J or JAVELIN-Class Destroyer ordered from Fairfields at Govan, Glasgow on 25th
March 1937 under the 1936 Build Programme and laid
down on 5th October 1937 and intended to be named
JAMAICA. However the name was changed to JUNO before launch on 8th December to allow
the selected name to be given to a new COLONY Class cruiser. The new name had
been introduced
in 1757 for a 5th Rate and last used for a cruiser built in 18945 and sold in
1920. This
destroyer was the 9th to carry the name. Build was completed on 25th August
1939
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
LOUISBERG 1758 - CUDDALORE 1783 - TOULON 1795 - ATLANTIC 1939
- CALABRIA 1940 - LIBYA 1940 - MATAPAN 1941 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940-41 - CRETE
1941 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
B a d g
e: On a Field Blue. the head of Hera (Juno) in profile
couped between two bars wavy White .
1 9 3 9
August Contractors Trials and
commissioning.
25th Completion of build
and commenced Acceptance Trials
Passage to
Portland for working-up before joining 7th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet
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)
September Work-up at Portland in
continuation.
Following working
up, JUNO joined the 7th Destroyer Flotilla.
2nd Deployed with HM
Destroyers JACKAL and JANUS to meet ss BATAVIA at Maas
LV and escort to
Tongue LV.
(Note: This ship
was bringing the Berlin British Embassy staff back to UK from
Holland in view
of the likelihood of war with Germany.
3rd Carried out
shakedown in Channel area.
9th Sailed from Plymouth
with HMS JANUS and HMS JACKAL to escort convoy OA 2. during passage
in Channel.
10th Returned to Plymouth
11th Joined HM Destroyer
AMAZON for escort of outward Atlantic convoy OA3 during
passage in
Channel.
14th Detached from OA3 on
dispersal in SW Approaches.
17th Deployed with HM
Destroyer AMAZON as escort for outward Convoy OA6 during passage in Channel
from Southend to
Dispersal Point.
20th Detached and took
passage to Plymouth with HMS AMAZON
23rd Deployed as escort
for outward Convoy OA9 with HMS AMAZON during passage in
Channel to
dispersal point in SW Approaches.
26th Detached with HMS
AMAZON to join escort of Convoy HXF1
29th Returned to Plymouth
with HMS AMAZON.
30th Taken in hand for
repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport,
(Note: This was
first of a long series of withdrawals from operational use which
continued plagued
the ship during her entire service and included docking.)
October
16th Took passage to
Rosyth to join Flotilla on completion of repairs.
17th Arrived at Rosyth.
26th Deployed with HMS
WHITLEY, HMS WALLACE and HM Sloop STORK as escort for
south bound
Convoy GS27 during passage from Methil to Southend.
27th Detached with escort
on arrival.
29th Sailed from Grimsby
with HM Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, JERSEY, JUPITER and
JACKAL to carry
out offensive sweep to intercept enemy shipping off Dutch coast. and
returned to
Humber. (Operation AG)
November
4th Covered passage of
southbound Convoy FS32 with HMS JUNO
6th Detached from cover
and tool passage to Rosyth to escort HM Minelaying Cruiser
ADVENTURE to the
Humber
7th Escorted HM Cruiser
ADVENTURE with HMS JUPITER during passage to Grimsby.
15th Escorted HM Cruiser
CALCUTTA with HMS JUPITER for AA support of northbound
Convoy FN37
during passage from Southend to Methil and returned to
Grimsby on release.
21st Deployed for patrol
BT2 in North Sea with HM Destroyers JAGUAR. JANUS and JERSEY.
24th Sustained damage
alongside a tanker at Immingham and taken in hand for repair
30th Resumed Flotilla
duties on completion of repair.
December Deployed for convoy defence
and patrol in North Sea.
6th Carried out search
for German destroyers in North Sea with HMS JERSEY
7th In action with
German HANS LODY and ERICH GEISE had been laying
mines near
Haisborough Light.
HMS JERSEY hit by
torpedo which caused fire and extensive damage.
Took stricken
ship in tow ands returned to Humber.
(Note: HM
Destroyer JANUS, also in the Humber, did not depart until the visibility
improved.
Tug YORKSHIREMAN
(251 tons) later took over JERSEY tow to Immingham.)
9th Passage to NW
Approaches
12th Under repair at
Sullom Voe after evaporators defects.
15th Resumed operational
deployment off East Coast.
(Note: North Sea convoys were under threat of mines being laid by surface ships and
aircraft both of
which attacked shipping.)
17th Delayed from
deployment for convoy escort with HM Destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR
and JANUS
19th Sailed from Immingham
to join these ships in escort of iron ore Convoy NV2 during passage
from Narvik
20th Joined NV2 escort.
23rd HMS JAGUAR detached
from NV2 escort after defects and took passage to Scapa Flow
24th On arrival of NV2 at
Methil with HMS JERVIS and HMS JANUS return to Immingham
27th Deployed with HMS
JACKAL for escort of tanker BEDALE from Humber to Middlesbrough
1 9 4 0
January North Sea deployment in continuation.
Nominated for
refit at commercial shipyard in Hull.
February Passage to Humber
5th Taken in hand for
refit by Brigham and Cowan, Hull
March
2nd Repair work
completed.
9th Under further repair
to reserve feed water tanks in King George V Graving Dock.
(Note: Several
ships of this Class of destroyer experienced defects
believed to be
due to stress caused by high speed operations.)
20th Resumed operational
duties and took passage to rejoin Flotilla in Rosyth
Deployed for
convoy defence.
April
5th Deployed with HM
Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers JAVELIN, JANUS
and GRENADE as
escort for outward Convoy ON25 during passage from
Methil to Bergen.
7th Convoy ordered by
CinC Home Fleet to return to UK and on release took
passage to Scapa
Flow to resume Flotilla duties in support of
operations off
Norway following the German invasion.
10th Deployed for Fleet
screening and convoy defence off Norway.
16th Sailed as escort for
HM Cruiser SUFFOLK with HM Destroyers
KIPLING,
HEREWARD and
JANUS from Scapa Flow to carry out bombardment of Sola
airfield,
Stavanger, Norway (Operation DUCK).
17th After the bombardment
which was ineffective due to total failure of communications
with spotting
aircraft, escorted HMS SUFFOLK during search for German destroyers.
Under heavy and
sustained air attacks during which HMS SUFFOLK received a direct
hit causing
catastrophic damage. There were many casualties and major structural damage
with fires and
flooding.
18th Returned to Scapa
Flow with escort and cover from HM Battlecruisers REPULSE
and RENOWN.
For details see
NAVAL OPERATIONS OFF NORWAY (HMSO).
23rd Escorted HM Aircraft
Carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS, HM Cruisers
BERWICK and
CURLEW with HM Destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD, HYPERION,
FEARLESS and FURY
during passage to Norway to provide air support during shore
operations
(Operation DX)
(Note: This was
the first joint operation of aircraft carriers by the RN during WW2.)
27th Remained as escort
for HMS ARK ROYAL when HGMS GLORIOUS returned to
Scapa Flow refuel and rearm.
(For details of
the disastrous operations off Norway see above reference, CARRIER
GLORIOUS by J
Winton, NARVIK by D MacIntyre and THE DOOMED EXPEDITION
by J Adams.)
May Deployed as escort for
HMS ARK ROYAL to Scapa Flow to replenish.
Resumed support
of Norwegian operations on release from escort.
7th Transferred to Nore
Command with HM Cruiser GALATEA, HM Destroyers
JANUS, HYPERION,
HEREWARD, HAVOCK, KELLY, KIMBERLEY,
KANDAHAR and
HOSTILE for support of operations in southern North Sea
after German
invasion of Holland, Belgium and France.
14th Transferred to
Mediterranean with HMS CARLISLE, HM Destroyers HERO,
HASTY, ILEX,
IMPERIAL, MOHAWK, NUBIAN, KHARTOUM and KINGSTON.
18th Took passage from
Plymouth to Alexandria for service with 14th Destroyer
Flotilla,
Mediterranean Fleet.
Pennant Number
for visual signalling purposes changed to G46.
Took part in
Fleet exercised in preparation for anticipated hostilities with Italy
June Took up war station
and deployed in eastern Mediterranean.
11th Deployed with
destroyers of Mediterranean Fleet as screen for HM Battleships
WARSPITE, MALAYA,
HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruisers ORION,
NEPTUNE, SYDNEY
(RAN), LIVERPOOL CALEDON and CALYPSO
during search in
eastern Mediterranean for Italian convoy reported on passage.
(Note: HMS
CALYPSO was sunk by the Italian submarine BAGNOLINI during
this search.)
12th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
(Note: For
details of naval activities in the Mediterranean prior to the entry
of Italy into WW
2, see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre,
and Naval Staff History.)
27th Deployed with HM
Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND, ILEX,
JERVIS and
VAMPIRE (RAN) as screen for HMS EAGLE, HM Battleships
RAMILLIES and
ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HMS Cruisers GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL,
NEPTUNE and
SYDNEY (RAN)
to provided
Distant Cover for passage of Convoys MF1 and MS1 from Malta.
(Note: The ships
of these convoys were evacuating non-essential personnel from
the islands.)
28th (Operation cancelled
after cruisers engaged Italian destroyers and sank one, but
their high
expenditure of ammunition which reduced stock left to an unacceptable
level.)
July
6th Carried out
bombardment at Bardia in support of shore military operation with HM Cruiser
CAPETOWN, HM
Destroyers ILEX, IMPERIAL and JANUS.
7th Deployed with HM
Destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, HYPERION, HOSTILE,
HASTY, ILEX,
JANUS, VAMPIRE (RAN) and VOYAGER as screen for HM
Battleships
MALAYA, ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM
Cruisers
CLEOPATRA, LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and SYDNEY (RAN),
designated as
Force C.
Provided cover
for passage of Convoys MS1 and MF1 from
Malta to Alexandria
(Operation MF5).
9th Took part in brief
engagement with Italian battle squadron off Calabria.
(Battle of
Calabria). For details see above references and Naval Staff History.)
14th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
August
23rd Bombarded Italian
Seaplane Base at Bomba with HM Destroyers STUART (RAN),
DIAMOND and ILEX.
29th Escorted Convoy MF 2
to Malta with HM Destroyers DAINTY, DIAMOND, and
JERVIS (Operation
MB3)
(Note: This
convoy comprised the mercantiles CORNWALL, VOLVO and the
RFA PLUMLEAF and
was part of Operation HATS to transfer the battleship
HMS VALIANT, HM
Cruisers CALCUTTA, COVENTRY and HM Aircraft
Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS from Gibraltar to join the Fleet at Alexandria )
31st Detached to escort
ss CORNWALL which had been damaged in air attacks.
September
2nd Arrived in Malta with
HMS JERVIS as escort ss CORNWALL and came under
dive bombing
attack by Ju87 aircraft.
3rd Deployed with screen
for Mediterranean Fleet units and reinforcement ships during
passage to
Alexandria.
5th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
17th Carried out
bombardment of Sidi Barrani with HMS JANUS and HM River
Gunboat LADYBIRD.
19th Escorted damaged
cruiser HMS KENT into Alexandria.
(Note: HMS KENT had been hit by a torpedo during an air attack off Bardia.)
22nd Carried out
bombardment of airfield Sidi Barrani with HM Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS
and MOHAWK.
25th Deployed with HM
Destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD and MOHAWK for further
bombardment of
Sidi Barrrani.
(Note: The two
bombardments were in support of military advance by the 8th Army.)
28th Escorted HM Cruisers
LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER during passage to
Malta
with troops
October
8th Deployed with HM
Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, IMPERIAL, JANUS, JERVIS
VAMPIRE (RAN) and
VOYAGER as screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS EAGLE,
HMS MALAYA, HMS
RAMILLIES, HMS VALIANT, HMS GLOUCESTER, HMS
LIVERPOOL, ORION, SYDNEY (RAN) and HMS YORK to provide Distant Cover
for passage of
Convoy MF3 to Malta and MF4 to Egypt (Operation MB6)
12th Under attack by
Italian torpedo boats during which ARTIGLIERE was sunk.
14th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units after air attacks were carried out on Leros..
25th Deployed with HMS
JERVIS as screen for HMS ORION and HMAS SYDNEY
in Aegean to
provide cover for convoy to Greece, and for contraband control of shipping.
28th On release returned
to Alexandria.
November
6th Deployed with HM
Destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER, HASTY, HAVOCK,
HEREWARD,
HYPERION, HERO, ILEX,. JANUS, JERVIS, MOHAWK and
NUBIAN as screen
for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS MALAYA, HMS RAMILLIES
HMS VALIANT, HMS
WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER,
HMS ORION, HMAS
SYDNEY and HMS YORK to provide Distant Cover for
the passage of
Convoy MW3 to Malta and returning ME3 comprised of empty
mercantiles to
Egypt
(Note: This was
part of a major deployment with ships of Force H at Gibraltar to
transfer HM
Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK, GLASGOW,
HM Destroyers
GALLANT, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN to reinforce
the Mediterranean
Fleet at Alexandria (Operation COAT)
10th Remained with Fleet
units after reinforcement ships joined and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
detached to carry
out an attack on Italian warships at Taranto (Operation JUDGEMENT)
14th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
25th Deployed with Fleet
screen during Operation MB9 to carry out several activities
including
provision of cover for Convoys MW4 to Malta. ME4 to Egypt, air attacks
on Tripoli,
transfer of HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON to
further reinforce
the Fleet in the eastern Mediterranean and return of HMS BERWICK
and HMS RAMILLIES
to Gibraltar after service at Alexandria..
(Operation MB9
and Operation COLLAR with Force H.)
December
1st Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
17th Deployed with HMS
JERVIS and HMS JANUS as screen for HMS AJAX, HMS
ORION and HMAS
SYDNEY during fruitless search in southern Adriatic for
supply convoys
21st Rejoined Fleet units
which had been covering passage of Convoy MW5 to Malta
carried air
attacks on Rhodes and Stampalia as well a bombardment of Valona.
24th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units which had provided Distant Cover for
passage of Convoy
ME5 from Malta to Egypt (Operation MC2)
1 9 4 1
January
7th Joined Force A with
HM Destroyers JERVIS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, DAINTY,
GALLANT,
GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN as screen for HM Battleships
WARSPITE, VALIANT
and HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS to provide
cover for passage
of Convoy MW5 ½ from Alexandria. The Fleet was also to
to meet military
convoy from Gibraltar in position west of Malta for
escort
and provide it
with during passage to Alexandria (Operation EXCESS/MC4)
10th Deployed with screen
during passage to meet EXCESS convoy.
Under heavy and
incessant air attacks by German aircraft of Fliegerkorps X west of
Malta. HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS was badly damaged and had to be withdrawn from
EXCESS operation.
11th Under further heavy
air attacks on Fleet units and EXCESS convoy during which HMS
SOUTHAMPTON and
HMS GLOUCESTER were hit and badly damaged.
(Note: HMS
SOUTHAMPTON had to be sunk by three torpedoes from HMS JERVIS
when fires became
out of control.)
Remained with
Fleet screen during escort of EXCESS and ME6 convoys to Alexandria.
(Note: One
source records ship was deployed at Suda Bay. To be confirmed.)
16th At Alexandria. See
above Note.
19th Took passage from
Alexandria to Malta with HM Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS and
GREYHOUND as
escort for damaged HMS ILLUSTRIOUS.
(Note: If
deployed at Suda Bay for escort of LUSTRE convoys may have joined the
other destroyers
during passage from Egypt.)
23rd Sailed from Malta as
escort for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during passage to Egypt
25th Arrived at Alexandria
and resumed Fleet duties with Flotilla..
(Note: No
commercial convoys were passed from Egypt to Malta because of the
lack of air cover
from a suitable Fleet Aircraft Carrier. After the 8th Army
advance into
Cyrenaica opportunity was taken to send reinforcement troops
Malta in HMS
AJAX, HMS GLOUCESTER and HMS ORION. A convoy
of empty
mercantiles was passed to Egypt from Malta (Operation MC8).
22nd Deployed with screen
for major ships during provision of cover for MC8.
24th Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
February Nominated for service in
Red Sea
9th Deployed with HM
Destroyer JUNO at Aden for escort of HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE
during passage in
Red Sea.
20th Sailed from Aden for
Suez escorted by HM Destroyers JUNO and GRIFFIN.
March
9th Detached from HMS
FORMIDABLE on arrival at Port Suez
Rejoined
Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria after delay due to closure of Suez Canal due to
mining.
Deployed for
escort of military convoys to and from ports in Greece and Cyprus
(Operation
LUSTRE)
26th Escorted Convoy GA9
during passage to Greece with HMS DEFENDER, HMS
JAGUAR. and HM
Cruiser CALCUTTA.
27th Held at Piraeus by
CinC Mediterranean in anticipation of forthcoming
operation to
intercept Italian battle fleet reported on passage to attack
LUSTRE convoys to
and from Greece.
Sailed from
Piraeus with HMS DEFENDER and HMS JAGUAR to join
Force D of
Mediterranean Fleet on passage in Aegean for interception
of Italian units.
Deployed with HMS
JAGUAR and HMS DEFENDER to carry out patrol
NW of Crete
28th Took part in Battle
of Matapan with ships of Flotilla.
For details see
MATAPAN by SW Pack and above references.
29th Detached from
reinforcement squadron and joined escort for inward
convoy GA15 on
passage from Piraeus to Egypt.
April
11th Remained with Fleet
at Alexandria when HMS JERVIS, HMS JANUS, HMS
MOHAWK and HMS
NUBIAN of Flotilla were detached are deployed as
Malta Strike
Force.
18th Deployed with HMS
Destroyers ENCOUNTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO and JAGUAR
as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE, HMS
BARHAM, HMS
VALIANT, HMS AJAX, HMS ORION and HMAS PERTH
to provide cover
for passage of HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to Malta.
19th Refuelled at Suda
Bay, Crete.
20th Deployed with Force B
as screen for HMS WARSPITE, HMS VALIANT and
HMS BARHAM with
HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO,
HOTSPUR, JAGUAR,
JANUS and JERVIS during bombardment of Tripoli.
(Operation MD2 –
See Naval Staff History.)
21st Detached form Force
B with HMS JAGUAR, HMS JANUS and HMS JERVIS
for service as
part of Force K in Malta for interception of convoys in
central
Mediterranean.
24th Took part in attack
on Italian mercantile EGEO with HMS JERVIS, HMS JANUS
and HMS JAGUAR
during which the enemy ship was sunk by gun and torpedo.
28th Sailed from Malta
with HMS Cruisers DIDO and ABDIEL, HM Destroyers
JERVIS, JAGUAR
and IMPERIAL for passage to Alexandria with HMS
BRECONSHIRE.)
(Note: Ships of
14th Destroyer Flotilla had been relieve in Force K by ships of
the 5th Destroyer
Flotilla and the two cruisers were joining the Fleet at
Alexandria. All
these new warships had been transferred to the join the
Mediterranean
Fleet as part of Operation SALIENT.)
30th Resumed Fleet duties
on arrival at Alexandria.
May
6th Deployed with HM
Destroyers GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO,
HOTSPUR, JERVIS,
KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON, NIZAM
and NUBIAN as
screen for HMS FORMIDABLE, HMS BARHAM HMS
VALIANT, HMS
WARSPITE, HMS AJAX, HMS ORION, HMAS PERTH
and HMS ABDIEL to
provide cover for transit of Convoy MW7 to
Malta from Egypt
(Operation MD4)
9th After arrival of
convoys in Malta remained with Fleet screen during
passage to meet
ships of Force H and take over escort for military convoy
bringing tanks
for 8th Army to Egypt (Operation TIGER).
12th Arrived at Alexandria
with Fleet units.
17th Deployed with HM
Cruisers NAIAD and PERTH (RAN), HM
to 20th
Destroyers NUBIAN, KANDAHAR and KINGSTON to intercept
invasion craft on
passage to Crete to carry out landings.
21st Under high level
bombing attack by five CANT Z1007 aircraft and hit by three
bombs which split
ship in two abaft the bridge structure sinking her in less than
two minute. 116
of ship’s company lost their lives including one RAN rating, five
locally Entered
Maltese and a NAAFI Canteen employee..
96 survivors were
rescued, by HMS KINGSTON, HMS KANDAHAR and HMS
NUBIAN. Five of
those rescued later died.
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
This
name was carried forward in November 1965 when given to a LEANDER Class
Frigates when launched by
John I Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton. This ninth JANUS remained on the
Active List for twenty years and was then place on the Disposal List.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
JUNO
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
17/09/39
|
17/09/39
|
OA 006
|
20/09/39
|
unknown
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
OA 009
|
26/09/39
|
26/09/39
|
26/10/39
|
26/10/39
|
FS 0027
|
28/10/39
|
28/10/39
|
18/12/39
|
19/12/39
|
NARVIK 2
|
24/12/39
|
24/12/39
|
29/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
HN 009B
|
02/02/40
|
02/02/40
|
03/02/40
|
03/02/40
|
FS 0086
|
05/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
26/02/40
|
26/02/40
|
FS 0106
|
28/02/40
|
28/02/40
|
29/02/40
|
29/02/40
|
FS 0109
|
02/03/40
|
02/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
ON 017A/
|
08/03/40
|
08/03/40
|
19/03/40
|
19/03/40
|
ON 021/1
|
23/03/40
|
23/03/40
|
22/03/40
|
22/03/40
|
HN 021
|
25/03/40
|
25/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
27/03/40
|
ON 023/1
|
31/03/40
|
31/03/40
|
31/03/40
|
31/03/40
|
HN 023B
|
04/04/40
|
04/04/40
|
05/04/40
|
05/04/40
|
ON 025/1
|
08/04/40
|
unknown
|
11/04/40
|
13/04/40
|
NP 001
|
15/04/40
|
15/04/40
|
11/09/40
|
11/09/40
|
AN 003
|
15/09/40
|
15/09/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)