E-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 1st November 1932
from Denny at Dumbarton under the 1931 Build Programme. The ship was laid down on 20th March 1932 and launched
on 16th February January 1934 as the ninth RN ship to carry the name introduced for a Prize taken in 1756. It
was last used for a Sloop sold
about 1828. Build was completed on 22nd October 1934 far a cost of £247,009,
excluding items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns and communications equipment. Much of her service was in the
Mediterranean until 1937 because of the Abyssinian crisis. In January she rejoined the Home Fleet with the
5th Destroyer Flotilla but a fire en board in 1938 kept her in dock for some months. After a further period of refit
she was deployed again in the Mediterranean for a few months before serving in Home waters. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of
Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC 1759 -
MARTINIQUE 1762 - HAVANA 1762 -
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 1795 - ATLANTIC
1939 -
NORWAY 1940 - BISMARCK Action 1941 - ARCTIC 1941-43 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 -
SICILY 1943
- SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Party per
pale Green and Blue.
Two horns counterchanged Gold and Silver.
M o t t o
Marte et Arts : ‘By Mars and by
Art’
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
Under boiler
repair at Sheerness.
September
On completion
of post refit trials transferred to 12th Destroyer Flotilla for anti- submarine patrol and convoy defence in Channel and SW
Approaches.
17th - Took
part in rescue operations after sinking of HM Aircraft Carrier COURAGEOUS by U29 in position 50.10N 14.45W SW of Irish coast.
October
Channel and SW
Approaches deployment in continuation.
13th - Grounded
whilst entering Plymouth In fog.
14th - Taken in
hand for repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.
November
Under repair.
13th - On
completion rejoined Flotilla in continuation of duty.
December
Channel and SW
Approaches patrol and convoy defence in continuation.
1 9 4 0
January
Re-deployed
with Flotilla at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet escort and patrol.
February
5th - Detached
with HM Destroyer ECLIPSE for escort of H M Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA during lay of Dummy mines along East
Coast Barrier off
Scottish coast. (Operation LD1 - For
details of all minelaying activities in WW2 see
Naval
Staff History (MINING)).
Resumed
Flotilla duties in Home Fleet on completion.
20th - Taken in
hand for refit at Leith.
March
Under refit.
April
Under refit.
30th - On
completion rejoined Home Fleet.
May
Deployed in
support of military operations in Norway for convoy defence and escort of major Fleet units.
18th - Took
part in rescue of troops and ship's company from HM Cruiser EFFINGHAM which had run aground off Norway. (Note: This cruiser later became a total wreck in
position 16.17N 13.55E.).
29th - Assisted
in evacuation of Bodo with HM Destroyers ARROW, FIREDRAKE, HAVELOCK and VANOC.
June
Transferred to
3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet Deployed
for escort of final evacuation convoys from Norway.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NARVIK by Donald MacIntyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION by
Adams and The Naval Staff History).
Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
13th - Detached
to assist in rescue operations after HM Armed Merchant Cruiser SCOTSTOUN torpedoed by U25 in position 00.09N 09-57W.
July
2nd - Detached
to assist in rescue operations after mv ARANDORA Star had been torpedoed in position 56.20N 10.40W.
9th - Escorted
ss ULSTER PRINCE carrying troops to Iceland.
19th - Resumed
Home Fleet duties with Flotilla after escorting ULSTER PRINCE back to UK.
August
Home Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
5th - Detached
and joined HM Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM destroyers INGLEFIELD, BERKELEY and GARTH for escort of ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron for minelay in SW
Approaches. (Operation SN32)
21st - Detached
with HM Destroyer ECLIPSE for escort of ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron for minelay in Northern Barrage (Operation SN2).
28th - Detached
for duty in support of French expedition to Dakar (Operation MENACE). (For full details of this ill-fated and poorly planned
operation see MENACE by A. Marder.)
Escorted HM Battleship BARHAM with HM Destroyers
ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE and INGLEFIELD for
passage to Gibraltar.
September
2nd - Arrived
at Gibraltar with HMS BARHAM.
6th - Sailed to
join Force M during its passage from UK to Freetown for MENACE.
13th - Met
Force M.
20th - Deployed
with HMS BARHAM to cover HM Cruisers CORNWALL and DELHI during operation to intercept Vichy French warships off
African coast.
22nd - Sailed
from Freetown as screen for Force M ships.
23rd - Laid off
Dakar during negotiations.
24th - Deployed
as screen for HMS BARHAM during bombardment.
25th - MENACE
abandoned because of risk of damage from shore-fire.
Escorted
damaged HMS BARHAM towed by HM Battleship RESOLUTION to
Freetown
29th - On
release from MENACE retained at Freetown for local convoy defence.
October
Convoy defence
off West Africa in continuation. Recalled to
rejoin Flotilla in Home Fleet and took passage to UK as part of escort for Freetown-UK convoy.
26th - Detached
from escort to assist in rescue work after ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA had been set on fire by air attacks NW of Donegal Bay.
27th - Landed
survivors at Greenock.
30th - Under
repair to boilers at Greenock.
31st - Rejoined
Flotilla in Home Fleet.
November to
December
Deployed with
Flotilla for Fleet duties in NW Approaches.
1 9 4 1
January
Home Fleet duty
with Flotilla in continuation.
5th - Resumed
Home Fleet duties in Flotilla on completion of second minelay.
23rd - Part of
screen for Home Fleet major units providing cover for the passage in North Sea of Norwegian ships which had broken out of Baltic
from Sweden.
(Operation RUBBLE).
February
6th - Joined
screen of Home Fleet destroyers escorting HM Battleship RODNEY to cover a minelay in Northern Barrage by ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron.
(Operation SN7A).
March
Part of screen
for Horns Fleet major units covering raid by Commando units on the Lofoten Islands
(See
COMBINED OPERATIONS (HMSO) and WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson).
16th - Resumed
Home Fleet Flotilla duties.
19th - Rescued
survivors from Norwegian ss LEO in NW Approaches.
April
Home Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
13th - Detached
with HM Destroyer LEGION to assist in rescue of survivors from H M Armed Merchant Cruiser RAJPUTANA which had been sunk by U108
in position 64.50N
27.25W.
May
Home Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
21st to 24th - Deployed
as escort for cruisers on passage to Northern Patrol in Denmark Strait.
25th - After
sinking of HM Battle cruiser HOOD joined Fleet units off Iceland for escort of damaged battleship HMS PRINCE OF WALES to Iceland. (For details of the BISMARCK action and search
operations see PURSUIT by L Kennedy and
BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by Baron von Mullenheim Rechberg).
June
Home Fleet
duties in continuation with Flotilla.
July
23rd - Deployed
with destroyer screen for HM Aircraft Carriers FURIOUS and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE and SUFFOLK as Force P.
30th - Screen
deployment during air attacks on Petsamo and Kirkenes.
31st - Screen
deployment during air attacks on Tromso.
(See
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman).
August
Home Fleet
duties in continuation.
9th - Joined
escort for military convoy WS8C in Clyde for passage to Scapa Flow. (Note: This convoy comprised eight Landing Ships
(Infantry), two Landing Ships (Tank), six
Motor Transport Ships, four Troopships and two tankers. These ships were to take part in an operation to occupy the Azores
(Operation GRAY).)
10th - Arrived
at Scapa Flow with WS8C.
15th - Sailed
from Scapa Flow with escort for WS8C when operation was cancelled.
17th - Resumed escort duties on arrival in Clyde with WS8C.
Nominated
for refit
Passage to Thames. Taken in hand for refit at Harland and Wolff shipyard,
North Woolwich.
September to
October
Under refit.
November
Post refit
trials.
4th - On
completion of trials rejoined Flotilla in Home Fleet.
December
Home Fleet
screening duties in continuation.
8th - Escorted
Russian Convoy PQ6 as screen for HM Cruiser EDINBURGH with HM Destroyer ESCAPADE during passage to Kola Inlet.
19th - Detached
with HMS EDINBURGH and HMS ESCAPADE on arrival off Kola Inlet to escort two Russian mercantiles to Murmansk. Detached from HMS EDINBURGH to escort one of the
mercantiles into Murmansk. Came under air
attack from 2 Ju88 and during avoiding action at high speed two men were swept overboard from the foc'sle. Enemy driven
off by Russian Hurricanes and the arrival of
HMS EDINBURGH in area. See ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations including names of warships involved see ARCTIC CONVOYS, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp
and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield).
1 9 4 2
January
4th - Sailed
from Kola Inlet with same ships to join return Convoy QP4 as Ocean Escort.
5th - Joined
convoy.
8th - Detached
when convoy dispersed.
9th - Deployed
on patrol south of convoy route with HMS EDINBURGH and HMS ESCAPADE.
10th - Rejoined
Flotilla on arrival at Scapa Flow.
February
Deployed with
screen for Home Fleet ships in search for German warships TIRPITZ, PRINZ EUGEN and ADMIRAL SCHEER reported at sea off
Norway.
March
Part of
destroyer screen for HM Battleships KING GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS and
Home Fleet cruisers to cover passage
of Russian Convoys PQ12 and PQ13 as well
as returning QP8 and QP9.
April
Deployed with
Hone Fleet in continuation. Nominated for detached
duty as escort for aircraft carriers during Malta aircraft deliveries.
13th - Joined
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Cruisers CAIRO and CHARYBDIS as destroyer screen for passage to Gibraltar with HM
Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ITHURIEL,
PARTRIDGE and US destroyers USS LANG and USS MADISON.
19th - Joined
Force W with same ships and destroyers of 13th Destroyer Flotilla for the delivery of Spitfire aircraft to Malta (Operation
CALENDAR).
21st - Passage
to Scapa Flow to rejoin Home Fleet.
20th - Aircraft
launched despite known problems with long range fuel tanks and defective radio equipment
(Note:
The aircraft arrived safely but were all destroyed on the ground by air
attacks.)
May
Detached for
further aircraft delivery operation. Joined
HMS RENOWN and USS WASP as destroyer screen for passage to Gibraltar with HM Destroyers INTREPID, GEORGETOWN and SALISBURY,
US Destroyers
USS LANG and USS STERRET.
8th - Joined
Force W - HMS RENOWN, HMS CHARYBDIS, USS WASP, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, as screen with same ships and destroyers of
13th Flotilla for delivery to Malta of
Spitfire aircraft (Operation BOWERY). (Note:
The safe arrival of the 61 aircraft of the 64 launched and their immediate availability for the defence of Malta turned the tide
of the air war over the island.)
11th - Passage
to Scapa Flow as escort for USS WASP with same ships of Home Fleet.
15th - Deployed
in NW Approaches for anti-submarine defence of UK-Iceland convoys.
June
Home Fleet
duties in continuation. Nominated for
refit.
18th - Taken in
hand for refit in Humber shipyard.
July
Under refit.
August
Under refit.
22nd - On
completion of post refit trials took passage to join 8th Destroyer, Home Fleet
at
Scapa Flow for escort duty in NW
Approaches.
September
Deployed for
support of Russian Convoy PQ18 and return Convoy QP14.
8th - Escorted
HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND and SHEFFIELD with H M Destroyers AMAZON, ECLIPSE, BULLDOG and VENOMOUS to establish
fuelling base at Lowe Sound,
Spitzbergen and to take stores to Norwegian meteorological station at Barentsberg.
Returned
to Scapa Flow after completion of refuelling of escort destroyers. Resumed Flotilla duties in NW Approaches.
October
Home Fleet
Flotilla duties in continuation.
November
Home Fleet
Flotilla duties in continuation.
20th - Joined
escort for returning Convoy OP15 during passage from Kola Inlet.
22nd - Detached
from QP15 and resumed duties in NW Approaches.
December
18th - Joined
Russian Convoy JW51A with HM Destroyers BOADICEA, ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, FURY and INGLEFIELD as Ocean Escort.
25th - Detached
on arrival at Kola Inlet. (Note: German
warships failed to intercept this convoy - see references)
30th - Joined
return Convoy RA51 as Ocean Escort with same ships, except HMS BOADICEA.
1 9 4 3
January
6th - Detached
with same ships from RA51 after uninterrupted passage due to the German operation against JW51B during which battleship
SCHARNHORST was sunk. (See above
references).
23rd - Deployed
with screen for HM Battleship ANSON and H M Cruiser SHEFFIELD providing Distant Cover for passage of Russian Convoy
JW52 with 6 RN destroyers and Polish
destroyer ORP ORKAN.
February
Taken in hand
for refit in Humber shipyard.
March to May
Under refit.
Flotilla
nominated for duty in Mediterranean in support of future operations.
June
Joined Flotilla
in Home Fleet on completion of post refit trials.
17th - Passage
to Gibraltar with 8th Destroyer Flotilla
July
Nominated for escort of major Fleet
unit during allied landings in Sicily. (Operation HUSKY - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and
Naval History). Passage to Alexandria with Call at Gibraltar.
7th - At
Alexandria
10th - Part of
screen for Covering Force during assault landings.
11th - Deployed
with HM Destroyer ILEX as screen for HM Cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE for interception patrol.
13th - Sank
Italian submarine NEREIDE in Straits of Messina with HM Destroyer ILEX.
August
Deployed in
support of operations in Sicily with Fleet units.
September
Deployment with
Mediterranean Fleet in continuation.
8th - Deployed
with Flotilla as screen for HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and
FORMIDABLE in Covering Force during
allied landings at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).
9th - Under air
attack by German torpedo bombers which were unsuccessful.
10th - Part of
screen for HM Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY, INTREPID, RAIDER, Greek destroyer
VASILISSA OLGA and
French LE TERRIBLE which met Italian
Fleet on passage off Malta to surrender.
12th - Nominated
for support of military operations to occupy islands in Aegean which were garrisoned by Italian troops.
14th - Deployed
with five other destroyers as screen for HM Battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE during passage to Alexandria as escort for
surrendered Italian battleships VITTORIO VENETO
and ITALIA, four cruisers for demilitarisation.
16th - Arrived
in Alexandria with Italian warships. Re-deployed
for support of operations in Eastern Mediterranean to occupy islands in Aegean.
17th - During
interception patrol with HM Destroyer INTREPID sank Submarine Chaser UJ2104 off Stampalia.
19th - With HM
Destroyer INTREPID embarked troops of Durham Light Infantry and four Bofor guns at Haifa for passage to Leros.
October
Detached from
Aegean operations.
1st - Escorted
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE from Alexandria to Malta.
5th - Resumed
support of Aegean operations.
25th - Deployed
with HM Destroyer ROCKWOOD and Polish destroyer KRAKOWIAK for offensive patrol.
Under
air attack SE of Casteloriso.
29th - Carried
out further offensive patrol.
November
Aegean
deployments in continuation.
3rd - Deployed
with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, PENN and PATHFINDER to take troops of 1st Battalion Kings Own Royal Rifles from
Alexandria to Leros.
12th - Embarked
troops for passage to Leros.
13th - Rescued
109 survivors from HM Destroyer DULVERTON sunk by air attack off Kos.
14th - Bombarded
German positions on Mount Appetica, Leros in support of British troops. Evacuated troops from Samos and took them to Leros.
15th - Engaged
and sank F-Lighters attempting to reinforce Cos.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations in defence of the Aegean Islands See WAR IN THE AEGEAN by P Smith and E Walker, FIGHTING
DESTROYER by G C
Cornell and THE LAST DESTROYER by FA
Mason).
After surrender of Leros resumed
Fleet duties in Eastern Mediterranean.
December
Transferred to
Central Mediterranean, based at Malta for support of the military operations in Italy.
Nominated
for refit.
12th - Deployed
in Gulf of Gaeta.
22nd - Taken in
hand for refit in Malta.
1 9 4 4
January to
March
Under refit. Arrangements made for transfer to Royal Hellenic Navy.
April
5th - Paid off
from RN service as HMS ECHO. Transferred to
Greece and renamed NAVARINON
W a r S e r v i c e a s
H H e l M S
N A V
A R I N O N
May to October
On
completion of post refit trials and work-up deployed for support of military in Adriatic and central Mediterranean, convoy escort and
patrol.
Based in Malta.
November
Transferred to
Piraeus after assisting in re-occupation of Greek islands in the Aegean and support of allied landings in Greece
December
Support duty in
continuation.
1 9 4 5
January to May
Deployed in
Greek coastal waters for support against Communist insurgents.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This ship was retained in the
Royal Hellenic Navy after the end of hostilities in Europe and in 1953 represented Greece at
Spithead during the Coronation Review. Before return to the RN in 1956 she was
used for training duties. On 8th
March 1956 she was handed back to the RN in Malta and was placed on the
Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition by Clayton and Davie she arrived in
tow at the breakers’ yard in Dunston on Tyne during April
1956 and breaking-up had been completed by April 1957.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ECHO
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
27/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
OA 011
|
30/09/39
|
30/09/39
|
26/09/39
|
05/10/39
|
HG 001
|
06/10/39
|
06/10/39
|
07/10/39
|
07/10/39
|
OA 016G
|
09/10/39
|
11/10/39
|
09/02/40
|
09/02/40
|
ON 011/1
|
12/02/40
|
12/02/40
|
17/02/41
|
25/02/41
|
TC 009
|
27/02/41
|
27/02/41
|
08/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
OB 295
|
14/03/41
|
14/03/41
|
10/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
TC 010
|
19/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
08/12/41
|
11/12/41
|
PQ 006
|
20/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
26/12/41
|
05/01/42
|
QP 004
|
09/01/42
|
09/01/42
|
01/03/42
|
06/03/42
|
PQ 012
|
10/03/42
|
12/03/42
|
10/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
PQ 013
|
23/03/42
|
31/03/42
|
21/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
QP 009
|
23/03/42
|
03/04/42
|
02/09/42
|
14/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
22/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
14/09/42
|
QP 014
|
22/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
17/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
QP 015
|
22/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
15/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
JW 051A
|
25/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
RA 051
|
06/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
17/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
JW 052
|
24/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
21/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
NV 012B
|
22/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and as HMHS NAVARINON
|
|
|
|
|
|
30/05/44
|
07/06/44
|
MKS 051
|
09/06/44
|
09/06/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)