R-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered with 4th Emergency Flotilla from Cammell Laird at
Birkenhead on 1st April
1940. Construction was delayed
until September because of priority for repair work. The ship was laid down
as Job No 1065 on 16th June 1941 and launched on 16th July 1942 as the 8th
RN ship to carry this
name. It was introduced in 1804 and was last used for a WW1 built destroyer
sold In 1927. Her build was
completed in 1943 and she had been adopted by Sutton and Cheam in Surrey
following a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1943
- SABANG 1944 - BURMA 1944-45
H e r a l d i c D at a
Badge: on a Field Red Badge a wheel,
the axle tree winged 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 3
February Contractors sea trials and commissioned for service in 11th Destroyer
Flotilla.
20th Build completion and Acceptance sea
trials.
Passage to Scapa Flow.
March
Worked up- for service with Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
April On completion prepared or foreign service.
Nominated for Atlantic
convoy defence and detached for escort of military convoy during
Atlantic passage to
Middle East.
16th Joined Convoy WS29 in Clyde with HM
Cruiser NEWCASTLE as Ocean Escort.
28th Detached on arrival of WS29 at
Freetown.
May
Deployed at Freetown for convoy defence.
6th Joined WS29 on departure with HM
Cruiser NEWCASTLE, HM Destroyers MALCOLM,
BOREAS,
WOLVERINE and WITCH as escort
during passage to Cape of Good Hope
11th Detached from WS29 with HMS MALCOLM
and HMS WOLVERINE on arrival of
HM Destroyers
RACEHORSE and RELENTLESS.
Returned to Freetown.
June
3rd Joined military convoy WS30 At
Freetown with HM Cruiser SUFFOLK. HM Armed Merchant
Cruisers CARNARVON CASTLE and CORFU, HM Destroyers BOADICEA,
WITCH and
WOLVERINE as escort during passage to Cape.
9th Detached from WS30 with HMS
MALCOLM and HMS WOLVERINE during passage on
arrival
of HM Destroyers NORMAN,
QUADRANT and REDOUBT.
Returned to Freetown
.
July
Atlantic convoy defence based at Freetown in continuation.
12th Joined escort for military convoy
WS31 during passage from Freetown to Cape of
Good
Hope as
relief for HM Corvette ARMERIA,
HM Destroyers FOXHOUND and and WITCH.
21st Detached from WS31 with HM
Destroyers QUADRANT and REDOUBT on arrival at Cape.
Returned to Freetown.
August
Nominated for transfer to Durban for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
12th Joined escort for military convoy
WS32 during passage with HM Destroyers NORMAN,
QUIBERON and RELENTLESS as relief for HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BULLDOG
and
DOUGLAS.
22nd Detached from WS32 with escort on
arrival at Durban after rail at Capetown.
28th Deployed with HM Cruiser HAWKINS,
HM Destroyers NORMAN and QUIBERON as escort
for WS32
during passage from Durban in Indian Ocean to Bombay.
September
3rd Detached from WS32 with other
escorts during passage after arrival of HM Cruiser
EMERALD.
Returned to Durban for
convoy defence with Flotilla.
October
20th Joined military convoy WS33 with
HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CHITRAL, HM Frigates BANN,
TEVIOT and TRENT as
escort for passage in Indian Ocean..
26th Detached from WS33 with escort on
arrival at Kilindini.
30th Escorted troopship ss DUCHESS OF RICHMOND with HM Frigate TRENT during passage
from
Kilindini to Aden.
November
2nd Detached
from troopship with HMS TRENT on arrival off Aden.
Returned to Durban for convoy defence deployment
December
Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet based in Ceylon.
Indian Ocean Convoy defence deployment in continuation.
1 9 4
4
January Passage
to Join 11th Destroyer for Fleet and convoy defence duties.
to Deployed for convoy defence end patrol In Indian Ocean
with
March Passage to Trincomalee for Fleet
duties with Flotilla.
April Flotilla duties including exercises
prior to Fleet operations in Indian Ocean
to
May
June
10th Deployed with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY, RACEHORSE
and RELENTLESS to
screen HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS,
HM Escort Aircraft Carrier ATHELING, .HM
Cruisers
GAMBIA, CEYLON and PHOEBE as Force 60 during deception
operation to suggest
that
air attacks were to be made on Sabang
(Operation COUNCILLOR - See WAR WITH JAPAN)
12th Force 68 ships withdrew from
area and left HM Submarine SURF to transmit wireless
signal
traffic from flying off position
13th Returned to Trincomalee
with Force 68 ships.
July
22nd Part of screen for HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM
Battlecruiser
RENOWN, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND, NIGERIA,
KENYA, .CEYLON and GAMBIA (RNZN) with HM Destroyers RELENTLESS,
ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE and ROCKET during passage to
Sabang
(Operation CRIMSON).
(Note: During
BANQUET it was discovered that HMS HOWE could only maintain speed
of 27
knots
instead
the designed 28 knots See WAR WITH
JAPAN.).
25th Took part in bombardment of Sabang with Eastern Fleet ships.
(For details of
naval activities In Indian Ocean see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray
and
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).
August
19th Deployed with HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, RAIDER and ROCKET as screen for HMS
INDOMITABLE, HMS VICTORIOUS, HM Battleship HOWE, HMS CEYLON
and HMS
KENYA as part of Force 64 during air attacks on airfield at Padang and photo-reconnaissance
over
Sumatra (Operation BANQUET).
(Note: This was Intended as a
diversion during US operations at Hollandia in
New
Guinea and
also
to provide air-sea rescue facilities. during US air attacks on NW
Sumatra
(Operation BOOMERANG).)
22nd Refuelled with other destroyers.
23rd Air operations postponed for 24
hours to allow HM Submarine SEA ROVER to get into
position
for air-sea rescue duty.
24th Remained with screen during air
operations.
(Note: During
BANQUET it was discovered that HMS HOWE could only maintain speed
of 27
knots
instead the designed 28 knots. See WAR WITH JAPAN.)
25th Return passage with Force 64
ships.
September
14th Deployed with HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, REDOUBT,. ROCKET. RELENTLESS,
RAIDER., RACEHORSE
and ROCKET as screen
for HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS
VICTORIOUS, HMS HOWE, HMS CUMBERLAND and HMS KENYA during air attacks on
airfields and
photo-reconnaissance flights.
(Operation LIGHT - See WAR WITH JAPAN).
17th Planned air strikes over
airfields and PR flights over Pangkalan cancelled due
to
weather
conditions
(Operation LIGHT A)
PR Flights made
over alternative areas in Northern Sumatra and
Nicobars
18th Air strikes made en Sigli (Operation LIGHT B).
(Note: Mistakes and imperfections
during these operations required attention.).
19th Return passage to Trincomalee.
October Flotilla duties in Eastern Fleet continued
to Remained part of
East Indies Fleet when British Pacific Fleet formed from ships of Eastern
December Fleet which was renamed in November.
1 9 4 5
January Transferred with Flotilla to
newly designated East Indies Fleet
2nd Deployed with Force 61 covering
landings at Akyab.
(Operation
LIGHTNING).
16th Bombarded Japanese positions in
northern Ramree Islands
prior to assault by 4th British
and 71st Indian Divisions
(Operation MATADOR).
(Note: Ships
taking part: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM Cruiser PHOEBE and
destroyers
of
Flotilla.).
24th Part of Force 65 as screen for HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA and KENYA to cover
landing of
Royal Marines on Cheduba Island (Operation SANKEY).
25th Took part in bombardment of
assault area with HM Destroyers RAIDER and PALADIN
before
landings.
February
21st Carried cut offensive sweep in
Indian Ocean with HM Destroyers ROEBUCK, ROCKET and
ROTHERHAM) as
Force 68.
(Operations
SUFFICE and TRAINING).
24th Bombardment of Great Cocos Island with ships of Force 68.
25th Passage to Akyab.
27th Carried out inshore patrols off coast of Burma (Operation TRAINING).
March
1st During patrol between Tavoy Island and Heanzay Basin
Force 68 ships sank three
sailing
coasters.
3rd Took part in bombardment of
Port Blair, Andamans with ships of Force 68.
4th Return passage to Trincomalee with Force 68.
14th Deployed with HM Destroyers
SAUMAREZ and VOLAGE for patrol.
Bombarded shore targets at Sigli, Sumatra (Operation TRANSPORT).
(For details
see above references and Naval Staff History –Burma.)
19th Entered Stewart Sound on SB
(??) coast of north Andaman with HMS
SAUMAREZ
and VOLAGE.
Sank Junk but
hit by return fire from shore battery and disabled,
Heavy
casualties with 11 killed and 23 wounded.
Towed to Akyab by HMS SAUMAREZ for temporary repair.
20th Under repair at Akyab. Assistance provided by HM Cruiser SUFFOLK.
April On return to Trincomalee
further repair was arranged at Simonstown.
Passage to
HM
Dockyard, Simonstown
May Under repair.
to
July
August Passage to Trincomalee to resume duties in Eastern Fleet
September Deployed with Flotilla in
support of landings in Malaya.
(Operation
ZIPPER – See WAR WITH JAPAN and BRITISH INVASION
FLEETS by J
de Winser)
(Note:
These landings had been delayed by US insistence and introduction
of PYTHON
Scheme for release of personnel; serving in SEAC
See above references and Final Report by SEAC.)
4th Sailed from Trincomalee with aircraft carriers for defence of invasion
convoys
6th Deployed with escort for military
Convoy JME1F.
9th Deployed off beachhead.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
RAPID
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
ST 063A
|
07/05/43
|
06/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
TS 040F
|
21/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
05/09/43
|
05/09/43
|
MC 009A
|
13/09/43
|
13/09/43
|
20/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
CM 046
|
26/10/43
|
unknown
|
26/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
CM 046A
|
02/11/43
|
02/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
AB 020F
|
17/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
AB 020S
|
19/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
06/12/43
|
06/12/43
|
JC 028A
|
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
13/12/43
|
15/12/43
|
AB 024A
|
19/12/43
|
19/12/43
|
05/05/44
|
05/05/44
|
CM 052
|
12/05/44
|
12/05/44
|
14/05/44
|
17/05/44
|
KR 010
|
28/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
HMS
RAPID IN THE EARLY 1950'S
by
Ron Anderson
I served in RAPID in the
early 1950s. The Captain was Lt Cdr 'Dickie' Dumas RN - a fine seaman. I was a
mere Signalman.
I had served for a short
time in HMS OPPORTUNE - having joined her in June 1950, at Milford Haven where
she had been engaged, for some time, with Naval Air Stations in the West
Country. We sailed to Rosyth where, at the end of July 1950, the full Ship's
Company of HMS OPPORTUNE exchanged place with the complement of HMS RAPID. Of
course, RAPID changed her Port Division too and became a 'Pompey' ship. HMS
OPPORTUNE transferred to Chatham Port Division.
From that moment, RAPID was used as Crash boat for various Naval Air Stations
and carriers. She operated largely out of Invergordon, Rosyth and the bleak but
beautiful Dornoch Firth. Various Air Stations were 'serviced', and RAPID worked
as 'Crash Boat' for HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and, also, HMAS SYDNEY.
(RAPID took part in the first 'landing exercises on a Carrier', with a jet-engined
'plane. These 'tests' were 'shambolic'!!) Finally, she went to Belfast, where
she repaired some extensive damage due to traversing the Pentlands and Cape
Wrath in atrocious conditions (in company with a carrier) and sailed to
Gibraltar where she conducted exercises with NATO ships in the Med. HMS RAPID
returned to Pompey and, in about April, she was decommissioned and I was drafted
to the 4th Minesweeping Flotilla in RINALDO - the half-leader. I understand
RAPID was re-fitted and adapted as an Anti-submarine Frigate and, thereafter,
led another useful life. |