HMS Zephyr (R19)

HMS Zephyr (R19) was a Z-class destroyer. She was launched on 13 July 1942 at |Vickers-Armstrong on Tyneside and commissioned on 6 September 1944. She was 'adopted' by the civil community of Doncaster, replacing the destroyer HMS Lightning (sunk in 1943), which had originally been adopted during Warship Week in 1942.

Second World War
After a period of working up with ships of the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow she joined the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet for screening duty and patrol on the North Western Approaches. During anti-submarine operations on 31 December 1944 Zephyr was damaged in an Explosion off of the Pentland Firth. She resumed duties in April 1945 following repair and she escorted a number of Arctic convoys, and other operations in the North Sea and off the coast of Scandinavia. As the war reached its end Zebra stopped at Copenhagen with other Royal Navy ships to accept the surrender of a number of German warships. She was also deployed with the Home Fleet to support operations to re-occupy countries previously under German occupation, and this included guardship duties.

Postwar
Between August 1946 and May 1947 Zephyr was part of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla as part of the Home Fleet. Between July 1947 and February 1948 she was with the Portsmouth Flotilla as Gunnery ship. In February 1948 she transferred to the 3rd Escort Flotilla, based at Portland. and in February 1949 she was leader of the 2nd Training Flotilla. She was paid-off in 1954 and was reduced to reserve status in the Portsmouth Reserve Fleet where she stayed intil 1958.

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. She was sold to Clayton and Davie and arrived at their yard at Dunston on 2 July 1958 for scrapping.

Publications

 * Marriott, Leo, Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allen Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0 7710 1817 0
 * Marriott, Leo, Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945. Ian Allen Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0 7710 1817 0