H . M . S . E S C O R T
( H 6 6 )
E-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered on 1st November 1932 from Scotts
at Greenock under the 1931 Build Programme. The ship
was laid down en 30th March 1932, the same day as her sister ship HMS
ESCAPADE also built in this shipyard. She was Launched on 29th January 1934 as the fifth RN ship to carry the name, introduced for the French Prize ESCORTS and used only for minor warships since
that date. Build was completed en 30 October 1934 for a cost of
£249,587,excluding items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns and communications equipment. Much of her service after 1935 was
away from UK, although actually part of the Home Fleet. She was
detached in the Mediterranean
and off the northern Spanish Coast during the Spanish civil war.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
BELLISLE 1761 - ATLANTIC 1939-40
- NORTH SEA 1940
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Green, a
Yeoman of the Guard
with partizan all Proper.
M o t t
o
Fidelitar : 'Faithfully’
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 Reserve Fleet for training duties.
September Commissioned for operational service.
Joined 12th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy defence and
anti-submarine patrol duty
in the Atlantic and western Approaches.
3rd Rescued survivors from as ATHENIA with HM Destroyer ELECTRA.
October
Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
to
(For details of 1939 naval activities in Home Waters see ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE
November
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
December Transferred to Rosyth for anti-submarine defence of UK -
Norway convoys.
Nominated for refit.
1 9 4 0
January
Passage to Falmouth
10th Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Falmouth.
February
12th On completion resumed convoy duties in North Sea.
25th Participated in sinking of U63 with HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD and
ESCAPADE and
IMOGEN during escort of Convoy HN14 in position 56.40N O1.10W.
(Note : Submarine had been sighted by HM Submarine NARWHAL and
these destroyers
carried out hunt for two hours before submarine surfaced.
24 of her crew were rescued.)
See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) for further details of the
development of German submarine operations and tactics).
March
Convoy defence duty in North Sea in continuation.
April
Under repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.
Rejoined Home Fleet on completion
11th Under air attacks with Home Fleet units in North Sea.
Detached with HM Cruiser YORK and HM Destroyer HYPERION to stand
by HM Destroyer
ECLIPSE which had been disabled after bomb hit and was disabled.
Took damaged destroyer in
tow to Sullom Voe.
(For details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see
NARVIK by Donald MacIntyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton and THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
Adams.)
25th Escorted HM Aircraft Carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS in Norwegian
waters
during air operations in defence of Fleet units and support of
military
(Operation DX).
27th Escorted HMS GLORIOUS to Scapa Flow to replenish aircraft.
May
Fleet and escort duties off Norway. .
11th Slightly damaged in collision with Polish Liner CHOBRY.
Deployed for Fleet escort at Scapa Flow.
June
Nominated for foreign service in Mediterranean with 12th
Destroyer Flotilla.
26th Passage to Gibraltar.
28th Joined force H on formation
July
2nd Arrived at Gibraltar and Joined Flotilla for duty with Force H.
Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESTER of
8th
Destroyer Flotilla and HM destroyers KEPPEL, ACTIVE, WRESTLER.
VIDETTE and
VORTIGERN as screen for HM Battlecruiser HOOD, HM Battleships
VALIANT and
RESOLUTION, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser ARETHUSA
and HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE for passage to Oran.
3rd Present during bombardment of French warships at Mer-el Kebir
after negotiation to
determine future of French Fleet had failed. (Operation
CATAPULT)
See THE DEADLY STROKE by W Tute and Naval Staff History
(HMSO-2001)
6th Joined HM Destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FORESTER, WISHART,
VORTIGERN, VIDETTE, ACTIVE end VERSATILE to provide screen for
HMS HOOD,
HMS VALIANT, HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS ARETHUSA and HMS ENTERPRISE
during second series of air attacks on French battleship
DUNKERQUE at Mers-el-Kebir
(Operation LEVER).
8th Deployed with m Destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESTER,
DOUGLAS, ACTIVE, VELOX, VORTIGERN and WRESTLER as destroyer
screen for
HMS HOOD, HMS VALIANT, HMS RESOLUTION, HMS ARK ROYAL, HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA, DELHI and ENTERPRISE for planned air attacks
on Cagliari
airfield in Sardinia (Operation MA5)
After heavy attacks by Italian aircraft operation cancelled and
ships forced to return to
Gibraltar since advantage of surprise had been lost.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History).
During return passage torpedoed by Italian submarine GUGLIEMO
MARCONI.
Hit on Starboard side between Boiler Rooms causing 20 ft size
hole and immediate
extensive flooding.
Two of the ship's company were killed.
Damage control operations allowed HMS FORESTER to take the ship
in tow.
HMS FAULKNOR stood by the two ships for passage.
10th Towing operation in continuation and damage control still in hand.
11th Sudden list of 34 degrees developed at 0610 and ship had to be
abandoned.
Remainder of ship’s company rescued before ship broke in two
parts five hours later
(See above references)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
ESCORT
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 06/09/39 27/09/39
17/09/39 17/09/39 BC 001S 19/09/39 19/09/39
17/09/39 17/09/39 BC 001FR 19/09/39 19/09/39
21/09/39 21/09/39 BC 004/1 23/09/39 23/09/39
21/09/39 21/09/39 BC 003FR 22/09/39 22/09/39
23/09/39 23/09/39 BC 004R 25/09/39 25/09/39
24/09/39 24/09/39 BC 005F 25/09/39 25/09/39
30/09/39 30/09/39 BC 007/1 02/10/39 02/10/39
02/10/39 02/10/39 BC 006R 03/10/39 03/10/39
13/10/39 13/10/39 OA 019 17/10/39 17/10/39
13/10/39 19/10/39 HG 003 19/10/39 21/10/39
23/10/39 23/10/39 OA 024G 26/10/39 26/10/39
23/10/39 08/11/39 SL 006 10/11/39 10/11/39
12/11/39 12/11/39 OA 034 14/11/39 unknown
28/11/39 28/11/39 OA 043 30/11/39 01/12/39
12/05/40 20/05/40 TC 004 21/05/40 21/05/40