Allied Warships

HMS Hesperus (H 57)

Destroyer of the Havant class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeDestroyer
ClassHavant 
PennantH 57 
Built byThornycroft (Southampton, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down6 Jul 1938 
Launched1 Aug 1939 
Commissioned22 Jan 1940 
End service 
Loss position
 
History

Requisitioned by the Royal Navy on 4 September 1939 while being built for the Brazilian Navy. Named HMS Hearty, renamed HMS Hesperus after completion on 27 February 1940.

Sold to be broken up for scrap on 26 November 1946.

 
Former nameHMS Hearty (ex-Brazilian Juruena)

Commands listed for HMS Hesperus (H 57)

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CommanderFromTo
1Lt.Cdr. Donald George Frederick Wyville MacIntyre, RNJan 1940Feb 1941
2Lt.Cdr. Arthur Andre Tait, RNFeb 194115 Feb 1942
3Cdr. Arthur Frederick St. George Orpen, DSC, RN15 Feb 1942Jul 1942
4Cdr. Donald George Frederick Wyville MacIntyre, DSO, RNJuly 194222 Mar 1944
5Cdr. George Victor Legassick, RD, RNR22 Mar 1944Mar 1945
6Lt. Anthony Charles Denniss Leach, RNMar 1945Jun 1945
7Cdr. Robert Alexander Currie, DSC, RNJun 1945Oct 1945 ?

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Noteable events involving Hesperus include:


7 Dec 1941
The German submarine U-208 was sunk in the Atlantic west of Gibraltar, in position 35º51'N, 07º45'W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN) and HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN). (see map)

15 Jan 1942
The German submarine U-93 was sunk in North Atlantic, in position 36º10'N, 15º52'W by the British destroyer HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN). (see map)

26 Dec 1942
The German submarine U-357 was sunk in the North Atlantic north-west of Ireland, in position 57º10'N, 15º40'W by the British destroyers HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO, RN) and HMS Vanessa (Lt. C.E. Sheen, RN). U-357 was forced to the surface by depth charges and was rammed by HMS Hesperus. (see map)

23 Apr 1943
The German submarine U-191 was sunk south-east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 56º45'N, 34º25'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and Bar, RN). (see map)

12 May 1943
The German submarine U-186 was sunk north of the Azores, in position 41º54'N, 31º49'W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and Bar, RN). (see map)

Media links


British destroyers & frigates

Norman Friedman


Destroyers of World War Two

Whitley, M. J.

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