 HMSWrestler underway | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Wrestler |
| Ordered | 9 December 1916 |
| Builder | Swan Hunter,Wallsend |
| Laid down | July 1917 |
| Launched | 25 February 1918 |
| Commissioned | 15 May 1918 |
| Out of service | 6 June 1944 |
| Motto |
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| Fate |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | V and W-classdestroyer |
| Displacement | 1,100 long tons (1,118 t) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft11+1⁄2 in (3.64 m) deep |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 34knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
| Range | 3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 110 |
| Armament |
|
HMSWrestler (D35) was aV and W-classdestroyer built by theRoyal Navy during the First World War and active from 1939 to 1944 during theSecond World War. She was the first Royal Navy ship to bear that name, and the only one to do so to date.
On 9 December 1916, theBritish Admiralty placed an order for 21 large destroyers based on theV class as part of the 10th War Construction Programme, which became the Admiralty W class.[2] This order included two destroyers,Whirlwind andWrestler, to be built bySwan Hunter.[3]
Wrestler was 312 feet (95.1 m)long overall and 300 feet (91.4 m)between perpendiculars, with abeam of 26 feet 6 inches (8.08 m) and adraught of between 10 feet 9 inches (3.28 m) and11 feet11+1⁄2 inches (3.64 m) depending on load.Displacement was 1,100long tons (1,100 t) standard,[4] and up to 1,490 long tons (1,510 t) deep load.[5] Three oil-fedYarrow boilers raising steam at 250 pounds per square inch (1,700 kPa) fed Brown-Curtis gearedsteam turbines which developed 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW), driving two screws for a maximum designed speed of 34knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[4][6] The ship carried 368 long tons (374 t) of oil giving a range of 3,500nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4]
The ship had a main gun armament of four4-inch Mk V QF guns in single mounts on the ship's centreline. These were disposed as two forward and two aft in superimposed firing positions. A singleQF 3-inch (76 mm) 20 cwt[a] anti-aircraft gun was mounted aft of the second funnel. Aft of the 3-inch gun, six 21-inch torpedo tubes were carried, mounted in two triple mounts on the centreline.[4][5] As built, the W-class had a complement of 134 officers and other ranks.[8]
Wrestler, the first ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy,[9] waslaid down at Swan Hunter'sWallsend shipyard during July 1917, and waslaunched on 25 February 1918.[3][10] She was commissioned on 1 May 1918,[11] and was completed on 15 May that year.[3][10]
By 1931,Wrestler was recorded as having her 3-inch anti aircraft gun replaced by two2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom autocannon,[12] although one of these had been removed by 1939.[13] While most of the class had one bank of torpedo tubes removed in 1940 to accommodate a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun,Wrestler was, at least initially, not modified.[14] Close-range anti-aircraft armament was improved by adding a second pom-pom and twoOerlikon 20 mm cannon.[15]
Conversion to long-range escort involved removal of a boiler, which was replaced by fuel tanks and an additional mess deck (the elderly V & Ws were overcrowded so additional accommodation was welcome). Power dropped to 18,000 shp (13,000 kW) and speed to 24.5 kn (28.2 mph; 45.4 km/h). The forward "A"-mount 4-inch gun was replaced by aHedgehog anti-submarine mortar, while the aft-most ("Y"-mount) 4-inch guns and the torpedo tubes were removed to allow a heavier depth-charge armament to be carried.[16][17][18]Wrestler was also converted for arctic use, with additional ballast to counter the buildup of topweight owing to icing, and improved insulation and heating.[19]
Wrestler joined the12th Destroyer Flotilla of theGrand Fleet on commissioning.[20] During May 1918, the battleshipHindustan was in collision withWrestler, badly damaging the destroyer.[21]Wrestler remained part of the 12th Flotilla on 11 November 1918, when theArmistice with Germany ended the fighting of the First World War.[22]
In March 1919, in a reorganisation of the Royal Navy,Wrestler transferred to the3rd Destroyer Flotilla of what became theAtlantic Fleet, based atRosyth.[20][23][24] In 1919,Wrestler took part in theBritish campaign in the Baltic, part of theAllied intervention in the Russian Civil War. On 15 July 1919, the minesweepersGentian andMyrtle struckmines while clearing a minefield east ofSaaremaa. WhileMyrtle sank quickly,Gentian remained afloat, and on 16 July,Wrestler arrived at the scene with the Estonian tugEbba, but the weather was too bad for towing the sloop to safety, andGentian sank on 17 July.[25][26]
In March 1920,Wrestler transferred to the1st Destroyer Flotilla.[20][27] The ship waspaid off atChatham on 1 December 1920 and recommissioned with a new crew on the same day for further service with the 1st Flotilla.[20][28] In 1921, the Royal Navy's destroyer forces were again reorganised into smaller flotillas of eight destroyers and onedestroyer leader, compared with the larger flotillas (of 16 destroyers) previously used, withWrestler moving to the5th Destroyer Flotilla.[29] On 8 October 1921, the AmericansteamerWest Camak rammed the Britishpassenger shipRowan from astern infog in theNorth Channel.Rowan's passengers were mustered on deck. The British steamerClan Malcolm then rammedRowan fromstarboard and cut her in two.Rowan sank with the loss of 22 of the 97 people on board.Wrestler joinedClan Malcolm andWest Camak in rescuing survivors fromRowan.[30][31][32][20][b]
Wrestler was reduced to reserve at theNore in January 1922, but in May that year was recommissioned to serve astender toHMS Vernon the torpedo school atPortsmouth.[20] On 27 June 1927,Wrestler formed part of the escort for the battlecruiserRenown, carrying theDuke and Duchess of York into Portsmouth at the end of their tour of Australia and New Zealand.[33][34] On 24 January 1928,Wrestler, together with the destroyerVanoc, escorted the minesweeperCaterham as she carried the body ofAdmiral of the FleetJohn de Robeck from Portsmouth to theIsle of Wight.[35]Wrestler was refitted at Chatham from 30 April to 2 December 1930, with her boiler tubes being replaced.[20] On 15–17 July 1935,Wrestler took part inKing George V's Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, escorting theRoyal yachtVictoria and Albert.[36][37] In September 1935,Wrestler joined the21st Destroyer Flotilla, which had been formed from ships in reserve and second line duties as temporary replacement forHome Fleet destroyer flotillas sent to theMediterranean Sea because of theAbyssinia Crisis.[38] On 13 October 1935,Wrestler went to the aid of the Norwegian tankerBarfonn, which had been damaged by an explosion in one of her oil tanks, which killed three, when offPortland Bill.[39]Wrestler was returned to reserve in February 1936 before being refitted at Portsmouth and rejoiningVernon in November that year.[20] She continued to serve atVernon until March 1939.[20]
Wrestler was one of 36 V and W-class destroyers that were listed as being earmarked for conversion toWAIR-type anti-aircraft escort destroyers in 1938,[40] and in May 1939, was sent toMalta for survey prior to conversion. On 15 August 1938, the unconvertedWrestler was reduced to reserve at Gibraltar.[20]
Wrestler was recommissioned at Gibraltar on 28 August 1939,[20] joining the13th Destroyer Flotilla,[41] with duties including convoy escort in the Atlantic in the early stages of theBattle of the Atlantic.[1] In December 1939,Wrestler entered a refit at Malta, which continued until March, having her boiler tubes replaced. In April 1940,Wrestler returned to Britain, where she was fitted with aDegaussing coil and at the start of May 1940, returned to Gibraltar as escort to the battleshipWarspite.[20]
On 3 July 1940Wrestler she was present at the Britishattack on the Vichy French fleet atMers-el-Kébir,Algeria, where she was assigned to watch the nearby port ofOran. The British bombardment sank the battleshipBretagne and damaged the battleshipsProvence andDunkerque, but theFrench battleship Strasbourg managed to avoid damage and escaped the harbour, firing onWrestler as the battleship left Mers-el-Kébir, forcingWrestler to withdraw behind a smokescreen.Wrestler later picked up the crews of two British aircraft that were shot down while unsuccessfully attackingStrasbourg.[42][43]
On 8 July,Wrestler[1][44][45][c] sailed withForce H on a diversion for operations of theMediterranean Fleet to cover the passage from Malta toAlexandria of two convoys. As part of this diversion, aircraft from the carrierArk Royal would attackCagliari inSicily. The attack on Cagliari was abandoned after Force H came under heavy air attack on 9 July, while the Mediterranean Fleet operations resulted in theBattle of Calabria.[47][46] On 31 July,Wrestler left Gibraltar as part of Force H forOperation Hurry, in whichArk Royal, escorted by most of Force H, includingWrestler would launch an air attack against Cagliari, while the carrierArgus would fly off 12Hawker Hurricane fighters to Malta. This timeArk Royal'sSwordfish bombers successfully attacked Cagliari, whileArgus's Hurricanes reached Malta safely and Force H returned to Gibraltar unharmed.[48][49] On 18 October 1940,Wrestler, together with the destroyerFiredrake and twoSaro Londonflying boats of202 Squadron RAF attacked and sank the ItalianAdua-classsubmarineDurbo east of Gibraltar. BeforeDurbo sank, a boarding party from the two destroyers seized code books and documents that led to theItalian submarine Lafolè being sunk by the destroyersGallant,Griffin andHotspur on 20 October.[20][50]
From 5–8 May 1941,Wrestler took part inOperation Tiger, in which a convoy carrying much needed tanks and aircraft for theEighth Army in theWestern Desert was run through the Mediterranean from Gibraltar to Alexandria, with Force H escorting the convoy to near Malta.[51][52]Wrestler remained based at Gibraltar until June 1941, when she transferred toFreetown, joining the18th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy operations off West Africa.[20][53] In November 1941,Wrestler returned to Gibraltar for refit and repair to hercondensers, with the works continuing until March 1942.[20]Wrestler was adopted byHyde in December 1941 after a successful "Warship Week"National Savings campaign.[1]
Wrestler returned to Force H based at Gibraltar, with duties including escorting so calledClub Runs, aircraft delivery operations to Malta, andMalta Convoys.[20][1] On 2 May 1942, a flying boat of 202 Squadron RAF[d] attacked a surfaced German submarine nearCartagena. The flying boat remained above the site of the attack and summonedWrestler and the destroyerWishart, which made contact with the German submarineU-74 and sank the submarine in a series of depth-charge attacks.[54][55] From 7 to 10 May 1942,Wrestler took part onOperation Bowery, forming part of the escort for the carriersEagle andWasp as they flew off 64Spitfire fighters to Malta (61 arrived).[58][59] From 17 to 20 May,Wrestler took part in another Club Run, whenEagle andArgus flew off 17 Spitfires,[58][60] on 2–4 June 1942, whenEagle despatched 31 Spitfires,[58][61] and on 7–9 June, whenEagle flew off 32 Spitfires.[58][62] From 12 June 1942,Wrestler took part inOperation Harpoon, an attempt to run a convoy from Gibraltar to Malta, at the same time as another convoy (Operation Vigorous) would be run from Egypt to Malta, in order to divide opposing forces.Wrestler formed part of the covering force (Force W) that escorted the convoy as far as theSicilian Narrows on 15 June.[63][64] On 10–15 August 1942,Wrestler helped to escort the carrierFurious as she carried out a Club Run, despatching 37 Spitfires to Malta at the same time as theOperation Pedestal convoy to Malta took place.[58][65]
In November 1942, the British and Americans launchedOperation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa.[66][67] On 21 October 1942,Wrestler left Britain as part of the escort to Convoy KX4A to Gibraltar, carrying troops and equipment for the invasion, and then formed part of the Eastern Naval Task Force bound for Algiers, left Gibraltar escorting Convoy KMS1 on 5 November with the landings taking place on 8 November.[68][69] She then took part in the landings at Bougie (nowBéjaïa), Algeria, on 11 November.[70] On 15 November 1942Wrestler was escorting the convoy MKF1, returning from the Mediterranean to the United Kingdom, and was about 80 nmi (92 mi; 150 km) west of Gibraltar, when her radar detected a surfaced submarine and ran ahead of the convoy to engage the submarine. The submarine dived asWrestler approached, andWrestler dropped a pattern of depth charges that sankU-98. The encounter caused the convoy to change course, however, which took in into the path ofU-155, which sank the escort carrierAvenger and the troop transportEttrick.[71]
From December 1942 to May 1943,Wrestler was refitted and modified to a Long Range Escort atSheerness Dockyard, joiningWestern Approaches Command after completion of her reconstruction.[58] In July 1943,Wrestler took part inOperation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, escorting a convoy from Britain to the invasion area.[72][73] She then returned to Atlantic and Russian convoy duties,[1] forming part of the 3rd Escort Group in September 1943.[74] From late September to early August 1943,Wrestler, now part of the 8th Support Group, escorted convoys to theAzores to help set up airbases for use by the RAF under theAnglo-Portuguese Alliance.[75]
On 20 December 1943, theArctic convoyJW 55B leftLoch Ewe in Scotland, withWrestler part of the convoy's close ocean escort, which consisted of 10 destroyers, two corvettes and a minesweeper, with a covering force of three cruisers and distant cover provided by the battleshipDuke of York, another cruiser and four destroyers. The escort was reinforced with four destroyers detached fromConvoy RA 55A on 25 December. When the convoy was threatened by German surface forces led by theGerman battleship Scharnhorst,Wrestler remained with the convoy, while the four destroyers from RA 55 were detached to join the cruiser force. On 26 December, the covering forces clashed withScharnhorst in theBattle of the North Cape, which ended with the German battleship being sunk. The convoy reached theKola Inlet on 30 December, unharmed.[76][77]Wrestler sailed with the return convoyRA 55B, which left the Kola Inlet on 31 December 1943 and arrived, unharmed, back at Loch Ewe, on 8 January 1944.[78] On 22 January 1944,Wrestler sailed as part of the local escort forConvoy JW 56B, which was relieved by the ocean escort on 26 January.[79][80] On 27 March 1944,Wrestler joined the ocean escort ofConvoy JW 58, continuing with the convoy until it arrived in Russia on 4 April. While the convoy came under heavy U-boat attack, the attacking submarines were driven off, with the convoy unscathed and three U-boats sunk.[81][80]Wrestler escorted the return convoy, RA 58, which arrived in Scotland unharmed on 14 April.[82] There was a large number of Allied merchant ships remaining at Russian arctic ports after the convoys of early 1944, and while the upcoming invasion of France meant that convoys to Russia would be suspended for several month, it was decided to run a convoy to escort these ships back to Britain, andWrestler was part of an escort force that arrived at the Kola Inlet on 23 April 1944. As well as the 43 merchant ships that made up Convoy RA 59 when it left Kola on 28 April, the US Navy crew of the cruiserMilwaukee, which had been transferred to the Soviet Navy underLend-Lease, and Soviet crews for British ships that were to be transferred to the Soviets also needed to be transported by Britain, and they were spread between the ships of the convoy and its escort, withWrestler carrying 14 US Navy personnel. The convoy experienced extremely poor weather, and came under U-boat attack, which resulted in one merchant ship, theWilliam S. Thayer being sunk, while the convoy's escorts sank three U-boats.[83][84]
June 1944 boughtOperation Neptune (the naval side ofD-Day).Wrestler left theSolent on 5 June 1944, escorting (together with twoMotor Launches) Assault Convoy J7 (consisting of 15LCT(4) landing craft carryingself-propelled artillery, 4 rocket-equippedLCT(R) to provide fire support for the landings and twoLCS support landing craft, toJuno Beach.[85][86]Wrestler spent much of the night of 5/6 June shepherding stray craft back into the swept channels, but at 06:37 hr on the morning of 6 June 1944, struck a mine while about aCable length (approx 185 m) east of the swept channel.[85][87] The explosion killed two men and wounded several more, with a fire breaking out and flooding occurring. The fire was extinguished and the flooding controlled, with the ship being taken under tow at 08:45 hr, arriving at Portsmouth at 23:50 hr. On examination, the damage was found to be severe and not worth repairing, andWrestler was declared aconstructive total loss.[88] She was allocated to theship breakerJohn Cashmore Ltd on 20 July 1944 and was scrapped at theirNewport, Wales yard from 9 August 1944.[89]
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