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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

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

HMS  VIVIEN (L 33) -  V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Vidette, V-class sister ship (click to enlarge)

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V-Class Destroyer ordered from Yarrow's of Scotstoun Glasgow with the 9th Order of the 1916-17 Programme in June 1916. The ship was laid down in July of that year and launched on 16th February 1917. She was the first RN warship to carry the name and completed on 28th May 1918. Following a brief period of operational use she was placed in Reserve with a reduced complement at Rosyth in the 9th, later 7th Destroyer Flotilla. In 1938 she was nominated for conversion into an AA Escort and taken in hand by HM Dockyard Chatham in December (See General Information). Work was completed in October 1939 and she commissioned for service in Nore Command. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in December 1941 this ship was adopted by Bromyard in Herefordshire. (For further details of this Class of Destroyer see V AND W DESTROYERS 1917-45 by A Preston).

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA  1940-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Black, a Book, re with Gold ornaments, encircled by a snake Gold.

 

M o t t o

'Trust me in all'

 

 

D e t a i l s   of   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 3 9

 

September             Under conversion for use as an Escort Destroyer by HM Dockyard, Chatham.

                (Note: This ship was selected for conversion to a WAIR anti-aircraft escort

                as part of the re-armament programme.)

                Commissioned for trials.

                Carried out post refit harbour and sea trials .

                (Note: Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to L23 to suit change

                of type of warship.)

 

October                  Commissioned for service in Rosyth Escort Force,

                                Passage to Rosyth and completion of work-up

 

November              Deployed for North Sea convoy escort.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence and patrol duty in continuation.

to                            (Note: This ship was not used for evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk or other

May                        Channel ports.)

 

June

                10th        Part of escort for first east coast convoy to be attacked by E-Boats.

 

July                         Convoy defence duties for East Coast convoys.

to

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  North Sea deployment in continuation.

to                            (For details of North Sea convoy defence see THREE CORVETTES by N Monsarrat and

December              THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott,.)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  North Sea deployment in continuation.

to                            (Note: Fire central radar Type 285 fitted for 4in AA armament.

December              For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse)

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  North Sea deployment in continuation.

 

February

                24th        In action with HM Escort Destroyer EGLINTON against minelaying E- Boats which had

                                attacked Convoy FS137 ESE of Great Yarmouth.

 

March                    North Sea convoy defence and patrol duty in continuation.

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

to                            (Note: Not deployed for defence of military convoys during allied landings in

December              Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE - See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944

                HMSO)

                Ships were also fitted with a surface warning radar and radio telephone equipment to

                provide efficient inter communication with ships and aircraft.

 

1945

 

January                  North Sea duties in Nore Command in continuation.

to                            (Note: During this period there was an increase in minelaying in Thames Estuary

April                       and southern North Sea which placed an increased requirement for Escorts).

 

May                        Withdrawn from operational service and placed in Reserve.

 

 

Special  Note

 

HIS VIVIEN although ideal for the escort of coastal convoys from air and sea attack, in common with many of the other types of escort deployed in the North Sea received little publicity. Ships employed in the North Sea for convoy escort  were frequently in action against E-Boats and aircraft. In addition the mine infested waters and need for constant vigilance against air attack presented ever present hazards as well as the dangers of navigation in difficult waters.  Another  ‘unsung’ heroine of the East Coast.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VIVIEN Paid off and was reduced to Reserve status after the end of hostilities. She was placed on the Disposal List in 1947 and sold to BISCO on 18th February 1948 for demolition by Metal Industries. The ship arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard at Charlestown, near Rosyth in April that year.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VIVIEN

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

 

 

 

 

 

14/10/39

14/10/39

FS 0021

16/10/39

16/10/39

30/10/39

30/10/39

FS 0029

01/11/39

01/11/39

05/11/39

05/11/39

FS 0032

07/11/39

07/11/39

07/12/39

07/12/39

FS 0051

08/12/39

08/12/39

13/12/39

13/12/39

FS 0054

14/12/39

14/12/39

25/12/39

25/12/39

FS 0059

27/12/39

27/12/39

28/12/39

28/12/39

FN 0060

29/12/39

29/12/39

04/01/40

04/01/40

FS 0064

06/01/40

06/01/40

15/01/40

15/01/40

FS 0073

17/01/40

17/01/40

24/01/40

24/01/40

FN 0079A

25/01/40

25/01/40

28/01/40

28/01/40

FS 0083

30/01/40

30/01/40

07/02/40

07/02/40

MT 005

07/02/40

07/02/40

08/02/40

08/02/40

FS 0091

10/02/40

10/02/40

15/02/40

15/02/40

FS 0097

17/02/40

17/02/40

15/02/40

15/02/40

MT 011

15/02/40

15/02/40

19/02/40

19/02/40

FN 0098

21/02/40

21/02/40

28/02/40

28/02/40

FS 0108

01/03/40

01/03/40

06/03/40

06/03/40

TM 020

07/03/40

07/03/40

07/03/40

07/03/40

FS 0115

09/03/40

09/03/40

07/03/40

07/03/40

MT 025

07/03/40

07/03/40

10/03/40

10/03/40

FN 0117

12/03/40

12/03/40

14/03/40

14/03/40

MT 030

14/03/40

14/03/40

18/03/40

18/03/40

FN 0123

20/03/40

20/03/40

19/03/40

19/03/40

TM 030

20/03/40

20/03/40

27/03/40

27/03/40

FS 0131

29/03/40

29/03/40

03/04/40

03/04/40

FS 0137

05/04/40

05/04/40

03/04/40

03/04/40

MT 043

03/04/40

03/04/40

07/04/40

07/04/40

TM 040

08/04/40

08/04/40

12/04/40

12/04/40

FS 0144

14/04/40

14/04/40

25/04/40

25/04/40

FS 0155

27/04/40

27/04/40

25/04/40

25/04/40

MT 059

25/04/40

25/04/40

03/05/40

03/05/40

FS 0161

05/05/40

05/05/40

03/05/40

03/05/40

MT 063

03/05/40

03/05/40

09/05/40

09/05/40

MT 066

10/05/40

10/05/40

23/05/40

23/05/40

FS 0178

25/05/40

25/05/40

23/05/40

23/05/40

MT 072

23/05/40

23/05/40

30/05/40

30/05/40

FS 0183

01/06/40

01/06/40

30/05/40

30/05/40

MT 077

30/05/40

30/05/40

06/06/40

06/06/40

FS 0189

08/06/40

08/06/40

06/06/40

06/06/40

MT 083

06/06/40

06/06/40

18/06/40

18/06/40

FS 0198

20/06/40

20/06/40

21/06/40

21/06/40

FN 0201

23/06/40

23/06/40

24/06/40

24/06/40

MT 095

26/06/40

26/06/40

25/06/40

25/06/40

FS 0204

27/06/40

27/06/40

28/06/40

28/06/40

FN 0207

30/06/40

30/06/40

21/07/40

21/07/40

FS 0227

22/07/40

22/07/40

23/07/40

23/07/40

FN 0230

25/07/40

25/07/40

27/07/40

27/07/40

FS 0234

29/07/40

29/07/40

30/07/40

30/07/40

FN 0237

01/08/40

01/08/40

03/08/40

03/08/40

FS 0241

05/08/40

05/08/40

06/08/40

06/08/40

FN 0244

08/08/40

08/08/40

13/08/40

13/08/40

FS 0251

15/08/40

15/08/40

20/08/40

20/08/40

FS 0258

22/08/40

22/08/40

28/08/40

28/08/40

FS 0265

30/08/40

30/08/40

31/08/40

31/08/40

FN 0268

02/09/40

02/09/40

04/09/40

04/09/40

FS 0272

06/09/40

06/09/40

09/09/40

09/09/40

FN 0277A

11/09/40

11/09/40

16/09/40

16/09/40

FS 0283

19/09/40

19/09/40

19/09/40

19/09/40

FN 0285

21/09/40

21/09/40

26/09/40

26/09/40

FS 0292

28/09/40

28/09/40

29/09/40

29/09/40

FN 0294

01/10/40

01/10/40

04/10/40

04/10/40

FS 0300

06/10/40

06/10/40

07/10/40

07/10/40

FN 0302

08/10/40

09/10/40

12/10/40

12/10/40

FS 0307

14/10/40

14/10/40

15/10/40

15/10/40

FN 0309

18/10/40

18/10/40

24/10/40

24/10/40

FS 0319

27/10/40

27/10/40

27/10/40

27/10/40

FN 0321

29/10/40

29/10/40

31/10/40

31/10/40

FS 0324

02/11/40

02/11/40

03/11/40

03/11/40

FN 0326

05/11/40

05/11/40

08/11/40

08/11/40

FS 0331

10/11/40

10/11/40

11/11/40

11/11/40

FN 0332

14/11/40

14/11/40

26/11/40

26/11/40

FN 0344

28/11/40

28/11/40

30/11/40

30/11/40

FS 0349

02/12/40

02/12/40

04/12/40

04/12/40

FN 0350

06/12/40

06/12/40

08/12/40

08/12/40

FS 0357

11/12/40

11/12/40

12/12/40

12/12/40

FN 0358

14/12/40

14/12/40

19/12/40

19/12/40

FS 0364

22/12/40

22/12/40

27/12/40

27/12/40

FS 0372

29/12/40

29/12/40

04/01/41

04/01/41

FS 0379

06/01/41

06/01/41

15/01/41

15/01/41

FS 0389

17/01/41

17/01/41

26/01/41

26/01/41

FS 0396

28/01/41

28/01/41

29/01/41

29/01/41

FN 0395

31/01/41

31/01/41

05/03/41

05/03/41

OB 294

09/03/41

09/03/41

18/02/41

10/03/41

SL 066

14/03/41

14/03/41

17/03/41

18/03/41

OG 056

21/03/41

02/04/41

31/03/41

31/03/41

OB 304

03/04/41

04/04/41

20/03/41

04/04/41

SC 026

05/04/41

08/04/41

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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