R-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered with 4th Emergency Flotilla
from John Brown, Clydebank in April 1940.
Construction work
was delayed until September because of priority
for repair work in ships damaged
earlier that year in Norway and at Dunkirk. The
ship was launched on 1st June
1942 as the
11th RN ship to carry the name which was
introduced in 1757 and last used by a
pre WW1
destroyer sold in 1920. Build was
completed in November 1942. After a successful
WARSHIP WEEK for National Savings in March 1942
she had been 'adopted' by the civil community of
Hackney, Greater London.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC 1759 - MADAGASCAR 1811 - NEW ZEALAND 1845-47
- CHINA 1856 - SATSUMA 1862 -
KAGOSHIMA 1863-60 - DOVER PATROL
1914-18 - ATLANTIC 1943 - SABANG
1944 -
BURMA 1945
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
White a chestnut horse standant
proper with
White bridle, Pink
forehead
strap and Blue riband.
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
November
Acceptance
Trials and commissioned for service in 18th
Destroyer
Flotilla
December
Worked
up with Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
26th
Detached to escort HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS with HM Destroyers
QUICKMATCH
and REDOUBT for Atlantic
passage to join US Fleet. in Pacific.
1 9 4 3
January
1st Detached from
HMS VICTORIOUS after stormy
passage in Atlantic during which damage
was sustained to structure
including boats.
On completion of repair at
Newport News US Navy Yard took passage to join a
Tanker
convoy as part of escort
during passage to Gibraltar.
Nominated for service in
Indian Ocean with Flotilla as part of Eastern
Fleet.
Deployed in Atlantic for
convoy defence.
31st
Joined military convoy WS26 on passage from
Gibraltar area to Freetown
with HM Destroyers
QUALITY QUIBERON,
QUICKMATCH and REDOUBT to supplement Ocean
Escort for
passage to Freetown.
February
6th Detached from WS26
with Ocean Escort on
arrival at Freetown.
9th Rejoined WS26 as
Ocean Escort for passage
to Indian Ocean with HM Armed Merchant
Cruisers CANTON and
CILICIA, HM Destroyers QUIBERON, QUICKMATCH and
QUALITY.
23rd
Detached from WS26 in Indian Ocean after ships
from Capetown
joined convoy.
March
Deployed for convoy defence in Indian
Ocean and South Atlantic.
24th
Joined military convoy WS27 with HM Destroyers
FOXHOUND and QUILLIAM to
relieve
HM Destroyers QUAIL,
QUALITY and RAIDER as Ocean Escort for passage
to Capetown.
(Note: HM Cruiser SUSSEX
was also part of Ocean Escort.)
26th
Detached from WS27 on arrival off Capetown.
April
Passage from Capetown
to join military convoy WS28 in Atlantic.
5th Joined WS28
during passage from Freetown
to Capetown with HM
Destroyer RELENTLESS
as relief for HM
Destroyers QUADRANT and REDOUBT in Ocean Escort.
(Note: HM Cruiser KENYA
was also deployed in Ocean Escort.)
11th Detached from
WS28 on arrival at Capetown
and relieved by HM Destroyers QUADRANT,
REDOUBT and RELENTLESS as
Ocean Escort during passage to Durban
May
Convoy defence in continuation.
Passage
to join military convoy WS29 in
South Atlantic.
11th
Joined WS29 with HM Destroyers
RELENTLESS and ROTHERHAM for Ocean Escort
during passage to Durban
(Note: HM Cruiser
NEWCASTLE and HM Destroyer LEWES were part of
the Ocean Escort.)
18th
Detached from WS29 with HMS RELENTLESS
an arrival at Capetown.
22nd Rejoined WS29
with HMS RELENTLESS and HMS
ROTHERHAM as Ocean Escort for
passage to Durban.
26th
Remained with WS29 off Durban and after
additional mercantiles
joined deployed as Ocean
Escort with HM Cruiser
KENYA, HM Destroyers NORMAN, QUADRANT, REDOUBT.
29th
Detached from WS29 and returned to
Durban.
June
24th
Deployed with M Destroyers NIZAM and
RELENTLESS as screen for HM Cruisers SUFFOLK
and NEWCASTLE during search for German tanker
CHARLOTTE
SCHLIEMANN
known
to be in
use for replenishment of
U-Boats operating In
the Indian Ocean.
(Operation PLAYER - See
WAR WITH JAPAN, HMSO).)
30th
Search abandoned after no interception
or sighting by CATALINA aircraft or ships.
July
Resumed deployment at Durban for
Indian Ocean convoy defence and patrol.
to
Nominated for transfer to Trincomalee
November
December Passage
to Trincomalee
to Join Eastern Fleet.
Deployed at Trincomalee
for screening of major units and convoy defence.
(Note: This deployment may
have been early in 1944)
1 9 4 4
January
Deployed with Flotilla in India for
convoy defence patrol and the interception of
enemy
to
supply ships and blockade
runners.
February
(Note: See December 1943)
March
Deployed for Fleet duties.
21st
Deployed with HM Destroyers NAPIER RAN),
NORMAN (RAN), NEPAL (RAN)
QUILLIAM,
QUALITY, QUIBERON (RAN), PATHFINDER,
QUEENBOROUGH,
Dutch VAN GALEN and Dutch
TJERK HIDDES as screen for HM Battleships
QUEEN ELIZABETH and
VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Cruisers LONDON, CUMBERLAND, GAMBIA (RNZN)
and CEYLON for shipping
protection and exercises.
(Note: Air searches and
provision of radar pickets were exercised.
For details
of see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
27th Carried
out Fleet exercises after
Eastern Fleet units met
to
US Task Group 58.5 for loan service.
29th
Returned with RN and USN ships to Trincomalee.
(Note: Task Group
comprised aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and
destroyers USS
DUNLAP,
CUMMINGS and FANNING.)
April
Deployed with Eastern Fleet as
part of Force 69 for a diversionary operation
off
Sumatra and the Nicobar-Andaman
area during allied operations in New
Guinea.
16th
Joined HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, PENN,
PETARD, QUIBERON (RAN),
NAPIER (RAN), NEPAL
(RAN), NIZAM (RAN) and the Dutch destroyer VAN
GALEN
as screen for HM Battleships
QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT and
French RICHELIEU, HM
Cruisers CEYLON, NIGERIA, GAMBIA (RNZN),
NEWCASTLE and Dutch
cruiser TROMP as Force 69.
(Operation COCKPIT).
(Note: These Eastern Fleet
ships were providing cover for air operations
against
Sabang,
NW
Sumatra by Force 70 comprising HM Aircraft
Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS,
USS SARATOGA, HMS RENOWN, HM Cruiser LONDON,
HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUEENBOROUGH, QUADRANT,
USS DUNLAP
USS CUMMINGS
and USS FANNING)
For details
see the above references.
19th
Deployed with screen for Force 70
during air attacks on Sabang
and airfield at Lho
Nga.
Three
Japanese torpedo
aircraft were destroyed in an attempt to
approach allied units after
the air operations.
May
Fleet deployment in
continuation.
6th
Joined HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, PENN, NAPIER (RAN), NEPAL (RAN),
QUIBERON
(RAN) and QUICKMATCH (RAN) with the Dutch
destroyer VAN
GALEN
in Force 65)
Sailed
as the screen for battleships HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT
HMS
RENOWN and French RICHELIEU, HM Cruiser KENYA
and the Dutch
TROMP.
(Note: These major
units were covering HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA,
HMNZS GAMBIA, HMS CEYLON as Force 66, screened
by HM
Destroyers
QUADRANT, QUEENBOROUGH and QUILLIAM, USS DUNLAP,
CUMMINGS
and FANNING during air attacks on Soerabaya.
(Operation
TRANSOM).
15th
Replenished in Exmouth Bay, NW
Australia from Force 67
(Note: This comprised
Six tankers and a Distilling ship escorted from
Ceylon by HM
Cruisers
LONDON and SUFFOLK.)
17th Air
attacks carried out on oil
refineries and harbour installations.
18th USS
SARATOGA and US destroyers from TF66
detached.
27th
Returned to Ceylon after refuelling in
Exmouth Bay.
June
10th
Deployed with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM,
QUALITY, RAPID and
RELENTLESS, HM Cruisers
GAMBIA (RNZN), CEYLON, PHOEBE and HM
Submarine SURF to cover
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HM Escort Aircraft
Carrier ATHELING for
special operation to threaten an attack by
carrier aircraft on Sabang
(Operation COUNCILLOR).
13th
Returned to Trincomalee.
(Note: No enemy reactions were
detected. See
WAR WITH JAPAN.).
19th
Deployed with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM,
QUALITY, QUICKMATCH, ROTHERHAM,
RELENTLESS, ROEBUCK and
RAIDER as screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS
RENOWN,
French RICHELIEU, HM
Cruisers NIGERIA and CEYLON in Force 60 during
air attacks on Port
Blair.
(Operation PEDAL - For
details see above reference.)
(Note: HM Submarines
TANTIVY and CLYDE for air sea-rescue duties.
July
Eastern Fleet deployment in
continuation.
8th
Carried out hunt with HMS RAIDER for
1537.
(Note: This submarine
was on passage from Penang
having delivered torpedoes
and carried out
an attack
on a tanker which failed. This hunt lasted
several days but was unsuccessful.)
22nd Joined
HM Destroyers RELENTLESS,
ROTHERHAM, ROCKET and RAPID as
screen
for HM Battleships
QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, French
battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND,
NIGERIA,
KENYA, CEYLON, GAMBIA
(RNZN), PHOEBE and Dutch TROMP during
bombardment
of Sabang,
Sumatra as Force 62.
(Operation CRIMSON -
See above references).
(Note: HM Aircraft
Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and VICTORIOUS were also
deployed for air
attacks on
airfields and to provide air cover during
bombardment.)
24th
Aircraft carriers detached with HMS PHOEBE,
HMS ROEBUCK and HMS RAIDER to
take passage to
Flying-off area.
25th
Bombarded shore targets.
August
Fleet duties with Flotilla in
continuation.
September
16th
Deployed with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM,
REDOUBT, RAPID, ROCKET, RELENTLESS
and RAIDER as screen
for HM Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS,
INDOMITABLE., HM
Battleship HOWE HM
Cruisers CUMBERLAND and KENYA during air strikes
and
photo-reconnaissance.
(Operation
LIGHT)
17th
Planned strikes
against airfields cancelled due to weather
conditions.
Photo-reconnaissance
flights carried out on northern Sumatra
(Operation LIGHT A).
18th
Air
strikes carried out on targets at Sigli,
Sumatra (Operation LIGHT B)
On completion returned
with Fleet units to Trincomalee.
October
Fleet deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January
Eastern Fleet screen and patrol
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to
(Note: Ships of Flotilla
went to Simonstown
for refit and R&R prior to
planned operations by
March
newly identified East
Indies Fleet in support of landings in Burma and
Malaya.
April
1st Deployed
with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM,
REDOUBT and ROCKET for
shipping sweep off Burma
coast between Mergui
and Amherst and for
investigation
of
possible use of Narcondan
Island as a base for MTB's
(Operation PENZANCE)
.
4th
Bombarded radar station on Great Coco
Island.
5th Returned
to Akyab
to refuel.
7th Sailed
with same ships for anti-shipping
sweep between Moulmein
River and Mergui
on Coast of Burma.
Several small sailing craft destroyed.
11th Return
passage to Trincomalee.
25th
Deployed with HM Destroyers REDOUBT and
ROEBUCK as Force 62 for offensive
patrols in Indian Ocean
during allied landings in Burma
(Operation GABLE).
29th
Commenced operation to intercept craft
between Rangoon and Tenasserim
coast.
30th
Intercepted convoy evacuating troops
from Rangoon and destroyed all 11 ships.
Bombarded Car Nicobar
and Port Blair
May
1st
Bombarded Car Nicobar.
Rescued survivors from
Japanese convoy destroyed on 30th April.
(Note: Some Japanese
refused assistance and committed ‘Hari-Kari')
See
OPERATION PACIFIC).
10th
Deployed as screen for HM Cruiser
NIGERIA with HMS REDOUBT and HMS ROEBUCK
as Task Force 62 to
reinforce Eastern Fleet during operation to
intercept warships which
were covering
evacuation of Andamans
and Nicobars.
(Operation DUKEDOM - See
above references.)
(Note: After a
brilliant tactical interception, HM Destroyers
SAUMAREZ, VERULAM,
VIGILANT,
VENUS and VIRAGO (Task Unit 61.3) engaged and
sank the Japanese
Cruiser
HAGURO (See Naval
Staff History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by
C Barnett).
June
Deployed with HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, RELENTLESS, REDOUBT and
ROEBUCK as screen for
Force 63 (HM Escort Carriers STALKER, KHEDIVE
and
AMEER, HM Cruisers
SUFFOLK and ROYALIST).
18th
Carrier aircraft carried out
photo-reconnaissance missions over Southern
Malaya and
to
attacked airfields in Northern
Sumatra.
19th
(Operation BALSAM)
July
Fleet duties with Flotilla in
continuation.
19th
Joined HM Battleship NELSON, HM
Cruiser
SUSSEX, HM Escort Carrier EMPRESS
with HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, PALADIN and RAIDER to cover mine
clearance
by the 7th Minesweeping
Flotilla off Phuket
Island as Force 63 (Operation
LIVERY).
24th
Mine clearance commenced.
(Note: HM Minesweeper
SQUIRREL badly damaged by mine. seven of ship's
company
were
killed. Minesweeper had to be sunk after taking
on heavy list.
26th
Under attack by Japanese suicide
dive-bombers.
HM Minesweeper VESTAL
was hit and badly damaged by fire. Eleven of
snip's company
killed.
Sank HMS VESTAL by
gunfire.
On completion of
clearance operation returned to Trincomalee.
(Note: This was the
last offensive operation by ships of the Eastern
Fleet).
August Deployed
with Fleet at Trincomalee
and prepared for Malaya landings.
(Operation ZIPPER)
(Note: This operation
had been delayed initially by the introduction
of the PYTHON
Scheme to
release personnel serving in the Far East and
later was again
postponed
by US insistence.)
See Final
Report by SEAC and THE FORG0TTEN FLEET by John
Winton.)
Deployed with Eastern
Fleet for screening duties during passage to Padang.
September
Fleet screening duties in continuation.
Part of covering force
during landings in Malaya.
Deployed with Eastern
Fleet ships at Singapore for Japanese surrender.
.
(Operation MAILFIST)
P o s t W a r
N o t e
HMS RACEHORSE returned
to UK after the occupation of Singapore and was
reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth. Laid up
at Portsmouth she was
selected for use as a ship target in trials at Gareloch.
On completion in 1949 the ship was placed on the
Disposal List and sold to The
West of Scotland Shipbreakers
on 8th November 1949.
The ship arrived in tow at Troon
for demolition In on
8th December that year.
Special Note
Details of escorts
for WS Series military convoys were provided by
Donald Kindell,
Ohio, USA from an unpublished
source. This is gratefully acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS RACEHORSE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
10/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
TMF
002
|
unknown
|
24/01/43
|
23/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
MC
007
|
02/06/43
|
02/06/43
|
30/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
MC
008
|
06/08/43
|
09/08/43
|
24/08/43
|
24/08/43
|
KR
006
|
03/09/43
|
03/09/43
|
23/09/43
|
23/09/43
|
BA
048
|
28/09/43
|
28/09/43
|
18/12/43
|
18/12/43
|
CM
048
|
24/12/43
|
31/12/43
|
18/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
BA
062A
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
14/03/44
|
14/03/44
|
AKD
017F
|
17/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
AJ
002/2
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
02/02/45
|
unknown
|
OW
001/2
|
17/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
27/05/45
|
27/05/45
|
WO
006
|
29/05/45
|
29/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|