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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2002

HMS PUNJABI (L 21) -  Tribal-class Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Matabele, sister ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

TRIBAL-Class Destroyer ordered from Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering at Greenock on 19th June 1936 with sister destroyer to be named HMS MATABELE under the 1935 Build Programme. The ship was laid down on 1st October 1936 and launched on 18 December 1937 as 1st RN ship to carry this name. Her build was completed on 29th March 1939 after delay and the Tender cost was £343,005 which excluded items supplied by the Admiralty, such as weapons and communications outfits. The ship commissioned for service in the 2nd TRIBAL Destroyer Flotilla in the Home Fleet, which was re-identified at the 6th Destroyer Flotilla in April 1939. The name is that of an inhabitant of the Punjab, India..

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NARVIK 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940 - NORWAY 1941 - BISMARCK Action 1941 - ARCTIC 1942-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge:  On a Field Blue issuant from the base, the head of

a soldier of the Punjab Regiment proper.

 

Manning Division: Devonport

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   P r e - W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 3 9

 

March                    Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 1st Tribal Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet

                29th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                (Note: Pennant Number allocated was F21 in place of initial L21.)

 

April                       On completion of trials and storing took passage to Portland.

                                Worked-up at Portland.

                                Flotilla re-identified as 6th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

May                        On completion of work-up joined 6th Flotilla

                                Deployed with Flotilla in Home Fleet Exercise and visits Programme.

June

                1st           Diverted from Programme after sinking of HM Submarine THETIS and took passage to

                                Anglesey area to join Home Fleet ships carrying out rescue operations.

                                (Note: These failed and 99 of the crew lost their lives.)

                4th          Released from THETIS operation and resumed Home Fleet programme.

 

July                         Deployed in Home waters with Flotilla for Fleet exercises.

 

August                  Home Fleet deployment in continuation including exercise in Atlantic with Anglo French

                                Squadron.

                                (Note: This may be have been her appointed war station.)

 

 

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)

 

 

September             Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet duties including anti-submarine patrol and convoy

                                defence in NW Approaches and North Sea.

 

October                  Home Fleet Flotilla deployment in continuation.

                                (Note: Attempted salvage of German Flying Boat which was unsuccessful.)

 

November              Deployed with Flotilla in North Sea for patrol and convoy defence.

 

December

                2nd         Sustained structural damage to bows in collision with ss LAIRDSCREST

                                south of Holy Island.

                                (Note: One source records this was during escort of HM Battlecruiser HOOD.)

                                Repair arranged at Govan

                15th        Under repair by Stevens shipyard

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Repair at Govan in continuation

 

February

                29th        Resumed operational service with Flotilla after post repair trials.

 

March                    Passage to rejoin Flotilla at Scapa Flow for screening and patrol duties.

                                (Note: Other ships in Flotilla were HM Destroyers SOMALI, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN,

                                ESKIMO, MATABELE, MASHONA and TARTAR.)

 

April

                7th          Deployed with HM Destroyers CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN, JUPITER, ELECTRA.

                                ESCAPADE, BRAZEN, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and KIMBERLEY as screen for

                                HM Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM Cruiser

                                PENELOPE and French cruiser EMILE BERTIN during search for German warships

                                reported on passage in North Sea off Norwegian coast.

                8th          Detached with HM Destroyers BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and KIMBERLEY as screen for

                                HMS REPULSE and HMS PENELOPE to assist HM Destroyer GLOWWORM under

                                attack by German cruiser HIPPER.

                                (Note: HMS GLOWWORM was sunk after ramming the enemy ship.)

                9th          Deployed off Narvik as screen for HM Battlecruisers RENOWN and REPULSE with HM

                                Destroyers BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and KIMBERLEY prior to attack on German destroyers

                13th        Took part in 2nd Battle of Narvik and sustained serious damage after six hits during this

                                engagement. Ship disabled but resumed service after an hour.

                14th        Taken in hand for temporary repair at Skelfjord to enable ship to return to UK for repair.

                20th        Passage to UK and repair arranged at HM Dockyard, Devonport.

                28th        Arrived at Plymouth for repair.

                                (Note: For details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NAVAL OPERATIONS

                                OF THE CAMPAIGN IN NORWAY, April – June 1940 (HMSO), THE DOOMED

                                EXPEDITION by T Adams, NARVIK by D Macintyre and CARRIER GLORIOUS

                                by J Winton.)

 

May                        Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to G21

                                Work done included replacement of 4.7in mounting in X position by 4in Twin AA mounting.

 

June

                12th        Carried out post refit trials before resuming operational service with Flotilla at Plymouth.

                17th        Took part in evacuation of allied military and civil personnel from St Nazaire.

                                (Operation AERIAL)

                20th        Returned to St Nazaire to evacuate Polish troops.

                25th        Resumed Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.

 

July                         Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet screening and patrol duties

 

August

                9th          Deployed with other Home Fleet destroyers to supplement escort for HMS VALIANT,

                                HMS HOOD, HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS and HM Cruiser ARETHUSA during return

                                passage of Force H ships from Gibraltar.

 

September             Deployed with Home Fleet destroyers to supplement screen for military convoy

                                on passage in NW Approaches to carry out landings in Dakar (Operation MENACE).

                1st           Assisted in cover for return passage of HM Cruiser FIJI of Force M after that ship

                                had been hit by a torpedo from U32 off the Hebrides.

                                (Note: Deployments between July and October may have included anti-invasion

                                patrol and Fleet screening. To be confirmed.)

 

October                  Deployed with Flotilla in continuation.

to November         (Note: Channel area deployment to be confirmed.)

 

December

                3rd          Detached for escort of 20th Destroyer Flotilla during minelay off Ile de Bas

                                (Operation GR –later cancelled. See Naval Staff History (Mining).

                4th          Resumed Flotilla duties.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Resumed Flotilla deployment in continuation in Channel.

 

February                Transferred to Scapa Flow with ships of Flotilla for screening and patrol duties,

 

March                    Home Fleet duty with Flotilla in continuation.

                13th        Nominated for refit and passage to Rosyth

                14th .      Taken in hand for refit.

 

April                       Under refit.

                                (Note: Work included fit of RAF ASV type radar outfit modified for shipborne use.

                                This equipment for which the aerial was fixed to ship’s structure had severe

                                limitations. See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of the development

                                and use of radar in the RN.)

 

May

                3rd          On completion of post refit trials resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet at Scapa Flow

                24th        Part of escort for HM Battleship KING GEORGE V and HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS

                                during search for German battleship BISMARCK after sinking of HMS Battlecruiser HOOD.

                                For details of the pursuit and sinking of BISMARCK see BATTLESHIP BISMARCK

                                by Mullenheim Rechberg, PURSUIT by L Kennedy and the Naval Staff History.

                25th        Passage to Hvalfjord, Iceland to refuel.

               

June                        Home Fleet Flotilla duties in continuation.

 

July

                27th        Deployed with HMS TARTAR as screen for HM Cruisers AURORA and NIGERIA

                                during operation to assess the potential of using Spitzbergen as a refuelling base for

                                escorts used in defence of convoys on passage to and from North Russia.

 

August

                1st           After evacuation of Norwegian nationals from Bear Island deployed as screen with

                                HMS TARTAR for same ships during offensive sweep off Norwegian coast before

                                taking passage to return to Scapa Flow.

                30th        Detached for escort of HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS and HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE

                                with HMS MATABELE and HMS SOMALI during passage to Archangel.

                                Embarked RAF personnel for passage (Operation STRENGTH).

                                (Note: HMS ARGUS was taking HURRICANE aircraft and the ships also carried

                                personnel for duty in North Russia. Cover was provided by HMS VICTORIOUS,

                                HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE and SUFFOLK, screened by HM Destroyers

                                ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD and ESCAPADE.)

 

September

                7th          Aircraft despatched and ships took passage to Murmansk.

                15th        On return to Scapa Flow resumed Flotilla duties.

 

October                  Home Fleet duties in continuation with Flotilla

to November         Nominated for refit

                                Passage to Tyne.

 

December

                1st           Taken in hand for refit by Hawthorn Leslie shipyard at Hebburn.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under refit.

                                (Note: This may have included machine repair and damage to systems

                                due to excess stress when steaming in heavy weather, as in other ships

                                of the Class. To be confirmed.)

                30th        Carried out post refit trials and took passage to resume Flotilla duties at Scapa Flow

                                on completion.

 

February                Deployed at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet Flotilla duties.

 

March    Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, ECHO, ECLIPSE,

                ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY, GROVE, ICARUS, INCONSTANT

                INTREPID, JAVELIN, LANCASTER, LEDBURY, LOOKOUT, ONSLOW,

                TARTAR, VERDUN, WELLS and WOOLSTON as screen for HM Battleships

                KING GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN. HM

                Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers KENT and BERWICK providing

                Distant Cover for Russian Convoy PQ12 and returning QP8.

                (For details of all Russian convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,

                THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by D Macintyre, CONVOY! by P Kemp and ARCTIC

                CONVOYS by R Woodman.)

                8th          Detached with HM Destroyers ONSLOW, FURY, ASHANTI, ECHO and ECLIPSE

                                to refuel in Iceland after search for German destroyers,

                9th          Joined HM Cruisers TRINIDAD and LIVERPOOL as screen with HMS ECHO and

                HMS FURY.

                (Note: The two cruisers were to supply fuel to escorts of convoys deployed in the search

                for German battleship TIRPITZ known to be at sea for an attack on QP8.

                TIRPITZ had in fact returned to Vestfjord when it was known that the covering

                force included an aircraft carrier. The attacks made on TIRPITZ by aircraft from

                HMS VICTORIOUS were however unsuccessful.)

                11th        Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY, INTREPID, ICARUS, TARTAR,

                BEDOUIN and ESKIMO in search for enemy ships off Bodo.

                Detached from search and returned to Scapa Flow after problems with steering gear

                (Note: Search for TIRPITZ was unsuccessful.. See above references and ENGAGE THE

                ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)

 

April                       Nominated for escort of return convoy QP10.

                10th        Escorted return convoy QP10 with HM Destroyers ECLIPSE, FURY, MARNE and ORIBI.

                12th        HMS Cruiser LIVERPOOL joined escort.

                                Under attack by U435 which failed. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.

                21st         Detached from PQ10 with escort on arrival at Rekjavik, Iceland.

                26th        Deployed with HM Destroyers BELVOIR, ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, HURSLEY,

                INGLEFIELD, LAMERTON, MARNE, MARTIN, MIDDLETON, ORIBI and US

                destroyers USS MADISON, USS PLUNKETT, USS WAINWRIGHT and USS WILSON

                as screen for HMS KING GEORGE V, US battleship USS WASHINGTON, HMS

                VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers KENYA, US cruisers USS TUSCALOOSA and WICHITA

                Providing Distant Cover for passage of Russian convoy PQ15.

                29th        Sailed from Hvalfjord with covering force and screen.

 

May

                1st           Rammed and sunk in collision by HMS KING GEORGE V in foggy conditions.

                Ship broke in two and 169 of ship’s company were rescued from the forward section and 40

                other from the sea. Those left in the after section which sank very quickly

                were killed when depth charges detonated. For details see above references and THE

                TRIBALS by M Bryce.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS PUNJABI

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

04/11/39

05/11/39

ON 001/1

07/11/39

07/11/39

07/11/39

07/11/39

HN 001

10/11/39

10/11/39

27/03/40

29/03/40

ON 023/1

31/03/40

31/03/40

31/03/40

31/03/40

HN 023B

04/04/40

04/04/40

03/08/40

04/08/40

OA 193

04/08/40

07/08/40

01/03/42

06/03/42

PQ 012

11/03/42

12/03/42

10/03/42

22/03/42

PQ 013

28/03/42

31/03/42

21/03/42

22/03/42

QP 009

28/03/42

03/04/42

10/04/42

10/04/42

QP 010

21/04/42

21/04/42

10/04/42

29/04/42

PQ 015

01/05/42

05/05/42

28/04/42

29/04/42

QP 011

01/05/42

07/05/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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