QUILLIAM-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from JS White, Cowes on 2nd April 1940 with ships
of the 3rd.
Emergency Flotilla. She was laid down on 14 October 1940 and launched on 31st
January 1941 as the
first RN ship to carry this name. Her completion was delayed due to air raid
damage in the Build yard and she
did not commission until July 1942. Build cost was £436,769 excluding items
supplied by the Admiralty
such as guns, communications outfits and radar equipment. Completion date was
on 22nd July 1942.
After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this
destroyer was adopted
by the civil community of West Ham in Greater London. She was transferred on
loan to the Royal Australian
Navy after acceptance in 1942.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
MEDITERRANEAN 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - ATLANTIC
1943 - OKINAWA
1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: A hawk
rising, Ermine, armed and bellied. Gold, charged on the
breast within a chaplet of laurel also Gold. on a Blue Field.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e a s H M A S
Q U I B E R O N
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
1 9 4 2
July
Contractors
trials
6th - Commissioned
for service.
22nd - Build
completion and commenced acceptance trials.
Passage to Scapa Flow after acceptance and completion of storing.
August
Worked-up at
Scapa Flow with ships of the Home Fleet.
19th - Joined
military convoy WS22 in Clyde as Ocean Escort with HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Destroyer PARTRIDGE and HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser CARTHAGE.
September
9th - Detached
from WS22 on arrival at Freetown.
13th - Rejoined
WS22 as Ocean Escort with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser ALCANTARA and HMS PARTRIDGE.
25th - Detached
from WS22 on arrival at Capetown and took passage to Gibraltar for service in the Mediterranean.
October
2nd - Refuelled
at Bathurst, The Gambia.
7th - Nominated
for service with Force Q and took passage to Algiers.
11th - Joined
HM Cruisers AURORA, ARGONAUT, SIRIUS and HM Destroyer QUENTIN IN Force Q. Deployed for interception of enemy supply convoys off North
African coast and defence of
convoys.
November
Force Q
deployment in continuation.
28th - Sank
Italian submarine DESSIE north of Bone, with HMS QUENTIN.
December
1st - Deployed
as screen for HMS AURORA, ARGONAUT and SIRIUS during interception patrol off North African coast.
2nd - In action
with ships of Force Q against convoy of four ships north of Cape Bon. All ships in convoy and the Italian
destroyer FOLGORE were sunk with three other
escorts damaged. (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D
MacIntyre.)
3rd - During
later passage to Bone under torpedo attack by aircraft during which HMS QUENTIN was sunk.
1 9 4 3
January
Deployed at
Gibraltar for convoy defence.
13th - Reinforced
escort of tanker convoy TM1 on passage from West Indies to Mediterranean and under attack from DELFIN U-Boat Group
with serious losses. (See HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR by C Blair, Volume 2.). HM Corvettes PENTSTEMON and SAMPHIRE was also deployed as part of this reinforcement.
21st - Nominated
for service with Eastern Fleet.
31st - Joined
military convoy WS26 during passage to Freetown after it had detached from ships of military convoy KMF8 as joint
convoy to position off Gibraltar. Other
ships joining escort were HM Destroyers QUALITY, QUICKMATCH. RACEHORSE and REDOUBT. (Note: HM Armed Merchant Cruisers CANTON,
CILICIA, HM Destroyers QUADRANT and
RELENTLESS were already with convoy as Ocean Escort.)
February
6th - Detached
from WS26 on arrival at Freetown.
9th - Rejoined
WS26 as Ocean Escort for passage to Cape of Good Hope with HMS CANTON, HMS CILICIA and HMS QUICKMATCH.
23rd - Detached
from WS 26 with HMS CILICIA and HMS QUICKMATCH. Took independent passage to Durban to join 4th Destroyer Flotilla
for Indian Ocean interception patrol
and convoy defence of convoys in Indian Ocean.
March
Deployed at
Durban with HMS QUICKMATCH and QUALITY of Flotilla.
4th - Reinforced
HM Corvette NIGELLA and three trawlers in escort of Convoy DN21 with HMS RELENTLESS after series of
attacks by U160.
April to July
Indian Ocean convoy defence and
interception duties in continuation.
August
Passage to
South Atlantic for escort of military convoy.
12th - Joined
military convoy WS32 with HM Destroyers NORMAN, RAPID and RELENTLESS during passage to Cape of Good
Hope from Freetown.
18th - Detached
from WS32 on arrival at Capetown.
19th - Passage
to Durban to resume Indian Ocean convoy defence.
28th - Rejoined
military convoy WS32 at Durban with HM Cruiser HAWKINS, HMS NORMAN and HMS RAPID as Ocean Escort
during Indian Ocean passage.
September
3rd - Detached
from WS32 with Ocean Escort on arrival of HM Cruiser EMERALD.
October to
December
Indian Ocean patrol and
convoy defence deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 4
January
Indian Ocean
deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
February
Nominated for
transfer with 4th Destroyer Flotilla to Eastern Fleet at Ceylon. Passage to Trincomalee.
March
Joined Fleet
with H M Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH and QUICKMATCH (RAN).
21st - Joined
screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS,
H M Cruisers LONDON, GAMBIA (RNZN), CEYLON
and CUMBERLAND with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH, NAPIER (RAN), NORMAN (RAN), NEPAL (RAN),
PATHFINDER, Dutch VAN GALEN and
Dutch TJERK HIDDES for offensive sweep in Indian Ocean (Operation DIPLOMAT). (For
details of Eastern Fleet activities in 1944-5 see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY AND
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
27th - Met US
aircraft carrier SARATOGA and escort of four destroyers (Task Group 58.5) on passage to join Eastern Fleet for
future operations in Indian Ocean.
April
16th - Joined
Task Force 65 with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, PETARD, PENN, NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM and Dutch VAN GALEN
as screen for H M Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH
VALIANT, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA, CEYLON, GAMBIA and Dutch TROMP
to cover air attacks on Sabang, Sumatra by Task
Force 70 (Operation COCKPIT.
19th - Deployed
with screen for TF69 during air attacks by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA on airfields and shore
installations.
May
6th - Joined HM
Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, PENN, NAPIER, NEPAL, QUICKMATCH and Dutch VAN GALEN as screen for HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT, French
RICHELIEU, HMS NEWCASTLE, HMS NIGERIA and Dutch TROMP to cover air attacks by Task Force 65 on Soerabaya, Java (Operation
TRANSOM).
15th - Replenished
from tankers in Exmouth Bay, North Australia.
17th - Deployed with screen during air attacks by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and
USS SARATOGA.
June
to September
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and screening
duties in Indian Ocean.
October
15th - Joined
Task Group 63-1 with HMS QUILLIAM and HMS QUEENBOROUGH as screen for HMS RENOWN to cover air attacks and
bombardments of targets in the Nicobar Islands by Task Units TGU 63.2 and TGU 63.3 as a diversion during US landings on
Leyte. (Operation MILLET).
17th - Remained
with screen during carrier air operations by HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS.
19th - Under
attacks by torpedo aircraft which were intercepted by carrier fighters.
November
Flotilla duties
with Eastern Fleet in continuation.
22nd - Transferred
with Flotilla to British Pacific Fleet on formation at Trincomalee. Took passage from Ceylon to Sydney
December
Passage to
Australia to prepare for BPF service.
10th - Arrived
at Sydney to prepare for service with US Navy in SW Pacific. (Note: Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to D20 to conform with US identity for destroyers.)
1 9 4 5
January
Deployed for
exercises with ships of BPF including use of US Navy signalling and manoeuvring procedures. Re-designated as part of Task Force 113 with other ships of BPF. Nominated for special duty and detached
for escort of liner carrying the Governor General of Australia designate, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, to take up his appointment. Deployed with HM Australian Destroyer
QUICKMATCH and joined HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN,
HM Cruiser SUFFOLK and HM Destroyer ULSTER in escort for liner during final
stage of passage from Trincomalee
off Australian coast, On completion
resumed Flotilla duties.
February
Deployed with
Flotilla with BPF ships in further preparatory exercises.
28th - Took
passage with ships of BPF to Forward British Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands
to await instructions for joining US
Navy operations with ships of Task Force 113. (See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), Appendix S.)
March
7th - Arrived
at Manus.
Carried out further
preparatory exercises with Task Force 113 whilst based at Manus.
18th - Took
passage from Manus to US Forward Base at Ulithi with Task Force 113.
20th - Arrived
at Ulithi with Task Force 113.
23rd - Sailed
from Ulithi as Task Force 57 to join ships of US 5th Fleet in operations off
Sakishima -Gunto island Group.
(Operation ICEBERG ONE). (Note:
After delay by US Joint Chiefs of Staff in giving approval for use of RN ships
in operations with USN in Pacific.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), TASK FORCE 57 by
P Smith, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
British Pacific Fleet was designated Task Force 57 on departure
from Ulithi.
31st - Deployed
as screen for TG57 ships during renewed attacks. (For full details of ships involved see TF57 by P Smith, THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton,
CARRIER VICTORY by J M Ludley, Naval Staff History and above references).
April
Deployed as screen for BPF ships during air attacks on North Formosa.
May
3rd to 25th- Deployed
as screen for BPF aircraft carriers during resumed joint air attack on Sakishima Gunto Group (Operation ICEBERG TWO
- see
above references). Came under
KAMIKAZE attacks.
June
BPF Transferred
to US 3rd Fleet and redesignated Task Force 37.
July
Deployed, with
TF38 for Joint air attacks and bombardments of targets in Japan.
16th - Part of
screen for aircraft carriers during air raids on Tokyo-Yokohama area.
17th - Carried
out bombardment of targets in Hitachi area NE of Tokyo with HM Battleship KING GEORGE V and HMS QUALITY.
August
Deployed with
screen for BPF ships during Joint air operations on airfields and shipping in
North Honshu and Hokkaido followed by
attacks in Tokyo area.
13th - Returned
with TF37 ships to Manus because of lack of fuel from British tankers. (Note: HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS
INDEFATIGABLE, HMS GAMBIA, HMS NEWFOUNDLAND
and HM Destroyers BARFLEUR, NAPIER, NIZAM, WAKEFUL, TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT, TENACIOUS and TEAZER remained in Japanese waters and re-designated Task Group
38.5).
27th - Transferred
to British Task Group 111.3 and joined HM Aircraft Carrier COLOSSUS, HM Cruisers BERMUDA and ARGONAUT as screen
with HM Destroyers TYRIAN, TUMULT and TUSCAN.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMAS QUIBERON was deployed with
TG111.3 to assist in collection of allied nationals from Shanghai and was
deployed in the Pacific with other RAN ships during the rest of 1945. Loan from
RN was extended after end of hostilities
and permanent transfer made in October 1945. During 1950 this ship was selected
for conversion to an Anti-Submarine
Frigate and she-rejoined the Fleet in 1952 after completion. She remained
operational until reduced to
Reserve status in 1964.. Placed on the Disposal List in 1970 and in January
1972 was sold to a Japanese shipbreaker. The ship
left Sydney in tow for passage to Japan on 10 April
that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS
QUIBERON
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy arrived
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|
|
|
|
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14/11/42
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20/11/42
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KMF 003
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21/11/42
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23/11/42
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20/12/42
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20/12/42
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KMF 005A
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22/12/42
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22/12/42
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03/10/43
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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
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03/11/43
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07/11/43
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AB 018A
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10/11/43
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10/11/43
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27/11/43
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04/12/43
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CM 047
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11/12/43
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11/12/43
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13/12/43
|
13/12/43
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AB 024C
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15/12/43
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22/12/43
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22/12/43
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25/12/43
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CJ 009A
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27/12/43
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27/12/43
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28/12/43
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28/12/43
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MB 059A
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05/01/44
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05/01/44
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08/01/44
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08/01/44
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AB 027A
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14/01/44
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14/01/44
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05/02/44
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12/02/44
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KR 008
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14/02/44
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14/02/44
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19/02/44
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19/02/44
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JA 001
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26/02/44
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26/02/44
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24/02/44
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24/02/44
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AKD 016
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29/02/44
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06/03/44
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05/01/45
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05/01/45
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US 025
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09/01/45
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09/01/45
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09/01/45
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09/01/45
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HB 001
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14/01/45
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23/01/45
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(Note on Convoys)
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