| Noteable events involving Wanderer include: 1 Sep, 1939 The Polish destroyers Burza
(Lt.Cdr. S. Nahorski, ORP), Grom (Lt.Cdr. A. Hulewicz, ORP) and Blyskawica (Cdr. W. Kodrebski, ORP) were met in the North Sea by British aircraft and the British destroyers HMS Wallace (Lt.Cdr. W.M.L. Astwood, RN) and HMS Wanderer (Cdr R.F. Morice, RN). They were escorted to Leith. 25 Aug, 1940 The British merchant Jamaica Pioneer is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-100 east of Rockall in position 57º05'N, 11º02'W. Later the British destroyers HMS Anthony (Lt.Cdr. N.J.V. Thew, RN) and HMS Wanderer (Cdr. J.H. Ruck-Keene, RN) pick up 55 survivors. 10 Oct, 1940 The British cruisers HMS Newcastle (Capt. E.A. Aylmer, DSC, RN) and HMS Emerald (Capt. F.C. Flynn, RN), with the British destroyers HMS Broke (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, RN) and HMS Wanderer (Cdr. J.H. Ruck-Keene, DSC, RN) of the 17th DF and the Polish destroyers Garland (Cdr. K. Namiesniowski, ORP) and Burza (Cdr. A. Doroszkowski, ORP) act as a screen to the British battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) during a bombardment of Cherbourg. 2 Jun, 1941 The German submarine U-147 torpedoed and sank the Belgian merchant ship Mokambo in position 56º38'N 10º24'W. In the followup attack by the convoy escort the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Wanderer (Cdr. A.F.St.G. Orpen, RN) and the corvette HMS Periwinkle (Lt.Cdr. P.G. MacIver, RN) depth charged the U-147 to destruction. (see map) 3 Jun, 1941 The British tanker Inversuir is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-75 north of the Azores in position 48º30'N, 28º30'W. HMS Wanderer (Cdr. A.F.St.G. Orpen, RN) later picks up 9 survivors. 3 Aug, 1941 The German submarine U-401 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 50º27'N, 19º50'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer (Cdr. A.F.St.G. Orpen, RN), the Norwegian destroyer St. Albans (Lt.Cdr. S. Storheill) and the British corvette HMS Hydrangea (Lt. J.E. Woolfendon, RNR). (see map) 11 Jan, 1943 HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. D.H.P. Gardiner, DSC, RN) picks up 46 survivors from the British merchant Ocean Vagabond that was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-186 south of Iceland in position 57º17'N, 20º11'W. 25 Aug, 1943 The German submarine U-523 was sunk in the North Atlantic west of Vigo, in position 42º03'N, 18º02'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer and the British corvette HMS Wallflower. (see map) 26 Aug, 1943 HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Whinney, RN) delievered an advance RAF party to Portugal to implement agreement signed on August 18th 1943 between Britain and Portugal for the use of the Azores to operate their aircraft. 17 Jan, 1944 The German submarine U-377 was sunk in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 49º39'N, 20º10'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Whinney, RN) and the British frigate HMS Glenarm (Lt.Cdr. W.R.B. Noall, DSO, RNR). (see map) 5 Jul, 1944 The German submarine U-390 was sunk 1500hrs on 5 July 1944 in the Baie de la Seine, English Channel, in position 49º52'N, 00º48'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Whinney, DSC and Bar, RN) and the British frigate HMS Tavy (T/A/Lt.Cdr. Frank Ardern, RNR). (see map) , 1986 Reginald Fife Whinney published his memoirs 'The U-Boat Peril'.
Lt.Cdr. R.F. (Bob) Whinney, RN took command of HMS Wanderer on 20 April 1943.
He was awarderded the Distinguised Service Cross (DSC) three times for sinking enemy submarines.
He was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1944. |