Admiralty W-Class Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock on 9th December 1916 with the 10th order of the 1916-1?
Programme. The snip was laid down in April 1917 and launched on 21st June 1918.
She was the 3rd ship to bear this name introduced in 1695 for a 4th Rate and
was used for a trawler in WW1. On completion on 28th August 1918 she joined the
Fleet and was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in
November 1916. This ship served in the 6th Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet in 1921 and
was part of the Portsmouth Local Flotilla in 1928. Following a WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in torch 1942 she was was adopted by the civil
community of the Urban District of Windsor, Berkshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
CARTAGENA 1741 - FINISTERRE (I and II) 1747
- ATLANTIC 1939-1940 - DUNKIRK 1940 - ARCTIC 1942 - ENGLISH CHANNEL
1942-43 - NORTH SEA 1942-45 - NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Red., a
castle silver surmounted by.
the Royal Crown Proiper.
M o t t o
Stat fortuna domus:
'May the fortune of the House stand'
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
3rd Deployed with 18th Destroyer Flotilla at Portland
for convoy escort and patrol in the Channel
and SW Approaches.
October Transferred to Western Approaches Command in
continuation of convoy defence.
to Deployed in SW Approaches for convoy defence.
December
1 9 4 0
January Deployed in SW Approaches based at
Plymouth for convoy defence.
to
February
March
1Ith Joined inward convoy HG21 with HM Destroyer
WINCHELSEA as escort in place of two
French warships during final stage of passage to
Liverpool.
13th Detached with HMS WINCHELSEA on arrival of HG21 in
Liverpool.
April SW Approaches convoy defence in continuation
May Transferred to 19th Destroyer Flotilla based at Dover
and deployed to support
military operations and evacuation of personnel
from ports in Holland. Assisted in
evacuation at Hook of Holland.
23rd Deployed for patrol off Boulogne with HMS VENETIA
for support of defence of port.
Engaged enemy troops advancing towards town.
26th Nominated for service during evacuation of allied
troops from Dunkirk.
Operation DYNAMO - For details see Naval Staff
History and BEF SHIPS by J de Winser.)
27th Deployment for patrol of beaches and escort duties
in continuation.
Provided medical aid to passenger ship MONA'S
ISLE after air attacks whilst on passage to
Dover with over 1,000 troops from Dunkirk.
(Note: 23 of those on board were killed and
another 60 wounded.)
Escorted MONA'S ISLE to Dover.
28th During patrol came under heavy and sustained bomb
and machine gun attack by 15 aircraft
with significant damage and 30 casualties.
Returned to Dover
30th
Landed 606 troops at Dover.
31st Made two trips to Dunkirk and landed 658 troops in
first return and 588 on second return.
June
1st Landed 493 troops.
2nd Landed 644 troops in two
trips.
3rd Landed 1,022 troops
(Note: This ship carried 3,991 troops in all
during DYNAMO)
4th Passage to Liverpool for repair and refit.
(Note: During dockyard work Army twin 6pdr guns
fitted, to improve close range defence
against aircraft and E-Boats.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to I42 to conform with
new identities introduced for all RN ships.
July On completion joined HM Destroyers MONTROSE,
WALPOLE and WHITSHED in 16th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich for convoy
defence and patrol in North Sea.
August North Sea convoy defence and patrol duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to (Note: During this period extensive deployments
were made in the North Sea to
December provide anti-invasion patrols with cover by cruisers of
the Home Fleet based in
the Humber and Thames Estuaries.
See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Bamett).
1 9 4 1
January North Sea convoy defence with Flotilla in continuation.
to (For details of North Sea convoy escort duties see
THREE CORVETTES by Nicholas
April Monsarrat).
May Detached for duty with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
Deployed with screen for major warships during
exercises in NW Approaches.
17th Escorted HM Battleship KING GEORGE V with HM
Destroyer WALPOLE during gunnery
exercise.
June Home Fleet escort duties in continuation.
July Rejoined 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich.
August North Sea convoy defence and patrol with Flotilla.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Deployed with Flotilla in North Sea for convoy defence
and E-Boat interception patrols
to (See THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW
SEAS by Peter Scott).
February
March Flotilla duties in continuation.
13th Deployed with HM Destroyers BLENCATHRA, CALPE,
FERNIE and WALPOLE in English
Channel to intercept German commerce raider
MICHEL known to be about to make passage
from Flushing to enter
Atlantic.
Enemy ship had an escort of five Torpedo Boats
and nine Minesweepers.
14th Engaged enemy ships with surface gunfire which was
returned and made a torpedo attack and
surface gun action against enemy ships.
Superficial damage was sustained.
(Note: Post war details indicate that little
damage was inflicted on any enemy ship.)
April Resumed convoy defence and patrol in North Sea and
Channel.
to
July
August Detached with HM Destroyers MONTROSE, WALPOLE and
WORCESTER for duty at Scapa
Flow with Home Fleet.
Deployed in NW Approaches for anti-submarine
patrols and escort of Fleet units.
September Nominated for support duty during passage of Russian
Convoy PQ18 and returning
Convoy QP14.
(For details of all Russian Convoy operations
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B Schoefield,
CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett).
8th Joined escort for PQ18.
9th Detached with HM Destroyer WORCESTER, HM Escort
Destroyers COWDRAY and
OAKLEY as escort for Fleet Tankers
BLUE RANGER and OLIGARCH as Force
"P".
Passage to Lowe Sound Spitsbergen to establish
fuelling base at for the escorting destroyers
of
Russian Convoys.
12th At Lowe Sound as Guardship.
21st On completion of refuelling took passage to
Iceland.
26th On return to Iceland took passage to resume Flotilla
duties in North Sea.
October Rejoined Flotilla and resumed North Sea duties.
November North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
December Detached for further Home Fleet duties.
1 9 4 3
January Deployed with Home Fleet in NW Approaches.
Resumed North Sea convoy defence and patrol with
Flotilla..
24th During escort of North Sea convoy with HM Escort Destroyer MENDIP engaged group
of E-Boats off Lowestoft and drove them off.
(See above reference).
February North Sea duties in continuation.
March
4th In action with H M Escort Destroyer SOUTHDOWN and
HM Corvette SHELDRAKE against
E-Boats off Great Yarmouth.
28th Drove off attacks by E-Boats with HM Escort
Destroyer BLENCATHRA, HM MGB321 and
HM MGB 333 on Convoy FS1074 off Smith's Knoll.
April North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
to (Note: By this period the ship had been converted
for use as a Close Range Escort.
December or details of changes to machinery and armament see V AND W DESTROYERS by
A Preston and BRITISH DESTROYERS by E March).
1 9 4 4
January North Sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
to
April
May Nominated for escort of military convoys during
Normandy landings.
(Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval
activities prior to and during these
landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June
1944 (HMSO - Naval Staff History).
June Joined HM Corvette STARWORT and two Motor Launches
of Coastal Forces as Escort
Group
132 off Southend for escort of Convoy
ETC2Y.
4th Passage to Solent from Thames Estuary with Convoy.
(Note: Convoy comprised 13 coasters taking
Pre-loaded transport for British Build-up
Division,
five Water Carriers and ten Oil Tankers).
Escort Group was supplemented by HM Corvette
BUTTERCUP and a Motor Minesweeper.
5th Operation delayed for 21 hours.
7th Passage through Swept Channel to Eastern Task Force
area Discharge position.
On arrival of convoy returned to Nore to
commence 'cycle' of Build-up convoys.
8th Escort duty with Group for planned escort
programme.
July Resumed North Sea convoy defence with Flotilla.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Flotilla duties in continuation
to (Note: During this period there was intense
E-Boat and submarine activity in
May southern North Sea including mining of convoy routes
to coastal ports
In addition to convoy escort duties ships of
Flotilla were extensively deployed on
patrols to intercept any enemy operations.
Atlantic Convoys were also re-routed through
Channel and escorts were deployed
accordingly from Nore Command.)
June Withdrawn from operational service and placed in
Reserve.
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WINDSOR remained in Reserve
and was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day. She was sold for to BISCO for
breaking-up by Metal Industries in March 1947 and arrived in tow at the
breakers yard in Charleston near Rosyth in May 1949.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WINDSOR
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
20/11/39
|
20/11/39
|
SA 018
|
21/11/39
|
21/11/39
|
27/11/39
|
27/11/39
|
SA 019
|
28/11/39
|
29/11/39
|
11/12/39
|
11/12/39
|
SA 021
|
12/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
OB 052
|
14/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
18/12/39
|
18/12/39
|
OA 055G
|
21/12/39
|
21/12/39
|
20/12/39
|
21/12/39
|
OA 057
|
23/12/39
|
23/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
28/12/39
|
OA 062
|
30/12/39
|
31/12/39
|
27/12/39
|
09/01/40
|
SL 014F
|
11/01/40
|
11/01/40
|
12/01/40
|
12/01/40
|
OA 071
|
14/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
25/01/40
|
HX 016
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
OA 082
|
30/01/40
|
unknown
|
24/01/40
|
09/02/40
|
SL 018
|
12/02/40
|
12/02/40
|
18/02/40
|
02/03/40
|
HX 021
|
04/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
27/02/40
|
unknown
|
OA 099
|
unknown
|
01/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
HG 021
|
13/03/40
|
13/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
15/03/40
|
OA 110G
|
16/03/40
|
unknown
|
21/03/40
|
23/03/40
|
OA 114
|
23/03/40
|
24/03/40
|
28/03/40
|
unknown
|
OA 119
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
13/03/40
|
25/03/40
|
HX 027
|
28/03/40
|
28/03/40
|
01/04/40
|
03/04/40
|
OA 121
|
04/04/40
|
04/04/40
|
22/03/40
|
05/04/40
|
SL 025
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
OA 126
|
10/04/40
|
12/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
23/04/40
|
HX 034
|
26/04/40
|
26/04/40
|
27/04/40
|
28/04/40
|
OA 137
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
09/05/40
|
09/05/40
|
OG 029F
|
09/05/40
|
14/05/40
|
04/05/40
|
10/05/40
|
HG 029F
|
13/05/40
|
13/05/40
|
16/05/40
|
16/05/40
|
FS 0172
|
18/05/40
|
18/05/40
|
20/07/40
|
20/07/40
|
CW 007
|
22/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
02/09/42
|
10/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
10/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
unknown
|
QP 014
|
20/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
CW 189
|
28/06/43
|
28/06/43
|
28/06/43
|
28/06/43
|
CE 187
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
CW 193
|
14/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
CE 191
|
15/07/43
|
15/07/43
|
26/08/43
|
26/08/43
|
CW 204
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
CE 202
|
28/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
19/09/43
|
19/09/43
|
CW 210
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
CE 208
|
21/09/43
|
21/09/43
|
04/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
CW 229
|
05/12/43
|
05/12/43
|
05/12/43
|
05/12/43
|
CE 227
|
06/12/43
|
06/12/43
|
11/06/44
|
11/06/44
|
ETC 007
|
13/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
FTM 007
|
15/06/44
|
15/06/44
|
17/06/44
|
17/06/44
|
ETC 012
|
18/06/44
|
18/06/44
|
19/06/44
|
19/06/44
|
FTC 012
|
20/06/44
|
20/06/44
|
30/06/44
|
30/06/44
|
ETC 023
|
01/07/44
|
01/07/44
|
28/06/44
|
08/07/44
|
FTC 020
|
09/07/44
|
unknown
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
ETM 034
|
13/07/44
|
13/07/44
|
14/07/44
|
14/07/44
|
FTM 037
|
15/07/44
|
15/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
ETC 040
|
18/07/44
|
18/07/44
|
19/07/44
|
19/07/44
|
FTC 041
|
20/07/44
|
20/07/44
|
23/07/44
|
23/07/44
|
ETC 046
|
24/07/44
|
24/07/44
|
25/07/44
|
25/07/44
|
FTC 047
|
26/07/44
|
26/07/44
|
29/07/44
|
29/07/44
|
ETC 052
|
30/07/44
|
30/07/44
|
31/07/44
|
31/07/44
|
FTC 053
|
01/08/44
|
01/08/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)