Allied Warships

HMS Vega (L 41)

Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeDestroyer
ClassAdmiralty V & W 
PennantL 41 
ModFast escort 
Built byDoxford Shipyard (Sunderland, U.K.) 
Ordered30 Jun 1916 
Laid down11 Dec 1916 
Launched1 Sep 1917 
Commissioned14 Dec 1917 
End service 
History

Reconstruction to Fast Escort at Chatham Dockyard completed on 27 November 1939. Pennant number was D 52 changed to L 41 upon completion of this reconstruction.

HMS Vega is not listed as active unit in the October 1945 Navy List

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

 

Commands listed for HMS Vega (L 41)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Cdr. Cyril Ivan Horton, RN19 Sep 19394 Aug 1940
2Cdr. Richard Graham Stewart, RN4 Aug 194030 Oct 1940
3A/Cdr. Thomas Bennett Brunton, RN30 Oct 19406 Nov 1940
4Lt.Cdr. Robert Fergus Jenks, RN6 Nov 1940late 1940

5Lt. Clement Francis Parker, RN15 Sep 194231 Mar 1943
6Lt. Charles Gerald Forsberg, RN31 Mar 1943mid 1945

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Notable events involving Vega include:


15 Dec 1939
HMS H 31 (Lt. P.R. Ward, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Portland with HMS Vega (Cdr. C.I. Horton, RN) and HMS Whitshed (Cdr. E.R. Conder, RN). (1)

25 Jan 1940
HMS H 34 (Lt. E.F. Balston, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Rosyth with HMS Vega (Cdr. C.I Horton, RN) and HMS Grimsby (Cdr. K.J. D'Arcy, RN). Upon completion of these exercises HMS H 34 departed Rosyth together with HMS Ursula (Cdr. G.C. Phillips, DSO, RN) and ORP Wilk (Kpt.mar. (Lt.Cdr.) B.D. Krawczyk). HMS Ursula was to proceed to Blyth, the other two submarines to Portsmouth. They were however ordered to return to Rothesay where they arrived the next day. The reason for them being recalled was due to the threat of enemy submarines operating along the east coast of the U.K. further to the south. (2)

11 Feb 1940
Convoy FS 93 (22 or 23 ships) departed the Tyne for Southend where it arrived on 13 February. It was escorted by the AA destroyer HMS Vega (Cdr. C.I Horton, RN) and the sloop HMS Stork (Cdr. A.C. Behague, RN). Additionally the destroyer HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) was also part of the escort.

14 Feb 1940
Convoy FN 94 (26 ships) departed Southend for the Tyne where it arrived on 16 February. It was escorted by AA destroyer HMS Vega (Cdr. C.I Horton, RN) and the sloop HMS Stork (Cdr. A.C. Behague, RN). Additionally the destroyer HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) was also part of the escort.

18 Feb 1940
Convoy MT 14 (14 ships) departed Methil for the Tyne where it arrived later today. It was escorted by AA destroyer HMS Vega (Cdr. C.I Horton, RN) and the sloop HMS Stork (Cdr. A.C. Behague, RN). Additionally the destroyer HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) was also part of the escort.

The same escort departed the Tyne later the same day with convoy FS 99 from the Tyne to Southend where it arrived on 20 February. HMS Jaguar however did not escort this convoy all the way as she returned to Rosyth on 19 February.

27 May 1940
In the evening, the Polish destroyer Blyskawica received 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. Unfortunately, she failed to find her partners and didn't complete the task. Instead of this, she was ordered to enter Dunkirk harbour together with the British destroyer HMS Vega and conduct a night reconnaissance mission. The Admiralty wanted to find out, if this harbour (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. (3)

11 Nov 1940
HMS Vega (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Jenks, RN) was damaged when she hit a mine near Harwich (off Sunk Head). Repairs were only completed on 14 November 1942 !

4 Jun 1943
HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) conducted A/S exercises in the Firth of Forth with HMS Westminster (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Bowerman, DSC, RN), HMS Brimness (Skr. A.E. Larner, RNR), HMS Vega (Lt. C.G. Forsberg, RN) and HMS Wallace (Lt. D. Carson, RN). (4)

22 Sep 1944
HMS Malaya (Cdr. D.H. Fuller, RN) departed Plymouth for Rosyth. She was being escorted by HMS Hart (Cdr. (retired) M.B. Sherwood, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Lark (Cdr. H.L. Pryse, DSC, RNR) and HMS Skate (Lt. J.H. Macalister, RNVR).

At 1145/22 they were joined by HMS Affleck (Cdr.(Retd.) C. Gwinner, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN), HMS Garlies (Lt.Cdr. R.L. Calpe, DSC, RN) and HMS Gore (Lt. J.V. Reeves-Brown, DSC, RN).

At 1325/24, HMS Cassandra (Cdr. P.F. Powlett, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN) and HMS Cambrian (Lt.Cdr. H.T. Harrel, RN) took over from HMS Hart and HMS Lark. [The other escorts apparently had been detached by this time.]

At 1650/24, Verdun (Cdr. D. Parsons, RD, RNR) and HMS Vega (Lt. C.G. Forsberg, RN) took over from HMS Cassandra and HMS Cambrian.

Around 0945/25, HMS Malaya arrived off Rosyth. (5)

Media links


British destroyers & frigates

Norman Friedman


Destroyers of World War Two

Whitley, M. J.

Sources

  1. ADM 173/15690
  2. ADM 173/16301
  3. Personal communication
  4. File 2.12.03.6390 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  5. ADM 53/119848

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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