S or SAVAGE-Class Destroyer ordered from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead with 5th Emergency Flotilla on 9th January 1941 .The
ship was laid down on 19th June 1941 as Yard No 1094 and intended to be named
SENTINEL. However this was changed after the loss of HM River Gunboat SCORPION
in an action with Japanese destroyers off Sumatra on 13th February 1942. Launch
was delayed until 26th August 1942 due to serious design problems and the late
delivery of armament and fire-control equipment. She was the 11th RN ship to
carry this name, introduced in 1746. Build was completed on 11th May 1943.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC 1759 - GUADALOUPE
1810 - DARDANELLES 1915-16 - ARCTIC 1943-45 -
NORTH CAPE 1943 - NORMANDY
1944
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field barry wavy of six white and blue ,a
scorpion gold.
M o t t o
Finem espice: 'Look to the end'.
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 4 3
May Contractor's sea trials and
commissioning.
11th Accepted into service with 23rd Destroyer
Flotilla, Home Fleet.
June On completion of work up at Scapa
Flow joined Flotilla for operational service.
to
Deployed for screening of major Home Fleet units and patrol in NW
Approaches
September
October
20th Passage to Kola Inlet with HM Destroyers MAHRATTA, MATCHLESS, MILNE
MUSKETEER, SAUMAREZ, SAVAGE, SCOURGE, WESTCOTT, HM Corvette
EGLANTINE, HM Minesweepers HARRIER and SEAGULL to escort merchant ships
held in Russian
ports during summer months because of suspension of convoys.
(Operation FR). November
3rd Escorted Convoy RA54A from Kola Inlet
with HM Destroyers SAVAGE, SAUMAREZ,
MILNE. SCOURGE, MAHRATTA, MATCHLESS, MUSKETEER and WESTCOTT.
(HM
Minesweepers JASON and BRITOMART and HM Corvette EGLANTINE
were also
part of the Ocean Escort)
10th Detached from RA545A with Home Fleet
destroyers.
23rd Joined Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy
JW64B with HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
HARDY, SAVAGE, SCOURGE, VENUS, VIGILANT and Norwegian STORD.
December
3rd Detached from JW54B on arrival at
approach to Archangel.
Independent passage with Home Fleet destroyers to Scapa Flow.
10th Deployed with Flotilla for Horns Fleet
screening duties.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg,
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodhead, CONVOY ) by P Kemp, THE KOLA RUN by D.
MacIntyre and I Campbell and RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefield.
20th Part of screen for HM Battleship DUKE OF
YORK and HM Cruiser JAMAICA with H M
Destroyers SAUMAREZ, SAVAGE and Norwegian destroyer STORD to provide
distant
cover for Russian Convoy JW55B and returning Convoy RA55B.
26th Took part in Battle of North Cape with MS
DUKE OF YORK, HM Cruisers SHEFFIELD
and
NORFOLK.
Made torpedo attack on German battlecruiser SCHARNHORST with Norwegian
destroyer
STORD and obtained one hit.
Took part in
rescue of German survivors with HM Destroyer MATCHLESS.
Only 26 were found.
(For full details see THE KOLA RUN, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
the
Naval Staff History).
27th At Kola Inlet after sinking of SCHARNHORST
and returned to Scapa Flow with HMS
DUKE OF YORK and Home Fleet cruisers.
1
9 4 4
January Deployed with Flotilla for Home Fleet
screening and patrol in NW Approaches.
to
February
March Home Fleet duties in continuation.
29th Joined Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy
JW58 with HM Destroyers OBEDIENT,
OFFA, ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE, ORIBI, ORWELL, SAUMAREZ, SERAPIS, VENUS
and
Norwegian destroyer STORD as screen for HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort Carrier
ACTIVITY and HM Escort Carrier TRACKER.
April
4th Detached from JW58 on arrival at Kola
Inlet.
7th Joined return Convoy RA58 as screen for
HMS TRACKER with HM Destroyers ORIBI
IMPULSIVE and OBEDIENT.
14th Detached from RA54 after uninterrupted
passage.
May Nominated for duty with ships of
Flotilla in Force S during allied landings in Normandy.
Allocated target in
Pre-Arranged Fire Plan - Beach defences at Ouistreham.
(Operation
NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities prior to and during landings
see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards, LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).
Took part in preparatory exercises for assault operations.
June Joined HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
KELVIN, VIRAGO, SCOURGE, VERULAM, SWIFT,
SERAPIS,
EGLINGTON, Polish SLAZAK, Norwegian SVENNER and STORD in Force S
Passage to Spithead.
4th Operation delayed 24 hours.
5th Joined Convoy S2 as escort through Swept
Channel during minesweeping operations
(Convoy comprised 1st Minesweeping Flotilla, four Danlayers, two
Minesweeping Motor
Launches and a Harbour
Defence Motor Launch.
6th Carried out bombardment in accordance
with Fire Plan.
On completion provided gunfire support in SWORD area.
7th Deployed on patrols to intercept enemy
surface craft attempting to attack ships in Eastern
Task Force area.
9th Reinforced HM Destroyers ONSLOW, ORIBI,
OFFA and ONSLAUGHT with HM
Destroyer SCOURGE .to meet threat of attack by NARVIK Class destroyers
from Brest
July On release from NEPTUNE deployed in
English Channel for patrol and convoy defence
to against E-Boat attacks.
August
September Rejoined Flotilla for duties with Home Fleet.
17th Part of screen for HM Battleship
RODNEY, HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort Carriers
CAMPANIA and TRACKER for escort of Russian Convoy JW60 with HM Destroyers
MARNE
METEOR, MILNE, MUSKETEER, SAUMAREZ, VENUS, VERULAM,
VIRAGO, VOLAGE, ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX (RCN).
23rd Detached on arrival at Kola Inlet.
28th Joined escort for return Convoy RA60
with same ships.
October
3rd Detached from RA60 before arrival in
Loch Ewe and returned to Scapa Flow.
14th Escorted HM Cruiser EURYALUS, HM Escort
Carrier TRUMPETER and HM Escort
Carrier FENCER during attacks on shiping and air minelays off Norway
with HM
Destroyers MYNGS, VOLAGE, SERAPIS, ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX (RCN).
(Operation LYCIDAS - No shipping was sighted but minelays were
satisfactory).
November
3rd Embarked Norwegian troops for passage
to Kola Inlet with HM Destroyer SAVAGE.
(Operation FREEMAN)
(Note: These troops which were an
advance party for a planned military operation in
northern Norway should have been flown to Russia but this had been
prevented by weather
conditions).
6th Arrived in Kola Inlet and joined HM
Destroyers CAMBRIAN, CASSANDRA, CAPRICE,
SCOURGE , SAUMAREZ, SCOURGE and SERAPIS.
11th Joined HM Cruiser BERWICK and HM Escort
Carrier CAMPANIA as screen with H M
Destroyers CAMBRIAN, CAPRICE, CASSANDRA, SAVAGE, SAUMAREZ, SCOURGE
and SERAPIS
as escort for Convoy RA6A (ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and
ss SCYTHIA) to Clyde.
17th Resumed duties at Scapa Flow with Flotilla.
20th Joined Force 3 with HM Destroyers
ZEALOUS, ONSLAUGHT, and SCOURGE as screen
for HM Cruiser DIADEM and HM Escort Carriers PREMIER and PURSUER during
air
minelay
in Karm Sound (Operation HANDFAST).
27th Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE
and HM Cruiser DIDO with HM Destroyers
SCOURGE, ZEPHYR, ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX
(RCN) during air operations off
Masjoen, Norway.
December Deployed
with Home Fleet in NW Approaches.
(For details of operation
off Norway in 1944-45 see CONVOY ) by P Kemp).
1 9 4 5
January Flotilla duties with Home Fleet in
continuation.
9th Passage to Kola Inlet for escort of
returning convoy.
11th Joined Home Fleet destroyers at Kola
Inlet for escort of Convoy RA63.
21st Detached from RA63 after uninterrupted
passage in extreme weather making necessary
re-assembly of convoy.
February
10th Joined Force l as screen for HM Cruisers
NORFOLK and DIDO with HM Destroyers
MYNGS and SAVAGE to provide cover for Force 2 during shipping attacks
off Bud and
air minelay in Skatestromnen. (Operation
SELENIUM - No Shipping sighted).
21st Joined Force 4 as screen for HM Cruiser
DIDO and HM Escort Carriers PREMIER
and PUNCHER to provide cover for Minesweeping operations by Force 3 NE
of Orkneys,
an air minelay in Karm Sound with HM Destroyers MYNGS and CAVALIER..
(Operations SHRED and GROUNDSHEET)
25th Joined escort for return convoy RA64
with HM Destroyers CAVALIER and MYNGS.
27th Detached from RA64 escort.
March
12th Part of screen for HM Cruiser DIADEM and
HMS CAMPANIA during escort for Russian
Convoy JW65 with HM Destroyers ONSLAUGHT, OPPORTUNE, ORWELL, ZAMBESI
and
SIOUX (RCN) to Kola Inlet.
21st Detached from JW65 on arrival.
23rd Joined escort for return Convey RA65 with
HM Cruiser DIADEM, HMS CAMPANIA and
HMS
TRUMPETER, HM Destroyers MYNGS, OPPORTUNE, ORWELL, SAVAGE,
SCOURGE, ZAMBESI, SIOUX (RCN) and Norwegian destroyer STORD.
30th Detached from RA65 with Home Fleet
destroyers before arrival at Scapa Flow.
April Home Fleet duties in continuation.
to
May
June Deployed with Flotilla in Home Fleet
including support of reoccupation forces.
P
o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS
SCORPION was reduced to Reserve after VJ Day and sold to the Netherlands on 1
October 1945.She was renamed KORTENAER in commemoration of a destroyer lost in
action with Japanese warships in the Dutch East Indies on 28th February 1942.
The ship served as a destroyer until 1957 when converted for use as a Fast
Frigate and remained in commission until 1962 when she was broken-up in
Holland. The name SCORPION was reintroduced into RN service in 1946 when given
to a WEAPON Class destroyer. This new ship was later converted for use as a
Radar Picket ship and remained in service until 1966 when placed on the
Disposal List and sold for breaking-up in 1971.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
SCORPION
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
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Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
01/11/43
|
03/11/43
|
RA 054A
|
10/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
JW 054B
|
02/12/43
|
03/12/43
|
12/12/43
|
18/12/43
|
JW 055A
|
20/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
20/12/43
|
23/12/43
|
JW 055B
|
27/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
23/12/43
|
RA 055A
|
25/12/43
|
01/01/44
|
27/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
JW 058
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
RA 058
|
14/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
15/09/44
|
17/09/44
|
JW 060
|
23/09/44
|
23/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
RA 060
|
03/10/44
|
05/10/44
|
11/11/44
|
11/11/44
|
RA 061A
|
17/11/44
|
17/11/44
|
11/01/45
|
11/01/45
|
RA 063
|
18/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
17/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
RA 064
|
27/02/45
|
28/02/45
|
11/03/45
|
12/03/45
|
JW 065
|
21/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
23/03/45
|
23/03/45
|
RA 065
|
30/03/45
|
01/04/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
|