H .  M .  S .  W E S S E X   (i)   (D 4 3)

 

W-Class destroyer ordered  from Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn, Newcastle on 9th December 1916 under the 1916-17 Programme in the 10th Destroyer order. The ship was laid down on 25th May 1917 and launched on 12 March 1918 that as the first RN warship to carry the name. Build was completed on 11th May 1918 and she served in the Grand Fleet during WW1. She attended the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet on 12th November 1918 and later with the 6th Destroyer Flotilla in the Atlantic Fleet. This ship was attached to the Torpedo School at Portsmouth during the inter-war years and remained in commission after the mobilisation in 1939.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Crest : On a Field Gold, the Dragon of Egbert, Red.

 

M o t t o

Proles militum : 'Offspring of soldiers'

 

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

 

1 9 3 9

 

September             Took-up War Station with 17th Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth.

                                Joined HM Destroyers KEPPEL, VANESSA, VISCOUNT, VIVACIOUS, VORTIGERN,

                                WAKEFUL and VESPER for convoy defence and patrol in English Channel and SW Approaches.

                                (Note : Flotilla was later designated 13th Destroyer Flotilla.)

 

October                  Plymouth deployment in continuation.

 to December.        (Note : Ships to and from Thames estuary were escorted to join Atlantic convoys through

                                the English Channel.)

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Convoy defence in continuation.

to March

 

April                       Transferred to Nore Command for support of military operations and convoy defence.

 

May

                14th        Embarked British Naval Attache to Netherlands at Hook of Holland for return to UK

                                after German invasion.

                                Deployed in Dover Command for support of military in defence against German advance

                                into Belgium and France.

                24th        Despatched from Dover to bombard enemy troop formations advancing on Calais with

                                HM Destroyers VIMIERA, WOLFHOUND and Polish ORP BURZA.

                                Came under sustained dive bombing attack by Stuka aircraft soon after start of bombardment.

                                Hit by three bombs and sank quickly. Survivors were rescued by HMS VIMIERA which

                                sustained serious damage and had to withdraw.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WESSEX

by Don Kindell

 

Date convoy         Joined convoy      Convoy No.             Left convoy           Date convoy

sailed                     as escort                                                                                arrived

 

23/09/39            23/09/39                  BC 003R                   25/09/39              25/09/39

06/10/39            06/10/39                  BC 009/1                  08/10/39              08/10/39

08/10/39            08/10/39                  BC 008R                   10/10/39              10/10/39

16/10/39            16/10/39                  BC 011/1                  17/10/39              17/10/39

17/10/39            28/10/39                  HX 005                     29/10/39              29/10/39

17/12/39            17/12/39                  BC 019/1                  19/12/39              19/12/39

10/01/40            10/01/40                  BC 022/1                  12/01/40              12/01/40

26/04/40            01/05/40                  HX 038                     12/05/40              12/05/40

  12/05/40            unknown               OA 147                     unknown            unknown