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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS VANESSA (D 29) - V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Vanessa (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge)

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V-Class destroyer in the 9th Order of the 1916-17 Programme from Beardmore and laid down on l0th May 1917. She was launched on 16th March 1918 and was the 1st major RN warship to carry this name, although it was used for a yacht hired in 1914 for patrol duties. Build was completed on 21st June 1918 but by December 1921 she had been placed in Reserve at Rosyth. After being brought forward in 1939 this destroyer Joined the 17th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy defence. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in December 1941 she was adopted by the civil community of Barry, Glamorgan.

 

B a t t le  H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field White. a butterfly, Blue.

 

M o t t o

Quandmeme J'arrive :  'I get there when I arrive'

 

 

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             Deployed with 17th Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy defence and patrol in SW

                                Approaches.

                5th          Escorted Convoy GC from Clyde with HM Destroyers VIVACIOUS, WAKEFUL and

                                VANQUISHER.

 

October                  Western Approaches convoy defence deployment in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Convoy defence in Channel and SW Approaches.

to                            (Note: Not deployed for evacuation of troops from Dunkirk or French Channel ports)

June

 

July                         During escort of Convoy CW6 with HM Destroyer GALLANT came under air attacks.

                                Sustained damage from near miss and towed to Dover by HMS GALLANT.

 

August                  Under repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham.

to

November

 

December              Post refit trials.

                                Nominated for service in Western Approaches on completion.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  On completion joined Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

February                Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

to                            (Note : Western Approaches escorts previously based at Plymouth transferred to Liverpool).

June

 

July                         Nominated for conversion to Long Range Escort

                                See V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston..

 

August                  Taken in hand for conversion by Green and Silley Weir Shipyard, London.

 

September             Under refit and conversion.

to

December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under refit and conversion.

to

June

 

July                         Post refit trials.

 

August                  Work-up for Atlantic escort duties.

to                            Nominated for service with 2nd Escort Group.

October                  Joined H M Destroyers HESPERUS, WHITEHALL, HM Corvettes CAMPANULA

                                SWEETBRIAR, CLEMATIS, GENTIAN, HEATHER and MIGNONETTE in Group

                                for defence of Atlantic convoys.

                                Escorted Convoy HX213.

 

November              Detached from HX213 to join escort of Convoy SC107.

                3rd          Drove off U-Boat attacks on SC107 with HM Corvette CELANDINE after detection of

                                radio transmissions from U-Boat.

                                For details of tactics used in defence and attacks during Battle of the Atlantic see U-BOAT

                                WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D. MacIntyre

                                and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

 

December              Escorted Convoy HX219 with HMS HESPERUS.

                30th        Took part in sustained depth charge attacks on U357 with HMS HESPERUS.

                                Submarine forced to surface and rammed by both ships and sunk.

                                See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp. Seven of crew were rescued.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under repair to structural damage.

                                Rejoined Group on completion.

 

February                Part of escort for Convoy SC118 with HM Destroyers VIMY and BEVERLEY, HM Corvettes

                                CAMPANULA, MIGNONETTE, ABELIA, French LOBELIA and US Navy Coastguard Cutter

                                BIBB.

                4th          Detected U-Boat wireless transmissions and despatched HMS VIMY and HMS BEVERLEY

                                to carrying out anti-submarine operations.

                                (Note : U187 was attacked by depth charges and forced to surface after which she was engaged

                                by surface gunfire and sunk. See above references.45 survivors were rescued..)

                                Convoy SC118 subsequently came under attacks by U-Boats of PFEIL and

                                HAUDEGEN U-boat Groups until 9th February. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by

                                C Blair and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).

 

March                    Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to                            Nominated for withdrawal from Atlantic convoy defence after new escorts came into service.

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Operational service terminated and prepared for conversion to Air Target Ship.

 

February                Under conversion

to

June

 

July                         Deployed as Target Ship for training of aircrew in shipping attacks.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Air Target Ship duty in continuation

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VANESSA was paid off and reduced to Reserve status after VJ Day. The ship remained in Reserve until placed on the Disposal List. She was sold to BISCO for breaking up on 4th March 1947 and towed to the breaker's yard at Charlestown near Rosyth where she arrived in February 194 9.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VANESSA

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

 

 

 

 

 

05/09/39

05/09/39

RED 1

06/09/39

27/09/39

11/09/39

12/09/39

OB 003

unknown

16/09/39

24/09/39

24/09/39

BC 005/1

26/09/39

26/09/39

02/10/39

02/10/39

BC 006R

03/10/39

03/10/39

06/10/39

06/10/39

BC 009/1

08/10/39

08/10/39

08/10/39

08/10/39

BC 008R

10/10/39

10/10/39

26/09/39

15/10/39

KJ 002

17/10/39

18/10/39

12/11/39

12/11/39

OB 034

13/11/39

18/11/39

15/11/39

15/11/39

BC 015/1

17/11/39

17/11/39

25/11/39

25/11/39

BC 015R

unknown

unknown

18/12/39

21/12/39

OA 055G

21/12/39

21/12/39

26/12/39

26/12/39

OA 060G

28/12/39

28/12/39

01/01/40

03/01/40

OA 064

04/01/40

04/01/40

09/01/40

09/01/40

OA 069

11/01/40

unknown

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

29/01/40

29/01/40

OA 082

30/01/40

unknown

22/01/40

03/02/40

HX 017

07/02/40

07/02/40

07/02/40

07/02/40

OA 087

08/02/40

09/02/40

15/02/40

16/02/40

OA 092

18/02/40

18/02/40

07/02/40

19/02/40

HX 019

22/02/40

22/02/40

23/02/40

23/02/40

OA 097

25/02/40

26/02/40

29/02/40

01/03/40

OA 101

02/03/40

03/03/40

08/03/40

08/03/40

OA 106

09/03/40

unknown

13/03/40

15/03/40

OA 109

16/03/40

16/03/40

05/03/40

18/03/40

HX 025

20/03/40

20/03/40

26/03/40

27/03/40

OA 117

unknown

29/03/40

18/03/40

28/03/40

HX 028

02/04/40

02/04/40

02/04/40

02/04/40

OA 122

04/04/40

05/04/40

27/06/40

27/06/40

OA 175

27/06/40

unknown

01/07/40

01/07/40

OA 177G

01/07/40

03/07/40

05/07/40

05/07/40

FN 0214

07/07/40

07/07/40

22/05/42

23/05/42

ON 097

02/06/42

05/06/42

05/06/42

08/06/42

SC 086

19/06/42

20/06/42

26/06/42

27/06/42

ON 107

05/07/42

09/07/42

12/07/42

15/07/42

HX 198

22/07/42

23/07/42

02/08/42

03/08/42

ON 118

14/08/42

20/08/42

16/08/42

19/08/42

HX 203

27/08/42

28/08/42

11/10/42

13/10/42

ON 138

28/10/42

03/11/42

26/10/42

31/10/42

HX 213

10/11/42

10/11/42

24/10/42

02/11/42

SC 107

05/11/42

10/11/42

23/11/42

26/11/42

ON 148

06/12/42

13/12/42

13/12/42

19/12/42

HX 219

28/12/42

29/12/42

04/01/43

05/01/43

ON 159

14/01/43

20/01/43

24/01/43

31/01/43

SC 118

11/02/43

12/02/43

03/03/43

03/03/43

ON 170

12/03/43

20/03/43

14/03/43

21/03/43

SC 123

01/04/43

03/04/43

28/10/43

28/10/43

DS 046

30/10/43

30/10/43

02/11/43

02/11/43

SD 046

04/11/43

04/11/43

27/11/43

27/11/43

DS 047

29/11/43

29/11/43

02/12/43

02/12/43

SD 047

04/12/43

04/12/43

15/12/43

17/12/43

ONS 025

20/12/43

03/01/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 10/7/11
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