Modified W-Class Destroyer ordered from John I
Thornycroft at Woolston,
Southampton with the 13th order of the 1913-19 Programmes
in January 1918. She was laid down on 18th May 1918 and launched on 18th July
1919 as the first ship to commemorate the name of a
Royal Navy Captain serving at Vigo in 1702. Her
completion was in June 1920 and she is easily distinguished from other ships of
this type by having two funnels of almost equal height.
During
the inter-war years she served in the Atlantic Fleet and later in the
Mediterranean was commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten.
Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 this ship
was adopted by the civil community of Port Talbot, Glamorgan. In 1942 she was
classed as a Close Range Escort and not converted to a Long Range Escort
because the boiler room arrangements did not allow increase her fuel capacity.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Silver, a Pheon
Red
M o t t o
Clementia victis: 'Mercy to the vanquished'
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
13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar for contraband control duty and trade defence
in
Atlantic and Mediterranean.
October Gibraltar
deployment for convoy defence in continuation.
to (For
details of naval activities in 1939 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
November Barnett and
Naval Staff History.).
December
29th Deployed
as escort for outward Convoy HG 13F during passage from
Gibraltar to Liverpool
with
HM Destroyer ACTIVE.
1 9 4 0
January
3rd Detached
from HG13F and returned to Gibraltar/
February
1st
Escorted outward Convoy OG16F for passage from Gibraltar with HM Destroyer VELOX
4th Deployed
as escort for outward Convoy OG18 during passage from
Gibraltar.
5th Detached
from OG18
14th Joined
inward Convoy HG19F escorted by two French destroyers for passage into Gibraltar
18th Detached
from HG19F on arrival at Gibraltar
25th Deployed
as escort for outward Convoy OG19F for initial stage passage to
Liverpool with HM
Sloops ABERDEEN and DEPTFORD.
27th Detached
from HG20 and returned to Gibraltar.
March
14th Deployed
with HM Destroyers WINCHELSEA and two French destroyers as escort for Convoy
OG21
during outward passage from
Gibraltar to Liverpool/
17th Detached
from OG21 and returned to Gibraltar.
21st Deployed
with two French destroyers as escort for outward Convoy OG22 during initial
stage of
passage to Liverpool
24th Detached
from OG22 and returned to Gibraltar.
April
2nd Deployed
with HM Destroyers VORTIGERN and WATCHMAN as escort for Convoy OG24
during initial stage of passage from
Gibraltar.
4th Detached
from OG24F and returned to Gibraltar.
9th Deployed
with HM Destroyer VIMY and HM Sloop ABERDEEN as escort for Convoy OG25F
during
12th Detached
from OG25F and returned to Gibraltar.
May Deployment
at Gibraltar for convoy escort in continuation
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to I 67 to conform with
changes made for
all
RN ships.
June On
formation of Force H at Gibraltar remained under control of The Flag Officer,
North
Atlantic (FONA) but available for escort with Force H major units
July Deployed
with screen of major Force H units.
31st Part of
escort for Force H units providing cover during Malta aircraft delivery by
HM
Aircraft Carrier ARGUS (Operation HURRY).
August
2nd Remained
with Force H screen during air strike on Cagliari by HM Aircraft ARK
ROYAL
(Operation CRUSH).
30th Part of
destroyer screen for Force H ships covering the passage of HM Battleship
VALIANT,
HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY to
reinforce Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria (Operation HATS).
31st Detached
from Force H with HM Destroyer VELOX to make WIRELESS transmissions to
mislead Italian listening stations regarding heading of British units.
(Operation SQUAWK).
(For
details of operations in Western Mediterranean see Naval Staff History).
September Resumed convoy
defence and anti-submarine patrol in Gibraltar area.
to
October
November
7th Detached
for duty with Force H and Joined escort for units covering the
of HM
Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK, GLASGOW, HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and ENCOUNTER to reinforce Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
(Operation COAT).
15th Detached
for duty with Force H during cover of
Malta aircraft
delivery by HMS
ARGUS.
(Operation WHITE).
24th Detached with HM
Destroyers DUNCAN, ENCOUNTER and VIDETTE of 13th Flotilla for the
escort of
Force
H ships covering passage of Malta convoy and reinforcements to
join Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria (Operation COLLAR).
25th Joined HM
Battleship RENOWN, HMS ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser DESPATCH, HM Destroyers FURY,
FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER,
DUNCAN, ENCOUNTER, VIDETTE, KELVIN and JAGUAR
providing cover
for passage of Convoy.
(Note: HM Cruisers MANCHESTER, SOUTHAMPTON, HM Corvettes GLOXINIA, SALVIA,
HYACINTH and PEONY were included for passage to Eastern Mediterranean.)
27th After
major Italian units were sighted by patrolling aircraft, ships of Force H
were detached to engage
these
ships
.
Remained with HMS VIDETTE as escort for the
convoy during brief exchange of fire after which
Italian
fleet
withdrew.
(Battle of Spartivento - .See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
December
20th Detached
with ships of 13th Flotilla for escort of Force H major units to cover passage
of Convoy MW5
comprising empty mercantiles from Malta and passage of HM Battleship MALAYA with
HM Destroyers
HERO,
HARDY and HEREWARD from Malta (Operation HIDE)
1 9 4 1
January Deployed for
Atlantic convoy escort duty based at Gibraltar.
to
February
March Nominated
for transfer to Freetown for Local Escort of Atlantic convoys.
April
2nd Joined
military convoy WS7 with HM Destroyer VIDETTE as Local Escort for passage into
Freetown.
4th Detached
from WS7 on arrival at Freetown with Local Escort.
7th Rejoined
WS7 on departure from Freetown with HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, DUNCAN and
VIDETTE as Local Escort.
9th Detached
from WS7 with HMS DUNCAN and HMS VIDETTE and returned to
Freetown.
(Note: Ocean escort was provided by HM Battleship NELSON.)
May
5th Joined
military convoy WS8A with HMS DUNCAN as Local Escort during passage into
Freetown
9th Detached from WS8A with
Local Escort on arrival at
Freetown.
14th Rejoined
WS8A with HM Destroyers BOREAS, HIGHLANDER and DUNCAN as Local Escort.
15th Detached
from WS8A with HMS BOREAS and returned to
Freetown.
(Note: Ocean Escort was provided by HM Cruiser MAURITIUS.)
June Passage
to Gibraltar to resume convoy defence with Local Flotilla.
13th Detached
for escort duty with Force H during aircraft delivery to Malta by HM
Aircraft Carriers
VICTORIOUS and ARK ROYAL (Operation TRACER).
26th Nominated
for duty with Force H for further
Malta aircraft
delivery cover but
withdrawn and replaced
by HM
Destroyer LANCE.
27th During
anti-submarine operation off Gibraltar sank Italian submarine GLAUCO.
(See
WAR AT SEA by SW Roskill (Appendix of Italian submarine losses and HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR,
by C
Blair.)
July Returned
to UK for refit
and conversion for use as Long Range Escort.
August Under refit
and conversion.
to (Note: Radar equipment fitted for surface warning.
December (See BRITISH
DESTROYERS by E. March and RADAR AT SEA by D Howse)..
1 9 4 2
January Post refit
trials and prepared for convoy escort duty.
February Passage to
Gibraltar to rejoin Flotilla.
March Deployed on
convoy escort based at Gibraltar.
March
20th Detached
for escort of Force H ships during cover of
Malta
aircraft delivery by HM Aircraft
Carriers ARGUS and EAGLE.
Joined HM Battleship MALAYA, HM Cruiser HERMIONE with HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
DUNCAN, ACTIVE, ANTHONY, WHITEHALL, BLANKNEY, EXMOOR and CROOME as
screen (Operation PICKET I).
27th Repeat escort duty for further aircraft delivery with same ships
(Operation PICKET II).
April
19th Detached for escort of HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Cruisers
CHARYBDIS and CAIRO for
Malta aircraft delivery by US aircraft Carrier
USS WASP with RN 3rd and 13th Destroyer
Flotilla and two US Navy destroyers (Operation
CALENDAR).
May Deployed for convoy defence duty with Flotilla.
2nd Took part
in sinking of U74 with HM Destroyer WRESTLER and aircraft of 202 Sqdn. RAF in
position south of Cartagena.
There
were no survivors. (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and above reference.)
8th Detached
for duty with Force H for escort of HMS RENOWN, HMS CHARYBDIS with
destroyers of 13th Flotilla covering Malta aircraft delivery by HMS EAGLE and
USS WASP
(Operation BOWERY).
18th Detached
for duty with Force H as part of escort for HM Aircraft Carriers EAGLE and ARGUS
for
Malta aircraft delivery with HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyers PARTRIDGE,
ITHURIEL, ANTELOPE, WESTCOTT, WRESTLER and VIDETTE (Operation LB).
June Force H
screening duty in continuation.
2nd Detached
for escort of HMS CHARYBDIS covering further
Malta
aircraft delivery by HMS
EAGLE
with HM Destroyers WESTCOTT, ITHURIEL, ANTELOPE and PARTRIDGE
.
(Operation STYLE).
8th Repeat
escort duty for Malta aircraft delivery by HMS EAGLE with HM Cruisers CAIRO
CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyer WRESTLER and same ships as STYLE. (Operation SALIENT).
11th Joined
Force W for escort of HMS MALAYA, HMS EAGLE. HMS ARGUS. HM Cruisers
KENYA, LIVERPOOL and CHARYBDIS with HM Destroyers ONSLOW, ICARUS,
ESCAPADE, WESTCOTT, WRESTLER, VIDETTE and ANTELOPE covering transit of Malta
convoy to the Sicilian Narrows
(Operation HARPOON).
(For
details see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.).
18th On
completion resumed Gibraltar Escort duties with Flotilla.
26th Joined
military convoy WS20 off Gibraltar and detached to escort ss NARKUNDA into
Gibraltar.
August Deployed with
Gibraltar Escort Flotilla
10th Detached
for duty with Force Z covering transit of Malta relief convoy.
Joined HM Destroyers ANTELOPE, ITHURIEL, LAFOREY, LIGHTNING and LOOKOUT as
screen for HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE,
VICTORIOUS, EAGLE, HM Cruisers PHOEBE, SIRIUS and CHARYBDIS.
(Operation PEDESTAL. See PEDESTAL by P Smith and above reference for details)
13th Returned with Force Z to Gibraltar on arrival at Skerki Bank.
September Deployed on
convoy defence with Gibraltar Escort Force.
October Convoy
defence duty in continuation.
28th Detached to escort HMS FURIOUS and HM Cruiser AURORA with HM
Destroyers WESTCOTT,
COWDRAY, BRAMHAM, ACHATES, VANOC, VERITY and the Polish destroyer 0RP
BLYSKAWICA for final aircraft delivery to Malta (Operation TRAIN).
November Deployed with
Gibraltar Escort Force.
Escorted military convoys for North African landings in Atlantic and western
Mediterranean
with
HM Destroyer VENOMOUS, HM Corvettes COLTSFOOT, GERANIUM, SPIREA and
JONQUIL (Operation TORCH).
7th Deployed
with HM Destroyer VELOX and HM Frigate SPEY for escort of assault convoy
and
detached to stand by American troopship THOMAS STONE which had been torpedoed
during passage. (Operation TORCH)
After
soldiers had been embarked in landing craft and in HMS SPEY remained with
THOMAS STONE during tow to
Algiers by tug.
(Note: Identity of submarine involved has not been established.
See
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR, Volume by C Blair.)
21st Assisted
with rescue operations after troopship mv STRATHALLAN has been torpedoed
on
passage to North Africa in western Mediterranean.
December Convoy defence
with Gibraltar Escort Force in continuation.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy
defence duty in Atlantic and western Mediterranean.
to
Supported military operations in
North Africa.
June Nominated
for support of allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)
July Joined
Support Force East
10th Present
during landings SW of Syracuse.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.)
August Deployed for
convoy defence in central and western Mediterranean.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed at
Gibraltar with Gibraltar Escort Force for convoy defence.
February Convoy
defence duty in continuation.
24th Took part
in sinking of U761 with HM Destroyer ANTHONY after detection by US
aircraft using
Magnetic Anomaly Detection equipment.
49 of
the submarine crew were rescued.
(Note: See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.
For
details of development and use of Anti-submarine weapons see SEEK AND
STRIKE
by W
Hackmann.)
March Convoy
defence duty based at Gibraltar
to
December
1 9 4 5
January
Nominated for withdrawal from operational use.
Took
passage to UK to pay-off
and reduce to Reserve status.
February On arrival
Paid-off, reduced to Reserve status and placed on Disposal List
March
20th Sold for
breaking-up by T W Ward at Inverkeithing, near Rosyth.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
WISHART arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow after VJ Day.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WISHART
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
13/10/39
|
13/10/39
|
HG 003
|
unknown
|
21/10/39
|
22/10/39
|
22/10/39
|
HG 004
|
23/10/39
|
29/10/39
|
19/11/39
|
30/11/39
|
HG 009
|
unknown
|
08/12/39
|
11/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
OG 010
|
18/12/39
|
18/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
HG 013F
|
03/01/40
|
05/01/40
|
26/01/40
|
unknown
|
OG 016F
|
01/02/40
|
01/02/40
|
31/01/40
|
04/02/40
|
OG 016
|
05/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
14/02/40
|
14/02/40
|
HG 019F
|
16/02/40
|
23/02/40
|
19/02/40
|
unknown
|
OG 019F
|
25/02/40
|
25/02/40
|
25/02/40
|
25/02/40
|
HG 020
|
27/02/40
|
06/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
14/03/40
|
OG 021
|
17/03/40
|
17/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
21/03/40
|
OG 022
|
24/03/40
|
24/03/40
|
28/03/40
|
02/04/40
|
OG 024F
|
04/04/40
|
04/04/40
|
06/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
OG 025F
|
12/04/40
|
12/04/40
|
21/04/40
|
21/04/40
|
HG 027
|
28/04/40
|
unknown
|
31/05/40
|
31/05/40
|
HG 032
|
01/06/40
|
unknown
|
24/06/40
|
24/06/40
|
HGZ
|
28/06/40
|
04/07/40
|
27/06/40
|
28/06/40
|
OG 035
|
01/07/40
|
01/07/40
|
07/07/40
|
07/07/40
|
HG 037
|
08/07/40
|
16/07/40
|
30/07/40
|
30/07/40
|
HG 040
|
unknown
|
14/08/40
|
09/10/40
|
09/10/40
|
HG 045
|
10/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
18/11/40
|
03/12/40
|
OG 046
|
05/12/40
|
05/12/40
|
14/02/41
|
14/02/41
|
SLG 001A
|
15/02/41
|
22/02/41
|
12/03/41
|
15/03/41
|
SL 068
|
15/03/41
|
21/03/41
|
17/04/41
|
17/04/41
|
SL 072
|
unknown
|
13/05/41
|
24/06/41
|
24/06/41
|
HG 066
|
27/06/41
|
09/07/41
|
18/07/41
|
19/07/41
|
HG 068
|
22/07/41
|
02/08/41
|
12/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
OG 068
|
26/07/41
|
26/07/41
|
06/08/41
|
06/08/41
|
HG 034FA
|
08/08/41
|
14/08/41
|
28/10/41
|
09/11/41
|
OG 076
|
11/11/41
|
11/11/41
|
31/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
HG 077
|
03/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
11/01/42
|
11/01/42
|
SL 097G
|
20/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
23/01/42
|
OG 078
|
24/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
26/01/42
|
05/02/42
|
OG 079
|
07/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
12/06/42
|
12/06/42
|
HARPOON
|
16/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
26/10/42
|
04/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
06/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
MKF 001
|
unknown
|
15/11/42
|
29/11/42
|
29/11/42
|
TE 007A
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
06/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
MKS 003Y
|
07/12/42
|
23/12/42
|
10/12/42
|
10/12/42
|
MKF 004
|
12/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
UGS 003
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
24/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
KMS 006G
|
09/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
05/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
MKS 005
|
11/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
14/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
UGF 004
|
27/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
16/02/43
|
16/02/43
|
KX 009
|
24/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
18/02/43
|
06/03/43
|
UGS 005A
|
08/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
13/03/43
|
13/03/43
|
GUS 005
|
16/03/43
|
01/04/43
|
14/03/42
|
14/03/43
|
HG 080
|
17/03/42
|
26/03/42
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
GUF 006
|
25/03/43
|
07/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
GUF 007
|
20/04/43
|
30/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
25/04/43
|
MKF 013
|
25/04/43
|
02/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
TO 004/2
|
09/05/43
|
20/05/43
|
16/05/43
|
16/05/43
|
KMS 014G
|
17/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
28/04/43
|
17/05/43
|
UGS 008
|
18/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
KMS 014
|
18/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
08/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
GTX 002
|
14/06/43
|
19/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
GTX 003
|
unknown
|
04/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
MWF 037
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
MEF 037
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
MWF 038
|
24/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
17/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
MKF 024
|
01/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
01/10/43
|
01/10/43
|
RS 010
|
07/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
08/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
MKF 030
|
20/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)