand for repair and refit at Sheerness.
(Note: Degaussing equipment was fitted.)
July Under refit
Nominated for service with 13th Destroyer
Flotilla at Gibraltar.
19th Carried out post refit trials.
20th Escorted troopships ss REINA DEL PACIFICO and ss
CLAN FERGUSON to Gibraltar.
21st Detached to assist Norwegian KOLLSKEGG which was on
fire.
24th Met HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS and joined escort for
passage o Gibraltar
30th Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar and detached for duty
with Force H
31st Escorted HMS ARGUS during
Malta aircraft delivery (Operation HURRY).
(Note: Deployed as part of ARGUS Group with HM
Destroyers GALLANT GREYHOUND
and HOTSPUR.
See THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and
Naval Staff
History (HMSO-2001) for details of naval
operations in the Mediterranean in n1940.)
Other ships in screen were HM Destroyers
GREYHOUND, GALLANT and VELOX.
Joined ships of Force H which were providing
cover.
August
1st Detached as screen for HM Battleship VALIANT and
HMS ARGUS during aircraft delivery
with HM Destroyers HOTSPUR, GREYHOUND, GALLANT,
ESCAPADE and VELOX.
2nd After launch of aircraft from HMS ARGUS rejoined by
ships of Force H which were covering
air attack on Cagliari, Sardinia by aircraft
from HMS ARK ROYAL (Operation CRUSH)
4th Returned to Gibraltar with Force H ships.
8th Returned to Gibraltar with HMS ARGUS on completion
of HURRY
30th Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY, FORTUNE,
FIREDRAKE, FORESIGHT
and FORESTER as screen for HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HMS ARK ROYAL and HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD providing cover for passage of reinforcement warships for service at
Alexandria (Operation HATS –See above
references.
September
3rd Returned to Gibraltar with Force H ships.
5th Deployed with screen for HMS RENOWN during
unsuccessful search for Vichy French
warships on passage from Toulon to enter the
Atlantic.
October Deployment at Gibraltar for anti-submarine patrol and convoy escort in continuation.
During this deployment rammed HM Submarine
UTMOST off Cape St Vincent in error for
a U-Boat.
(Note: HMS UTMOST was able to reach Gibraltar and was taken in hand for repair.
It may be assumed that damage to this ship was
incurred but this was completed
before transfer to Force H.)
November Detached for duty with Force H.
7th Joined Force F with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORTUNE
and GRIFFIN for screening of
HM Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK and
GLASGOW during transit in western
Mediterranean to the Sicilian narrows (Operation
COAT)
(Note: These ships and HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN were on
passage to join the Mediterranean Fleet based at
Alexandria as reinforcements.
Detached from Force F are returned to Gibraltar
for repair.
(Note: One source records the damage was caused
by ramming HM Submarine UTMOST
during screening duty with Force H covering that
was providing cover for COAT.
9th Under repair to structural damage.
Rejoined Flotilla on completion for duty with
Force H.
25th Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE,
FORESTER, FURY, KELVIN,
JAGUAR and WISHART in Force B as screen for HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, HMS ARK
ROYAL, HM Cruisers SHEFFIELD and DESPATCH to
cover passage of convoy taking
troops and stores to Malta
(Operation COLLAR - This was a major operation
and covered transfer of HM Cruisers
MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON to join the Fleet at
Alexandria.)
27th Present at the brief engagement between Force H
ships and an Italian force of two battleships,
seven cruisers and 16 destroyers which withdrew
after an exchange of fire.
(Battle of Cape Spartivento).
(Note: For details see THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN, DESTROYER
LEADER by P Smith and Naval Staff History)
29th Returned to Gibraltar with Force H ships.
December Deployed for convoy defence duties at Gibraltar.
19th Detached for duty with Force H.
20th Joined Group H with HM Destroyers DUNCAN,
ISIS, WISHART and JAGUAR and took
passage to Sicilian Narrows to relieve
Mediterranean Fleet escort for passage of HM Battleship
MALAYA and Convoy MG1 in western Mediterranean.
(Operation HIDE).
21st Relieved HM Destroyers HYPERION, ILEX and JERVIS.
(Note: HM Destroyer HYPERION, one of the
escorts from Alexandria later struck a mine
whilst on return passage and had to be sunk).
24th Arrived at Gibraltar with HMS MALAYA and MG1.
(Note: Passage was covered by ships of Force H.)
1 9 4 1
January Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence.
Joined escort for HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS
during passage to Freetown and to Takoradi
for delivery of aircraft destined for Middle
East.
February Detached for duty with Force H
6th Joined Group 2 with HM Destroyers FEARLESS,
FOXHOUND, FORESIGHT, FURY and
JERSEY for screening of HMS RENOWN, HMS MALAYA,
HMS ARK ROYAL and HMS
SHEFFIELD during bombardment of Genoa
(Operation GROG).
(Note This operation had been planned as RESULT
but cancelled in January).
9th Returned to Gibraltar with Force H.
Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean Fleet in
Alexandria.
24th Took passage with HM Destroyer ISIS to Aden via Cape
of Good Hope.
(Note: During this period deployed as part of
convoy escort)
March On arrival at Aden deployed temporarily for convoy
defence at Aden.
April Passage from Aden to Suez on release.
12th Joined Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
18th Deployed with H M Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO, JAGUAR and
JUNO for screening of HM Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT. HM
Cruisers AJAX, ORION, CALCUTTA,
GLOUCESTER, PHOEBE and HM
Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS.
(Operation MD3 - Bombardment of Tripoli and
cover for transit of HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE to Malta.)
19th Refuelled in Suda Bay, Crete with destroyers of
screen.
20th Detached to join HMS BRECONSHIRE as escort for
passage to Malta.
(Note: Did not remain with Fleet for Tobruk
bombardment).
21st Arrived in Malta with HMS BRECONSHIRE.
Taken in hand for repairs and docking by HM
Dockyard Malta.
29th Damaged by near miss during air raid whilst in No 2
Dock.
30th Hit by bomb during another air raid and sustained
major structural damage.
May Under refit and repair.
16th Second direct hit with internal explosion caused
further major damage.
(Note: All three Boiler Rooms and cruising
turbines required extensive repair).
June Refit and repair in continuation.
July Completion of repair arranged to be carried out at
Gibraltar.
Prepared for passage as part of escort for
Convoy MG1
24th Passage through Sicilian Narrows.
25th Joined Convoy M31 as escort for transit to
Gibraltar.
(Note: Passage of this westward convoy from
Malta was part of the major Operation
SUBSTANCE to pass a relief convoy eastwards to
Malta.)
Under air attack SW of Sardinia when one
mercantile was damaged.
26th Arrived at Gibraltar with five of the ships of
Convoy MG1.
31st Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE,
FORESIGHT, FORESTER,
FURY, FOXHOUND, COSSACK, MAORI, NESTOR (RAN) and
ERIDGE as screen for
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Battleship NELSON
and HM Aircraft Carrier ARK
ROYAL to provide cover for passage of HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA, HERMIONE and
MANXMAN taking personnel and stores to Malta.
(Operation STYLE)
August
3rd Remained with Force H off Bone till cruisers and
escorts returned from Malta.
Allocated with H M Destroyers LIGHTNING, SIKH
and FORESTER to Group I
as screen for HMS ARK ROYAL and HM Cruiser
HERMIONE during return passage
to Gibraltar.
4th Returned to Gibraltar with Group I
Nominated for service at Singapore.
10th Resumed convoy defence and joined escort for Convoy
HG70 during passage from
Gibraltar to UK with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
AVON VALE, NESTOR (RAN)
and HM Sloop DEPTFORD.
. 13th Took part in anti submarine operations with escort.
Returned to Gibraltar to resume Force H duties.
21st Deployed with HM Destroyers NESTOR (RAN), FURY,
FORESIGHT, and
FORESTER as screen for HM Battleship NELSON, HMS
ARK ROYAL and HM
Cruiser HERMIONE to provide cover for minelay by
HMS MANXMAN off Livorno,
passage of the mercantiles ss DURHAM and ss
DEUCALION to Malta without close
escort and to take part in demonstration off
Valencia (Operation MINCEMEAT).
26th On return to Gibraltar with ships
of Force H
detached and took passage to UK to join
escort for military convoy
31st Joined military convoy WS11 as Ocean Escort with HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM
Destroyer NESTOR in Clyde for passage to
Freetown.
September
4th Joined WS11 FAST Section when convoy divided as
Ocean Escort to Freetown.
13th Detached from WS11 FAST on arrival.
18th Joined military convoy WS11 SLOW on departure from
Freetown.
21st Detached from WS11 SLOW
25th Took independent passage to Aden.
October Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
16th On arrival at Alexandria joined Inshore Squadron for
defence of Tobruk convoys.
25th Rescued survivors from HM Minelaying Cruiser LATONA
off Tobruk.
(Note: HMS LATONA had been set on fire during
air attacks and blew up when
flames reached the after magazine. See Naval
Staff History (Mining)
One source records that this destroyer sank hulk
of HMS LATONA.)
November Inshore Squadron convoy defence in continuation.
14th Transferred to Eastern Fleet.
15th Took passage with HM Destroyer JUPITER to join HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM
Battleship PRINCE OF WALES at Colombo.
28th Arrived at Colombo.
29th Deployed with HM Destroyers ELECTRA, EXPRESS and
JUPITER as screen for HMS
PRINCE OF WALES during passage to Singapore as
Force Z.
30th HM Battlecruiser REPULSE joined Force Z from
Trincomalee
December
3rd After arrival at Singapore taken in hand for
docking to renew propeller bush.
13th Undocked and deployed for Local-convoy defence.
(Note: Did not sail on 8th December with Force
Z ships for attack on Japanese
invasion ships off Malaya during which HMS
PRINCE OF WALES and
HMS REPULSE were sunk.
For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C. Bamett,
OPERATION PACIFIC by E. Gray, THE HUNTING OF
FORCE Z by R
Hough, and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
1 9 4 2
January Deployed for convoy defence with HM Destroyers JUPITER
and VAMPIRE (RAN).
10th Joined Convoy DM1 on passage from Addu Atoll to
reinforce escort during passage
to Singapore.
(Note: Escort comprised HM Cruisers DURBAN.
EXETER and HM Sloop JUMNA
(RIN)
13th Detached from DM1 on arrival at Singapore.
Passage to Batavia as escort for convoy.
Taken in hand for for boiler clean at Batavia.
On completion resumed convoy defence and
returned to Singapore.
20th Joined 7th Destroyer Flotilla in Western Striking
Force based at Tangjong Priok for
defence of western approaches to East Indies.
February
6th Deployed for tow of HMS ISIS to Java but tow wire
fouled in propeller and taken over
by HM Destroyer ELECTRA during passage.
When both engines were available resumed service
with Western Striking Force for
interception of invasion craft cover of convoys
to and for evacuation from
Singapore.
(Note: Garrison surrendered on 11th.)
25th Transferred to ABDA Force based at Sourabaya for
defence of eastern approaches.
to Java.
Joined in search for invasion convoys.
(Note: This deployment included escort of rms
ORCADES carrying Australian troops,
RAF personnel, stores and refugees from Padang
to Batavia.)
26th At Tanjong Prior during air raid and sailed wih HM
Cruisers EXETER and PERTH
(RAN) with HMS ELECTRA AND HMS JUPITER.
27th Part of escort for Dutch cruisers DE RUYTER and
JAVA, H M Cruisers HOBART
(RAN), EXETER,
PERTH and US cruiser USS HOUSTON
with HM Destroyers
ELECTRA, JUPITER, and both Dutch and US Navy
destroyers.
Engaged UN cruiser JINTSU with other ships but
target out of effective range.
Withdrew under fire with HM Destroyer ELECTRA to
make further attack.
Returned to rejoin allied Fleet after HMS
ELECTRA had been sunk whilst making an
attack using torpedoes.
(Note: For details see OPERATION PACIFIC,
BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA by
D. Thomas and HMS ELECTRA by T J Cain.)
28th Returned to Sourabaya with survivors from HMS
JUPITER and Dutch Destroyer
KORTENAER ,
March
1st Escorted damaged cruiser HMS EXETER on passage to
Colombo with US Destroyer
POPE and ambushed by four Japanese cruisers and
three destroyers.
Laid smoke screen after HMS EXETER was hit by
shellfire from Japanese cruisers
MYOKO and ASHIGARA (Battle of Java Sea).
(Note: HMS EXETER sank after being hit by
torpedo.)
Came under attack and sustained major damage
which ruptured fuel supply system.
Ship disabled without electric power needed to
control main armament.
Scuttled by crew in position 04.30S 111.00E.
Many of ship' company were killed and the
remainder became prisoners of war, 37 of
whom died in captivity.
(See above references and Naval Staff History)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ENCOUNTER
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has 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
|
06/09/39
|
RED 1
|
11/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
09/10/39
|
09/10/39
|
BC 010F
|
11/10/39
|
11/10/39
|
11/10/39
|
11/10/39
|
BC 010FR
|
12/10/39
|
12/10/39
|
14/11/39
|
14/11/39
|
OA 035
|
15/11/39
|
19/11/39
|
29/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
ON 006/1
|
01/01/40
|
01/01/40
|
01/01/40
|
01/01/40
|
HN 006
|
04/01/40
|
04/01/40
|
06/01/40
|
07/01/40
|
ON 007/1
|
09/01/40
|
09/01/40
|
09/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
ON 011/1
|
12/02/40
|
12/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
ON 016/1
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
HN 016
|
05/03/40
|
05/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
ON 018/1
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
HN 018
|
13/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
ON 020/1
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
HN 020
|
21/03/40
|
22/03/40
|
12/06/40
|
12/06/40
|
HEBREW
|
12/06/40
|
14/06/40
|
16/06/40
|
16/06/40
|
MT 089
|
17/06/40
|
17/06/40
|
30/07/41
|
08/08/41
|
OG 070
|
10/08/41
|
12/08/41
|
09/08/41
|
11/08/41
|
HG 070
|
unknown
|
23/08/41
|
12/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
SM 001
|
15/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
21/12/41
|
02/01/42
|
BM 009A
|
03/01/42
|
03/01/42
|
02/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
DM 001
|
13/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
19/01/42
|
26/01/42
|
BM 011
|
28/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
23/01/42
|
31/01/42
|
BM 012
|
03/02/42
|
04/02/42
|
10/02/42
|
14/02/42
|
JS 002
|
15/02/42
|
15/02/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)