Chapter 6 - Destroyers Again
My father returned
to Vivid on 6th January 1933, at the time the name was changed to
"Drake" and was appointed to "Vidette" shortly afterwards.
HMS Vidette was a destroyer of the "VW" class, built in
1918. Her second world war history is interesting in that she joined
"Force 8" in June 1940, was on Arctic convoys from June 1942, and
in the course of escorting the 13 ship convoy QP11 she was involved
with, and damaged by, German destroyers, and, also, she had to torpedo
the British Cruiser Edinburgh to prevent her being towed to Kirkenes
by the enemy after heavy damage. She sank Edinburgh with her last
faulty torpedo. (It was imperative that "Edinburgh" did not fall
into enemy hands. She was carrying a huge consignment of gold bars
465 in total, worth, then, £1 million. This was part payment for
American weapons and supplies sent to Russia early in the war. The
gold was recovered by a dedicated expedition in 1981).
All in all Vidette
steamed 250,000 miles, took part in two Malta convoys, and sank
U282 on 29 October 1943 in mid Atlantic. In June 1934 John Hornby
was awarded long service and good conduct medals, with a financial
gratuity. I have a nice complimentary letter to my father from the
captain of Vidette when he (JH) left her. From 30 January 1935 to
17 March 1936 my father was at "Drake" the shore base: and then
on the destroyer "Foresight" between 17 May 1935 and 17 March 1936.
HMS "Foresight" was built in 1934 so she was very new. Her war record
shows that she was sunk by our own Royal Navy ships after airborne
torpedo attack by Italian Naval Aircraft off Bizerte 12 August 1942.
My father was promoted Chief Petty Officer during his time on "Foresight",
For two months from 18 March 1936 12 May 1936, he was attached to
the "Caledon" and the "Danae", both shore stations (transit) at
that time.
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