N or NAPIER-Class
destroyer ordered from John Brown, Clydebank
under the 1939 Programme on 15th April 1939
and laid down as Job No 564 on 27 July 1939.
She was launched on 4th July 1940 and
completed on 19th December 1940. The ship
was manned by the Royal Australian Navy and
was commissioned on 8th January
1941 for service in the 7th Destroyer
Flotilla. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in March 1942 she
was adopted by the civil community of
Darlington, Co. Durham. Sister ships
NAPIER, NEPAL, NESTOR and NORMAN were also
manned by the Royal Australian Navy.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
MALTA
CONVOYS 1941 - CRETE 1941 - LIBYA 1941
- OKINAWA
1945.
:
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Field:
White
Badge:
In front of two bars
wavy blue a quatrefoil
white charged
with a demi
tiger erased proper.
D e
t a i l s o f W a
r S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information, go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 0
December
Contractors
trials.
19th
- Build completion.
1
9 4 1
January
Acceptance
trials.
8th
- Commissioned for service in Royal
Australian Navy.
February
Shakedown
in NW Approaches.
10th
- Prepared for foreign service at Clydebank.
13th
- At Clydebank during heavy air attacks.
16th
- On completion of storing took passage to
Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of Home
Fleet.
March
Took
passage to join 7th Destroyer Flotilla at
Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope.
April
On
passage
30th
- Arrived at Aden.
May
Escorted
troopships
rms QUEEN ELIZABETH and rms QUEEN MARY
during passage in Red Sea.
5th
- Joined Flotilla at Alexandria.
6th
- Deployed with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD, HOTSPUR, JERVIS,
JUNO, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON and
NUBIAN as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier
FORMIDABLE, HM Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT
and WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AJAX, ORION, PERTH
and ABDIEL to provide Distant Cover for
passage of Convoy MW7 taking troops to Malta
and military convoy from Gibraltar carrying
stores for Alexandria (Operation TIGER.)
(Note: Supply ship HMS BRECONSHIRE was with
Fleet units for transit to Malta.)
8th
- Remained with Mediterranean Fleet units
when MW7 was detached to go to Malta.
9th
- Joined TIGER Convoy as part of screen
during passage to Alexandria.
12th
- Arrived at Alexandria with Mediterranean
Fleet.
18th
- Passage to Crete to join Fleet units for
defence of island.
21st
- Bombardment German airfield at Scarpanto
with HMS JERVIS and HMS ILEX.
23rd
- Deployed for patrol north of Crete with HM
Destroyers JERVIS, ILEX, and HAVOCK
24th
- Embarked Commando for planned landing and
took passage to Crete with HMS ABDIEL and
HMS HERO.
27th
- Landed troops and stores at Suda Bay when
operation was cancelled due to weather
conditions.
28th
- Returned to Alexandria to embark stores.
29th
- Passage to Sphakia.
30th
- Took part in evacuation of troops at
Sphakia with HM Destroyers STUART (RAN),
JAGUAR and DEFENDER. (Note: 700 Troops were
embarked.) (Editors Note: Destroyers
taking part to be reconciled with Naval
Events for May 1941
and those on passage
on 31st following, also with number of
troops lifted - thanks to Michal Derela)
31st
- Passage with HM Destroyers NAPIER, KELVIN
and KANDAHAR for Sphakia. (Note: Damaged
during air attacks in return passage. For
details of defence of Crete and evacuation
see THE BATTLE FOR CRETE by SW Pack, London
Gazette (1948), ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett and Naval Staff
History.)
June
Under
repair at Alexandria.
Nominated
for support of military operations in Syria
against Vichy French. (Operation EXPORTER).
Took
passage to join units of Mediterranean Fleet
off Syria.
16th
- Deployed off Palestine coast.
23rd
- Engaged Vichy French destroyer GUÉPARD
attempting to enter Beirut. Carried out
surface gun and torpedo attacks with HM
Cruisers LEANDER, NAIAD and HM Destroyer
KINGSTON which were unsuccessful and enemy
ship was able to escape. (See RELUCTANT
ENEMIES by W Tute.)
July
Joined
Inshore Squadron to support garrisons in
Tobruk and Mersa Matruh.
21st
- Detached for screening duty with
Mediterranean Fleet.
22nd
- Joined HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and
VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX, CARLISLE, NAIAD,
HOBART (RAN), LEANDER, PHOEBE, LATONA and
ABDIEL for Diversionary operation during
passage of relief convoy to Malta from
Gibraltar (Operation MD5). (Note: HM
Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL, JAGUAR,
JERVIS, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON and
NUBIAN were also deployed for screening of
Fleet units.)
25th
- Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units
and resumed Tobruk support.
August
Tobruk
support in continuation.
12th
- Took part in relief of ANZAC troops from
Tobruk with HM Minelaying Cruisers LATONA
and ABDIEL, HM Australian Cruiser HOBART and
HMAS NAPIER. (Note: In all 6,000 troops were
taken to Egypt to await return to
Australia).
September
Resumed
Fleet duties. (Note: During this period
major units of the Mediterranean Fleet
carried out another diversionary operation
during passage of a relief convoy to Malta
from Gibraltar (Operation MD6).)
October
Fleet
and support duties in Eastern Mediterranean
in continuation.
November
Deployed
for screening duties in Eastern
Mediterranean.
2nd
- Deployed with HM Cruiser ABDIEL and HM
Destroyer NAPIER for transfer of troops from
Palestine to Cyprus to reinforce garrison.
9th
- Resumed Flotilla duties for Fleet
screening at Alexandria.
24th
- Joined HM Battleships BARHAM, QUEEN
ELIZABETH and VALIANT with seven other Fleet
destroyers as screen during operation to
intercept convoy on passage to Benghazi.
Other destroyer were HMS JERVIS, HMS JACKAL
and HMS HOTSPUR.
27th
- Assisted in rescue operations after HM
Battleship BARHAM was torpedoed by U331 and
sunk north of Sollum.
December
Fleet
duties in continuation based at Alexandria.
31st
- Deployed on anti-submarine sweep while
other Fleet units, including HMAS NAPIER and
NESTOR, carried out bombardment of
enemy positions at Bardia.
1
9 4 2
January
3rd - Took
passage from Alexandria with HMAS NAPIER
and NESTOR to join
Eastern Fleet. Deployed
in Red Sea.
9th
- Joined HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE
with HMAS NAPIER and NESTOR.
23rd -
Escorted INDOMITABLE with NESTOR and NIZAM
during passage from Port Sudan to Indian
Ocean (Operation OPPONENT). HMS
INDOMITABLE was carrying HURRICANE
aircraft for delivery to Singapore.
(See WAR WITH JAPAN Volume II (HMSO).)
27th
- Aircraft launched near Cocos islands
after call at Addu Atoll and passage as
part
of escort.
28th -
Further launch of aircraft. (See WAR WITH
JAPAN for details.).
February
Escort
of HMS INDOMITABLE in continuation.
3rd
- Delivery operation cancelled and took
passage with HMS INDOMITABLE to Colombo.
20th
- At Colombo and deployed with Flotilla in
Eastern Fleet. Nominated for escort of
military convoy SU1 and took passage to join
in Indian Ocean during transit from Aden to
Fremantle. (Note: This convoy was taking
ANZAC troops back to Australia after
withdrawal from Western Desert because of
Japanese threat to Australia.)
March
Escorted
military
convoy SU1 with HM Battleship ROYAL
SOVEREIGN, HM Cruiser CORNWALL, HM
Destroyers EXPRESS, and VAMPIRE (RAN).
(Note: This convoy of 12 troopships was
taking ANZAC personnel back to Australia
after the Japanese declaration of war.)
April
On
release from SU1 returned to Colombo. Taken
in hand for repair at Bombay.
May
Nominated
for return to Mediterranean on completion.
On completion took passage to Alexandria for
planned Malta relief convoy (Operation
VIGOROUS).
June
Passage
to Alexandria with 7th Destroyer Flotilla.
13th
- Part of screen for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA,
BIRMINGHAM, CLEOPATRA, DIDO, NEWCASTLE,
EURYALUS and HERMIONE with HM Destroyers
HASTY, HERO, INCONSTANT, JAVELIN, JERVIS,
KELVIN, NAPIER, NESTOR, NORMAN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN, SIKH and ZULU. (Note: These ships
were providing additional cover for passage
of Convoy MW11 to Malta from Alexandria.)
14th
- Under heavy and sustained air attacks and
threat of surface attack by an Italian
Squadron including two battleships.
15th
- Convoy ordered by CinC at Alexandria to
reverse course to eastward. Under attacks by
Italian E-Boats during which HMS HASTY had
to be sunk after major damage and HMS
NEWCASTLE was disabled. Heavy and sustained
air attacks resumed after daylight. HM
Destroyer AIREDALE sunk. Convoy ordered to
resume passage towards Malta. When surface
threat renewed, convoy again ordered to turn
eastwards. Despite further instructions to
resume passage to Malta operation abandoned
due to high expenditure of anti-aircraft
ammunition.
16th
- HMS HERMIONE torpedoed by U205 during
return passage and HM Destroyer NESTOR which
had been damaged during air attacks on 15th
had to be sunk. Returned to Alexandria with
Fleet units. (For full details of this
disastrous and ill-directed operation see
the THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN, ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
25th
- On release from service in the
Mediterranean took passage to Kilindini for
Indian Ocean convoy defence.
July
On
arrival at Kilindini deployed for convoy
defence in Indian Ocean. Nominated for
service with Eastern Fleet ships for planned
operation.
21st
- Sailed from Kilindini for Colombo with HM
Destroyers NORMAN (RAN), INCONSTANT and
Dutch VAN GALEN to join Fleet units for
operation.
22nd
- HMS NAPIER (Cdre D) joined for passage to
Colombo
28th
- At Colombo and joined by Netherlands
cruiser HEEMSKERCK.
30th
- Deployed with HM Destroyer NAPIER (Cdre D)
and same destroyers as screen for HM
Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS and FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers
EFFINGHAM, MAURITIUS and Dutch cruiser
HEEMSKERCK to provide cover for passage of
three Dummy Convoys on passage from
Vizagapatam, Madras and Trincomalee towards
Andaman Islands. (Operation STAB - A
diversionary operation to suggest landing
operations. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
August
2nd
- Returned to Trincomalee before taking
passage to Kilindini to prepare for planned
landings on Madagascar. (Note: See above
reference for explanation of early return by
Force A ships.)
Took
part in preparatory exercise
September
9th
- Sailed from Kilindini to make rendezvous
60 miles south of Mayotta
Island with HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM, HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, Dutch cruiser
HEEMSKERCK and ships of assault convoy on
passage to Majunga for landings of troops to
complete occupation of Madagascar (Operation
STREAM). (Note: Ships of Force M providing
cover and control of landings also included
HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers GAMBIA DAUNTLESS
and MANXMAN, HM Monitor EREBUS, HM Seaplane
Carrier ALBATROSS, HM Destroyers NAPIER,
NORMAN, FOXHOUND, HOTSPUR, ARROW, ACTIVE,
BLACKMORE, INCONSTANT, FORTUNE, NEPAL, Dutch
VAN GALEN and Dutch TJERK HIDDES). Provided
A/S defence during passage to beachhead.
10th
- Present at landings to provide
anti-submarine defence. (Note: No
bombardment was required. For details see
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and Naval Staff
History.)
12th
- On release resumed Flotilla duties for
patrol and convoy defence.
20th
- Deployed for patrol to intercept Vichy
French mercantiles on passage to Laurenco
Marques. (See WAR WITH JAPAN.)
23rd
- Intercepted and boarded mercantile ss
MARECHEL GELLJENI after report by a South
African Air Force aircraft. Prize was
escorted to Capetown by HM South African
Whaler CEDARBERG.
26th
- Patrol in continuation with HM Destroyer
NORMAN.
29th
- After report from patrol aircraft located
abandoned Vichy French mercantile ss ADMIRAL
PIERRE. Attempt to prevent sinking due to
scuttling failed and French ship sunk by
gunfire.
October
Passage
to Simonstown to prepare for refit.
8th
- Deployed with HM Destroyers ACTIVE, ARROW,
FOXHOUND and HM Corvette ROCKROSE for A/S
operations after sinking of six mercantiles
by U-Boat off Cape of Good Hope. (Note: Took
part in rescue of survivors. For details see
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
On
release from operations taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
November
Under
refit.
December
Transferred
to South Atlantic Station on completion of
post refit trials. Deployed for convoy
defence and interception.
1
9 4 3
January
to May
Convoy
defence duty in South Atlantic and Indian
Ocean continued.
June
15th
- Joined HM Destroyers NORMAN (RAN),
QUADRANT and REDOUBT in escort of military
convoy WS30 in Indian Ocean during passage
in Atlantic.
16th
- Remained with WS30 for passage from Cape
Town
19th
- Detached from WS30 on arrival at Durban.
Returned
to Indian Ocean with Flotilla to resume
duties based at Kilindini. Nominated for
special service at Colombo.
21st
- Took passage from Kilindini with HM
Destroyers NORMAN, INCONSTANT and Dutch VAN
GALEN for Colombo with call at Seychelles to
join Force A.
23rd
- HMAS NAPIER joined during passage.
24th to 29th
- Deployed with HM Cruisers SUFFOLK,
NEWCASTLE, HM Destroyers RELENTLESS , RAIDER
and RFA tanker to carry out search for
U-Boats and supply ship CHARLOTTE SCHLIEMANN
(Operation PLAYER - Note: U-Boats were known
to be active in Indian Ocean and U-Boat
refuelling had taken place. See above
reference.)
30th
- Search abandoned and resumed convoy
defence duties.
July
Indian
Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
August
Transferred
to Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee and
took passage.
September
to December
Deployed
with Eastern Fleet on convoy defence and
patrol in Indian Ocean. (For details of
operations in Indian Ocean see OPERATION
PACIFIC by E Gray.)
1
9 4 4
January
to March
Convoy
defence and patrol in India Ocean.
April
Deployed
for Fleet screening duties.
16th
- Part of Task Force 69 as screen for HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT,
French Battleship RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA and CEYLON and Dutch
cruiser TROMP with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM,
RACEHORSE, PENN, PETARD, QUIBERON, NAPIER
(RAN) and Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN
(Operation COCKPIT).
18th
- Task Force 69 covered air operations by HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and the US
Aircraft Carrier SARATOGA (Task Force 70)
against targets at Sabang. (See OPERATION
PACIFIC).
May
to July
Deployed
on convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean
and detached for Fleet duty as required.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)
August
Nominated
for refit in Australia
September
3rd
- Arrived at Melbourne
October
Under
refit at Williamstown
November
On
completion of post refit trials took passage
to Ceylon to resume Flotilla duties with
Eastern Fleet. (Note: On formation of
British Pacific Fleet transferred to Eastern
Fleet with ships of 7th Flotilla and
retained in Eastern Fleet for support of
planned operations in Burma.)
December
Deployed
in support of military operations in Burma
including defence of military convoys in Bay
of Bengal (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY)
1
9 4 5
January
Flotilla
deployment
in support of military operations in Burma
continued.
February
Released
from Eastern Fleet service and took passage
to Australia to join British Pacific Fleet.
Called at Fremantle on passage.
11th -
While proceeding Melbourne for Fremantle,
and off Cape Leeuwin at night, changed
course in heavy seas and 10 ratings swept
overboard, all drowned.
March
Prepared
for service in British Pacific Fleet
including exercises off Sydney using US Navy
communications and manoeuvring procedures.
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to D15 to suit US Navy
identity for destroyers.
April
Nominated
for escort of Logistics Group (Task Force
112) in support of operations by Task Force
57. Passage to Manus to join Task Force 112
for escort duty in SW Pacific.
May
Deployed
for escort of Logistics Group during air
operations against airfields in Sakashima
Gunto Group (Operation ICEBERG).
9th
- Detached for temporary screening duties
with Task Force 57 ships.
14th
- After release from Fleet screen deployed
in Area COOLIE with HM Escort Aircraft
Carriers RULER and STRIKER, HM Sloops
PHEASANT, CRANE and WOODCOCK for defence of
tankers during replenishment of ships of
Task Force. (For details see THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton and Naval Staff History.)
31st
- On completion of ICEBERG II Fleet Train
took passage to Australia for R&R.
June
Maintenance
and Leave period in Australia. (Note: Some
ships remained in Brisbane. See above
references.)
28th
- Took passage for Fleet Train escort duties
during BPF operations against targets in
Japan.
July
Pacific
Fleet deployment in continuation. (Note:
Main British Pacific Fleet units, now
designated Task Force 37 and part of
US
3rd Fleet, arrived at Manus on 4th July.)
20th
- Part of screen for Logistics Group during
refuelling and replenishment of BPF. (Note:
Escort for the tankers and Stores Issuing
Ships included HM Escort Carriers RULER,
STRIKER, HM Destroyers NAPIER, HM Sloops
PHEASANT, WHIMBREL, REDPOLE, HM Frigate
FINDHORN and HM Minesweeper GAWLER.)
26th
- Part of escort for Logistics Group during
Fleet replenishment. (Note: An additional
tanker was available but not fully
operational. Escort for Group had been
increased. See above references. For details
of British Pacific Fleet operations see
above references, TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith.
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
Barnett.)
August
6th
- Part of escort for Logistics Group during
Fleet replenishment. (Note: Other warships
in Group included HM Escort Carriers
ARBITER, CHASER, RULER, HM Destroyer NORMAN,
HM Sloops PHEASANT, CRANE and HM
Minesweepers BURNIE and BALLARAT. Hospital
Ship ss TJITJALENGKA was deployed in Group.)
11th
- After RN warships were withdrawn from
operations due to lack of fuel from British
tankers, transferred to Task Group 38.5 with
HM Destroyer NAPIER (RAN) and continued
escort duty with Support Group. (For details
of formation of the British Token Force
which was retained in the 3rd US Fleet. .See
above references.)
20th
- Provided personnel for Commonwealth
component of Third Fleet Allied Landing
Force which occupied the Japanese naval base
on the island of Azuma.
23rd
- Joined HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM
Cruisers GAMBIA and NEWFOUNDLAND with HMS
NAPIER and US destroyers UHLMANN and BENHAM
in re-introduced Task Force 37 for the
formal entry into Japanese waters.
27th
- Anchored in Sagami Wan with TF37 after
delay. (Note: Ship flew Australian Flag at
the Main.)
29th
- Proceeded into Tokyo Bay with allied
Flagship Groups. (Note: HM Destroyer QUALITY
and Hospital Ship TJITJALENGKA had joined
Group in September.)
September
2nd
- Present at formal surrender ceremony in
Tokyo Bay with representative ships of the
British Pacific Fleet with HM Aircraft
Carrier INDEFATIGABLE, HM Battleship KING
GEORGE V, HM Cruisers NEWFOUNDLAND, HOBART
(RAN), SHROPSHIRE (RAN) and GAMBIA (RNZN),
HM Destroyers BARFLEUR, WRANGLER, WAKEFUL,
TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT, TENACIOUS, TEAZER,
NAPIER (RAN), BATAAN (RAN) and WARRAMUNGA
(RAN).
P
o s t W a r N
o t e s
HMS
NIZAM remained in Japanese waters after the
surrender ceremony and embarked PoW
from Wakatama
with HMNZS
GAMBIA. On release from duties associated
with collection of PoW
and allied nationals
the ship returned to
Sydney and was handed back to the Royal Navy
in October 1945. She then sailed
to UK and
after arrival at Sheerness
on 13th December 1945 was reduced to Reserve
status. Placed in
Reserve Fleet at
Harwich she remained there until 1953 when
moved to Chatham. The ship was put on
the
Disposal List in 1955 and sold to T&W
Ward for breaking-up at Grays, Essex where
she arrived on
16th November that
year.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMAS NIZAM
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy
No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
MW 011
|
11/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
30/05/43
|
01/06/43
|
CM 042
|
30/05/43
|
10/06/43
|
26/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
CM 043
|
26/07/43
|
07/08/43
|
04/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
OW 007/1
|
04/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
24/12/43
|
31/12/43
|
CM 048
|
18/12/43
|
31/12/43
|
unknown
|
04/04/44
|
AJ 002/2
|
28/03/44
|
04/04/44
|
21/08/44
|
24/08/44
|
BM 100
|
21/08/44
|
24/08/44
|
19/09/44
|
22/09/44
|
MB 078B
|
19/09/44
|
22/09/44
|
25/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
BM 101
|
25/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)