Variant of H-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 8th December
1937 from JS White of Cowes, IoW by Brazil.
The ship was laid down on 30th March 1938 and
when launched on 17th July
1939 was given the name JAVARY. During fitting
out on 5th September she was
requisitioned by the Admiralty and renamed HMS
HAVANT, a name previously used
for a minesweeper sold to Siam in 1922. Basic
design was similar to the RN
H-Class but cabin accommodation was much
improved. Prior to entering
RN service the after 4.7in gun was removed to
enable more depth charges to
be carried. This ship was commissioned for RN
service en 19th December 1939
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1940 - DUNKIRK 1940
H e r a l d i c D a t a
No details of any Crest is given in the official Heraldic Crest
Record
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
December
Contractors trials
19th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
1
9 4 0
January
8th
Commenced work-up at
Portland.
31st
Joined 9th Destroyer Flotilla at
Plymouth and deployed for convoy
Channel and
SW Approaches.
February
4th
Carried out anti-submarine search operation in
SW Approaches with HM Destroyers
WHITSHED and ARDENT.
15th
Under repair and installation of degaussing
equipment at Devonport.
(Note: Some reports suggest defects due to
sabotage).
March
Deployed for Atlantic convoy escort and patrol
in SW Approaches
April
7th
Detached for duty with Home Fleet during
passage to
Greenock for escort of
UK
- Gibraltar convoy.
12th
Visited Thorshaven, Faeroes to determine the
local political situation after the
German invasion of
Denmark.
13th
Escorted HM Cruiser SUFFOLK carrying Royal
Marines for the initial occupation
of
Faeroes
Islands.
14th
Joined Home Fleet for escort of military
convoys to
Norway.
May
Escort of military convoys to
Norway
in continuation.
7th
Transferred to Western Approaches Command for
Atlantic convoy escort.
14th
Escorted ss
FRANCONIA
and ss LANCASTRIA carrying troops to
Iceland
to relieve
RM advance party (Operation ALABASTER).
25th
On arrival at
Greenock
redeployed for duty in Channel at
Dover.
29th
Began evacuation of troops from
Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO).
June
1st
Having already carried 2,300 troops from the
beaches, took passage from
Dover,
Embarked 500 troops and after leaving
Dunkirk
went to assist HM Destroyer IVANHOE
which had been damaged in air attacks.
Took off some of her passengers.
During passage to
Dover came under heavy air
attack and received
three direct hits
HM Minesweeper SALTASH attempted tow
after embarking
troops and ship's company.
Towing operation abandoned and ship sunk by
gunfire from HMS SALTASH in position
51.08N 02.16E.
Eight of ships company were killed and 25
wounded as well as many soldier casualties.
Some
survivors were
machine-gunned whilst in the water.
For details of DYNAMO see BEF SHIPS by J de
Winser and NINE DAYS AT
DUNKIRK by AD Divine.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HAVANT
by
Don Kindell
No convoys listed