QUILLIAM-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 2nd April
1940 with the 3rd Emergency Flotilla from Swan Hunter at Wallsend, Newcastle and laid down on 10th October 1940.
Build was delayed due to the extent of repair work after the Norwegian campaign and evacuations
from Europe. The ship was launched on 6th October 1941 as the first RN warship to carry the name. Build was
completed en 7th September 1942 and she was one of three of this Class which commissioned for RN service. The
cost excluding weapons, ammunition, radar and communications outfits supplied by the Admiralty, was
£439,820. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by
the civil community of Harrow, then in Middlesex.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
NORTH AFRICA 1942 - SABANG 1944 - OKINAWA 1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Red, Upon a
billet charged Gold, two Torteaux Red,
the one in chief charged with a leopard's face, crowned with a
Royal Prince's crown gold, and the one in base with a castle of three
towers also 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 2
September Contractors trials and commissioning.
7th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion of
trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.
October Worked-up with ships of Home Fleet for operational service.
Nominated for support
of allied landings in North Africa.
(Operation TORCH
- For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
Barnett
and Naval Staff
History.)
November
Passage to Gibraltar as part of escort for military convoy.
8th Took part in
support of landings in North Africa.
On release
deployed at Gibraltar for local escort of coastal convoys.
December
Joined Force Q based at Bone for attacks on enemy supply convoys to
Tunisia.
(Note: Deployed
as screen for HM Cruisers ARGONAUT, SIRIUS and DIDO during
interception of enemy convoys and convoy defence.
Nominated for
service in Eastern Fleet with 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
1 9 4 3
January
Passage with HM Destroyers QUIBERON, QUICKMATCH, RACEHORSE and REDOUBT
to join military
convoy WS26 as escort during passage in Atlantic.
31st Joined escort for
WS26.
February
6th At Freetown with
WS26.
9th Part of escort for
WS26 with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CILICIA, HM Destroyers
QUIBERON,
QUICKMATCH, RACEHORSE and Greek ADRIAS on departure from
Freetown.
20th Detached from W526
Escort before arrival at Cape of Good Hope and took passage to
Freetown
March
Deployed at Freetown for convoy defence.
April
Freetown deployment in continuation
Nominated for
return to UK to join 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet
29th Passage to Scapa Flow with HM Destroyer QUAIL.
May
Joined Flotilla and deployed at Scapa Flow for
Fleet duties.
to Nominated for
service in Indian Ocean with Flotilla for convoy defence.
July
August
3rd Sailed from Clyde
to join Flotilla.
25th Sailed from Freetown
to join Flotilla at Durban
September
On arrival at Durban joined Flotilla for Indian Ocean convoy defence and
anti-submarine
to patrol.
November
Transferred to Trincomalee for Eastern Fleet
duties with Flotilla.
December
Deployed for Flotilla duties at Trincomalee.
23rd Carried out
anti-submarine search operation in Bay of Bengal with HMS QUIBERON after
sinking of ss PESHAWAR in Bay of Bengal, See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
1 9 4 4
January
Indian Ocean deployment in continuation
to Nominated for
transfer to Ceylon for Fleet screening duties.
February
Passage to Trincomalee.
March Deployed far Fleet
screening and patrol duties baaed at Trincomalee.
16th Part of escort for HM Battleships
QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers LONDON, GAMBIA (RNZN)
and CEYLON for
offensive sweep in Indian Ocean.
(Note: Other
destroyers in screen were HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUEENBOROUGH,
QUIBERON (RAN), NAPIER
(RAN), NORMAN (RAN), NEPAL (RAN),
PATHFINDER, Dutch destroyers VAN GALEN and TJERK HIDDES.)
21st Replenished from Fleet Tankers.
27th Present with Eastern Fleet ships when
Joined by US Task Group 56.5 SW of Cocos.
(Note: TG58.5
comprised US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and destroyers DUNLOP and
FANNING.)
April
2nd Returned to Trincomalee
with Eastern Fleet and US Navy Group.
Deployed for
patrol and screening as required.
May
6th Deployed with HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, NAPIER, NEPAL,
QUICKMATCH, QUIBERON
and Dutch VAN GALEN in Force 65 as screen for HM
Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH, VALIANT, French RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA
and Dutch TROMP to provide cover for air attacks on Soerabaya,
Java by Force 66.
(Note: US aircraft
carrier USS SARATOGA was part of Force 66. See references.
(Operation TRANSOM)
15th Refuelled in Exmouth Gulf. Western
Australia with Force 65 ships.
17th Deployed with Force 65 screen during
Force 66 air operations.
27th Returned to Trincomalee
with RN ships of Forces 65 and 66
(Note: As no
refuelling was carried out at Exmouth Gulf all ships were low in fuel on
arrival.)
June Deployed for Eastern Fleet screening
duties.
10th Sailed from Trincomalee
with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, RACEHORSE, RELENTLESS and
RAPID as screen for
HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Escort Aircraft Carrier
ATHELING, HM
Cruisers GAMBIA, CEYLON and PHOEBE for diversionary operation
to simulate passage
for an carrier air attack on Sabang during US
operation in South Pacific.
(Operation
COUNCILLOR)
12th Operation terminated. See WAR WITH
JAPAN (HMSO)
13th Arrived at Trincomalee
19th Joined HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers NIGERIA,
KENYA and CEYLON with HM Destroyers
QUILLIAM,
QUICKMATCH, ROTHERHAM of 4th Destroyer Flotilla and RACEHORSE,
RELENTLESS, ROEBUCK,
RAIDER of 11th Destroyer Flotilla as Force 60.
21st Deployed as screen for major ships of
Force 60 during air attacks at Port Blair, Andaman Islands
(Operation PEDAL).
For details see WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO) Volume IV.
July
22nd Joined Force 62 with HM Destroyers RELENTLESS, ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, RAIDER,
ROEBUCK, ROCKET, RAPID, QUILLIAM, and QUICKMATCH as screen for HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, French RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers
NIGERIA, KENYA, GAMBIA. CEYLON, CUMBERLAND, PHOEBE and Dutch TROMP
as Force 62 to provide cover for air attacks on Sabang,
Sumatra and bombardments of shore
targets
(Operation CRIMSON)
(Note: Air attacks were made by HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and
VICTORIOUS.)
25th Detached from Force 62
with Dutch cruiser TROMP and HM Destroyers QUILLIAM and
QUICKMATCH to form Inshore Force to attack harbour installations at Sabang and shipping in
harbour.
Engaged by shore batteries and sustained some damage with casualties.
(Note: Torpedoes were fired into harbour.)
27th Return passage to Trincomalee with Force 62
August Nominated for refit at Simonstown and took passage.
September Taken in hand for refit on
arrival
October Under refit.
November On completion of post refit
trials took passage to rejoin Flotilla for Eastern Fleet duties
22nd Transferred to British Pacific Fleet
with ships of 4th Flotilla on formation
December. Took passage to Australia with
ships of Flotilla to prepare for deployment with US Navy in
SW Pacific.
(Note: On
arrival at Sydney Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D18
to
conform with US Navy identity for destroyers.)
Passage from
Sydney to Melbourne with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM and
QUADRANT for
R&R visit.
24th Despatched from Melbourne with HM
Destroyer QUILLIAM and QUADRANT to join
anti-submarine
search operations off Sydney with HMS QUICKMATCH, RAN
corvettes and
US
Anti-submarine Chaser PC597 after sinking of US Freighter ROBERT
WALKER off
Sydney by
U862.
(Note:
Operations were unsuccessful but some survivors from mercantile were rescued.)
1 9 4 5
January Carried out series of
exercises with ships of BPF to prepare for service
with US Navy ships
in SW Pacific.
(Note: These
included signalling exercises using US Navy manoeuvring procedures and
Fleet practices for anticipated support
of aerial operations with US Fleet.
February Deployed with HM Destroyers
QUADRANT and QUEENBOROUGH as screen for HMNZ
Cruisers
ACHILLES, GAMBIA and HM Battleship HOWE during visit to Auckland, New
Zealand by
Admiral Fraser, CinC BPF.
Returned to
Sydney with same ships for final preparations for operational service.
28th Took passage from Sydney with
ships of British Pacific Fleet to Forward Base at Manus,
Admiralty
Islands.
Designated Task
Force 113
March Took part in exercises
with TF113 ships after arrival at Manus.
15th After delay approval given by US
Chiefs of Staff to allow ships of BPF to take part in
operations with
US Navy.
18th Took passage with Task Force 57 to
US Forward Base at Ulithi, Palau Islands.
23rd After arrival at Ulithi allocated to Task Unit 57.8 in Task Force 57.
(See THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN 9HMSO)
.
(Note: BPF ships were re-designated Task Force 57 and part of the
US Fifth Fleet under US
Navy overall command.
23rd
Allocated to Task Unit 57.1.8 which comprised:
HM Cruiser
EURYALUS.
HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, ULSTER, UNDINE, URANIA,
UNDAUNTED of 25th
Flotilla), HM
Destroyers QUICKMATCH, QUIBERON,
QUEENBOROUGH, QUALITY
of 4th Flotilla,
HM Destroyers WHELP and WAGER of 27th Flotilla.
Sailed from Ulithi with Task Force 57 ships to join US Task Force 58
for Joint attacks to
neutralise Japanese airfields in Sakishima-Gunto
Group. (Operation ICEBERG ONE).
(Note: These
operations were in support of American landings at Okinawa.)
25th Refuelled with difficulty from
Replenishment Group (Task Force 112.)
See above
references.
25th Detached from
Task Unit after developing defects and Joined HM Sloops PHEASANT and
CRANE in screen
for HM Escort Carriers STRIKER and SPEAKER after defects had been
remedied.
(Note: HM
Destroyer WHELP was also detached and the two ships replaced in Task Unit
by HM
Destroyers KEMPENFELT and WHIRLWIND.
30th Rejoined screen
for TG57.
April ICEBERG ONE deployment
in continuation.
14th Escorted HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS to Leyte with HMS URANIA.
(See above
references.)
19th Ships of BPF left operational area.
23rd BPF ships arrived at Leyte for
replenishment and maintenance.
May
1st Sailed from Leyte for operational area with Task Force 57 ships to
resume joint operations on
Sakishima-Gunto (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
3rd Resumed screening
duties with Task Unit after refuelling.
4th BPF ships under KAMIKAZE attacks.
9th BPF ships under further KAMIKAZE attacks.
25th Returned to Manus
with Task Force ships.
(Note: For
details see above references.).
Passage to
Sydney with Task Force 57 for R&R period.
June British Pacific Fleet
re-designated Task Force 37 as part of Third US Fleet after reorganisation
of US Navy
Command structure.
(Note: Ships
would act as a Unit of US Task Force 38 during Joint operations in Japanese
waters.
Overall command for deployments continued under US Navy with limited
tactical discretion
28th Sailed from
Sydney with Flotilla as part of Task Force 37.
(Note: Other ships of 4th Destroyer Flotilla
were:
HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE, UNDINE, URANIA,
URCHIN, ULYSSES,
UNDAUNTED, QUIBERON (RAN), QUICKMATCH
(RAN) and QUADRANT.
July Exercised with BPF ships during passage to Manus..
6th Sailed from Manus with TF37 ships.
17th Detached as screen for HM Battleship
KING GEORGE V with HMS QUIBERON to join US
Bombardment
Group and designated Task Unit 37.1.6.
Joined US Task
Unit 34.8.2 for bombardment of Hitachi and Mito, E Honshu.
Took part in first combined RN/US
bombardment of Japanese land targets
18th On completion Joined screen for
combined RN/USN carrier air attacks on Tokyo and
Yokohama areas.
August
9th Part of screen during Joint RN/USN air attacks on shore targets In North Honshu and
Hokkaido.
12th Ships of British Pacific Fleet,
apart from Token Force, withdrawn from operations with Task
Force 38 off
Japan.
(Note: This
was made necessary by lack of fuel from British sources..
Destroyers in Token Force, designated Task Group 38.5 were:
HM
Destroyers BARFLEUR, NIZAM,
NAPIER, WAKEFUL, WRANGLER,
TROUBRIDGE and TERMAGANT
For further details of RN operations with US Navy in Pacific see above
references
and OPERATION PACIFIC by E Grey and TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith.
14th Passage to return to forward base
at Manus before hostilities ceased.
19th Returned to Manus.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS QUALITY remained in Far East under RN control after VJ
Day. She escorted HMS KING GEORGE V and HMS DUKE OF YORK to Tokyo Bay with HMAS NAPIER and HMAS
NIZAM where they represented BPF at the formal surrender of Japan. The ship continued
deployment in Pacific and assisted repatriation of allied prisoners of war and internees. Transferred on loan to the
Royal Australian Navy on 30th October 1945 and in June 1950 permanently, the ship remained in service as a
destroyer until 1955. Consideration for conversion to an anti-submarine frigate in 1953 was later cancelled.
Placed on the Disposal List in November 1957 this destroyer was sold to Mitsubishi for breaking up in Japan
and towed to the breakers in Tokyo the next year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
QUALITY
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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|
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
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14/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
KMF 003
|
21/11/42
|
23/11/42
|
20/12/42
|
21/12/42
|
KMF 005A
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22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
22/03/43
|
22/03/43
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CM 040
|
23/03/43
|
01/04/43
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30/03/43
|
11/04/43
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MC 006
|
13/04/43
|
13/04/43
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19/04/43
|
19/04/43
|
CF 012
|
28/04/43
|
28/04/43
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29/04/43
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29/04/43
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CF 012A
|
unknown
|
10/05/43
|
03/10/43
|
03/10/43
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KR 007
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07/10/43
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12/10/43
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25/10/43
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01/11/43
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AB 018
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03/11/43
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03/11/43
|
03/11/43
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07/11/43
|
AB 018A
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
27/11/43
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04/12/43
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CM 047
|
11/12/43
|
11/12/43
|
13/12/43
|
13/12/43
|
AB 024C
|
15/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
14/01/44
|
14/01/44
|
AB 027B
|
20/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
24/04/44
|
24/04/44
|
US 024/1
|
28/04/44
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28/04/44
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|
|
|
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(Note on Convoys)
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