Dates: 1940 - 1945

USS HERNDON (Type A - ANNAPOLIS Class) built by Newport News SB Co. The ship was launched on 31st May 1919 and transferred under the UK/US Lend Lease Agreement in September 1940. When commissioned she was named HMS USS HERNDON and later renamed CHURCHILL after the selected names for the Class were approved. The selection of this name is in some doubt. Town Class destroyers were given names common to places in USA and UK which in this case is common to a village in Nevada, a Worcestershire Hamlet and two places in Canada. This destroyer was the first RN warship to bear the name but it is understood the post war submarine, second RN to bear this name was considered to have been originally named after the famous WW2 Prime Minister. As he was Member of Parliament for Wanstead. Essex it was particularly appropriate that in March 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign the ship was ‘adopted’ by the civil community of that area. now in the Greater London Borough of Redbridge. This may well be why the later ship believes the name was given to this renowned war leader.

Later
HMS CHURCHILL as DEYATELNYI sailed to North Russia with Convoy JW59 that included the battleship ARKHANGELSKI (Ex HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN) and other Ex USN Land-Lease destroyers being transferred to Russia. She then Joined the Northern Fleet and was deployed for convoy defence in the Arctic. On 16th January 1945 she was torpedoed and sunk by U956 in defence of a White Sea convoy. This destroyer was the only one of the TOWN Class loaned to the Soviet Navy which was lost.


Badge : On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue a lion rampant gardant White, holding between the paws a staff Gold flying therefrom to the sinister a flag Red charged with a dexter hand couped white and charged on the body with a hurt, thereon a mullet also White.

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