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).
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.