HMS DUCHESS. 1932.

HMS DUCHESS. 1932.

Postby E28 » Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:02 pm

Notably the final ship off a slipway from Palmer's Shipbuilding & Iron Co Ltd on 19 July 1932, preceded by sister Diana on 16 June.

Collision at sea is a sad way for any ship & crew to be lost, especially as here, where so many men died needlessly in incidents which all occured at night.

Of the D class destroyers, Duchess H.64 was sunk in collision with the battleship Barham on 12 Dec 1939 so close to home after years away in the Far East.

The Canadian destroyer Fraser H.48 sank after colliding with the cruiser Calcutta on 25 June 1940 after which the RN transferred Diana H.49 to Canada on 6 June, being renamed Margaree. On 22 Oct 1940 she was sunk in collision with the merchant Port Fairy.

The 11 Feb 1964 was the date HMAS Voyager D.04, a Daring class destroyer, sank after being run down by the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. 4 weeks later the RN loaned HMS Duchess D.154, another Daring class, as replacement, purchased by Australia in 1972, Duchess was broken up in 1980.
Thats all folks. Sean.
E28
 
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Location: Near Conegar Lock.

Re: HMS DUCHESS. 1932.

Postby E28 » Sat Oct 29, 2016 7:57 pm

Duchess, her 7 sisters and their flotilla leader, Duncan, by July 1941 had suffered 7 losses from the 9 ship class which started the war in September 1939.

This high attrition rate led to a new class of large destroyers at wars end being allocated D names, or Daring class ships. 16 were ordered with 8 being cancelled, only 8 were to enter service in the RN and all 8 used the same names of those from these WW2 ships, after considerable renamings.
Duncan being the exception surviving and bu Nov 1945.

WW2 loss dates of 7 others are...plus the last survivor albeit renamed in Canadian service.
Dainty - 24 Feb 1941
Daring - 18 Feb 1940
Decoy - to RCN as Kootenay 1943. Bu 1946
Defender - 11 July 1941
Delight - 29 July 1940
Diamond - 27 April 1941
Diana - to RCN as Margaree 1940. 22 Oct 1940
Duchess - 12 Dec 1939
Thats all folks. Sean.
E28
 
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:14 pm
Location: Near Conegar Lock.

Re: HMS DUCHESS. 1932.

Postby E28 » Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:58 pm

12th December 1939. Duchess is sunk in collision with the battleship Barham at night in poor weather.

Appointed as her Commanding Officer 28 September 1938 Lieutenant Commander Robert Charles Meadows White had served for 21 years in the Royal Navy. He did not survive his Commands loss.

His previous appointments from passing out in Jan 1923 were Revenge with promotion to Sub Lt in Dec 1925 and to Lieutenant in Sept 1927 serving in Heliotrope and Rodney.
From 1930 he became a destroyer man, executive officer in Antelope 1932 then commanded Sabre at Portsmouth in 1935 when promoted Lt Cdr 30 Sept 1935. Command of Thanet on the China Station followed thence his appointment to Duchess of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla comprising the 8 D class under leader Duncan all of the China Station where they had served since 11 December 1934.

Duchess was not the only D class never to return to Blighty.
Thats all folks. Sean.
E28
 
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:14 pm
Location: Near Conegar Lock.


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