D or DEFENDER-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 2nd February 1931 from Vickers Armstrong at Barrow under the 1930 Programme. The ship was laid down on 22nd June 1931 as Yard Number 674 and launched on 7th April 1932 as the 6th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1797 for a Gunvessel.  It was previously used by a 1911 destroyer sold in 1921. Build was completed on 31st October 1932 for a contract price of £223,979 excluding the Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns, ammunition and wireless outfits. She joined the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean early the next year. This ship was then re-commissioned in April 1934 after refit at Devonport and in November 1934 sailed to join the 8th Destroyer Flotilla on the China. Station. During pre war deployment in the Far East she had some machinery defects requiring several weeks under repair at Singapore and Hong Kong. Before outbreak of WW2 the Flotilla was designated 21st Destroyer Flotilla.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

HELIGOLAND 1914 - DOGGER BANK 1915 - JUTLAND 1916  - CALABRIA 1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MATAPAN 1941 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941 - GREECE 1941 - CRETE 1941 - LIBYA 1941

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Red  a fencing buckler and rapier Silver and Gold.

 

M o t t o

fendendo vince: ‘By defence I conquer’

 

 

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               Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet and took passage to Alexandra with Flotilla.

                19th         Joined Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.

                20th         Deployed for Contraband Control duty in Mediterranean.

 

October                   Fleet and patrol duties in Mediterranean with Flotilla.

to                             Nominated for transfer to Gibraltar for anti-submarine duties.

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                   Passage to Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Deployed for anti-submarine patrol off Portuguese coast.

 

February                 Transferred to West Africa Command based at Freetown for convoy protection.

                18th         Arrived at Freetown

 

March                     Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

April                       Nominated for return to Gibraltar.

                                Escorted HM Cruiser NEPTUNE from Freetown.

                23rd         Arrived at Gibraltar with HMS NEPTUNE.

 

May                        Joined 10th Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet for convoy defence and Fleet screening

                                duties.

                                Passage to eastern Mediterranean.

                12th         Escorted Convoy US2 carrying ANZAC troops to Middle East through Red Sea.

 

June                         Deployed with Flotilla with Mediterranean Fleet units preparing for the entry of Italy

                                into war

                                (For details of naval activities in Mediterranean after June 1940 see THE BATTLE FOR

                                THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY

                                by Corelli Bamett and Naval Staff History (HMSO – 2001)).

                27th         Deployed with HM Destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND, ILEX, JERVIS, JUNO

                                and H M Australian Destroyer VOYAGER to screen HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM

                                Battleships RAMILLIES, ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER,

                                LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and HM Australian Cruiser SYDNEY to provide cover

                                for passage of Convoys MF1 and MS1 to Egypt from Malta (Operation MA3).

                                (Note: These convoys were evacuating personnel from Malta)

                                Took part in sinking Italian submarine CONSOLE GENERALE LUIZZI in position SE of

                                Crete with HM Destroyers DAINTY and ILEX.

                28th         Cruisers in action with three Italian destroyers.

                                (Note: Because of the high expenditure of 6in

                                ammunition during the engagement the operation

                                was abandoned and Fleet returned to Alexandria.

                29th         Took part in sinking Italian submarines ARGONAUTA and UEBI SCEBELI in position SW

                                of Crete with same ships.

                30th         Returned to Alexandria with Fleet.

 

July                         Prepared for screening duties during repeat of cover for passage of same convoys.

                                (Operation MAS)

                7th           Sailed with HM Destroyers DAINTY, HASTY, HOSTILE, HYPERION, ILEX, IMPERIAL,

                                JANUS, JUNO, VAMPIRE (RAN) and VOYAGER as screen for HMS EAGLE, HM

                                Battleships WARSPITE, MALAYA and ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER,

                                LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and SYDNEY (RAN) to provide cover for passage of

                                convoys.

                9th           Took part in engagement by these ships of Mediterranean Fleet with Italian heavy squadron off

                                Calabria.

                                (Battle of Calabria - see above references).

                                (Note: Italian squadron included battleships CAVOUR and CESARE, 16 cruisers and four

                                destroyers. Italian ships withdrew after HMS WARSPITE returned Italian fire and air

                                attacks from HMS EAGLE).

 

August                    Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean.

to

October

 

November

                6th           Deployed with H M Destroyers DECOY, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO,

                                HYPERION, ILEX, JANUS, JERVIS, M3HAWK and NUBIAN as screen for HM

                                Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Battleships MALAYA, RAMILLIES and WARSPITE,

                                HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER, ORION, SYDNEY (RAN) and YORK providing distant

                                cover for passage of Convoy MW3 from Egypt to Malta and Convoy ME3 from Malta

                                (Operation MB8)

                                (Note: This was part of a major operation (COAT) which included the passage of

                                reinforcement warships from Gibraltar to join Fleet at Alexandria)

                9th           Detached with HM Destroyers DECOY and VAMPIRE (RAN) as screen for HMS RAMILLIES

                                and. HM Cruiser COVENTRY to escort return Convoy ME3.

                10th         Sailed from Malta with ME3 comprising three empty supply ships.

                13th         Under air attack.

                14th         Returned to Alexandria after ME3 arrived at Port Said.

                23rd         Deployed with HM Destroyers DIAMOND, GALLANT, GREYHOUND and HEREWARD as

                                screen for HMS RAMILLIES, HM Cruisers BERWICK, COVENTRY and NEWCASTLE in

                                Force D to cover the passage of Convoy MW4 from Egypt to Malta.

                                (Operation MB9)

                                (Note: This was part of another major operation (COLLAR) which included passage of

                                warships to reinforce the Fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean..

                                HMS RAMILLIES and HMS BERWICK were leaving Fleet in Eastern Mediterranean.

                                See above references.

                                Joined escort for Convoy MW4, HM Cruisers GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER and YORK

                                at sea

                26th         Force D detached from MW5 off Malta and briefly joined HMS EAGLE, H M Battleships

                                BARHAM and MALAYA (Force C).

                                Detached as screen for Force D off Pantelleria and continued on westward passage through

                                Sicilian Channel.

                27th         With Force D screen met reinforcement ships (HM Destroyer HOTSPUR, HM Cruisers

                                MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON west of Sicilian Channel and took joint passage to

                                rejoin Mediterranean Fleet ships off Malta.

                                (Note: Other snips in screen for Force D were HM Destroyers DIAMOND, GREYHOUND

                                GALLANT and HEREWARD).

                                Took part in brief engagement with Italian battle group which disengaged after exchange of

                                fire.

                                (Battle of Spartivento - See above references for details)

                29th         Part of screen for Mediterranean Fleet units during passage to Malta as escort for Convoy ME4

                                to Alexandria.

 

December

                1st           Arrived at Alexandria

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                7th           Deployed with HM Destroyer DIAMOND and Cruiser CALCUTTA as Force C for

                                escort of Convoy MW5J during passage to Malta from Alexandria.

                                (Note: This was part of complex operation including passage of Convoys ME5 and

                                ME6 from Malta as well as a military convoy from Western Mediterranean to

                                Piraeus (Operation EXCESS).

                                Cover was being provided by major Fleet units).

                10th         Entered Malta with Convoy MW5J.

                                Rejoined Fleet destroyers in screen for major Fleet units including HM Aircraft Carrier

                                ILLUSTRIOUS for westward passage to meet EXCESS convoy from Gibraltar.

                                Under heavy and sustained air attacks by German dive bombers.

                                (See above references)

                                Detached with HMS CALCUTTA to escort ss LANARKSHIRE and ss RODIO to join

                                EXCESS Convoy (ME6) for passage to Egypt.

                11th         Under air attacks during which HMS SOUTHAMPTON was damaged and had to be sunk.

                12th         Passage to Port Said with screen covered by HMS EAGLE, HMS BARHAM and HMS AJAX.

                16th         Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet screen.

 

February                 Passage to Malta for refit

                4th           Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard.

 

March                     Under refit.

                19th         On completion of post refit trials took passage to Alexandria to rejoin Fleet.

                24th         Rejoined Flotilla for Fleet screening duties.

                27th         Deployed with screen for Mediterranean Fleet units covering passage of military convoys to

                                Greece.

                28th         In action with Fleet units against Italian warships (Battle of Matapan).

                                (Note: Major ships involved included HMS WARSPITE, HMS VALIANT, HMS

                                FORMIDABLE. See MATAPAN by S W C Pack and Naval Staff History).

 

April                       Fleet screening duties with Flotilla in continuation for protection of convoys to Greek ports

                                and support of military withdrawal in western desert.

                24th         Escorted Convoy GA14 with HMS HEREWARD from Piraeus

                25th         Took part in evacuation of allied troops from Greece (Operation DEMON)

                                (Note: Other destroyers involved were STUART, VOYAGER, VENDETTA, WATERHEN,

                                VAMPIRE (all RAN), DIAMOND, DECOY DEFENDER, HASTY, HAVOCK,

                                HERO, HOTSPUR, HEREWARD, ISIS, NUBIAN, KANDAHAR, KINGSTON

                                and KIMBERLEY. See Naval Staff History).

 

May                        Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet screening duties.

                                Took part in operations in defence of Crete and later assisted with evacuation.

                                (See Naval Staff History and BATTLE OF THE WINE DARK SEA by Lind).

 

June                         Transferred to Inshore Squadron for defence of convoys to Tobruk and support of military

                                operations.

                29th         Damaged by air attacks off Tobruk in company with HMS WATERHEN (RAN).

                                Took HMAS WATERHEN in tow.

                30th         HMAS WATERHEN capsized and sunk during tow in position 32.15N 25.20E.

 

July                         Inshore Squadron deployment in continuation on completion of repair.

                10th         Escorted supply convoy to Tobruk with HMAS VENDETTA.

                11th         In action with aircraft in defence of convoy off Sidi Barrani.

                                Sustained major damage after bomb exploded under hull. Back broken and Engine Room

                                flooded.

                                Taken in tow by VENDETTA after majority of ship's company taken off.

                                Sank in position 31.45N 25.31E after taking heavy list.

                                Remaining crew taken off and all complement saved.

 

---

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS DEFENDER

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)