D or
DEFENDER-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Palmer's on 2nd February 1931 under the 1930 Build
Programme. The ship was laid down on 20th June 1931 at the same time as sister
ship HMS DIANA. She was launched on 19th
July 1932 as the 4th RN ship to bear this name, introduced in 1852 and last used for a Paddle Minesweeper.
Build of this destroyer was completed on 27th January 1933 and cost of £229,367
excluding the Admiralty supplied equipment such as the weapons and
communications equipment. This ship served in the Mediterranean and in 1934
refitted at Chatham for service on the China Station in the 8th Destroyer
Flotilla until September 1939.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
PORTLAND 1653 - GABBARD 1653 - SCHEVENINGEN 1653 - BEACHY HEAD 1690
- BARFLEUR 1692 - BURMA 1824-26 - NORWAY 1940
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue, a Duchess's coronet Proper over a
terrestrial globe Silver.
M o t t o
Duchi non trahi :
'To be led but not dragged'
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 21st Destroyer Flotilla at Hong Kong.
(Note : The 8th Destroyer Flotilla in China had
been renumbered 21st Flotilla in April 1939)
28th Took passage from Hong Kong to join the Fleet in
Mediterranean at Alexandria.
October
12th Arrived at Malta.
Deployed for Fleet screening and contraband
control.
November Fleet duties in continuation.
December
6th Sailed from Gibraltar as escort for HM Battleship
BARHAM for return to UK.
10th Collided with HMS BARHAM in NW Approaches west of
Mull of Kintyre in thick fog.
Sank in position 55.21N 06.02W with the loss of
134 of ship's company.
S p e c i a l N o
t e
This name was carried forward
for the 5th time when used for a DARING Class Fleet Destroyer in 1951. This
ship served with the Fleet until 1971 when she was scrapped.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS DUCHESS
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
30/09/39 30/09/39 BLUE 003 05/10/39 11/10/39
