Variant of Royal Navy H-Class Destroyer ordered by the Brazilian Government in 1938 from Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow and laid down on 3rd June 1938. She was intended to be named JURURA but was requisitioned by the Admiralty on 5th September 1939 and when launched on 29th September given the name HANDY. However on 27th February 1940 she was renamed as HMS HARVESTER to prevent confusion with the destroyer HMS HARDY already in service. This named was introduced in 1918 for a Minesweeping Sloop sold in 1922 and was borne by a Drifter taken over by the Admiralty in 1939. As a result the Drifter was renamed RIPPLE so that it could be used for the new destroyer. Build was completed on 23rd May 1940 and she was commissioned for service in the 9th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

DUNKIRK 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Blue Field in front of two scythes in saltire

white a garb gold.

 

 

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 4 0

 

May                        Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

                23rd        Build completion and Acceptance Trials.

                24th        Carried out brief work-up for operational service at Portland.

                28th        Passage to Dover to take part in evacuation of allied troops from the beaches and harbour at

                                Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO)
                29th        Deployed for evacuation and embarked troops for return to UK

                to            (For details see Naval Staff History, NINE DAYS AT DUNKIRK by AD Divine and BEF SHIPS

                31st         by J de Winser)

 

June

                1st           Sustained damage in air attacks and withdrawn from DYNAMO.

                2nd         Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard Chatham.

                10th        Took part in rescue of troops of 51st Highland Division at St Valery.

                                Owing to fog soldiers were taken off beaches by ship's boats and numbers evacuated reduced.

                11th        Carried out further evacuation from Le Havre (Operation CYCLE)

                19th        Deployed for evacuation at St Jean de Luz and Bayonne in Bay of Biscay

                to            including escort of ss ANDORA STAR carrying Polish troops to Liverpool

                25th        from French ports.

                                Joined Western Approaches Command at Liverpool for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Deployed with HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER, VOLUNTEER and WHIRLWIND for

                                Local Escort of military convoy WS1 during passage from Clyde in NW Approaches.

                                (Note: Convoy included rms AQUITANIA, rms MAURETAN1A and rms QUEEN MARY

                                taking troops to Middle East.).

                30th        Detached from WS1 and returned to Clyde.

 

July                         Western Approaches convoy defence in continuation.

 

August

                5th          Joined military convoy WS2 at Liverpool with HM Destroyers HAVELOCK, HIGHLANDER

                                and HURRICANE as Local Escort during passage in Western Approaches.

                7th          Detached from WS2 and returned to Liverpool.

                28th        Rescued survivors from HM Armed Merchant Cruiser DUNVEGAN CASTLE which had been

                                torpedoed by U46 and sank at 0600.

                29th        Landed survivors at Greenock.

 

September

                8th          Transferred to Portsmouth Command for anti-invasion patrol duties.

                14th        Carried out bombardment at Cherbourg with HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER, BEAGLE and

                                BULLDOG.

 

October                  Resumed Atlantic convoy defence.

                3rd          Joined military convoy WS3A (Slow) on departure from Liverpool with HM Destroyers

                                HAVELOCK, HIGHLANDER, HURRICANE, VERSATILE, VISCOUNT and

                                W1THERINGTON as Local Escort during passage in N W Approaches.

                5th          Detached from WS3A (Slow) and took return passage.

                7th          Carried out search for tanker BRITISH GENERAL which had been torpedoed but had to

                                abandon search owing to shortage of fuel.

                30th        Took part in sinking of U32 with HMS HIGHLANDER in position 55.37N 12.20W after depth

                                charge and surface gunfire attacks.

                                33 survivors from U32 were rescued. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp for details.)

 

November

                1st           Joined military convoy WS4 at Liverpool for Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches

                                with HMS HURRICANE.

                                (Note: Additional destroyers joined WS4 in Clyde for Local Escort.)

                                4th Detached from WS4 and took passage to meet Convoy SC9 for escort to Clyde.

                7th          Part of escort for Convoy HX64 with HM Canadian Destroyer OTTAWA.

                                Took part in sinking of Italian submarine FAA DI BRUNO with HMCS OTTAWA in defence of

                                HX64.,

                                There were no survivors.

                                (Note: This was the first Italian submarine to be sunk in the Atlantic. See HITLER'S U-BOAT

                                WAR Volume 1 by C Blair )

 

December

                19th        Joined military convoy WS5A in Clyde with HMS HIGHLANDER and HM Destroyer VESPER

                                as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.

                21st         Detached from WS5A with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                8th          Deployed to provide anti-submarine protection to ships anchored in Molfre Bay prior to joining

                                military convoy WS5B for passage to Middle East with HMS HIGHLANDER and HM Sloop

                                WELLINGTON.

                12th        Joined escort for WS5B with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, FEARLESS, HIGHLANDER,

                                JACKAL, LEAMINGTON, LINCOLN, VANSITTART and WATCHMAN for passage in

                                NW Approaches.

                16th        Detached from WS5B with Local Escort for return passage to Clyde.

 

February

                3rd          Rescued 121 survivors from HM Ocean Boarding Vessel CRISPIN sunk in Atlantic.

                7th          Part of escort for Convoy SC20 and rescued crew of RAF WHITLEY aircraft.

 

March

                18th        Taken in hand for refit at Barrow by builder.

 

April                       Nominated for service with Force H at Gibraltar on completion of refit.

                26th        Joined military convoy WS8A with HMS HAVELOCK and HMS HESPERUS as part of escort

                                for Atlantic passage.

 

May

                2nd         Detached from WS8A with HMS HESPERUS and HMS HAVELOCK as escort for five ships

                                during passage to Gibraltar.

                                (Note: These ships were carrying stores to Middle East as part of Operation TIGER

                                See THE BATTLE FOR THE MED1TERRANEABN by d Macintyre and Naval Staff

                                History (HMSO, 2001).

                4th          Joined Force H on arrival at Gibraltar.

                6th          Joined escort for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL HM Cruiser

                                SHEFFIELD and destroyer screen to cover the passage of TIGER convoy during passage to

                                Sicilian Narrows.

                                (Note: HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, NAIAD and

                                PHOEBE were also with this convoy for passage to join the Mediterranean Fleet based

                                at Alexandria. See above references.)

                19th        Joined HM Destroyers HAVELOCK, WRESTLER and FEARLESS as screen for HMS ARK

                                ROYAL, HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS and HM Cruiser LONDON during passage in western

                                Mediterranean for Malta aircraft delivery (Operation SPLICE)

 

June                        Transferred to Newfoundland Escort Force and took passage to St Johns.

                                (Note: This deployment was made because the anti-aircraft capability of this Class of destroyer

                                was insufficient for defence of Mediterranean convoys escorted by Force "H".)

 

July                         Deployed at St Johns for defence of convoys to Mid-Atlantic Meeting Point.

 

August

                8th          Deployed with HMS HAVELOCK and HMS HESPERUS to escort HM Battleship PRINCE

                                OF WALES during passage in Atlantic taking Winston Churchill to Newfoundland for Atlantic

                                Charter meeting with President of USA.

                                Escorted HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CANTON to Greenock after being torpedoed in NW

                                Approaches.

 

September             Atlantic convoy defence based at St Johns in continuation.

 

October                  Part of escort for military convoy TC14 with ships of 9th Canadian Escort Group during

                                Atlantic passage to UK.

 

November              Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

December              Deployed for defence of convoys between UK and Gibraltar.

                7th          Took part in sinking of U208 with HM Destroyer HESPERUS in series of depth charge

                                attacks to the west of Gibraltar. Position 35.51N 07.45W.

                                See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                13th        Deployed with HM Destroyers LIGHTNING and HIGHLANDER as the escort for HM

                                Battleship DUKE OF YORK during Atlantic passage with Winston Churchill and other

                                military leaders for ARCADIA meetings in Canada and USA.

                                Unable to maintain speed because of weather conditions and had to detach from escort with

                                other destroyers.

 

1 9 4 2

 

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence duties in continuation

                30th        Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Dundee.

 

February                Under refit.

to                            (Note: Surface warning radar Type 271 fitted.

March                    For details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)

 

April                       Nominated for duty as Senior Officer's ship in British 3rd Escort Group (EGB3) on completion

                                of refit. Post refit trials including Type 271 Radar.

 

May                        Took passage to join Group

                5th          Deployed with Polish Destroyer ORP GARLAND, HM Corvettes MIGNONETTE, NARCISSUS,

                                LOBELIA and French manned RENONCULE as escort for Convoy HX188 during Atlantic

                                passage. See THE ECHO OF A FIGHTING FLOWER by P Coy.

                6th          Joined HX188 with ships of Group for passage to UK.

                14th        Detached from HX188.

 

June                        Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                For details of Atlantic convoy defence and tactical moves by the CinC Western Approaches and

                                German U-Boat Command see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, BUSINESS IN GREAT

                                WATERS by J TERRA1NE, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett and

                                U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).

                                Part of escort with Group for Convoy ONS98 until arrival off Newfoundland.

                16th        Joined Convoy HX194 as-escort with Group.

 

July                         Escorted Convoys ON121 and HX202 with Group.

 

August                  Escorted Convoy ONS126 with Group.

 

September             Detached from ONS126 off New York and took passage to Argentia

                15th        Joined return convoy HX207 with Group as escort.

 

October                  Escorted Convoy ONS136 to Argentia with no losses.

                23rd        Joined return Convoy SC106 as escort for passage to UK.

 

November

                16th        On completion took passage to join Convoy ONS146 with Group for escort during Atlantic

                                passage

 

December              On release from ONS146 took passage to Newfoundland.

                10th        Joined Convoy HX218 with Group as escort for return passage to UK.

                                (Note: HM Destroyers GEORGETOWN and LINCOLN supplemented escort during initial

                                part of passage.

                13th        Under attack by BUFFEL Group of U-Boats.)

                20th        Detached from HX2 18 on arrival in UK waters and took passage to Liverpool.

                                (Note: See THE ECHO OF A FIGHTING FLOWER and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR,

                                Volurne2 Appendix 2.)

                23rd        Taken in hand for refit in Liverpool.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                Post refit trials and prepared for operational service with EGB3

                11th        Rejoined Group for escort of Convoy SCI 17.

                21st         Under attack by BURGRAF (later STURMBAK) U-Boat Groups.

                                (Note: EGB3 also included HM Destroyer ESCAPADE and Polish Destroyer ORP BURZA)

                                Rescued survivors from two ships torpedoed in convoy.

                                See above references.

                26th        Detached from ONS167 on relief by Local Escort from St Johns.

 

March                    Under repair to weather damage at St Johns.

                6th          Joined Convoy HX228 as relief for Local Escort.

                                (Note: Other ships of EGB3 for defence of this convoy were: HMS ESCAPADE,

                                ORP GARLAND, ORP BURZA HM Corvettes NARCISSUS, ORCHIS,

                                FS ACON1T, FS RENONCULE and FS ROSELYS, US Escort Aircraft Carrier

                                USS BOGUE with screen of two WW1 vintage destroyers were also deployed

                                to provide air cover during transit to UK.)

                9th          Convoy located by German radio monitoring stations and course passed to U-Boat Groups.

                                (Note: German signal traffic was intercepted by UK stations and warning of attack passed to

                                HX228.

                10th        Under attack by NEULAND U-Boat Group using conventional and T5 acoustic torpedoes (FAT).

                                See SEEK AND STRIKE.

                11th        Located U444 by radar on surface and attacked with depth charges which forced it to resurface.

                                Rammed U444 which became wedged under stern structure and caused major damage and

                                reduced submarine speed to crawl

                                Despite this disadvantage rescued survivors from merchant ship sunk in attacks.

                                (Note: .U444 was later rammed and sunk by FS ACONIT.

                                See U-BOATS DESTROYED )

                                Ship totally disabled when propeller shaft broke.

                                Hit by two torpedoes fired from U432 and ship broke in two sections.

                                Ship sank in position 51.23N 28.40W with heavy loss of life.

                                (Note: Senior Officer of EGB3, Commander A A Tait, Royal Navy and 145 other members of

                                the ship's company were lost.

                                The few who survived were rescued by FS ACONIT.

                                See above references.

  

S p e c i a l   N  o t e:

 

Whilst going to the rescue of survivors, FS ACONIT detected the submerged U432 and carried out depth charge attacks which forced the submarine to the surface. FS ACONIT, despite her already damaged bow, rammed and sank U432.

 

Following these two sinkings of U-Boats by ramming, commanding officers of all escorts were forbidden to carry out this form of attack. This was due to risk posed to other ships attempting to assist after damage and need to withdraw escorts for damage repair at a time when all available escorts were needed for defence of convoys against submarine and air attacks. Five survivors from U444 and 24 from U432 were rescued by escorts of HX228.

 

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS HARVESTER

by Don Kindell

  

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above