HMS FORESTER, Destroyer of the Fearless class built by White & Co. Ltd and completed in April 1935. Initially armed with 4 x 4.7 Q.F. Guns her armament was subsequently updated as the war progressed. She was attached to the Home Fleet at the outbreak of hostilities. Together with HMS Fortune she attacked a submarine contact west of the Hebrides resulting in the sinking of U27.
She spent the earlier part of 1940 on escort duties across the Atlantic before being deployed to counter the German invasion of Norway.
During the Norwegian campaign she took part in the second Battle of Narvik assisting in the bombardment of troops ashore. She later joined Force H in time to participate in Operation Menace - the unsuccessful attempt to install Free French Forces in control of Dakar and later in November 1940 in Operation Collar - the passage of a convoy through the Mediterranean which led to the engagement off Cape Spartivento.
As part of Force H she spent most of 1941 constantly acting as escort for numerous Malta convoys. On returning to Gibraltar in June 1941 after one such escort she prosecuted a submarine contact West of Gibraltar and was credited with the sinking of U138. In July 1941 Force H came under attack from Italian bombers resulting in HMS Fearless being too badly damaged to continue and HMS Forester had the unpleasant duty of sinking the helpless Fearless by torpedo.
October 1941 saw her returning to UK for attachment to the 11th Escort group based on the Clyde. In April 1942 she went on escort duty with the Russian Convoys from Iceland to Murmansk where she suffered considerable damage resulting in the death of her Commanding Officer and 12 Ratings.
She rejoined the Home Fleet at Scapa after repairs lasting 5 months and was again deployed to the Arctic. After a two month refit in June 1943 she was transferred to the Western Approaches Command based at Londonderry which led to a period spent of providing support for Ocean convoys.
She was subsequently employed to assist in the Normandy landings by providing escort for convoys engaged in carrying followup troops for the assault and undertaking protective patrols in the Channel.
She entered the Reserve Fleet in August 1945 and was scrapped in 1946.
Gibraltar Philatelic.
Gibraltar SG652