H.M.S. Wolsey (1918)

H.M.S. Wolsey (1918)
Pendant Number:	G.40 (Jun 1918)
Builder:	John I. Thornycroft & Company
Ordered:	December, 1916
Launched:	16 Mar, 1918
Completed:	14 May, 1918
Sold:	4 Mar, 1947

H.M.S. Wolsey was one of twenty-one "W" class destroyers completed for the Royal Navy in 1917-18.

Service

Wolsey was re-commissioned on 8 September, 1920.

She completed to Full Complement on 19 February, 1925.

Reduced to Reserve at Malta on 31 July, 1925.

Commissioned at Malta on 11 June, 1926. In mid-1927, she had no clear captain, but Lieutenant George Edward Cameron Wood was the senior officer in the Navy List for her.

She was commissioned at Malta on 5 March, 1931 to serve with the Third Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean.

She was withdrawn from 3 D.F. in December, 1931 and placed in Reserve at the Nore before being paid off into Dockyard Control on 25 February, 1932 for a retubing refit. This was completed by the end of June.

She commissioned at Sheerness on 2 September, 1932 and proceeded to Malta (and then Rhodes) with special complement.

She was commissioned at Malta on 11 September, 1932, this time to serve with the Third Submarine Flotilla in the Mediterranean.

In 1935, her bell was one of several ships' bells the Royal Navy offered for sale to officers and others interested. It attracted a price of £1-£5, and men were to apply to win one at the fixed price, stating any special attachment or claim they had to the item(s) applied for.

Reduced to Reserve at Malta on 27 March, 1937.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Commander John O. Barron, 18 April, 1918 – 1 March, 1921
• Commander Hamilton C. Allen, 11 January, 1921 – c. mid July, 1921
• Commander Cecil R. Hemans, 14 July, 1921 – 4 January, 1922
• Commander Francis H. G. Walker, 4 January, 1922 – 10 November, 1922
• Commander Henry E. Horan, 10 November, 1922 – February, 1924
• Lieutenant-Commander John E. Phayre, 9 February, 1924 – July, 1924
• Lieutenant-Commander John D. Harvey, 19 February, 1925 – c. late March, 1925^[Inference]  (temporary, for Fleet Exercises)
• Lieutenant-Commander Cyril J. H. Hill, 1926 – 1927
• Lieutenant-Commander Alexander M. Donovan, c. February, 1927  (for passage home. He may have followed Spalding)
• Lieutenant-Commander Meredith S. Spalding, c. late April, 1927  (for passage to Malta from China)
• Captain Richard J. R. Scott, 1930 – December, 1930
• Captain Ion B. B. Tower, December, 1930 – 28 April, 1931
• Lieutenant-Commander Percival H. G. James, 5 March, 1931 – c. June, 1931
• Commander Charles M. Blackman, June, 1931 – 4 November, 1931
• Lieutenant-Commander John Drinkwater, 2 August, 1932 – 24 August, 1932  (temporary, for trials)
• Lieutenant-Commander Denys R. Brocklebank, 29 August, 1932 – 11 September, 1932  (for passage out, to return in Douglas)
• Captain Frederick H. Taylor, 11 September, 1932 – 19 December, 1932  (and as Captain (S), First Submarine Flotilla)
• Captain Ronald W. Blacklock, 16 November, 1932 – May, 1933  (and as Captain (S), First Submarine Flotilla)
• Lieutenant-Commander Arthur R. M. Black, 12 September, 1935 – 1936  (left uponWolsey paying off)
• Commander Cecil A. N. Chatwin, December, 1939 – 16 February, 1940
• Lieutenant-Commander Colin H. Campbell, 16 February, 1940 – 12 January, 1942
• Lieutenant in Command Thomas F. Taylor, 12 January, 1942 – July 1943
• Lieutenant-Commander Sydney A. Cuthbert, July 1943 – 31 December, 1943
• Lieutenant in Command Frederick W. Hayden, 31 December, 1943 – mid 1945

See Also

• Wikipedia