H . M . S . H I G H L A N D E R ( H 4 4 )
Variant of H-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered
from John I Thornycroft at Woolston for the Brazilian Navy
and laid down on 28th
September 1938 to be named JAGUARIBE. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty
for RN service on 5th September 1939 and renamed HMS
HIGHLANDER when launched on 17th October 1939. This name was introduced in 1856 for a Steam Gunboat
and later used for two Tugs. Modifications to suit RN
requirements for anti-submarine duty were carried our
during build which was completed on 18th March 1940.
After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign in May 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of
Perthshire, Scotland.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
NORWAY 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940-45
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : Per fess wavy Blue and White a set of bagpipes
with
the Stewart hunting tartan.
D e t a i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 0
March
Contractor's sea trials and commissioned for service.
18th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On completion of trials and storing took passage
to Portland
Carried out brief work-up at Portland.
April On completion took passage to Scapa Flow.
11th Joined 9th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet and deployed for support
of the allied
landings in Norway
12th Joined Troop Convoy NP1 as escort during passage from Clyde to Vest
Fjord with HM
Cruisers CAIRO, MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, CAIRO,
HM Destroyers
WITHERINGTON, VANOC, VOLUNTEER, WHIRLWIND and HM
Netlayer
PROTECTOR (Operation R4/WILFRED).
14th After it was decided to make a landing at Namsos, detached with HMS
MANCHESTER,
HMS BIRMINGHAM, HMS CAIRO, HM Destroyers VANOC
and WHIRLWIND to
escort rms EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and Polish liner
CHOBRY for passage to
Namsos (Operation MAURICE).
15th Diverted with convoy to Liliesjona.
Under air attacks.
On release took passage to return to
UK
for further escort duty.
17th Grounded in Shetland during passage to Scapa.
Sustained damage to machinery and under water
fitting for ASDIC equipment.
20th Taken in hand for repair in Hull shipyard.
May
Under repair
19th On completion escorted HM Battlecruiser RENOWN from Tyne to Scapa
Flow with
HM Destroyers BULLDOG and ASHANTI during passage
to Scapa Flow
(Note : HMS RENOWN had been under repair).
24th Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier GLORIOUS from Scapa Flow with HM
Destroyers ARROW
and WREN for passage to continue air operations
off Norway.
28th Escorted HMS GLORIOUS from Norway to Scapa Flow and delayed by fog.
31st Joined HMS GLORIOUS and HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL with HM
Destroyers
ACASTA, ARDENT, ACHERON and DIANA as escort
during passage to Bardufoss
from Clyde to provide air cover during
evacuation of allied forces from Norway
(Operation ALPHABET).
June
2nd On arrival remained as escort to HMS GLORIOUS which had been
detached to seaward
until required to re-embark aircraft from shore.
5th Detached to refuel at Harstad and rejoined HMS GLORIOUS on
completion.
Remained as escort for HMS GLORIOUS until 8th
June.
8th Detached as escort for HMS ARK ROYAL with HM Destroyers DIANA and
ACHERON.
9th Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL with same ships to provide air and
anti-submarine defence
for ss ARANDORA STAR and other ships of
evacuation convoy Group II during passage
to UK.
(For details of the disastrous naval operations
off Norway see CARRIER GLORIOUS
by J Winton, NARVIK by D Macintyre and Naval
Staff History ).
12th Transferred to Western Approaches and redeployed in English Channel
for support of
evacuation operations from Bay of Biscay.
13th On passage rescued survivors from HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
SCOTSTOUN in NW
Approaches.
Landed passengers at Greenock
16th Evacuated BEF troops from St. Nazaire (Operation ARIAL)
25th Evacuated BEF troops and refugees from St Jean de Luz
29th Joined military convoy WS1 in Clyde with HM Destroyers HARVESTER,
VOLUNTEER and
WHIRLWIND as Local escort during passage in NW
Approaches.
(Note : This convoy comprised rms AQUITAINIA,
rms MAURETANIA and rms QUEEN
MARY taking reinforcements to Egypt.)
30th Detached from WS1 with Local Escort
July Western Approaches duties in continuation for
convoy defence and patrol
16th 3in High Angle Gun fitted at Devonport for defence against aircraft
24th On completion rejoined Flotilla In continuation.
August
5th Joined military convoy WS2 at Liverpool with HM Destroyers
HARVESTER, HAVELOCK and
HURRICANE as Local Escort for passage in NW
Approaches.
7th Detached from WS2 with Local Escort and returned to Liverpool.
September
Carried out anti-invasion patrols based at Devonport.
15th Bombarded
Cherbourg
with HM Destroyers HARVESTER, BULLDOG and BEAGLE.
Transferred with Flotilla to Liverpool for
Atlantic convoy defence.
October
3rd Joined military convoy WS3 Slow on departure from Liverpool with HM
Destroyers
HARVESTER, HAVELOCK, HURRICANE, VERSATILE,
VISCOUNT and
WITHERINGTON as Local Escort during passage In
NW Approaches.
5th On release from WS3 Slow returned to Liverpool.
Convoy escort and patrol in NW Approaches in
continuation.
30th Participated in sinking of U32 with HM Destroyer HARVESTER afters ss
EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA was torpedoed.
Submarine sunk in position 55.37N 12.20W and
some survivors were rescued.
November
18th Joined military convoy WS4B in Clyde with HM Canadian Destroyers
OTTAWA, SKEENA,
SAGUENAY and ST LAURENT for Local Escort during
passage in NWApproaches.
20th Detached from WS4B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.
December Part
of escort for Convoy OG4? to Gibraltar.
1st Escorted HM Canadian Destroyer SAGUENAY to Barrow from NW
Approaches after damage
from submarine torpedo during convoy defence.
19th Joined Local Escort for military convoy WS5A with H M Destroyers
HARVESTER and
VESPER during passage in NW Approaches.
21st Detached from WS5A and returned to Clyde with same ships.
1 9 4 1
January
8th Provided anti-submarine defence to ships of military convoy WS5B
during assembly
in Molfre Bay with HM Destroyer HARVESTER and HM
Sloop WELLINGTON.
12th Joined Local Escort for WS5B on departure with HM Destroyers BEAGLE,
FEARLESS,
HARVESTER, JACKAL, LEAMINGTON, LINCOLN,
VANSITTART and WATCHMAN for
passage in NW Approaches.
16th Detached from WS5B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.
30th Taken in hand for refit at Vickers shipyard, Hebburn on Tyne.
February
Under refit.
March
Post refit trials.
23rd On completion rejoined Group
26th Transferred with Group for duty at Gibraltar and sailed as escort
convoy to Gibraltar.
April Deployed on Atlantic convoy defence.
6th Took part in search for German battleships SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU with ships
of Force H in Bay of Biscay
Transferred to Freetown for convoy escort duty
in South Atlantic with the 18th Destroyer Flotilla.
Took passage to Freetown.
26th Joined HM Destroyers DUNCAN and WISHART as Local Escort for military
convoy WS8A
with HM Destroyers BOREAS during Atlantic
passage.
May
9th Detached from WS8A on arrival at Freetown with Local Escort.
14th Sailed from Freetown as Local Escort for WS8A with H M Destroyers
DUNCAN, BOREAS
and WISHART.
16th Detached from WS8A with HMS BOREAS.
June South Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
5th Sailed from Freetown as Local Escort for military convoy WS8B with
HM Destroyers
BOREAS and DUNCAN.
8th Detached from WS8B with Local Escort and returned to Freetown.
16th Joined HM Destroyers VANSITTART and WILD SWAN as escort for military
convoy
WS9A with HM Destroyers BOREAS, BRILLIANT and
VELOX during Atlantic passage.
18th Detached from WS9A on arrival at Freetown with Local Escort.
July Atlantic convoy defence based at Freetown in
continuation.
August
Transferred to Londonderry and took passage from Freetown.
Deployed with Escort Group for Atlantic convoy
defence.
31st Joined military convoy WS11 in Clyde with HM Cruiser CAIRO, HM
Destroyers LIVELY,
COSSACK, LEGION, WINCHELSEA, ZULU, Dutch
destroyer ISAAC SWEERS, Polish
ORP PIORUN and ORP GARLAND.
September
3rd When released from WS11 detached with Local Escort and returned to
Londonderry.
October
Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
November
December
13th Deployed as escort for HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK with HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR.
FORESIGHT, LIGHTNING and HARVESTER
(Note : HMS DUKE OF YORK was taking Prime
Minister to meet the President of the USA
at Argentia, Newfoundland for discussions and
signing of the Atlantic Charter.
17th Detached from HMS DUKE OF YORK with other destroyers and returned to
Scapa Flow.
1 9 4 2
January
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation
February
Taken in hand for refit at Green and Silley Weir shipyard at Tilbury.
March
Under refit including installation of surface warning radar Type 271
. For details of the development and use of radar
see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
18th On completion of post refit trials Joined 4th Escort Group as Senior
Officer's ship. Deployed
with HM Destroyer WINCHELSEA, HM Corvettes
ANEMONE, ASPHODEL and
PENNYWORT for Atlantic convoy escort.
April Escorted Convoy SC82 with ships of Group.
May
Atlantic deployments included escort of Convoys OMS99, SC and HX209 with ships
of
to Group.
October
November
Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.
22nd
Taken in hand for refit at Humber shipyard.
December
Under refit.
1 9 4 3
January
Carried out post refit trials.
6th Rejoined Group in continuation of Atlantic duties.
Deployed with m Destroyers BEVERLEY and
WINCHELSEA, HM Corvettes ABELIA,.
ANEMONE, ASPHODEL, CLOVER, PENNYWORT and
SNOWFLAKE for convoy escort
in Atlantic.
February
Escorted convoys HX220, ON161 and ONS169 in North Atlantic.
March
Docking at St Johns Newfoundland.
18th Joined convoy HX229 which was under heavy attack from u-Boat Packs.
Missed by two salvoes of torpedoes from U441 and
U608
(For details of this most significant convoy
battle see CONVOY by M Middlebrook and
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
April
10th Attached to 6th British Escort Group for escort of convoy ON176 and
came under series of
of attacks by ADLER Group of U-Boats during
which HM Destroyer BEVERLEY was sunk..
21st Escorted convoy HX234 with ships of own Group and under attack from
MEISEM U-Boat
Group.
May
Escorted Convoy ON 183 with ships of Group.
(Note : The period between February 1943 and May
1943 was the turning point in the Battle
of the Atlantic.
The increasing number of escorts available and
the provision of air cover from escort
aircraft carriers as well as the use of Ahead
Throwing anti-submarine mortar
weapons enabled U-Boat attacks to be effectively
countered. This resulted in the
withdrawal of U-Boats from North Atlantic convoy
routes pending the availability of
new weapons including acoustic
torpedoes and new design U-Boats)
June Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to For details of introduction of new weapons used in
convoy defence and for attacks see SEEK
July AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
August
Nominated for escort of military convoys to Mediterranean.
September
Mediterranean Military convoy escort in continuation.
to Deployed with m Destroyers WALKER, WESTCOTT and
WINCHELSEA, HM Corvettes
October
ABELIA, ASPHODEL, CLOVER and PENNYWORT.
November
Escorted convoys KMS30 and OG95 from UK to Gibraltar.
December
28th Taken in hand for refit at Troon.
1 9 4 4
January
Under refit and conversion for use as anti-submarine escort.
to HEDGEHOG Ahead Throwing Mortar fitted. (See SEEK
AND STRIKE by W Hackmann)
March
April Completion of post refit trials delayed by collision
with tug.
12th On completion deployed with 6th British Escort Group for escort of
Convoy ON176.
May
Worked-up at Tobermory.
June Rejoined 4th Escort Group for North Atlantic convoy
defence.
Deployed with HM Frigates BAYNTUN, FOLEY and
HELMSDALE, HM Corvettes
KENILWORTH CASTLE, PEVENSEY CASTLE and
PORTCHESTER CAStLE for escort
of Atlantic convoys.
July Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to (Note : Not used for support of allied landings in
Normandy).
August
September
Transferred to 2nd British Escort Group for mid-ocean escort duty in Atlantic.
Deployed with HM Frigate MANNERS, HM Corvettes
ACANTHUS, MORPETH CASTLE,
COLUMBINE, SWEETBRIAR and ANEMONE for Atlantic
mid-Ocean convoy escort
(For details of activities of this Group see
RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D E G Weymss).
October
North Atlantic deployment for convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
November
December
Escorted convoys to and from Newfoundland.
1 9 4 5
January
Atlantic convoy escort with Group in continuation.
to (Note ; During this period U-Boats were
concentrating their attacks on coastal convoys
March
around UK but a high level of escort was still required for all convoys)
April
15th During escort of Atlantic convoy sustained major damage from
collision with ice.
Forward structure below waterline carried away
completely for over 20 feet and ship
disabled.
HM Corvette MORPETH CASTLE provided assistance
until tug TENACITY arrived to tow
ship stern first into RCN base at Bay of Bulls,
Newfoundland with escort provided by HM
Canadian Corvette MEDICINE HAT
April
17th Taken in hand for repair at Bay of Bulls.
May
Under repair.
to Transferred to St Johns, Newfoundland to complete
repair
June
July Under repair at St John's, Newfoundland.
24th On completion took passage to Portsmouth.
29th Arrived at Portsmouth.
August
Nominated for service as an Air Target Ship.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS HIGHLANDER was deployed for training of aircrew in
North Sea until January 1946 when she was reduced to Reserve status and placed
on the Disposal List the next month. The ship was sold to BISCO on 27th May
1946 for demolition by Metal Industries
at Charlestown, Fife where she arrived in tow at the breakers’ yard during
May 1947 .
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS HIGHLANDER
by Don Kindell
Date convoy
Joined
convoy
Convoy
No.
Left convoy Date
convoy
sailed as
escort
arrived
11/04/40 11/04/40 NP 001 15/04/40 15/04/40
13/06/40 17/06/40 HG 034F 19/06/40 19/06/40
29/06/40 29/06/40 WS 001 30/06/40 29/07/40
07/07/40 10/07/40 OB 180 10/07/40 10/07/40
23/07/40 29/07/40 TC 006 01/08/40 01/08/40
05/08/40 05/08/40 WS 002 07/08/40 08/08/40
16/08/40 27/08/40 HX 066 27/08/40 31/08/40
10/09/40 10/09/40 AP 003/1 12/09/40 22/10/40
20/09/40 20/09/40 OG 043 25/09/40 03/10/40
10/09/40 26/09/40 SL 047 28/09/40 28/09/40
03/10/40 03/10/40 WS 003A unknown 27/10/40
13/10/40 13/10/40 OL 007 16/10/40 16/10/40
15/10/40 27/10/40 SC 008 31/10/40 31/10/40
20/11/40 30/11/40 HG 047 01/12/40 04/12/40
21/11/40 09/12/40 SL 056 12/12/40 12/12/40
07/12/40 29/12/40 SL 058S 29/12/40 02/01/41
03/07/41 03/07/41 SL 080 08/07/41 29/07/41
06/08/41 06/08/41 HG 034FA 14/08/41 14/08/41
17/09/41 22/09/41 HG 073 26/09/41 01/10/41
09/10/41 14/10/41 TC 014 16/10/41 17/10/41
05/10/41 16/10/41 SC 048 20/10/41 22/10/41
15/11/41 15/11/41 CT 006 18/11/41 24/11/41
13/11/41 18/11/41 TC 015 21/11/41 21/11/41
25/11/41 09/12/41 OG 077 13/12/41 13/12/41
10/04/42 10/04/42 ON 085 20/04/42 23/04/42
30/04/42 04/05/42 SC 082 15/05/42 16/05/42
29/05/42 30/05/42 ON 099 07/06/42 12/06/42
12/06/42 15/06/42 SC 087 25/06/42 27/06/42
03/07/42 04/07/42 ON 109 11/07/42 18/07/42
19/07/42 23/07/42 HX 199 29/07/42 30/07/42
09/08/42 10/08/42 ON 120 21/08/42 27/08/42
23/08/42 26/08/42 HX 204 03/09/42 04/09/42
12/09/42 16/09/42 ON 130 24/09/42 30/09/42
24/09/42 29/09/42 HX 209 07/10/42 09/10/42
18/10/42 19/10/42 ON 140 30/10/42 07/11/42
03/11/42 08/11/42 HX 214 17/11/42 18/11/42
12/01/43 13/01/43 ON 161 24/01/43 31/01/43
22/01/43 27/01/43 HX 224 04/02/43 05/02/43
22/02/43 23/02/43 ON 169 09/03/43 21/03/43
08/03/43 18/03/43 HX 229 22/03/43 23/03/43
31/03/43 01/04/43 ON 176 13/04/43 20/04/43
12/04/43 18/04/43 HX 234 28/04/43 29/04/43
10/05/43 11/05/43 ON 183 20/05/43 25/05/43
25/05/43 31/05/43 HX 241 09/06/43 10/06/43
19/06/43 20/06/43 ONS 011 01/07/43 05/07/43
08/07/43 12/07/43 SC 136 22/07/43 23/07/43
28/07/43 28/07/43 KMS 022G 09/08/43 09/08/43
09/08/43 09/08/43 KMS 022 11/08/43 20/08/43
14/08/43 14/08/43 MKS 021G 27/08/43 25/08/43
05/09/43 05/09/43 KMS 026G 18/09/43 18/09/43
25/09/43 25/09/43 MKS 025G 08/10/43 08/10/43
17/10/43 17/10/43 KMS 030G 01/11/43 01/11/43
03/11/43 03/11/43 MKS 029G 16/11/43 18/11/43
25/11/43 26/11/43 OS 060KM 07/12/43 07/12/43
07/12/43 07/12/43 KMS 034G 09/12/43 09/12/43
13/12/43 13/12/43 MKS 033G 14/12/43 14/12/43
14/12/43 14/12/43 SL 142MK 27/12/43 28/12/43
02/05/44 02/05/44 OS 076KM 13/05/44 13/05/44
13/05/44 13/05/44 KMS 050G 15/05/44 15/05/44
20/05/44 20/05/44 MKS 049G 21/05/44 21/05/44
21/05/44 21/05/44 SL 158MK 31/05/44 04/06/44
11/06/44 12/06/44 OS 080KM 21/06/44 21/06/44
22/06/44 22/06/44 KMS 054G 23/06/44 23/06/44
29/06/44 29/06/44 MKS 053G 30/06/44 30/06/44
30/06/44 30/06/44 SL 162MK 12/07/44 12/07/44
21/07/44 22/07/44 OS 084KM 01/08/44 01/08/44
01/08/44 01/08/44 KMS 058G 02/08/44 02/08/44
08/08/44 08/08/44 MKS 057G 09/08/44 09/08/44
09/08/44 09/08/44 SL 166MK 18/08/44 20/08/44
07/09/44 08/09/44 ON 252 17/09/44 22/09/44
21/09/44 26/09/44 HX 310 05/10/44 05/10/44
15/10/44 17/10/44 ON 260 27/10/44 30/10/44
02/11/44 06/11/44 SC 160 16/11/44 17/11/44
07/01/45 08/01/45 ON 277 17/01/45 23/01/45
23/01/45 28/01/45 HX 334 06/02/45 06/02/45
16/02/45 17/02/45 ON 285 27/02/45 05/03/45
07/03/45 11/03/45 SC 169 21/03/45 21/03/45
01/04/45 03/04/45 ON 294 14/04/45 20/04/45
