Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Class | Admiralty V & W |
| Pennant | L 29 |
| Built by | Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. (Wallsend-on-Tyne, U.K.): Wallsend |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | Oct, 1916 |
| Launched | 22 Jun, 1917 |
| Commissioned | 19 Oct, 1917 |
| Lost | 9 Jan, 1942 |
| Loss position | 51.28N, 00.55E (See a map) |
| |
| History | Reconstruction to Fast Escort completed on 12 February 1940.
Pennant was D 23 changed to L 29 upon completion of this reconstruction.
HMS Vimiera (A/Lt.Cdr. Angus Alexander Mackenzie, RNR) was sunk by a mine in the Thames estuary off East Spile Buoy in position 51º28'N, 00º55'E.
Commanding Officers:
HMS Vimiera was in Dockyard control during reconstruction / refit
Lt.Cdr. Roger Bertram Nettleton Hicks, RN
15 January 1940 - 26 February 1941
A/Lt.Cdr. Angus Alexander Mackenzie, RNR
26 February 1941 - 9 January 1942 |
| Noteable events involving Vimiera include: 24 May, 1940
The Polish destroyer Burza was ordered to join the British destroyers HMS Vimiera and HMS Wessex and shell German positions in Calais area. At 16.20 the Allied vessels opened fire on enemy armoured column at Sangatte Hill, west of Calais.
10 minutes later they were attacked by 27 German airplanes which hit and sank HMS Wessex. HMS Vimiera managed to escape. Then the entire enemy air group concentrated on the Polish destroyer. The AA guns (2 40 mm) jammed due to schrapnel hits, three bombs exploded in the water. They caused boiler damage and loss of speed. The commander (Lt.Cdr. Francki) ordered to emergency launch the torpedoes and drop all depth charges, trying to avoid additional explosions. Shortly after this, two bombs hit the Burza and badly damaged her. However the airplanes had dropped all of their bombs and broke off the attack. The crew managed to stop the leakage and return to Dover. One German airplane was shot down during the action. |
