1 9 3 9
June Contractors
Trials and commissioned for service in 7th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.
28th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials at Portland.
July Work-up
for operational service at Portland
delayed by defects in turbines.
Passage
to Plymouth for repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport
7th Taken
in hand for repair.
(Note:
Defects in turbines were common amongst ships of the Class, but in this case
occurred
prior to operational use. This ship was plagued with machinery defects
throughout
her service
August Under repair
at Devonport
28th On
completion took passage to Portland
to complete work-up
War
station on completion of trials with Flotilla in North Sea.
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
1st Completed
trials at Portland and on completion took passage to join Flotilla at Grimsby.
3rd Deployed
with Flotilla as part of Humber force for interception of German vessels in
North Sea and convoy defence.
22nd Escorted
sister destroyer HMS JAVELIN to Tyne following that ship’s collision with HMS
JERSEY during search for German destroyers
in North
Sea.
30th Sustained
slight damage in collision with sister destroyer HMS JERVIS at Rosyth.
October North sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
8th Taken
in tow by HMS JERVIS after machinery defect.
Propulsion
restored and proceeded to Scapa
Flow for repair.
22nd Assisted
HM Destroyer JAVELIN with HM Destroyer AFRIDI after damage sustained in
collision with mercantile. Towed disabled
destroyer to Middlesbrough for repair.
November North Sea deployment in continuation
December Transferred to Humber Force at
Immingham for interception patrol and convoy defence
with Flotilla in North Sea.
(Note:
North Sea convoys were under threat of attacks by aircraft and
surface warships
which
also carried out extensive minelaying.
1 9 4 0
January
4th Resumed
Flotilla duties in Humber Force.
February
14th Taken in hand for refit by Humber Graving Dock.
(Note:
Work included installation of degaussing equipment to provide protection against
detonation
of magnet mines. See THE TORPEDOMEN by A Poland for details.)
March
19th On completion of post refit trials resumed service with
Flotilla in Humber Force.
Transferred to Rosyth with Flotilla for escort of convoys to and
from Norway.
April
6th Deployed
at Scapa Flow
7th Part
of destroyer screen for HM Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT HM Battlecruiser
REPULSE, HM Cruisers SHEFFIELD,
PENELOPE and French cruiser EMILE BERTIN
with HM
Destroyers CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN, ELECTRA, ESCAPADE, BRAZEN,
BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, ESKIMO and KIMBERLEY during search for German warships
reported
on passage in North Sea
(Note:
For details see NAVAL OPERATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN IN NORWAY April
to June
1940 and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
On release from screen returned
to Scapa Flow
(Note:
As this ship took no part in operations off Norway it may be assumed that her
availability
was under question.)
Recommended for refit
27th Taken in hand for refit.
(Note:
Work undertaken included modifications to reserve boiler water feed tanks and
structural
stiffening. These defects probably caused stress when steaming at high
speed
in heavy weather were common to ships of this Class.)
May Under
refit and repair
June Transferred
to 5th Destroyer Flotilla.
(Note: Others ships in Flotilla were JAVELIN (Leader),
JACKAL, KELVIN, KASHMIR
and KIPLING. Ships of 7th Flotilla had been transferred
because of losses and
lengthy repairs.)
15th On completion carried out post refit trials and took passage
to resume service in Humber
Force
based at Immingham.
July Deployed
for interception patrol and convoy defence in North Sea.
Transferred
with Flotilla for anti-invasion patrols and conv0oy defence based at Harwich.
August Harwich deployment in
continuation.
31st Deployed with HM Destroyers KELVIN and VORTIGERN as escort
from Humber of HM
Destroyers
EXPRESS, ESK, ICARUS, INTREPID and IVANHOE during passage for
minelay in Heligoland Bight off Texel (Operation CBX5)
September
1st Assisted in rescue operations with HMS KELVIN after HMS
IVANHOE and HMS ESK
sank after detonating enemy mines during CBX5.
Took
badly damaged destroyer HMS EXPRESS in tow from, HMS KELVIN until arrival
of Tugs. For details of this disaster see Naval Staff History
(Mining.).
Resumed anti-invasion and patrol duties on release from CBX5.
October Transferred
with Flotilla to Plymouth Command for duties in English Channel.
(Note:
This deployment was made in consequence of the movement of German
destroyers
KARL GASTNER, HANS LODY, FRIEDRICH IHN and ERICH
STEINBRINK from Wilhelmshaven to Cherbourg which posed a threat to
Channel convoys from mine and
surface attacks.)
10th Joined
H M Battleship REVENGE with H M Destroyers JAGUAR, JACKAL, JUPITER,
KASHMIR and KIPLING to carry out
bombardment of Cherbourg.
Took part in
bombardment covered by HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE and EMERALD.
11th On
completion escorted HMS REVENGE with ships of Flotilla during the return
passage
to Portsmouth.
Detached on arrival and sailed
to resume duties at Plymouth
17th Deployed
with HM Destroyers JACKAL, KASHMIR and KIPLING as screen for HM
Cruisers EMERALD and NEWCASTLE to intercept German destroyers sighted by
aircraft
on westward passage and threatening Convoys in SW Approaches.
Owing to propulsion machinery
problems unable to maintain speed after fire was
opened
on German ships which retired to Brest under smoke.. Detached to investigate
two
sailing ships sighted in vicinity.
18th Returned
to Plymouth.
See Naval Staff History for
details
November
28th Sailed
from Plymouth with HM Destroyers JACKAL, JAVELIN, JERSEY
and KASHMIR
to intercept German destroyers reported by an aircraft on
passage in Channel from Brest.
Deployed on patrol line between Lands End and Start Point.
29th Sighted enemy destroyers which had attacked convoy off Start
Point sinking two ships.
Took part in night action
against KARL GASTNER, HANS LODY and ERICH STEINBRINK
during
which enemy ships fired torpedoes.
Continued pursuit when HMS
JAVELIN was hit by torpedo forward and another aft
causing
extensive damage
(Note:
Repair to HMS JAVELIN were not completed until 1942.)
. For full details see DESTROYER MAN by AF Pugsley who was in command of HMS
JAVELIN.
Returned to
assist HMS JAVELIN with the other ships of Flotilla.
Escorted HMS JAVELIN during tow
by tug to Plymouth and under air attacks which
were
repelled by RAF aircraft.
30th Returned
to Plymouth.
(Note:
Captain Lord Mountbatten was on board HMS JAVELIN during this action and
in command
of the Flotilla. His execution of this engagement has been the subject
of much
criticism. See above reference, HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith
and
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
Sailed from Plymouth with HM Destroyers KASHMIR and JERSEY
for escort of HM
Cruiser MANCHESTER during return passage to UK from Gibraltar.
(Note:
HMS MANCHESTER had been taking troops to Malta and Alexandria.
Operation COLLAR)
December
2nd Arrived
at Gibraltar
8th Sailed
from Gibraltar with HM Destroyer KELVIN and same destroyers as
screen for
for HMS
MANCHESTER.
(Note:
HMS KELVIN of Flotilla had been detached for Operation COLLAR in November.)
11th Detached
from HMS MANCHESTER with escort on arrival at Plymouth and resumed
Flotilla
duties based at Plymouth
30th Deployed
with HMS JERSEY and HMS KASHMIR as escort for HM Cruiser ADVENTURE
during passage to carry out minelay in SW Approaches
(Operation GQ2)
Provided
cover against surface attack during operation.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed
for detached service with Home Fleet
Passage to Gibraltar.
31st Joined
HM Destroyers DUNCAN, ENCOUNTER and ISIS in Group 3 for
escort of Force H
ships
during attack on Tirso Dam in Sardinia by aircraft from HMS ARK ROYAL
(Operation PICKET).
February
4th Returned
to Gibraltar on completion.
6th Joined
HM Destroyers DUNCAN, ISIS and FIREDRAKE to form Group 3 of Force H
for
planned bombardment of Genoa and air minelay off La Spezia. (Operation GROG)
(Note:
This had been intended for execution as Operation RESULT in January but
which
was cancelled.)
Sailed from Gibraltar with HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Battleship MALAYA.
HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD and HMS ARK ROYAL (Group 1), HM Destroyers FEARLESS
FOXHOUND,
FORESIGHT, FURY, ENCOUNTER and JERSEY (Group 2.)
Detached from Groups one and 2
with ships of Group3 and took passage to carry out
minelay
9th Return
to Gibraltar on completion.
11th Taken
in hand for repair by HM Dockyard Gibraltar
23rd Sailed
for Plymouth on completion of repairs
March
2nd Nominated
for refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
4th Taken
in hand for refit.
April Under
refit
May
24th Carried
out post refit trials and prepared for work-up with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
on
completion
(Note:
On 18th May a Board of enquiry was held at Plymouth to investigate suspected
sabotage
as a result of discovery of foreign material in main steam system.)
30th Commenced
work-up
June
26th Resumed
operational service on completion of work-up and deployed with 6th
Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet for screening and patrol duties.
July Nominated
for further repair and refit by Scotts shipyard at Greenock.
Passage to Greenock.
Taken
in hand for repair and fit of 20mm Oerlikon guns to
improve defence against
close
range air attacks.
Passage to Liverpool for docking by Grayson Rollo shipyard.
A-Bracket bushes re-metalled
On completion took passage to Clyde
for escort of military convoy to Capetown
prior
to service at Alexandria with 14th Destroyer Flotilla Mediterranean Fleet.
August
1st Arrived
in Clyde to join HM Cruiser LONDON as Ocean Escort for military convoy
WS10.
3rd Sailed
from Clyde with WS10.
(Note:
Convoy comprised 19 troopships taking passage to Middle East and Singapore.
Local Escort from Clyde
included HM Cruiser CAIRO, HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser
WORCESTERSHIRE and screen of 10 destroyers.)
6th Local
Escort and HMS CAIRO detached
10th HMS
LONDON relieved as Ocean Escort by HM Cruiser EDINBURGH.
17th Arrived
at Freetown.
21st Sailed from Freetown with WS10 as Ocean escort with HMS
EDINBURGH.
September
2nd Detached
from WS10 on arrival at Capetown
3rd Independent
passage to Durban
4th Arrived
at Durban requiring repair to hull structure defects caused by
weaknesses
forward which caused leaks.
5th Taken
in hand for repair.
12th Took passage from Durban for Alexandria on completion of repair.
24th Joined Flotilla at Alexandria.
October
1st Carried
out anti-submarine exercises off Alexandria with HM Destroyer JERVIS
and HM
Submarine RORQUAL.
(Note:
Fleet service with Flotilla restricted for further defects due to poor riveting
during
construction.
November Nominated for transfer to Eastern
Fleet
Took passage from Alexandria to Colombo.
28th Joined
HM Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM Destroyer ENCOUNTER at Colombo.
29th Sailed
from Colombo as screen for HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES and HMS
REPULSE during passage to Singapore with HM Destroyers, ENCOUNTER,
ELECTRA and
EXPRESS.
(Note:
These ships were identified as Force Z.)
December
2nd Arrived
at Singapore with Force Z and taken in hand for
refit.
10th Docked
at Singapore
(Note:
Did not sail with Force Z to carry out search for Japanese invasion ships
during
which HMS REPULSE and HMS PRINCE OF WALES were sunk
. by air
attacks. See THE HUNTING OF FORCE Z by RE Hough, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and Naval Staff
History for
details.)
1 9 4 2
January On
completion of dockyard work deployed for convoy escort and patrol off
Singapore.
10th Joined
military convoy DM1 with HMS ENCOUNTER and HM Destroyer
VAMPIRE
(RAN) as escort for final stage of passage into Singapore from Durban.
13th Detached from DM1 on arrival.
17th Detached
from escort of ss MOUNT VERNON to carry out anti-submarine
operations
and carried out depth charge attack on underwater contact
Sank Japanese submarine I60 in
position 6.19S 104.49E after gun, torpedo
and
depth charge attacks when submarine forced to surface in southern
approach
to Sunda Strait
(Note:
Japanese submarine were later identified by addition of 100 to number
but
this had not been introduced and submarine is correctly identified.)
February
2nd Joined
military convoy DM2 with HM Cruiser EXETER and HMAS VAMPIRE
as escort during final stage of passage from Durban into Batavia
11th At Batavia with HM Cruiser DURBAN, HM Destroyer STRONGHOLD and an
auxiliary HMS KEDAH.
12th Passage
to Singapore to evacuate personnel and under air attacks.
25th Transferred
to Eastern Striking Force with HM Cruisers EXETER and PERTH (RAN),
HM
Destroyers ELECTRA and ENCOUNTER and took passage from Tanjong
Priok
to Sourabaya to join new combined
Striking Force.
26th Sailed from Sourabaya with HMS
EXETER, US cruiser USS HOUSTON, HMAS PERTH.
Dutch cruisers DE RUYTER and
JAVA, HMS ELECTRA, HMS ENCOUNTER, Dutch
destroyers
WITTE DE WITH, KOOTENAY, US Destroyers USS JOHN D EDWARDS,
USS ALDEN, USS JOHN D FORD and PAUL JONES to intercept Japanese
Eastern Invasion Force sighted
on passage NW of Arenda Islands.
For details see WAR WITH JAPAN
Volume II.
27th As
the enemy ships were not sighted took return passage to Sourabaya
with
Combined
Striking Force to refuel.
Whilst entering harbour further
sighting reports were received and Force altered
course
to carry out attacks on invasion ships and their escort.
Under air
attacks and without air cover.
Deployed ahead of cruisers with
HMS ELECTRA and came under surface fire.
(Battle of the Java Sea – See Naval Staff History, Battle Summary No 28., HMS
ELECTRA by T J Cain, THE BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA by DA Thomas and
above
reference.)
During manoeuvres to avoid enemy
fire ship detonated mine in position 6.45S
112.6E and
totally disabled. Remained afloat for four hours
before sinking.
84 of ships
company were killed or missing with 97 taken prisoner and 83 were
either
able to reach the shore or were rescued by the US Submarine USS S38.
(Note:
A minefield had been laid that day by the Dutch minelayer GOUDEN LEEUW
without
knowledge of the Striking Force. )
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
JUPITER
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
29/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
HN 009B
|
02/02/40
|
02/02/40
|
10/02/40
|
10/02/40
|
MT 008
|
10/02/40
|
10/02/40
|
14/02/40
|
14/02/40
|
FS 0096
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
04/03/40
|
04/03/40
|
ON 017A/
|
08/03/40
|
08/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
18/03/40
|
TM 029
|
19/03/40
|
19/03/40
|
19/03/40
|
19/03/40
|
ON 021/1
|
23/03/40
|
23/03/40
|
05/04/40
|
06/04/40
|
ON 025/1
|
08/04/40
|
unknown
|
06/07/40
|
06/07/40
|
FS 0215
|
06/07/40
|
07/07/40
|
09/07/40
|
10/07/40
|
FN 0218
|
10/07/40
|
11/07/40
|
16/07/40
|
17/07/40
|
FN 0224
|
17/07/40
|
18/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
23/07/40
|
FN 0229
|
23/07/40
|
24/07/40
|
30/07/40
|
31/07/40
|
FN 0237
|
31/07/40
|
01/08/40
|
31/07/40
|
01/08/40
|
FS 0238
|
01/08/40
|
02/08/40
|
21/12/41
|
02/01/42
|
BM 009A
|
03/01/42
|
03/01/42
|
02/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
DM 001
|
13/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
15/02/42
|
15/02/42
|
SJ 002
|
16/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)