ZAMBESI
or Z-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from
John I Thornycroft at Woolston,
Southampton on 12th February 1942 with the 10th Emergency Flotilla. She was
laid down on 21st July 1942 as Yard Number 4034 and launched on 14th October 1943 as the first RN warship to carry this
name. The build was completed on 20th July 1944
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC 1945 - NORWAY 1945
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
July Contractor's trials and
commissioned for service.
12th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.
August Worked
up for service at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet
On completion deployed with Flotilla for screening of Home Fleet major
units.
October
Flotilla duties in NW Approaches and North Sea in continuation.
to
(Note: These included escort duties during-anti-shipping strikes and
aircraft minelays
November
from Home Fleet aircraft carriers as well as independent anti-submarine
operations.
December
31st Deployed for anti-submarine operations
in NW Approaches with HM Destroyers ORWELL
and ZEPHYR.
1 9 4 5
January
11th Deployed with HM Destroyers OPPORTUNE,
CAVENDISH and ZODIAC in Force 3 as screen
for HM Cruiser DIDO, HM Escort Carriers PREMIER and TRUMPETER.
(Note: These ships provided air cover during dual minelay and shipping
strikes off Norway.
(Operations SPELLBINDER and GRATIS- See Naval Staff History).
Motor
Torpedo Boats were also attached to Force 3 for air-sea rescue of aircrew who
ditched during air operations).
13th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 3.
February
3rd Joined screen for HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM
Escort Carriers CAMPANIA and NAIRANA with
HM Destroyers ONSLAUGHT, OPPORTUNE, SERAPIS,
ZAMBESI, ZEALOUS, ZEBRA and
Canadian SIOUX to provide escort for Russian Convoy JW64 to Kola Inlet.
(Note: HMS ZEBRA detached with machinery defects in early stage of
passage.
For
details of all Russian convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg,
ARCTIC
CONVOYS by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield
and
CONVOY! by P. Kemp).
14th Detached with HM Destroyers ZAMBESI,
ZEALOUS and Canadian SIOUX for evacuation of
500 civilians from the Island of Soroy which
was under attack by German forces.
Embarked passengers and took them to Murmansk.
17th Joined return Convoy RA64 as escort
with same ships as JW64.
After joining convoy screen, HM Corvette BLUEBELL stationed nearby was
hit and was
sunk immediately by a homing torpedo fired by U711 NE of Kola Inlet.
Took part in search for
survivors with HM Destroyer OPPORTUNE.
(Note: Only three men were
recovered and were all unconscious. Of these Petty
Officer AEG
Holmes, P/JX 217490
recovered consciousness and was the only survivor from HMS
BLUEBELL.
27th Detached with same ships and resumed
Fleet duties with Flotilla.
(Note: HM Destroyers SAVAGE, SCOURGE, CAVALIER, MYNGS and SCORPION
joined
RA64
before the detachment).
March Home
Fleet duties with 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in continuation.
20th Deployed with HM
Destroyers ONSLOW, SERAPIS, Canadian HAIDA and Canadian SIOUX
as screen for HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Carriers PREMIER, SEARCHER
and QUEEN
providing air cover for last dual air minelay and shipping strike off
Norway that had begun in
August 1944 (Operation CUPOLA -
Force 1).
April
18th Deployed with HM
Destroyers OFFA, ZEALOUS, ZEPHYR, ZODIAC, Canadian destroyers
HAIDA, HURON, IROQUOIS and Norwegian STORD as screen for HM Cruiser
BELLONA,
HM Escort Carriers PREMIER and VINDEX to reinforce escort for Russian
Convoy JW66 to
Kola Inlet.
25th Detached on arrival at
Kola Inlet after taking part in a combined Anti-submarine operation
against U-Boat assembly off entrance with other escorts..
29th Joined escort for return Convoy RA66
with same ships.
May
5th Detached with HMS ZEALOUS and ZODIAC and
took passage to join Home Fleet major units.
6th Deployed with HM Destroyers ZEALOUS,
ZEPHYR and ZODIAC as screen for HM Cruisers
BIRMINGHAM and DIDO for passage to Copenhagen to accept surrender of the
German
cruisers NURNBERG and HIPPER.
13th Relieved at Copenhagen and took passage
with HMS BIRMINGHAM and HM Destroyer
ZEPHYR.
(Note: Later went to Bergen, Norway
and to Flensburg, Germany via Kiel Canal.).
June
Deployed with Flotilla in support of reoccupation operations and Fleet
duties.
to
Attended VE celebrations at Woolwich, London with HM Destroyers MYNGS
and ZEALOUS.
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS ZEST remained in commission and joined 4th Destroyer Flotilla
Home Fleet after VJ Day. She served with the Home Fleet till February 1947, apart from a refit at Leith in
September 1945. The ship Paid-off and was reduced to Reserve at Sheerness in July 1947.
Brought forward for service in February 1948 she was then used for torpedo training at Portland until transferred to the Nore Local Flotilla
in September 1952. This ship remained in Nore Command until February 1954 when she again Paid-off and reduced to
Reserve at Chatham. In March 1956 whilst in the Reserve Fleet at Chatham she was selected for conversion to a
Type 15 Anti-Submarine Frigate. On completion by HM Dockyard Chatham in
1958 she re-commissioned for service in the 3rd Training Squadron at
Londonderry. When this Squadron was disbanded she transferred to the 4th Frigate
Squadron until refitted in Malta during 1961. After refitting HMS ZEST joined the 24th Escort in which she
served until July 1968 when Paid off into Reserve at Plymouth. In 1969 she was placed on the Disposal List and sold to
BISCO for demolition by Arnott Young at
Dalmuir on the Clyde. Whilst on tow by the tug BUSTLER the ship broke
away from tow. After re-connection she arrived at the breakers on 18th July 1970.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
ZEST
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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11/09/44
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11/09/44
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TA 146
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12/09/44
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17/09/44
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07/09/44
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12/09/44
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AT 148A
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14/09/44
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14/09/44
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17/02/45
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17/02/45
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RA 064
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27/02/45
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28/02/45
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10/03/45
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16/03/45
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AT 195
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17/03/45
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17/03/45
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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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