N-Class destroyer ordered from John I Thornycroft of Woolston, Southampton
on 15th April 1939 under the 1939
Programme. Allocated Yard No 1203 the ship was laid down on 9th September 1939. During construction on
18th December 1940 the hull structure sustained major damage by a direct hit
and two other near misses during an
air raid. The subsequent repair work delayed launch until 4th December 1941.
Although intended to be sold to the Royal Netherlands Navy another ship of
this Class was selected and this destroyer was renamed HMS NEPAL in
January 1942 and was the 1st RN ship to bear the name. Following the loss of HM
Destroyer GURKHA (ii) in January
1942, this change fulfilled a promise by the 3rd Sea Lord to continue the
recognition of the great services rendered
by Nepal to the War Effort and thus to maintain the association of the Royal
Navy with both the Kingdom and
the Gurkha Regiment which dates from 1888. Transferred on loan to the Royal
Australian Navy this ship was commissioned
on 11th May 1942 before completion of build on the 29th which included fit of
degaussing gear as well
as 20mm Oerlikon guns to improve defence against close range air attacks. (Note
:Prior to transfer the ship had been adopted as HMS NORSEMAN by the civil
community of Hartley Witney, Hampshire
following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign kin February)
B a t t l e H
o n o u r s
BURMA 1944-45 - OKINAWA 1945
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
Crest :
On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue a Kukri and trident
in saltire white, in front of the centre prong of the trident a crescent
Gold, in chief a star of seven points also Gold.
D e t a i l s
o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 2
May Contractors trials
11th Commissioned for service by Royal
Australian Navy in 7th Destroyer Flotilla.
29th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
June On completion of trials and
storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships
of Home Fleet
Passage to Clyde for
rectification of defects prior to operational service.
July Under repair in commercial
shipyard.
Nominated as part of
escort for military convoy during passage to Indian Ocean.
17th Joined Convoy WS21P in Clyde with HM
Cruiser ORION and Dutch destroyer TJERK
HIDDES (Ex HMS
NONPAREIL) as Ocean Escort during passage to Freetown.
(Note: Both destroyers
were taking passage to join 7th Destroyer Flotilla which was also
to
include sister ships HMAS NIZAM, NAPIER and NORMAN.)
27th Arrived at Freetown with WS21P.
August
2nd Sailed with same ships as Ocean Escort
for WS21P on departure from Freetown.
4th Continued as Ocean escort after
mercantiles from US Convoy AS4 joined.
(Note: Convoy AS4 was
escorted by US Navy warships and was made up of ships carrying
supplies
to Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope.)
12th Arrived at Cape Town and detached
from WS21P.
19th Relieved HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE and HM
Destroyer DUNCAN with HMS ORION
and Dutch TJERK
HIDDES as Ocean Escort for WS21P during passage in Indian Ocean.
24th Detached from Ocean Escort with HM
Neth. Destroyer TJERK HIDDES and took passage
to join Flotilla at
Kilindini.
25th Arrived at Kilindini to commence
Flotilla duties
September Nominated for support of final
occupation of Madagascar.
(Operations STREAM,
LINE and JANE –See WAR WITH JAPAN, Volume III (HMSO).)
Took part in
preliminary exercises with ships of Eastern Fleet (Exercise TOUCHSTONE).
9th Deployed as screen for HM Cruiser
BIRMINGHAM, Dutch cruiser HEEMSKERK and
HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS on passage to meet the troopship convoys from Kilindini
and Diego Suarez
carrying military assault force.
10th Present during landings at Majunga as
screen with HM Destroyer FORTUNE for HM Battleship
WARSPITE (Operation
STREAM).
(Note : Naval Gunfire
support was not required as landings were not significantly opposed.)
19th Present during landings at Tamatave
with HMS WARSPITE and HMS FORTUNE 11
(Operation JANE).
(Note : Planned
bombardment was cancelled in favour of an air demonstration and
ship
movements within sight of shore.)
On release from
JANE resumed convoy defence duties.
October Taken in hand for routine docking
by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
November On completion resumed convoy defence
and patrol duties.
Passage to Durban.
21st Rescued crew of US mercantile
PIERCE BUTLER which had been sunk by U177
in position ESE of
Durban.
December Deployed for convoy defence in South
Atlantic Command.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy defence in continuation.
February Nominated for escort of military
convoy during passage from Aden to Fremantle.
to April (Operation PAMPHLET)
(Note : This convoy
was taking troops of the 9th Australian Division back to Australia
after
the Australian government had requested their release from service in the
8th Army
in the Western Desert to reinforce defence of Australia because
of the
threat of Japanese attack
On release from escort took passage to
Sydney for refit (To be confirmed)
(Note : One source
records that RAN personnel were embarked for passage to Sydney.)
and
refit during May refit in May 1943)
May On completion took passage
to resume Flotilla duties in Indian Ocean convoy/
31st Called at Fremantle with HM
Destroyer QUIBERON (RAN).
June Indian Ocean convoy defence
and patrol based at Durban.
to November (Note : Extensive military and commercial
convoy traffic in the Indian Ocean created
a
shortage of suitable escorts. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
December
1st Joined HM Destroyer NORMAN and HM
Corvette ROCKROSE in escort for military
convoy WS24 on
passage in Indian Ocean from Bahia.
4th Detached from WS24 on arrival at
Durban.
Resumed convoy
defence duties with Flotilla based at Durban.
1 9 4 4
January Indian Ocean convoy defence in
continuation
to February Transferred to Trincomalee with
Flotilla and deployed in northern Indian Ocean.
March Nominated for screening of
major warships during Eastern Fleet operation.
21st Sailed from Trincomalee with HM
Destroyers QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH, QUIBERON,
QUILLIAM, NAPIER
(RAN) and NORMAN (RAN), Dutch destroyers VAN GALEN and
TJERK HIDDES as
screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM
Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers CEYLON, CUMBERLAND, GAMBIA (RNZN)
and LONDON during
passage in Indian Ocean to meet US Aircraft Carrier USS SARATOGA.
24th Refuelled from Tanker Force which was
escorted by Dutch cruiser TROMP.
27th US Task Group TG56.25 comprising USS
SARATOGA with destroyers USS CUMMINGS,
FANNING, and DUNLAP
joined Eastern Fleet units in position 13.10S
65.40E and took
joint return passage
to Ceylon.
(Note : Ships were
deployed in two Groups
Group 1 comprised the
battleships, two cruisers and a screen of 7 RN destroyers with
the two
aircraft carriers screened by the three US Navy and two RN destroyers..).
April
2nd Arrived at Trincomalee with screen for
returning RN and USN ships.
16th Deployed with HM Destroyers NAPIER
(RAN), NIZAM (RAN) PENN, PETARD, QUIBERON,
RACEHORSE, ROTHERHAM
and Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN as destroyer screen
for HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT, French Battleship RICHELIEU,
HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA, CEYLON, GAMBIA and Dutch TROMP as Force 69
to provide cover for
air attacks on Sabang, NW Sumatra by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA deployed
with covering major warships and destroyer screen as Force 70
(Operation COCKPIT).
19th Carried screening duties for Force 69
during provision of cover for air attacks.
(Note : An attack by
three Japanese torpedo aircraft attempting to attack Force 69 failed
when
intercepted and shot down by air cover.. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
24th Returned to Trincomalee with Force 69.
May
6th Deployed with HM Destroyers NAPIER (RAN),
QUALITY, QUIBERON, ROTHERHAM,
RACEHORSE, ROTHERHAM
and Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN as screen for HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS
VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN and HM Cruiser KENYA
as Force 65 to provide
cover during air attacks on Soerabaya, Java by HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
and USS SARATOGA
deployed with covering major warships and destroyer screen as
Force 66 (Operation
TRANSOM – See above reference).
15th Refuelled in Exmouth Bay, Northern
Australia from tankers of Force 67 deployed in support
of TRANSOM.
17th Carried out screening duties for Force
65 during provision of cover for air operations.
27th Returned to Trincomalee with ships of
Force 65.
June Resumed Flotilla duties based
at Trincomalee for convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean.
to July Nominated for return to Australia
for refit
(Note : Record in one
source that ship took part in attack on Sabang (Operation CRIMSON)
during
July is not confirmed in WAR WITH JAPAN).
August Passage to Australia..
18th Taken in hand for refit in Sydney
September Under refit
October
2nd Carried out post refit trials on
completion of dockyard work.
Worked-up for further
service with Eastern Fleet.
November Passage to Trincomalee to rejoin
Flotilla for Fleet duties.
On arrival deployed in
Force 64 for support of military operations off coast of Burma.
22nd Retained for duty with newly formed East
Indies Fleet when British Pacific Fleet was created.
December Deployed with HMAS NAPIER in Force 64
for support of military operation on Arakan coast.
14th Provided naval gunfire support during
assault by 74th Indian Brigade (Operation ROMULUS).
(Note : Force 64 ships
replenished at Chittagong.)
24th On release from support duties returned
to Trincomalee
1 9 4 5
January Force 64 deployment in
continuation.
2nd Deployed with HMAS NAPIER and HM Sloop
SHOREHAM in support of landings by
3rd Commando Brigade on
Akyab Peninsula (Operation LIGHTNING)
(Note :870 men from
Brigade were landed.)
26th C in C East Indies Fleet embarked to
witness assault on Ramree Island (Operation SANKEY).
30th Deployed with HM Destroyer PATHFINDER in
support of landings on Sagu Island,
south of Ramree
February Nominated for return to Australia for
deployment with Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet.
5th Sustained damage to starboard propeller
and withdrawn from operational service
Passage to Colombo for
docking and repair
On completion took
passage to Trincomalee to prepare for return passage to Australia.
Deployed as escort for
HM Escort Aircraft Carriers FENCER and RULER during passage to
Fremantle and Sydney.
March
14th Arrived at Williamstown.
Prepared for service in
5th US Fleet under US Navy overall command.
(Note : Pennant Number
for visual signalling purpose changed to D125 to suit US Navy
identification for destroyers.
April On completion took passage to
Sydney for operational service in Logistical Support Group
for screening duties.
Passage from Sydney to
forward support base for British Pacific Fleet at Manus, Admiralty
islands with HMAS
NAPIER, NORMAN and NIZAM of 7th Flotilla.
Deployed as escort for
replenishment convoy during passage from Manus to the operational
area south of the
Sakishima Island Group
18th On arrival inn MOSQUITO ONE
replenishment area joined screen for ships of Fleet Train
(Task Force 112)
providing support to ships of BPF (Task Force 57) during attacks on airfields
in Sakishima island
Group (Operation ICEBERG ONE)
(Note : Ship may also
have been deployed with screen for ships of Task Force 57 during final
series of
air attacks.)
19th Took passage from replenishment area
with BPF ships to Leyte on completion of sixth and
final series of attacks
in ICEBERG ONE.
May Deployed at Leyte.
(Note : US Navy
forward support base was sited at Leyte
3rd Deployed with HMAS NORMAN, NIZAM and
NAPIER as part of screen for Fleet Train
to (Task Force 112) during BPF operations
with US Task Forces off Sakishima Gunto.
14th (Operation ICEBERG TWO.)
15th Detached for service with screen for
ships of Task Force 57 during attacks on Sakishima Gunto.
16th Relieved in TF57 screen by HMAS NORMAN
and took passage to Leyte to resume duties
with Fleet Train.
25th Returned to Manus with ships of on
completion of ICEBERG TWO operations by
BPF.
(Note : BPF was
transferred to US 3rd Fleet on 27th May and became Task Force 37.
See WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
June Passage to Australia for
R&R period.
July
12th Resumed screening duties with Task Force
112 and deployed for escort of replenishment
convoys to support
ships deployed off Japan.
26th Deployed as screen for ships of Task Force
112 in operational area during replenishment of Task
Force 37 with HM
Escort Aircraft Carriers SPEAKER, RULER, STRIKER, HMAS NAPIER,
HMAS NIZAM, HM Sloops
PHEASANT, CRANE, REDPOLE, HM Frigates PARRET
and PLYM
27th Took passage with screen during return of
replenishment ships to Manus.
(Note : For details of
the withdrawal of RN ships from operations see WAR WITH JAPAN and
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J
Winton.)
August Arrived at Manus
20th Docked in AFD20 at Manus for routine
inspections and repair.
30th Resumed operational duties and took
passage to Tokyo.
September
6th On arrival deployed for support of
re-occupation and repatriation operations.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMAS NEPAL was deployed in
support of Australian forces in Japan after VJ Day and returned from these duties on 12th October.
She arrived at Sydney on 20th of that month and was paid off from RAN service on 11th November
1945. The ship was re-commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS NEPAL on 19th November manned by
personnel returning to UK after service in the BPF or ashore in Australia and arrived at Portsmouth on
28th December. Selected for further service as Minesweeper Trials and Training ship to replace HM
Destroyer WITCH attached to the Torpedo School at Portsmouth the ship was taken in hand for refit
at conversion to suit her new role. Re-commissioned with personnel from HMS WITCH in July 1946 she was
deployed on these duties, initially at Portsmouth and later at Rosyth attached to HMS LOCHINVAR. This ship
was nominated for transfer to Reserve status and sailed to Devonport from Rosyth on 16th November
1950 and Paid-off on arrival. Although selected for conversion to Type 15 Frigate in February 1951 this
was never implemented and she remained in Reserve at Plymouth until transferred to lay-up Penarth
during March 1953. Placed on the Disposal List in May 1955 this destroyer was sold to BISCO for
demolition by TW Ward at Briton Ferry where she arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard on 16th January 1956.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS
NEPAL
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
Date
convoy Joined convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
20/06/43 27/06/43 KR 005 15/06/43 27/06/43
10/08/43 18/08/43 CM 044 10/08/43 26/08/43
14/09/43 20/09/43 CM 045 14/09/43 27/09/43
14/11/43 17/11/43 AB 020F 10/11/43 17/11/43
13/12/43 19/12/43 AB 024B 13/12/43 19/12/43
20/12/43 24/12/43 MC 010A 20/12/43 24/12/43
(Note on Convoys)
