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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS VALENTINE (L 69) - V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Verity of same class but with wartime modifications (Navy Photos/Mike Pocock, click to enlarge)

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Admiralty V-Class Destroyer ordered in July 1916 from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead under the 9th Order for destroyers in the 1916-17 Programme and laid down on 7th August 1916. The five ships in this order were designated as Half Leaders and the tender cost for those built by Cammell Laird was £218,300. The ship was launched on 24th March 1917 as the 2nd RN ship to carry this name, introduced in 1418. Her build was completed on 27th June that year and after completion was modified to carry mines. She was deployed in Home waters until the end of WW1. After 1918 she remained in service until transferred to Reserve at Rosyth and in 1927 was refitted. During 1939 before the outbreak of WW2 this destroyer was selected for conversion into an AA Escort as part of the re-armament programme.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Crest : On a Field Blue, a swan’s head Silver,

collared and chained Gold.

 

M o t t o

Valens et volens : 'Fit and willing'

 

 

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 3 9

 

September             Under conversion to AA Escort (WAIR) by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

to December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Conversion in continuation and contractors trials.

to March

 

April                       Acceptance trials and worked-up for operational service.

                                On completion deployed in Nore Command for convoy defence.

 

May                        Transferred to Dover command in continuation

                                Deployed off Dutch coast for AA support to military operations.

                                (Note : Ship use for evacuation of civil and military personnel to

                                be confirmed.)

                                (following account courtesy Don Kindell)

                                Destroyers VALENTINE, WINCHESTER, WHITLEY were operating

                                off Flushing during the night of 14/15 May.

                15th        At 1300, destroyers VALENTINE and WHITLEY were ordered to

                                cover the Terneusen - Brosele (Beveland) Ferry.

                                VALENTINE (Cdr H.J. Buchanan RAN), at the mouth of the River

                                Scheldt within a mile of Terneusen, was bombed and badly damaged

                                by German Ju.88 bomber. Struck by two bombs,  boiler blew up and

                                she was run aground and abandoned a total loss. Position 51.20N 03.49E.

                                Thirty one ratings were killed and twenty one crew, including Probationary

                                Temporary Surgeon Lt N. F. E. Burrows RMCS, LRCP, MD, BCH RNVR,

                                Temporary Lt R. M. MacFie RNVR, Acting Gunner S. F. Burrow were wounded.

                                WHITLEY blew up VALENTINE.

                                (and thanks to Ian Gilbert)  

                                She was abandoned in situ and until a few years ago the remains (after Dutch

                                salvage attempts in the 1950's) were still visible at low tide.

 

N o t e s

 

This name was reintroduced in September 1943 when given to a Fleet Destroyer, but when this new ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1944 she was renamed HMCS ALGONQUIN. Before transfer the ship gained three Battle Honours to add to that achieved by her predecessor.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VALENTINE

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

 

 

 

 

 

20/04/40

20/04/40

FS 0151

22/04/40

22/04/40

19/04/40

20/04/40

MT 055

20/04/40

19/04/40

01/05/40

01/05/40

FS 0160

03/05/40

03/05/40

08/05/40

08/05/40

FS 0166

10/05/40

10/05/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 


 

THE LOSS OF HMS VALENTINE

by Jaap Geensen, 8 Oct 2011

One of the Royal Navy casualties in the area where I  live was the HMS VALENTINE. The action took place on the WESTERSCHELDE off the Dutch town of Terneuzen. She got a direct hit from a German bomber, I believe in the engine room. (Her sister ship shot the second bomber down). The captain ran her aground a few kilometers to the West of Terneuzen (now the site where Dow Chemicals has a large plant) and managed to save the lives of those not killed by the bomb. The wounded were treated and hidden from the Germans in Terneuzen Hospital. Quiet a few pictures are available of the wreck that remained on the dyke till at least the sixties.

 

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