V class Flotilla Leader (1917)

Royal Navy Flotilla Leader Destroyer built 1916-17:
Vampire, Valentine, Valhalla, Valorous, Valkyrie active 1918-1947

The V class flotilla leaders were a group of five fast Royal Navy destroyer leaders built in 1917 for the planned mass-build V class destroyers. The master world of the day was speed. They were specifically designed to reach 34 knots, while being relatively lightly armed (albeit like the Parker class) compared to older leaders. They draw from the R-class design and had superfiring guns fore an aft, as the V-class would be. They were built within a year, and served from 1917 as divisional or half-leaders, initially named after Scottish warriors and latter taking V-names as they were supposed to lead flotillas of this new class. Valentine, Valhalla, Valorous, Valkyrie were in the Harwich Force and Baltic. Two were discarded in the interwar, Valhalla in 1931 abd Valkyrie in 1936, the others were still active when WW2 broke out, modernized. Valentine was sunk in May 1940 in the the mouth of the Schelde by Ju-87 Stukas, and Vampire on 9 April 1942 by Japanese D3A1 Val bombers from Akagi and Hiryu West of Ceylon.

Development

Fast new destroyers with all-superfiring artillery

The new “R” class promised to outstrip existing flotilla leaders. So the DNC (Director of Naval Construction) Sir Eustace Tennyson d’Eyncourt was asked by the admiralty and Churchill to design a new flotilla leader capable of a nominal speed of 34 knots in January 1916. The Admiralty V-class leaders were the initial five V-class ships ordered in April, and were to match the 36 knot of the new S class. Indeed existing flotilla leaders would no longer be able to keep pace. Construction speed was under consideration, and they would have the same three-boiler, two-funnel machinery of the R class. By being larger this would force on them however a slight decrease in speed, and this was accepted. Compared to the standard V-class they would have a larger bridge structure, but also a taller foremast and a mainmast mounted further aft for longer, taller wireless aerials. They would have extra boats abreast the after funnel. The searchlight platform was to be relocated between the torpedo tubes, enlarged for an extra compass to be mounted as well.

The design was submitted in April, just repeating to gain time the armament of the Parker class, but with superimposed new QF Mk.V guns aft and forward. These superfiring positions became indeed the major innovation of the design: The Parker class had her “A-B” main guns superfiring forward but her “X” gun was on deck aft and she had a “S” mount amidship like former destroyers on a bandstand between funnels. This time, there will be a “X-Y” arrangement aft with the “X” gun relocated on the quartedeck structure aft. This new arrangement gave a better fire arc and became a new worldwide standard for destroyers.

Accommodation was completely overhauled as well and made better, with the bridge pushed 4.6 meters (15 ft) further aft, on an overall length made 4.6 meters (15 ft) less longer. Cost was also a consideration, and at £200,000 these new flotilla leaders would be £50,000 cheaper than the Lightfoot class, only £6000 more than some of the Yarrow ‘M’ and ‘R’ class. The first two orders were placed with Denny Bros in April 1916 and three more from J S White and Cammell Laird in July, delivered from June 1917. The construction speed was also remarkable. These new destroyer leaders overall constituted a great improvement over previous designs. They were the erfect combination of good seakeeping and powerful armament. Vampire even tested triple mounts for her torpedoes for the first time as well, a future standard as well.
They were however used as flotilla leaders only for a short time as more powerful leaders followed them quickly and took their place. They were relegated in 1918 and at V-Day as division or half-flotilla leaders.

1938-40 Modernization

By the end of 1930 however, the “V” and “W” classes started to be outdated. Part were sold for BU (also imposed by the 1930 London Treaty) but the majority remained laid up in reserve. In 1938 the admiralty still had three of these extant. Valhalla was the first to go, sold in 1931, and Valkyrie, the class namesake, in 1936. So it was offered to convert them to fast anti-aicraft escorts for convoy protection, to supplement fleet destroyers and notably plating the rol of stopgaps before the 1940 “Hunt” class escort destroyer would be commissioned. Many more extant V-W class also underwent modifications as dedicated ASW escort ships.

This conversion as AA escort was done under the program “WAIR” the same that oversaw the conversion of twenty “V” and “W” class destroyers. They lost their main artillery, replaced in the end by two 2 twin 102mm (4 inches) DP guns fore and aft plus two quadruple Vickers 12.7mm MGs. The forward superstructurebe were rehspaed as well, box-shaped and bigger and there was a limited reconstruction of their internal accomodations and compartments to suit the new DP guns ammunitions magazines, wereas the forecastle was lenghtened by 2 meters (7 ft) and the side oil fuel tanks over the waterline were located below for better seakeeping, stability and balance, with enough provision for future additions (see below).

Design of the class

Hull and general design

The V class leader displaced 1,188 long tons (1,207 t) normal and 1400 tonnes fully loaded. They measured 312 ft (95.1 m) overall for a beam of 29 ft 6 in (9 m) and a draught of 11 ft 9 in (3.6 m) deep loaded.
For their general layout, the Valkyrie class had a indeed distinctive appearance: They had a tall, thin fore funnel and, short fatter second funnel. They superficially looked like the V and W destroyers, but their compass platform was placed forward of the searchlight platform amidships. Otherwise the hull was very similar to other designs of the time, with an almost straight stem, limited flaren a forecastle about 1/3 of their lenght, the main superfirng guns and bridge sitting forward of the cut. The composed foremast supporting wireless cables down to the shorter mainsast aft was not provided a spotting top, but there was a fire control system (see later). The two funnels that followed, both raked were unusual, with the forward thin and taller than the fatter, lower aft one (above a pair of boilers side by side). But the two funnels were also caracteristic of the V-W class. The main AA gun was located on a banstand aft of the second funnel, then came the two twin torpedo tubes banks (except Vampire), with a light and a compass between them on a platform, and the aft quarterdeck structure for “X-Y” guns. The poop had vertical walls but was rounded. The machinery space was relatively short, about 1/4 of their lenght, starting at the forecastle cut.

Powerplant

The V-class flotilla leader diverged as much as their shipyards decided to fit them various sets:
HMS Vampire (White, Cowes) had two sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, and 3 White-Forster boilers.
Valentine and Valhalla (Cammell Laird, Birkenhead) had two sets Parsons geared steam turbines and 3 Yarrow boilers.
Valorous and Valkyrie (Denny, Dumbarton) had two sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines and 3 Yarrow boilers.
On this arrangement of three Water-tube boilers, two sets for two shafts, bronze fixed-pitch 3-bladed propellers, they were rated for a substantial 27,000 shp (20,134 kW) for a top speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) and a range of 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).
In complement some sources states they had two 26.25 kw dynamos arranged in parallel with an additional 9 kw oil-fired set for emergency use.

Armament

It was standardized at four single QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V guns munted in superfiring pairs fore and aft, like the V-W class destroyer, with a single QF 3-inch (76 mm) 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun amidship on a banstand and still two twin 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes with reloads. Vampire tested unlike the others triple torpedo tubes. All will received also depth charges, one rack for ten charges aft. No Y-gun was added during the war. Of course they would be modernized in the 1930s and completely rebuilt in 1938-40 as AA escorts (see later).

QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V

The QF 4-inch gun Mk IV was introduced in 1911 as a faster-loading light gun, successor to the BL 4 inch Mk VIII. 1,141 were produced, and of these, 939 were still available in 1939. They evolved later into the XII and Mk XXII variants which armed British interwar and World War II submarines as deck guns. The Mark IV remained in service on all WWI destroyers as standard, but the late war V-W classes. They used P. IX mountings with 25 degree elevation in initial planning. Usual round provision was 120 rounds (per gun), with 36 common, 84 lyddite, 19 practice rounds, but no illumination rounds. If elevation was possible up to 20 degrees the sight only reached 15 degrees athough whereas the range dial only went to 12.5 degrees, that is the equivalent of 7,900 yards. Later, additional sight strips graduated to 10,200 yards were provided. There was a deflection gearing corresponding to 2200 fps at 2000 yards and drift was corrected by 2 degrees correction. Each gun had a layer’s telescope, which sight line was 12.5 inches above the bore, 21.45 inches to its left and the trainer’s own 12.5 top, 17.4 in right respectively, with open sights 13.3 in above, 24.35 in (layer) or 20.3 in (trainer).
⚙ Specifications
Mass: 2,750 pounds (1,250 kg) barrel & breech, barrel 160 inches (4.064 m) bore (40 cal.)
Breech: horizontal sliding-block
Elevation: P IX Mount: -10° to +20°. 1917 CP III Mount: +30°
Muzzle velocity: 2,370 feet per second (720 m/s), range 11,580 yards (10,590 m) at +30°.
Shell: Separate QF 31 pounds (14.06 kg) 4-inch (101.6 mm)

QF 3-inch (76 mm) Mark III HA 20 cwt

The QF 3-inch 20 cwt was anti-aircraft gun introduced by Vickers in 1914. Uesed for home defence against German Zeppelins and bombers it saw extended use aboard naval ships. “20 cwt” signifie as for 20 hundredweight = 2,240 lb/1,020 kg to differentiate it from other British 3-inch artillery pieces. They were provided wit 100 rounds, including flares.
⚙ Specs:
Calibre/Bore 3 inches (76.2 mm), Barrel Length: 140 inches (3.556 m)
Total Weapon Weight: 2,721 kg (6,000 lbs)
Standard Ammunition: 12.5 lb (5.7 kg) or 16 lb (7.3 kg) High Explosive/Shrapnel
Muzzle Velocity: 2,000 to 2,500 ft/s (610 to 760 m/s) depending on shell weight
Effective Ceiling: Approx. 15,700 feet (4,785 m)
Rate of Fire: 16–20 rounds per minute.

Torpedo Tubes

The V-class leaders had the same mounts as the R-class: Two double revolving 21-in torpedo tubes on the centreline. In standard they were equipped with the 21-in Mark II** torpedo, or 3-starred if available, and later swapped to the 21-in Mark II***** (5 starred) variant. HMS Fearless and this class had above water tubes built with screw plugs to allow an alteration of range and depth and for the gyro angle to be adjusted. The charging valve could be accessed, the collision head filled while in the tube. The RGF Mk II 21-in torpedo had a Hardcastle heater to run at 50 kts (93 km/h; 58 mph) over 1000yds (910 m) or 12,000yds (11,000 m) at 30kts (56 km/h; 35 mph). But if present, it was due to shortages. Mark II** had a 2,500 psi pressure as special setup, over the standard normal 2,350 psi. To reach the highest ranges, normal pressure was used to reduce consumption. The Mark II** was used as standard until 1918 as more recent Marks were preferrably assigned to more recent destroyers.Some ships were also given single surplus 356 mm or 14 inches tubes at the beam, two in all, with limited traverse.
⚙ Specs 21-in Mark II*****
The Mark Two five star or “two-five” entered service in 1916.
Weight: 2,953 lb (1,339 kg), Length: 22 ft (6.7 m), warhead 400 lb (180 kg) TNT
Settings: 18,000 yd (16,000 m)/19 kts, 15,000 yd (14,000 m)/24 knots, 6,000 yd (5,500 m)/35 knots, 4,500 yd (4,100 m)/45 knots (83 km/h).
Usually captains preferred the fastest, shortest setup as it was easier to calculate for close combat engagements with peer vessels, and the longest for “distruptive launches” in line battle.

Depth Charges

Single rack at the poop when completed in 1917 for ten depth charges. They were of the likely the Type D Mark III (1917). Standard DC 1917-18 and still in service in 1940. Effective kill radius 14 feet (4.3 m). Very close to the USN Mark II with external dial easily set before dropping.
⚙ Specs Type D Mark III
Total Weight: About 420 lbs. (191 kg)
Explosive Charge: 300 lbs. (136 kg) TNT (replaced with Amatol about 1917)
Sink Rate/Terminal Velocity: 7 fps (2.1 mps)
Settings: 300 feet (91 m) max.

Fire Control

In 1917 they featured electric fire control systems like earlier flotilla leaders, and the light training director system. Theh had the Small Type Training Receivers of pattern number 20 and 21 fore and aft respectively. By 1918 they received director installations with a voice pipe from T.S. to director, fire gongs and repeat receivers in addition oa 9 or 12 ft rangefinder. In 1921 they had 9ft F.Q. 2 on an M.Q. 1, M.Q. 9 or M.Q. 12 mount on their fore bridge.

Modernizations

In November 1918, Valorous and Valentine (11th Destroyer Flotilla/13th Destroyer Flotilla) were fitted to carry 40 “H” and “M” type mines with torpedo tubes and guns removed when shipped and placed back aboard with short notice.
In the early 1920s, Valentine, Valhalla, Valorous, Valkyrie saw the replacement of their twin by triple torpedo tubes as Vampire. They also received new rangefinders. In the 1920s, Valhalla received the type 114 sonar while Valorous tested the type 115 sonar but in the interwar, surviving ships had either the new type 124 or type 127 sonar installed.

1938 AA conversion plan

Valorous was refitted between 11/1938 and 6.1939
Valentine was refitted betwee 6/1939 and 4.1940.
Both were rearmed with two twin 4-in or 102mm/45 QF Mk XVI DP, two quad Vickers 0.5 in (12.7mm)/62, two DC Throwers (25 DC for 2 DCT and 1 DCR).
In early 1940, Vampire had her aft triple TT bank replaced by a quad 12.7mm/62 Vickers AA and received two 2 DC throwers.

Wartime Modifications

In 1941-1942, Valorous received two 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, in 1942 Valorous had its Vickers HMGs replaced by two 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, and a type 285 radar was mounted on her foremast.
In 1943-1944, Valorous had her DC stowage going up to 45, and had now a full displacement of 1665-1710 t with a fuel stowage reduced to 325 t. She also had the type 286P and type 271 radars installed.
She ended the war with a type 285, type 286P, type 271 radars, type 124 or type 127 sonar installed.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	1,188t /1400t FL
Dimensions	312 ft x 29 ft 6 in x 11 ft 9 in (95.1 x 9 x 3.6 m) deep
Propulsion	2 shafts turbines sets, 3 WT boilers: 27,000 shp (20,134 kW)
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range	3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 15 knots
Armament	4× QF 4 in Mk V, 1x QF 3-inch (76 mm) 20 cwt AA, 2×2* 21-inch TTs, 1 DCR(10)
Crew	134

*Vampire 2×3

Career of the Valkyrie class (V class Leaders)

HMS Valkyrie

HMS Valkyrie (ex-Malcolm) pennants F83, F86, F05 was ordered from Denny, Dumbarton in April 1916, laid down in May 1916, launched on 13 May 1917 and completed in June. She started her career as F.83, first of her class completed, and after training, shakedown, the joined the 10th Destroyer Flotilla as leader, Harwich Force, for sweeps and convoy escort. On 22 December 1917, Valkyrie escorted convoy to the Netherlands when hitting a mine. 12 men were killed, 7 later dying of wounds. Three more 10th Flotilla DDs were also crippled, HMS Torrent, Surprise and Tornado, sunk the next day. Valkyrie was repaired at Chatham until July 1918. She was then assigned to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth, led by HMS Champion. By November 1918, her unit was sent to the Baltic for British intervention in the Russian civil war. The 13th Flotilla was relieved in January 1919 and she was reassigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla.
In 1921, she was part of the new 8-ships flotillas, as leader of the 9th DF, laid up at Rosyth with skeleton crews. After a refit at Chatham, Valkyrie was in operations by August 1923, with the same 9th Flotilla until November 1925, transferred to the 7th DF, laid up at Port Edgar. Then recommissioned by June 1926 as emergency destroyer at Rosyth, until relieved by HMS Verdun, back to reserve in November. By June 1927, Valkyrie joined the 2nd DF, Mediterranean Fleet to replace her sister Valentine having her boiler tubes replaced. After the swap back she was sent to reserve at Sheerness, remaining until February 1927, transferred to Rosyth and inactive until 1936. She was then stricken and sold to Thos. W. Ward’s for scrap.

HMS Valentine

Valentine (ex-Bruce), pennants F99, F30, D49, L69 was ordered from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead on April 1916, laid down on 8/1916, launched on 24.3.1917 and completed in 6/1917. She integrated the Grand Fleet, 13th Destroyer Flotilla, 6th Light Cruiser Squadron as F99, then F30 by 1918. In October 1917, she took part in a large anti-submarine sweep with destroyers and submarines used to drive German U-boats tunderway back to port east of the Dogger Bank into an array of mine nets. A well known fishing technique. Valentine escorted the armed drifters deploying the nets, remaining at sea for 10 days, with Room 40 (British Intel) believing three U-boats had been “probable kills”. Valentine was part of the escort later of the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron deployed to attack German minesweepers in the Heligoland Bight and thus, had a presence in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. Valentine and Vanquisher at some point were close enough to attempt a torpedo attack on German cruisers but missed. This was her last wartime action. But November 1918 did not meant the end for her.
On 12 February 1919, Valentine collided with the destroyer Verdun of the same 13th Flotilla. Damage was moderate. In March she joined the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet and from August to November joined the Baltic Sea force for the Russian Civil War intervention and ensuring the independence of the Baltic states as a buffer. After the Treaty of Tartu between Estonia and Soviet Russia and ceasefire with Latvia the war there ended by February 1920 but the RN and Valentine remained until June. She went back home and remained in the flotilla until January 1922, joining the 9th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth. In January 1923, she wa sreassigned to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet. From September 1924 same unit, but deployed in the Mediterranean for fout years. By September 1928, she was equippped wit a modern sonar and paret of an Asdic-equipped screen protecting capital ships of the Mediterranean fleet in Exercise NX. Like Vampire in WWI she also obtained triple tubes and a 2-pounder “pom-pom” replaced her 3-in gun. She joined the 6th DF, Home Fleet by July 1932, then reserve at Devonport in November 1934, re-commissioned, 21st Destroyer Flotilla by September 1935, reserve in May 1936.
In 1936, she was selected for conversion as AA escort alongside other V and W classes fleet destroyers, as part of the “Wair” program. It was done at Devonport and Plymouth between June 1939 and 23 April 1940 and after working-up, she joined the Nore Command for East coast convoys, then Dover Command in May. She was then deployed to the Scheldt estuary for demolition operations, evacuation of shipping from Antwerp. She covered Allied troops until one day, on 15 May 1940, when she and nreaby vessels were under heavy attack by Ju-87 Stukas. She had a direct hit, and was beached near Terneuzen lest she capsized. 31 were killed, 21 injured. She was partly salvaged (razed) and BU by 1953, with lower parts remaining, rusting away to this day.

HMS Valorous

Valorous (ex-Montrose) pennants F92, G00, G20, L00 was ordered from Denny, Dumbarton on April 1916, laid down on 5/1916, launched on 8.5.1917 and completed in 8/1917. Upon completion, she entered the 11th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet in World War I. Close to 11 November 1918, she had been converted for use as minelayer, upon quick conversion. She was never used that way. By March 1919, she joined the newly formed 1st Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet as one of two leaders. By May she was sent with her unit to the Baltic Sea to contain Bolshevik advances part of the Russian Civil War. On 27 July 1919, the Bolshevik submarine Vepr of the Bars-class made a torpedo attack on Valorous and Vancouver but missed. The latetr followed the torpeod trail to the point of origin and dropped depht charges, severely damaging Vepr. She still managed to escape back to Kronstadt. The 1st Flotilla was bacl home by August via Port Edgar, as new HP, but as the men received 16 days home leave than 21 days instead of a later muutiny when recalled the men deserted on 12 October. In total from 150 and 200 men in the whole flotilla, including Valorous. Battleships provided crews, trained, and the flotilla sailed back to the baltic on 14 October.On 4 November 1919, the German-backed West Russian Volunteer Army attacked Liepāja Latvia and the RN force here, with her and Winchester, Wryneck, Whitley led by the light cruiser Phaeton, reinforced by the cruiser Dauntless and monitor Erebus, fired on the attackers, helping Latvian defenders. The battle ended on 14 November with Valorous short of ammunition.

On 1 April 1920, she joined the 4th DF until 2 February 1923, then the 2nd DF until 15 January 1924, exchanged flotillas with Valentine to the 9th DF, in reserve wit caretaker crews, until October 1925 when she was laid up at Rosyth. By July 1926, she was recommissioned as emergency destroyer at Rosyth until December and by February 1927, laid up at Sheerness, refitted from March-June. Her reserv ended by April 1932, recommissioned into the 2nd DF, Atlantic Fleet, replacing Vanquisher, 2nd Flotilla until August 1935 and by September 19th DF, based at Malta after the Abyssinia Crisis. She had engine room flooding by September, repaired at Malta until March 1936, sent at Sheerness April-June 1936. After the Spanish Civil War broke out she was sent for neuutrality patrols off the northern coast of Spain from 28 July to 28 August 1936. On 20 October she was back in reserve at Chatham. In 1938 she was selected for conversion as AA ship, recommissioned on 30 June 1939, training ship for the Clyde division and volunteer Reserve. By August 1939 she was in the escort force, Rosyth for convoy defence duties, North Sea and Northwestern Approache.

In January 1940 she started defending convoys along the east coast and English Channel. She was not selected for the allied evacuation from Dunkirk. On 11 June 1940, she was escorting Convoy FN 23 a fierce Luftwaffe attack she repelled some of the Ju-87 and Ju-88 and rescued men from the sunken collier Heworth. In July she was part of anti-invasion patrols. In 1941, as the threat of an invasion was over shshe was back in convoy and by 21 June 1941 rescued survivors of the tanker Vancouver (sunk by mine off Sunk Head Buoy in Harwich). HMS Valorous was adopted by Dewsbury, after the Warship Week National Savings campaign in October 1941. Her duties ended by January 1942 for Operation Performance, to cover the break-out of merchant ships from Sweden via the Danish Straits. By then she scanned the area with her newly installed Type 286P radar and direction-finding equipment plus Type 285 fire-control radar. By 1943–1944, she remained in convoy escort without much to report until May 1945. She then supported reoccupation forces. By 14 May 1945 she joined Venomous, escorting minesweepers at Kristiansund in Norway.
She was decommissioned in 1945, on the disposal list in 1946, sold for BU on 4 March 1947, at Thornaby.

HMS Vampire

HMS Vampire (ex-Wallace), (from October 1933 to the RAN) pennants F0A, G70, G50, D68 was ordered from White, Cowes on April 1916, laid down on 10/1916, launched on 21.5.1917 and completed in 9/1917. Vampire was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla for several operations, but logs are missing. After the war ended she remained in British waters or Mediterranean, never sent to fight in the Baltic like some of her sisters. Nothing much to report afterwards. She changed units and pennants until 1933, escaping decommission. Instead she would leave UK for ever for the other side of the globe.

In 1933, indeed, it was decided to replace the five S-class destroyers (HMA Ships Stalwart, Success, Swordsman, Tasmania, and Tattoo) and flotilla leader HMAS Anzac on loan to the RAN with newer ships, purchased for permanent transfer. HMS Vampire was selected as Vendetta, Voyager and Waterhen as the Scott-class HMS Stuart, but at least under loan to Australia again. Until they were paid off from RN service at Portsmouth on 11 October, recommissioned into the RAN leaving a week later to Australia, making in to Sydney on 21 December. Vampire was paid off into reserve on 31 January 1934, recommissioned for three days in July to the Flinders Naval Depot, used as tender. She remained in “reserve commission” until 11 May 1938 then fully recommissioned as tension rose with Japan since the 1937 invasion of China.
HMAS Vampire remained in Australian waters and from 14 October 1939, joined her sister ships and Stuart (Goebbel’s “Scrap Iron Flotilla”) to the Mediterranean Theatre. Until April 1940, they were tasked of convoy escort duties between Malta and Marseille and ASW patrols until the end of April. She also ercorted HMS Eagle at the Battle of Calabria on 9 July. She suffered no damage but near misses and splinters by Italian aircraft attacking Eagle. She lost however a torpedo gunner from splinter wounds.
After repairs in Alexandria, Vampire took part im more missions and one in which an attempt to lure out the Italian fleet for a decisive engament, and by late October, early November, she took part in the Battle of Greece, escorting convoys in Greek waters. She then escorted convoys engaged in the Desert Campaig. On 20 December, her engines broke down and she ended in drydock for repairs completed on 8 January 1941.
Back to Greece, she was present there until May, taking part in the reinforcement Operation Lustre) then evacuation, Operation Demon. She was deployed back to Africa as part of the “Tobruk Ferry Service” to the besieged Tobruk in two trips. However engine problems led to excessive vibrations keeping her below 16 knots (30 km/h). Due to the lack of facilities room she was sent to Singapore for repair until late 1941. By September William Moran was appointed as her new CO. Unbeknowst to the crew a new carrer was about to start, this tme against Japan and for the proteciton of Australia itself.
World War II – British Eastern Fleet

Vampire on convoy escort in the Indian Ocean, 4 March 1942
In December 1941, she was still ready for escort work oin the Indian Ocean when after the 7th she joined to the British Eastern Fleet at Colombo (Ceylon). The first week she escorted the battlecruiser HMS Repulse underway to Australia with HMS Tenedo until recalled mid-way as on 8 December, Singapore time, the latter came under attack by Japanese aviation. Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales were in harbor at the time and repelled them by AA fire. News came of Pearl Harbor and the Siam Invasion so the newly created Force Z (escort: Vampire, Electra, Express, Tenedos) left harbor on 17:30 hours on 8 December. At 20:55 hours, Admiral Philips cancelled the operation, ordered a return to Singapore when spotted, reported by I-158. On 10 December, they were informed of landings at Kuantan. Express was sent to investigate but in the afternoon, they were attacked by a force of 85 Japanese aircraft, mostly G3M Nell Navy Bombers off Kuantan (22nd Air Flotilla from Saigon) and both capital ships were sunk. HMAS Vampire rescued 225 out of 2,081 survivors, landed to Singapore.
On 26 January 1942, IJN troopships were signalled underway near Endau in Malaya. So HMAS Vampire and HMS Thanet were ordered in interception, reaching them by night, at early hours (02:00) the next morning. But the troopships were protected by the cruiser Sendai and six destroyers. Both destoryers immediately turned away and tried to escape but Thanet was sunk. On 11 February, Vampire joined the Eastern Fleet forces, Indian Ocean and by early April, was sent to escort the old HMS Hermes from Ceylon, to safety. But in between the Kido Butai attacked en mass and devastated Colombo in early April. Hermes and Vampire were ordered to depart Trincomalee and by 8 April, after escaping the attack on Ceylon, they were spotted and attacked by 85 Japanese Aichi D3A Val dive bombers escorted by 9 Mitsubishi A6M Zero at 10:35.
Hermes was was confonted to exprt pincer manoeuvers by 45 bombers and couild dodge them all. In fact, old and slow, lacking maintenance she just could not escape some 40 hits or very near misses. In twenty minutes she was on fire, evacuated and capsizing. HMAS Vampire had on her at one time as much as 16 Vals. She claimed to have shot down at least one. In all she took directly ior by near-misses all sixteen bombers. Concussion broke her in half. She sank 10 minutes after Hermes. Her CO and eight sailors were the only ones killed, but survivors were recovered by the hospital ship Vita.
HMAS Vampire was awarded 5 battle honours: “Calabria 1940”, “Libya 1940–41”, “Greece 1941”, “Crete 1941”, and “Indian Ocean 1941–42”. Her name was resurrected later in RAN service.

HMS Valhalla

HMS Valhalla (ex-Douglas) penants F9A, G25, G45 was ordered from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead on April 1916, laid down on 8/1916, launched on 22.5.1917 and completed in 7.1917. She was deployed in home waters until the end of World War I. After the reorganising the Royal Navy, she was assigned to the 6th DF, Atlantic Fleet under the pennant number D44. In the late 1920s, she ended in reserve at Rosyth. Unlike the others, the axe of the limitations of Washington confiirmed at London fell on her. In 1931 she was stricken, sold and scrapped.