Q (QUILLIAM)-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered in
March 1940 from Hawthorn Leslie of Newcastle with the 3rd Emergency Flotilla
and laid down on 19th August that year. Because of the high priority
given to repair of warships damaged in Norway and at Dunkirk, work
was suspended and the launch delayed until 29th November 1941. She was the
first ship to carry this name, that of the First Lieutenant of HMS VICTORY at
the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Build was completed on 22nd October 1943 at a
total cost of £438,596 including Admiralty supplied equipment such as guns,
communications and radar equipment. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK for
National Savings during March 1942 the ship was adopted by the civil community
of Hampstead in Greater London, now in the Borough of Camden. She was fitted
for use as a Flotilla Leader with additional accommodation
for Staff Officers
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
SICILY 1943
- SALERNO 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - SABANG 1944 - OKINAWA 1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue, two
quills in Saltire and a trident
erect interlaced all gold.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 2
October Contractors trials and
commissioning for service as Leader of 4th Destroyer Flotilla
22nd Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials as Leader of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla
on formation..
(Note : Acceptance
trials were carried out in the North Sea in foggy weather and the radar
installation proved invaluable.)
On completion of
trials and storing took passage to work-up with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
(Note : 4th
Destroyer Flotilla was to serve with Eastern Fleet based in Ceylon.)
For
details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
November
On completion of work-up deployed with 12th Destroyer Flotilla in NW
Approaches.
Nominated for
detached service for escort of military convoy WS25
December
18th Joined HM Armed
Merchant Cruisers CARNARVEON CASTLE and CHESHIRE with HM
Escort Destroyer
ROCKWOOD for Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage to Freetown.
(Note : HM
Destroyers BADSWORTH, HAYDON and WOLVERINE also joined as Local
Escort
in NW Approaches.).
31st
Arrived at Freetown with WS25.
1 9 4 3
January
3rd Sailed from Freetown
with HMS ROCKWOOD and HMS CHESHIRE as Ocean Escort
during passage to Durban.
(Note : HMS ROCKWOOD was taking passage to Join the Fleet at
Alexandria.)
18th Detached from WS25
with Ocean Escort on arrival at Durban.
February
Deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
March
24th Joined military
convoy WS27 with HM Destroyers FOXHOUND and RACEHORSE for escort
during passage from Capetown to Durban.
26th Detached with HM
Cruiser SUSSEX and other escorts on arrival at Durban.
April
Passage to Atlantic to meet military convoy WS28.
11th Joined WS28 escort
with HM Destroyers FOXHOUND and ROTHERHAM.
14th Detached from WS28 with HMS FOXHOUND and
HMS ROTHERHAM on arrival at Durban.
Recalled to UK for return to Home Fleet duties
Passage from Indian Ocean.
29th Called at Freetown.
May
On arrival at Scapa Flow deployed with Home
Fleet for screening and Fleet duties.
June
Home Fleet deployment in continuation
Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY) – For details see Naval Staff History and THE BATTLE
FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre.)
Passage to Gibraltar with Home Fleet ships detached for HUSKY.
July
2nd Deployed at Gibraltar
(Note : Sister ships HM Destroyers QUAIL, QUALITY and QUEENBOROUGH of
Flotilla
were
also deployed.)
15th Part of screen for HM Battleships
NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT, HM
Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers PENELOPE,
CLEOPATRA, AURORA and EURYALUS with HM Destroyers QUEENBOROUGH,
QUAIL, ISIS, FAULKNOR, ECHO,
INTREPID, RAIDER, ECLIPSE, FURY,
INGLEFIELD, ILEX, TROUBRICGE, TYRIAN, TUMULT, OFFA, Polish ORP PIORUN
and Greek VASILISSA OLGA in
Ionian Sea.
(Note : These ships were deployed
to prevent any interference by major
Italian Fleet units
during
allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY). For details see Naval Staff
History
and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett.)
After landings established deployed for support of landings and
screening duties based in Malta.
August
Deployed with 4th Destroyer Flotilla in support of operations off
Sicily.
21st Took part in bombardment of Italian
mainland prior to planned landings of
British XXX Corps.
31st Deployed with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM and QUAIL for bombardment of Italian mainland
prior to allied
landings.
(Note : Other ships
also deployed included HM Battleships NELSON and RODNEY, HM
Cruiser ORION, HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TYRIAN,OFFA,PETARD
TARTAR
and Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN
also took part
(Operation BAYTOWN - For details
of HUSKY and BAYTOWN see THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D.Macintyre and above references.)
(Operation BAYTQWN - See above references).
September
Deployed with screen for major units of Force H.
2nd Carried out bombardment of coastal
batteries near Reggio in support of military
operations.
(Note : HM
Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, HM Monitors EREBUS, ABERCROMBIE
and
ROBERTS, HM Cruisers ORION and MAUTITIUS, HM River Gunboats APHIS and
SCARAB
were also deployed for bombardment operations.).
QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL and Fleet units.
9th Part of destroyer screen for HM
Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT,
HM Aircraft Carriers TLLUSTRIOUS (replaced INDOMITABLE) and FORMIDABLE
with
HM Destroyers QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, PETARD, TROUBRIDGE, TYRIAN, TUMULT,
OFFA, ORP PIORUN,
FAULKNOR, INTREPID, ECLIPSE, INGLEF1ELD, FURY, ILEX,
ECHO, RAIDER, Greek VASILLISA OLGA, Free French destroyers LE FANTASQUE
and LE
TERRIBLE. (Operation AVALANCHE - For details see above references)
October: Transferred to Adriatic for
interception patrol, convoy defence and support of shore operations
based at Bari.
22nd Intercepted merchantile
with HMS QUAIL during Adriatic patrol
November
3rd Bombarded positions on Italian coast
including Dalmatia and Durazzo
. 5th Provided support at Bagnara for shore operation.
15th Avoided disaster when entering Bari with HMS QUAIL.
(Note : Mine laid
by U453 was detonated by HMS QUAIL which was seriously damaged.)
19th Deployed with HM Destroyer RAIDER for
interception patrols till 29th during which a ferry
to and two launches were sunk off Valona.
25th Bombarded Civitanova.
December
Adriatic support duties in continuation.
1st Bombarded Durazzo, Albania.
Nominated for transfer with ships of Flotilla to Eastern Fleet.
Passage to Alexandria.
1 9 4 4
January Pasaage to Trincomalee.
to
February
March
Joined Eastern Fleet with HM Destroyers QUEENBORQUGH, QUADRANT, QUALITY,
(RAN) and QUICKMATCH (RAN) for escort of Fleet units, convoy defence and
patrol in
Indian Ocean.
21st Part of screen for HM Battleships
QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers LONDON, CUMBERLAND,
GAMBIA (RNZN) and CEYLON with HI Destroyers QUALITY,
QUEENBOROUGH,
PATHFINDER, Dutch Destroyers VAN GALEN, TJERK HIDDES, HM Australian
Destroyers
NAPIER, NORMAN, NEPAL and QUIBERQN for offensive sweep in Indian Ocean.
(Operation DIPLOMAT - See OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray ,THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton. and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
27th With Eastern Fleet for meeting with
US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and escort of US
Navy destroyers USS CUMMINGS,USS DUNLAPand USS fanning (Task Group 58.5) for
future joint RN/USN operations.
April
2nd Returned to Trincomalee
witn RN and USN ships.
19th Part of Task Force 70
as escort for HMS RENOWN, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA to-Joint attacks on Sabang witn HM Destroyers QUADRANT and
QUEENBOROUGH,
USS DUNLOP and USS FANNING.
(Operation COCKPIT - See above references and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY
and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
May
Deployed as Leader for 4th Destroyer Flotilla, BPF.
6th Deployed with HI
Destroyers QUADRANT and QUEENBOROUGH, US destroyers
USS
FANNING, USS CUMMINGS and USS
DUNLAP as destroyer screen for HMS RENOWN,
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS SARATOGA forming Force 66 for joint air attacks
by carrier
aircraft on harbour and oil installations at Soerabaya
(Operation TRAHSOM)
(Note : Cover for TRANSOM was being provided by HM Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH,
VALIANT
and French RICHELIEU screened by Cruisers and destroyers of the Eastern
Fleet
as Force 65. For details see above references.
15th Refuelled from Force
67 in Exmouth Bay, NW Australia.
17th Provided screen
during air attacks at Soerabaya.
18th US Navy ships
detached.
27th Returned to Trincomalee with ships of Force 65 and 66.
(Note : On return ships were very low on fuel since no fuelling took
place at Exmouth Gulf
June
Deployed for screening duties and patrol in Indian Ocean.
19th Joined HM Batlecruiser
RENOWN, French battleship RICHELIEU, HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Cruisers NIGERIA, KENYA andCEYLON with HM Destroyers
QUILLIAM, QUALITY,
ROTHERHAM of 4th Destroyer Flotilla and RACEHORSE,
RELENTLESS,
ROEBUCK, RAIDER of 11th Destroyer Flotilla as Force 60.
21st Deployed as screen for major ships of
Force 60 during air attacks at Port Blair, Andaman
Islands
(Operation PEDAL-
For details see WAR WITH JAPAN)
July
Nominated for screening duties with Eastern Fleet.
22nd Joined Dutch cruiser
TRCMP with HM Destroyers QUALITY and QUICKMATCH as screen
during offensive operation against ships at Sabang,
Sumatra
(Operation CRIMSON - See above references.)
25th Entered harbour with
Dutch cruiser TRQOP, HM Destroyer QUALITY and QUICKMATCH
for torpedo attacks onn shipping and
bombardment of shore targets.
Sustained alight damage from shore
battery return fire.
(Note : Operation CRIMSON also included carrier air attacks by HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS and
HMS
VICTORIOUS screened by HM Cruisers PHOEBE and destroyers of the
Eastern
Fleet with cover from major units.)
August
Eastern Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
to
September
October
Nominated for Eastern Fleet operation as part of Task Force 63.
(Operation MILLET - Diversion during US landings on Leyte.
See above references.)
15th Joined HM Battecruiser RENOWN with HM Destroyers QUEENBOROUGH
and
QUIBERON as
Group 63.1
17th Provided cover during
air attacks on the Nicobar Islands by HM Aircraft
Carriers
INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS (Task Group 63.3).
18th Bombarded targets on Nicobars with HMS RENOWN, HM Cruiser SUFFOLK, HM Destroyer
RAIDER and Destroyer QUIBERON.
19th Under air attacks by
12 torpedo aircraft, seven of which were destroyed for the loss of three
Fleet Air Am fighters.
21st Returned to Trincomalee with Task Forcec,
November
22nd Transferred with
Flotilla to British Pacific Fleet on formation at Trinocnalee.
December
Passage to
Australia for service with British Pacific Fleet under overall US Navy Command
in
SW Pacific.
At Melbourne for visit prior to preparatory
exercises.
25th Despatched from Melbourne with HMS
QUADRANT and HMS QUALITY to join HMAS
QUICKMATCH and US Navy ships in search for U862 which had
sunk US freighter off Sydney
1 9 4 5
January
On release from anti-submarine operations took part in BPF exercises prior to deployment
with US Navy.
(Note : BPF ships identified as Task Force 113.
Exercises
included new procedures for signalling and manoeuvring.
Pennant Number
for visual signalling had been changed to D22 to conform with US Navy
signal address
identity for destroyers
February
Preparatory
exercises in continuation.
28th Did not take passage with TF 113 to British Forward Base at Manus in Admiralty
0Islands.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO),
TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET
by John Winton.)
March
Deployed in Pacific area
to
(Note : No reference can be found to deployment with major units of TF57
during April
April initial phase
of Joint USN/RN air operations on Sakiahima
Gunta Group.
(Operation ICEBERG ONE –See above references).
Passage to Leyte to join Flotilla in Task Group 57.
May
1st Sailed from Leyte with destroyer screen for H M Battleships KING GEORGE
V, HOWE, HM
Aircraft Carriers FORMIDABLE, INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS, HM
Cruisers SWIFTSURE, UGANDA (RCN)), GAMBIA (RNZN), EURIALUS and BLACK
PRINCE with HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, URSA, URCHIN, UNDAUNTED, UNDINE,
URANIA, QUEENBOROUGH,
QUIBERON,, QUICKMATCH,
QUALITY, KEMPENFELT,
WHIRLWIND and WESSEX in Task Force 57.
(Operation ICEBERG TWO)
3rd Replenished with
destroyers from Logistic Support Group in Area MOSQUITO.
4th Part of TF57 screen during joint RN/USN air attacks on targets in Sakishima-Qunto
.
Remained with screen for aircraft carriers when battleships and cruisers
left to carry out
bombardment of airfields at Miyako.
Under attack by
Kamikaze aircraft. (See above references).
5th Fleet screening in continuation during
air attacks by carriers
to (Note : During replenishment periods
these were continued by US Task Groups 58.1 and 58.3
-
17th See above
references).
20th After replenishment resumed screening
duties.
Sustained serious
damage to bow structure after colliding with HM Aircraft Carrie
INDOMITABLE in fog.
Taken in tow by HM
Destroyer NORMAN covered by HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE which
later took over tow with air cover by HM Escort Carrier RULER
of Fleet Train
. 21st Tow transferred to HM Tug WEASEL.
22nd Arrived
in refuelling area and later took passage to Leyte in
tow escorted by HMS NORMAN.
Tow transferred to US Navy Tug
TURKEY.
28th Arrived at Leyte.
June
Under temporary repair at Leyte to allow
passage to Australia.
July
9th Passage to Sydney in damaged state
August Took passage to UK via
Panama
September Passage from Bermuda to Chatham.
P
o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS QUILLIAM was taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard,
Chatham during October 1945 and placed on tthe Disposal List. The ship was sold to the
Netherlands in November mat year and commissioned as HM Neth. Ship BANCKERT on 11th November. She was refitted and repaired in
Holland and then served in the Royal Netherlands
Navy until 1957 when removed from the Active List. In February she was sold to Jos de Smedt for demolition at Burght.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
QUILLIAM
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
25/01/43 09/02/43 PAMPHLET 09/02/43 27/02/43
19/04/43 19/04/43 CF 012 28/04/43 28/04/43
29/04/43 29/04/43 CF 012A unknown 10/05/43
06/04/44 06/04/44 XC 018 09/04/44 09/04/44
21/08/44 21/08/44 BM 100 24/08/44 24/08/44
(Note on Convoys)
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