Ca-Class Fleet Destroyer of the 11th Emergency Flotilla ordered in February 1942 from Yarrow at Scotstoun. The ship was originally to be named SWALLOW but this was changed in November 1942 to CAPRICE as part of the rationalisation of names for the Class. She was laid down on 28th September 1942 and launched on 16th September 1943 as the first RN ship to have this name. Build was completed on 5th April 1944 and she replaced HM Destroyer LANCE as the ship adopted by the civil community of Bexley and Welling, Kent. (Note: HM Destroyer LANCE was withdrawn from service after being declared a constructive total loss in 1942 and had been allocated to the area after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in December 1941).

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None.

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Green, a kid salient Proper.

D e t a i l s    o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

1 9 4 4

March                   Contractors trials

                              Commissioned for service

April

              5th           Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                              Carried out Gunnery trials.

                              Accepted into service with 6th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.

                              On completion of trials and storing too passage to Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of

                              Home Fleet.

May                       Worked up for service at Scapa Flow with Home Fleet.

June                       Deployed with Flotilla for screening duties in Home Fleet.

            17th            Joined Russian Convoy JW59 with HM Cruiser JAMAICA, HM Escort Carriers VINDEX

                               and STRIKER, HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR. MILNE and MUSKETEER as escort.

            20th            Under U-Boat attacks.

            24th            Detached from JW59 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

            28th            Sailed as escort for return Convoy RA59A with same ships.

September

             5th             Detached from RA59A after unscathed passage.

                               Resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet.

October                   Home Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.

            23rd             Deployed with screen for HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser BELLONA

                                with HM Destroyers VENUS, SCOURGE, SAVAGE, VERULAM, CASSANDRA,

                                ZAMBESI and CAMBRIAN during air attacks on Sorreisa and Bardufoss as well as photo-

                                reconnaissance in the Tromso area for the German battleship TIRPITZ.

                                (For details of naval activities in Norway see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                Corelli Bamett and CONVOY! by P Kemp.)

            31st             Detached for escort of ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ss SCYTHIA carrying Russian

                                nationals who had been captured by the allies in Normandy.

November

             2nd            Joined EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ss SCYTHIA with H M Cruiser BERWICK, H M

                                Escort Carrier CAMPANIA, HM Destroyers CAMBRIAN, CASSANDRA, SAUMAREZ,

                                SCOURGE and SERAPIS for passage to Kola Inlet as Russian Convoy JW61A.

           11th            Return passage to Clyde with same ships and HM Destroyer SCORPION and SAVAGE as escort

                               for mercantiles as return Convoy RA61A.

December

             1st             Joined escort of Russian Convoy JW62 with HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Carriers

                              CAMPANIA and NAIRANA. H M Cruiser BELLONA, H M Destroyers CAESAR,

                              CASSANDRA and CAMBRIAN of Flotilla and HM Destroyers ONSLOW, OBEDIENT,

                              OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI and ORWELL of 17th Flotilla.

to be continued

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS CAPRICE

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

15/08/44                 17/08/44                    JW 059                  25/08/44                 25/08/44

28/08/44                 28/08/44                    RA 059A               05/09/44                 05/09/44

31/10/44                 02/11/44                    JW 061A               06/11/44                 06/11/44

11/11/44                 11/11/44                    RA 061A               17/11/44                 17/11/44

29/11/44                 01/12/44                    JW 062                  07/12/44                 07/12/44

10/12/44                 10/12/44                    RA 062                  18/12/44                 19/12/44

24/12/44                 29/12/44                    AT 177                  30/12/44                 30/12/44

31/12/44                 31/12/44                    TA 175                  01/01/45                 07/01/45

05/01/45                 05/01/45                    TA 177                  06/01/45                 13/01/45

01/01/45                 06/01/45                    AT 179                  07/01/45                 07/01/45

08/01/45                 13/01/45                    AT 181                  14/01/45                 14/01/45

13/01/45                 13/01/45                    TA 179                  14/01/45                 17/01/45

11/01/45                 16/01/45                    AT 182                  17/01/45                 17/01/45

20/01/45                 20/01/45                    TA 180                  21/01/45                 26/01/45

24/01/45                 29/01/45                    AT 185                  30/01/45                 30/01/45

05/02/45                 05/02/45                    TA 185                  06/02/45                 11/02/45

01/02/45                 06/02/45                    AT 186                  07/02/45                 07/02/45

12/02/45                 12/02/45                    TA 187A               13/02/45                 19/02/45

01/03/45                 01/03/45                    TA 189C                02/03/45                 10/03/45

26/02/45                 03/03/45                    AT 194                  04/03/45                 04/03/45

05/03/45                 05/03/45                    TA 191                  06/03/45                 11/03/45

08/03/45                 08/03/45                    TA 194                  09/03/45                 17/03/45

09/03/45                 14/03/45                    AT 196A               15/03/45                 15/03/45

17/03/45                 17/03/45                    TA 195A               18/03/45                 24/03/45

22/03/45                 22/03/45                    TA 197                  23/03/45                 28/03/45

25/03/45                 30/03/45                    AT 200                  31/03/45                 31/03/45

01/04/45                 01/04/45                    TA 199                  02/04/45                 08/04/45

07/04/45                 07/04/45                    TA 200                  08/04/45                 13/04/45

03/04/45                 09/04/45                    AT 201B                10/04/45                 10/04/45

07/04/45                 14/04/45                    AT 201                  15/04/45                 15/04/45

(Note on Convoys)