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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS QUENTIN (G 78) -  Q-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

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

Q (Quilliam)-Class ordered from JS White, Cowes in December 1940 with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla. The ship was laid down on 25th September 1940 and launched on 5th November 1941 as the first RN ship to bear this name. She was Lead Ship of this Class and her build was completed on 15th April 1942 at a cost of £436,844 excluding equipment such as the armament and communications outfits. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted during build by the civil community of Southwark in Greater London.

 

B a t t 1 e    H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, a Boar's head Black, erased Red.

 

 

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 2

 

April                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

        15th           Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

May                   Passage to Scapa Flow after completion of First of Class trials and storing.

 

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

                           On completion nominated for Atlantic convoy defence.

                           Passage to Freetown.

        19th            Joined military convoy WS19P as Ocean Escort during passage to Cape Town with HM

                           Battleships  NELSON, RODNEY, HM Destroyers DERWENT, PENN, PATHFINDER and

                           VELOX.

        26th            Detached from WS19P with HMS DERWENT, HMS PENN and HMS PATHFINDER and took

                            passage to rejoin Home Fleet as escort for HMS NELSON and HMS RODNEY.

                            (Note: HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE joined convoy as Ocean Escort before Home Fleet escorts

                                        detached.)

 

July                     Passage to Scapa Flow.

                            Nominated for escort of relief convoy to Malta (Operation PEDESTAL).

                            Passage to join military convoy WS21S in Clyde as part of screen for Home Fleet ships escorting

                            PEDESTAL convoy.

 

August

          2nd            Deployed with HM Destroyers AMAZON, ASHANTI, ESKIMO, MALCOLM,  PATHFINDER,

                            PENN, SOMALI, TARTAR, VENOMOUS, WISHART, WOLVERINE, BICESTER,

                            BRAMHAM, DERWENT, LEDBURY, WILTON and  ZETLAND as screen for HM Battleships

                            NELSON, RODNEY, HM Cruisers KENYA, NIGERIA, MANCHESTER, HM Aircraft Carrier

                            FURIOUS during escort of military convoy WS21P on passage from Clyde to Gibraltar.

        11th             After entry into Mediterranean deployed for screening of ships of Force Z providing cover for

                            passage of WS21P to the Sicilian Narrows.

                                      Ships of Force Z included above Home Fleet ships supplemented by HM Aircraft

                                       Carriers EAGLE, INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS and HM Cruiser SIRIUS.

                                       Separate Force (X) was to escort WS21P for passage through Narrows to Malta and

                                       comprised HM Cruisers CAIRO, KENYA, NIGERIA and MANCHESTER screened by

                                       11 destroyers.

                                       HMS EAGLE and HMS FURIOUS were carrying aircraft for delivery to Malta during

                                        passage in western Mediterranean.)

                            Under attacks by German and Italian Submarines during which HMS EAGLE was sunk.

                            Later, drove off an attack by Italian Torpedo Boat BRIN.

        12th             Under air and submarine attacks.

                            Remained with Force Z when WS21P detached with Force X for passage through Sicilian

                            Narrows..

                            (For details of the transit of the PEDESTAL CONVOY see THE BATTLE FOR THE

                            MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C

                            Barnett, THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene and A Massignani,

                            OPERATION PEDESTAL by P Smith and  MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman.).

        14th             Took passage to Gibraltar with ships of Force Z which was met off Bougie

.       15th             Arrived at Gibraltar with screen for combined Forces X and Z

                            Nominated for service in Atlantic and did not rejoin Home Fleet.

        20th             Took passage to Freetown with HM Destroyer VANSITTART as screen for HM Cruisers SIRIUS

                            and PHOEBE.

        24th             Sailed with HM Destroyer VIMY from Freetown after  refuelling to meet HM Battleship

                            QUEEN ELIZABETH on passage in Atlantic to USA for repair.

        27th             Deployed as escort for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH with HM Destroyer PATHFINDER.

 

September           Detached from HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and deployed for anti-submarine search in Caribbean.

         3rd              Took part in sinking of U162 with HMS PATHFINDER and HMS VIMY in position 12.12N

                             59.29W off Trinidad. 49 survivors were rescued

                             (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and  HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair,)

         4th               Refuelled at Port of Spain and deployed for convoy defence and patrol in West Indies.

        12th              Deployed with HMS PATHFINDER and HM Corvette SNOWDROP as escort for seven oil

                             tankers during passage from West Indies to Freetown.

        26th              Detached from convoy on arrival at Freetown.

 

 October               Passage to Clyde with call at Gibraltar to resume duties in Western Approaches.

                             Nominated for support landings in North Africa  (Operation TORCH).

                             Passage to Gibraltar as part of screen for Home Fleet ships detached for deployment with

                             Force H.

 

November

          6th              Deployed at Gibraltar. Prepared for support duties during landings with Central Task Force.

          8th              Part of screen for HM Cruisers ARGONAUT, AURORA, CHARYBDIS and SCYLLA during

                             landings at Oran.

          9th              Carried out anti-submarine patrols to prevent attacks on invasion traffic.

        18th              Joined Force Q for interception patrols and convoy defence off North African coast and

                             deployed with HMS QUIBERON as screen for HM Cruisers AURORA, ARGONAUT and

                             SIRIUS.

         28th             Took part in sinking of Italian submarine DESSIE with HMS QUIBERON in position north of

                             Bone.

                             On return to harbour assisted in rescue operations following heavy air attacks at Bone during

                             which HM Destroyer ITHURIEL was seriously damaged.

                             Towed HMS ITHURIEL to be beached clear of harbour.

                             (Note: This destroyer was later towed to Algiers but found to be beyond economic repair.)

 

December

           1st             Deployed with HMS QUIBERON as screen for HM Cruisers AURORA, ARGONAUT and

                             SIRIUS as Force Q for interception of Italian convoy.

           2nd            In action with ships of  Force Q against convoy of four ships north of Cape Bon during which

                             Italian destroyer FOLGORE and all four mercantiles were sunk with three other escorts damaged.

                             Under air attacks during return passage and hit by torpedo off Galita Island.

                             Sank in position 37.40N 08.55E. Survivors were rescued by HMS QUIBERON.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS QUENTIN

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

 

 

 

 

 

01/07/42

15/07/42

OS 033

20/07/42

20/07/42

23/09/42

25/09/42

SL 123

27/09/42

14/10/42

14/11/42

20/11/42

KMF 003

21/11/42

23/11/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 7/8/11
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