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Allied Warships

HMS Vivacious (D 36)

Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeDestroyer
ClassAdmiralty V & W 
PennantD 36 
Built byYarrow Shipbuilders Ltd. (Scotstoun, Scotland) 
Ordered 
Laid downJul, 1916 
Launched3 Nov, 1917 
Commissioned29 Dec, 1917 
End service 
Loss position
 
HistoryReconstruction to Long Range Escort finished in December 1942.

Sold to be broken up for scrap on 4 March 1947.

Commanding Officers:
Cdr. Cecil Ramsden Langworthy Parry, RN
31 July 1939 - 27 September 1939

Lt.Cdr. Frank Reginald Woodbine Parish, RN
27 September 1939 – 19 June 1940

Lt.Cdr. Peter Alison Ross Withers, RN
19 June 1940 – 14 January 1941

HMS Vivacious was in Dockyard Control during repairs

Lt.Cdr. Robert Alexander, DSO, RN
11 July 1941 – September 1943
DSO awarded on 31 March 1943

Lt. F.D. Cole, RN
September 1943 – 13 October 1944

Lt. Barry John Anderson, RN
13 October 1944 – still in command in April 1945 according to the Navy List
Promoted to A/Lt.Cdr on 1 November 1944

HMS Vivacious is not listed as active unit in the July 1945 Navy list 


Noteable events involving Vivacious include:

27 May, 1940
In the evening, the Polish destroyer Blyskawica recieved orders to meet with the British destroyers HMS Gallant and HMS Vivacious to enter the small port of La Panne (in the Dunkirk area) and evacuate part of RAF personnel. Unfortunely, she failed to find her partners and didn't complete the task. Instead of this, she was ordered to enter Dunkirk harbor together with the British destroyer HMS Vega and conduct a night reconnisance mission. The Admirality wanted to find out, if this harbor (partially blocked by wrecks) may be useful in Allied evacuation. Both destroyers were attacked by two German aircraft, but inspected the positions of wrecks. After that, Admiral Ramsey learned that navy vessels are able to conduct evacuation from Dunkirk and sent part of them there.


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