Repeat Admiralty W-Class destroyer ordered from J S White at Cowes, IoW with the 14th Order in the
1917-18 Build Programme. She was laid down on 27th September 1918 and launched
on 16th January 1919 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Build was completed
on 10th October 1919 and the ship joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla in the
Atlantic Fleet. The Flotilla served in Home waters in the early 1920's and then
in the Mediterranean before going to the China Station in 1926. She was put
into Reserve during the 1930’s when more modern ships became available. Brought
forward in 1939 and manned largely by Reservists this destroyer was adopted
in February 1942 by the civil community of the City of Durham following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
At Toulon 20 April 1930
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-44 - NORWAY 1940 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1940
H e r a
l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a field black, A
sinister Leg Gold, couped
at the knee Red.
(Note : Richard Witherington had
his legs cut off at Chevy Chase and 'fought upon his stumps' -
the
'Ballad of
Chevy Chase')
M o t t o
'I will not fail'
D e t a
i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
August Commissioned with Reservists for attendance at Royal
Review of the Reserve Fleet in Weymouth
Bay
Remained in commission when Fleet mobilised.
War Station allocated for service in 15th
Destroyer Flotilla in Western Approaches Command.
September On completion of storing and war complement took passage
to Milford Haven
Deployed with 15th Destroyer Flotilla in Western
Approaches for convoy defence.
Based at Milford Haven and escorted Convoy GC1.
October SW Approaches deployment in continuation.
(For details of naval activities in Home waters
see Naval Staff History and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
1 9 4 0
January Deployed for patrol and convoy defence in Western
Approaches.
16th Joined inward Convoy HG15 from Gibraltar with HM Sloop WELLINGTON for
escort during
passage into Liverpool.
Detached from HG15 and took passage to return to
join outward Convoy OG15 leaving HMS
WELLINGTON as escort for final stage.
Deployed with HM Destroyers KEITH and WHIRLWIND
as escort for outward Convoy OG15
during initial stage of passage to Gibraltar
when formed in SW Approaches.
Detached from OG15 on relief by French warship
for onward passage.
Joined outward Convoy OG16 on formation in SW
Approaches as escort with HM Destroyers
WALPOLE and WHITSHED during initial stage of
passage to Gibraltar.
Detached on arrival of two French warships for
remainder of passage.
February SW Approaches convoy escort and patrol in continuation
to
March
April
10th Transferred to Scapa Flow for detached service with Home Fleet after German invasion of
Norway.
11th Part of the escort for military convoy NP1 during
passage to Narvik with H M Cruisers
MANCHESTER,
BIRMINGHAM, HM Destroyers
VOLUNTEER, VANOC, WHIRLWIND
and HIGHLANDER.
(Note HM Netlayer PROTECTOR was also in this
convoy.)
Convoy also ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA, rms MONARCH
OF BERMUDA,
ss REINO DEL PACIFICO, Polish ss BATORY and ss
CHOBRY).
(Operation RUPERT - See NARVIK by D
Macintyre.THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
Adams and The Naval Staff History for details of
the disastrous operations off Norway).
14th Convoy joined by H M Battleship VALIANT, HM Cruiser
VINDICTIVE, H M Destroyers
ACASTA, ARDENT, CODRINGTON, FEARLESS, GRIFFIN
and BRAZEN.
Destination of convoy changed after instructions
to carry out landings at Namsos were received
(Operation HENRY)
Detached with HMS VALIANT and other destroyers
to escort MONARCH OF BERMUDA and
REINO DEL PACIFICO to Vaagsfjord whilst the
other two troopships took passage to
Namsos.
15th After arrival at Harstad deployed for convoy escort
between UK and Norway.
29th Carried out anti-submarine operations with HM
Destroyer HERO.
(Note : Claim to have sunk U50 was disproved
after WW2 when it was shown U50 had been
sunk by a mine some days earlier - See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp)
May Norwegian convoy defence and support of military
operations in continuation.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to 176.
June
8th Escorted Group 1 of evacuation convoy from NARVIK
with H M Destroyers WOLVERINE,
ANTELOPE, VISCOUNT and ATHERSTONE from the
Faeroes for passage to Clyde.
July Resumed Atlantic convoy defence in Western
Approaches.
to (For details of U-Boat deployments see U-BOATS IN
THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and
September HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C BLAIR.)
October
3rd Joined military convoy WS3A in Clyde with HM
Destroyers HARVESTER,
HIGHLANDER, HAVELOCK, HURRICANE and VISCOUNT as
Local Escort during
passage in NW Approaches.
10th Detached from WS3A with Local Escort and returned to
Clyde.
Taken in hand for refit.
November Under refit
December Post refit harbour and sea trials.
Work-up
1 9 4 1
January
11th Diverted during passage from refit to escort HM
Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK
during minelay in the Northern Barrage
(Operation BS50).
Detached because of weather conditions.
(Note : This operation had already been
cancelled twice for the same reason).
12th Joined military convoy WS5B in Clyde with HM
Destroyers BEAGLE, FEARLESS,
LINCOLN, HARVESTER, HIGHLANDER, JACKAL,
LEAMINGTON, VANSITTART,
WATCHMAN and Free French destroyer LEOPARD as
Local Escort during pasage in NW
Approaches.
14th Detached from WS5B with FS LEOPARD and returned to
Clyde.
February Western Approaches convoy defence in continuation.
to
November
December
9th Joined military convoy WS14 in Clyde with HM
Destroyers BEVERLEY, CROOME,
NEWARK,
LANCASTER, SHERWOOD, WESTCOTT,
FOXHOUND, GURKHA, NESTOR
and HM AA Ship ULSTER QUEEN as Local Escort
during passage in NW Approaches.
12th Detached from WS5B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.
1 9 4 2
January
12th Joined military convoy W315 in Clyde with HM
Destroyers VANOC, WALKER,
VANQUISHER and VANSITTART as Local Escort during
passage in NW Approaches.
17th Detached than WS15 with Local Escort and returned to
Clyde.
February
17th Joined military convoy WS16 in Clyde with HM
Destroyers ACTIVE, ANTHONY,
BLANKNEY, BLANKNEY CROOME, DUNCAN, FIREDRAKE,
LIGHTNING, VERITY,
and WALKER as Local Escort for passage in NW
approaches.
22nd Detached with HMS VERITY and HMS WALKER and returned
to Clyde.
Withdrawn from service for conversion into a
Short Range Escort.
(See V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston).
March Under conversion
to (Note :Radar Type 271 fitted for surface warning.
See RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse, Close
August Range AA armament increased.)
September On completion of post refit trials worked up for convoy
defence duties.
October Deployed in Western Approaches.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
(For details of
tactics and weapons used in the Atlantic battle see THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine and
SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
24th Reinforced escort of Convoy HX226 with HM Destroyer
MANSFIELD after heavy
U-Boat attacks.
February Atlantic deployment in continuation.
March Part of escort for
Convoy HX229.
(Note : This
convoy was subjected to sustained attacks by DRANGER Group of U-Boats.
For details of the defence of this convoy, which
probably marked the turning of the Battle
of the Atlantic in the favour of the allies see
CONVOY by H. Middlebrook, U-BOAT WAR
IN THE ATLANTIC and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR).
April Atlantic convoy defence deployment in continuation.
to
May
June
21st Joined HM Destroyers ARROW, BLANKNEY BLENCATHRA,
BRECON, BRISSENDEN.
HAMBLEDON, LEDBURY, MENDIP, VICEROY, WALLACE and
WOOLSTON in Clyde
for Local Escort of joint military convoy
WS31/KMF17 during passage in NW Approaches.
26th Detached from WS31/KMF17 on relief by destroyers
from Gibraltar and took passage to
Alexandria for convoy escort of Follow-up
convoys to Sicily in support of allied assault on Sicily
(Operation HUSKY).
July
9th Sailed from Alexandria as part of escort for
Follow-up Convoy MWF37 with HM Destroyers
VENOMOUS and WISHART during passage to Syracuse.
13th Detached from MWF37on arrival at Syracuse and
deployed for convoy escort in Eastern
Mediterranean.
August Mediterranean deployment for convoy escort and support
of military operations
to
October.
November Deployed in Gibraltar area.
1st Took part in sinking of U340 with HM Destroyer
ACTIVE, HM Sloop F1EETNOOD and two
WELLINGTON aircraft of 179 Squadron RAF.
48 survivors were recovered later from a Spanish
trawler.
(Note :Despite Spanish claims of infringement of
territorial waters, the action was justified by
the need for medical aid to the German
personnel.)
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
December Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
1 9 4 4
January Deployed in SW Approaches for convoy defence.
to (Note : This ship was not used for convoy defence
of invasion convoys during the allied landings
December in Normandy (Operation
NEPTUNE), See LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY (HMSO) which
records names of escorts involved).
1 9 4 5
January Convoy defence deployment in continuation.
to (Note: Atlantic convoys were re-routed through
English Channel and U-Boat attack
May by Schnorkel fitted submarines was being concentrated
on focal points of convoy
assembly. Additional escorts were deployed in
Channel in view of this threat).
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS WITHERINGTON was paid
off and reduced to Reserve status after the end of the European war .She was
placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day. Sold to Metal Industries for breaking-up
on 20th March 1947 she was taken in tow to the Breaker's yard at Charlestown,
near Rosyth but broke adrift on 29th April 1947 and was wrecked.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WITHERINGTON
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
05/09/39 05/09/39 RED 1 08/09/39 27/09/39
17/10/39 17/10/39 OB 021 20/10/39 22/10/39
27/10/39 27/10/39 OB 026 30/10/39 01/11/39
06/11/39 06/11/39 OB 031 09/11/39 11/11/39
31/10/39 10/11/39 HXF 007 12/11/39 12/11/39
20/11/39 20/11/39 OB 038 23/11/39 23/11/39
08/11/39 23/11/39 SL 008 24/11/39 24/11/39
30/11/39 30/11/39 OB 044 03/12/39 03/12/39
25/11/39 04/12/39 HXF 010 06/12/39 09/12/39
10/12/39 10/12/39 OB 050 11/12/39 13/12/39
11/12/39 11/12/39 OG 010 13/12/39 16/12/39
19/12/39 19/12/39 OB 056 21/12/39 21/12/39
18/12/39 04/01/40 SL 013 06/01/40 06/01/40
08/01/40 08/01/40 OB 069 12/01/40 13/01/40
16/01/40 16/01/40 HG 015 19/01/40 25/01/40
19/01/40 19/01/40 OB 075 21/01/40 21/01/40
21/01/40 21/01/40 OG 015 22/01/40 27/01/40
27/01/40 28/01/40 OB 080 31/01/40 31/01/40
31/01/40 31/01/40 OG 016 31/01/40 04/02/40
07/02/40 07/02/40 OB 086 09/02/40 10/02/40
24/03/40 24/03/40 OB 116 27/03/40 27/03/40
11/04/40 11/04/40 NP 001 15/04/40 15/04/40
24/04/40 24/04/40 TM 001/1 27/04/40 27/04/40
12/05/40 20/05/40 TC 004 21/05/40 21/05/40
12/06/40 12/06/40 HEBREW 14/06/40 14/06/40
24/06/40 24/06/40 OB 173 27/06/40 27/06/40
27/06/40 27/06/40 OG 035 28/06/40 01/07/40
21/06/40 28/06/40 HG 035 01/07/40 01/07/40
01/07/40 01/07/40 OA 177G 02/07/40 03/07/40
07/07/40 09/07/40 OB 180 09/07/40 10/07/40
03/10/40 03/10/40 WS 003A unknown 27/10/40
30/09/40 11/10/40 HX 077 16/10/40 17/10/40
20/10/40 20/10/40 HX 082 04/11/40 06/11/40
27/10/40 27/10/40 OB 235 30/10/40 31/10/40
09/11/40 09/11/40 OB 241 14/11/40 14/11/40
31/10/40 15/11/40 HG 046 19/11/40 19/11/40
23/11/40 23/11/40 OB 248 26/11/40 26/11/40
14/11/40 27/11/40 HX 087 29/11/40 29/11/40
13/11/40 27/11/40 SC 012 29/11/40 29/11/40
30/01/42 07/02/42 NA 002 08/02/42 08/02/42
03/03/42 03/03/42 HX 178 07/03/42 17/03/42
05/03/42 16/03/42 ON 073 18/03/42 16/03/42
21/03/42 21/03/42 NA 006 23/03/42 28/03/42
27/03/42 27/03/42 HX 182 30/03/42 09/04/42
11/04/42 11/04/42 SC 079 15/04/42 27/04/42
14/04/42 14/04/42 HX 185 18/04/42 27/04/42
08/04/42 22/04/42 ON 084 25/04/42 25/04/42
07/05/42 07/05/42 SC 083 12/05/42 23/05/42
06/05/42 14/05/42 ON 092 21/05/42 21/05/42
21/05/42 21/05/42 BX 019 23/05/42 23/05/42
19/07/42 19/07/42 HX 199 23/07/42 30/07/42
13/07/42 25/07/42 ON 112 unknown 30/07/42
31/07/42 31/07/42 BX 031B 02/08/42 02/08/42
04/08/42 04/08/42 SC 095 08/08/42 19/08/42
22/08/42 22/08/42 SC 097 26/08/42 07/09/42
22/08/42 31/08/42 ON 123 unknown 03/09/42
05/09/42 05/09/42 BX 036C 07/09/42 07/09/42
03/10/42 06/10/42 SC 104 10/10/42 21/10/42
02/10/42 14/10/42 ON 135 18/10/42 21/10/42
16/10/42 19/10/42 SC 106 23/10/42 05/11/42
25/10/42 02/11/42 ON 141 04/11/42 10/11/42
19/11/42 21/11/42 HX 216 24/11/42 06/12/42
27/11/42 02/12/42 HX 217 03/12/42 14/12/42
11/02/43 22/02/43 ON 166 25/02/43 03/03/43
23/02/43 03/03/43 SC 121 04/03/43 14/03/43
08/03/43 15/03/43 HX 229 15/03/43 23/03/43
20/03/43 29/03/43 SC 124 31/03/43 09/04/43
24/03/43 02/04/43 ON 175 unknown 16/04/43
01/04/43 08/04/43 HX 232 13/04/43 16/04/43
28/03/43 13/04/43 ONS 002 14/04/43 19/04/43
18/06/43 26/06/43 KMF 017 27/06/43 27/06/43
30/06/43 02/07/43 KMS 017 07/07/43 06/07/43
10/07/43 10/07/43 MWF 037 13/07/43 13/07/43
13/07/43 13/07/43 MEF 037 17/07/43 17/07/43
20/07/43 20/07/43 MWF 038 24/07/43 24/07/43
17/08/43 08/09/43 KMS 025G 10/09/43 30/08/43
17/09/43 30/09/43 MKF 024 01/10/43 07/10/43
01/10/43 01/10/43 RS 010 07/10/43 07/10/43
13/02/44 03/03/44 UGS 033 04/03/44 12/03/44
01/04/44 01/04/44 MKS 044G 02/04/44 02/04/44
02/04/44 02/04/44 SL 153MK 13/04/44 13/04/44
FURTHER INFORMATION on HMS
WITHERINGTON
from James D
Witherington, USA
HMS
WITHERINGTON's bell hangs in the council chambers of the city of Durham,
England, as does a plaque of the ship's badge. It seems that Durham
"adopted" her during WW2. When she was sold for scrap, the bell was
retrieved and presented to Durham. It is still rung at every meeting so
I am told. All the photographs above are courtesy of Mr Witherington.
The
postcard (see heading photographs) states on the back that the
"Shah of Persia is on board the Witherington as it passes through the
British lines around 1926" - an important piece of history as it was in
1926 that old Persia went out of existence, and the modern nation of
Iran came into being.
THE WRECK OF H.M.S. WITHERINGTON.
from Chris Lambert, Historian, Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade.
(Note: this account
is dated 1945, but all other sources give her loss as 1947. This has not
yet been resolved)
Taken from "The Shields Evening News",
Tuesday May 1st 1945.
(The paper is kept on microfilm at North Shields Library Local
Studies Centre and is, in places, not readable at the places
indicate in the transcript below – C.J. Lambert, February 2010.)
CULLERCOATS LIFEBOAT RESCUE.
DESTROYER WRECKED IN GALE ON TYNE PIER ;
CREW SAVED.
Caught by the fierce northerly wind which
was whipping up the sea into a fury, a destroyer on her way from the
Tyne to be broken up in Scotland, parted from her tow ropes and went
ashore on the rocks at the south of the South Pier on Sunday night. Her
skeleton crew of Shields men was taken off safely by the Cullercoats
lifeboat.
The men aboard were Mr. Alexander Mitchell,
of 24 Glendale Avenue, North Shields, transport manager of the firm of
Messrs. Alexander Mitchell and Son, of North Shields, which provided the
following riggers : Ossie Stoker, 5 Abbotsford Park, Monkseaton, Joseph
Esdale, 48 Vicarage Street, North Shields, Tom Stringer, 28 Windsor
Gardens, North Shields, Albert McCurry, Henry Street, North Shields and
(unreadable) Fothergill of Prospect (unreadable)É.John
Coulson, representing Anchor Line of Steam Tugs, of (unreadable),
which provided (unreadable) was also on board.
The vessel had left the Tyne on her last
voyage to be broken up at Rosyth.
TOW ROPE PARTED.
She was pounded so fiercely by the waves
that her tow rope parted off St. Abbs Head.
Mr. Mitchell told a reporter ÒWhen the rope
first parted off St. Abbs at about 1.30 on Sunday morning, we drifted
helplessly down to Berwick. Finally the tugs got us in tow again, but
the weather was so bad that we decided to return to the Tyne and shelter
until conditions improved.
We had rather a tough time coming south
again as the sea was particularly fierce and as we were nearing the Tyne
our tow rope parted again.
The tugs again got us in tow with some
difficulty and several ropes were secured to the destroyer. As we
reached the harbour, the fierce winds caught the ship again and all the
ropes parted, leaving us to drift helplessly until the ship crashed on
to the rocks at the south side of the South Pier.Ó
The ship was badly damaged and was being
severely pounded by the heavy seas. Tugs raced for assistance and the
Cullercoats lifeboat under coxswain James Taylor put to sea.
After a good deal of manoeuvring the
lifeboat managed to get alongside and get all the crew off safely.
Because of the bad weather the lifeboat was
unable to return to Cullercoats, and the men had to be landed at North
Shields Fish Quay.
The South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade
was on duty and fired several line-carrying rockets to the ship, but the
breeches buoy was not needed.
The destroyer is lying on the rocks with
the seas breaking over and pounding her to pieces. She is expected to be
a total loss.
Standing up to their waists in water a
number of Cullercoats women had to launch the Cullercoats lifeboat
Westmorland when the alarm was received that a vessel was in distress
off the mouth of the Tyne. The lifeboat was in charge of Coxswain J.
Taylor.
