H . M . A
. S .
W A T E R H E N ( D 2 2 )
W-Class Destroyer ordered from Palmers at
Jarrow on 9th December 1916 under the 1916-17 Build Programme with the 10th order for this type of
warship. The ship was laid down in July 1917and launched on 26th March 1918 as the first RN warship to carry this name. Build was completed on 17th April
1918 and this ship served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets
before her transfer to the Royal Australian Navy in 1933. She was commissioned as HMAS
WATERHEN on 11th October 1933 and remained in the RAN
for the rest of her service.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
LIBYA 1940-41
- GREECE 1941 - CRETE 1941
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field White a Waterhen proper.
M o t
t o
Domus
in indus : ‘My home is in the waves’
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August Laid-up in Reserve at
Sydney.
(Note : Ship
had been brought forward in 1938 and returned to Reserve
in April
1939.)
War Station
nominated at Singapore with ships of China Station..
September
1st Commissioned for
service.
9th On completion of
storing and preparation for operational service deployed
with HM
Australian Destroyers STUART and VAMPIRE in search for a
submarine
reported off Broke Bay. No sighting was made.
October
14th Took passage from
Sydney with HM Australian Destroyers VENDETTA,
VOYAGER,
VAMPIRE and STUART to join China Station under RN
command.
November Nominated for transfer
to Mediterranean Fleet during passage to Singapore.
13th Took passage from
Singapore to Mediterranean with call at Colombo
16th Detached to join
HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruisers CORNWALL
and
DORSETSHIRE in Hunting Group formed to intercept commerce raiders
in Indian
Ocean. Took passage to Colombo to join Group.
(Note : HMS
VENDETTA was also intended to join the Hunting Group but
had detached
to land sick officer at Penang.)
18th Arrived at
Colombo.
20th Joined Hunting
Group “I”
December Deployed with Hunting
Group.
14th Detached from
Hunting Group and resumed passage to Mediterranean with
HMAS
VENDETTA.
17th Arrived at Malta.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed with HMAS
VENDETTA, VOYAGER, VAMPIRE
to and STUART with
ships of Destroyer Command in Mediterranean.
April for Fleet and Flotilla exercises and enforcement of
blockade.
May Took part in
preparatory exercises with Mediterranean Fleet in the
anticipation
of Italian entry into war against Britain and the Dominions.
27th Joined newly
formed 10th Destroyer Flotilla with the other destroyers
of the RAN.
Pennant Number
for visual signalling purposes changed to I22 to conform with changes
made for all
RN ships.
June Deployed in
Mediterranean. based at Alexandria as 10th Destroyer Flotilla.
(Note : During
this period the Mediterranean Fleet was deployed to cover
passage of
convoys evacuating personnel from Malta
(Operation
MA3). This was abandoned after an action with Italian
destroyers
during which heavy expenditure of ammunition gave rise
to concern..
See THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre
and Naval Staff History.)
11th Deployed with screen for HMS EAGLE, HM Australian
Cruiser SYDNEY,
HM Battleships MALAYA and WARSPITE during sweep
in the eastern
Mediterranean.
12th Returned to Alexandria with major units.
13th Deployed with HMAS STUART, VAMPIRE and VOYAGER to
carry out
anti-submarine search off Alexandria.
(During search Italian submarine FOCA was
sighted on surface and engaged
by the other destroyers without success. This
submarine had been carrying
out minelaying operation.
See THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN by J
Greene and
A Massignani.)
26th Sailed from Alexandria with HMAS VAMPIRE and HMAS
VENDETTA to
join HM Cruiser ORION for support of commando
raid on Castellorizo.
27th Carried out bombardment of Castellorizo.
July Deployed off North African coast for support of
military operations
August
16th Sailed with HMAS STUART, HMAS VENDETTA and HM
Destroyer
DIAMOND as screen for HM Cruiser KENT, HM
Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES and WARSPITE for support duties.
17th Took part in bombardment of Fort Capuzzo.
Under air attacks.
23rd Sailed from Alexandria with HM Cruiser SYDNEY (RAN),
HM
Destroyers
STUART (RAN), DIAMOND, JUNO and ILEX for
bombardment of
shore targets in support of military advance in
Libya.
Detached to
join HM River Gunboat LADYBIRD for bombardment
at Bardia.
24th Took part in operation to enter Bardia harbour for
bombardment.
Carried out bombardment of seaplane base in Gulf
of Bomba and escorted
HM River Gunboat LADYBIRD during bombardment.
September Military support duties with Flotilla in continuation.
October
16th Taken in hand for self refit at Alexandria.
29th Resumed duties with Flotilla at Alexandria.
30th Deployed with HM Netlayer PROTECTOR, HMAS VAMPIRE
and
HMAS VOYAGER as escort for convoy to Suda
Bay.
November
1st Passage to Alexandria from Suda Bay.
4th Deployed with HM Cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY, HM
Destroyers DAINTY, DIAMOND, VAMPIRE (RAN) and
VOYAGER
(RAN) as escort for Convoy MW3 during passage to
Malta covered by
ships of Mediterranean Fleet.
(Operation MB8 - Part of Operation COAT with
ships of Force H from
Gibraltar to pass reinforcement warships for
service with the Fleet based
at Alexandria. See THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D
Macintyre and above reference.)
9th Convoy MW3 arrived in Malta.
10th Escorted Convoy ME3 from Malta with HMS RAMILLIES,
HMS
COVENTRY, HM Destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER and
VAMPIRE
during passage from Malta to Port Said.
(Note : Operation JUDGEMENT to attacks Italian
Fleet ships in Taranto
was carried out covered by Mediterranean Fleet
as part of the
execution of Operations COAT and MB8. See
references and
The Naval Staff History.)
14th Detached from ME3 and returned to Alexandria from
Port Said.
December Joined Force “B” with HM Destroyers VAMPIRE (RAN),
VENDETTA
(RAN) and
VOYAGER FOR SERVICE IN Inshore Squadron to provide
support for
military operations by Western Desert Force.
See THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, THE
NAVAL WAR IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene and A.
Massignani and
Naval Staff History.
(Note : Force
“A” comprising HM monitor TERROR, HM River Gunboats
LADYBIRD,
APHIS and GNAT was also part of Inshore Squadron
which was
similarly deployed. Cover was provided by HM Battleships
BARHAM and
MALAYA. HMS EAGLE was deployed as Force D to give
air cover as
required.)
11th Deployed with HMAS VAMPIRE and VENDETTA to carry
out bombardment of Bardia which was subsequently
cancelled by weather
conditions.
12th Return passage to Alexandria.
15th Deployed with HMS TERROR, HMAS VAMPIRE and HMAS
VOYAGER
for bombardment of Bardia.
24th Deployed for patrol off Sollum during which Italian
schooner was captured
and those on board made Prisoners of War.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed with Inshore Squadron at Alexandria for
support duties.
30th Involved in collision off Sollum with HM Trawler
BANDELERO and
seriously damaged HMS BANDELERO was sunk
February On return to
Alexandria taken in hand for repair and refit at Port Tewfiq.
March Under refit on
completion of docking for repair.
5th Rejoined Inshore
Squadron and deployed for escort of convoys to Greece
taking
reinforcements to allied forces following German attacks.
(Operation
LUSTRE).
7th Escorted convoy
to Pireaus.
14th Part of escort for
Convoy AS19 from Piraeus to Alexandria.
18th Part of escort for
Convoy AN21 to Piraeus from Egypt.
21st Under air attacks
and rescued crew of tanker on fire after bomb hit
(Note : HM
Trawler AMBER later escorted damaged tanker to Suda Bay.)
26th Return passage to
Alexandria. .
April Resumed Inshore
Squadron duties for support of retreating army units.
4th Deployed at
Tobruk with HMAS VENDETTA for patrol and support duties.
14th Took part with
HMAS VENDETTA in rescue of survivors from Hospital
Ship VITA
which had been bombed off Tobruk.
470 wounded
and nursing staff were taken to Alexandria.
19th Deployed with HM
Cruiser COVENTRY, HMAS STUART and HMAS
VOYAGER as
escort for HM Supply ship GLENGYLE taking Commando
troops for
raid Bardia.
20th Returned to
Alexandria.
21st During escort of
Convoy AN29 assisted in salvage of mercantile damaged
by air attacks
and ensured passage to Suda Bay.
(Note : This
was the last convoy of Operation LUSTRE.)
23rd Detached to assist
in evacuation of allied troops from Megara, Greece.
On passage
assisted in defence of Convoy ANF29 under air attacks.
(Operation
DEMON)
26th Deployed at
Megara, Greece with HMS COVENTRY, HM Destroyers
DECOY, HASTY,
VENDETTA (RAN) and WRYNECK (RAN)
27th Passage to Suda
Bay to discharge troops.
28th Part of escort for
evacuation convoy GA14 from Nauphlia, Greece with
HMS CALCUTTA,
HMS COVENTRY, HMAS STUART, HMAS
VAMPIRE and
HMAS VENDETTA.
29th Deployed with HMAS
STUART, HMAS VAMPIRE, HMAS VENDETTA
and HM
Destroyer GREYHOUND as part of screen for HM Aircraft
Carrier,
FORMIDABLE and other Mediterranean Fleet major units which
providing
cover for evacuation convoy GA15.
May Convoy escort and
support duties in continuation.
3rd Returned to
Alexandria.
5th Deployed with
HMAS VOYAGER for first relief journey to isolated Tobruk
garrison with
stores and personnel.
6th Deployed with
HMAS STUART to join HM Sloops AUCKLAND,
GRIMSBY and
FLAMINGO for escort of Convoy AN30 to Suda Bay.
Escorted HMS
GRIMSBY to towing mercantile damaged by torpedo in an
air attack.
10th Return passage to
Alexandria.
16th Deployed with HMS
COVENTRY, HMS AUCKLAND and HMAS
VOYAGER to
take 700 troops of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
to Timbakion,
Crete to reinforce defence of the island.
18th On return to
Alexandria resumed Inshore Squadron duties for relief of the
Tobruk
garrison.
June Inshore Squadron
Tobruk relief duties in continuation.
16th Deployed with HM
Destroyers VENDETTA (RAN), VOYAGER (RAN),
VAMPIRE (RAN),
DEFENDER, DECOY. DAINTY, HM Sloops
FLAMINGO,
AUCKLAND and PARRAMATTA (RAN) for supply of
stores and
personnel to Tobruk garrison.
24th Diverted from
relief duty at Mersa Matru to assist HMS AUCKLAND
which was
under heavy air attacks ENE of Tobruk.
25th Arrived on scene
after sinking of HMS AUCKLAND and assisted HM
Australian
Sloop PARRAMATTA in rescue operations.
Towed Petrol
Carrier which had been under escort to Alexandria.
28th Sailed from
Alexandria with relief stores for Tobruk.
29th Under heavy and
sustained air attacks off Sollum and disabled.
Abandoned and
taken in tow by HM Destroyer DEFENDER.
30th Capsized and sank
in position 32.15N 25.20E during tow.
Survivors were
rescued by HMS DEFENDER.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMAS
WATERHEN
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
10/12/39 24/12/39 K 6 26/12/39 26/12/39
03/01/40 03/01/40 K 6A 05/01/40 09/01/40
08/10/40 08/10/40 MF 003 11/10/40 11/10/40
11/10/40 11/10/40 MF 004 13/10/40 13/10/40
04/11/40 04/11/40 MW 003 unknown 10/11/40
20/02/41 20/02/41 AS 015/1 24/02/41 24/02/41
14/03/41 14/03/41 AS 019/1 19/03/41 19/03/41
18/03/41 18/03/41 AN 021 20/03/41 22/03/41
06/05/41 06/05/41 AN 030 09/05/41 09/05/41
