HMS Zebra was a Z-class destroyer. She was to have been named but was renamed in January 1943 before launching. The destroyer was launched on 18 March 1944 at William Denny & Brothers shipyard in Dumbarton, Scotland and commissioned on 13 October 1944. She was 'adopted' by the civil community of Urmston, then in the county of Lancashire.

Design and construction

The Z-class were War Emergency Programme destroyers, intended for general duties, including use as anti-submarine escort, and were to be suitable for mass-production. They were based on the hull and machinery of the pre-war J-class destroyers, but with a lighter armament (effectively whatever armament was available) in order to speed production. The Z-class of eight ships formed the 10th Emergency Flotilla, one of five flotillas of War Emergency destroyers ordered under the 1941 War Construction Programme (the U, V, W, Z and Ca-classes (40 destroyers)).

The Z-class were long overall, at the waterline and between perpendiculars, with a beam of and a draught of mean and full load. Displacement was standard and full load. The close-in anti-aircraft armament was one Hazemayer stabilised twin mount for the Bofors 40 mm gun, and six Oerlikon 20 mm cannons (two twin and two single mounts, which was modified in 1945 by replacing two of the Oerlikons with two single 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" autocannon. and 12 February 1942 according to English and Raven & Roberts.|group=lower-alpha The ship that was to become Zebra was laid down at William Denny and Brothers's Dumbarton shipyard on 14 May 1942 as Wakeful. The ship was renamed in January 1943, with the destroyer that was previously to be named Zebra, under construction at Fairfield's was renamed at the same time. Zebra was launched on 8 March 1944 and completed on 13 October 1944, She was the sixth ship called Zebra to serve with the Royal Navy.

Second World War

After commissioning, Zebra underwent a period of working up before joining the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow. Operational duties were delayed by a series of accidents, including a collision with the oiler San Castro on 3 October 1944 and with a jetty at Greenock on 15 October, and the destroyer was under repair at Glasgow from 25 November to 16 December 1944. Zebra again formed part of the return convoy, Convoy RA 63, which left Kola on 11 January and arrived at Loch Ewe on 21 January. Zebra was meant to form part of the escort for the next outbound Arctic convoy, JW 64, but defects forced her to turn back and put into the Faroe Islands. After repair, on 11 February 1945, she formed part of the escort for the escort carriers and during Operation Selenium, a minelaying and anti shipping operation off the coast of Norway. Zebra underwent repairs and maintenance at Liverpool from 17 March to 15 May 1945.

Decommissioning and disposal

The ship was nominated for conversion to an anti-submarine frigate and her main armament was to be removed. However, in 1955 this work was cancelled and the ship was placed on the Sale List. There were plans to transfer her to West Germany, but after inspection by West German officials the proposal was rejected due to her poor condition and she was sold to BISCO in 1958 for breaking-up at Newport, Monmouth by Cashmore. On 12 February 1959 she arrived in tow at the breakers yard.

Notes

References

Bibliography

  • HMS Zebra's career