H . M .. S . W I N C H E S T E R ( L 5 5 )
Admiralty W-Class
Fleet Destroyer ordered from JS White, Cowes IoW in
1916-17 Programme (10th Order) and laid down on 12th
June 1917.The ship was launched on 1st February 1918 as the 7th RN warship to
carry to carry the name, introduced in 1693 and last used for 6th rate in 1861.
Her completion date was 29th April 1918 and after brief service with
the Fleet in WW1 she was later deployed in the Baltic during the operations
against the Bolsheviks. As part of the rearmament programme in 1939 this ship
was selected for conversion into an Escort Destroyer
and fitted with improve Anti-Aircraft weapons for convoy defence.
B a t t
l e H
o n o u r s
BURMA 1852-53
- CHINA 1856-60 - NORTH SEA 1940-44
- ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943
- ATLANTIC 1944
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field,
Party
per fess Silver and red., in chief a
Tudor rose red in base a castle Silver.
M o t t
o
'Valour makyth
the man'
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Under
conversion to Escort Destroyer (WAIR) at Portsmouth
(See
V AND W DESTROYERS 1917-1945 by A Preston and BRITISH DESTROYERS
by
Edgar March for
further details).
1 9 4 0
January Under
conversion.
to
March
April Post
refit trials and prepared for operational service.
May Deployed
on coastal convoy defence.
Detached to reinforce French naval AA defence at Dunkirk (Operation FA).
12th Assisted
in evacuation from Flushing, Holland.
13th Damaged
in action with aircraft off Scheldt.
Returned under own power to
Dover.
June Under
repair at Liverpool.
to
August
September Post repair
trials and work-up.
Joined Rosyth Escort Force.
October Deployed on
coastal convoy escort in English Channel and North Sea.
November Coastal convoy
escort in continuation.
8th Under heavy dive bomber
attacks during escort of Convoy FN29 in Barrow Deep.
Claimed destruction of two aircraft and sustained some damage.
(See
THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes
December Coastal convoy
escort in continuation.
(For
details of activities In Home waters see HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith).
1 9 4 1
January Coastal
convoy escort and patrol in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Deployed for
coastal convoy defence in North Sea and English
Channel.
to Warning
radar Type 286M fitted.
December (For details of
development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
1 9 4 3
January Coastal
convoy defence in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Coastal convoy defence in
continuation. Resumed coastal convoy escort in
North Sea.
to
February
March
Detached for loan service with 4th Escort Group for
Atlantic convoy defence.
April Atlantic
escort in continuation
to
July
August Resumed
coastal convoy defence in North Sea after service with 4th Escort Group.
September North Sea
duties in continuation
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Nominated for withdrawal and
to be reduced to Reserve status. when Atlantic convoys
re-routed through Channel and threat of air attack had been reduced.
February Paid off,
reduced to Reserve and deployed as an Accommodation Ship at Rosyth.
March
Accommodation Ship duty in continuation
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WINCHESTER was placed on the Disposal List after the end of
hostilities. Sold to BISCO in March 1946 the ship was broken up at
Inverkeithing.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WINCHESTER
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
22/04/40 22/04/40 FS 0153 24/04/40 24/04/40
06/05/40 06/05/40 FS 0164 08/05/40 08/05/40
28/06/40 28/06/40 FN 0207 30/06/40 30/06/40
02/07/40 02/07/40 FS 0210 03/07/40 03/07/40
05/07/40 05/07/40 FN 0214 07/07/40 07/07/40
10/07/40 10/07/40 FS 0218 11/07/40 11/07/40
13/07/40 13/07/40 FN 0221 15/07/40 15/07/40
22/07/40 22/07/40 FS 0229 24/07/40 24/07/40
25/07/40 25/07/40 FN 0232 27/07/40 27/07/40
29/07/40 29/07/40 FS 0236 31/07/40 31/07/40
01/08/40 01/08/40 FN 0239 03/08/40 03/08/40
06/08/40 06/08/40 FS 0244 08/08/40 08/08/40
09/08/40 09/08/40 FN 0247 11/08/40 11/08/40
17/08/40 17/08/40 FS 0255 19/08/40 19/08/40
20/08/40 20/08/40 FN 0258 22/08/40 22/08/40
24/08/40 24/08/40 FS 0261 26/08/40 26/08/40
27/08/40 27/08/40 FN 0264 29/08/40 29/08/40
31/08/40 01/09/40 FS 0268 02/09/40 02/09/40
13/09/40 13/09/40 FS 0280 15/09/40 15/09/40
16/09/40 16/09/40 FN 0282 18/09/40 18/09/40
20/09/40 20/09/40 FS 0287 22/09/40 22/09/40
23/09/40 23/09/40 FN 0289 25/09/40 25/09/40
27/09/40 27/09/40 FS 0293 29/09/40 29/09/40
30/09/40 30/09/40 FN 0295 02/10/40 02/10/40
07/10/40 07/10/40 FS 0303 09/10/40 09/10/40
10/10/40 10/10/40 FN 0305 12/10/40 12/10/40
15/10/40 15/10/40 FS 0310 18/10/40 18/10/40
19/10/40 19/10/40 FN 0312 21/10/40 21/10/40
26/10/40 26/10/40 FN 0320 28/10/40 28/10/40
05/11/40 05/11/40 FS 0328 07/11/40 07/11/40
08/11/40 08/11/40 FN 0329 09/11/40 10/11/40
12/12/40 12/12/40 OB 258 15/12/40 15/12/40
12/04/43 12/04/43 CW 170 13/04/43 13/04/43
13/04/43 13/04/43 CE 168 14/04/43 14/04/43
