V-Class
destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend
with the 8th Emergency Flotilla on 1st September
1941. She was laid
down on 31st January 1942 and launched on 22nd
December 1942 as the 19th RN
warship to carry this name, introduced for a Prize
taken in 1743 and previously
used for a WW2 hired trawler until 1943. She had
been adopted by the civil
community of Launceston in Cornwall after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in March 1942. The build
was completed on 10th
September 1943 and included protection for Arctic
service.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
USHANT 1778 - GRENADA 1779 - ARCTIC 1943-44 - NORMANDY 1944 -
MALAYA 1945 - BURMA 1945.
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
Blue, a
dragon gardant Gold.
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 4 3
September
Contractor's sea trials and commissioning for
serve in 26th Destroyer
Flotilla, Home Fleet.
10th
Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials.
Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of trials and storing.
October
Worked-up
for service with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
Escorted ANSON
with HAIDA (RCN), IROQUOIS (RCN), HARDY and
JANUS for
passage
to Spitsbergen with
relief garrison (Operation GEARBOX Series).
November
On completion of work-up deployed with Flotilla
in NW Approaches for
Fleet screening
and interception
patrol duties.
23rd
Joined Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy
JW 54B with HM Destroyers HARDY, SAVAGE,
SAUMAREZ,
SCORPION, SCOURGE, VENUS and Norwegian STORD.
(For details of
all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg
ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R Woodhead, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B.
Schoefield).
December
3rd
Detached from JW54B
after unscathed passage.
Made independent
passage to Scapa Flow with other destroyers of
escort.
On arrival resumed
Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.
1 9 4 4
January
Home
Fleet Flotilla duties in NW Approaches in
continuation.
21st
Joined escort for
Russian Convoy JW56A at Akureyi with HM
Destroyers OBDURATE,
HARDY, OFFA,
INCONSTANT, SAVAGE, VENUS, VIRAGO and Norwegian
destroyer
STORD.
28th
On arrival at Kola
Inlet despatched to join escort for following
Convoy JW56B.
(Note:
HMS OBDURATE was
hit by torpedo during defence of JW56A and taken
in hand
for
temporary repair in Murmansk).
29th
Reinforced escort for
JW56B.
February
3rd
Joined escort for returning Convoy
RA56 at Kola Inlet with Home Fleet ships.
7th
Detached from RA56
with HM Destroyers OFFA, OPPORTUNE,
SAVAGE and VENUS
22nd
Joined Russian Convoy
JW57 with HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers
METEOR, MAHRATTA,
MATCHLESS, MILNE, OBEDIENT, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT,
ORIBI, SAVAGE,
SERAPIS, SWIFT and VERULAM to supplement Close
Escort during
passage
to Kola Inlet.
(Note: During
U-Boat attacks on 25th February HMS MAHRATTA was
hit by torpedo
from
U956 and sank immediately with only two
survivors).
28th
Detached from JW58
March
2nd
Part of destroyer
escort for return Convoy RA58 with HM Destroyer
INCONSTANT and
destroyers from
JW58 (except HMS MAHRATTA).
8th
Detached from RA58
with HM Destroyers MATCHLESS, MILNE, OFFA,
ONSLAUGHT,
ORIBI, SAVAGE and
SERAPIS before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.
Resumed Home
Fleet duties with Flotilla.
April
3rd
Part of screen for HM Battleship
ANSON, HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers
SEARCHER, EMPEROR. PURSUER , FENCER, HM Cruisers
ROYALIST,
BELFAST, SHEFFIELD and JAMAICA with HM
Destroyers MILNE, URSA,
ONSLAUGHT,
VERULAM, METEOR, UNDAUNTED, VIRAGO, SWIFT,
JAVELIN,
WAKEFUL,
ALGONQUIN (RCN), SIOUX (RCN) and Polish
destroyer PIORUN during air
attacks
on German battleship TIRPITZ in
Altenfjord.
(Operation
TUNGSTEN - See CONVOY 1 for details).
Nominated for
duty in Support Force J during Normandy landings
with HMCS SIOUX, HMCS
ALGONQUIN,
HMS
KEMPENFELT and HMS VENUS of 27th Destroyer
Flotilla.
(Operation
NEPTUNE - See OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
NORMANDY
LANDINGS June
1944 (HMSO) for details).
May
Passage to Channel for
preparatory exercises.
Joined HM
Destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY, BLEASDALE, GLAISDALE,
STEVENSTONE
and Free French
Escort Destroyer FS LA COMBATTANTE with ships of
Flotilla in Force J.
2nd
Took part in final rehearsal for Forces
S, G and J (Exercise FAB1US).
3rd
Berthing, and loading and sailing
phases exercised.
4th
Took part in Assault landing at
Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex.
18th
Carried out Defence Exercise in
Channel off Brighton
.
On completion took
passage to Solent for final preparations.
(Note: Bombardment target allocated
in
Pre-Arranged Fire Plan - Langrune-sur-Mer with
HM
Destroyer
KEMPENFELT.
June
3rd
Joined HMCS SIOUX as escort for Convoy
J2
(Note: This
comprised Fleet minesweepers and Danlayers of
7th Minesweeping Flotilla,
four
Motor Launches and minesweepers of 159th BYMS
Flotilla.
4th
Convoy sailing delayed by 24 hours.
5th
Escorted Convoy through swept channel.
6th
Detached from Convoy J2 and reversed
course to Join Convoy J4
On arrival at
beach head took up bombardment station.
Provided naval
gunfire support for JUNO Beaches.
Deployed in Task
Force area for patrol, convoy defence and
support as required by Assault
Force Commander.
27th
Remained in Channel area on completion
of NEPTUNE.
July
On release from Channel
deployment rejoined Flotilla in Home Fleet
August
Home Fleet Flotilla duties in
continuation.
10th
Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE, HM Escort Aircraft Carriers
TRUMPETER
and NABOB with HM
Cruisers KENT, DEVONSHIRE, HM Destroyers MYNGS,
VIRAGO,
VERULAM, VOLAGE,
SCOURGE ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX (RCN)
for air minelay
air attacks on
coastal shipping and an airfield at Gossen.
(Operation
OFFSPRING - For details of all minelaying
operations see Naval Staff History
(MINING).).
September
12th
Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS
and HMS TRUMPETER with HMS DEVONSHIRE
HM Destroyers
MYNGS, MARNE, MUSKETEER, ALGONQUIN (RCN), SIOUX
(RCN) and
SCOURGE during
shipping strikes and air minelay south of Vosko
Island.
(Operation
BEGONIA).
October
Home
Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to
November
December Escorted
HM Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE, TRUMPETER and
PREMIER with HM
Cruiser DIADEM,
HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZAMBESI, SCOURGE. SERAPIS,
ALGONQUIN
(RCN) and Norwegian destroyer STORD during
attacks on shipping and an
air minelay in
Karm Sound (Operation URBANE).
On completion
took passage for refit.
Taken
in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard Chatham to prepare for service with
Flotilla in
Eastern Fleet.;
1 9 4 5
January
On
completion of refit took passage with Flotilla
to Join Fleet at
Trincomalee.
15th
Deployed as escort for
HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE with HMS
SAUMAREZ.
February
Joined
Eastern Fleet.
(For
details of naval
activities In Indian Ocean see THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J.
Winton ,
OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).).
22nd
Part of screen for HM
Cruiser KENYA, HM Escort Carriers EMPRESS and
EMIR with HM
Destroyers
VIRAGO, VOLAGE and HM Frigates SPEY, SWALE and
PLYM as Force 62
during air
attacks on shipping in the Andaman Sea and
photo-reconnaissance of Kra
Peninsula
and the Malayan
coast (Operation STACEY).
Returned to
Trincomalee with defects.
23rd
Rejoined Task Force 62
26th
Deployed with screen during
STACEY.
March
Eastern
Fleet screening and patrol in continuation.
25th
Deployed with HM
Destroyers SAUMAREZ, VOLAGE and VIRAGO as Force
70.
Sailed with Force
70 ships for anti-shipping strike in Andaman
Sea.
(Operation ON
BOARD).
26th
In action against
convoy of four snipe and escort of 2 submarine
chasers.
After very heavy
expenditure of ammunition and with assistance
from Liberator aircraft of 222
Group RAF, all
four ships and both escorts were sunk.
Some Japanese and
two RAF aircrew were rescued.
(For details see
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET)
April
10th
Part of screen HM
Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, French battleship
RICHLIEU, HM
Cruisers
CUMBERLAND and LONDON with HM Destroyers
SAUMAREZ, VERULAM,
VIRAGO
and VENUS during
bombardment of Sabang, Sumatra (Operation
SUNFISH).
11th
Bombarded Oleelhoe
with HMS SAUMAREZ and HMS VERULAM.
23rd
Sailed from
Trincomalee for Akyab as part of screen for 21st
Aircraft Carrier Squadron to
cover assault convoys during passage for
Rangoon
landings.
(Note: Squadron
comprised HM Cruisers PHOEBE, ROYALIST, HM
Escort Carriers HUNTER
STALKER,
EMPEROR and
KHEDIVE screened by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
VENUS,
VIRAGO and VIGILANT).
30th
Part of screen to
Carrier Squadron ships during cover for convoys.
(Operation
DRACULA - See above
references.).
(Note: In all
six convoys were covered).
May
1st
Rangoon landing
operations began with cover by Eastern Fleet
ships.
4th
Detached
from 21st Carrier
Squadron.
6th
Joined Task Force 63 as
escort for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and French
RICHELIEU, HM
Escort Carriers
SHAH and EMPRESS, HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND,
SUFFOLK, CEYLON
and Dutch VAN
TROMP for bombardment of Andamans (Operation
BISHOP).
9th
Joined Task Force 61
(HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, FS RICHELIEU, HMS
CUMBERLAND,
Dutch VAN TROMP
and 21st Carrier Squadron) with HM Destroyers
SAUMAREZ,
VERULAM, NUBIAN
and TARTAR.
Deployed to
intercept Japanese ships sighted in entrance to
Malacca Straits.
(Operation DUKEDOM).
14th
Detached with HM
Destroyers SAUMAREZ, VERULAM, VENUS and VIRAGO
to search for
enemy craft north
of Sumatra (Operation MITRE).
15th
Engaged Japanese
cruiser HAGURO and destroyer KAMIKAZE.
(Note: During a
brilliant tactical night torpedo attack HAGURO
sunk in Malacca Straits SW of
Penang.
(For
full details see SINK THE HAGURO by John
Winton).
June
Eastern
Fleet escort and Indian Ocean patrol duties in
continuation.
Preparatory
exercises for support of planned allied landings
in Malaya (Operation ZIPPER).
(Note: This
planned operation was subject to delays
due to lack of approval by US
government
and implementation of the PYTHON release scheme
for long
serving
personnel
in SEAC. See above references and Final Report
of Supreme
Commander
SEAC
(HMSO).
July
5th
Deployed with HM Cruiser
NIGERIA, HM Destroyers ROEBUCK and ESKIMO to
provide
cover against
Japanese surface and air attacks during
minesweeping operations off coast of
Burma prior to
landings in Malaya.
August Deployed
with screen for Eastern Fleet major units to
cover landings
near Singapore.
(Note: This
Operation was postponed at the insistence of the
did not take place until
after
VJ Day .For details see above
references, BRITISH INVASION FLEETS
by J
de Winser and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
VIGILANT returned to UK after the surrender at
Singapore and was retained in
service. She returned to Harwich in January 1946
prior to being deployed in the Londonderry
Flotilla for
anti-submarine training. During September that
year she was transferred to the
Mediterranean Fleet in Malta. On return to UK in
1947 the ship was Paid-off and
reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth. This
ship was converted into a Type
15 Frigate by J Thornycroft at Woolston between
1951 and 1952. On completion
in September 1953 she joined the 6th Frigate
Squadron Home Fleet. She collided
with HM Frigate RELENTLESS in the Clyde area on
27th October 1954 and was
seriously damaged. HMS VIGILANT was selected for
use as a cadet training ship
in the Dartmouth Training Squadron after repair
and was refitted for this duty.
The alterations included an enclosed bridge and
a deckhouse for classroom use.
She was deployed with this Squadron until 1963
when she was reduced to Reserve
at Devonport. Placed on the Disposal List in
1965 the ship was sold to BISCO
for breaking-up at Faslane by Shipbreaking
Industries. The ship arrived at the
breakers yard in tow on 6th June 1965.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
VIGILANT
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
31/08/43
|
31/08/43
|
DT
031
|
04/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
22/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
JW
054B
|
02/12/43
|
03/12/43
|
12/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
JW
056A
|
27/01/44
|
28/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
29/01/44
|
JW
056B
|
01/02/44
|
01/02/44
|
03/02/44
|
03/02/44
|
RA
056
|
07/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
JW
057
|
28/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
RA
057
|
08/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|