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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 DARING (H 16) -  D-class Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Daring (Navy Photos/Michael Pocock, click to enlarge)

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D or DEFENDER-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from John I Thornycroft at Woolston, Southampton in the 1930 Programme. The ship was laid down on 18th June 1931 and launched on 7th April 1932. She was the 5th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1801 and previously used by a destroyer sold in 1912. Build was completed on 25th November 1932 for a contract price of £225,536 excluding the Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns, ammunition and communications equipment. She joined the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean early the next year. The ship re-commissioned in April 1934 after refit at Sheerness.. In December 1934 she sailed to join the 8th Destroyer Flotilla on the China Station and served there until the outbreak of war. Her captain until arrival at Singapore was the renowned Lord Louis Mountbatten.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Black, an arm and a hand in a cresset of fire all Proper.

 

M o t t o

Splendide audax :   'Finely daring’

 

 

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

                3rd           Passage to join Fleet at Alexandria with HM Destroyers DUNCAN, DIANA and DAINTY.

                26th         Detached on arrival at Aden for patrol and contraband control in Red Sea.

 

October                   Deployed at Aden.

 

November               Passage to Malta to join Flotilla.

                25th         Taken in hand for docking and repair in Malta

                                (Note: The condition of many ships of Flotilla had been found unsatisfactory on arrival in the

                                Mediterranean.

                                HMS DECOY and HMS DUNCAN were also taken in hand after joining the

                                Mediterranean Fleet).

 

December                Nominated for service in 3rd Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet.

                20th         On completion prepared for passage.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                   Passage to Belfast as escort for rms DUNNOTAR CASTLE from Gibraltar.

                7th           Arrived in Clyde and took passage to Portsmouth.

                                (Note: This was her first arrival in UK since leaving for China in 1930.)

                10th         Under repair at Portsmouth.

                25th         On completion took passage via Irish Sea to join Flotilla in Scapa Flow.

 

February

                10th         Joined Flotilla at Scapa Flow.

                                Deployed for escort of convoys to and from Norway.

                18th         During escort of Convoy HN12 from Norway torpedoed by U23 and sank very quickly

                                in position 58.39N 01.10W after being hit in stern and capsizing.

                                There were only 15 survivors, five of whom were rescued by HM Submarine THISTLE

                                which had witnessed attack. 157 of ship's company were lost.

                                U29 was commanded by Kretschmer who later was responsible for sinking many ships

                                during Atlantic convoy attacks during 1941.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e

 

This name was carried forward in August 1949 when given to a Fleet Destroyer launched at Wallsend by Swan Hunter. She served at home and abroad until scrapped in 1971.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS DARING

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

 

 

 

 

 

30/01/40

05/02/40

TC 003

07/02/40

07/02/40

16/02/40

16/02/40

HN 012

18/02/40

19/02/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 29/7/11
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