H .  M .  S .   B O R E A S  ( H 7 7 )

 

 “BEAGLE” Class destroyer ordered from Palmer’s at Jarrow on Tyne in the 1938 Build Programme on 22nd March 1929. The ship was laid down on 22nd July 1929 and was launched on 11th June 1930 as the 5th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1757 for a 6th Rate and last used by a Trawler hired during WW1.Build was completed on 20th February 1931 at a contract price of £221,156 which excluded supply of guns and communications equipment by the Admiralty. Until 1938 this ship served in the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet and then joined the Home Fleet. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Southall, the in Middlesex and now part of the London Borough of Ealing.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

LOUISBERG 1759 - HAVANA 1762 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1940 - ATLANTIC 1941-2 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge : On a field Black, a winged figure Gold with

Silver breath.

(Note: Boreas is the God of the North wind.)

 

M o t t o

Vente favente : 'With favouring wind'

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  Deployed in Home Fleet for aircraft carrier Safety duties.

                                Nominated War Station: 19th Destroyer Flotilla in Nore Command.

September

                3rd          Joined HM Destroyers CODRINGTON, KEITH, BASILISK, BEAGLE,

                                BLANCHE, BOADICEA, BRILLIANT and BRAZEN at Dover to form

                                Flotilla for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence duties in North

                                Sea and English Channel.

 

October                  Flotilla duties at Dover in continuation.

                14th        Recovered five bodies during patrol in Dover Straits.

                                (Note : These were German seamen from U40 which had been sunk by a

                                mine in the Dover Barrage on 13th October whilst attempting

                                passage to the Atlantic through the English Channel.)

 

November              Channel deployment in continuation.

                                (For details of naval activities in Home waters during 1939 see

                                ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and

                                the Naval Staff History.)

 

December

                15th        Deployed with HM Destroyers BASILISK, ESK and EXPRESS as

                                escort for HM Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA during

                                minelay in Galloper area of North Sea.

                                (Operation GF – See Naval Staff History (Mining).

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Transferred to Rosyth Command for escort of convoys during passage

                                to Clyde through NW Approaches.

 

February

                4th          Under air attack off NE Scotland whilst assisting HM Minesweeper

                                SPHINX which had been disabled in an earlier air attack on 3rd.

                                Sustained damage to stern structure.

                                (Note :HMS SPHINX later foundered.)

                                Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth

                                On completion resumed North Sea convoy defence.

March

                1st           Deployed with HMS BRAZEN to escort HM Auxiliary Minelayer

                                TEVIOT BANK during lay of deep minefield in Moray Firth.

                                (Operation DML – See above reference.)

                29th        Transferred to 12th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth in continuation of

                                North Sea convoy defence.

 

April                       Rosyth Escort Force service in continuation.

 

May

                5th          Deployed with HMS BRILLIANT and HMS VERITY to escort

                                HM Auxiliary Minelayer HAMPTON during minelay in Galloper

                                area (Operation DML3 – See above reference.)

                14th        Deployed at Harwich for support of military operations in Holland.

                15th        Sustained damage in collision with HMS BRILLIANT during

                                passage to Hook of Holland.

                                (Note : HMS BRILLIANT was taking demolition party.)

                18th        Under repair in Thames commercial shipyard.

 

June

                20th        On completion took passage to Dover for detached service with

                                1st Destroyer Flotilla for Channel convoy defence.

 

July                         Channel deployment in continuation.

                25th        Under air attack off Dover during passage to intercept E-Boats

                                with HMS BRILLIANT.

                                Disabled by near misses which also caused slow flooding aft.

                                After repair proceeded at 17 knots using emergency steering, but

                                in a subsequent attack hit in bridge area by two bombs and badly

                                damaged. 21 fatal casualties and ship taken in tow to Dover.

                26th        Repair arranged at commercial shipyard in London.

                28th        Tow to Millwall Dock.

                30th        Taken in hand for repair.

 

August                  Under repair.

to                            (Note : Work included modification of Depth Charge

December              arrangements to enable firing of 10 charge pattern.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under repair.

                19th        Sustained superficial damage from bomb splinters during air raid.

                23rd        On completion of post repair trials took passage to Scapa Flow

                                for work-up with ships of Home Fleet.

 

February                Transferred to Western Approaches Command.

                                Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence in NW Approaches.

 

March                    NW Approaches deployment in continuation.

                                Nominated with HMS BRILLIANT for transfer to Freetown for

                                convoy defence with 18th Destroyer Flotilla in place of HM

                                Destroyers FOXHOUND and DUNCAN.

                                Prepared for foreign service.

 

April                       Deployed as escort for HM Armed Merchant Cruiser

                                COMORIN and ss GLENARTNEY with HM Canadian

                                Destroyer ASSINIBOINE during passage to Gibraltar from

                                Clyde

                                (Note: HMCS ASSINIBOINE was damaged in a collision on 5th)

                11th        Arrived at Gibraltar and taken in hand for repair of defects.

                21st         Took passage to Freetown on completion.

                28th        Joined Flotilla on arrival at Freetown.

                                (Note : HMS DUNCAN was retained in South Atlantic

                                Command until July)

 

May                        Deployed at Freetown for Local Escort duties with Flotilla.

                6th          Deployed with HM Destroyer HIGHLANDER as Local Escort

                                for military convoy WS8A during passage into Freetown.

                9th          Detached from WS8A on arrival at Freetown.

                14th        Deployed with HM Destroyer WISHART as Local escort for

                                WS8A on departure from Freetown for Cape of Good Hope.

                15th        Detached from WS8A and returned to Freetown with HMS

                                WISHART

                                (Note: HM Cruiser MAURITIUS provided Ocean Escort)

 

June                        Freetown deployment in continuation.

                2nd         Joined military convoy WS8B with HMS DUNCAN as Local

                                Escort during passage into Freetown.

                4th          Detached from WS8B with Local Escort on arrival.

                6th          Joined WS8B on departure from Freetown with HM Destroyers

                                DUNCAN and HIGHLANDER as Local Escort during passage

                                in Freetown area.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser EXETER continued duty as Ocean Escort

                                during passage to Aden.)

                8th          Detached from WS8B with Local Escort for return to Freetown.

                13th        Joined HM Destroyers VANSITTART and WILD SWAN with

                                HM Destroyer BRILLIANT, VELOX and HIGHLANDER as

                                Local Escort of military convoy WS9A into Freetown.

                18th        Detached from WS9B with Local Escort on arrival.

                20th        Joined WS9A with HM Destroyers VANSITTART

                                VELOX and WILD SWAN as Local Escort during passage in

                                Freetown area.

                22nd       Detached from WS9A with Local Escort for return to Freetown.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM provided Ocean Escort

                                during passage in Atlantic until July 2nd.)

 

July

                16th        Joined military convoy WS9B with HM Destroyers

                                BRILLIANT, VELOX and VANSITTART as Local Escort

                                during passage in Freetown area.

                18th        Detached from WS9B with Local Escort for return to Freetown.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser GALATEA provided Ocean Escort during

                                passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

August                  Part of escort for Freetown – Gibraltar convoy.

                10th        Deployed with escort of convoy HG70 for passage to UK

                                (Note : Several attempts were made by U-Boats to attack this

                                convoy but these were all frustrated by air and surface

                                escort – For details see HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR,

                                Volume 1 by C Blair.)

                24th        Detached from HG70 to carry out search for survivors off the

                                coast of Portugal.

                                Rescued five survivors from British steamer ALVA , sunk on

                                19th, four from British freighter ALDERGOVE sunk on 23rd,

                                four from British tug EMPIRE OAK sunk on 22nd and five from

                                Norwegian freighter SPIND sunk on 23rd).

                                (Note :In view of the failure of attacks on HG70 the ships were

                                either independents or from another convoy.)

                                Took passage to land survivors at Gibraltar.

                25th        Landed passengers and sailed for UK for refit

 

September             Passage to South Shields.

                19th        Taken in hand for refit by commercial shipyard at Middle Dock..

 

October                  Under refit

to

December

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Completed post refit trials

                5th          Passage to Greenock to resume Atlantic convoy defence duties

                                with Flotilla at Freetown.

                8th          Nominated for escort of military convoy during passage to

                                Freetown

                12th        Deployed with HM Armed Merchant Cruisers ASCANIA and

                                CHESHIRE, Dutch AA Cruiser, HEEMSKERK, Polish Destroyer

                                ORP GARLAND, HM Destroyers NORMAN, VANSITTART

                                and VIMY as Ocean Escort for military convoy WS15 during

                                passage from Clyde to Freetown.

                17th        HM Battleship RESOLUTION joined as Ocean Escort)

                25th        Detached from Ocean Escort of WS15 on arrival at Freetown

                                and resumed Local convoy defence with Flotilla.

 

February                Freetown deployment in continuation.

                26th        Joined military convoy WS16 with HM Destroyers BRILLIANT

                                and WILD SWAN as Local Escort during passage into Freetown

 

March

                1st           Detached from WS16 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

April                       Freetown deployment in continuation.

                26th        Joined military convoy WS18 with HM Destroyer WILD SWAN

                                and HM Corvette PETUNIA as Local Escort for passage into

                                Freetown.

                29th        Detached from WS18 with Local Escort on arrival.

 

May

                3rd          Joined WS18 with HM Destroyer WIVERN as Local Escort for

                                passage in Freetown area.

                4th          Detached from WS18 with Local Escort for return to Freetown.

                                (Note : Ocean Escort was provided by HM Cruiser GAMBIA

                                for passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

                20th        Joined military convoy WS19 escorted by HMS VELOX with

                                HM Destroyer WILD SWAN for Local Escort during passage

                                into Freetown.

                22nd       Detached from WS19 with Local Escort on arrival.

                26th        Joined HM Destroyer VELOX as Local Escort from Freetown

                                for WS19.

                28th        Detached from WS19 with HMS VELOX and for return to

                                Freetown.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser MAURITIUS, HM Destroyer HURSLEY

                                and HM Sloop MILFORD provided Ocean Escort for

                                passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

 

June                        Freetown deployment in continuation.

                30th        Joined military convoy WS20 with HM Destroyer to supplement

                                Local Escort into Freetown by HM Destroyers BLACKMORE

                                and BRILLIANT.

 

July

                2nd         Detached from WS20 with Local Escort on arrival.

                6th          Joined WS20 with HM Destroyer VELOX as Local Escort

                                during passage in Freetown area.

                8th          Detached with HMS VELOX and returned to Freetown.

                                (Note : HM Battleship MALAYA provided Ocean Escort to

                                Cape of Good Hope.)

 

August

                2nd         Joined military convoy WS21P as Local Escort during passage

                                from Freetown.

                                (Note : Ocean Escort was provided by HM Cruiser ORION, HM

                                Destroyer NEPAL and Dutch Destroyer TJERK

                                HIDDES which had been with convoy since leaving UK.)

                6th          Detached from WS21P and returned to Freetown.

 

September             Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

October                  Nominated for service in Eastern Mediterranean.

                                Took passage from Freetown via Cape of Good Hope

                                (Note : May have been part of escort for convoy for all or part

                                of passage. but NOT with a WS military convoy.)

 

November              Passage in Red Sea to join Fleet at Alexandria.

                11th        Arrived at Alexandria.

                12th        Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean

                                (Note :Participation in Operation STONEAGE the first relief

                                convoy from Alexandria which is recorded in one source

                                cannot be confirmed in MALTA CONVOYS by R

                                Woodhead and requires substantiation. HM Cruiser

                                ARETHUSA, EURYALUS and DIDO with nine

                                destroyers based at Alexandria formed escort.)

 

December              Deployed in eastern Mediterranean for convoy escort.

                                (Note : Malta relief convoys and return shipping were extensive)

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed as escort for convoy to Malta and took passage to

                                Gibraltar for convoy defence with 13th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

February                Deployed briefly at Gibraltar before passage to Freetown to

                                resume Atlantic and Local convoy defence with 18th Flotilla.

 

March                    Deployed at Freetown for Flotilla duties.

 

April                       Freetown deployment in continuation.

                26th        Joined military convoy WS29A for Local Escort during passage

                                into Freetown in place of HM Destroyers ANTHONY and

                                BRISSENDEN.

                                (Note : HM Destroyer LEWES remained with convoy).

May                        Called at Casablanca and Dakar with WS29A

                4th          Detached from WS29A with HMS LEWES on arrival.

                6th          Joined military convoy WS29 with HM Destroyers WITCH,

                                MALCOLM, RAPID and WOLVERINE as Local Escort

                                during passage from Freetown.

                                (Note : WS29 had arrived at Freetown on 28th April and been

                                joined by WS29A for onward passage to Indian Ocean.

                                HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE provided Ocean Escort for

                                passage to Cape of Good Hope.)

                8th          Detached from WS29 with HMS WITCH and returned to

                                Freetown.

                                Nominated for transfer to Gibraltar for defence of convoys

                                during build-up for planned allied landings in Sicily

 

June                        Passage to Gibraltar

 

July                         Deployed for convoy defence at Gibraltar

                                (Note : It may be assumed that as no Battle Honour SICILY

                                was awarded this ship was not part of escort for the

                                assault or build-up convoys during Operation HUSKY.)

 

August                  Transfer of ship to Royal Hellenic Navy under consideration.

                                Passage to UK for refit prior to loan service.

 

September             Taken in hand for refit by Cammell Laird shipyard in Liverpool.

 

October                  Under refit

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                Carried out post refit trials

                11th        Transferred on loan to Royal Hellenic Navy.

 

March                    Formal hand-over at Liverpool

                25th        Commissioned as HHMS SALAMIS

 

__________

 

W a r    S e r v i c e    u n d e r    G r e e k    C o m m a n d   a s

H.  H.  M.  S.    S A L A M I S

 

April                       Worked-up at Scapa Flow with Home Fleet.

                                Sustained damage in collision during work-up.

                28th        Taken in hand for repair by Amos and Smith Shipyard in Hull.

 

May                        Under repair.

 

June                        On completion resumed work-up with Home Fleet.

 

July                         Passage to Gibraltar for convoy defence deployment.

 

August                  Deployed at Gibraltar

to

September

 

October                  Transferred to eastern Mediterranean for service in support of

                                operations to recover occupied Greek islands and landings in Greece.

 

November              Deployed in eastern Mediterranean in support of military operations.

to                           

December             

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed in Greek waters for support duties.

to                           

 May

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HHMS SALAMIS remained in the Royal Hellenic Navy until handed back to the Royal Navy in Malta on 10th May 1951. Resuming her former name HMS BOREAS was placed on the Disposal List and sold to BISCO on 23rd November 1951. She was taken in tow to Charlestown near Rosyth for demolition by Metal Industries and arrived at the Breaker’s Yard on 15th April 1952.

 

---

 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS

by Don Kindell

 

as HMS BOREAS

 

Date convoy         Joined convoy              Convoy No.             Left convoy           Date convoy

sailed                     as escort                                                                                      arrived

  

26/11/39                 27/11/39                     OA 042                  unknown               30/11/39

07/03/41                 07/03/41                     OG 055                   12/03/41                 20/03/41

20/03/41                 20/03/41                     OB 300                   26/03/41                 26/03/41

02/05/41                 02/05/41                     CF 001/1                04/05/41                 15/05/41

09/08/41                 11/08/41                     HG 070                   13/08/41                 23/08/41

13/08/41                 22/08/41                     OG 071                   23/08/41                 23/08/41

19/08/41                 27/08/41                     OG 072                   01/09/41                 01/09/41

02/09/41                 02/09/41                     HG 072                   16/09/41                 17/09/41

25/08/41                 11/09/41                     SL 085                    17/09/41                 17/09/41

17/09/41                 17/09/41                     ON 017                  18/09/41                 29/09/41

 04/03/42                 05/03/42                     SL 102                    08/03/42                 26/03/42

22/02/42                 09/03/42                     OS 020                   12/03/42                 12/03/42

04/08/42                 09/08/42                     RT 001                   13/08/42                 13/08/42

10/08/42                 26/08/42                     OS 037                   27/08/42                 29/08/42

29/08/42                 29/08/42                     ST 032                   03/09/42                 03/09/42

13/11/42                 13/11/42                     MKF 001O            14/11/42                 14/11/42

15/11/42                 17/11/42                     MKF 002               17/11/42                 23/11/42

11/12/42                 11/12/42                     MKF 004Y            19/12/42                 24/12/42

22/12/42                 26/12/42                     MKS 004               27/12/42                 06/01/43

12/12/42                 31/12/42                     UGS 003                unknown               01/01/43

24/12/42                 04/01/43                     KMS 006G            09/01/43                 09/01/43

05/01/43                 08/01/43                     MKS 005               11/01/43                 22/01/43

17/02/43                 22/02/43                     MKS 008               25/02/43                 01/03/43

21/03/43                 28/03/43                     SR 003/1                01/04/43                 02/04/43

10/05/43                 10/05/43                     TS 039                   15/05/43                 15/05/43

16/05/43                 16/05/43                     SR 004F                 23/05/43                 23/05/43

08/06/43                 09/06/43                     GTX 002                14/06/43                 19/06/43

01/07/43                 09/07/43                     KMF 019               11/07/43                 11/07/43

19/08/43                 01/09/43                     MKF 022               09/09/43                 09/09/43

 

 

as HHMS SALAMIS

 

22/06/44                 22/06/44                     OS 081KM            03/07/44                 03/07/44

03/07/44                 03/07/44                     KMS 055G            04/07/44                 04/07/44

 

(Note on Convoys)