H .
M . S
. W A N D E R E R (D 7 4 )
Modified
W-Class destroyer ordered from Fairfield of Govan, Glasgow in January 1918 with the 13th
Order of the 1917-18
Build Programme for a Repeat V & W
destroyer. The ship was laid down on 7th August 1918 and
launched on 1st May 1919. She was the 7th RN ship to carry the name, introduced
in 1806 for a Sloop sold in 1907 and last borne by a Paddle
Minesweeper, renamed WARDEN in 1918. Build was completed on 18th August 1919
and after acceptance she served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets until replaced by a post war A-Class destroyer in
1931.This destroyer was deployed at Chatham in the Nore Local Flotilla
and used for training duties. Although allocated for service at Rosyth in the
15th Destroyer Flotilla
before
the outbreak of war, this was changed later and she joined Western Approaches
Command. After a successful
WARSHIP WEEK campaign for National Savings in December 1941 she was adopted
by the civil community of Sutton Coldfield, then in Warwickshire.
Her record during WW2 was quite outstanding in anti-submarine operations in defence of Atlantic
convoys. This included sinking of five U-Boats, more than any other ship of this Class.
B a t t l e H
o n o u r s
GUADALOUPE 1810
- CHINA 1842 - BLACK SEA 1854 - ATLANTIC 1939-44 - NORWAY 1940 - SICILY 1943 - NORMANDY
1944 - ARCTIC 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a field Blue, a bee
Gold
M o t t o
Vagantes numquam erramus: 'Wandering we never stray'
Refuelling from astern (NavyPhotos)
Apparently replenishing, possibly on the same
occasion (NP/Mike Pocock)
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August Prepared for war service and
Reservist personnel joined.
Passage to Plymouth.
September Joined Western Approaches Command
at Plymouth for service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla.
(Note: Other
ships in Flotilla were HM Destroyers VANITY, VANSITTART, VOLUNTEER,
WHITEHALL, WITCH,
WITHERINGTON and WOLVERINE.
13th Deployed with HM Destroyer WHIRLWIND as escort for outward
Convoy OB4 for initial
stage of passage in SW Approaches.
(Note: In the
early months of WW2 Convoys were escorted to a Dispersal point south of
Ireland from whence they proceeded
independently.
October Western Approaches convoy
escort and patrol deployment in continuation.
to (Note:
Escorts were provided for inward bound Trade Convoys which were met after
December southward convoys dispersed or by
special arrangement. See ALLIED CONVOY
SYSTEM by A Hague for details of convoy identities.)
1 9 4 0
January
3rd Relieved HM Destroyer ACTIVE as escort for inward Convoy
HG13F in SW Approaches with HM
Destroyer VETERAN for final stage of passage into Liverpool from Gibraltar.
5th Detached from HG13F with escort on
arrival at Liverpool.
10th Deployed with HM Sloop ENCHANTRESS and HM Destroyer WARWICK
as escort for outward
Convoy OG14F on
formation in SW Approaches.
Detached with
HMS WARWICK leaving HMS ENCHANTRESS as escort and took passage to join
inward Convoy HG14F in SW Approaches as escort to Liverpool
11th Joined HM Sloops ABERDEEN, BIDEFORD and LEITH in escort of HG14 with HM
Destroyers
WARWICK and WITCH.
15th Detached with escort on arrival at Liverpool.
February Western Approaches deployment
for convoy defence in continuation.
(Note: For
details of U-Boat deployments in 1939-40 see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO) and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Vol 1 by C
Blair.
March
25th Deployed with HM Sloop ABERDEEN, HM Destroyers CAMPBELL, WALKER
and VOLUNTEER
as escort for outward Convoy OG23 to Gibraltar on formation in SW Approaches
during initial stage
of passage to Gibraltar.
26th Detached from OG23 with HMS WALKER and HMS VOLUNTEER.
April Remained in Western
Approaches for convoy defence after German invasion of Norway.
(Note: HMS
WOLVERINE was transferred soon after these attacks.
27th Transferred to Home Fleet for support of evacuation of allied
troops from Norway
29th Passage to Andalsnes with HM Destroyers SOMALI, MASHONA,
SIKH, WALKER and
WESTCOTT as
screen for HM Cruisers SHEFFIELD, ARETHUSA and GALATEA for
evacuation of troops (Operation ALPHABET)
30th Detached with HMS SIKH on arrival and took passage to Alfarnes.
After embarking
150 troops grounded and towed clear by HMS SIKH.
May
1st Independent passage to Scapa Flow with troops.
(For details of
the disastrous operations off Norway see NAVAL OPERATIONS OF THE
CAMPAIGN IN
NORMAN (HMSO), NARVIK by D Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS
by J Winton and THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by J Adams.)
3rd Resumed Western Approaches convoy defence duties with
Flotilla based at Plymouth.
(Note: NOT
deployed for evacuation at Dunkirk.)
Pennant Number
for visual signalling purposes changed to I74 to conform to alterations of
identities for RN warships.).
June Deployed for support of
evacuation of allied troops from French Channel Ports.
(Operation
CYCLE)
6th Deployed at Boulogne for support of evacuation.
7th Provided naval gunfire support during
evacuation at Treport with HM Destroyer VESPER.
See BEF SHIPS by
J de Winser,
On release from
CYCLE resumed Western Approaches convoy defence.
July Deployed in Channel for
ant-invasion patrol and convoy defence.
August Transferred to Liverpool in continuation of convoy
defence duties.
(Note: HQ of
Western Approaches was transferred to Liverpool after routing arrangements
for mercantile traffic were changed to use NW Approaches.
October
30th Sailed from Liverpool with ships of Group as escort for outward Convoy OG45
to Gibraltar.
November
11th Detached from OG45 on arrival at Gibraltar.
20th Return Passage to Liverpool
(Note: Escort
for inward Convoy HG47 to be confirmed)
December Liverpool convoy escort deployment in
continuation.
1 9 4 1
January Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
April
May
31st Deployed as escort for outward Convoy OB239 during passage
in Atlantic to Newfoundland..
Sailed from Liverpool
June
2nd Carried out anti-submarine operations with HM Corvette
PERIWINKLE and sank U147
in position 56.38N 10.24W, west of Skerryvore
in defence of outward Convoy OB329
of 41 ships.
(Note: U147 had
made a solo attack on OB329. There were no survivors.
For details see
HITLER’S U –BOAT WAR, Vol. I and U-BOATS DESTROYED by
P Kemp.)
6th Detached from OB329 when it dispersed
and returned to Liverpool.
(Note: There
were no loses from OB329.
Ship may have
joined an inward convoy as escort back to Liverpool.)
July Atlantic convoy defence
in continuation
12th Joined military Convoy WS9C in Bristol Channel with Dutch AA cruiser HEEMSKERK
Polish destroyer
ORP GARLAND, HM Destroyers GURKHA and VANOC as Local
Escort for
passage in Irish Sea and NW Approaches.
(Note: This
convoy was part of Operation SUBSTANCE, the passage of a relief convoy
to Malta. Other ships joined later for
Ocean Escort including HM Destroyers
COSSACK,
LIGHTNING, MAORI, NESTER (RAN), SIKH, HM Battleship
NELSON, HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and ARETHUSA. See MALTA
CONVOYS by R Woodhead and Naval Staff
History for details.)
15th Detached from WS9C in NW Approaches with Local Escort and
returned to Clyde.
(Note: WS9C
comprised nine ships.)
August Passage from Gibraltar to join inward convoy SL81 of
18 ships during passage from
Freetown as reinforcement of escort to Liverpool with HM Destroyer ST ALBANS
and HM Corvette HYDRANGEA
2nd Convoy sighted by U204 which remained in contact pending
arrival of other submarines
deployed in the area.
3rd SL81 under attack by U204 and U401.
Carried out
depth charge attacks on U401 with HMS ST ALBANS and HMS HYDRANGEA
which was sunk without survivors.
4th Took part in defence of SL81 against submarine and aircraft
attacks
6th Enemy attacks ceased after additional air support provided
by RAF Coastal Command.
(Note: Five
ships in SL81 were sunk. See above references.)
September Atlantic
deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation
to August (Note:
No notable operations have been traced but a number of convoys were escorted by
the group without any loss. See ALLIED CONVOYS.)
During this
period Atlantic convoys were escorted throughout passage and refitted
in Canadian and US shipyards.)
September Under
refit or repair in US Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York.
(Note:
Photograph in MAN O’WAR, Arms and Armour Press 1979.)
October Resumed Atlantic escort duties
on completion.
to
November
December Nominated for conversion as Long
Range Escort.
See V&W
Class Destroyers by A Preston and BRITISH DESTROYERS by E
March)
1 9 4 3
January Taken in hand for refit and
conversion by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
February Under conversion
to (Note:
For details of the development of new antisubmarine weapons and of new tactics
April see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by
D MacIntyre and BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine.
May Post refit trials and
work-up at Tobermory for operational service.
June Resumed Atlantic convoy
defence with 1st British Escort Group.
Nominated for service in support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation
HUSKY).
July
1st Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for Follow-up military convoy KMF19
in support of allied
landings in Sicily.
9th Detached from KMF19 and took passage to join Escort Group V
of Support Force Eastern
for deployment in support of HUSKY operations.
For details see
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and the Naval
Staff History.
On
release from HUSKY deployed with Group for convoy defence in western Mediterranean
and Atlantic with HM Destroyers HURRICANE and WATCHMAN.
August Convoy
defence deployment in continuation.
Escorted outward joint Convoy OG92/KMS24 during passage in Atlantic to Gibraltar.
23rd Carried out anti-submarine operations in defence of convoy
after receipt of sighting and
attack on U523 by WELLINGTON aircraft of 179 Squadron RAF
25th Following radar and sonar contact on U523 carried out depth
charge and Hedgehog attacks
with HM Corvette WALLFLOWER. Submarine forced to surface
engaged by main armament.
Submarine crew
abandoned and 37survivors rescued U523 sank in position 43.02N 18.002W
west of Vigo. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Vol 2 and U-BOATS DESTROYED for details.
September Detached deployment for convoy
defence in continuation.
to
October
November Released from detached service
23rd Joined inward Convoy KMS31G as escort during passage from Gibraltar to Liverpool
December
12th Convoy KMS 31 arrived at Liverpool.
(Note: This
convoy had merged with inward Convoy SL140 from Sierra Leone.
Ship may have
detached before arrival at Liverpool.)
Resumed convoy defence in North
Atlantic with Group.
20th Deployed with HM Destroyers WHITEHALL, WRESTLER, HM Fleet
Minesweepers HYRDA
HOUND, HM
Corvettes HONEYSUCKLE and OXLIP as Local Escort for Russian Convoy
JW55B during
passage from Loch Ewe to join Ocean Escort
(Note: This ship
may have detached after a seaman was rescued after falling overboard.
See ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation and deployed in the Support role with HM Frigate
GLENARM and HM
Corvette GERANIUM
17th During search for German blockade runner in Atlantic
intercepted U305 which was on return
passage to base in France. Carried out
HEDGEHOG attack after weak sonar contact.
Despite current
Admiralty policy remained in area and continued attacks. U305 was sunk
in position 49.39N 20.10W south west of Cape Clear.
(Note: Credit
was shared with another ship, variously quoted as GERANIUM and GLENARM.
See references
and THE U-BOAT PERIL by R F Whinney.
This author
commanded this destroyer after her conversion and the book includes
further details of the period after April 1943.
February Nominated for deployment with HM Destroyer WATCHMAN, HM Frigates BYRON
and
STRULE as escort
for HM Escort Aircraft Carrier CHASER to join Russian Convoy JW57
during passage to provide air cover.
22nd Joined JW57.
27th Detached from JW57 and took passage to Faeroes to refuel.
March
2nd Return Convoy RA57 sailed from Kola Inlet with HMS CHASER.
(Note: Return of
this ship as part of RA57 defence is to be confirmed.)
10th RA57 arrived at Kola Inlet.
Resumed support
duties in Atlantic.
April Nominated for escort duty
with Escort Group 105 during allied landings in Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE)
Transferred to English Channel and prepared for NEPTUNE on release from Western
Approaches.
May Deployed
in English
Channel.
28th Escorted HM ML10 during menially off Brittany (Operation HOSTILE 38).
(Note: This was
the last minelaying operation before D Day. See Naval Staff History.)
June Passage to Milford Haven
to join HM Frigate TAVY, HM Corvettes DIANELLA and GERANIUM
as EG105
4th Escorted Convoy EBM2 comprising 30 MT Ships and five others
for passage from Bristol Channel
to the Solent with EG105 and HM Canadian Corvettes SUMMERSIDE, WOODSTOCK and
REGINA
5th Passage delayed by 24 hours.
6th On completion of loading of nine MT ships escorted EMB2
through swept channel to Eastern
Task Force unloading area off Normandy.
7th Return passage to Falmouth.
9th Deployed with Group for escort of
Build-up convoys.
25th After termination of NEPTUNE retained in Channel for escort
of convoys.
July
5th During escort of northbound convoy off
Pointe de Barfleur with HMS TAVY detected submarine
and carried out joint HEDGEHOG anti-submarine operations.
Sank U390 in position 49.52N 00.48W from which there was only one
survivor.
See
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Vol 2 and U-BOATS DESTROYED.
August Channel
deployment in continuation.
to (Note:
Increased submarine activity against coastal traffic in Home waters made
necessary
December additions
to escort and support requirements. See BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS,
HITLER’S U-BOAT
WAR and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.)
1 9 4 5
January Channel and SW Approaches
deployment in continuation
to (Note:
With the removal of the air threat from French bases Ocean convoys were re-routed
April via
English Channel and St George’s
Channel.)
May After VE Day deployed
for support of re-occupation requirements.
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.
June Paid-off and de-stored.
July Laid up pending
decision on disposal.
to
August
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
WANDERER remained in Reserve until placed on the Disposal List. She was sold to
BISCO on 31st January
1946 for demolition by Hughes Bolcow at Blyth and towed to the Breaker’s yard
later that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WANDERER
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
12/09/39 12/09/39 FS 0004 14/09/39 14/09/39
29/10/39 29/10/39 OA 027 31/10/39 unknown
04/12/39 16/12/39 HX 011 18/12/39 18/12/39
20/12/39 20/12/39 OB 057 23/12/39 23/12/39
12/12/39 24/12/39 HX 012 27/12/39 27/12/39
31/12/39 31/12/39 OG 013F 03/01/40 07/01/40
29/12/39 03/01/40 HG 013F 05/01/40 05/01/40
07/01/40 07/01/40 OB 068 10/01/40 10/01/40
10/01/40 10/01/40 OG 014F 10/01/40 15/01/40
05/01/40 11/01/40 HG 014F 15/01/40 15/01/40
15/01/40 15/01/40 OB 072 unknown 18/01/40
17/01/40 17/01/40 OB 074 unknown 20/01/40
12/01/40 21/01/40 HXF 016 unknown 24/01/40
18/02/40 04/03/40 SL 021 05/03/40 07/03/40
23/03/40 23/03/40 OB 115 unknown 25/03/40
25/03/40 25/03/40 OG 023 26/03/40 31/03/40
11/06/40 18/06/40 TC 005 21/06/40 21/06/40
07/07/40 07/07/40 OB 180 10/07/40 10/07/40
29/06/40 11/07/40 HX 054 14/07/40 14/07/40
19/07/40 19/07/40 OB 186 22/07/40 22/07/40
11/07/40 23/07/40 HX 057 26/07/40 26/07/40
23/07/40 29/07/40 TC 006 01/08/40 01/08/40
02/09/40 17/09/40 SC 003 18/09/40 18/09/40
19/10/40 19/10/40 OB 231 22/10/40 23/10/40
12/10/40 23/10/40 HX 080 27/10/40 27/10/40
29/10/40 29/10/40 OG 045 03/11/40 13/11/40
11/11/40 11/11/40 OB 242 unknown 15/11/40
31/10/40 15/11/40 HG 046 19/11/40 19/11/40
24/11/40 24/11/40 OB 249 27/11/40 28/11/40
17/11/40 29/11/40 HX 089 unknown 01/12/40
16/02/41 16/02/41 OB 287 unknown 21/02/41
03/02/41 24/02/41 HX 107 20/02/41 28/02/41
09/02/41 24/02/41 HX 108 27/02/41 27/02/41
05/03/41 05/03/41 OB 294 09/03/41 09/03/41
18/02/41 10/03/41 SL 066 14/03/41 14/03/41
19/03/41 20/03/41 OB 299 24/03/41 25/03/41
11/03/41 24/03/41 HX 114 30/03/41 30/03/41
27/03/41 10/04/41 HX 117 15/04/41 15/04/41
18/04/41 19/04/41 OB 312 24/04/41 25/04/41
09/04/41 27/04/41 SC 028 28/04/41 28/04/41
09/05/41 10/05/41 HP 12/05/41 24/05/41
18/05/41 18/05/41 OB 324 24/05/41 27/05/41
09/05/41 24/05/41 SC 031 29/05/41 30/05/41
31/05/41 31/05/41 OB 329 05/06/41 05/06/41
25/05/41 02/06/41 HG 063 09/06/41 09/06/41
30/05/41 19/06/41 SL 076 21/06/41 21/06/41
08/07/41 19/07/41 HG 067 24/07/41 24/07/41
30/07/41 01/08/41 OG 070 01/08/41 12/08/41
13/07/41 03/08/41 SL 081 08/08/41 08/08/41
13/08/41 14/08/41 OS 003 18/08/41 01/09/41
29/08/41 29/08/41 OG 073 02/09/41 13/09/41
15/08/41 03/09/41 SL 084 08/09/41 08/09/41
09/12/41 09/12/41 ON 045 16/12/41 16/12/41
08/12/41 19/12/41 HX 164 22/12/41 23/12/41
02/01/42 03/01/42 ON 053 09/01/42 19/01/42
02/01/42 13/01/42 HX 168 13/01/42 13/01/42
23/01/42 24/01/42 ON 059 29/01/42 06/02/42
26/01/42 04/02/42 HX 172 07/02/42 07/02/42
05/04/42 05/04/42 SC 078 09/04/42 22/04/42
04/04/42 15/04/42 ON 083 17/04/42 17/04/42
26/04/42 26/04/42 HX 187 29/04/42 08/05/42
21/04/42 03/05/42 ON 088 08/05/42 08/05/42
24/05/42 24/05/42 HX 191 28/05/42 06/06/42
19/05/42 01/06/42 ON 096 07/06/42 07/06/42
08/06/42 08/06/42 BX 023A 10/06/42 10/06/42
14/06/42 14/06/42 HX 194 17/06/42 26/06/42
09/06/42 20/06/42 ON 102 unknown 25/06/42
10/07/42 10/07/42 SC 091 13/07/42 24/07/42
10/07/42 19/07/42 ON 111 24/07/42 24/07/42
25/07/42 25/07/42 BX 030B 27/07/42 27/07/42
31/07/42 31/07/42 SC 094 02/08/42 13/08/42
25/07/42 05/08/42 ON 116 10/08/42 12/08/42
06/08/42 15/08/42 ON 119 18/08/42 20/08/42
24/10/42 24/10/42 SC 107 28/10/42 10/11/42
16/10/42 30/10/42 ON 139 01/11/42 01/11/42
03/11/42 03/11/42 HX 214 06/11/42 18/11/42
09/11/42 12/11/42 SC 109 16/11/42 30/11/42
09/11/42 20/11/42 ON 145 22/11/42 25/11/42
07/11/42 25/11/42 ON 144 27/11/42 27/11/42
25/11/42 04/12/42 SC 111 08/12/42 17/12/42
01/07/43 01/07/43 KMF 019 11/07/43 11/07/43
10/07/43 14/07/43 MKF 018 16/07/43 23/07/43
31/07/43 04/08/43 MKF 020 09/08/43 11/08/43
17/08/43 17/08/43 KMS 024G 25/08/43 30/08/43
04/09/43 04/09/43 MKS 023G 13/09/43 17/09/43
27/09/43 30/09/43 ON 204 08/10/43 15/10/43
11/10/43 17/10/43 SC 144 26/10/43 27/10/43
05/11/43 09/11/43 OS 058KM 18/11/43 18/11/43
18/11/43 18/11/43 KMS 032G 19/11/43 19/11/43
24/11/43 26/11/43 SL 140MK 06/12/43 07/12/43
14/12/43 20/12/43 SL 142MK 21/12/43 28/12/43
10/12/43 22/12/43 HX 270 22/12/43 26/12/43
16/12/43 23/12/43 ON 216 23/12/43 03/01/44
06/01/44 11/01/44 SL 144MK 12/01/44 18/01/44
03/01/44 11/01/44 OS 064KM 12/01/44 15/01/44
06/01/44 18/01/44 HX 274 20/01/44 21/01/44
28/01/44 08/02/44 HX 277 10/02/44 13/02/44
29/01/44 11/02/44 SC 152 12/02/44 15/02/44
20/02/44 22/02/44 JW 057 26/02/44 28/02/44
12/06/44 12/06/44 ECM 005 13/06/44 13/06/44
13/06/44 13/06/44 FWM 004 14/06/44 14/06/44
19/06/44 19/06/44 FCM 010 20/06/44 20/06/44
27/06/44 27/06/44 FCM 015 28/06/44 28/06/44
17/07/44 17/07/44 EPM 007 17/07/44 17/07/44
20/07/44 20/07/44 EPM 010 20/07/44 20/07/44
26/07/44 26/07/44 EPM 016 26/07/44 26/07/44
29/07/44 29/07/44 EPM 019 29/07/44 29/07/44
03/08/44 03/08/44 EPM 024 03/08/44 03/08/44
