H . M . S .  B O R D E R   ( L 6 7 )

 

Type III HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Newcastle  on  28th July 1940 and laid down on 1st May 1941 as Job Number J4287. The ship was launched on 3rd February 1942 as the first RN ship to carry the name HMS BORDER, that of a fox-hunt on the border between England and Scotland. Before completion she was transferred  to  the Royal Hellenic Navy on loan and renamed HHMS ADRIAS. Commissioned in July 1942, her Build was completed on 5th August and after her Acceptance Trials she was prepared for service with the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

No British Battle Honours were awarded as

the ship served in an allied Navy

 

Ship Badge

None is included in the Official List of Heraldic

Crests for RN warships as she was never

in commission with the Royal Navy.

 

D e t a i l s   o f    W a r    S e r v i  c e    u n d e r    G r e e k    C o m m a n d

 

H . H . M . S .  A D R I A S   ( L 6 7 )

 

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July                         Commissioned under Greek Navy command as HHMS ADRIAS.

 

August                  Contractors Trials.

                5th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up

                                for service with ships of the Home Fleet.

                                During work-up she sustained damage and returned to her build yard for

                                repair.

 

September             Under repair at Wallsend.

to November

 

December              Resumed work-up at Scapa Flow.

 

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January                  Completed work-up and nominated for escort of military convoy during

                                Atlantic passage to Indian Ocean.

                23rd        Joined HM Cutters BANFF and FISHGUARD, HM Armed Merchant

                                Cruisers CANTON and CILICIA, HM Destroyer QUADRANT, the Greek

                                Destroyer MIAOULIS (Ex HMS MODBURY), French Sloop SAVORGNAN

                                DE BRAZZA and HM Destroyer RELENTLESS in Clyde for escort of joint

                                Convoy WS26 to Middle East and KMF8 to the Mediterranean.

                29th        Convoy KMF8 detached for separate passage to the Mediterranean.

                31st         HM Destroyers QUALITY, QUICKMATCH, QUIBERON, RACEHORSE,

                                and REDOUBT joined escort

 

February

                3rd          Detached from WS26 for independent passage before arrival of WS26 at

                                Freetown

 

March                    Joined 22nd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria after passage via the Cape of

                                Hope and Red Sea.

                                Deployed in eastern Mediterranean for convoy defence and patrol.

 

April                       Transferred to Algiers with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of

                                military operations.

 

May                        Algiers deployment in continuation.

                                Took part in blockade of Cape Bon area for interception of craft which

                                were evacuating German personnel from North Africa.

                                (Operation RETRIBUTION – See Naval Staff History, THE BATTLE

                                FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and ENGAGE THE

                                ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)

 

June                        Deployed in central Mediterranean with Flotilla.

 

July

                10th        Took part in allied invasion of Sicily as part of Support Force East with

                                other allied ships including Greek destroyers KANARIS, MIAOULIS,

                                THEMISTOCLES and SAKHTOURIS (Operation HUSKY)

 

August                  Convoy defence and support of military operations in Sicily and Italian

                                mainland in continuation.

 

September             Transferred with Flotilla to Alexandria after Italian surrender.

                                (Note : Increase in naval activity was anticipated in support of the planned

                                allied operations to occupy Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea.

                                (Operation ACCOLADE – See IMPROVISE AND DARE by JS

                                Guard, WAR IN THE AEGEAN by E. Walker and P Smith and the

                                above references.)

 

October                  Support of Aegean operations in continuation.

                21st         Deployed with HM Destroyers JERVIS, PATHFINDER and HURWORTH

                                for transport of stores for Leros.

                22nd       Laid-up in Gulf of Cos overnight.

                                Carried out search with HMS HURWORTH for invasion barges at Port

                                Lathi and Port Arki without success.

                                Diverted to carry out further search south of Leros.

                                Both ships ran into a newly laid minefield east of Kalymos and this ship

                                detonated a mine which completely destroyed the bow structure as far as

                                the forward gun mounting. Although the main propulsion machinery was

                                undamaged other services including her compass and other essential items

                                were rendered useless, Parts of the forward mounting were lying across the

                                bridge. 21 of the ships company lost their lives.

                                HMS HURWORTH then struck another mine and broke in two, sinking

                                after 15 minutes with heavy loss of life.

                                Since the ship was able to steam it was decided to beach her in Turkish

                                waters and attempt to restore some services to enable return to Alexandria.

                                (For full details see WAR IN THE AEGEAN.)

                23rd        After rescue of survivors from HMS HURWORTH ship arrived in Turkish

                                waters and beached in Gurvergenik Bay.

 

November              Under repair by ships company at Gumusluk in Gurgervenik Bay.

                                (Note : During this period air cover was provided in daylight and some

                                Motor Launches sent to assist. Wounded were landed and taken

                                to Izmir. Dead were buried locally although reburied in Greece

                                after the end of WW2.)

 

December

                1st           Ship repair to allow passage completed and sailed under own power from

                                Gumusluk after nightfall, escorted by Motor Gunboats.

                2nd         Laid-up during daylight in Turkish waters.

                3rd          Met HMS JERVIS and HMS PENN off Castelorizo and laid in

                                Kavavia Bay until HM Tug BRIGAND arrived.

                                Taken in tow to Limasssol, Cyprus.

                4th          Sailed for Alexandria escorted by HMS JERVIS and HMS PENN.

                                (Note : Tow attempt proved difficult and passage was completed under

                                own power.)

                6th          Arrived at Alexandria to tumultuous welcome from ships in harbour.

                                (Note : Message was sent to Builders to pay tribute to the construction

                                which had allowed an ahead passage for 600 miles under such

                                a damaged condition.

                                Commander Toumbas, Royal Hellenic Navy was awarded the

                                Greek equivalent of the Victoria Cross for his heroic performance

                                and his determination to return to Alexandria with the ship.)

 

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                                Laid-up at Alexandria until return to UK where she arrived in December.

 

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                                Laid-up at Newcastle and declared a Constructive Total Loss.

 

P o s t  W a r  N o t e s

 

HMS BORDER was placed on the Disposal List on 10th October 1945 and sold to Messrs King & Co of Gateshead. She arrived at the breakers for demolition on 20th November that year.