Naval History Homepage and Site Search

 

  

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

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

 

HMS VENETIA (D 53)  -  V & W-class Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Venetia (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

 return to Contents List 
 

Admiralty V-Class destroyer ordered from Fairfield of Govan, Glasgow under the 1916-17 Programme with the 9th Order. The ship was laid down on 2nd February 1917and launched on 29th October 1917 as the first RN warship to carry this name. She was completed on 19th December 1917 and included facilities for conversion to minelaying if required. She served in the Fleet during WW1 and later in the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Home and in the Mediterranean before going into Reserve.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-40

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue,  a Lion's mask winged Gold.

 

M o t t o

Volo non fugia:   'I fly but do not flee'

 

 

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             Brought forward for service from Reserve.

 

October                  Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence.

to                            (For details of naval activities in Home waters during 1939-40 see Naval Staff

December              History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett)

 

1 9 4 0

 

January

                6th          Joined outward Convoy OG13 on formation in SW Approaches with HM Destroyer

                                WINCHELSEA as escort during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar.

                8th          Detached from OG13 and took passage to join escort for inward Convoy HG13 during passage

                                to Liverpool.

                10th        Detached from HG13 on arrival at Liverpool

 

February                Convoy Escort deployment in SW Approaches in continuation.

 

March

                1st           Joined outward Convoy OG20 on formation in SW Approaches with HM Sloop LEITH as

                                escort during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar

                2nd         Detached from OG20 and took passage to join escort for inward HG20 during passage to

                                Liverpool.

                3rd          Joined inward Convoy HG23 as relief for HM Sloop ABERDEEN.

                6th          Detached from HG23 with HMS LEITH.

 

April

                7th          Joined HM destroyer WAKEFUL, HM Sloops ENCHANTRESS and SANDWICH as escort for

                                inward Convoy HG24 during final stage of passage into Liverpool.

 

May                        Transferred to More Command.

                                Deployed for support of evacuation of allied troops and personnel.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changes to I53.

                12th        Escorted HM Destroyer CODRINGTON carrying Dutch Royal family with HM Destroyer

                                VIVACIOUS from Hook of Holland (Operation J).

                23rd        Deployed with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN and VENOMOUS for evacuation of British

                                troops from Boulogne

                                On entry came under fire from French shore battery which had been taken over during

                                German advance into port.

                                Hit seven times and set on fire aft with additional casualties, including fatalities in forward

                                part of ship.

                                Ship grounded temporarily but able to come clear

                                Passage to Dover with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN and VENOMOUS that had silenced fire

                                from the shore battery.

                                (Note: No troops were embarked.)

 

June                        Under repair.

to

July

 

August                  On completion resumed convoy defence and patrol duties in Nore Command.

 

September             Deployed for patrol and convoy defence in North Sea and Thames Estuary.

 

October

                19th        Mined off Knob Buoy, Thames Estuary and sank in position 51.33N 01.01E

 

 

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VENETIA

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

 

 

 

 

 

18/09/39

18/09/39

BC 003/1

20/09/39

20/09/39

20/09/39

20/09/39

BC 002R

22/09/39

22/09/39

24/09/39

24/09/39

BC 005/1

26/09/39

26/09/39

30/09/39

30/09/39

BC 007F

01/10/39

unknown

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

19/10/39

21/10/39

OA 022

21/10/39

23/10/39

07/10/39

23/10/39

SL 004

25/10/39

26/10/39

31/10/39

31/10/39

OA 028G

02/11/39

03/11/39

08/11/39

08/11/39

OA 032G

10/11/39

11/11/39

24/12/39

24/12/39

OB 059

27/12/39

28/12/39

06/01/40

06/01/40

OG 013

08/01/40

12/01/40

31/12/39

08/01/40

HG 013

10/01/40

10/01/40

14/01/40

25/01/40

HX 016

28/01/40

28/01/40

09/02/40

09/02/40

OB 089

12/02/40

14/02/40

04/02/40

14/02/40

HXF 019

17/02/40

17/02/40

18/02/40

18/02/40

OB 094

21/02/40

22/02/40

12/02/40

22/02/40

HXF 020

25/02/40

25/02/40

01/03/40

01/03/40

OG 020

02/03/40

07/03/40

25/02/40

03/03/40

HG 020

06/03/40

06/03/40

08/03/40

08/03/40

OB 106

11/03/40

11/03/40

01/03/40

12/03/40

SL 022F

15/03/40

15/03/40

18/03/40

18/03/40

OB 112

20/03/40

23/03/40

10/03/40

24/03/40

HX 026

26/03/40

26/03/40

28/03/40

07/04/40

HG 024

07/04/40

07/04/40

09/04/40

09/04/40

OB 126

10/04/40

13/04/40

17/04/40

17/04/40

OA 131

19/04/40

25/04/40

07/04/40

21/04/40

SL 027

24/04/40

24/04/40

25/04/40

25/04/40

OA 136

unknown

unknown

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)
 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 10/7/11
further editing and formatting is required

 

if any ads offend, please contact Naval-History.Net