H-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock under 1934
Programme on 13th December 1934.The ship was laid down on 27th February 1935 on
the same day as her sister ship HMS HOSTILE She was launched on 23rd March 1936
as the fourth Royal Navy warship to carry this name, last used for a Turret
Ship sold in 1904 and introduced in 1810. Build was completed on
29th December 1936 at a cost of £253,037. Her service before the
outbreak of war was In the Mediterranean with the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Tottenham in Greater
London.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
EGYPT 1801 - ATLANTIC 1940-41 - NARVIK 1940 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940
- MATAPAN
1941 -
GREECE 1941 - CRETE 1941
- LIBYA 1941-42
-
NORMANDY 1944
He r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Gold, a Lion
rampant Blue and langued Red.
M o t t
o
Fortiter in
re:
‘Bravely in action’.
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 On passage from Sheerness
to rejoin 2nd Destroyer Flotilla,
Mediterranean
after refit was
curtailed.
6th
Transferred to Freetown on arrival at Gibraltar.
On
arrival deployed in South Atlantic in search for surface raiders and German
blockade
runners.
October
22nd
Re-deployed in West Indies area for convoy defence and patrol duty.
November Carried out
Trade defence and interception duty in West Indies.
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Returned to
UK for refit and took passage to
Sheerness.
18th Taken in
hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
February Under refit.
March On
completion of Post Refit Trials took passage to Scapa Flow.
6th
Re-joined 2nd Destroyer Flotilla for duty with Home Fleet.
Deployed for convoy escort and Fleet screening in NW Approaches.
31st
Nominated to Join Force WV as escort for minelay in Vest
Fjord, Norway.
(Operation WILFRED/R4).
April
6th Sailed
from Sullom Voe and met minelayers on passage to
Norway.
7th Detached
with Force WV with HM Destroyers HARDY, HAVOCK and HUNTER as escort
for
HM Destroyers ESK. IMPULSIVE, ICARUS and IVANHOE during minelay.
8th On
completion of operation rejoined HM Battlecruiser RENOWN and present during
first part
of
engagement with German battleship SCHARNHORST, until isolated by bad weather.
Joined 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in patrol off Vest Fjord.
9th Entered
Ofotfjord with ships of 2nd Destroyer Flotilla and attacked German destroyers.
Sustained several direct hits which caused structural damage making ship
unseaworthy
. No.2
Boiler out of action and electrical supplies were disrupted.
Soon
afterwards in collision with HM Destroyer HUNTER and the two ships locked
together
under
fire.
13 of
ship's company were killed during this action.
(Note: HMS HUNTER subsequently sank. – 1st Battle of Narvik.)
. 10th Towed to
Lofotens by HM Destroyer HOSTILE.
12th Under
temporary repair at Skelfjord.
19th Passage
to Chatham under own power.
May
2nd Taken in
hand for repair in HM Dockyard.
June Under
repair.
Nominated for transferred to 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar for defence of
Atlantic
convoy and screening duty with Force H.
July Under
refit
16th On
completion carried out post refit trials and preparation for foreign service
24th Passage
to Gibraltar with HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS, HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER and
GREYHOUND as
escort for ss REINA DEL
PACIFICO and SS CLAN FERGUSON on
passage to Cape of
of Good Hope.
30th Deployed
with destroyer screen for Fleet units covering delivery of aircraft to
Malta
by HMS
ARGUS
(Operation HURRY).
August
2nd On
completion of HURRY screened Fleet units covering air attacks on
Cagliari
by HM Aircraft
Carrier ARK ROYAL (Operation CRUSH).
30th Deployed
with screen for Force H units covering the passage of HM Battleship VALIANT,
HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY to
reinforce Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria
(Operation HATS).
(Note: For details of all Force H operations see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by
C
Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIintyre and Naval
Staff
History (HMSO –2002)).
September
3rd Returned
to Gibraltar with Force H on completion of HATS.
11th During
patrol off Gibraltar sighted Vichy French cruisers on passage to Dakar.
October Force H
deployment in continuation.
18th In
company with HM Destroyers GALLANT and GRIFFIN of 13th Destroyer Flotilla
rammed
and
sank Italian submarine LAFOLE , SE of Alboran Island in the western
Mediterranean.
Sustained major damage to forward hull structure.
22nd Taken in
hand for repair.
November Under repair.
20th.
To be transferred to
Malta for completion of work.
25th Joined
Screen for Fleet units covering passage of H M Cruisers MANCHESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON
to reinforce Fleet at Alexandria and Malta convoy.
(Operation COLLAR).
27th Present
with screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL,
HM
Cruisers SHEFFIELD and DESPATCH during brief
engagement with two Italian
battleships, seven cruisers and destroyer screen.
When
Italian force withdrew British covering force remained with convoy to ensure
safety
and
did not pursue
enemy ships (Battle of Cape Spartivento).
(Note: This decision was questioned later by the Admiralty but the subsequent
Board of
Enquiry concluded that the action taken was correct.
For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
Naval
Staff History.)
29th Taken in
hand for permanent repair in Malta.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 1
January Under
repair.
February
20th On
completion transferred to 2nd Destroyer Flotilla for duty with Fleet in the
Eastern
Mediterranean and took passage to Alexandria.
March
15th Part of
escort for HM Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT, HM Aircraft
Carrier FORMIDABLE from Alexandria to Join Cruiser force based at
Suda Bay, Crete
in
anticipation of action against Italian Fleet believed to be making offensive
sweep in
Aegean Sea.
17th
Participated in Battle of Matapan.
(For
details see MATAPAN by SW Pack, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
Naval
Staff History).
April Deployed
on escort of convoys between Alexandria and Piraeus (Operation LUSTRE).
24th Assisted
in evacuation of British troops from Nauphlia with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA,
HM
Destroyers DIAMOND and ISIS.
In
all 1,000 troops were embarked. (See above references and THE BATTLE OF THE WINE
DARK
SEA by L Lind.)
May
1st Resumed
Fleet duties on completion of evacuation duties.
6th Deployed
with Fleet units to cover transit of convoys and Force F, HM Battleship
QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HM Cruisers NAIAD, FIJI, GLOUCESTER joining Fleet in Eastern
Mediterranean
(Operation TIGER).
7th Detached
on passage to escort HM Cruiser AJAX with HM Destroyers IMPERIAL and
HAVOCK for bombardment
of Benghazi.
12th Returned
with Fleet to Alexandria.
20th Deployed
off Crete to intercept German invasion craft.
24th Searched
unsuccessfully for invasion convoys with HM Cruisers AJAX and DIDO, HM
Destroyers ISIS and IMPERIAL.
25th Assisted in support of military operations in defence of Crete.
28th Part of
Force B for evacuation of 4,000 troops from Heraklion.
29th Detached
on return passage to rescue ship's company and embarked troops from HM
Destroyer IMPERIAL whose steering gear had been disabled after being near-missed
during air attacks.
Sank
HMS IMPERIAL with two torpedoes.
31st Deployed
with HM Cruisers PHOEBE and MANXMAN to evacuate remaining troops from
Spakhia,
Crete.
In
action against aircraft during outward and return passages but
without major damage.
June Deployed
with HM Destroyer JANUS in support of military operations in Syria.
Engaged and drove off
two French destroyers bombarding Australian troops.
(Operation EXPORTER).
July
Transferred for duty with Inshore Squadron for supply and support of the Tobruk
garrison.
Carried stores and personnel.
August Inshore
Squadron deployment in continuation.
to October
November
24th Part of
destroyer screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM and
VALIANT in search
for Italian warships covering passage of convoys in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
25th Took part
in rescue of survivors after HMS BARHAM was torpedoed by U331.
29th In action
against Italian torpedo carrying aircraft but escaped damage.
Escorted HM Cruiser NAIAD with HM Destroyer GRIFFIN for bombardment of Derna.
December Deployed with
Fleet screen during searches for Italian convoys.
23rd Whilst
escorting Convoy AT5 with HM Destroyer HASTY carried out attack on ASDIC
contact for over 3 hours forcing U79 to surface.
44
survivors were rescued after submarine was abandoned and sunk in position 32.15N
25.19E. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
(Note: This was the first German submarine to be sunk in Eastern Mediterranean.)
1 9 4 2
January Deployed
with Fleet to cover passage of Malta support convoy MF3.
February Nominated for
transfer to Eastern Fleet.
Malta
convoy cover duties with
Fleet until reorganisation of Mediterranean Fleet
Destroyer
Flotillas.
23rd Detached
for duty with Eastern Fleet and took passage to
Ceylon.
March Deployed
with Fleet units in Indian Ocean but still part of 2nd Flotilla.
31st Joined
HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE, H M Cruisers
CORNWALL, DORSETSHIRE, ENTERPRISE and EMERALD in Force A as screen
with
five other Fleet destroyers.
April
1st Sailed
with Force A from Colombo prior to Japanese air attack and carried out
unsuccessful
search for Japanese naval force reported on passage towards Ceylon.
(For details of operations in Indian Ocean
after the loss of HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES and
HM Cruiser DORSETSHIRE see OPERATION PACIFIC by
E. Grey and WAR WITH
JAPAN (HMSO)
May Deployed in Indian Ocean for convoy defence and
patrol.
June Recalled
to Mediterranean to rejoin 2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
Passage to Alexandria.
12th Joined
escort for Malta relief convoy with Fleet units (Operation VIGOROUS).
14th Under
sustained air attacks on convoy and threat of surface action by units of
the
Italian Fleet known to been passage to attack Aegean convoys.
15th In action
against E-Boats during which HM Destroyer HASTY was torpedoed.
Sank
HMS HASTY by torpedo after rescue of her ship's company.
Returned with the
convoy to
Alexandria when it was recalled and
Operation abandoned.
(For
full details of this disastrous and ill directed operation see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by
Donald MacIntyre and Naval Staff History.
July Passage
to Aden to rejoined Eastern Fleet for convoy defence and Fleet screening in
Indian
Ocean.
August Deployed in
Indian Ocean on escort and patrol duties.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Transferred
to South Atlantic in continuation of trade defence role.
February Nominated for
refit and conversion for use as A/S Escort Destroyer.
14th Passage
to Freetown.
On
arrival Joined escort for convoy to UK.
27th Arrived
at Plymouth.
Took
passage to Sheerness for refit.
March Under refit
in HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
to (Note:
Work done included ;
May Fit of
HEDGEHOG Ahead Throwing Mortar anti-submarine weapon.
Surface warning Radar Type 271 and HF D/F Outfit
fitted for detection of wireless
transmissions.
See
SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and THE TORPEDOMEN by Poland).
June
1st On
completion of poet refit trials took passage to Tobermory to work-up.
July Joined
4th Escort Group based at Greenock for convoy defence in
North Atlantic.
August. Deployed on
convoy escort with Group.
September
27th In action
with other escorts against submarine attacks on Convoy ONS19.
October Atlantic
convoy escort duty in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic
convoy escort duty in continuation.
to
May
June
Transferred to 14th Escort Group and based at Plymouth.
(Note:
Others Ships in Group:
HM
Destroyers FAME, ICARUS, HAVELOCK, INCONSTANT.)
6th Deployed
in SW Approaches for offensive patrol to prevent access by U-Boats into
English
Channel for attacks on convoys for
Normandy
landings.
(Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities before and during landings
see
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY , June 1944
(HMSO).
14th Group
operational area moved eastwards after more A/S Support Groups available
for this
task.
18th Took part in sinking of U767 by ships of Group after
detection of wireless transmissions.
Submarine was sunk in position 29.03N 12.03W
after HEDGEHOG attacks.
Only one of crew was rescued.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair).
July Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence duties with 14th Escort Group.
August Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation.
to
September
October Withdrawn
for refit.
31st Taken in
hand for refit at Vickers shipyard in Barrow.
November Under refit for
use as an A/S Escort.
to (Note:
Armament changed. Only three 4.7in guns fitted, two mountings forward and 1 aft.
December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit
to
February
March
9th On
completion of post refit trials and work-up deployed in Irish Sea.
Convoy escort and patrol duty against increased threat to coastal convoy traffic
by
SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats.
April Carried
out anti submarine operations In Irish Sea and SW Approaches
May
Transferred to Rosyth Escort Force for patrol and escort in North Sea.
June Deployed
in North Sea in support of re-occupation operations.
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS HOTSPUR was transferred to the Londonderry
Training Squadron in August 1945 and remained on training duties until June 1946. She then served with the 4th
Escort Group until February 1947 when refitted at Portsmouth. Later that year the ship joined the 3rd Training
Flotilla based Portland before entering Reserve at Portsmouth in 1946. Sale negotiations with the Republic of
Dominica were completed by November that year when she was renamed TRUJILLO. After over 25 years in the
Dominican Navy the ship was renamed DUARTE and scrapped after 1970.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HOTSPUR
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
09/10/40
|
09/10/40
|
HG 045
|
15/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
20/11/40
|
20/11/40
|
HG 047
|
unknown
|
04/12/40
|
25/11/40
|
25/11/40
|
COLLAR
|
28/11/40
|
28/11/40
|
04/03/41
|
04/03/41
|
AS 016/1
|
08/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
14/03/41
|
14/03/41
|
AS 019/1
|
19/03/41
|
19/03/41
|
08/04/41
|
08/04/41
|
ASF 024
|
11/04/41
|
11/04/41
|
23/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
TA 005/M
|
25/12/41
|
25/12/41
|
03/01/42
|
03/01/42
|
AT 011/M
|
07/01/42
|
07/01/42
|
11/06/42
|
12/06/42
|
MW 011
|
16/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
04/08/42
|
04/08/42
|
RT 001
|
06/08/42
|
13/08/42
|
10/01/43
|
20/01/43
|
MC 003
|
23/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
25/01/43
|
25/01/43
|
CF 011
|
27/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
30/01/43
|
30/01/43
|
CF 011A
|
11/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
CF 011B
|
24/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
03/07/43
|
04/07/43
|
ONS 012
|
15/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
SC 137
|
03/08/43
|
03/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
15/08/43
|
ON 197
|
22/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
02/09/43
|
HX 254
|
09/09/43
|
12/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
23/09/43
|
ON 203
|
03/10/43
|
10/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
11/10/43
|
HX 260
|
18/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
01/11/43
|
ON 209
|
10/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
18/11/43
|
HX 266
|
26/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
09/12/43
|
10/12/43
|
ON 215
|
22/12/43
|
28/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
27/12/43
|
HX 272
|
05/02/44
|
06/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
16/01/44
|
ON 220
|
28/01/44
|
04/02/44
|
29/01/44
|
02/02/44
|
SC 152
|
14/02/44
|
15/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
ONS 030
|
10/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
HX 283
|
28/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
08/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
MKF 029B
|
17/04/44
|
17/04/44
|
12/04/45
|
15/04/45
|
MKF 042
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)