For other ships with the same name, see HMS Lance.
HMS Lance was an L-classdestroyer of the Royal Navy. She entered service during World War II, and had a short but eventful career, serving in Home waters and the Mediterranean Sea. She was damaged in two consecutive air attacks at Malta in 1942. She was towed back to Britain, declared a constructive total loss and was scrapped. She had been adopted by the civil community of Bexley and Welling, Kent in November 1941.
Lance was ordered from the yards of Yarrow Shipbuilders, Scotstoun, Glasgow on 31 March 1938 under the 1937 Naval Estimates. She was laid down on 1 March 1939 at the same time as her sister, Laforey. She was launched on 28 November 1940 and commissioned on 13 May 1941. She cost £440,204, excluding items such as weapons and communications equipment supplied by the Admiralty. On commissioning she was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
Career
Home waters
Once commissioned, Lance was based at Scapa Flow with other ships of the Home Fleet. On 22 May she escorted the battleshipKing George V in the search for the German battleship Bismarck. She suffered machinery defects whilst at sea and was detached from the Home Fleet units and returned to Scapa Flow. She rejoined the search on 26 May, and then escorted King George V back to the UK after the sinking of Bismarck.
In June she was assigned to the Western Approaches Command with the 11th Escort Group, based at Greenock. On 22 June she and Legion escorted the aircraft carrierFurious through the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar as part of an operation to deliver aircraft to Malta. She continued to participate in the operation, escorting the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and other units of the Mediterranean Fleet to Malta throughout the month. She returned to Greenock in July and resumed escort and convoy defence duties.
Mediterranean
August was spent escorting convoys through the North Western Approaches before she returned to Gibraltar at the end of the month to escort convoys into the Mediterranean. She continued to screen the convoys to Malta and was part of the escort for the convoys of Operation Halberd. During this the ships came under heavy air and submarine attack, but managed to reach Malta. After this success, Lance returned to Gibraltar with the other ships of the Fleet. She began a maintenance period on 1 October, which lasted until 12 October. She then joined Force K, which was tasked with intercepting enemy supply convoys on passage to North Africa. On 9 November the task force engaged a convoy which consisted of seven ships escorted by the Italian destroyers Fulmine, Euro, Maestrale, Libeccio, Alfredo Oriani and Grecale, covered by the cruisers Trento and Trieste. In the ensuing battle, which became known as the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy, all of the merchant vessels and Fulmine were sunk.
On 23 November Lance left Malta with the rest of Force K, after reports of a convoy on passage from Taranto to Benghazi. On 24 November they sighted the German supply ships Maritza and Procidas with an escort of two Italian torpedo boats. Both merchants were set on fire and sunk. After a brief period docked in Malta, Lance returned to convoy escort duties. On 17 December she became involved in the First Battle of Sirte. On 19 December she assisted in rescue operations after several ships of Force K ran into a newly laid Italian minefield. With Havock she escorted the cruiser Exeter back to Malta. Kandahar and Neptune were sunk, whilst Aurora and Penelope were badly damaged.
Lance spent January 1942 escorting convoys in the Mediterranean and in February she was transferred to the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla. Further escort duties followed. On 13 February she was escorting Convoy MW-9 when it came under air attack. The merchant vessel Clan Campbell was badly damaged and was detached to make her way to Tobruk, escorted by two destroyers. Further air attacks followed the next day and the convoy suffered heavy losses. Lance remained with the convoy until 15 February when she sailed to Malta with Penelope and Legion. On 16 February she was moved to the dockyard to undergo repairs.
Bombing
In March Lance was docked for repairs that were expected to last until April. On 5 April she was hit by a bomb dropped during an air raid on the docks. She sustained serious damage, including being knocked off the blocks and being partially submerged. On 9 April she suffered further bomb damage in an attack by Junkers Ju 87 aircraft from Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 and work was suspended. Her wreck was subsequently salvaged and towed to Chatham Dockyard for a full survey to establish the extent of repair that would be required to return her to service. She was found to be beyond economical repair and was declared a Constructive Total Loss. Lance was placed on the Disposal List in 1944 and was sold for demolition by Thos. W. Ward. She was towed to the breaker's yard at Thos. W. Ward Grays, Essex, where she arrived in June that year.
Ensign
The White Ensign for HMS Lance is laid up in the Seaman's Chapel of Lincoln Cathedral.
English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-64-9.
Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-86176-137-6.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-048-7.
March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
Smith, Peter C. (2010). Fighting Flotilla: RN Laforey Class Destroyers in WW2 (2nd ed.). Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN978-1-84884-273-1.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-326-1.
External links
"Allied Warships: Destroyer HMS Lance of the L class". Retrieved 17 December 2007.
Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (2002). "HMS LANCE – L-class Destroyer". Retrieved 17 December 2007.
August 23, 2023
lance, other, ships, with, same, name, lance, lance, class, destroyer, royal, navy, entered, service, during, world, short, eventful, career, serving, home, waters, mediterranean, damaged, consecutive, attacks, malta, 1942, towed, back, britain, declared, cons. For other ships with the same name see HMS Lance HMS Lance was an L class destroyer of the Royal Navy She entered service during World War II and had a short but eventful career serving in Home waters and the Mediterranean Sea She was damaged in two consecutive air attacks at Malta in 1942 She was towed back to Britain declared a constructive total loss and was scrapped She had been adopted by the civil community of Bexley and Welling Kent in November 1941 Lance in Grand Harbour 8 January 1942HistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS LanceOrdered31 March 1938BuilderYarrow Shipbuilders Scotstoun GlasgowLaid down1 March 1939Launched28 November 1940Commissioned13 May 1941FateDamaged by bombs on 5 and 9 April 1942 Declared a constructive total loss and scrapped BadgeBadge On a Field barry wavy of four White and Blue issuant from the base a Lance Red General characteristicsClass and typeL class destroyerDisplacement1 920 tonsLength362 5 ft 110 5 m Beam36 7 ft 11 2 m Draught10 ft 3 0 m PropulsionTwo shafts Two geared steam turbines Two drum type boilers 48000 shp 35 8 MW Speed36 kt 66 7 km h Range5 500 nmi 10 200 km 6 300 mi at 15 knots 28 km h 17 mph Complement221Armament4 twin 1 QF 4 inch 102 mm Mk XVI guns 1 quadruple QF 2 pdr Mk VIII L 39 40 mm 2 quadruple QF 0 5 in Mk III Vickers 12 7 mm 2 quadruple 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes Contents 1 Construction and commissioning 2 Career 2 1 Home waters 2 2 Mediterranean 3 Bombing 4 Ensign 5 References 6 References 7 External linksConstruction and commissioning EditLance was ordered from the yards of Yarrow Shipbuilders Scotstoun Glasgow on 31 March 1938 under the 1937 Naval Estimates She was laid down on 1 March 1939 at the same time as her sister Laforey She was launched on 28 November 1940 and commissioned on 13 May 1941 She cost 440 204 excluding items such as weapons and communications equipment supplied by the Admiralty On commissioning she was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla Career EditHome waters Edit Once commissioned Lance was based at Scapa Flow with other ships of the Home Fleet On 22 May she escorted the battleship King George V in the search for the German battleship Bismarck She suffered machinery defects whilst at sea and was detached from the Home Fleet units and returned to Scapa Flow She rejoined the search on 26 May and then escorted King George V back to the UK after the sinking of Bismarck In June she was assigned to the Western Approaches Command with the 11th Escort Group based at Greenock On 22 June she and Legion escorted the aircraft carrier Furious through the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar as part of an operation to deliver aircraft to Malta She continued to participate in the operation escorting the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and other units of the Mediterranean Fleet to Malta throughout the month She returned to Greenock in July and resumed escort and convoy defence duties Mediterranean Edit August was spent escorting convoys through the North Western Approaches before she returned to Gibraltar at the end of the month to escort convoys into the Mediterranean She continued to screen the convoys to Malta and was part of the escort for the convoys of Operation Halberd During this the ships came under heavy air and submarine attack but managed to reach Malta After this success Lance returned to Gibraltar with the other ships of the Fleet She began a maintenance period on 1 October which lasted until 12 October She then joined Force K which was tasked with intercepting enemy supply convoys on passage to North Africa On 9 November the task force engaged a convoy which consisted of seven ships escorted by the Italian destroyers Fulmine Euro Maestrale Libeccio Alfredo Oriani and Grecale covered by the cruisers Trento and Trieste In the ensuing battle which became known as the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy all of the merchant vessels and Fulmine were sunk On 23 November Lance left Malta with the rest of Force K after reports of a convoy on passage from Taranto to Benghazi On 24 November they sighted the German supply ships Maritza and Procidas with an escort of two Italian torpedo boats Both merchants were set on fire and sunk After a brief period docked in Malta Lance returned to convoy escort duties On 17 December she became involved in the First Battle of Sirte On 19 December she assisted in rescue operations after several ships of Force K ran into a newly laid Italian minefield With Havock she escorted the cruiser Exeter back to Malta Kandahar and Neptune were sunk whilst Aurora and Penelope were badly damaged Lance spent January 1942 escorting convoys in the Mediterranean and in February she was transferred to the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla Further escort duties followed On 13 February she was escorting Convoy MW 9 when it came under air attack The merchant vessel Clan Campbell was badly damaged and was detached to make her way to Tobruk escorted by two destroyers Further air attacks followed the next day and the convoy suffered heavy losses Lance remained with the convoy until 15 February when she sailed to Malta with Penelope and Legion On 16 February she was moved to the dockyard to undergo repairs Bombing EditIn March Lance was docked for repairs that were expected to last until April On 5 April she was hit by a bomb dropped during an air raid on the docks She sustained serious damage including being knocked off the blocks and being partially submerged On 9 April she suffered further bomb damage in an attack by Junkers Ju 87 aircraft from Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 and work was suspended Her wreck was subsequently salvaged and towed to Chatham Dockyard for a full survey to establish the extent of repair that would be required to return her to service She was found to be beyond economical repair and was declared a Constructive Total Loss Lance was placed on the Disposal List in 1944 and was sold for demolition by Thos W Ward She was towed to the breaker s yard at Thos W Ward Grays Essex where she arrived in June that year Ensign EditThe White Ensign for HMS Lance is laid up in the Seaman s Chapel of Lincoln Cathedral References Edit Destroyer Weapons of WW2 Hodges Friedman p 40 ISBN 0 85177 137 8References EditColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 English John 2001 Afridi to Nizam British Fleet Destroyers 1937 43 Gravesend Kent World Ship Society ISBN 0 905617 64 9 Friedman Norman 2006 British Destroyers amp Frigates The Second World War and After Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 86176 137 6 Lenton H T 1998 British amp Empire Warships of the Second World War Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 048 7 March Edgar J 1966 British Destroyers A History of Development 1892 1953 Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records amp Returns Ships Covers amp Building Plans London Seeley Service OCLC 164893555 Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Third Revised ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Smith Peter C 2010 Fighting Flotilla RN Laforey Class Destroyers in WW2 2nd ed Barnsley UK Pen amp Sword Maritime ISBN 978 1 84884 273 1 Whitley M J 1988 Destroyers of World War 2 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 326 1 External links Edit Allied Warships Destroyer HMS Lance of the L class Retrieved 17 December 2007 Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN Rtd 2002 HMS LANCE L class Destroyer Retrieved 17 December 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Lance G87 amp oldid 1088891474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
