ZAMBESI or Z-Class Destroyer ordered from
Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow under the Emergency War Programme On 12th February 1942 with HMS MYNGS for the 10th Emergency Flotilla. The
ship was laid down on 13th July 1942 and launched on 15th July 1943 as the ninth Royal
Navy ship to bear the name, introduced in 1757 when the when the Sloop MARTIN captured by the French off Brest a year earlier was renamed. This Sloop was again
taken by the French in 1788 and was again recaptured but
burnt in the action. It was last used for a 310 ton Torpedo Boat destroyer built by Hanna Donald and Wilson at Paisley in 1895 which was scrapped at Rainham in
1920. Build was completed on 6th September 1944 This destroyer replaced HM Destroyer LIGHTNING which
was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian MTB in the Mediterranean in March 1943, and had been adopted by the civil
community of Doncaster after a WARSHIP WEEK in 1942.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC 1759 - MARTINIQUE 1762 -
COPENHAGEN 1801 - BALTIC 1854 -
ARCTIC 1945
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
On a Field Blue, a representation of Zephyrus, the
West wind.
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 4
August Contractors Trials
September Commissioned for service in 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.
9th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of
trials, storing and calibrations took passage to work-up
with ships of
Home Fleet.
October Deployed for work-up prior to operational
service with Flotilla.
23rd Joined HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
SERAPIS and two other Home Fleet
destroyers as
screen for HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Carriers TRUMPETER
and CAMPANIA as Force 2 for combined air minelay and shipping
strike off the
coast of Norway (Operation HARDY)
Sailed for HARDY
with Force 2
24th Provided screen during aircraft
minelay.
25th Shipping strike cancelled because of
weather conditions.
27th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2.
(For details of
all minelaying operations see The Naval Staff History (Mining)
November Flotilla deployment with Home
Fleet in continuation.
14th Deployed with HM Destroyer CAESAR,
NUBIAN and VENUS as screen for
HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier PURSUER and HM Cruiser EURYALUS during
attacks on
shipping off Trondheim during which a German escort V6413 was
sunk. See ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.
27th Deployed with HM Destroyers MYNGS,
SCOURGE, SCORPION, SIOUX (RCN),
and ALGONQUIN
(RCN) as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and
HM Cruiser DIDO
during air attacks on southbound convoy off Mosjoen,
north of
Namsos,
Norway
(Note: Three
ships were sunk in these attacks, one of which was carrying Russian
PoW, many off whom were killed. See above references.)
December Flotilla deployment with Home
Fleet at Scapa Flow in continuation.
12th Joined HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, SIOUX
(RCN), ALGONQUIN (RCN), SAVAGE,
and SERAPIS for
screening of HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Carriers
PREMIER and
TRUMPETER as Force 2 for joint air minelay and shipping strike
off Norwegian
coast. (Operation LACERATE)
Sailed from Scapa Flow with Force 2.
`14th Provided screen during air
operations and came under attack by
torpedo aircraft of
KG26 which was
unsuccessful.
15th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2.
30th Deployed for anti-submarine operations
west of Orkney Islands with HM Destroyers
ZEST and ORWELL.
(Note: German
submarines were known to be assembling for attacks on Home Fleet
ships deployed for attacks off Norway. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair, Volume II)
31st Came under attack by U1020
attacks on Home
Fleet operations off Norway, came under attack by U1020.
Hit by homing
torpedo and sustained major damage.
Taken in tow to Scapa Flow by HM Destroyer ORWELL.
1 9 4 5
January Damage surveyed and ship
withdrawn from operational service.
Repair arranged
at commercial shipyard in Dundee
Passage to Dundee.
February Under repair.
to March.
April On completion of post
repair trials resumed Home Fleet duties at Scapa Flow with
Flotilla.
Nominated for
escort duty with ships of Flotilla in defence of convoy to North Russia.
18th Deployed with HM Destroyers OFFA,
ZEALOUS, ZEST, ZODIAC, HAIDA (RCN),
HURON
(RCN), IROQUOIS (RCN) and Norwegian
destroyer STORD as screen for
HM Cruiser
BELLONA, HM Escort Aircraft Carriers PREMIER and VINDEX as
escort for
Russian Convoy JW 66 during passage to Kola Inlet.
(Note: Close
escort included HM Corvettes ALNWICK CASTLE, BAMBOROUGH
CASTLE. FAREHAM CASTLE, HONEYSUCKLE, LOTUS, OXLIP and
RHODODENDRON and HM
Sloop CYGNET with Anti-submarine Frigates
LOCH
INSH, LOCH SHIN, COTTON, GOODALL and ANGUILLA of 19th
Escort Group were also deployed with JW66 for additional support.
For
details of all Russian convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by
RA Ruegg, CONVOY! by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield and RUSSIAN CONVOYS by R Woodman with details of
German submarine activities in HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR.)
25th Arrived at Kola Inlet with JW66 after
uninterrupted passage.
29th Joined return convoy RA66 with same
ships as escort for passage to Clyde.
(Note: Ships of
19th Escort Group which had been deployed for special minelaying
operation
(TRAMMEL) returned to Kola Inlet to carry out a sustained
anti-submarine operation against a group of 10 U-Boats lying in wait
for
departure of RA66. See references for details.)
HMS GOODALL torpedoed by U 969 and
survivors rescued by HMS
HONEYSUCKLE before the
stricken ship was scuttled.
May Deployed for defence
of RA66.
7th Detached from escort of RA66 and took
passage with HM Destroyers HAIDA,
HURON, IROQUOIS and Norwegian
destroyer STORD.
8th Joined screen for HM Cruisers
BIRMINGHAM and DIDO during passage to
Copenhagen to
accept surrender of German cruisers PRINZ EUGEN and NURNBERG
after German
armistice. Screen also included HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZEST
and ZODIAC of
2nd Destroyer Flotilla.
9th At Copenhagen for formal surrender of
ships.
13th Took passage from Copenhagen with HMS ZEST
to resume Flotilla duties with Home
Fleet after
relief by HMCS IROQUOIS and HMS SAVAGE.
June Flotilla deployment in
continuation
to August (Note: Home Fleet ship
Flotilla deployment included periods as Guardship at
German ports and support of Norwegian re-occupation.)
September Home Fleet deployment in continuation
with visits to Home ports.
to December
1 9 4 6
January Deployed with 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla in Home Waters
to March
April Transferred to 4th
Destroyer Flotilla as part of Post War Fleet re-organisation.
May Home Fleet deployment
in continuation with 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
to December (Note: For details of naval
activities in Home waters and problems relating to
manning shortages see THE DECLINE OF BRITISH SEAPOWER by
D
Wettern.)
In September
deployed in English Cannel and went to assistance of Tug TID62
which was in
difficulties and later sank off Dover on 20th.
1 9 4 7
January Deployed in Home waters
with Flotilla and took part in Fleet Exercise and visits
to March programme.
April Under repair by HM
Dockyard Chatham.
to June
July Transferred to
Portsmouth Flotilla as Tender to HMS EXCELLENT for Gunnery
Trials and
Training duties.
August Portsmouth trials duties
in continuation.
to December
1 9 4 8
January Portsmouth trials duties
in continuation.
February Transferred to 3rd Escort
Flotilla based at Portland.
March Deployed at Portland
for anti-submarine training and general duties in
to December Channel area.
Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D19
1 9 4 9
January 3rd Escort Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
February Transferred to 2nd
Training Flotilla and deployed at Portland as Leader
with HM
Destroyers ZEST and ZODIAC, HM Corvettes HELMSDALE CASTLE,
FLINT
CASTLE, HEDINGHAM CASTLE, LEEDS CASTLE, OAKHAM CASTLE
and TINTAGEL
CASTLE for anti-submarine training and trials.
March Deployment at Portland
with 2nd Training Flotilla in continuation.
to December
1 9 5 0
Flotilla
duties at Portland in continuation.
In March
1950 this ship was deployed with HM Destroyers ROEBUCK,
FINISTERRE,
WIZARD and WRANGLER as escort for French
Light Fleet
Aircraft Carrier ARROMANCHES (Ex HMS COLOSSUS)
during
passage in Channel with French President embarked for visit to UK.
In November
she was again deployed as escort for an official visit to UK by
Queen of the
Netherlands with HM Destroyers MYNGS, WHIRLWIND,
WIZARD and WRANGLER.
1 9 5 1 t
o 1 9 5 2
Flotilla
training duties at Portland in continuation.
In 1952 the
ship was involved in a collision with HM Submarine SLEUTH
whilst at
Portland and sustained slight structural damage.
1 9 5 3
Flotilla
duties at Portland in continuation.
Attended the
Coronation Review of the Fleet at Spithead during June.
1 9 5 4
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status and Paid-off at Portsmouth.
After
de-storing and reduction procedures completed joined Reserve
Fleet
division at Portsmouth and laid-up.
1 9 5 5 t o
1 9 5 7
Laid-up in
Reserve at Portsmouth.
1 9 5 8
January Placed on Disposal List
to May
June Sold to BISCO for
breaking-up
July Under tow to
breaker’s yard at Dunston.
2nd Arrived at Dunston
by Clayton and Davie for demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
ZEPHYR
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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16/04/45
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18/04/45
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JW 066
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25/04/45
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25/04/45
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29/04/45
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29/04/45
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RA 066
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06/05/45
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08/05/45
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(Note on Convoys)
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