N-Class
destroyer ordered
from Denny at Dumbarton with the 1939
Programme on 15th April 1939 with HMS
NOBLE of the same Class. Laid down on 22nd May
1940 the ship was sold to the
Netherlands on 18th March 1941with her sister
ship
built in the same shipyard. Tender price
wasŁ400,684 excluding cost of
Admiralty supplied equipment such as
guns, ammunition and communications outfits.
These two ships were allocated to
replace HMS NORMAN and HMS
NORSEMAN whose build at Woolston,
Southampton had
been delayed by bomb damage in the Thornycroft
shipyard. This ship was launched on 25th June
1941. It is not known whether she was named
TJERK HIDDES
instead of NONPAREIL but at launch she may
have given the Dutch name. She was
commissioned into service as HM Neth.
Ship TJERK
HIDDES on 27th May 1942 after completion on
6th May. The RN
name was introduced in 1558 to replace the
name PHILLIP AND MARY for a Galleon after
rebuild.. It was
previously used for a WW1 destroyer built in
1916 and sold in 1921. TJERK HIDDES was
not adopted by any
civil community in UK after a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
during 1941-42.
She was the 4th RN ship to bear the name which
has not be
used again since this ship was sold.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
HMS NONPAREIL
ARMADA
1588 - CADIZ 1596
D
e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e a
s H Neth M
S
T
J E R K H I D D
E S
(for more ship
information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 2
May
Contractors
Trials
6th
- Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
(Special
Note: The date of completion in some sources
in October 1942 is incorrect. If, as recorded
in another reliable source,
this ship escorted military convoy WS21P from
UK to Middle East in July and August
1942 which suggests build completion in June.)
27th
- Commissioned
into Royal Netherlands Navy service as HM
Neth. S. TJERK HIDDES.
Nominated
for deployment in Eastern Fleet with 7th RN
Destroyer Flotilla. On completion of storing
took
passage to Scapa Flow
June
4th
- Commenced
work-up with Home Fleet ships at Scapa Flow.
Nominated
for escort of military
convoy during passage from Clyde to Indian
Ocean.
July
Completed
work-up
and prepared for foreign service
16th
- Passage
to Clyde.
17th
- Joined
HM Cruiser ORION and HM Destroyer NEPAL as
Ocean Escort for military convoy WS21P on
formation in Clyde. (Note: This convoy
comprised five troopships.)
27th
- Detached
from WS21P on arrival at Freetown.
28th
- Rejoined
WS21P as Ocean Escort with same ships on
departure from Freetown.
August
5th
- Eight
ships of Convoy AS4, which was taking
equipment for the 8th Army in Egypt,
joined WS21P. (Note: AS4 had been escorted to
rendezvous position 9.05S 11.07W
by US Navy warships.)
13th
- Detached
from WS21P on arrival at Capetown.
18th
- Rejoined
WS21P Ocean Escort with same ships during
passage from Capetown to Durban. 20th Detached
from WS21P with HMS NEPAL and took passage to
Kilindini. (Note: HM
Destroyer DUNCAN and HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE
remained as Ocean Escort.)
27th
- Deployed
at Kilindini for Indian Ocean convoy escort.
(Note: Ships of Flotilla were
returning from detached service in
Mediterranean.)
September
Nominated
for
support of planned landings to complete
occupation of Madagascar. (Operations
STREAM, LINE and JANE.). Took part in
preparatory exercises.
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. (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 HlDDES.)
10th
- Deployed
with VAN GALEN as screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS.
26th
- On
release from Fleet duties resumed Indian Ocean
convoy escort with ships of
Flotilla.
October
Flotilla
duties
in continuation. Nominated for service in SW
Pacific for convoy defence under
overall control of US Navy. Passage to
Fremantle
November
to December
Joined
US 7th Fleet Command and deployed for defence
of convoys between Sydney
and Fremantle
1
9 4 3
January
Australian
convoy
defence in continuation.
February
18th
- Deployed
with sister destroyer VAN GALEN (Ex HMS
NOBLE), HM Australian Cruiser ADELAIDE and
Dutch cruiser TROMP for escort of troop
convoy during passage from Fremantle to
Melbourne. (Operation PAMPHLET) (Note: This
military convoy was
carrying ANZAC of 9th Australian Division
personnel recalled from Middle East after
Japanese threat to Australia,
and had been escorted by Eastern Fleet ships
during passage from Aden. See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).
24th
- Detached
from PAMPHLET convoy escort on arrival at
Melbourne.
March
to December
SW
Pacific convoy defence in continuation with
19th Destroyer Division (RAN) (Note: As the
ship required docking and refit during
this period further research is required to
confirm
that ship was taken in hand for this work
before resuming operations with
Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee.)
1
9 4 4
January
SW
Pacific
deployment in continuation with Flotilla.
Nominated
for transfer to Eastern Fleet and took passage
to Trincomalee to join 7th
Destroyer Flotilla with VAN GALEN and TROMP.
(Note: One source also records ship returned
with
cruiser HEEMSKERK.)
February
On
arrival at
Trincomalee joined Flotilla and deployed Fleet
screening and convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
22nd
- Deployed
with HM Destroyer ROTHERHAM as screen for HM
Cruiser GAMBIA during search for German
blockade runner on passage from Japan to
Germany in area SW of Cocos.
24th
- Took
return passage to Trincomalee when search was
unsuccessful.
March
Deployed
for
Flotilla duties based at Trincomalee.
22nd
- Deployed
with HM Australian Destroyers NORMAN, NEPAL,
NAPIER (Cdre D) HM Destroyers QUILLIAM,
PATHFINDER, QUIBERON,
QUEENBOROUGH, QUALITY and Dutch VAN GALEN as
screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT, HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers
LONDON, CEYLON, CUMBERLAND and GAMBIA for
sweep in Indian Ocean. (Operation DIPLOMAT –
The prime reason for this
was to meet the US Aircraft Carrier USS
SARATOGA
on passage for detached service with Eastern
Fleet for air attacks in Indian
Ocean).
24th
- Refuelled
from Fleet oilers.
25th
- Withdrawn
from operation after mechanical defects and
escorted one of Fleet oilers during return
passage to Trincomalee.
April
to May
Under
repair,
June
to September
Resumed
Flotilla
duties and deployed for convoy escort in
Indian Ocean.
Nominated
for
return to UK
October
Passage
to UK
November
to
December
Deployed
in SW
Approaches for convoy defence with 8th
Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth
1
9 4 5
January
to April
Deployed
at Plymouth Operational availability to be
confirmed.
Nominated
for refit in commercial
shipyard at Dundee.
May
to August
Under
refit.
(Note: To join Royal Netherlands
Navy on completion. Modern radar outfits
fitted.)
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMNethS TJERK
HIDDES
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
16/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
PAMPHLET
|
25/01/43
|
27/02/43
|
26/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
US
019
|
26/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
03/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
OW
007/1
|
03/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
28/02/44
|
05/03/44
|
KR
009
|
24/02/44
|
06/03/44
|
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
|
12/12/44
|
13/12/44
|
TA
171
|
12/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
15/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
AT
173
|
10/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
AT
172A
|
12/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
28/12/44
|
31/12/44
|
BTC
021
|
28/12/44
|
31/12/44
|
28/12/44
|
29/12/44
|
MKF
036A
|
24/12/44
|
29/12/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)