F-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered on 17th March 1933 from
JS White at Cowes, IoW under 1932 Programme. The ship was laid down on 19th May that year and
launched on 10th September 1934 as the 11th RN ship to bear this name,
introduced in 1779 for a Sloop broken up in 1789. The last warship with this
name was a destroyer built in 1911
and sold in 1921. Build of this destroyer was completed on 18 May 1933. On completion of trials and work-up
she served in the 6th Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet and deployed for
Non-Intervention patrols in Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean during Spanish
civil war. On 11th December 1936 after his abdication broadcast to the nation this destroyer embarked HRH
The Duke of Windsor for passage to Boulogne. When not detached from Flotilla took part in Home Fleet
exercise and Visits programmes. .The Flotilla was renumbered 8th in April 1941.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign held
in January 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of West Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ST
LUCIA 1796 - EGYPT 1801 - ALGIERS
1816 - KUA KAM 1649 - CRIMEA 1854 - CHINA
1856-60 - DARDANELLES 1915-16 - SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN. 1941 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42
- ATLANTIC 1941-43 - ARCTIC 1942-43 - SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943 -
NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a field Red, a dragon’s
head White
langued White, armed Gold.
M o t t o
Sic ad hostem: 'Thus (Fury) to
the enemy’
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
Deployed with 8th Destroyer Flotilla and took –up war station
3rd Fleet screening duties in continuation based at Scapa Flow.
(Note: Other ships in 6th Destroyer Flotilla,
renamed 8th in March 1939 comprised HM
Destroyers FAULKNOR (Leader), FAME, FEARLESS,
FIREDRAKE, FORESTER,
FORTUNE, FOXHOUND.
Some ships of Flotilla were deployed as
anti-submarine screen for HM Aircraft Carrier
COURAGEOUS when sunk by U 29 in English Channel.
Two of them were detached
to assist a mercantile. One of these may have
been this destroyer. To be confirmed)
October
Home Fleet screening and anti-submarine patrol duties in North Sea and NW
Approaches.
to (Note: Major units of Home Fleet with destroyer
screens were deployed in search
December
operations to intercept commerce raiders on passage to and from the Atlantic.
After the loss of HM Battleship ROYAL OAK in
Scapa Flow, Home Fleet
ships transferred to Clyde and continued
interception duties as well as
escort of military convoys bring Canadian
personnel to UK. For details of
naval activities in Home waters see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett and Naval Staff History.
1 9 4 0
January
Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet screening and patrol duties based at
Scapa Flow
to
March
April Deployed at Scapa Flow for screening duties.
Nomination for escort of military convoy NP1 to
be investigated.
(For details of Home Fleet deployments after
invasion of Norway see NAVAL
OPERATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN IN
NORWAY,
April to June 1940 (HMSO,
NARVIK by D MacIntyre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
J Adams, Naval Staff
History and CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton.)
17th Deployed as part of escort for damaged cruiser HMS SUFFOLK during
passage
to Scapa Flow after damage during air attacks at
Stavanger (Operation DUCK).
23rd Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HASTY,
FEARLESS and JUNO as escort for HM Aircraft
Carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS
during passage to southern Norway to provide
fighter protection to military operations,
land RAF aircraft for air support and carry out
air attacks on Trondheim (Operation DX)
(Note: This was the first RN operation with
deployment of two aircraft carriers for
dual operations. See above references.)
On release from DX returned to Scapa Flow.
May
7th Nominated for transfer to Nore Command with HM Destroyers FORTUNE
and FORESIGHT
of 8th Flotilla for duty at Harwich in view of
threat imposed by German advance into the Low
Countries.
9th Sailed from
Scapa Flow
with HM Destroyers FORESIGHT, MOHAWK, BULLDOG and
GALLANT to intercept E-Boats on passage to carry
out minelaying in North Sea and later to
join HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM and destroyer screen
already deployed in sweep for
minelaying activities.
After an attack by E Boats on HM Destroyer KELLY
which was badly damaged joined escort
to ensure her safe passage to Tyne for repair
with cover by Home Fleet cruiser
(Note: HM Destroyers KELLY, KIMBERLEY and
KANDAHAR were on passage in North Sea
from Norway and had been directed to join HMS
BIRMINGHAM and her escorting
destroyers to assist in search.)
10th Under air attacks during passage. For details see THE KELLY by K
Poolman.
12th Took passage to Harwich after release from escort of HMS KELLY.
20th Deployed at Harwich for patrol and support of military operations
(Note: Did not take direct part in evacuation
of troops from Dunkirk. (Operation DYNAMO.)
June Repair to be confirmed
to See Naval Staff History MEDITERRANEAN, Volume 1
(HMSO –2002)
July Nominated for service with 8th Destroyer Flotilla
at Gibraltar.
(Note: 8th Destroyer Flotilla had joined Force
H in June 1940 and was based at Gibraltar.
The ships had returned to UK in July and were to
returning from Scapa Flow to
resume duty in the western Mediterranean. See
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman))
August On
completion of post repair trials resumed operational duties.
22nd
Deployed with escort for military convoy during passage to Gibraltar.
29th Rejoined Flotilla at Gibraltar.
(Note: Force H ships including Flotilla had met
convoy in Atlantic.)
30th Sailed from Gibraltar with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE,
FORESIGHT,
FORESTER, FORTUNE of Flotilla, HM Destroyers
ENCOUNTER, VELOX and WISHART
as escort for warships ships of Force H
providing cover for passage of mercantiles in
western Mediterranean to Sicilian Narrows
(Operation HATS)
(Note: Major ships in Force H were HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier
ARK ROYAL and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
In addition to mercantiles taking stores to
Egypt
reinforcement warships were taking
passage to join the Mediterranean Fleet based at
Alexandria. These were HM
Battleship VALIANT, HM Air craft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruiser CALCUTTA
COVENTRY and four Fleet Destroyers.)
For details of operations in Mediterranean in
1940 see Naval Staff Histories,
MEDITERRANEAN, Volumes 1 and 2 (HMSO 2002.), THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.)
September
3rd Returned to
Gibraltar
with ships of Force H
6th Detached for duty with Dakar invasion Force (Operation MENACE).
11th Participated in defence of Fleet units engaged in preparation for
landing by Free
to French troops at Dakar.
22nd
(See RELUCTANT OBOES by W Tute, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
and the Naval Staff History).
23rd During operations off Dakar in action with HM Australian Cruiser
AUSTRALIA and
HM Destroyer GREYHOUND against French destroyer
L'AUDACIACE which was
set on fire and beached.
25th Operation MENACE abandoned.
26th Remained in West African waters for convoy escort duty.
October
Deployed off West African coast in continuation.
9th Provided cover for French landings in Cameroons
November
Returned to Gibraltar to rejoin Flotilla in Force H.
7th Escorted reinforcement convoy to Malta with ships of Force H
(Operation COAT).
11th Returned to Gibraltar.
15th Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL during Malta aircraft
delivery mission
(Operation WHITE)
19th Returned to Gibraltar.
25th Part of escort for ships of Force H covering transit of convoy to
Malta and Alexandria.
(Operation COLLAR).
27th Escorted HM Battlecruiser RENOWN during action with Italian Fleet
units trying to
intercept the convoy off Spartivento
(Battle of Spartivento – See ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY end THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. MacIntyre).
December
Deployed with Force H at Gibraltar.
1 9 4 1
January
6th Part of Force H escort during provision of cover for passage in
western Mediterranean
of convoy to Malta and Piraeus (Operation
EXCESS).
11th Returned to Gibraltar with Force H.
February
9th Escorted Fleet units taking part in bombardment of Genoa (Operation
GROG)
March
Under refit at Gibraltar.
Rejoined Force H on completion.
April
2nd Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL during delivery of HURRICANE aircraft to
Malta.
(Operation WINCH).
4th Returned to
Gibraltar.
24th Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL during repeat HURRICANE delivery
(Operation DUNLOP)
(Note: This operation also included transfer of
reinforcement ships to Alexandria with
cover from ships of Force H - See above
references).
28th Returned to Gibraltar.
May
6th Part of Escort for Force H units providing defence for military
convoy taking tanks to
Egypt for Eighth Army (Operation TIGER).
12th Returned to Gibraltar with ships of Force H.
24th Deployed with Force H to cover passage of Atlantic military convoy
with ships of 8th
Destroyer Flotilla in view of possible attack by
German Battleship BISMARCK.
25th Diverted to join in search for BISMARCK as screen for Force H ships.
June On release from BISMARCK operation deployed with
ships of 8th Flotilla and HM
Ocean Boarding Vessel MARSDALE in search for
German Supply ship in Atlantic.
(Note: This was part of an extensive operation
to intercept and sink ships that had
been deployed to support BISMARCK and was based
on decryption of German
radio traffic by GCHQ at Bletchley Park.
23rd Intercepted the German mercantile ALSTERTOR which scuttled on
approach.
Rescued British seamen captured during commerce
raiders activities.
Took passage to Gibraltar with ships of Flotilla
July Resumed duties with Force H at Gibraltar.
21st Escorted Force H ships providing cover for passage of a convoy to
reinforce Malta
garrison
(Operation SUBSTANCE – For details, see above
references.)
August
Force H deployment with Flotilla In continuation.
September
24th Escorted Force H ships during passage of Malta supply convoy.
(Operation HALBERD – See above references)
October
Transferred to Home Fleet for Atlantic convoy defence.
Passage to UK.
November
Joined Greenock Special Escort Division.
December
Rejoined 8th Destroyer Flotilla for Hone Fleet for Fleet escort duties.
1 9 4 2
January
Refitted in Humber shipyard and AA armament Increased.
February
15th On completion worked-up before rejoining Flotilla at Scapa Flow for
service in defence of
Russian convoys.
(For details of all Russian Convoys see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg, THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and CONVOY I by
P. Kemp).
March
Escorted Fleet units providing Distant Cover for passage of returning Convoy QP6
and
outward PQ12.
23rd Joined escort for Convoy PQ13 with HM Cruiser TRINIDAD and HM
Destroyer
ECLIPSE.
27th Detached to search for stragglers and returned with ss HARPALION.
28th In action against German Destroyers attacking PQ13 with HM Cruiser
TRINIDAD and
HM Destroyer ECLIPSE. Escorted HMS TRINIDAD to
Kola Inlet after she had been
damaged after hit from one of her own torpedoes
which malfunctioned.
29th Unsuccessful attack made on U378 on 29th which was recorded as a
sinking.
(Note: Post war analysis showed U378 was
escaped and that U585 had been mined
on 30th March. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp
and HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
April
10th Joined Ocean Escort of returning Convoy QP10 on sailing from
Murmansk.
12th Escorted Home Fleet units providing cover for return of damaged HMS
TRINIDAD.
15th Resumed Home Fleet escort after HMS TRINIDAD sank.
22nd
Escorted Home Fleet units providing distant cover for Convoy PQ16 and returning
Convoy
QP12.
27th Joined Ocean Escort for QP17 until dispersal on 4/7.
July
2nd Carried out unsatisfactory anti-submarine operations with HMS
WILTON, HMS
LOTUS and HM Corvette LOTUS against U456 after
torpedo attack on convoy.
4th Detached when convoy was scattered (See above references and ENGAGE
THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY).
August
3rd Detached for escort duty with military relief convoy (WS21) from UK
to Malta.
(Operation PEDESTAL - See PEDESTAL by C. Smith
and above references).
10th Escorted Fleet units providing defence for PEDESTAL convoy..
13th Minesweeping duty in Skerki Channel approach to Malta.
14th Minesweeping gear carried away.
17th Passage to UK to rejoin Flotilla in Home Fleet.
September
9th Joined Fighting Escort for Convoy PQ18.
17th Detached from PQ18 and joined return convoy QP14 with Fighting
Escort.
18th Detached from QP14 with HM Destroyer IMPULSIVE and took passage to
Spitzbergen to collect RFA OLIGARCH on
completion of refuelling escorts.
19th Rejoined QP14 with HMS IMPULSIVE and RFA OLIGARCH.
20th Detached from QP14 as escort for HM Cruiser SCYLLA and HM Escort
Aircraft
Carrier AVENGER with HM Escort Destroyers
WHEATLAND and WILTON
because of increasing threat of submarine attack
(Note: Flag transferred to HM Destroyer MILNE.)
Took passage to land survivors at Akureri ,
Iceland
October
Deployed with Home Fleet.
November Home
Fleet duty in continuation.
December
18th Joined escort of Russian Convoy JW51A
25th Detached from JW51A escort.
30th Joined escort for returning RA51
1 9 4 3
January
6th Detached from RA51 and rejoined Flotilla in Home Fleet.
February Deployed with Home Fleet.
21st Escorted HM Cruiser SCYLLA to reinforce defence for Convoy JW53
27th Detached from escort of HMS SCYLLA.
March
1st Joined escort for returning convoy RA53
11th Detached from RA53 and rejoined Home Fleet.
Transferred to Home Fleet and deployed with 4th
Escort Group for defence of Atlantic
convoys. For details of Atlantic convoy defence
in 1943-44 see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
by D. MacIntyre,
CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton and SEEK
AND STRIKE by W
Hackmann).
April
5th Escorted Convoy HX329 and drove off attacking U-Boat Group.
25th Reinforced escort for Convoys HX234 and ONS5.
May
5th Escorted 1st Minelaying Squadron for minelay in Northern Barrage.
(Operation SN111A).
22nd
Escorted Convoy SC130
28th Under repair in
Humber
shipyard.
June Nominated for duty in support of Sicily landings
(Operation HUSKY).
17th Escorted Home Fleet units to reinforce Mediterranean Fleet for
Sicily landings.
Joined escort for military convoys on arrival in
Mediterranean.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval
Staff History).
July Deployed with Fleet units covering landings
10th Part of Covering Force during landings.
August
Deployed with Force H in Mediterranean.
September
10th Escorted Italian Fleet units into Malta for surrender.
12th Joined Covering Force at Salerno for landing support duty.
(Operation AVALANCHE - See above references).
October
Deployed in Aegean for interception of invasion convoys.
7th Intercepted convoy at Stampalia with HM Cruiser PENELOPE and HM
Destroyer
FAULKNOR
8th Searched for landing craft with HM Escort Destroyers EXMOOR and
BLENCATHRA.
15th In action with aircraft during search for Invasion convey and had
abandoned
the operation in view of lack of air cover.
(For details of operations in the Aegean see WAR
IN THE AEGEAN by P. Smith
F E Walker, FIGHTING DESTROYER by G Cornell and
THE LAST DESTROYER
by F A Mason.)
November
Aegean defence operations in continuation.
15th Bombarded Leros with HMS EXMOOR and the Polish destroyer ORP
KRAKOWIAK.
16th Further bombardment of Leros with
HM Destroyers ALDENHAM and PENN.
December
Refitted at Gibraltar and converted for duty as a Convoy Escort.
One 4in mounting and the 3in AA gun removed and
replaced by Oerlikons.
Depth Charge facilities increased
1 9 4 4
January
Under refit.
to
February
March
On completion of post refit trials joined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
April Nominated for support of Atlantic convoy escorts
with HMS FAULKNOR,
. HMS ISIS and HMS JERVIS of 8th Flotilla
Deployed with HM Destroyers ICARUS, INGLEFIELD
and ECLIPSE
as 4th Support Group.
See above references and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by
C Blair.
6th Took passage to join Convoy HX231.
7th Joined HX231 after delay due to extreme weather conditions.
Provided support against attacks by LOWENHERTZ
U-Boat Group
during whose passage six mercantiles were sunk.
See above reference.
May
Nominated for detached service in support of planned allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE)
(Note: HMS FAULKNOR of 8th Flotilla was also
nominated for detached service
in Force J)
13th Arrived at Scapa Flow for deployment with Force J.
Passage to Portsmouth to join Force J.
Took part in final series of exercises with
ships of Force J
(Note: These included loading and departure
procedures with special convoy
defence exercise against E-Boat attacks. See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY, OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 194 (HMSO).
June Joined Bombardment Force E to provide naval Gunfire
Support to military operations
in Eastern (British) Task Force area.
(Bombardment Force E also included HM Cruisers
BELFAST,
DIADEM, HM
Destroyers KEMPENFELT, FAULKNOR, VENUS,
VIGILANT, HM Canadian
Destroyers ALGONQUIN, SIOUX, HM Escort
Destroyers GLAISDALE,
STEVENSTONE and Free French Escort Destroyer LA
COMBATTANTE.)
Deployed in Solent with ships of Force J
(Note: Final briefings for NEPTUNE were carried
out.)
Target allocated for Preliminary Bombardment,.
4th Operation delayed 24 hours
5th Took passage from
Solent
with HMS FAULKNOR as escort for Convoy J1.
(Note Convoy J1 comprised 9th Fleet Minesweeping
Flotilla, four Danlayers,
3 Minesweeping Motor Launches, 1 Harbour Defence Motor Launch
and a BYMS Minesweeping Flotilla.)
6th Detached from J1 with BYMS and took passage through Swept Channel
to
meet Convoy J3 as escort during transit of Swept
Channel.
On arrival off Beachhead deployed with HMS VENUS
in Bombardment position.
Carried out preliminary support bombardment west
of Courseulles with HMS
VENUS.
Deployed with Eastern Task Force after initial
assault.
7th Deployed for support duties and convoy escort in Eastern Task Force
Area
to (Note returned to Portsmouth to refuel and replenish as required)
20th
21st Mined off beachhead and driven ashore by gale.
Salvaged and towed to UK
August
Declared Constructive Total Loss after survey.
September
Placed on Disposal List and sold to BISCO for demolition by TW Ward
at Briton Ferry
18th Arrived in tow at Breaker’s yard for breaking-up.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS FURY
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has 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
|
18/04/40
|
21/04/40
|
FP 002
|
22/04/40
|
22/04/40
|
05/08/40
|
05/08/40
|
WS 002
|
07/08/40
|
08/08/40
|
06/02/41
|
20/02/41
|
HG 053
|
23/02/41
|
24/02/41
|
20/02/41
|
25/02/41
|
HG 054
|
25/02/41
|
12/03/41
|
06/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
TIGER
|
12/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
29/08/41
|
08/09/41
|
OG 073
|
13/09/41
|
13/09/41
|
24/09/41
|
25/09/41
|
HALBERD
|
27/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
09/10/41
|
OG 075
|
12/10/41
|
13/10/41
|
06/11/41
|
24/11/41
|
SL 092
|
25/11/41
|
01/12/41
|
01/03/42
|
06/03/42
|
PQ 012
|
11/03/42
|
12/03/42
|
10/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
PQ 013
|
30/03/42
|
31/03/42
|
10/04/42
|
10/04/42
|
QP 010
|
21/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
21/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
PQ 016
|
29/05/42
|
30/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
QP 012
|
29/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
27/06/42
|
30/06/42
|
PQ 017
|
04/07/42
|
04/07/42
|
02/09/42
|
09/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
18/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
QP 014
|
20/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
03/12/43
|
unknown
|
XIF 005
|
unknown
|
09/12/43
|
15/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
JW 051A
|
25/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
RA 051
|
06/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
15/02/43
|
21/02/43
|
JW 053
|
27/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
01/03/43
|
RA 053
|
11/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
06/04/43
|
HX 231
|
08/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
12/04/43
|
HX 232
|
15/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
04/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
UGS 023
|
30/11/43
|
01/12/43
|
16/12/43
|
26/12/43
|
KMF 027
|
29/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
29/04/44
|
29/04/44
|
XIF 014
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
13/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
FWC 006
|
14/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)