HMS Javelin

[p189362]

www.hms-javelin.co.uk

My father, Derek Amey, served on javelin as a 'hostilities only' rating in the Mediterranean campaign 1942/43

Any history/photos relating to Javelin gratefully received via the above site or via e-mail.

Thanks,

Harry Amey

[astraltrader]

Here is a photograph I have uploaded of a destroyer HMS Javelin - wearing a F61 pennant. I have been asked to as near as possible put a year to it. Anyone up in the world of pennants prepared to venture an educated guess?

[Maritime Michael Ian]

Terry,

According to Wikipedia this is the gen!

Quote HMS Javelin (F61) was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 11 October 1937, launched on 21 December 1938 and commissioned on 10 June 1939.

At the end of November 1941, the 5th Destroyer Flotilla comprising HMS Jupiter, Javelin, Jackal, Jersey and Kashmir, under Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, were operating out of Plymouth. The flotilla engaged the German destroyers Hans Lody, Richard Beitzen and Karl Galster. The Javelin was badly damaged by torpedo and artillery hits from the German destroyers and lost both her bow and stern. Only 155 feet of Javelin's original 353 foot length remained afloat and she was towed back to harbour. Javelin was out of action for almost a year.

Javelin participated in the Operation Ironclad assault on Madagascar in May 1942.

She participated in the failed Operation Vigorous attempt to deliver a supply convoy to Malta, in June 1942.

HMS Javelin was sold for scrap on 11 June 1949 and broken up at Troon in Scotland.

Unquote.

Ian

[jbryce1437]

The Royal Navy Pennant Numbering System
Pennant, or Pendant, numbers were introduced to help to abbreviate signalling and to help make signals more secure, they also served to clear up confusion between ships with similar names and as an aid in identifying ships visually, particularly where ships of the same classification were grouped in a Squadron.

During the war, many ships were transferred between Commonwealth and Allied Navies. Where this did occur, the ship usually kept the same Pennant Number (even though the ships name may well have changed). If a ship was sunk in action, it was usual for the Pennant Number of that ship to be allocated to the next ship to be launched. Renaming of ships was also regularly carried out. During and after the war, some ships had received up to three or four changes of Flag Superior, with many destroyers changing from F to G in 1940, then to L, and later to R, and finally to D after the war.

Usually, ships of the same Classification were grouped under the same Flag Superior, although this wasn’t always the case. Due to shear numbers of ships in the Second World War a greater number of Flag Superior allocations were in use. Today, the Flag Superior generally helps to identify the Class of ship, i.e. A – Auxiliaries, D = Destroyers, F = Frigates, R = Aircraft Carriers (A already in use for Auxiliaries), S = Submarine.

Until the Second World War, it was usual for submarines to have only a Pennant Number and no name, Winston Churchill directed that all Submarines be named. Some minor ships had no Pennant Number, whilst others had them removed from photographs due to censorship. It is believed that the pennant system was last revised in 1947.
G51 JAVELIN
F61 JAVELIN
Not sure when these numbers were allocated to her, but she was G51 during the war and may have been allocated F61 after 1947.

[astraltrader]

Thanks Jim - that in fact sort of ties in with my opinion - which was 1945/1946. Great stuff sir!
Sorry about that Ian - I knew about the ships history it was just the date of the photograph I was after!

[navalis]

The photo is certainly of her pre-war.

She carried F-61 when first completed, changing to G-61 in 1940. Also the paint scheme, with funnel markings is very 1930's. A very similar photo to this is reproduced in John English's book 'Afridi to Nizam' and is dated August 1939.

By the end of the war she had undergone considerable change, including having a lattice mast with radar installed, and a pole mast aft with HF/DF aerial.

[navalis]

She stayed as G-61 after 1940, not being in service when the pennant numbers were re-organised in 1947/8, being reduced to Reserve in July 1946 and was used for shock trials in 1947-8 in Loch Striven and the Gareloch before being sold for scrap in 1949.

[jbryce1437]

Must admit that seeing her with the pennant number F61 had me baffled as all (?) of the postwar destroyers were allocated the pennant D. The destroyers that were converted to frigates were allocated the pennant F. In this photo she looks as if she is in her original configuration and this could well be a pre-war photograph.

[astraltrader]

Many thanks for all your input on this. Harry who runs the HMS Javelin web-site wishes to use this photo there and asked me for a date if possible...

[tomsam]

Hello All and a happy Easter to everyone (If thats your thing ).One has to be very "PC " nowadays.
Yes once again the "Pennant Numbering System " rearing it's confusing head.
According to many naval historians who agree with me on this is that for "Visual Signalling" purposes her number was changed on 31/05/1940. So this photograph is therefore Pre 31/05/1940.
Hope this helps.
Tomsam

[astraltrader]

Absolutely Tomsam. It ties in exactly with the comments above.
Many thanks.

[herakles]

Hello All and a happy Easter to everyone (If thats your thing ).One has to be very "PC " nowadays.
Tomsam

OMG! Is it Easter?

Well, everyone, have a happy chocolate binge. :p