Under the terms of the Armistice, the German High Seas Fleet went into internment at the Royal Navy's base at Scapa Flow – in Operation ZZ, 60 Allied battleships escorted 11 battleships, 5 battlecruisers, 8 cruisers and 48 destroyers of the High Seas Fleet into captivity. At 11:00 on 20 November 1918 King George V, Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales embarked in HMS Oak and, preceded by Verdun, steamed through the fleet.[citation needed]
The Unknown Warrioredit
Verdun was selected to carry the Unknown Warrior across the English Channel because her name would be a tribute to the French people and the endurance of their armies at Verdun in 1916. On 10 November 1920, Verdun berthed at the Quai Carnot at Boulogne-sur-Mer. The coffin of the Unknown Warrior arrived on a French military wagon in a procession of a thousand local schoolchildren and a whole division of French soldiers and marines. Marshal Foch made a speech on the dockside before the White Ensign was lowered to half mast while the coffin was carried up the gangplank and piped aboard with an admiral's salute. The coffin was laid on the quarterdeck and covered with wreaths of white flowers, some so large that it took four soldiers to lift one. Shortly before noon, Verdun moved away from the quay as sailors fired a rifle salute along with the big guns of the French forts.[2] An escort of six destroyers (HMS Witherington, HMS Wanderer, HMS Whitshed, HMS Wivern, HMS Wolverine, and HMS Veteran)[3] accompanied Verdun through the mist to Dover where a 19-gun salute was fired from Dover Castle.[4] She tied up at Admiralty Pier where General Sir John Longley supervised the six high-ranking officers from the three Armed Services who bore the coffin ashore. From Dover Marine Station the Unknown Warrior was taken by train to London for burial the following day at Westminster Abbey.[5]
Second World Waredit
Verdun received a Le Cheminant deck watch from the Royal Observatory on 13 August 1927. She went into reserve at Rosyth as part of the 9th Destroyer Flotilla until September 1939, when she was selected for conversion into an anti-aircraft escort (WAIR) at Chatham Dockyard. She was rearmed and her pennant number changed from D93 to L93 on completion in May 1940. She operated as a convoy escort out of Rosyth and in the North Sea, being damaged by a bomb on 1 November 1940 that killed 11 men, including her captain. She was repaired at Harwich and spent the rest of the war escorting convoys along the east coast. In November 1941, she was in sustained action against an attack by German E-boats; three British merchant ships were sunk in the engagement. From February to April 1942 she formed part of the escort screen for heavy units of the Home Fleet that were supporting the Arctic convoys. After the Warship Week National Savings campaign in March 1942, Verdun was adopted by the seaside town of Hoylake in Cheshire.[6]
Fateedit
Verdun was placed in reserve after VE Day and then sold to be scrapped at Granton, Edinburgh, in April 1946.[6] Her ship's bell now hangs on a pillar in Westminster Abbey, close to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.[7]
Notesedit
^"World War 1 at Sea – Ships of the Royal Navy, 1914–1919 – (Part 2 of 3)". naval-history.net. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
^Hanson, Neil (2011). "Chapter 23". The Unknown Soldier. Doubleday. ISBN038560453X.
^Michael Gavaghan in The Story of the Unknown Warrior: 11 November 1920 (London: M. and L. Publications, 1995)
^Duke of York's Royal Military School – Dukie honour guard for the Unknown Soldier
^Daniel, Julie; Daniel, Peter. "The Unknown Warrior: A Dover Tale" (pdf). The Dover War Memorial Project. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
^ abMason, Geoffrey B (2004). "HMS Verdun (D 93) – V & W-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
^"History – Unknown Warrior". Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
Bibliographyedit
Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-459-4.
Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-146-7.
Cocker, Maurice. Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893–1981. Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-1075-7.
Donald, William (1956). Stand by for Action: the Memoirs of a Small Ship Commander. London UK: William Kimber & Co. ltd. ISBN978-1-84832-016-1.
Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-59114-081-8.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-85177-245-5.
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.
Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1979). 'V' and 'W' Class Destroyers. Man o'War. Vol. 2. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN0-85368-233-X.
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.
Whinney, Bob (2000). The U-boat Peril: A Fight for Survival. Cassell. ISBN0-304-35132-6.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-326-1.
Winser, John de D. (1999). B.E.F. Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-91-6.
External linksedit
U-boat resource
HMS Verdun in the Second World War
January 01, 1970
verdun, verdun, admiralty, class, destroyer, royal, navy, which, service, first, second, world, wars, been, only, ship, royal, navy, bear, name, verdun, after, battle, verdun, assigned, carry, remains, unknown, warrior, home, britain, november, 1920, verdun, u. HMS Verdun was an Admiralty V class destroyer of the Royal Navy which saw service in the First and Second World Wars She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Verdun after the Battle of Verdun She was assigned to carry the remains of The Unknown Warrior home to Britain on 8 November 1920 HMS Verdun underway during the Second World WarHistory United Kingdom NameHMS Verdun NamesakeBattle of Verdun Ordered1916 17 BuilderHawthorn Leslie and Company Laid down13 January 1917 Launched21 August 1917 Commissioned3 November 1917 In serviceConverted to long range escort between 1939 and 1940 IdentificationPennant number D93 L93 MottoOn ne passe pas They shall not pass Honours andawardsNorth Sea 1940 45 Arctic 1942 FateSold for scrap in April 1946 BadgeOn a Field Paly of three Blue White and Red a tower Gold General characteristics Class and typeAdmiralty V class destroyer Displacement1 272 1 339 tons Length300 ft 91 4 m o a 312 ft 95 1 m p p Beam26 ft 9 in 8 2 m Draught9 ft 2 7 m standard 11 ft 3 in 3 4 m deep Propulsion3 Yarrow type Water tube boilers Brown Curtis steam turbines 2 shafts 27 000 shp 20 000 kW Speed34 knots 63 km h 39 mph Range320 370 tons oil 3 500 nmi 6 500 km 4 000 mi at 15 kn 28 km h 17 mph 900 nmi 1 700 km 1 000 mi at 32 kn 59 km h 37 mph Complement110 Armament4 QF 4 in Mk V 102mm L 45 mount P Mk I 2 QF 2 pdr Mk II pom pom 40 mm L 39 or 1 12 pounder 12 gun Mk I 76 mm mount HA Mk II 4 2x2 tubes for 21 inch 533 mm torpedoes Contents 1 First World War 2 Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet 3 The Unknown Warrior 4 Second World War 5 Fate 6 Notes 7 Bibliography 8 External linksFirst World War editLaunched on 21 August 1917 at the Hawthorn Leslie shipyard in Hebburn on Tyneside Verdun was completed in November of the same year She served with the Grand Fleet and the Harwich Force 1 Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet editUnder the terms of the Armistice the German High Seas Fleet went into internment at the Royal Navy s base at Scapa Flow in Operation ZZ 60 Allied battleships escorted 11 battleships 5 battlecruisers 8 cruisers and 48 destroyers of the High Seas Fleet into captivity At 11 00 on 20 November 1918 King George V Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales embarked in HMS Oak and preceded by Verdun steamed through the fleet citation needed The Unknown Warrior editVerdun was selected to carry the Unknown Warrior across the English Channel because her name would be a tribute to the French people and the endurance of their armies at Verdun in 1916 On 10 November 1920 Verdun berthed at the Quai Carnot at Boulogne sur Mer The coffin of the Unknown Warrior arrived on a French military wagon in a procession of a thousand local schoolchildren and a whole division of French soldiers and marines Marshal Foch made a speech on the dockside before the White Ensign was lowered to half mast while the coffin was carried up the gangplank and piped aboard with an admiral s salute The coffin was laid on the quarterdeck and covered with wreaths of white flowers some so large that it took four soldiers to lift one Shortly before noon Verdun moved away from the quay as sailors fired a rifle salute along with the big guns of the French forts 2 An escort of six destroyers HMS Witherington HMS Wanderer HMS Whitshed HMS Wivern HMS Wolverine and HMS Veteran 3 accompanied Verdun through the mist to Dover where a 19 gun salute was fired from Dover Castle 4 She tied up at Admiralty Pier where General Sir John Longley supervised the six high ranking officers from the three Armed Services who bore the coffin ashore From Dover Marine Station the Unknown Warrior was taken by train to London for burial the following day at Westminster Abbey 5 Second World War editVerdun received a Le Cheminant deck watch from the Royal Observatory on 13 August 1927 She went into reserve at Rosyth as part of the 9th Destroyer Flotilla until September 1939 when she was selected for conversion into an anti aircraft escort WAIR at Chatham Dockyard She was rearmed and her pennant number changed from D93 to L93 on completion in May 1940 She operated as a convoy escort out of Rosyth and in the North Sea being damaged by a bomb on 1 November 1940 that killed 11 men including her captain She was repaired at Harwich and spent the rest of the war escorting convoys along the east coast In November 1941 she was in sustained action against an attack by German E boats three British merchant ships were sunk in the engagement From February to April 1942 she formed part of the escort screen for heavy units of the Home Fleet that were supporting the Arctic convoys After the Warship Week National Savings campaign in March 1942 Verdun was adopted by the seaside town of Hoylake in Cheshire 6 Fate editVerdun was placed in reserve after VE Day and then sold to be scrapped at Granton Edinburgh in April 1946 6 Her ship s bell now hangs on a pillar in Westminster Abbey close to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior 7 Notes edit World War 1 at Sea Ships of the Royal Navy 1914 1919 Part 2 of 3 naval history net Retrieved 23 May 2015 Hanson Neil 2011 Chapter 23 The Unknown Soldier Doubleday ISBN 038560453X Michael Gavaghan in The Story of the Unknown Warrior 11 November 1920 London M and L Publications 1995 Duke of York s Royal Military School Dukie honour guard for the Unknown Soldier Daniel Julie Daniel Peter The Unknown Warrior A Dover Tale pdf The Dover War Memorial Project Retrieved 23 May 2015 a b Mason Geoffrey B 2004 HMS Verdun D 93 V amp W class Destroyer naval history net Retrieved 23 May 2015 History Unknown Warrior Westminster Abbey Retrieved 23 May 2015 Bibliography editCampbell John 1985 Naval Weapons of World War II Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 459 4 Chesneau Roger ed 1980 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Greenwich UK Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 146 7 Colledge 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 Cocker Maurice Destroyers of the Royal Navy 1893 1981 Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 1075 7 Donald William 1956 Stand by for Action the Memoirs of a Small Ship Commander London UK William Kimber amp Co ltd ISBN 978 1 84832 016 1 Friedman Norman 2009 British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 59114 081 8 Gardiner Robert amp Gray Randal eds 1985 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 85177 245 5 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 Preston Antony 1971 V amp W Class Destroyers 1917 1945 London Macdonald OCLC 464542895 Raven Alan amp Roberts John 1979 V and W Class Destroyers Man o War Vol 2 London Arms amp Armour ISBN 0 85368 233 X 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 Whinney Bob 2000 The U boat Peril A Fight for Survival Cassell ISBN 0 304 35132 6 Whitley M J 1988 Destroyers of World War 2 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 326 1 Winser John de D 1999 B E F Ships Before At and After Dunkirk Gravesend Kent World Ship Society ISBN 0 905617 91 6 External links editU boat resource HMS Verdun in the Second World War Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Verdun L93 amp oldid 1215689405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
