I-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from John Brown at Clydebank on 30th October 1935 under the
1935 Build Programme with delivery by 30th April 1937. The ship was laid down
on 16th torch 1936 and launched on 28th January 1937 as the 1st RN warship to
carry the name, Build was completed on 7th July 1937 after delay due to delay
in delivery of gun mountings. The contract price was £255,072 but excluded
Admiralty supplied items such as weapons and communications equipment. This
Class of destroyer was designed for use as minelayers. (See BRITISH DESTROYERS by Edgar March and
the Naval Staff History (MINING) for more information).
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939 - CALABRIA 1940 - SPADA 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940-43 - CRETE 1941
- MATAPAN 1941 -
MALTA CONVOYS
1941 - SICILY 1943
- SALERNO 1943
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Gold, an Ilex tree eradicated Green.
M o t t
o
Frangas non flectes:
'You may break but will not bend’
HMS Ilex, Portsmouth in 1937 (F Lowe, with thanks to
John Sowerby)
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 in
Mediterranean with 3rd Destroyer Flotilla.
5th - Transferred to Western Approaches for convoy escort duty with
Flotilla.
11th - Deployed on anti-submarine patrol duty in SW Approaches.
October
Channel and SW Approaches deployment in continuation.
13th - Participated in sinking of U42 with destroyer IMOGEN in
position 290 miles
SW Fastnet (49.12N 16.00W).
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P. Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR Vol 1 by C Blair for details.
November
Transferred to Home Fleet at
Scapa Flow for
screening of major units and patrol in NW
Approaches and
North Sea.
December
Home Fleet duties in continuation.
1 9 4 0
January
3rd - Taken in hand for repair at
Liverpool.
February
2nd - On completion rejoined Flotilla for continuation of Home
Fleet duties.
March
31st - Detached for escort of Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK
during minelay off the
Norwegian coast at Stadtlandet with destroyers
INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN and ISIS (Operation WS).
April
5th - Sailed from
Scapa Flow for minelaying operation as Force S (Operation RUPERT/R4)
7th - Minelay cancelled when German warships sighted in Heligoland
Bight.
8th - Operation cancelled and detached to join Home Fleet ships on
passage to Norwegian
coast after German invasion forces known to be at sea.
9th - Deployed with screen for Home Fleet major units supporting
landings in
Norway.
10th - Home Fleet screening and convoy defence off
Norway.
to
25th - Nominated for escort of troopships from
Clyde.
29th - Arrived in
Clyde for escort duty.
May
1st - Escorted ss BELLEROPHON and ss LYCAEON to Narvik.
3rd - Resumed screening and support duty with Home Fleet ships off
Norway.
8th - Towed damaged destroyer ISIS to Skel Fjord from Balangen
Fjord.
14th - Nominated for service in
Mediterranean
with 2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
17th - Sailed from
Plymouth with
destroyers HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD and HAVOCK.
18th - Passage to
Alexandria via
Malta.
28th - Joined Flotilla for Fleet defence and convoy escort duty.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed
to I61
June
Deployed with major units for screening duties.
27th - Escorted battleships RAMILLIES and ROYAL SOVEREIGN, aircraft
carrier
EAGLE, cruisers
GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and Australian
cruiser SYDNEY to
provide cover for passage of Convoys MF1 and MS1 from Malta with
civilians. (Operation
MA3) (Note: With destroyers DAINTY, DECOY,
DEFENDER, DIAMOND, JERVIS, JUNO and Australian
HMAS VOYAGER). During passage engaged Italian
submarine LUIZZI on surface in surface gun action
with DAINTY west of
Crete.
Submarine scuttled.
29th - Participated with DAINTY in sinking of Italian submarine
UEBI SCEBELI by depth
charges in same area.
Operation cancelled due to heavy expenditure of ammunition in surface action by
Mediterranean Fleet cruisers against Italian
destroyers. (For details of all Mediterranean
Fleet operations in 1940-42 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett ,THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D. MacIntyre and Naval Staff
History (HMSO-2002).
July
7th - Sailed as screen for battleships MALAYA, ROYAL SOVEREIGN,
WARSPITE, cruisers
GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and HMAS SYDNEY
with destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, HASTY. HOSTILE, HYPERION, IMPERIAL,
JANUS JUNO, VAMPIRE (RAN) and VOYAGER (RAN) to
provide cover for convoys MF1
and MS1 from Malta (Operation MA5 – This was a repeat
of abandoned MA3)
9th - Took part in attack on Italian warships including battleship
CAVOUR.
Enemy ships retreated after initial engagement off
Punta Stilo. (For details see above
references).
14th - Returned to
Alexandria
with Fleet.
19th - Escorted HMAS SYDNEY with destroyers HASTY, HYPERION, HERO
and
HAVOCK during sinking
of Italian cruiser BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI off
Cape
Spada.
Rescued 230 survivors.
August
23rd - Bombarded Italian seaplane base at Bomba with destroyers
STUART (RAN), JUNO and
DIAMOND.
30th - Deployed with destroyers DECOY, IMPERIAL, JANUS, MOHAWK,
NUBIAN,
VAMPIRE, VENDETTA and
GARLAND as screen for battleships MALAYA,
WARSPITE, EAGLE, cruisers GLOUCESTER, KENT,
LIVERPOOL, ORION and SYDNEY to provide Distant
cover for Convoy MS2 to Malta (Operation MB3).
September
2nd - Deployed with Fleet screen to meet aircraft carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, battleship
VALIANT, cruisers COVENTRY and CALCUTTA (Force F) west
of Pantalleria on passage
from Gibraltar to join Mediterranean Fleet (Operation
HATS).
4th - Bombarded airfield at Scarpanto, Rhodes.
5th - Returned to
Alexandria
with Fleet.
October
Mediterranean Fleet duty with Flotilla in continuation.
November
6th - Joined screen for aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, battleships
MALAYA,
VALIANT, RAMILLIES and WARSPITE, cruisers AJAX,
GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, ORION, SYDNEY and YORK
to provide Distant Cover for Convoy MW3 during
passage to Malta (Operation MB8)
(Note: Screen comprised destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER,
HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX,
JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN)
11th - Deployed as screen for ILLUSTRIOUS , cruisers BERWICK,
GLASGOW,
GLOUCESTER and YORK with destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK and
HYPERION during air attacks on Italian Fleet at
Taranto (Operation JUDGEMENT).
12th - Rejoined Mediterranean Fleet which had battleship BARHAM,
cruisers
BERWICK and GLASGOW joining Mediterranean Fleet as
Force F from Gibraltar. (Operation COAT).
14th - Returned to
Alexandria
with Fleet.
December
16th - Joined Force F as escort for 8 mercantiles (Convoy MW5) with
battleship MALAYA
and destroyer HYPERION covered by ships of
Mediterranean Fleet. (Operation HIDE which
included transit of
MALAYA to
Gibraltar).
20th - Deployed as escort to
MALAYA with
HYPERION when mercantiles detached to
enter
Malta.
Joined by destroyers JERVIS, HASTY, HEREWARD and HERO.
22nd - Detached from
MALAYA
after passage through Sicilian Narrows.
After HYPERION was mined during return passage stood
by stricken ship. (Note: Official List of
losses and other records state HYPERION was damaged
by an Italian mine laid in October, but two sources
state that she was hit hit by a torpedo from
the Italian submarine SERPENTE. (WARSHIP LOSSES
Brown 1990 and MacIntyre see above reference.)
Two attempts to tow damaged destroyer failed and ship was sunk by JANUS
24th - Passage to
Malta.
1 9 4 1
January
3rd - Part of screen for battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT and BARHAM
with destroyers
GREYHOUND, JUNO, JANUS, GRIFFIN as Force A during
bombardment of Bardia.
5th - Joined Force B, cruisers
GLOUCESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON, with JANUS and
took passage to
Suda Bay, Crete.
6th - Embarked military personnel for passage to
Malta.
8th - Disembarked passengers.
9th - Provided additional escort for Military convoy on passage to
Pireaus.
(Operation EXCESS).
10th - Under sustained air attacks on Fleet units covering passage
of Convoy ME6.
15th -
Arrived at
Alexandria
with Fleet units..
February
Screening duty with Mediterranean Fleet in continuation.
March
20th - Part of screen for aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, battleships
BARHAM,
VALIANT WARSPITE, cruisers GLOUCESTER and YORK
providing Distant Cover for the transit of
Malta Convoy MW6 with destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD, JERVIS,
STUART (RAN) and VENDETTA (RAN) (Operation MC9).
24th - Returned to
Alexandria
with Fleet units.
March
20th - Part of destroyer screen for Fleet units during Battle of
Matapan.
(For details see MATAPAN by SW Pack and Naval Staff
History).
April
18th - Part of screen for FORMIDABLE, battleships VALIANT, WARSPITE
and
BARHAM, cruisers AJAX, CALCUTTA, GLOUCESTER, ORION and
PHOEBE with destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK,
ENCOUNTER, HEREWARD, HERO, JAGUAR, JUNO, DECOY,
DEFENDER and GREYHOUND for passage to Suda Bay prior to
bombardment of Tripoli (Operation MD2).
(Note: This operation also covered return of Convoy
ME7 from
Malta).
23rd - Returned to
Alexandria
with Fleet units.
(Note: This ship was not awarded a Battle Honour
GREECE and remained with major Fleet
units which did not take part in the evacuation of
allied troops)
May
Eastern Mediterranean
deployment in continuation. (Note: No trace of participation in cover for TIGER
convoy has been traced)
20th - Provided support to military operations in
Crete.
23rd - Propeller damaged by near miss in action with enemy aircraft
off Crete.
24th - Taken in hand for repair at
Alexandria
June
Under repair.
Nominated for support of military operations in
Syria
(Operation EXPORTER).
3rd - On completion of repair rejoined Flotilla for military
support duties.
12th - Escorted Fleet units providing support to military
operations in
Syria.
14th - Deployed with destroyer ISIS as escort for cruiser
COVENTRY
during patrol
off
Syria to
prevent interference by Vichy French warships.
COVENTRY
engaged French destroyers that escaped at high speed.
Under dive bombing attacks. Sustained major structural
damage by two near misses. Towed to
Haifa.
16th - Under
temporary repair at
Haifa.
29th - Passage to
Alexandria
under tow.
July
1st - Under further repair at
Suez to enable
safe passage for permanent repair.
20th - Passage to
Aden.
24th - Remained at
Aden for
investigation into leakage in Boiler Room discovered during
passage in
Red
Sea.
August
Under repair at
Aden.
September
15th - Took passage to
Mombasa.
October
Under repair at
Mombasa.
November
Passage to
Durban.
Taken in hand for further strengthening of hull. Under
repair in
Durban.
December
Under repair.
1 9 4 2
January
Under repair.
Permanent repair arranged in
USA.
February
Took passage to
Charleston via
Simonstown, Freetown, Pemambuco and Trinidad.
March
On passage.
14th - Arrived at
Charlestown
for repair in US Navy Yard
Paid off.
April to
August
Under repair
September
Re-commissioned and carried out post refit trials.
Passage to
Key West,
Florida for work-up.
October
Worked-up in
West Indies area.
Nominated for escort of military convoy WS24 during
passage to
Bahia.
November
Passage to join WS24 in
South Atlantic.
9th - Joined Armed Merchant Cruiser QUEEN OF
BERMUDA as
Ocean Escort for WS24.
(Note: Exceptionally, because of the preponderance of
traffic in support of allied landings in
North Africa, this convoy to
Durban was
routed via tine
Brazilian
port of Bahia
instead
of
Freetown.)
17th - Detached from WS24 on arrival at
Bahia and took
passage to Freetown for defence of Atlantic
convoys.
December
Deployed at
Freetown
for convoy defence.
27th - Joined escort for military convoy WS25 during final stage of
passage from into
Freetown.
31st - Detached from WS25 on arrival at
Freetown.
1 9 4 3
January
Convoy defence based at
Freetown in
continuation
Nominated for transfer to 6th Destroyer Flotilla in
Mediterranean.
February
1st - Passage to
Gibraltar.
On arrival deployed for screening of major units and
convoy escort in the western
Mediterranean.
March to
April
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
May
Took part in interception of evacuation craft from
North Africa.
(Operation RETRIBUTION).
Nominated for support of allied occupation of
Pantelleria
June
3rd - Bombarded Pantellaria with destroyer ISIS prior to
occupation.
(Operation CORKSCREW).
July
Transferred to 8th Destroyer Flotilla.
Nominated for duty with Flotilla in support of allied
landings in
Sicily.
7th - Sailed from
Alexandria
with destroyer ECHO as screen for cruisers AURORA
and PENELOPE during passage to support planned
landings in
Sicily.
10th - Arrived at Beach Head,
Deployed with screen for H M battleships NELSON,
RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT, aircraft carriers
INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE, cruisers AURORA,
PENELOPE, CLEOPATRA and EURYALUS with m
destroyers QUILLIAM, QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, ISIS,
FAULKNOR, ECHO, INTREPID, RAIDER, ECLIPSE,
FURY, INGLEFIELD, Greek VASILISSA OLGA and Polish ORP
PIORUN to provide
cover for landing operations (Operation HUSKY).
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).
13th - Participated in sinking of Italian submarine NEREIDE with
ECHO SE of Messina
Strait.
August
Screening and patrol duties in continuation.
Nominated for screening of major ships during allied
landings as
Salerno.
(Operation AVALANCHE).
9th - Part of screen for same major warships as HUSKY providing
cover for landings.
(Note: Screen comprised destroyers QUILLIAM,
QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, PETARD, TROUBIDGE, OFFA,
TYRIAN, TUMULT, .Polish ORP PIORUN,
FAULKNOR*, INTREPID*, ECLIPSE*, INGLEFIELD*, FURY*,
ECHO*, RAIDER, Greek VASILISSA OLGA, French LE
FANTASQUE and LE TERRIBLE. Ships marked
* belonged to 8th Destroyer Flotilla).
October
On release from AVALANCHE screening duty deployed with Flotilla for
convoy escort
and patrol in Central and western Mediterranean.,
November
Flotilla duties in continuation.
December
Withdrawn from operational service because of defect load and poor
availability.
1 9 4 4
January to
May
Laid-up at Bizerta.
June
Transferred to
Ferryville,
Tunisia
July to
December
Laid-up at Ferryville
1 9 4 5
January to
February
Laid up at Ferryville.
Repairs to be undertaken at Low Priority
March
Towed to
Malta for
repair.
April
Reduced to Reserve Category C in
Malta
(Note: On Survey declared not required for further
operational service.).
May
Laid-up in Reserve at
Malta.
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
ILEX remained in Reserve at
Malta after VJ
Day and was placed on the Disposal List. The ship was sold for breaking-up in
1947 and towed to Sicily for demolition by Ugo Pace.
Acknowledgement
Details of escort for WS series of military convoys were provided
by Donald Kindell, Ohio USA from an unpublished source. This is gratefully
acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ILEX
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
29/09/39
|
29/09/39
|
OB 012
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
OG 001
|
03/10/39
|
08/10/39
|
26/09/39
|
03/10/39
|
HG 001
|
04/10/39
|
06/10/39
|
09/10/39
|
09/10/39
|
OB 017
|
12/10/39
|
12/10/39
|
26/11/39
|
26/11/39
|
ON 003/1
|
30/11/39
|
30/11/39
|
30/11/39
|
30/11/39
|
HN 003
|
04/12/39
|
04/12/39
|
05/12/39
|
05/12/39
|
ON 004/1
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
08/12/39
|
HN 004
|
11/12/39
|
12/12/39
|
10/12/39
|
unknown
|
TC 001
|
17/12/39
|
17/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
29/12/39
|
ON 006/1
|
01/01/40
|
01/01/40
|
05/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
ON 010/1
|
08/02/40
|
08/02/40
|
08/02/40
|
08/02/40
|
HN 010
|
11/02/40
|
11/02/40
|
13/02/40
|
13/02/40
|
ON 012/1
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
HN 012
|
19/02/40
|
19/02/40
|
03/03/40
|
03/03/40
|
ON 017/1
|
07/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
07/03/40
|
HN 017
|
10/03/40
|
10/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
11/03/40
|
ON 019/1
|
14/03/40
|
14/03/40
|
01/05/40
|
01/05/40
|
HK 001
|
09/05/40
|
09/05/40
|
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
|
07/03/41
|
07/03/41
|
AN 018
|
11/03/41
|
11/03/41
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
CF 010A
|
05/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
20/02/43
|
04/03/43
|
OT 002/1
|
05/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
02/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
KMF 010B
|
08/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
24/04/43
|
25/04/43
|
MKF 013
|
25/04/43
|
02/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
KMS 014X
|
21/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
28/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
KMF 020A
|
31/07/43
|
unknown
|
18/12/43
|
18/12/43
|
VN 012A
|
19/12/43
|
19/12/43
|
(Note on Convoys)