H . M . S
. B R I L L I A N T ( H 8 4 )
B-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 22nd
March 1929 under the 1928 Build Programme and laid down on 8th July that year as
Yard No 1409. Launched on
9th October 1930 she was the 8th RN ship to
carry the name. It was first used for a Prize taken in 1696 and lastly for an
1891 cruiser expended as a blockship at
Ostend in April 1918. The build was
completed on
21st February 1931 at a cost of £221,638, which
excluded items supplied by the Admiralty, such as guns and communications
equipment. For the following five years she served in the
Mediterranean and then was transferred to the
Home Fleet. When this Class of destroyer was replaced by the new TRIBAL Class
between 1938 and 1939 she was deployed for local port duties. Following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings Campaign in March 1942
she was adopted by the civil community of
Tunbridge Wells,
Kent.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ELLIOTS ACTION 1760 - ZEEBRUGGE AND
OSTEND 1918 -
ATLANTIC 1941-43 - NORTH
AFRICA
1942 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1940-45 -
FALKLAND ISLANDS 1982*
(* See Post War Notes)
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Black, a twelve pointed star gold
M o t t o
Ea nostra vocamus: 'We claim the deeds of our ancestors'
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Deployed with 19th
Destroyer Flotilla at Dover for Anti-submarine convoy escort
in English
Channel and North Sea. Escorted BEF Convoys to French ports.
12th Damaged in collision
with harbour wall at Dover.
13th Taken in hand for
repair.
October Under repair.
November On completion of post
repair trials rejoined Flotilla in continuation.
December Convoy escort and patrol in
English Channel and North Sea.
(For details of
1939 naval activities in Hone waters see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by
Corelli Bamett).
1 9 4 0
January English Channel and
North Sea deployment in continuation. (See HOLD THE NARROW
to SEA by P Smith).
April
May
5th Escorted H M
Auxiliary Minelayer HAMPTON with H M Destroyers KEITH, BOREAS
and VERITY during
minelay in Thames Estuary (Operation DML9).
10th Deployed for
demolition of port facilities in Dutch ports and the evacuation of allied
personnel
(Operation XD - See above references).
12th Returned to Dover
with over 200 refugees embarked.
15th Collided with HM
Destroyer BOREAS when on passage to Hook of Holland.
16th Taken on hand for
repair at HM Dockyard, Sheerness.
June Under repair
17th Joined 1st Destroyer
Flotilla based at Dover.
Deployed for
Channel convoy defence and interception patrol in English Channel.
(Note : Destroyer
Flotillas had been re-organised because of heavy losses during
evacuation
operations - references as above).
July Channel deployment
in continuation.
25th In action with
E-Boats attacking convoy in Straits of Dover.
Came under air
attack by Ju87 aircraft off South Foreland after being ordered to
withdraw. Near
missed in initial attacks but then hit aft by two bombs which did
not explode.
Ship settled by
the stern and lost way.
Vessel lightened
by jettison of X and Y guns as well as Depth Charges.
No casualties on
board and two aircraft were destroyed.
Initially towed
into Dover.
27th Towed to HM Dockyard
Chatham.
August Under repair.
to Nominated for duty
with Home Fleet. September
October Post repair trials and
prepared for operational service.
15th On completion took
passage to join Home Fleet.
16th Escorted newly
completed battleship, HMS KING GEORGE V from the Tyne to
Rosyth.
18th Joined Home Fleet for
screening of major units and patrol in NW Approaches.
November Home Fleet duties in
continuation.
18th Escorted HM Auxiliary
Minelayers AGAMEMNON, PORT QUEBEC,
MENESTHEUS, PORT
NAPIER and PORT QUEBEC of 1st Minelaying
Squadron with HM
Destroyers BEAGLE and BULLDOG during minelay in
Northern Barrage
(Operation SN3).
(For details of
all minelaying activities see Naval Staff History (Mining).
December Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
1 9 4 1
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
(Note :
Deployment in Irish Sea as escort for military convoy WS5B on 12th
to be
confirmed.).
February
6th Escorted HM
Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, PORT QUEBEC.,
MENESTHEUS and
SOUTHERN PRINCE during minelay in Northern Barrage
with HM
Destroyers ECHO, ELECTRA and INGLEFIELD (Operation SN7A).
March Under refit at
Southampton.
(Work done
included :
3in mounting
fitted for defence against aircraft in place of one set of torpedo
tubes.
Depth Charge
outfit increased to 60 weapons and two Oerlikons fitted.
Radar Type 286M
(Modified RAF Air-Surface Vessel equipment) installed.
(These were
interim modifications for use of a Fleet Destroyer as an anti
submarine escort
April Under refit
Nominated for
Atlantic convoy escort duty based at Freetown.
May On completion of post
refit trials rejoined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
12th Part of escort for HM
Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS and HM Cruiser LONDON for
passage to
Gibraltar.
19th Deployed with HM
Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY
and HESPERUS as
screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carriers ARK
ROYAL and FURIOUS during cover for Malta aircraft delivery.
(Operation
SPLICE).
(For details of
Malta aircraft deliveries see THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by
D MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C
Barnett and MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman.).
23rd On completion of
Operation SPLICE deployed with HM Cruiser LONDON in
search for German
supply ships in Atlantic.
(Note : This
operation was based on ULTRA information. See BRITISH
INTELLIGENCE IN
WW2 (HMSO) and BREAKING THE ENIGMA by
D Kahn).
June
4th Intercepted ESSO
HAMBURG in South Atlantic which was scuttled.
5th Intercepted EGERLAND
in same area which was also scuttled by ner crew.
10th Joined 18th Destroyer
Flotilla at Freetown for Atlantic convoy defence and
interception
patrol.
16th Joined military
convoy WS9A with HM Destroyers BOREAS and HIGHLANDER off
African coast for
Local Escort into Freetown.
18th Detached from WS9A on
arrival.
July Freetown deployment
in continuation.
10th Joined military
convoy WS9B with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN and WIVERN, HM
Corvette ASPHODEL
off African coast for Local Escort into Freetown.
13th Detached on arrival
at Freetown.
August Deployment as Senior
Officer's ship of 18th Flotilla in continuation.
27th Joined military
convoy WS10X with HM Destroyers VELOX and WRESTLER, HM
Corvettes
CLEMATIS and CROCUS off African coast for Local Escort into Freetown.
28th Detached from WS10X
on arrival at Freetown.
September Freetown deployment in
continuation.
to
November
December
18th Joined military
convoy WS14 with HM Destroyer HURWORTH off African coast as
Local Escort into
Freetown.
21st Detached from WS14
on arrival at Freetown.
25th Sailed with WS14 for
Local Escort from Freetown.
26th Detached from WE14
with mv ABOSSO for escort to Takoradi.
1 9 4 2
January Deployment at Freetown
with Flotilla in continuation
February
26th Joined military
convoy WS16 with HM Destroyers BOREAS AND WILD SWAN off
African coast for
Local Escort into Freetown.
March
1st Detached from WS16
on arrival at Freetown.
6th Sailed with WS16
from Freetown with HM Destroyer WILD SWAN, HM Corvettes
JASMINE, NIGELLA
and HM Sloop Bridgewater as Local Escort.
8th Detached from WS16
with HMS WILD SWAN and returned to Freetown.
April Under refit.
to (Note : Work
included :
May After 4.7in gun in Y
position landed an two additional 20mm guns fitted.
June On completion of post
refit trials took passage to Freetown to resume Atlantic convoy
escort duties.
26th Joined military
convoy WS20 with HM Destroyer BLACKMORE off W. African coast
for Local Escort
to Freetown.
Part of Ocean
Escort of Military WS Convoy to Durban.
July
2nd Detached from W520 on
arrival at Freetown.
6th Sailed with WS20
with HM Destroyers BLACKMORE and WIVERN as escort for
passage to
Durban. Ocean.
(Note : Escort
for passage was provided also by HM Battleship MALAYA.)
17th Remained with VJS20
when HMS MALAYA and HMS BLACKMORE detached for
escort of part of
convoy into Capetown.
HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE joined escort.
20th Detached from W320 on
arrival at Durban.
August Passage to Freetown to
resume Atlantic convoy escort deployment
September Convoy defence duties in
continuation.
Nominated for
support of allied landings in North Africa.
October Passage to join Force H
for Operation TORCH.
For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY CLOSELY, RELUCTANT ENEMIES by A
Tute and Naval
Staff History).
November Deployed at Gibraltar and
prepared for support duties.
8th Part of escort for
Assault Convoy.
Provided naval
gunfire fire support during landings on Beach Y at Oran.
Sank Vichy French
Sloop LA SURPRISE that attempted to interfere with
TORCH landings.
Rescued 21
survivors from French WARSHIP. See above references).
14th Transferred to 61st
Escort Group at Gibraltar for anti-submarine defence of the
Follow-up convoys
and patrol in Western Mediterranean.
December Convoy defence with Group
in continuation.
Nominated for
full conversion to A/S Escort Destroyer.
1 9 4 3
January Passage to Portsmouth.
February Taken in hand for Full
Conversion by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
March Under conversion.
to Work done included
May Ahead Throwing
Anti-Submarine Mortar (HEDGEHOG) fitted in place
of forward 4.7in
gun mounting (A).
Centimetric
surface warning radar (Type 271) installed.
Depth Charge
allowance increased to 125.
3in AA gun
removed and after set of torpedo tubes replaced.
(For details of
development of anti-submarine tactics and new weapons
see SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann).
June Post refit trials and
prepared for operational service.
July Nominated for
service with 13th Destroyer- Flotilla based at Gibraltar.
Carried out
Work-up in Clyde area.
August Passage to Mediterranean
to join Flotilla.
September Deployed with Flotilla for
Local Escort and anti-submarine search duties.
to (Note :During this
period increased A/S patrols in conjunction with RAF aircraft
November were carried out in
Gibraltar Command area. See U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO)
and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
December
12th Took part in search
with US Destroyers EDISON, TRIPPE and WOOLSEY for
U73 which had
torpedoed a ship in Convoy GUS24 off the coast of Algeria.
(Note : U73 was
sunk later by US Destroyers by surface gunfire after attacks by
Depth Charges
forced the submarine to surface.)
1 9 4 4
January Convoy defence and A/S
duties at Gibraltar in continuation.
to
August
September Passage to UK for refit
October Under refit at
Portsmouth.
Nominated for
service with 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
November Joined Flotilla at
Portsmouth and deployed in English Channel and SW
Approaches for
convoy defence.
December Convoy defence duty with
Flotilla in continuation.
24th Deployed as escort
for troopship LEOPOLDVILLE during passage to Cherbourg
with HM Destroyer
ANTHONY and two other escorts.
After troopship
was hit by acoustic torpedo fired by U486 took part in rescue of
survivors with
other escorts. Embarked 20 soldiers before ship sank.
(Note : Ship was
carrying 2,237 men of US 66th Division and crew of 237.
1,673 men were
rescued and 821 lost their lives.
For details see
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
1 9 4 5
January Channel deployment in
continuation
Sustained major
structural damage in collision with HM Canadian Corvette
LINDSAY during
fog in English Channel.
February Under temporary repair at
Portsmouth.
to Transferred to
Antwerp for completion.
March
April Nominated for service
as an Air Target Ship.
23rd On completion of
repair at Antwerp took passage to Portsmouth for conversion.
May Under conversion.
June Deployed at
Portsmouth.
7th Escorted HM Cruiser
JAMAICA during passage to Jersey with HM King George
VI for visit to
Channel Islands.
13th Passage to Clyde for
Air Target duty.
July Nominated for
detached duty as required for collection of surrendered U-Boats.
(Operation
DEADLIGHT).
(Note : No
evidence has been found for use as an Air Target ship for aircrew
training during
WW2).
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS BRILLIANT was deployed for
escort of surrendered U-Boats to Lisahally and Loch Ryan but did not take part in their destruction later.
During November 1945 she Paid-off and was placed in Reserve. After she had been
de-equipped the ship was used for target trials and placed
on the Disposal List in 1947. Sold for to BISCO for demolition by West of Scotland Shipbreakers on 21st
February 1948 the ship arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard at Troon in April
1948.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
BRILLIANT
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
05/08/41 05/08/41 SL 083 11/08/41 28/08/41
15/08/41 15/08/41 SL 084 19/08/41 08/09/41
03/08/41 19/08/41 OS 002 22/08/41 22/08/41
14/09/41 14/09/41 SL 087 16/09/41 06/10/41
02/09/41 17/09/41 OS 005 18/09/41 21/09/41
12/09/41 03/10/41 OS 006 03/10/41 03/10/41
05/10/41 05/10/41 SL 089 08/10/41 26/10/41
23/09/41 10/10/41 OS 007 14/10/41 14/10/41
15/10/41 15/10/41 SL 090 18/10/41 06/11/41
27/10/41 27/10/41 SL 091 31/10/41 08/11/41
13/10/41 01/11/41 OS 009 05/11/41 05/11/41
18/11/41 18/11/41 SL 093 23/11/41 10/12/41
07/11/41 24/11/41 OS 011 28/11/41 28/11/41
04/01/42 04/01/42 SL 097 06/01/42 24/01/42
23/12/41 09/01/42 OS 015 13/01/42 13/01/42
27/01/42 27/01/42 SL 099 30/01/42 16/02/42
18/01/42 05/02/42 OS 017 07/02/42 07/02/42
14/03/42 14/03/42 SL 103 02/04/42 02/04/42
18/09/42 18/09/42 TS 019 23/09/42 23/09/42
09/10/42 09/10/42 ST 038 09/10/42 14/10/42
01/12/42 01/12/42 ET 003 04/12/42 04/12/42
11/12/42 16/12/42 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 31/12/42 01/01/43
19/01/43 19/01/43 MKS 006 23/01/43 01/02/43
14/01/43 24/01/43 UGF 004 27/01/43 25/01/43
03/02/43 03/02/43 WP 289 05/02/43 05/02/43
25/08/43 26/08/43 CF 013B 31/08/43 31/08/43
28/09/43 28/09/43 KMS 027G 29/09/43 29/09/43
17/10/43 27/10/43 KMS 030G 01/11/43 01/11/43
16/12/43 25/12/43 KMF 027 25/12/43 30/12/43