H
. M .
S . V E N E T I A ( D 5 3 )
Admiralty
V-Class destroyer ordered from Fairfield of Govan, Glasgow under
the 1916-17 Programme with the 9th
Order. The ship was laid down on 2nd February 1917and launched on 29th October
1917 as the first RN warship to
carry this name. She was completed on 19th December 1917 and included facilities
for conversion to minelaying if
required. She served in the Fleet during WW1 and later in the 2nd Destroyer
Flotilla at Home and in the Mediterranean before
going into Reserve.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-40
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue,
a Lion's mask winged Gold.
M o t
t o
Volo non fugia
: 'I fly but do not flee'
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Brought
forward for service from Reserve.
October Deployed
for Atlantic convoy defence.
to (For details of naval activities in Home
waters during 1939 - 10 see Naval Staff
December History
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett)
1 9 4 0
January
6th Joined outward Convoy OG13 on
formation in SW Approaches with HM Destroyer
WINCHELSEA as escort during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar.
8th Detached from OG13 and took passage to
join escort for inward Convoy HG13 during passage
to Liverpool.
10th Detached from HG13 on arrival at Liverpool
February Convoy Escort
deployment in SW Approaches in continuation.
March
1st Joined outward Convoy OG20 on
formation in SW Approaches with HM Sloop LEITH as
escort
during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar
2nd Detached from OG20 and took passage to
join escort for inward HG20 during passage to
Liverpool.
3rd Joined inward Convoy HG23 as relief
for HM Sloop ABERDEEN.
6th Detached from HG23 with HMS LEITH.
April
7th Joined HM destroyer WAKEFUL, HM Sloops
ENCHANTRESS and SANDWICH as escort for
inward Convoy HG24 during final stage of passage into Liverpool.
May Transferred to More Command.
Deployed for support of evacuation of allied troops and personnel.
Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changes to I53-
12th Escorted H M Destroyer CODRINGTON
carrying Dutch Royal family with HM Destroyer
VIVACIOUS from Hook of Holland (Operation
J).
23rd Deployed with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN
and VENOMOUS for evacuation of British
troops from Boulogne
On
entry came under fire from French shore battery which had been taken over during
German advance into port.
Hit
seven times and set on fire aft with additional casualties, including fatalities
in forward
part of ship.
Ship
grounded temporarily but able to come clear
Passage
to Dover with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN and VENOMOUS that
had silenced fire
from the shore battery.
(Note : No troops were embarked.)
June Under repair.
to
July
August On
completion resumed convoy defence and patrol duties in Nore Command.
September Deployed
for patrol and convoy defence in North Sea and Thames Estuary.
October
19th Mined off Knob Buoy, Thames Estuary and
sank in position 51.33N 01.01E
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS VENETIA
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
18/09/39 18/09/39 BC 003/1 20/09/39 20/09/39
20/09/39 20/09/39 BC 002R 22/09/39 22/09/39
24/09/39 24/09/39 BC 005/1 26/09/39 26/09/39
30/09/39 30/09/39 BC 007F
01/10/39 unknown
06/10/39 06/10/39 BC 009/1 08/10/39 08/10/39
08/10/39 08/10/39 BC 008R 10/10/39 10/10/39
19/10/39 21/10/39 OA 022 21/10/39 23/10/39
07/10/39 23/10/39 SL 004 25/10/39 26/10/39
31/10/39 31/10/39 OA 028G 02/11/39 03/11/39
08/11/39 08/11/39 OA 032G 10/11/39 11/11/39
24/12/39 24/12/39 OB 059 27/12/39 28/12/39
06/01/40 06/01/40 OG 013 08/01/40 12/01/40
31/12/39 08/01/40 HG 013 10/01/40 10/01/40
14/01/40 25/01/40 HX 016 28/01/40 28/01/40
09/02/40 09/02/40 OB 089 12/02/40 14/02/40
04/02/40 14/02/40 HXF 019 17/02/40 17/02/40
18/02/40 18/02/40 OB 094 21/02/40 22/02/40
12/02/40 22/02/40 HXF 020 25/02/40 25/02/40
01/03/40 01/03/40 OG 020 02/03/40 07/03/40
25/02/40 03/03/40 HG 020 06/03/40 06/03/40
08/03/40 08/03/40 OB 106 11/03/40 11/03/40
01/03/40 12/03/40 SL 022F 15/03/40 15/03/40
18/03/40 18/03/40 OB 112 20/03/40 23/03/40
10/03/40 24/03/40 HX 026 26/03/40 26/03/40
28/03/40 07/04/40 HG 024 07/04/40 07/04/40
09/04/40 09/04/40 OB 126 10/04/40 13/04/40
17/04/40 17/04/40 OA 131 19/04/40 25/04/40
07/04/40 21/04/40 SL 027 24/04/40 24/04/40
25/04/40 25/04/40 OA 136 unknown
unknown
(Note
on Convoys)
