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HMS Active
HMS Active (H14) was an A-Class Fleet Destroyer built by Hawthorn Leslie at Hebburn, Newcastle upon Tyne. She was launched on 9th July 1929. At the outbreak of was she was with the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based at Gibraltar and undertook convoy duties in the Atlantic. In uly 1940 she saw action against units of French Fleet at Mers el Kebir in Operation Catapult and in August transferred to the Home Fleet for convoy and anti submarine defence in the Western Approaches.
She underwent a refit at Liverpool from November 1940 until March 1941 when she joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet for anti-submarine duties. Betweem August and November she undertook Russian convoys then joined Force "H" at Gibraltar. In March she sailed to Freetown arriving on the 16th of April. In May she took part in Operation Ironclad, in the Indian Ocean, sinking the Vichy French Submarine Monge. In September she joined the 3rd Destroyer Division of Force "M" to support the occupation of Madagascar. In October she was back in Capwtown and sank the U-boat U179 by the use of depth charges.
In January 1943 she returned to the UK and underwent a refit before returning to Gibraltar in May for escort duties in the Atlantic and Mediteranean. In November she took part in the sinking of U340 near Gibraltar. In January 1945 she joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria and supported shore operations in Eastern and Central Mediterranean. In March and April she supported military operations in the Aegean and took part in the re-occupation of Piscopi in May. In June she returned to Gibraltar and to the UK in September. She was used for target trials in 1946 and was sent to Troon for breaking in July of that year.
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Those known to have sailed in HMS Active during the Second World War 1939-1945. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
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Records of HMS Active from other sources.
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Want to know more about HMS Active? There are:1 items tagged HMS Active available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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John Barrett HMS Active John Barrett served in HMS Active during WW2.
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Able Sea. Ronald Clarke HMS Calypso (d.21st Feb 1943) Our uncle Ronald Clarke served on HMS Calypso and HMS Active.
We know he served in the Middle East and was also on mine clearing duties on land and then returned to be part of the north Atlantic Convoys.
We were told our uncle Ron was on the deck of HMS Active when the ship had a direct hit on deck and our uncle Ron was injured when shell fragments penetrated his chest.
He eventually returned home to Sheffield and started to recover from his injuries. It was while he was convalescing that he contracted TB. We know he was in Lodge Moor hospital in Sheffield.
He is buried in a grave with a Royal Naval headstone in Tinsley Park Cemetry, Darnall, Sheffield.
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Able Sea. William "Jack" Vanstone HMS Active My Great Uncle Bill, William Vanstone, was put into a naval school at the age of 9 and a year later in 1914, his father died of TB. He had mainly been in the Merchant Navy but in the late 1930's he had put his name down as Royal Naval Reserve.
He worked in the engine room, as a stoker. During WWII, he lost all his friends and comrades that he grew up with and showed bravery when one of the ships he was on was torpedoed and he dived into the freezing sea to save his friends but it was too late. Also, and I don't know which ship it was on, he dived in to save his captain, only to find there was only half of him there. I do know that he was at one time on HMS Active and on the Russian Convoys. I am very proud to have had him as my uncle.
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Lt.Cdr. Alfred Edward "Alfie" Flannery HMS Hunter   My father, Surgeon Captain Alfred Edward Flannery OBE RN, served on HMS Hunter at different times (I believe). He was the Medical Doctor and was on board when H.M.S. Hunter was mined off the coast of Spain in May 1937 - In the Admiralty letter to my Father (Retirement letter) it was mentioned "…. My Lords recall that early in your Service, whilst a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander, the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean reported that you behaved with great coolness and efficiency under most trying circumstances on the occasion of the mining of H.M.S. Hunter off the coast of Spain in May, 1937..."
My Father was not on board when H.M.S. Hunter was sunk off Narvik. He received the Haakon award whilst in Skegness in helping Norwegian patients. One story that I know of: My mother was an American (Elizabeth Flannery nee Duffy) and she left the USA (NYC) to marry my father in Malta on 16th. November 1937. One of the things she brought with her was her deep freeze (I did say she was an American:) Well, somehow, my father managed to convince my mother to let him take it on board (H.M.S. Hunter) for the purpose of keeping medications cold. My mother was very happy when my father survived the sinking of H.M.S. Hunter but never let him forget that her deep freeze was now at the bottom of a Fjiord. I heard that story very often.
After the sinking of H.M.S. Hunter, my father was in Norway for a while and whilst there he was awarded the Haakon VI Liberty medal for services rendered.
I am including a photo of H.M.S. Hunter (taken in Malta, I believe) after the mining off the coast of Spain. Also included is a photo of my parents' wedding - it includes other Naval Officers that may be recognized - At the time of the wedding my father was serving on H.M.S. Active.
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Lt.Cmdr. Alfred Edward Flannery HMS Hunter  My Father, Alfred Flannery, served on HMS Hunter at different times (I believe). He was the Medical Doctor and was on board when HMS Hunter was mined off the coast of Spain in May 1937 - In the Admiralty letter to my Father (Retirement letter) it was mentioned "…. My Lords recall that early in your Service, whilst a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander, the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean reported that you behaved with great coolness and efficiency under most trying circumstances on the occasion of the mining of H.M.S. Hunter off the coast of Spain in May, 1937. …."
My Father was not on board when H.M.S. Hunter was sunk off Narvik. he was in Skegness where he helped many Norwegians and for that effort he receiver the Haakon award. One story that I know of: My mother was an American (Elizabeth Flannery nee Duffy) and she left the USA (NYC) to marry my father in Malta on 16th. November 1937. One of the things she brought with her was her deep freeze (I did say she was an American). Well, somehow, my father managed to convince my mother to let him take it on board (H.M.S. Hunter) for the purpose of keeping medications cold. My mother was very happy when my father survived the sinking of H.M.S. Hunter but never let him forget that her deep freeze was now at the bottom of a Fjiord. I heard that story very often.
After the sinking of H.M.S. Hunter, my father was in Norway for a while and whilst there he was awarded the Haakon VI Liberty medal for services rendered.
The photo is of my parents' wedding - it includes other Naval Officers that may be recognized - At the time of the wedding my father was serving on H.M.S. Active.
Thank you for maintaining this website.
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