Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Destroyer |
Class | Admiralty V & W |
Pennant | L 23 |
Mod | Fast escort |
Built by | Doxford Shipyard (Sunderland, U.K.) |
Ordered | 9 Dec 1916 |
Laid down | Jun 1917 |
Launched | 13 Apr 1918 |
Commissioned | 14 Oct 1918 |
Lost | 19 May 1940 |
Loss position | 51° 09'N, 2° 39'E |
History | Reconstruction to Fast Escort at Chatham Dockyard was completed in October 1938. On 19 May 1940 HMS Whitley (Lt.Cdr. Guy Neville Rolfe, RN) was badly damaged by German aircraft and beached between Nieuport and Ostend. She was later sunk by HMS Keith in position 51º09'04"N, 02º39'34"E. |
Commands listed for HMS Whitley (L 23)
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.
Commander | From | To | |
1 | Lt.Cdr. Eric Hart Dyke, RN | 24 Jun 1939 | 11 Dec 1939 |
2 | Lt.Cdr. Guy Neville Rolfe, RN | 11 Dec 1939 | 19 May 1940 |
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Notable events involving Whitley include:
20 Feb 1940
Convoy MT 15 (26 ships) departed Methil for the Tyne where it arrived later today. It was escorted by AA destroyer HMS Whitley (Lt.Cdr. G.N. Rolfe, RN) and the sloop HMS Egret (Cdr. D.P. Evans, 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 101 (22 ships) from the Tyne to Southend where it arrived on 22
22 Mar 1940
HMS Tribune (Lt.Cdr. G.P.S. Davies, RN) conducted D/G trials off Rosyth.
These were followed by exercises which included A/S exercises with HMS Whitley (Lt.Cdr. G.N. Rolfe, RN) and HMS Westminster (Lt.Cdr. A.A.C. Ouvry, RN). (1)
15 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN), HMS Whitley (Lt.Cdr. G.N. Rolfe, RN) and HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) were operating off Flushing during the night of 14/15 May 1940.
Early in the afternoon of the 15th, HMS Valentine and HMS Whitley were ordered to give AA protection to the Terneuzen - Hoedekenskerke ferry but they came under air attack and HMS Valentine was badly damaged and had to be beached near Terneuzen after which her wreck was scuttled by HMS Whitley. HMS Whitley then returned to Flushing.
Media links
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Sources
- ADM 173/16620
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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