H-Class
Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter, Wallsend
under
1934 Programme on 13th December 1934. The
ship was laid down on 26th March 1935
and launched on 8th April 1936 as the 2nd RN
ship to carry this name,
previously used for a 5th Rate In 1807. Her
build completed on 3rd December
1936 at a cost of £255,461.10s, excluding
Admiralty supplied items such as
guns, ammunition and signalling outfits. Her
service prior to WW2 was with the
2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet
and included Non-intervention
patrol duties during the Spanish Civil War.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1939 - CALABRIA 1940 - SPADA 1940 -
LIBYA 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940
H e r a
l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White, a Sun Red,
bordered Gold.
M o t t
o
Fulget virtus
in arduis :
'Valour shines under difficulties’
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
Arrived at Portsmouth for refit.
16th
Refit restricted to essential repairs.
27th
On completion took passage to Freetown for
convoy defence.
September
3rd
On passage to take up war station at
Freetown.
4th
Deployed for patrol duty, trade protection
and search for blockade runners and commerce
raiders in South Atlantic.
October
Freetown deployment in continuation
including escort of major units organised in
Hunting Groups for interception of commerce
raiders active in Atlantic.
November
Transferred to Bermuda for patrol and escort
duty in Caribbean area.
Established blockade to prevent German
mercantiles leaving ports in Mexico and USA.
December
Caribbean deployment in continuation.
19th
Intercepted German liner COLUMBUS (32,950
CRT) off Cape Hatteras during passage to
Germany.
Approached when clear of American water-sand
promptly scuttled.
(Note: Movements of the German ship had been
reported by US Navy
1 9 4 0
January
Nominated for return to
UK and took passage to Portsmouth.
25th
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard,
Portsmouth.
February
Under refit.
March
Post refit trials.
6th
On completion took passage to Scapa Flow to rejoin 2nd Flotilla for service for screening
of Home Fleet major units and patrol duties
in NW Approaches.
31st
Nominated with HM Destroyer HERO for
simulated minelay operation off Bud, North
Norway as Force WB (Operation WILFRED).
April
5th
Sailed from Scapa Flow as escort for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN during passage to
Norwegian waters.
6th
Detached to refuel at Sullom Voe.
7th
Passage to Bud in heavy weather.
8th
Carried out simulated minelay.
Remained in area to warn shipping until
Safety patrol taken over by Norwegian
warship
SLEIPNER.
9th
Returned to Sullom Voe to refuel and took
passage to rejoin Fleet off Narvik.
10th
Deployed as escort to Fleet units off
Norway.
11th
Escorted HM Cruiser CALCUTTA with HM
Destroyer ESCORT during tow of the damaged0
destroyer HMS ECLIPSE to
UK
14th
Rejoined Fleet off Norway for screening duty
and support to shore operations.
23rd
Deployed with HM Destroyers HEREWARD, HASTY,
FEARLESS, FURY and JUNO as
screen for HM Aircraft Carriers GLORIOUS and
ARK ROYAL, H M Cruisers BERWICK
and CURLEW during passage to carry cut
Carrier Group operations off Norway
(Operation DX).
24th
Rejoined Fleet on arrival.
27th
Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL during Carrier
operations when HMS GLORIOUS detached.
(For details of the disastrous operations in
Norway see NARVIK by D. Macintyre, THE
DOOMED EXPEDITION by J Adams. CARRIER
GLORIOUS by J Winton, NORWAY
1940 by F Kersaudy, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett and Naval
Staff History (HMSO-2001).
May
Took part in evacuation operations from
Andalsnes and Molde.
4th
Returned to Scapa Flow on completion of evacuation deployment.
7th
Transferred to Nore Command for patrol and
escort duty.
9th
Assisted in evacuation of British nationals
and refugees from Hook of Holland.
12th
Nominated to escort HM Destroyer CODRINGTON
for passage to UK with Dutch Royal
family from Holland (Operation J)
(Note: This was later cancelled ).
16th
Transferred with ships of Flotilla for Fleet
duty in Mediterranean.
30th
Deployed with Flotilla at Alexandria for
screening of major Fleet units.
June
Mediterranean Fleet screening duties based
at Alexandria in continuation.
(For details of operations in the
Mediterranean after the entry of Italy in
WW2
see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by
Donald MacIntyre, ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History (HMSO-2002).
July
7th
Part of screen for HM Aircraft Carrier
EAGLE, HM Battleships MALAYA, WARSPITE,
and ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER,
LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE,
ORION and SYDNEY (RAN) with HM Destroyers
DAINTY, DEFENDER, HASTY,
HOSTILE, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JANUS, JUNO,
VAMPIRE (RAN), and VOYAGER (RAN)
to provide cover for passage of convoys
MF1/MS1 to and from Malta (Operation MA5)
.
(Note: This was a repeat of Operation MA3
which had been cancelled following an
engagement with Italian cruisers. See above
references).
9th
Participated in engagement with Italian
Fleet off Punta Stilo. (Battle of Calabria -
See above
references).
14th
Returned to Alexandria with Fleet.
16th
Detached with HM Destroyers HASTY, HERO and
ILEX to carry cut an anti-submarine
search in an area north of Crete.
19th
In action with two Italian cruisers which
were then engaged by HMS SYDNEY (RAN)
already deployed in the area.
In subsequent attacks Italian cruiser
BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI was disabled.
Wreck was sunk by torpedoes from HYPERION
and ILEX.
(Battle of Cape Spada - See above references).
.
Rescued some survivors from BARTOLOMEO
COLLEONI.
August
Fleet screening and escort duties in eastern
Mediterranean in continuation.
to
(Note: Reinforcement of Fleet at
Alexandria was carried cut
during September.
October
(Operation HATS) and Malta convoys exchanged
(Operation MB3).
See above references)
November
6th
Deployed with HM Destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER,
HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO, ILEX, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and
NUBIAN as screen for HM
Battleships MALAYA, VALIANT, RAMILLIES AND
WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers AJAX., ORION,
GLOUCESTER and SYDNEY (RAN) to
provide Distant Cover for passage of Convoy
MW3 to Malta and Convoy ME3 to Alexandria
(Operation MB8)
(Note: This was part of a major operation to
pass further reinforcement ships including
HM
Battleship BARHAM to the Fleet at
Alexandria.
(Operation COAT - See above references).
14th
Returned to Alexandria with Fleet.
25th
Deployed with Fleet screen
24th
Deployed with screen for HM Battleship
MALAYA and m Cruiser BERWICK to provide
cover for passage of convoy to Suda Bay (Operation MB9).
(Note: Part of Operation COLLAR which
included an air attack on Rhodes by HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS and the transfer of HM Cruisers
MANCHESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON to join Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria.
Did not take part in the action with Italian
battle group. Battle of Spartivento.
See DESTROYER LEADER by P Smith and
references as above).
29th
Passage to Alexandria with Fleet units.
December
Deployed for support of military operation
by 8th Army.
Carried out bombardments.
14th
Participated in sinking of Italian submarine
NAIADE off Bardia with HMS HEREWARD.
16th
Joined Force F as escort for HM Battleship
MALAYA and ships of Convoy MW 5 with
Destroyer ILEX for passage to Malta.
(Operation MC2 - Part of Operation HIDE -See
references above)
.
(Note: HMS MALAYA was being transferred to
Gibraltar.
Convoy comprised supply ships DEVIS, HOEGH
HOOD, LANARKSHIRE,
PONTFIELD, RODI, TROCAS, VOLO and WAIWERA).
20th
Under attack by Italian submarine SERPENTE
which failed.
(Note: Italian reports claimed sinking of
this ship))
Supply ships detached to enter Malta and ss
CLAN FORGES and CLAN FRASER joined
HMS MALAYA in Force F from Malta to take
passage to Gibraltar.
Escort augmented by HM Destroyer HERO, HASTY
AND HEREWARD from Fleet
screen.
21st
Detached from mercantiles when escort taken
over by HM Destroyers DUNCAN, JAGUAR
ENCOUNTER and ISIS after passage through
Sicilian Narrows.
22nd
Took passage through Narrows with HMS JERVIS and HMS ILEX
Ship struck mine off Cape Bon and sustained
major structural damage.
Two attempts by HMS ILEX to tow were
unsuccessful and ship's company taken on
board
HMS ILEX.
Since tow clear of the area could not be
accomplished before dawn and would be in
sight
of Pantelleria, ship was sunk by HM
Destroyer JANUS in position 37.04N 11.31E.
Two of the ship's company were not accounted
for and reported missing presumed killed.
(Note: The mine was laid in Field 4AN
between Cape Bon and Pantelleria on 7th October
by Italian destroyers
Casualty List was published on 30 June 1941.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HYPERION
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/10/39
|
23/10/39
|
SL
006
|
26/10/39
|
10/11/39
|
04/12/39
|
04/12/39
|
HX
011
|
05/12/39
|
18/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
TC
001
|
17/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
04/11/40
|
09/11/40
|
MW
003
|
unknown
|
10/11/40
|
23/11/40
|
23/11/40
|
MW
004
|
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)