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1st Sustained damage in air attacks and withdrawn from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.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HARVESTER
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
29/06/40
|
29/06/40
|
WS 001
|
30/06/40
|
29/07/40
|
29/06/40
|
11/07/40
|
HX 054
|
unknown
|
14/07/40
|
05/08/40
|
05/08/40
|
WS 002
|
07/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
06/08/40
|
06/08/40
|
OB 194
|
09/08/40
|
10/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
OB 199
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
31/08/40
|
31/08/40
|
MP
|
03/09/40
|
14/09/40
|
10/09/40
|
10/09/40
|
AP 003/1
|
12/09/40
|
22/10/40
|
20/09/40
|
20/09/40
|
OG 043
|
25/09/40
|
03/10/40
|
10/09/40
|
26/09/40
|
SL 047
|
28/09/40
|
28/09/40
|
03/10/40
|
03/10/40
|
WS 003A
|
unknown
|
27/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
SC 008
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
30/11/40
|
04/12/40
|
OB 252
|
04/12/40
|
04/12/40
|
07/12/40
|
29/12/40
|
SL 058S
|
29/12/40
|
02/01/41
|
31/01/41
|
31/01/41
|
OB 280
|
04/02/41
|
03/02/41
|
22/01/41
|
04/02/41
|
SC 020
|
08/02/41
|
08/02/41
|
13/02/41
|
15/02/41
|
OB 286
|
17/02/41
|
17/02/41
|
30/01/41
|
17/02/41
|
SL 064
|
20/02/41
|
22/02/41
|
19/02/41
|
06/03/41
|
HX 110
|
08/03/41
|
11/03/41
|
18/02/41
|
08/03/41
|
SC 023
|
09/03/41
|
09/03/41
|
29/03/41
|
20/04/41
|
SL 070
|
20/04/41
|
23/04/41
|
06/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
TIGER
|
12/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
23/05/41
|
23/05/41
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
08/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
OB 332
|
12/06/41
|
23/06/41
|
08/06/41
|
13/06/41
|
OB 331
|
18/06/41
|
19/06/41
|
06/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
OB 343
|
20/07/41
|
21/07/41
|
21/07/41
|
23/07/41
|
TC 012
|
26/07/41
|
29/07/41
|
26/08/41
|
27/08/41
|
TC 012B
|
01/09/41
|
01/09/41
|
09/10/41
|
09/10/41
|
TC 014
|
17/10/41
|
17/10/41
|
13/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
TC 015
|
21/11/41
|
21/11/41
|
25/11/41
|
26/11/41
|
OG 077
|
unknown
|
13/12/41
|
03/05/42
|
06/05/42
|
HX 188
|
14/05/42
|
16/05/42
|
26/05/42
|
27/05/42
|
ON 098
|
07/06/42
|
12/06/42
|
14/06/42
|
17/06/42
|
HX 194
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
06/07/42
|
07/07/42
|
ON 110
|
20/07/42
|
26/07/42
|
24/07/42
|
26/07/42
|
SC 093
|
05/08/42
|
07/08/42
|
12/08/42
|
13/08/42
|
ON 121
|
17/08/42
|
27/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
17/08/42
|
HX 202
|
20/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
29/08/42
|
30/08/42
|
ON 126
|
10/09/42
|
18/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
16/09/42
|
HX 207
|
24/09/42
|
25/09/42
|
03/10/42
|
09/10/42
|
ON 136
|
16/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
23/10/42
|
SC 106
|
03/11/42
|
05/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
18/11/42
|
ON 146
|
29/11/42
|
08/12/42
|
05/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
HX 218
|
19/12/42
|
21/12/42
|
14/02/43
|
16/02/43
|
ON 167
|
27/02/43
|
08/03/43
|
28/02/43
|
06/03/43
|
HX 228
|
11/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)