List of Eastern Fleet ships

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The Eastern Fleet was a World War II formation of the 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 to Colombo 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. If a row only includes entries for dates and/or fate, it indicates that the ship directly above served a second tour with the Eastern Fleet

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 Corvettes 10 Destroyers 11 Frigates 12 Minesweepers 13 Monitors 14 Oilers 15 Sloops 16 Submarines 17 Gunboats 18 Also to be classified 19 References

[edit] Battleships

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Howe	UK	August 44	November 44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
second tour		Sep-45	Jan-46	Joined Home Fleet
Nelson	UK	July 45	Sep-45	Joined Home Fleet
Queen Elizabeth	UK	Jan-44	Jul-45	reserve
Ramillies	UK	<5/42	Jun-42	Damaged at Diego Suarez, repaired at Durban and Plymouth, then Home Fleet
Resolution	UK	Mar-42	Sep-43	reserve
Revenge	UK	Aug-41	Sep-43	reserve
Richelieu	France	April, 1944	October, 1944	Toulon
		March, 1945	>5/45
Royal Sovereign	UK	Oct-41	>5/42
Valiant	UK	<8/42
second tour		Jan-44	Aug-44	damaged 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

[edit] Fleet aircraft carriers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Eagle	UK	<9/39	May-40	Mediterranean Fleet
		Mar-41	May-41	South Atlantic
Formidable	UK	<4/42	October, 1942	Operation Torch
		>2/45
Hermes	UK	<3/42	9th April 42	Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Illustrious	UK	<5/42?	Jan-43
		Jan-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indefatigable	UK}	<11/45	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indomitable	UK	<4/42	Jul-43	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
		Jul-44	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Saratoga	US	Apr-44	May-44	U.S.A. for refit
Unicorn	UK	Jan-44		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	Jan-45	refit on Clyde
		Jun-45	Oct-45	returned to USN
Emperor	UK	Mar-45	Nov-45	returned to USN
Empress	UK	<9/45	<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	>4/45	<2/46	returned to USN
Searcher	UK	>4/43	<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
Canberra	Australia	<5/40	<12/41	US Pacific Fleet (Task Force 17)
Cornwall	UK	<9/39	Feb-40	South Atlantic Station
		<5/41	5th April 1942	Sunk by Japanese air attack
Cumberland	UK	Jan-44	Nov-45	UK
Devonshire	UK	>9/41	Jan-42	refit at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
		Apr-42	May-43	refit, then Home Fleet
Dorsetshire	UK	1937	Oct-39	South Atlantic
		Nov-40	Dec-40	Atlantic
		Mar-42	5th April 1942	Sunk by Japanese air attack
Hawkins	UK	May 42	Feb 44	Joined Home Fleet for D-day
London	UK	May-43	Jun-49	paid off
Suffolk	UK	Apr-43	>8/45
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
Caledon	UK	Aug-41	Sep-42	Joined Home Fleet
Capetown	UK	<8/40	>10/42
Ceres	UK	Apr-40	Oct-43	Home Fleet
Ceylon	UK	Nov-43	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Colombo	UK	<8/40	<6/42
Danae	UK	Feb-42	Dec-43	Joined Home Fleet
Dauntless	UK	Dec-39	Feb-42	refit at Portsmouth
		Aug-42	Feb-45	reserve
Dragon	UK	Jan-41	Nov-42	refit
Durban	UK	<3/40	>2/42	repairs at New York, refit Portsmouth
		>6/43	Nov-43	UK, reserve
Emerald	UK	<4/41	>10/42	refit
		>4/43	<6/44	Joined Home Fleet
Enterprise	UK	Dec-41	Dec-42	Refit at Clyde
Gambia	UK	Feb-42	Nov-44	Joined British Pacific Fleet
Kenya	UK	Jan-44	>2/45
Mauritius	UK	Feb-42	Apr-43	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Newcastle	UK	Apr-42	May-42	Joined Mediterranean Fleet
		May-43	Mar-45	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] 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] Destroyers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Active	UK		<5/42
Anthony	UK	<5/42	<2/44	Med
Arrow	UK	<6/42	<6/43
Cummings	UK	Apr-44	May-44	Pacific
Decoy	UK	>2/42	<4/43	RCN as HMCS Kootenay
Duncan	UK	<5/42
Dunlap	UK	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	March 1942	April 1942
		September 1942	November 1942	Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa
Foxhound	UK
Grenville	UK			Joined British Pacific Fleet
Griffin	UK
Hotspur	UK	September 1942	January 1943	Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa
		September 1943	December 1943	Returned to Home Fleet
Isaac Sweers	Netherlands	April 1942	May 1942	Refit at Southampton
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	<1/42
Tartar	UK	Feb 45	Nov 45?
Tenedos	UK	<1/42	Apr-42	Sunk by air attack in Colombo harbour
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
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] Minesweepers

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Bathurst	Australia	Jun-41	Aug-44	Australia
Bengal	India	<11/42
Burnie	Australia	Sep-42	Dec-44	BPF
Cairns	Australia	Nov-42	Jan-45	BPF
Cessnock	Australia	Dec-42	Jan-45	BPF
Gawler	Australia	Jan-43	May-43
		Oct-43	Jan-45
Geraldton	Australia	Aug-42	Jan-45	BPF
Ipswich	Australia	Nov-42	Jan-45	BPF
Launceston	Australia	Sep-42	Sep-44
Lismore	Australia	Dec-41	Dec-44	BPF
Maryborough	Australia	Nov-42	Dec-44
Orissa	India		<2/44
Squirrel	UK		24 July, 1945	Mined and sunk off Phuket
Tamworth	Australia	Feb-43	Jan-45	BPF
Toowoomba	Australia	Dec-42	Dec-44
Vestal	UK		26 July, 1945	Scuttled after damage from kamikaze
Wollongong	Australia	Sep-42	Feb-45

[edit] Monitors

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

[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
Godavari	India	<8/44
Indus	India	Apr-42	6th April 1942	Sunk off Akyab
Jumna	India	<2/44	>1/45
Narbada	India		<1/45
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
Porpoise	UK	<7/45	19 January 1945	Sunk by Japanese aircraft, Malacca Strait
Scythian	UK	<3/45	>5/45
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		<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
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
Grasshopper	UK		14-Feb-42	Beached in Riau Archipelago
Moth	UK			captured by Japanese
Peterel	UK		8th December 1941	Sunk
Tern	UK		19th December 1941	Scuttled at Deep Water Bay

[edit] Also to be classified

Ship	Nationality	Date joined	Date left	Fate/ next assignment
Albatross	UK
Empire Salvage
Isis (Mediterranean Fleet)
Karanja
Swan

[edit] References

Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. London: Hambledon Continuum, p.260. ISBN 1 85285 417 0. 

• Royal navy escort carriers
• U-boat.net: records of Allied warships
• Lemaire's Naval Encyclopedia of World War 2
• China gunboats