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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS WHIRLWIND (i) (D 30) -  V & W-class Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Wakeful, W-class sister ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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W-Class Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 9th December 1916 under the 1916 17 Programme as part of the 10th Destroyer Order. The ship was laid down in May 1917 and launched on 15th December 1917 as the first RN warship to carry this name. Build was completed on 15th March 1918 and the design included a minelaying capability. After joining the Fleet this destroyer took part in the raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend. After the armistice she was deployed in the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet before being placed in Reserve.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ZEEBRUGGE 1918 - OSTEND 1918 - ATLANTIC 1939-40 - NORWAY 1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Crest: On a Field Blue. a head proper with wind issuant.

from the mouth

 

M o t t o

Tot itinera tot venti: 'Every voyage has its gales'

 

 

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

 

August                  Commissioned from Reserve manned by Royal Fleet Reserve and RNVR personnel

                                to attend Royal Review of Reserve Fleet in Weymouth by HM King George VI.

                                Remained in commission when Fleet mobilised and took passage to War Station.

 

September             Joined 11th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy defence in Western Approaches based at

                                Plymouth

                                (Note: Other ships in Flotilla were:

                                HM Destroyers MACKAY, VANQUISHER, VERSATILE, VIMY

                                WALKER, WARWICK and WINCHELSEA.)

                13th        Escorted outward Convoy OB4 with HM Destroyer WESTCOTT during passage

                                SW Approaches.

                16th        Detached from OB4 when convoy dispersed in position 44.28N 15.44W.

 

October                  Convoy defence duties based at Plymouth in continuation.

to

November

 

December

                28th        Joined outward Convoy OG12 on formation in SW Approaches with HM Destroyers

                                VANOC, WHITEHALL and WIVERN for escort during initial stage of passage to

                                Gibraltar.

                29th        Detached from OG12 with escort and returned to Plymouth

 

1 9 4 0

 

January

                21st         Joined outward Convoy OG15 on formation in SW Approaches with HM Destroyers

                                KEITH and WITHERINGTON for escort during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar.

                22nd       Detached from OG15 with escort and returned to Plymouth.

 

February

                27th        Joined outward Convoy OG20F on formation in SW approaches with Destroyer VANOC,

                                HM Sloops SCARBOROUGH and WELLINGTON for escort during passage to Gibraltar.

                                Detached later from HG20F and took passage to join HM Destroyer VANOC for

                                escort of inward Convoy HG20F during passage in SW Approaches.

                28th        Deployed with HM Sloop SANDWICH and HMS VANOC as escort for HG20F during

                                passage in SW Approaches to Liverpool.

                                Later detached from HG20F and returned to Plymouth with HMS VANOC.

 

March                    SW Approaches convoy defence in continuation.

                4th          Carried out unsuccessful anti-submarine search operation with HM Destroyers

                                WILD SWAN, VETERAN and VOLUNTEER.

                5th          Joined outward Convoy OG21F on formation in SW Approaches with HM Destroyer

                                VOLUNTEER, HM Sloops ENCHANTRESS, SANDWICH for escort during passage

                                to Gibraltar.

                6th          Detached from OG21F with HMS VOLUNTEER and took passage to join HM Destroyer

                                WITCH for escort of inward Convoy HG21F during passage to Liverpool.

                7th          Joined HG21F with HMS WITCH and relieved two French warships as escort during

                                passage in SW Approaches.

                10th        Detached from HG21F and took passage to Plymouth.

 

April

                8th          Detached for duty with Home Fleet after German invasion of Norway and took passage

                                to Scapa Flow for escort of military convoys to Norway.

                11th        Deployed with HM Destroyers WITHERINGTON, VANOC, VOLUNTEER and

                                HIGHLANDER as screen for HM Cruisers MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, CAIRO

                                and HM Netlayer PROTECTOR as escort for military convoy NP1 during passage from

                                Greenock to Narvik (Operation R4/RUPERT)

                                For details see Naval Staff History, NARVIK by D Macintyre, THE DOOMED

                                EXPEDITION by Adams and CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton.

                14th        Detached from NP1 with HMS MANCHESTER, HMS BIRMINGHAM, HMS CAIRO,

                                HMS VANOC and HMS HIGHLANDER as escort for troopships CHOBRY and rms

                                EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA to Norway.

                17th        Deployed with HM Destroyer VANOC as screen for troopship CHOBRY during passage

                                from Lillesjona to Namsos (Operation MAURICE)

                                For details see Naval Staff History.

 

May                        Norwegian support and escort of convoys in continuation.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to I30 to conform with new

                                identities introduced for RN warships.

 

June                        Released from support of evacuation operations and resumed service in Western Approaches

                                Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

                28th        Deployed with HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND, HM Destroyers HARVESTER,

                                HIGHLANDER and VOLUNTEER as escort for rms QUEEN MARY, rms AQUITANIA

                                and rms MAURETANIA during passage in NW Approaches as Convoy WS1.

                                (Note: WS1 was carrying reinforcements to Egypt and destined for Ceylon where

                                troops would be transferred for onward passage in Red Sea.)

                30th        Detached from WS1 with escort and returned to Clyde.

 

July                         Deployed in SW Approaches for anti-submarine search operation.

                4th          Hit by torpedo from U34 and sustained serious damage which disabled ship.

                                57 of ship’s company were killed and survivors rescued by HM Destroyer WESTCOTT.

                                Hulk was sunk four hours later by HMS WESTCOTT in position 120 miles west of

                                Lands End.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WHIRLWIND (i)

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

 

 

 

 

 

13/09/39

13/09/39

OB 004

16/09/39

16/09/39

19/09/39

19/09/39

OB 007

20/09/39

23/09/39

23/09/39

23/09/39

OB 009

26/09/39

26/09/39

03/10/39

04/10/39

OB 014

unknown

06/10/39

16/10/39

16/10/39

OB 020

18/10/39

17/10/39

17/10/39

18/10/39

OG 003

19/10/39

26/10/39

25/10/39

25/10/39

OB 025

28/10/39

30/10/39

02/11/39

03/11/39

OB 029

05/11/39

07/11/39

25/10/39

06/11/39

HX 006

unknown

06/11/39

12/11/39

12/11/39

OB 034

15/11/39

18/11/39

06/12/39

06/12/39

OB 048

09/12/39

10/12/39

24/11/39

10/12/39

SL 010

10/12/39

10/12/39

16/12/39

16/12/39

OB 054

19/12/39

19/12/39

26/12/39

26/12/39

OB 060

28/12/39

28/12/39

28/12/39

28/12/39

OG 012

29/12/39

04/01/40

19/01/40

19/01/40

OB 075

21/01/40

21/01/40

21/01/40

21/01/40

OG 015

22/01/40

27/01/40

24/02/40

24/02/40

OB 098

27/02/40

27/02/40

27/02/40

27/02/40

OG 020F

27/02/40

02/03/40

22/02/40

28/02/40

HG 020F

28/02/40

03/03/40

03/03/40

03/03/40

OB 103

05/03/40

05/03/40

05/03/40

05/03/40

OG 021F

06/03/40

11/03/40

01/03/40

07/03/40

HG 021F

10/03/40

10/03/40

16/03/40

16/03/40

OB 111

19/03/40

20/03/40

24/03/40

25/03/40

OB 116

27/03/40

27/03/40

11/04/40

11/04/40

NP 001

15/04/40

15/04/40

23/04/40

01/05/40

FP 003

05/05/40

05/05/40

12/06/40

12/06/40

HEBREW

14/06/40

14/06/40

21/06/40

21/06/40

OB 172

24/06/40

16/06/40

13/06/40

25/06/40

HX 050

27/06/40

30/06/40

29/06/40

29/06/40

WS 001

30/06/40

29/07/40

03/07/40

03/07/40

OB 178

05/07/40

07/07/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 11/7/11
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