List of Eastern Fleet ships

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The Eastern Fleet was a World War II formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formed from the ships and installations of the East Indies Station and the China Station (which are included in this list), with headquarters at Singapore, moving between Trincomalee and Kilindini after the Japanese advances in south east Asia made Singapore untenable as a naval base. See main article for details.

The following lists the warships and support ships of the Fleet, with dates served, fate and nationality.

Contents 1 Battleships 2 Battlecruisers 3 Fleet aircraft carriers 4 Escort aircraft carriers 5 Heavy cruisers 6 Light cruisers 7 Anti-aircraft cruisers 8 Armed Merchant Cruisers 9 Destroyers 10 Frigates 11 Corvettes 12 Minesweepers 13 Monitors 14 Oilers 15 Sloops 16 Submarines 17 Gunboats 18 Torpedo boats 19 Miscellaneous 20 Also to be classified 21 References

[edit] Battleships

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Howe	UK	Aug-44 Sep-45	Nov-44 Jan-46	Joined British Pacific Fleet Joined Home Fleet
Nelson	UK	July 45	Sep-45	Joined Home Fleet
Prince of Wales	UK	Dec-41	10-Dec-41	Sunk by air attack
Queen Elizabeth	UK	Jan-44	Jul-45	reserve
Ramillies	UK	Feb-42 Oct-43	Jun-42 Dec-43	Damaged at Diego Suarez, repaired at Durban and Plymouth, then Home Fleet Joined Home Fleet
Resolution	UK	Mar-42	Sep-43	reserve
Revenge	UK	Aug-41	Sep-43	reserve
Richelieu	France	April, 1944 March, 1945	October, 1944 >5/45	Toulon .
Royal Sovereign	UK	Oct-41 Oct-43	Jan-43 Dec-43	Refit in USA Reserve and transfer to USSR
Valiant	UK	Aug-42 Jan-44	Jan-43 Aug-44	Joined Mediterranean Fleet repairs following damage in drydock collapse at Trincomalee
Warspite	UK	Mar-42	Mar-43	Joined Mediterranean Fleet

[edit] Battlecruisers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Renown	UK	Jan-44	Mar-45	Joined Home Fleet
Repulse	UK	Dec-41	10-Dec-41	Sunk by air attack

[edit] Fleet aircraft carriers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Eagle	UK	<9/39 Mar-41	May-40 May-41	Mediterranean Fleet South Atlantic and Africa Station
Formidable	UK	Mar-42	Aug-42	Operation Torch
Hermes	UK	<3/42	9th April 42	Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Illustrious	UK	May-42 Jan-44	Jan-43 Nov-44	joined Mediterranean Fleet Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indefatigable	UK	Nov-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indomitable	UK	Jan-42 Jun-44	Jul-42 Nov-44	Joined Mediterranean Fleet Joined British Pacific Fleet
Saratoga	US	Apr-44	May-44	U.S.A. for refit
Unicorn'	UK	Jan-44	<12/44	Joined British Pacific Fleet. Usually used as an aircraft maintenance ship
Victorious	UK	Jul-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet

[edit] Escort aircraft carriers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Ameer	UK	Jun-44	Oct-45	returned to USN
Attacker	UK	Apr-45	Sep-45	returned to USN
Battler	UK	Oct-43	Dec-44	Joined Home Fleet
Begum	UK	Apr-44 Jun-45	Jan-45 Oct-45	refit on Clyde returned to USN
Emperor	UK	Mar-45	Nov-45	returned to USN
Empress	UK	Jan-45	<2/46	returned to USN
Hunter	UK	Mar-45	Oct-45	returned to USN
Khedive	UK	Feb-45	<1/46	returned to USN
Pursuer	UK	Apr-45	<2/46	returned to USN
Searcher	UK	Aug-45	<11/45	returned to USN
Shah	UK	Apr-44	<12/45	returned to USN
Stalker	UK	Mar-45	Oct-45	returned to USN
Trouncer	UK	>1/44	<2/46	returned to USN
Trumpeter	UK	Jul-45	<4/46	returned to USN

[edit] Heavy cruisers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Berwick	UK	Jul-27	1936	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Canberra	Australia	<5/40	<12/41	US Pacific Fleet (Task Force 17)
Cornwall	UK	Dec-27 1939 <5/41	<1938 Feb-40 5th April 1942	UK for refit South Atlantic and Africa Station Sunk by Japanese air attack
'Cumberland	UK	Dec-27 <1938 Mar-44	1935 1938 Nov-45	UK for reconstruction 2nd Cruiser Squadron joined Home Fleet
Devonshire	UK	>9/41 Apr-42	Jan-42 May-43	refit at Norfolk Naval Shipyard refit, then Home Fleet
Dorsetshire	UK	1937 Nov-40 Mar-42	Oct-39 Dec-40 5th April 1942	South Atlantic and Africa Station Atlantic Sunk by Japanese air attack
Effingham	UK	1925	<9/32	Joined Home Fleet
Frobisher	UK	1926 Mar-42	1926 Mar-44	Joined Mediterranean Fleet Joined Home Fleet
Hawkins	UK	1919 >12/29 Sep-32 <2/41 May-42	Nov-28 May-30 Apr-35 >12/41 Feb-44	refit in UK reserve reserve refit at Portsmouth Joined Home Fleet for D-day
Kent	UK	Jun-28 1938	1937 Aug-40	reconstruction Joined Mediterranean Fleet
London	UK	May-43	Jun-49	paid off
Suffolk	UK	Fev-28 Apr-43	<10/39 <3/48	joined Home Fleet joined Home Fleet
Sussex	UK	>2/43	>7/45

[edit] Light cruisers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Achilles	New Zealand	Jun-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Birmingham	UK	Jan-38	Sep-39	refit at Malta, then Home Fleet
Cairo	UK	1920	1927	America and West Indies Station
Caledon	UK	Aug-40	Sep-42	Joined Home Fleet
Capetown	UK	Jul-34 <8/40 19642	Aug-38 <4/41 >10/42	UK, refit Home Fleet
Caradoc	UK	Dec-26 Jul-30 >2/42 1944	<9/27 <10/34 Jun-43 <4/46	UK, refit reserve South Africa Station UK, scrapped
Carlisle	UK	Mar-19 <8/40	1928 <3/41	refit Mediterranean Fleet
Cardiff	UK	Jul-38	Apr-39	reserve
Ceres	UK	Apr-40	Oct-43	Mediterranean Fleet
Ceylon	UK	Nov-43	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Colombo	UK	Jun-19 Jul-32 <8/40	1926 1935 Jun-42	America and West Indies Station reserve UK for conversion
Danae	UK	Aug-36 Feb-42 Jul-43	Jan-38 Jul-42 Dec-43	Joined Home Fleet modernisation in UK Joined Home Fleet
Dauntless	UK	Dec-39 Aug-42	Feb-42 Feb-45	refit at Portsmouth reserve
Delhi	UK	1926	1928
Despatch	UK	Jun-22	1927	America and West Indies Station
Diomede	UK  New Zealand	1922 1935	1925 Mar-36	New Zealand Squadron reverted to Royal Navy, placed in reserve
Dragon	UK	Oct-26 Jan-41	Dec-28 Nov-42	UK, refit Home Fleet
Durban	UK	<3/40 >6/43	>8/42 Nov-43	repairs at New York, refit Portsmouth UK, reserve
Emerald	UK	Jan-26 Aug-34 <4/41 Apr-43	Jul-33 Sep-37 Aug-42 <6/44	refit reserve refit Joined Home Fleet
Enterprise	UK	Apr-26 Jan-36 Jan-41	<7/34 Dec-37 Dec-42	reserve joined Home Fleet Refit at Clyde
Gambia	UK	Feb-42	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Gloucester	UK	<9/39	<5/41
Hobart	Australia	<4/40	>6/41	Pacific
Kenya	UK	Jan-44	>2/45
Leander	New Zealand	<1931	>1945	Damaged in the Battle of Kolombangara
Liverpool	UK	<9/39	>1/40
Manchester	UK	<9/39	<5/40
Mauritius	UK	Feb-42	Apr-43	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Newcastle	UK	Apr-42 May-43	May-42 Mar-45	Joined Mediterranean Fleet Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nigeria	UK	Feb-44	Dec-45	refit
Swiftsure	UK	<11/44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet

[edit] Anti-aircraft cruisers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Argonaut	UK	Nov-44	Nov-45
Black Prince	UK	Nov-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Euryalus	UK	Jan-45	Jan-45
Jacob Van Heemskerk	Netherlands	Mar-42	Dec-43
Phoebe	UK	Jul-44	Sep-45
Royalist	UK	late 44	>8/45

[edit] Armed Merchant Cruisers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Arawa	UK	Sep-39	Nov-40	South Atlantic Station
Canton	UK	Sep-42	Apr-44	converted to troopship
Corfu	UK	March 1942	August 1942	South Atlantic Station
Hector	UK	March 1942	April 42	Sunk by air attack in Colombo harbour
Ranchi	UK	March 1942	January 1943	Used as troopship
Westralia	Australia		1943	Converted to landing ship infantry

[edit] Destroyers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Active	UK	<1942	<5/42
Anthony	UK	<5/42	<2/44	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Arrow	UK	<6/42	<6/43
Cummings	US	Apr-44	May-44	Pacific
Dainty	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Home Fleet
Daring	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Home Fleet
Decoy	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Defender	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Delight	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Diamond	UK	<9/39	<4/41
Diana	UK	<9/39	<2/40
Duchess	UK	<9/39	<12/39
Duncan	UK	Jan-35 >3/41	Sep-39 1942	repairs, then joined Home Fleet joined Home Fleet
Dunlap	US	Apr-44	May-44	Pacific
Encounter	UK		1/3/42	sunk
Eskimo	UK	<5/45
Express	UK			Refit in UK
Fanning	US	Apr-44	May-44	Pacific
Fortune	UK	Mar-42 Sep-42	Apr-42 Nov-42	Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa
Foxhound	UK
Grenville	UK			Joined British Pacific Fleet
Griffin	UK
Hotspur	UK	Sep-42 Sep-43	Jan-43 Dec-43	Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa Returned to Home Fleet
Isaac Sweers	Netherlands	April 1942	May 1942	Refit at Southampton
Isis	UK	<6/41
Inconstant	UK	<5/42
Javelin	UK	<5/42
Kempenfelt	UK
Laforey	UK	<5/42
Le Triomphant	France
Lightning	UK	<5/42
Lookout	UK	<5/42
Napier	Australia	Feb-42	Feb-45
Nepal	Australia	Jul-42	Mar-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nestor	Australia	Jan-42	Jun-42	sunk in Mediterranean, during Operation Vigorous
Nizam	Australia	Jan-42	Nov-44
Norman	Australia	Jan-42	Feb-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nubian	UK	<5/45
Pakenham	UK	<5/42
Paladin	UK	<2/45	>5/45
Panther	UK	<4/42
Pathfinder	UK	<1/45	Feb-45	reserve
Penn	UK	<5/45
Petard	UK	<2/45
Quadrant	UK	<3/44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quality	UK	?	1945
Queenborough	UK	?	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quiberon	Australia	Mar-43	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quickmatch	Australia	May-43	Oct-44
Quilliam	UK
Racehorse	UK	<5/45
Raider	UK	<7/44	>1/45
Rapid	UK	<7/44	>1/45
Redoubt	UK	<5/45
Relentless	UK	<9/43	>2/44
Rocket	UK	<5/45
Roebuck	UK	<3/44	>5/45
Rotherham	UK	<5/45
Saumarez	UK		>5/45
Scorpion	UK
Scout	UK	<9/39	<3/46
Tartar	UK	Feb 45	Nov 45?
Tenedos	UK	<9/39	Apr-42	Sunk by air attack in Colombo harbour
Thanet	UK	<9/39	27 January 1942	sunk by Japanese destroyers off east coast of Malaya
Thracian	UK	<9/39	Dec-41	run aground at Hong Kong; salvaged by the IJN, repaired and recommissioned on 25 November 1942 as Patrol Vessel No.101
Undaunted	UK			Joined British Pacific Fleet
Undine	UK			Joined British Pacific Fleet
Ursa	UK			Joined British Pacific Fleet
Vampire	Australia	Feb-42	9th April 42	Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Vendetta	Australia
Venus	UK		>5/45
Vigilant	UK		>5/45
Virago	UK		>5/45
Wakeful	UK
Wessex	UK		Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Westcott	UK		Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Whirlwind	UK
Wrangler	UK

[edit] Frigates

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Bann	UK	<1/44	December 1945	transferred to Royal Indian Navy, renamed Tir
Findhorn	UK	<8/44		Joined British Pacific Fleet

[edit] Corvettes

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Auricula	UK	April 1942	May 1942	Mined and sunk off Diego Suarez
Genista	UK	<5/42	>2/43
Hollyhock	UK		9th April 42	Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Thyme	UK	<8/43

[edit] Minesweepers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Aberdare	UK	<9/39	<3/47
Abingdon	UK	<9/39	<4/42
Bagshot	UK	<9/39	<4/45
Bathurst	Australia	Jun-41	Aug-44	Australia
Bengal	India	<11/42
Burnie	Australia	Sep-42	Dec-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Cairns	Australia	Nov-42	Jan-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Cessnock	Australia	Dec-42	Jan-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Derby	UK	<9/39	<4/45
Fareham	UK	<9/39	<2/41
Gawler	Australia	Jan-43	May-43
		Oct-43	Jan-45
Geraldton	Australia	Aug-42	Jan-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Harrow	UK	<9/39	<1947
Huntley	UK	<9/39	<1/41
Ipswich	Australia	Nov-42	Jan-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Launceston	Australia	Sep-42	Sep-44
Lismore	Australia	Dec-41	Dec-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Maryborough	Australia	Nov-42	Dec-44
Orissa	India		<2/44
Squirrel	UK		24 July, 1945	Mined and sunk off Phuket
Stoke	UK	<9/39	<5/41
Tamworth	Australia	Feb-43	Jan-45	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Toowoomba	Australia	Dec-42	Dec-44
Vestal	UK		26 July, 1945	Scuttled after damage from kamikaze
Widnes	UK	<9/39	<5/41
Wollongong	Australia	Sep-42	Feb-45

[edit] Monitors

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Erebus	UK	<4/42	<7/43
Terror	UK	<9/39	<4/40

[edit] Oilers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Echodale	UK	<1/45	>5/45
Olwen	UK	1942	1946
Wave King	UK

[edit] Sloops

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Bideford	UK	Jun-39	>9/39
Clive	India	<9/39	>9/39
Cornwallis	India	<9/39	>9/39
Deptford	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Egret	UK	<9/39	<8/43
Falmouth	UK	<9/39	>2/44
Fleetwood	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Folkestone	UK	<9/39	<10/40
Fowey	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Godavari	India	<8/44
Grimsby	UK	<9/39	Sep-39	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Hindustan	India	<9/39	>9/39
Indus	India	Apr-42	6th April 1942	Sunk off Akyab
Jumna	India	<2/44	>1/45
Lawrence	India	<9/39	>9/39
Lowestoft	UK	<9/39	>9/39
Narbada	India		<1/45
Rochester	UK	<9/39	>9/39
Sandwich	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Shoreham	UK	1932	February 1943	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
		September 1943	July 1946	scrapped 1950
Soemba	Netherlands	April 1942	early 1943	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Warrego	Australia

[edit] Submarines

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Grampus	UK	<9/39	<6/40	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Odin	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Olympus	UK	<9/39	<5/42
Otus	UK	<9/39	<8/41
Pandora	UK	<9/39	<7/40
Parthian	UK	<9/39	May-40	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Perseus	UK	<9/39	Aug-40	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Phoenix	UK	<9/39	<7/40
Porpoise	UK	<7/45	19 January 1945	Sunk by Japanese aircraft, Malacca Strait
Proteus	UK	<9/39	<11/41
Rainbow	UK	<9/39	<9/40
Regent	UK	<9/39	<10/40
Regulus	UK	<9/39	<11/40
Rorqual	UK	<9/39	<6/40
Rover	UK	<9/39	<1/41
Scythian	UK	<3/45	>5/45
Seal	UK	Sep-39	Oct-39	joined Home Fleet
Shakespeare	UK	>12/44	3 January 1945	Damaged by gunfire and air attack in the Nankauri Strait, Andaman Islands; written off as a constructive total loss
Spark	UK	<12/44	>7/45
Statesman	UK	<8/44	>8/45
Stonehenge	UK	<2/44	Mar-44	Overdue, assumed lost
Stratagem	UK	<8/44	22 November 1944	Damaged by depth charges and scuttled in the Malacca Straits
Stygian	UK	<9/44	>7/45
Subtle	UK	<12/44	>5/45
Tally Ho	UK	<1/44
Telemachus	UK	<7/44
Templar	UK	<1/44	>5/45
Terrapin	UK	<8/44	May-45	Damaged by depth charges west of Batavia, Java in the Java Sea; declared a constructive total loss
Trenchant	UK	<8/44	>7/45

[edit] Gunboats

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Aphis	UK	1927	1942	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Cicala	UK	<9/39	December 21, 1941	Bombed and sunk (probably scuttled) near Hong Kong
Cockchafer	UK	<9/26	>12/41	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Cricket	UK	<1939	Nov-40	transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Dragonfly	UK	Jun-39	14-Feb-42	Sunk in Riau Archipelago
Falcon	UK	<9/39	Feb-42	Transferred to China; renamed Luan Huan
Gannet	UK	<9/39	Feb-42	Transferred to China; renamed Ying Shan ("British Mountain")
Gnat	UK	<9/39	>12/41	Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Grasshopper	UK	<9/39	14-Feb-42	Beached (or sunk) in Riau Archipelago
Ladybird	UK	1927	>12/41	Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Mantis	UK	1927	Jan-40	Scrapped Shanghai
Moth	UK	<9/39	December 12, 1941	sunk and refloated by Japanese; renamed HIJMS Suma; mined and sunk March 19, 1945 near Nanking
Peterel	UK	<9/39	December 8, 1941	Sunk at Shanghai
Robin	UK	<9/39	December 25, 1941	scuttled near Hong Kong
Sandpiper	UK	1933	Feb-42	Transferred to China; renamed Ying Hao ("British Hero")
Scarab	UK	<9/26	>12/41	Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Scorpion	UK	1937	Feb-42	sunk near Singapore
Seamew	UK	1927	August 18, 1947	Scrapped at Basra
Tarantula	UK	<9/39	May 1, 1946	Sunk during target practice
Tern	UK	<9/39	19th December 1941	Scuttled at Deep Water Bay

[edit] Torpedo boats

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
MTB.7	UK	<9/39
MTB.8	UK	<9/39
MTB.9	UK	<9/39
MTB.10	UK	<9/39
MTB.11	UK	<9/39
MTB.12	UK	<9/39

[edit] Miscellaneous

Ship	Type	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Medway	submarine depot ship	UK	<9/39	Apr-40	joined Mediterranean Fleet
Barlane	boom defence vessel	UK
Barlight	boom defence vessel	UK		19 December 1941	Scuttled Hong Kong to prevent capture by the Japanese: subsequently raised and commissioned on 20 September 1942 into the IJN as Netlayer 101. Netlayer 101 sunk 15 June 1944 off Saipan.
Barricade	boom defence vessel	UK
Barrier	boom defence vessel	UK
St Breock	rescue tug	UK		4 February 1942	bombed & sunk off Sumatra
St Just	rescue tug	UK

[edit] Also to be classified

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Albatross	UK
Empire Salvage
Endeavour
Karanja
Swan	UK
Lucia	UK	Sep-39	>4/42
Barbette	UK	<9/39
Barnet	UK	<9/39
Fastnet	UK
Redstart	UK	<9/39

[edit] References

• Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. London: Hambledon Continuum, p.260. ISBN 1 85285 417 0. 
• Whitley, M J (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-225-1. 
• Royal navy escort carriers
• U-boat.net: records of Allied warships
• Royal Navy day-by-day in WWII
• Lemaire's Naval Encyclopedia of World War 2
• China gunboats
• Fleet Air Arm aircraft carrier database