H . M . S . H A V O C K ( H 4 3 )
H-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Denny's at Dumbarton under the 1934 Programme on 13th
December 1934. The ship was laid down on 15th May 1935 and launched on 7th July
1936 as the sixth Royal Navy warship to carry this name dating from 1796 when
used for a Dutch Prize (HAVEC). The last us was for the first
Torpedo Boat Destroyer in 1893-Build was completed on 116th January 1937 at a
cost of £248,470 excluding Admiralty supplied
items such as guns and signalling outfits. Her service prior to WW2 was with
the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean. Before her tragic loss in
April 1942 she was awarded 11 Battle Honour including that for the Battle of Matapan.
B a t t l e H o n o
u r s
BALTIC 1853 - PEI-HO FORTS 1859 -
KAGOSHIMA
1863 - ATLANTIC 1939 - NARVIK
1940 - NORWAY
1940 - SPADA 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN
1940-41 - MATAPAN
1941 - GREECE 1941 - CRETE
1941 - LIBYA 1941-42 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42
SIRTE 1942
H e r
a l d i c D a
t a
Badge
: On a Field Red, forked lightning
Silver issuing from a cloud Black.
(Note : Dutch "HAVIK" means Hawk.
M o t t o
Fiat justitia raut coelum: 'Let justice be done though the heavens
fall.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September
3rd On
passage to Freetown for duty in Atlantic
4th Arrived
at Freetown. Transferred to Force K with HM Destroyers HASTY and HOSTILE
to
intercept surface raiders and blockade runners.
October Atlantic
patrol and interception duty in continuation
November Transferred to
Home waters and took passage to UK for refit.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Bamett for details of interception
and
patrol activities).
December Preparation for
refit.
18th Taken in
hand for refit at HM Dockyard, Sheerness
1 9 4 0
January
Under refit
to
February
March Carried
out post refit trials.
23rd On
completion took passage to Scapa Flow
27th
Rejoined Flotilla for Home Fleet deployment based at Scapa Flow.
31st
Detached with HM Destroyers HARDY, HOTSPUR and HUNTER as Force WV to
escort HM
Destroyers ESK, IMPULSIVE, ICARUS and IVANHOE during minelay in
Vest Fjord, Norway (Operation WILFRED).
(For details of all minelaying in WW2 see Naval Staff History (MINING).
April
3rd
Sailed for minelaying operation.
8th After
German invasion of Norway and completion of minelay rejoined Home Fleet for
screening duty and support of operations at Narvik (Operation RUPERT).
9th
Arrived off Narvik.
10th Took
part in attack on German destroyers in Narvik Fjord
(1st Battle of Narvik)
Forced ammunition ship RAUENFELS ashore where it blew up.
Sustained some slight damage.
Escorted damaged HMS HOTSPUR with HOSTILE to Skjael Fjord.
11th
Deployed on Patrol at entrance to Narvik Fjord with ships of Flotilla.
12th
Deployed in support of military operations and escort of convoys.
24th
Deployed as screen for HM Battleship WARSPITE during bombardment of Narvik
(For details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NARVIK by
D Macintyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton and Naval Staff History).
May
Norwegian support and escort duties in continuation.
Resumed Hone Fleet duties.
10th
Deployed in Nore Command in support of military operations in Holland
Bombarded German troops at Waalhaven airfield with HM Destroyer HYPERION.
11th
Carried out patrol off Dutch coast and bombarded Rotterdam area.
Took survivors from Dutch Ferry PRINSES JULIANA to Hook of Holland and
embarked
demolition parties for
passage to UK.
(Note : Secret documents were recovered from PRINSES JULIANA which had been
badly damaged in an air attack and later sank.)
14th
Assisted with evacuation of refugees from Imjuiden.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P
Smith).
16th
Transferred to Mediterranean and took passage to Malta.
22nd
Rejoined Flotilla for Fleet screening duties and patrol duties.
(Note : Extensive exercises were carried out by major Meditterranean Fleet units
in
anticipation of war with Italy.
June Fleet
deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
28th Sailed
from Alexandria as part of Force B to provide cover for convoys on passage in
eastern Mediterranean (Operation MA3)
Deployed with ships of Flotilla as screen for HM Battleships RAMILLIES, ROYAL
SOVEREIGN and HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE.
(Note : During this operation ships of Force A comprising HM Cruisers ORION,
NEPTUNE, SYDNEY (RAN), LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER OF 7th Cruiser
Squadron engaged three enemy destroyers, one of which ESPERO was sunk.
This engagement was not considered satisfactory in view of the very significant
expenditure of ammunition. See Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001).)
July
2nd
Returned to Alexandria with ships of Force B
19th During
offensive sweep with HMAS SYDNEY and HM Destroyers HASTY, HYPERION,
ILEX and HERO
north of Crete in
action against two Italian cruisers.
(Note : One of these,
BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI was sunk (Battle of Spada).
For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History
(HMSO - 2001).
Came under heavy air attack when on return passage and sustained damage which
flooded
Boiler Room.
29th Taken
in hand for repair at Suez.
August Under
repair.
September
15th
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of post repair trials.
October Deployed
with HMS HASTY for patrol in eastern Mediterranean.
2nd In
action off North African coast against Italian submarine BERILLO with HMS HASTY.
Enemy force to surfaced by depth charge attacks and scuttled when engaged by
main
armament.
Seven officers and 40 ratings were taken prisoner.
November Deployed
with Flotilla for Fleet screening duties.
6th Part
of destroyer screen for HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Battleships
MALAYA, RAMILLIES, VALIANT, WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER,
ORION and SYDNEY (RAN) during provision of Distant Cover for passage of Malta
Convoy MW3. (Operation MB8).
10th
Screening duties continued during passage of HM Battleship BARHAM, HM
Cruisers
BERWICK and YORK with destroyers (Force F) which were joining Mediterranean
Fleet
(Operation COLLAR).
11th
Deployed with same ships to cover HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during air attack on Italian
Fleet at Taranto (Operation JUDGEMENT).
12th
Deployed with Fleet screen for passage to Alexandria covering transit of Convoy
ME3 from
Malta.
25th Part
of destroyer screen for major units covering passage of reinforcements for
Mediterranean Fleet
and Malta Convoys MW/ME4 convoys (Operation COLLAR).
December Part of
Fleet screen for major units covering passage of Malta Convoy MW5 and transfer
of
warships (Operation MC2 and Operation HIDE).
(For details of Malta convoy operations and transfer of warships in 1940 after
Italian entry
into WW2 see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, Naval Staff
History (HMSO -2001), ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and MALTA
CONVOYS by R Woodman).
23rd
Involved in collision with HM Battleship VALIANT and sustained damage forward.
22nd Taken
in hand for refit and repair in Malta.
1 9 4 1
January Under
refit
February Carried
out post refit harbour and sea trials.
20th On
completion resumed Fleet screening and convoy defence duties. with Flotilla.
23rd
Deployed with HM Destroyer HOTSPUR as escort for HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE
and ss CLAN
MACAULAY to Malta
during return passage to Alexandria.
March
19th
Deployed with HM Cruiser BONAVENTURE with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN and
HOTSPUR to
escort Convoy MW6A from
Alexandria (Operation MC9).
20th Convoy
joined by ss CLAN FERGUSON escorted by H M Cruisers CALCUTTA,
COVENTRY and
CARLISLE.
Part of escort for passage to Malta as Convoy MW6.
25th
Returned to Alexandria after arrival of MW6 in Malta.
27th
Deployed with screen for HM Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, BARHAM and HM
Aircraft
Carrier FORMIDABLE to intercept Italian Fleet reported to be on passage for an
offensive sweep in Eastern Mediterranean.
28th Took
part in Battle of Matapan and took part in sinking of Italian destroyer.
(For details of this engagement see MATAPAN by SW Pack and Naval Staff History)
(HMSO- 2001.)
April
18th Part
of screen for HMS WARSPITE, HMS BARHAM, HMS VALIANT, HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Cruisers AJAX,
CALCUTTA, GLOUCESTER, ORION and
PHOEBE with Fleet destroyers to
cover passage of Convoy ME7 to
Malta.
(Operation MD3)
20th Joined
Force B (HMS WARSPITE, HMS BARHAM, HMS VALIANT and HMS
GLOUCESTER) with HM
Destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD, HOTSPUR, HERO,
JAGUAR and JUNO as screen.
21st Took
part in bombardment of Tripoli with Force B ships.
22nd Passage
to Alexandria with Fleet screen to cover return Malta Convoy ME7-
24th
Assisted with evacuation of British troops from Greece
25th Deployed at Megara with HMS COVENTRY, HM Destroyers
HASTY, DECOY,
WATERHEN ,VENDETTA and mercantile THURLAND
CASTLE
Under air attacks
30th
Deployed at Raphina and under air attacks.
May
1st On
completion of evacuation resumed Fleet screening duties with Flotilla.
6th Part
of destroyer screen for HMS FORMIDABLE, HMS BARHAM, HMS VALIANT
.
HMS WARSPITE,
HMS AJAX, HMS ORION,
HMS PERTH (RAN) and HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE to provide cover for passage of Malta relief convoys and for a
military
convoy from Gibraltar.
(Operations MD6 and TIGER - See above references).
7th
Detached with HMS AJAX, HMS HOTSPUR and HMS IMPERIAL to carry out a
bombardment of
Benghazi overnight.
9th
Deployed with Fleet screen for cover of TIGER Convoy to Alexandria.
(Note : This convoy was not intercepted by an Italian cruiser squadron which
had been
too late when it sailed from Palermo).
20th
Deployed with Fleet to support military operations in defence of Crete.
22nd Carried
out interception patrols off NW coast and subject to heavy air attack.
23rd
Damaged in air attack during patrol off Heraklion.
15
killed and 10 wounded.
24th Taken
in hand for repair at Alexandria.
June Under
repair.
16th
Rejoined Flotilla on completion and deployed off Syria in support of military
operations (Operation
EXPORTER).
Carried out anti-submarine patrols off coast and convoy defence duties.
July On
release from EXPORTER redeployed with Inshore Squadron in support of Tobruk
garrison.
August Inshore
Squadron deployment in continuation.
to
(Note :Made eight supply trips to Tobruk and subjected to many air attacks.)
September
October Inshore
Squadron duties in continuation.
21st Taken
in hand for repair to both shafts and propellers at Alexandria.
November Under
repair.
December
4th On
completion of post refit trials rejoined Flotilla for Fleet screening duty.
15th
Deployed as screen for HM Cruisers NAIAD, EURYALUS and CARLISLE with seven
other
destroyers for escort of HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE.
17th In
action with Italian warships which retired from the area.
(1st Battle of Sirte - See above references).
18th After
arrival in Malta deployed with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR, LANCE and LIVELY
as
escort for HM Cruisers AURORA, PENELOPE, NEPTUNE as Force K to intercept an
enemy convoy off Libyan coast.
19th
Avoided disaster when Force "K" ran into minefield.
Returned to Malta.
Sustained damage during air raid on Malta and required repair
1 9 4 2
January Under
repair.
7th
Returned to Alexandria escorting HMS BRECONSHIRE (Operation MF1).
16th Part
of escort for convoy Mrf3 from Alexandria to Malta.
Subjected to heavy air attack.
19th
Detached to escort damaged transport THERMOPYLAE back to Alexandria.
After further air attacks during which THERMOPYLAE received more damaged
Embarked survivors before ship sank.
Resumed Fleet duties with Flotilla and deployed with Fleet units covering Malta
convoy
February Deployed
with Fleet units covering Malta convoy.
2nd
Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla as part of re-organisation of Fleet.
12th Part
of covering force for passage of Malta convoy (MW9).
14th Under
heavy air attack with mercantiles sunk or disabled.
Operation abandoned and escorts returned to Alexandria.
March
20th Joined
covering force for passage of Malta convoy MW10.
21st
Subjected to heavy torpedo and bombing attacks.
22nd In
action with Italian battleship and supporting units.
Hit by 15in shell and sustained significant damage.
Withdrawn from action and rejoined convoy.
Flooding in Boiler Room and damage to machinery.
(2nd Battle of Sirte - See above references).
23rd Taken
in hand for repair at Malta.
April
3rd
Damaged in air raid whilst in dock.
Repair to be completed in Gibraltar.
5th
Embarked passengers and took
independent passage to
Gibraltar.
6th Ran aground on coast of
Tunisia near Kelebia
Lighthouse (Position 36.52N 11.08E)
.
Equipment destroyed by crew.
(Note : One fatal casualty,)
Ship's company and passengers were interned by Vichy French authorities and
were not freed
until after allied invasion operations in late 1942.
Some accounts indicate their detention was in horrendous conditions..
A
report that the wreck was later destroyed by Italian submarine ARADAM cannot
be
confirmed.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HAVOCK
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
16/11/39 16/11/39 SL
009 25/11/39 02/12/39
08/12/39 08/12/39 HG 010
10/12/39 16/12/39
05/12/39 10/12/39 OG 009
11/12/39 11/12/39
18/03/40 28/03/40 HX 028
unknown 02/04/40
03/10/40 03/10/40 WS 003A
unknown 27/10/40
04/11/40 09/11/40 MW 003
unknown 10/11/40
23/11/40 23/11/40 MW 004
26/11/40 26/11/40
04/03/41 04/03/41 AS 016/1
08/03/41 08/03/41
07/03/41 07/03/41 AN 018
11/03/41 11/03/41
08/04/41 08/04/41 ASF 024
11/04/41 11/04/41
02/03/42 02/03/42 AT 032/M
04/03/42 04/03/42
04/03/42 04/03/42 TA 025/M
06/03/42 06/03/42
(Note on Convoys)
