HMS FIREDRAKE, like HMS Fury, was a Fearless class destroyer. She was built by Vickers-Armstrong and launched on the 28 June 1934 by Mrs Blake, wife of Rear Admiral Geoffrey Blake DSO, the Fourth Sea Lord.
At the start of the 2nd World War, as part of the antisubmarine screen of HMS Ark Royal, she together with HMS Foxhound and HMS Faulknor, succeeded in forcing a U-boat to the surface and taking its crew prisoner.
Following this episode she accompanied the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in a search and destroy mission. The squadron divided into two equal forces and B force, to which HMS Firedrake was attached cruised off the southern coast of Norway between Lister and Ohsolights without any success. In late May 1940 she took part in the naval operations connected with the capture of Narvik and bombarded enemy positions in Afotfjord She was later attacked by aircraft and sustained splinter damage. In June the same year she again came under aircraft attack and had one of her 4.7" guns as well as her port steering motor put out of action. After effecting repairs in the Clyde she returned to escort duty. In August 1940 she sailed to Gibraltar and joined Force H.
In October 1940 she attacked, with the assistance of HMS Wrestler and two Saunders-Roe London flying boats, the Italian submarine DURBO. The submarine surfaced and was abandoned by its crew which were taken on board Firedrake.
Crew men from Firedrake and Wrestler boarded the submarine before it sank and recovered confidential documents showing Italian U boat dispositions. As a result of this information the Italian submarine LA POLE was located and sunk a couple of days later.
Early in 1941 she took part in the interception of four Vichy French merchant ships which were escorted into Gibraltar. In July the same year she came under a high level bombing attack and received severe structural damage from a bomb which exploded close by her starboard side. She managed to make her way back to Gibraltar where she was made seaworthy for an Atlantic crossing to America where she received permanent repairs and refit. Following post-refit trials the Firedrake left Boston for Halifax, Nova Scotia and became part of the Western Approaches convoy escort.
On the 16th December 1942 Firedrake formed part of the escort for convoy 0N153. The convoy was attacked by U boats and two tankers were sunk. The following day it again came under attack from U boats who succeeded in sinking a third ship before U211 dealt Firedrake a mortal blow. Hit on the starboard side the ship first listed heavily to starboard, righted herself for a moment and then broke in two. The bow section floated away, capsized and sank after 30 minutes or so. The stern section remained afloat for a few more hours until its bulk head collapsed. HMS Sunflower was able to rescue 6 officers and twenty ratings, all from the stern section out of a complement of more than 140.
Battle honours: Atlantic 1939-42. Norway 1940. Spartivento 1940. Mediterranean 1940-41. Malta Convoys 1941.
Log Book July 1985
Gibraltar SG524 (I do not have the stamp)