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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMAS QUICKMATCH (G 92) -  Q-class Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

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

QUILLIAM-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered in December 1940 with the 3rd Emergency Flotilla from J S White of Cowes IoW. The ship was laid down on 6th February 1941 and launched on 11th April 1942 as the first RN warship to carry the name. Completion was delayed until 30th September 1942 due to air raid damage in the shipyard. Build cost was £436,769 but excluded cost of equipment supplied by the Admiralty such as armament, wireless and radar. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of St Pancras in Greater London. On completion this Fleet Destroyer was transferred on loan to the Royal Australian Navy who manned the ship.

 

B a t t l e    H o n o u r s

 

ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942 - ATLANTIC 1942 - SABANG 1944  - OKINAWA 1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Barry wavy of six White and Blue. a trident and a blacksmith's

hammer in Saltire Black and a horseshoe interlaced Red.

 

 

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 C K M A T C H

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

  

1 9 4 2

 

September

 

14th - Completed Contractor's sea trials and commission for trials.

 

30th - Build completion and commenced acceptance trials.

 

October

 

Passage to Scapa Flow after completion of trials and storing. Carried out work-up in English Channel and SW Approaches.

 

Nominated for service with Force Q in Mediterranean.

 

November

 

Deployed in English Channel and SW Approaches

 

December

 

Detached for escort duty in Atlantic.

 

20th - Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS with HM Destroyers RACEHORSE and REDOUBT during passage in Atlantic to Pacific for loan service with US Navy.

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January

 

1st - Detached from HMS VICTORIOUS with other Home Fleet escorts and took passage to resume Home Fleet duties.

 

Nominated for escort of military convoy WS26 during passage to join 4th Destroyer Flotilla in Indian Ocean.

 

31st - Joined military convoy WS26 with HM Destroyers QUALITY, QUIBERON, RACEHORSE and REDOUBT as Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage.

 

February

 

6th - Detached from WS26 on arrival at Freetown.

 

9th - Rejoined WS26 on departure with HMS QUIBERON.

 

25th - Detached from WS26 on arrival at Durban.

 

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 May  

 

Deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at Durban.

 

June

 

Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

 

25th - Joined military convoy WS30 on departure from Cape Town with HMS ROTHERHAM as escort in Indian Ocean.

 

30th - Detached from WS30 with HMS ROTHERHAM during passage.

 

July

 

Transferred to South Atlantic Command for convoy defence.

 

August

 

South Atlantic deployment in continuation.

 

 September

 

Resumed convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at Durban.

 

October to December  

 

Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation for traffic between East African Ports and Ade n. (Note: HM Destroyers QUENTIN, NIZAM, NEPAL, QUIBERON AND QUALITY were also  deployed.)

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

 

February

 

Transferred with Flotilla to Eastern Fleet. Passage to Trincomalee to join Eastern Fleet

 

March

 

Deployed with Eastern Fleet Joined in Flotilla by HM Destroyers QUADRANT, QUEENBOROUGH and QUILLIAM. (Note: Ship did not take part in Operation DIPLOMAT.)

 

April

 

Deployed in Indian Ocean for Flotilla duties in Eastern Fleet including convoy defence. (Note: Did not take part in Operation COCKPIT)

 

May

 

6th - Deployed with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, NAPIER, NEPAL, QUALITY 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. (Operation TRANSOM. Note: US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA was part of Force 66. See references.)

 

15th - Refuelled in Exmouth Bay. 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.

 

June

 

Deployed for Eastern Fleet screening duties.

 

19th - Joined HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers NIGERIA, KENYA and CEYLON with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY, 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 QUALITY 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 QUALITY 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 to October  

 

Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation (Note: Ship did not take part in Operation BANQUET or Operation MILLET. Ship may have been under repair.)

 

November

 

22nd - Transferred to British Pacific Fleet with Flotilla on formation at Trincomalee.

 

December

 

Passage to Australia with Flotilla

 

10th - Arrived at Sydney to prepare for service in SW Pacific under overall US Navy command.

 

24th - Deployed in anti-submarine search operations off Sydney with US Submarine Chaser PCS97, HM Australian Corvettes BALLARAT, GOULBURN, KALGOORIE and WHYALLA after U862 had sunk US Freighter in approaches to Sydney.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January

 

Deployed with BPF for exercises prior to operational duty with US 5th Fleet in SW Pacific. 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 Destroyer QUIBERON and joined 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 CARRIER VICTORY by J M Ludley.)

 

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

 

1st - Under air attacks with BPF ships during air operations. (Note: HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HM Destroyer ULSTER were damaged. See above references.)

 

11th - Detached from operations off Sakishima-Gunto for deployment as screen for Task Force 57 during air attacks on North Formosa. (Operation ICEBERG OOLONG – See references)

 

15th - Resumed operations with screen for Task Force 57 off Sakishima-Gunto after refuelling.

 

19th - Passage to Forward US Navy Base at Leyte for R&R.

 

May

 

1st - Sailed from Leyte as part of screen for Task Force 57 ships.

 

4th - Deployed as screen for BPF aircraft carriers during resumed joint air attack on the Sakashima Gunto Group (Operation ICEBERG TWO - See above references. Note: The battleships and cruisers of Task Force 57 had been detached to carry out a bombardment of Miyako Shima which had left the Carrier Force vulnerable to concentrated air attacks including KAMIKAZE. See above references.)

 

9th - Under further KAMIKAZE attacks.

 

25th - On release from ICEBERG TWO took passage to Manus as part of screen for ships of Task Force 57.

 

June

 

Deployed in Australia for R&R

 

BPF transferred to US 3rd Fleet and re-designated Task Force 37.

 

28th - Sailed from Sydney as part of screen for Task Force 37.

 

July

 

4th - Arrived at Manus.

 

6th - Sailed for operational area off Japan to join US 3rd Fleet ships.

 

13th - Met Refuelling Group for replenishment before starting operations.

 

16th - On arrival in operational area deployed with screen during joint air attacks and bombardments of targets in Japan. (Note: RN operations were restricted by US Navy insistence on carrying out a major role. See references.)

 

Part of screen for aircraft carriers during air raids on Tokyo-Yokohama area.

 

August

 

Deployment with screen for carriers in continuation. (Note: Joint air operations with Task Force 38 were carried out on 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)

.

15th - After cessation of hostilities returned to Sydney with BPF ships.

 

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMAS QUICKMATCH continued to serve on loan to the RAN after VJ Day and was deployed in support of allied occupation activities in Japan. The ship was permanently transferred to the RAN in June 1950 and was placed in Reserve. Selected for conversion to a Type 15 Anti-submarine Frigate in 1951 on completion in 1955 she was then re-commissioned.. Until 1963 she was deployed operationally until 1963 when withdrawn from service and placed in Reserve. Placed on the Disposal List later the ship was sold for breaking-up in 1972 and towed to Osaka, Japan for demolition  in July that year.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS QUICKMATCH

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

 

 

 

 

 

27/11/42

01/12/42

KMF 004

06/12/42

06/12/42

10/01/43

11/01/43

TMF 002

unknown

24/01/43

14/09/43

21/09/43

CM 045

25/09/43

27/09/43

01/10/43

01/10/43

AB 015

08/10/43

08/10/43

12/10/43

12/10/43

BA 050

20/10/43

20/10/43

02/11/43

02/11/43

AB 019

06/11/43

10/11/43

11/11/43

11/11/43

BM 074

16/11/43

16/11/43

17/11/43

17/11/43

CX 011

20/11/43

20/11/43

22/11/43

22/11/43

XC 011

25/11/43

25/11/43

07/01/44

07/01/44

CM 048A

17/01/44

17/01/44

09/02/44

09/02/44

BM 085A

12/02/44

12/02/44

05/02/44

12/02/44

KR 008

14/02/44

14/02/44

21/01/44

21/02/44

AB 028B

27/01/44

27/01/44

24/04/44

24/04/44

US 024/1

28/04/44

28/04/44

04/07/44

04/07/44

AB 042A

10/07/44

10/07/44

21/08/44

21/08/44

BM 100

24/08/44

24/08/44

20/09/44

20/09/44

ABF 004C

22/09/44

22/09/44

05/01/45

05/01/45

US 025

09/01/45

09/01/45

09/01/45

09/01/45

HB 001

14/01/45

23/01/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

 

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revised 12/6/11
further editing is required


 

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