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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2001

HMS VICEROY (D 91) -  V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Viscount, Thornycroft V-class sister ship (click to enlarge)

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Thornycroft V-Class destroyer ordered from John I Thornycroft at Woolston in August 1916 with the 9th Order of the 1916-17 Build Programme. The ship was laid down on 12th December 1916 and launched on 17th November 1917 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Build was completed on 14th January 1918 and after acceptance she served with the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. This ship was placed in Reserve as part of the post-war economic measures. In 1939 whilst in Reserve this ship was selected for conversion into and anti-aircraft escort (WAIR) but work did nor start on this extensive conversion until 1940.  Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Meridon, then in Warwickshire..

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA 1942-45 - SICILY 1943

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a field White, the star of India under a crown, proper.

 

M o t t o

'In the King’s name'

 

 

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             In Reserve, awaiting for conversion to WAIR.

to December

 

1 9 4 0

January                  In Reserve awaiting conversion.

to March

 

April                       Taken in hand for refit and conversion.

 

May                        Under refit

to                             Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to L21

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Post refit trials

                                Allocated for convoy defence in North Sea.

 

February                Deployed for escort of coastal convoys and interception patrol.

to December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence and patrol duties in continuation

to December          (Note: For details of defence of east coast convoys see THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW

                                SEAS by: Peter Scott and WAR ON THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  North Sea duties in continuation

to                            Nominated for deployment in support of planned Allied landings in Sicily

May                        (Operation HUSKY)

 

June                        Deployed for escort of military convoys on passage to Mediterranean for assault landings.

 

July                         Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily.

                (Operation HUSKY – For details see Naval Staff History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS

                by J de Winser.)

                Passage to Algiers and joined Escort Group S.

                (Note: Escort Group S was part of Support Force East)

                5th          Sailed from Algiers as part of escort for military Convoy KMS18

                9th          Detached from KMS18 and took passage to Malta for repair.

                10th        On completion took passage from Malta to join Escort Group V for provision of AA defence

                11th        Deployed with Group for patrol, anchorage defence and convoy escort.

 

August                  HUSKY deployment with Support Force East in continuation.

 

September             On release from HUSKY deployments took passage to resume North Sea convoy defence.

 

October                  North Sea Convoy escort and patrol duties in continuation

to December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  North Sea duties in continuation

to                            (Note: This ship was not detached for escort of assault or

December              build-up convoys during allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed for convoy defence and interception of enemy minelayers in Nore Command

to                            See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith, HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and

March                    Naval Staff History.

 

April                       Deployed as escort for convoy FS1784.

                16th        Carried out attacks on U1274 in position 55.36N 01.24W off Sunderland.

                                Submarine had attacked and sunk tanker ATHELDUKE in convoy and appeared to be.

                                stationary on sea bed. Sinking not therefore certain.

                24th        Returned to position of attacks and carried out further depth charge attacks on

                                U1274 which was still in same position. Wreckage retrieved confirmed submarine

                                had been sunk. There were no survivors from U1274.

 

May                        Deployed in support of re-occupation of Norway.

                16th        Entered Trondheim after mine clearance operations by 9th Minesweeping Flotilla.

 

June                        Deployed in North Sea.

to August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VICEROY was paid off and reduced to Reserve after VJ Day. The ship was placed on the Disposal List in 1947 and sold for breaking up in 1948. She arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard in Grangemouth on 27th May 1948 for demolition by G W Brunton.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VICEROY

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

 

 

 

 

 

06/03/41

06/03/41

EN 082/1

10/03/41

10/03/41

10/03/41

12/03/41

OB 296

13/03/41

15/03/41

01/03/41

15/03/41

HX 112

unknown

20/03/41

02/04/41

03/04/41

OB 305

06/04/41

06/04/41

03/08/41

07/08/41

OS 002

09/08/41

22/08/41

24/07/41

10/08/41

SL 082

15/08/41

15/08/41

18/09/41

18/09/41

BB 077

20/09/41

20/09/41

05/10/41

05/10/41

BB 084

06/10/41

06/10/41

13/10/41

13/10/41

BB 088

15/10/41

15/10/41

22/10/41

22/10/41

BB 092

24/10/41

24/10/41

15/12/41

15/12/41

BB 111

16/12/41

16/12/41

21/12/41

21/12/41

BB 114

22/12/41

22/12/41

29/12/41

29/12/41

BB 117

30/12/41

30/12/41

11/01/42

11/01/42

BB 123

12/01/42

12/01/42

23/01/42

23/01/42

BB 127

24/01/42

24/01/42

08/05/42

09/05/42

WN 280

10/05/42

10/05/42

28/06/43

28/06/43

MKF 017

30/06/43

30/06/43

24/06/43

05/07/43

KMS 018B

10/07/43

10/07/43

22/07/43

22/07/43

GUS 010X

25/07/43

13/08/43

26/07/43

29/07/43

MKS 019Y

31/07/43

31/07/43

31/07/43

31/07/43

MKF 020

04/08/43

11/08/43

31/07/43

31/07/43

MKS 020

04/08/43

10/08/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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