Q-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered in March 1940 from Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle with other ships of the 3rd Emergency Flotilla. The ship was laid down on 24th September that year but her construction was delayed because of higher priority repair work on ships damaged in action during the Norwegian campaign and the evacuation operations in the Channel. Launch was therefore delayed until 28th February 1942 when she became the 1st RN ship to carry this name. Build was completed on 26th November 1942 at a cost of £436,576. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK for National Savings in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Bermondsey in Greater London.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ARCTIC  1942-43 - OKINAWA  1945

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, in base water barry wavy white and blue

a Davis quadrant Gold.

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

1 9 4 2

November          Contractor's sea trials and commissioning.

             20th       Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

December           On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.

                           Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet.

             18th       Deployed as screen for HM Battleship KING GEORGE V and HM Cruiser BERWICK

                           with HM Destroyers MUSKETEER and RAIDER to provide Distant Cover for the passage

                           of Russian Convoy JW51A,

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

                           ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by B Schoefield and

                           CONVOY ! by P Kemp.

1 9 4 3

January              Deployed with Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

             23rd       Joined escort for joint military convoy WS26 (For Aden and Bombay) and Convoy KMF8

                           (For Mediterranean) in Clyde with HM Destroyer RELENTLESS for passage to Freetown.

                           (Note: Other ships joining were HM Armed Merchant Cruisers CANTON and CILICIA,

                                       HM Cutters BANFF, FISHGUARD, HM Frigate TEST, Greek destroyers ADRIAS

                                       and MIAOULIS).

             29th      Gibraltar Section (KMF8) detached.

                           Additional destroyers joined Escort.

February

               6th       Detached from WS26 and took passage to return to UK.

              27th      Joined escort for joint military convoy WS27 and KMF10A in Clyde with HM Sloops

                           EGRET, ERNE, HM Frigate TEST, HM Cutter FISHGUARD, HM Destroyers

                           QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, RAIDER, WOLVERINE and CLARE as Ocean Escort during

                           Atlantic passage.

                           (Note: HM Battleship MALAYA provided cover for passage to Freetown.)

March

               2nd      Gibraltar Section KMF10A detached.

               5th       Detached from WS27 for independent passage to Gambia

                           After the formal visit took passage to Freetown.

             10th       Deployed at Freetown for convoy defence and patrol.

             30th       Joined military convoy WS28 at Freetown for escort during passage to Durban with

                           HM Destroyer REDOUBT and HM Cruiser KENYA.

April

               5th       HM Destroyers RACEHORSE and RELENTLESS joined escort during passage.

             11th       Remained with WS238 when HMS KENYA detached en arrival off Capetown

                           (Note: HMS REDOUBT and HMS RELENTLESS were also part of escort.)

             14th       Detached from WS28 on arrival at Durban.

             16th       Nominated for duty on South Atlantic Station and took passage to Simonstown for convoy

                           defence

May                    Passage to join military convoy WS29 from Freetown.

              16th      Joined escort for WS29 in Atlantic.

              20th      Detached from W529 on arrival at Durban.

              25th      Rejoined WS29 with HM Destroyers NORMAN and REDOUBT for passage in Indian Ocean.

              29th      Detached from WS29 with HIS REDOUBT before it divided for separate passages to

                           Bombay and Aden. Took passage to Durban.

June                    Passage from Durban to Join military convoy in Atlantic.

                9th      Joined escort for Convoy WS30 during passage from Freetown with HMS REDOUBT and

                           HM Destroyer NORMAN (RAN).

               19th     Detached on arrival of WS30 at Durban.

               20th     Deployed at Durban.

July                     Passage to join escort of military convoy during Atlantic passage from Freetown.

               15th     Joined escort for Convoy WS31 with HMS REDOUBT.

               21st      Detached on arrival of convoy at Capetown.

               26th      Rejoined escort for WS31 with HMS REDOUBT on departure from Capetown

August                Escort of military convoy to Bombay in Indian Ocean.

                 4th      Detached from WS31 with HMS REDOUBT after arrival of HM Cruiser FROBISHER.

                            Took passage to Durban.

September           Deployed for Indian Ocean convoy defence based at

to                         Durban.                                

November           Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet at Trincomalee after refit.

December           Under refit at Simons Town.

1 9 4 4

January               Under refit

to                        Nominated for Fleet duties in Indian Ocean.

February

March               On completion of post refit trials took passage to join Eastern Fleet ships in search for blockade

                           runners and supply ships in Indian Ocean. 

                            (For details of naval activities in the Indian Ocean between 1944 and 1945 see OPERATION

                            PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO). ).

                            Joined HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE and HM Escort Aircraft Carrier BATTLER in Force 67 to

                            take part in search for German supply ship. (Operation COVERED)

                 8th      Detached to join HM Cruiser SUFFOLK deployed as  Force 68

                            (Note: After air search by CATALINA aircraft and by aircraft from HMS BATTLER  the

                                        German tanker BRAKE was sighted and was engaged in refuelling submarines.

                                        Enemy supply ship scuttled on approach of HMS

                                        ROEBUCK of Force 67. Crew were taken off by U168.

                                         WAR WITH JAPAN records BRAKE was sunk by HMS ROEBUCK.)

April

               16th      Part of screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS,

                            US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and HM Cruiser LONDON with HM Destroyers

                            QUILLIAM, QUEENBOROUGH, US destroyers USS CUMMINGS, USS DUNLOP and

                            USS FANNING in Task Force 70 of Eastern Fleet for air attacks en Sabang, Sumatra

                            (Operation COCKPIT).

               19th      Deployed with screen during carrier air operations.

               24th      Returned to Trincomalee with Eastern Fleet ships.

May

                 6th      Part of screen for HMS RENOWN, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA with

                            USS DUNLOP, USS FANNING, USS CUMMINGS, HMS QUEENBOROUGH and HMS

                            QUILLIAM in Task Force 66 of Eastern Fleet for air attacks on Soerabaya, Java .

                            (Operation TRANSOM).

                 7th      Remained as destroyer screen for aircraft carriers when HMS RENOWN transferred to

                            Task Force 65, the Covering Force.

               15th      Replenished in Exmouth Bay, NW Australia from Task Force 67.

               17th      Part of screen during air operations.

               18th      US Navy ships detached for return to US Navy Command.

               27th      Arrived in Ceylon with British Task Forces.

June                     Deployed with Flotilla for screening duties of major units and convoy defence in Indian

to                         Ocean.

October

November

               22nd     Transferred to British Pacific Fleet on formation with ships of Flotilla.

December           Escorted Flagship, British Pacific Fleet, HM Battleship HOWE with HM Destroyers

                           QUICKMATCH, QUEENBOROUGH and QUILLIAM during passage to Australia.

                           Deployed at Melbourne for leave.

                            (Note: Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D14 to conform with US

                                        Navy identity for destroyers.)

1 9 4 5

January               Despatched from Melbourne with HMS QUALITY, and HMS QUILLIAM to join HMS

                            QUICKMATCH off Sydney in search for U862 which had sunk US freighter Robert J Walker

                            on 24th December.

                            Search was unsuccessful but survivors rescued.

                            (Note: Other ships deployed included US Submarine Chaser PC597  and RAN corvettes.

                            Carried out extensive exercises with ships of BPF in preparation for service in SW Pacific under

                            overall US Navy command.

                            (Note: These included manoeuvring using US Navy signalling procedures and joint exercises to

                                         prepare for operational service including support of air operations and bombardments.

February              Deployed with HM Destroyers QUADRANT and QUICKMATCH as screen for HM New

                            Cruisers ACHILLES, GAMBIA and HM Battleship HOWE during visit to Auckland, New

                            Zealand by Admiral Fraser, CinC BPF.

                            Routine docking in HM Dockyard, Auckland.

                            Returned to Sydney with same ships for final preparations for operational service.

March                 Deployed in Australian waters

to                        (Note: No reference can be found to presence with ships of Task Force 57 during first

April                               operational deployment of RN ships off Sakishima Gunto for Operation ICEBERG

                                        ONE).

May                     Passage from Sydney with call at Manus before joining BPF in operational area

               22nd     Joined Task Force 57 in Area COOTIE during replenishment of Task Force 57 with HM

                            Cruiser ACHILLES (RNZN) and HM Destroyer TERMAGANT.

                            (Operation ICEBERG TWO)

               24th      Deployed with destroyer screen during air operations against Japanese airfields in Sakishima

                            Gunto Group.

               25th      On completion took passage to Manus with ships of Task Force.

                            (Note: HM Battleship KING GEORGE V detached for passage to Guam. )

June                    Passage to Sydney from Manus for R&R.

                            Transferred to Task Force 37 in US 3rd Fleet with BPF ships.

                            (Note this was part of a change in US Navy Command structure).

July

                 6th      Took passage from Sydney as part of screen for HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM

                            Aircraft Carriers FORMIDABLE, IMPLACABLE and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers

                            NEWFOUNDLAND, ACHILLES (RNZN), BLACK PRINCE, EURYALUS, GAMBIA

                            (RNZN) and UGANDA (RCN) with HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, UNDINE, URANIA,

                            ULYSSES, UNDAUNTED, QUIBERON, QUICKMATCH, QUALITY of 4th Flotilla and

                            HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TENACIOUS, TERMAGANT, TEAZER, TERPSICHORE

                            of 24th Flotilla.

               16th      Joined US Task Force 38 with BPF ships for joint RN/USN air operations against targets

                            in Tokyo - Yokohama area.

                            (For details of operations by British Pacific Fleet in 1945 see TASK FORCE 57 by Peter C

                            Smith, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton  and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).

               18th      Deployed with screen for aircraft carriers during British air operations.

               21st      Destroyers refuelled from British major warships in refuelling area.

               24th      Screening duties in continuation during air strikes on subsidiary targets.

                            (Note: US Fleet were carrying out attacks on Kure naval base.)

               26th      Provided screen during replenishment.

                            (Note: During the replenishment destroyers were deployed for delivery purposes.)

               28th      Screening duties in continuation during attacks on shipping and airfield.

               30th      Passage to Replenishment area

               31st      Deployed with screen during refuelling of aircraft carriers.

August

                4th       Refuelled from major British warships.

                            (Note: The supply of fuel from British Fleet Train tankers was a continuing embarrassment).

                9th       Deployed with Fleet screen for ships of Task Force 37 during Joint attacks with Task Force 38

                            on airfields in North Honshu and Hokkaido.

               12th      Withdrawn from operational area with ships not transferred to US Task Unit 38.5.

                             (Note: This was because of lack of availability of fuel from British Fleet Train. See

                                         OPERATION PACIFIC, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET. and WAR WITH JAPAN.)

               17th       Transferred to RN control and Joined HM Cruisers SWIFTSURE, EURYALUS and BLACK

                             PRINCE with HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT, URSA and WHIRLWIND.

                             Took passage to Subic Bay.

               25th       Joined Task Unit 111.2 on formation at Subic Bay.

               27th       Passage to Hong Kong for re-occupation with HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE, HM

                             Escort Aircraft Carrier VENERABLE, HM Auxiliary Cruiser PRINCE ROBERT (RCN) and

                             same ships for re-occupation of Hong Kong.

               30th       Entered Hong Kong with TU 111.2 after threat by Japanese explosive craft dealt with by

                             aircraft from HMS VENGEANCE.

September

               16th       Present at Hong Kong for formal surrender

Post War Notes

HMS QUADRANT remained in the Pacific Fleet and was deployed in support of the repatriation of PoW and civilian internees. The ship was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy for loan service in in November 1945. After permanent transfer in 1950 she was converted for use as an Anti-Submarine Frigate. This work was completed in 1953. By 1957 she had been placed in Reserve and went on the Disposal List in 1962. The ship was sold for breaking up in January 1963.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS QUADRANT

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)