Type II HUNT
Class Escort
Destroyer built by Yarrow under 1940 War
Emergency Programme as Job Number
J1854. The ship was ordered with 16 others of
this Class on 20th December 1939 and laid down
on 2nd October 1940. Launched on 7th March 1942.
She was the 2nd RN ship to bear this name. that
of a
Wiltshire fox-hunt and previously used for a WW1
minesweeper sold in 1923.
Build completed on 27th June 1942. Following a
successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942
this ship was adopted by the
civil community of Barnard Castle, County
Durham. The foxhunt is named after the
Marquess of Zetland; Zetland being the Shetland
Islands.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1942-43
- MALTA
CONVOYS 1942 - NORTH
AFRICA
1942-43 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943-44 - AEGEAN
1944 - ADRIATIC 1944 - SOUTH
FRANCE 1944
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a
Field Black. within
a horseshoe inverted
White, a lion's face Gold.
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 2
June
Contractor's sea trials and commissioned for
service.
27th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
July
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials.
Worked up for operational service with ships of
Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
August
Joined Londonderry Special Escort Force and
nominated for detached service.
3rd
Part of the escort of Convoy WS21S taking relief
supplies to Malta.
Took passage to Gibraltar (Operation PEDESTAL).
10th
Deployed in destroyer screen for HM Battleships
NELSON, RODNEY, HM Aircraft Carriers
EAGLE, INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers
PHOEBE, SIRIUS and CHARYBDIS
with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, LOOKOUT,
QUENTIN, TARTAR,
ESKIMO, SOMALI, WISHART, ANTELOPE, VANSITTART and
ITHURIEL as Force Z.
(Note: Force Z provided cover for convoy transit
from Gibraltar to the Sicilian Narrows.
For details see PEDESTAL by Peter C. Smith,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, MALTA CONVOYS by R
Woodman and Naval Staff
History).
11th
Subjected to heavy and sustained air attack in
Western Mediterranean.
12th
On arrival at Sicilian Narrows returned to
Gibraltar with Force Z.
14th
Detached to join escort for HM Battleship RODNEY
during passage to Gibraltar.
16th
After arrival at Gibraltar sailed to join escort
of Convoy SL118 (Freetown - UK).
19th
Convoy under heavy U-Boat attack by BLUCHER
Group.
(See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.
21st
Detached from SL118 escort with Polish destroyer
ORP BLYSKAWICA to escort HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE to Belfast for repair
Rejoined Londonderry Escort Force on completion.
28th
Joined military convoy WS22 in Clyde with H M
Destroyers BICESTER, BULLDOG and
KEPPEL as Local Escort during passage in NW
Approaches.
September
1st
Detached from WS22 and took passage to join
escort for Convoy SL119.
Escorted rms QUEEN ELIZABETH in NW Approaches.
Returned to Londonderry and continued convoy
defence in NW Approaches
October
4th
Joined military convoy WS23 in Clyde with HM
Destroyers BICESTER and WRESTLER as
Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.
10th
Detached from WS23 with Local Escort and
returned to Clyde.
Deployed for screening duties during passage of
Home Fleet units in NW Approaches.
Sustained damage to Asdic Dome and withdrawn for
repair at Greenock.
Nominated for detached duty for support of
planned allied landings in North Africa.
(Operation TORCH - For details see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff
History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de
Winser for information about all ships
involved.
28th
After repair took passage from Londonderry for
duty with 57th Destroyer Division at Gibraltar.
November
Joined Eastern Task Force for escort of C
Fast convoys to Algiers.
8th
Provided naval gunfire support during landings
at Algiers.
Extinguished searchlight at fort on Cape Mafita.
Took HM Destroyer BROKE in tow after damage when
attempting to break through the Boom
at Algiers.
During towing operation to Gibraltar collided
with HMS BROKE and sustained further
significant damage to the destroyer which was
sunk later that day.
Rescued crew of HMS BROKE.
December
Gibraltar deployment in continuation.
12th
Deployed for escort of North African coastal
convoys.
to
31st
1 9 4 3
January
North African coastal convoy escort in
continuation.
Part of escort for Convoy TE14.
30th
Rescued four of ship's company of HM Corvette
SAMPHIRE which was sunk 30 miles NE
of Bougie, Algeria by torpedo from U596.
(Note: These were the only survivors. See
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.)
February
North African coastal convoy escort in
continuation.
to
Under air attacks and sustained slight damage
April
May
Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers LAMERTON,
ALDENHAM, HURSLEY, DULVERTON,
BICESTER, LAUDERDALE, WILTON and Greek KANARIS
(Ex HATHERLEIGH) in blockade
of Cape Bon area to intercept craft evacuating
enemy forces.
(Operation RETRIBUTION - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY).
9th
Sank small enemy vessel 30 miles NE of Cape Bon
during patrol with HMS BICESTER.
Came under attack by Spitfire aircraft during
which HMS BICESTER was badly damaged.
(For details see FRIEND OR FOE by P Kemp).
On completion of RETRIBUTION withdrawn from
operational duties due to extent of
repair needed to damage sustained in recent
service
June
Passage to UK for repair in commercial shipyard.
7th
Arrived in Tyne at Palmers shipyard in Jarrow.
July
Under repair.
Nominated for service with 59th Destroyer
Division in Malta on completion.
August
Carried out post repair trials.
16th
Took passage for work-up at Tobermory.
September
Work-up in continuation.
20th
Passage to Mediterranean.
October
Joined Division and deployed for convoy defence
and patrol duties.
Deployed for convoy escort to and from Bari and
for interception patrols off Dalmatia.
November
Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
Deployed for interception patrols off Dalmatia
and supported military shore operations.
December
2nd
Sustained major damage during major air raid at
Bari, Italy.
(Note: 17 mercantiles were sunk including an
ammunition ship which blew up and caused
extensive damage).
Later towed to Taranto by HM Destroyer BICESTER.
Taken in hand for repair.
1 9 4 4
January
Under repair.
16th
Rejoined Division on completion of post repair
trials and resumed Adriatic convoy defence,
support and patrol duties.
February
Adriatic deployment in continuation.
March
Deployed in support of military operations.
12th
Bombardment searchlight position at Dubrovnik
with HM Destroyer LAUDERDALE.
April
Adriatic convoy defence and military support
deployment in continuation.
to
June
July
Nominated for escort of military convoy during
planned assault on South of France under U S
Navy overall command with HM Escort Destroyer
OAKLEY of Division.
(Operation DRAGOON. For details see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
INVASION OF SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO) and BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de
Winser for information about all ships
involved.).
Passage to Naples.
Prepared for DRAGOON escort duty with CAMEL
Assault Force.
August
9th
Joined escort for Convoy SS1 and took passage
from Naples for Ajaccio.
(Note: Convoy comprised eight troopships, HM
Landing Ship STUART PRINCE, 40 Landing
Craft (Infantry), two Landing Craft (Flak), one
Landing Craft (Gun), 14 Landing Craft
(Rocket) and three other miscellaneous craft.
Other escorts were minesweepers, patrol craft
and Motor Launches.
13th
Sailed for CAMEL Sector from Ajaccio.
15th
Deployed off beachhead during landings.
September
After release from DRAGOON reverted to RN
control and rejoined Division.
Resumed normal escort and support duty in
Adriatic and central Mediterranean.
24th
Transferred to British Aegean Force in support
of re-occupation of Aegean islands and Greek
mainland.
Joined HM Escort Destroyers BRECON, CALPE,
CATTERICK, CLEVELAND and
LIDDESDALE.
28th
Entered Pagadia Bay, Scarpanto with HM Escort
Destroyers BRECON and LIDDESDALE.
Sank caique and silenced enemy shore batteries.
October
Deployment for support of Aegean Operations in
continuation.
November
Deployed for convoy escort and support of
mainland operations.
to December
1 9 4 5
January
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
Nominated for transfer to Home waters for convoy
defence and took passage to Harwich.
(Note: The increase in attacks by SCHNORKEL
fitted submarines on coastal convoy traffic
and in minelaying by submarines and E-Boats had
made necessary an increase in
the number of escorts deployed in the Channel
and southern North Sea.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and HOLD THE
NARROW SEA by
P Smith).
February
4th
Arrived Harwich and attached to 16th Destroyer
Flotilla.
Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet after
refit.
Deployed on convoy defence and patrol in North
Sea and English Channel.
In action with E-Boats in North Sea.
March
Escort and patrol duties in continuation.
to
(Note: Enemy activities in Nore Command
increased during this period and attack
April
against convoys in Dutch and Belgian ports was
threatened).
May
After VE Day remained in Flotilla for support of
re-occupation forces.
Refit arranged in Alexandria.
June
Passage to Alexandria to refit for service in
Eastern Fleet.
July
Under refit at Alexandria.
August
Requirement for Eastern Fleet cancelled after VJ
Day Refit work was continued.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS ZETLAND
completed refit in October 1945 and returned to
UK for service with Portsmouth
Local Flotilla. The ship was used for training
and port duties until 1946 when she was
Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status in the
Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth. At the end of 1952
this destroyer was loaned
to the Royal Norwegian Navy for four years.
Renamed KNM TROMSO she was sold
outright to Norway in July 1956. Modifications
made later included fit of
Lattice Mast and replacement of X mounting by
two SQUID
Anti-submarine mortars. Pennant No during
Norwegian service was initially D311
but changed to F311 after ship was classified as
a Frigate. She remained in
service until being sold for breaking up in
1965.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS ZETLAND
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
04/08/42
|
19/08/42
|
SL 118
|
21/08/42
|
26/08/42
|
26/10/42
|
06/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
MKF 001
|
unknown
|
15/11/42
|
27/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
KMF 004
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
13/12/42
|
16/12/42
|
TE 009
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
ET 006
|
20/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
05/01/43
|
05/01/43
|
MKF 006
|
06/01/43
|
14/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
ET 009
|
13/01/43
|
16/01/43
|
26/01/43
|
29/01/43
|
TE 014
|
30/01/43
|
30/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
07/02/43
|
KMS 008G
|
08/02/43
|
10/02/43
|
09/02/43
|
09/02/43
|
ET 011
|
11/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
09/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
TE 015
|
13/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
MKS 008
|
23/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
25/02/43
|
03/03/43
|
KMF 010A
|
04/03/43
|
04/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
KMF 011X
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
MKF 011
|
26/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
28/03/43
|
28/03/43
|
ET 016
|
30/03/43
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
TE 020
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
ET 017
|
06/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
ET 018
|
17/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
15/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
KMF 024
|
22/09/43
|
29/09/43
|
14/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
VN 021
|
15/02/44
|
15/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
VN 023
|
25/02/44
|
25/02/44
|
24/11/44
|
24/11/44
|
XIF 025
|
28/11/44
|
28/11/44
|
31/01/45
|
31/01/45
|
MKS 080G
|
02/02/45
|
07/02/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|