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H .
M . S . Z E B R A ( R 8 1 )
"ZAMBESI" Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Denny of Dumbarton on 12th February 1942 with the 10th Emergency Flotilla and to
be named WAKEFUL. This name was changed as part of a policy change by the
Admiralty and she was laid down on 14th
May 1942. When launched on 8th
March 1943 as HMS ZEBRA she was the sixth R N warship to bear this
name, introduced in 1777 and had previously been used by a destroyer sold in
1914. After a successful "WARSHIP WEEK" National Savings campaign in
February 1942 she had been 'adopted' by the civil community of Urmston, then in
the county of Lancashire. Build was completed on 13th October 1944.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
THE SAINTES 1782
-
MARTINIQUE 1794 - TRINIDAD 1797 - COPENHAGEN 1801 -
SYRIA 1840 - ARCTIC 1945
H e r a
l d i c D a t a
Badge :
A Zebra.
D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 4
October
Contractors Trials and commissioned for service with 2nd Destroyer
Flotilla, Home Fleet
13th Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.
November
Worked-up with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
On completion joined 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet for screening
duty and patrol in
NW Approaches
December
Home Fleet duties in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January
1st Joined HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier VINDEX with H M Destroyers MYNGS
, SAVAGE, SCOURGE,
SERAPIS, ZAMBESI, HM Canadian Destroyer ALGONQUIN and
Norwegian Destroyer STORD for escort of Russian Convoy JW63 to Kola
Inlet.
(For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by
RA Ruegg, THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield, ARCTIC
CONVOYS BY R Woodman and CONVOY !
by P Kemp.
8th Detached on arrival after
uninterrupted passage.
11th Escorted return Convoy RA63 with same
escorts.
21st Detached on arrival at Loch Ewe after
stormy passage without detection.
February
Deployed with Flotilla in NW Approaches.
3rd Sailed with Home Fleet destroyers to join
Russian Convoy JW64 but withdrawn due to
machinery defects
5th Under repair.
11th Deployed as screen for
HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Aircraft Carriers PREMIER
and PUNCHER with HM Destroyers CAVENDISH, CAVALIER and SCOURGE as Force 2
for joint air minelay and shipping strike off Norway (Operation
SELENIUM).
26th Deployed with HM
Destroyers SAVAGE and SCOURGE to reinforce escort for the return Convoy
RA64 from Kola Inlet during passage after losses of HM Sloop LARK and HM
Corvette BLUEBELL.
See above references.
27th Detached from RA64
with HM Cruiser BELLONA and Home Fleet destroyers after convoy had been
re-assembled due to dispersal owing to severe weather conditions.
March
Home Fleet screening and patrol duties with Flotilla in NW Approaches.
to
April
May
Deployed with Home Fleet major units during support of operations in
North Sea to to
re-occupy
to
countries previously under German occupation and included Guardship
duties.
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS ZEBRA joined the 4th
Destroyer Flotilla, Home after the end of hostilities in which she served until
1947. The ship then Paid-off and was
reduced to Reserve status in the Plymouth Reserve Fleet. During 1952 she went
to at Harwich Reserve Fleet and
returned to Plymouth a year later. The ship was nominated for conversion to an Anti-Submarine Frigate and her
main armament was to be
removed. However in 1955 this work was cancelled and the ship was placed on the Sale
List. After inspection by West German officials the proposed transfer was
rejected because of her poor condition
and she was sold to BISCO in 1958 for breaking-up at Newport, Monmouth by Cashmore.. On 12th
February 1959-this ship arrived in tow at the breakers yard. |
