List of Eastern Fleet ships

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The Eastern Fleet was a World War II formation of the British 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 between Trincomalee and Kilindini 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.

Battleships

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Howe  UK August 1944
September 1945
November 1944
January 1946
Joined British Pacific Fleet
Joined Home Fleet
Nelson  UK July 1945 September 1945 Joined Home Fleet
Prince of Wales  UK December 1941 10 December 1941 Sunk by air attack
Queen Elizabeth  UK January 1944 July 1945 Reserve
Ramillies  UK February 1942

October 1943
June 1942

December 1943
Damaged at Diego Suarez, repaired at Durban and Plymouth, then Home Fleet
Joined Home Fleet
Resolution  UK March 1942 September 1943 Reserve
Revenge  UK August 1941 September 1943 Reserve
Richelieu  France April 1944
March 1945
October 1944
May 1945
Toulon
 
Royal Sovereign  UK October 1941
October 1943
January 1943
December 1943
Refit in USA
Reserve and transfer to USSR
Valiant  UK August 1942
January 1944
 
January 1943
August 1944
 
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Repairs following damage in drydock collapse at Trincomalee
Warspite  UK March 1942 March 1943 Joined Mediterranean Fleet

Battlecruisers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Renown  UK January 1944 March 1945 Joined Home Fleet
Repulse  UK December 1941 10-December 1941 Sunk by air attack

Fleet aircraft carriers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Eagle  UK <September 1939
March 1941
May 1940
May 1941
Mediterranean Fleet
South Atlantic and Africa Station
Formidable  UK March 1942 August 1942 Operation Torch
Hermes  UK <March 1942 9 April 1942 Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Illustrious  UK May 1942
January 1944
January 1943
November 1944
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indefatigable  UK November 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Indomitable  UK January 1942
June 1944
July 1942
November 1944
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Joined British Pacific Fleet
Saratoga  US April 1944 May 1944 USA for refit
Unicorn  UK January 1944 <December 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet. Usually used as an aircraft maintenance ship
Victorious  UK July 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet

Escort aircraft carriers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Ameer  UK June 1944 October 1945 Returned to USN
Attacker  UK April 1945 September 1945 Returned to USN
Battler  UK October 1943 December 1944 Joined Home Fleet
Begum  UK April 1944
June 1945
January 1945
October 1945
Refit on Clyde
Returned to USN
Emperor  UK March 1945 November 1945 Returned to USN
Empress  UK February 1945 November 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[1]
Hunter  UK March 1945 October 1945 Returned to USN
Khedive  UK February 1945 September 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[2]
Pursuer  UK August 1945 November 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[3]
Searcher  UK August 1945 August 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[4]
Shah  UK April 1944 September 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[5]
Stalker  UK March 1945 October 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[6]
Trouncer  UK October 1945 October 1945 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[7]
Trumpeter  UK July 1945 January 1946 Returned to UK for pay-off, then to USN[8]

Heavy cruisers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Berwick  UK July 1927 1936 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Canberra  Australia <May 1940 <December 1941 US Pacific Fleet (Task Force 17)
Cornwall  UK December 1927
<September 1939
April 1941
<1938
December 1939
5 April 1942
UK for Refit
South Atlantic and Africa Station
Sunk by Japanese air attack[9]
Cumberland  UK December 1927
<1938
March 1944
1935
1938
November 1945
UK for reconstruction
2nd Cruiser Squadron
Joined Home Fleet
Devonshire  UK December 1941
April 1942
January 1942
March 1943
Refit at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Refit, then Home Fleet[10]
Dorsetshire  UK 1937
November 1940
March 1942
October 1939
December 1940
5 April 1942
South Atlantic and Africa Station
Atlantic
Sunk by Japanese air attack
Effingham  UK 1925 <September 1932 Joined Home Fleet
Frobisher  UK 1926
March 1942
1926
March 1944
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Joined Home Fleet
Hawkins  UK 1919
December 1929
September 1932
< February 1941
May 1942
November 1928
May 1930
April 1935
> December 1941
February 1944
Refit in UK
Reserve
Reserve
Refit at Portsmouth
Joined Home Fleet for D-day
Kent  UK June 1928
1938
1937
August 1940
Reconstruction
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
London  UK May 1943 June 1949 Paid off
Suffolk  UK February 1928
April 1943
<October 1939
<March 1948
Joined Home Fleet
Joined Home Fleet
Sussex  UK >February 1943 >July 1945

Light cruisers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Achilles  New Zealand June 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Birmingham  UK January 1938 September 1939 Refit at Malta, then Home Fleet
Cairo  UK 1920 1927 America and West Indies Station
Caledon  UK August 1940 September 1942 Joined Home Fleet
Capetown  UK July 1934
<August 1940
19 June 1942
August 1938
<April 1941
> October 1942
UK, Refit

Home Fleet
Caradoc  UK December 1926
July 1930
> February 1942
1944
<September 1927
<October 1934
June 1943
<April 1946
UK, Refit
Reserve
South Africa Station
UK, scrapped
Carlisle  UK March 1919
<August 1940
1928
<March 1941
Refit
Mediterranean Fleet
Cardiff  UK July 1938 April 1939 Reserve
Ceres  UK April 1940 October 1943 Mediterranean Fleet
Ceylon  UK November 1943 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Colombo  UK June 1919
July 1932
<August 1940
1926
1935
June 1942
America and West Indies Station
Reserve
UK for conversion
Danae  UK August 1936
February 1942
July 1943
January 1938
July 1942
December 1943
Joined Home Fleet
Modernisation in UK
Joined Home Fleet
Dauntless  UK December 1939
August 1942
February 1942
February 1945
Refit at Portsmouth
Reserve
Delhi  UK 1926 1928
Despatch  UK June 1922 1927 America and West Indies Station
Diomede  UK
 New Zealand
1922
1935
1925
March 1936
New Zealand Squadron
Reverted to Royal Navy, placed in Reserve
Dragon  UK October 1926
January 1941
December 1928
November 1942
UK, Refit
Home Fleet
Durban  UK <March 1940
> June 1943
>August 1942
November 1943
Repairs at New York, Refit Portsmouth
UK, Reserve
Emerald  UK January 1926
August 1934
<April 1941
April 1943
July 1933
September 1937
August 1942
<June 1944
Refit
Reserve
Refit
Joined Home Fleet
Enterprise  UK April 1926
January 1936
January 1941
<July 1934
December 1937
December 1942
Reserve
Joined Home Fleet
Refit at Clyde
Gambia  UK February 1942 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Gloucester  UK <September 1939 <May 1941
Hobart  Australia <April 1940 >June 1941 Pacific
Kenya  UK January 1944 >February 1945
Leander  New Zealand <1931 >1945 Damaged in the Battle of Kolombangara
Liverpool  UK <September 1939 >January 1940
Manchester  UK <September 1939 <May 1940
Mauritius  UK February 1942 April 1943 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Newcastle  UK April 1942
May 1943
May 1942
March 1945
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nigeria  UK February 1944 December 1945 Refit
Swiftsure  UK <November 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet

Anti-aircraft cruisers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Argonaut  UK November 1944 November 1945
Black Prince  UK November 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Euryalus  UK January 1945 January 1945
Jacob van Heemskerck  Netherlands March 1942 December 1943
Phoebe  UK July 1944 September 1945
Royalist  UK late 1944 >August 1945

Armed Merchant Cruisers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Arawa  UK September 1939 November 1940 South Atlantic Station
Canton  UK September 1942 April 1944 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

Destroyers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Active  UK <1942 <May 1942
Anthony  UK <May 1942 <February 1944 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Arrow  UK <June 1942 <June 1943
Cummings  US April 1944 May 1944 Pacific
Dainty  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Home Fleet
Daring  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Home Fleet
Decoy  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Defender  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Delight  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Diamond  UK <September 1939 <April 1941
Diana  UK <September 1939 <February 1940
Duchess  UK <September 1939 <December 1939
Duncan  UK January 1935
> March 1941
September 1939
1942
Repairs, then joined Home Fleet
Joined Home Fleet
Dunlap  US April 1944 May 1944 Pacific
Encounter  UK 1 March 1942 Sunk
Eskimo  UK <May 1945
Express  UK Refit in UK
Fanning  US April 1944 May 1944 Pacific
Fortune  UK March 1942
September 1942
April 1942
November 1942

Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa
Foxhound  UK
Grenville  UK Joined British Pacific Fleet
Griffin  UK
Hotspur  UK September 1942
September 1943
January 1943
December 1943
Dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa
Returned to Home Fleet
Isaac Sweers  Netherlands April 1942 May 1942 Refit at Southampton
Isis  UK <June 1941
Inconstant  UK <May 1942
Javelin  UK <May 1942
Kempenfelt  UK
Laforey  UK <May 1942
Triomphant  France
Lightning  UK <May 1942
Lookout  UK <May 1942
Napier  Australia February 1942 February 1945
Nepal  Australia July 1942 March 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nestor  Australia January 1942 June 1942 Sunk in Mediterranean, during Operation Vigorous
Nizam  Australia January 1942 November 1944
Norman  Australia January 1942 February 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Nubian  UK <May 1945
Pakenham  UK <May 1942
Paladin  UK <February 1945 >May 1945
Panther  UK <April 1942
Pathfinder  UK <January 1945 February 1945 Reserve
Penn  UK <May 1945
Petard  UK <February 1945
Quadrant  UK <March 1944 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quality  UK ? 1945
Queenborough  UK ? November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quiberon  Australia March 1943 November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Quickmatch  Australia May 1943 October 1944
Quilliam  UK
Racehorse  UK <May 1945
Raider  UK <July 1944 >January 1945
Rapid  UK <July 1944 >January 1945
Redoubt  UK <May 1945
Relentless  UK <September 1943 >February 1944
Rocket  UK <May 1945
Roebuck  UK <March 1944 >May 1945
Rotherham  UK <May 1945
Saumarez  UK >May 1945
Scorpion  UK
Scout  UK <September 1939 <March 1946
Tartar  UK Feb 45 Nov 45?
Tenedos  UK <September 1939 April 1942 Sunk by air attack in Colombo harbour
Thanet  UK <September 1939 27 January 1942 Sunk by Japanese destroyers off east coast of Malaya
Thracian  UK <September 1939 December 1941 Run aground at Hong Kong; salvaged by the IJN, repaired and recommissioned on 25 November 1942 as Patrol Vessel No.101
Undaunted  UK Joined British Pacific Fleet
Undine  UK Joined British Pacific Fleet
Ursa  UK Joined British Pacific Fleet
Vampire  Australia February 1942 9 April 1942 Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Vendetta  Australia
Venus  UK >May 1945
Vigilant  UK >May 1945
Virago  UK >May 1945
Wakeful  UK
Wessex  UK November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Westcott  UK November 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Whirlwind  UK
Wrangler  UK

Frigates

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Bann  UK <January 1944 December 1945 Transferred to Royal Indian Navy, renamed Tir
Findhorn  UK <August 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet

Corvettes

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Auricula  UK April 1942 May 1942 Mined and sunk off Diego Suarez
Genista  UK <May 1942 >February 1943
Hollyhock  UK 9 April 1942 Sunk by Japanese air attack off Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Thyme  UK <August 1943

Minesweepers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Aberdare  UK <September 1939 <March 1947
Abingdon  UK <September 1939 <April 1942
Bagshot  UK <September 1939 <April 1945
Bathurst  Australia June 1941 August 1944 Australia
Bengal  British India <November 1942
Burnie  Australia September 1942 December 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Cairns  Australia November 1942 January 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Cessnock  Australia December 1942 January 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Derby  UK <September 1939 <April 1941
Fareham  UK <September 1939 <February 1941
Gawler  Australia January 1943 May 1943
October 1943 January 1945
Geraldton  Australia August 1942 January 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Harrow  UK <September 1939 <1947
Huntley  UK <September 1939 <January 1941
Ipswich  Australia November 1942 January 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Launceston  Australia September 1942 September 1944
Lismore  Australia December 1941 December 1944 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Maryborough  Australia November 1942 December 1944
Orissa  British India <February 1944
Squirrel  UK 24 July 1945 Mined and sunk off Phuket
Stoke  UK <September 1939 <May 1941
Tamworth  Australia February 1943 January 1945 Joined British Pacific Fleet
Toowoomba  Australia December 1942 December 1944
Vestal  UK 26 July 1945 Scuttled after damage from kamikaze
Widnes  UK <September 1939 <May 1941
Wollongong  Australia September 1942 February 1945

Monitors

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Erebus  UK <April 1942 <July 1943
Terror  UK <September 1939 <April 1940

Oilers

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
RFA Echodale  UK <January 1945 >May 1945
RFA Olwen  UK 1942 1946
RFA Wave King  UK

Sloops

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Bideford  UK June 1939 >September 1939
Clive  British India <September 1939 >September 1939
Cornwallis  British India <September 1939 >September 1939
Deptford  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Egret  UK <September 1939 <August 1943
Falmouth  UK <September 1939 >February 1944
Fleetwood  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Folkestone  UK <September 1939 <October 1940
Fowey  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Godavari  British India <August 1944
Grimsby  UK <September 1939 September 1939 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Hindustan  British India <September 1939 >September 1939
Indus  British India April 1942 6 April 1942 Sunk off Akyab
Jumna  British India <February 1944 >January 1945
Lawrence  British India <September 1939 >September 1939
Lowestoft  UK <September 1939 >September 1939
Narbada  British India <January 1945
Rochester  UK <September 1939 >September 1939
Sandwich  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Shoreham  UK 1932
September 1943
February 1943
July 1946
Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Scrapped 1946
Soemba  Netherlands April 1942 early 1943 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
Warrego  Australia

Submarines

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Grampus  UK <September 1939 <June 1940 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Odin  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Olympus  UK <September 1939 <May 1942
Otus  UK <September 1939 <August 1941
Pandora  UK <September 1939 <July 1940
Parthian  UK <September 1939 May 1940 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Perseus  UK <September 1939 August 1940 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Phoenix  UK <September 1939 <July 1940
Porpoise  UK <July 1945 19 January 1945 Sunk by Japanese aircraft, Malacca Strait
Proteus  UK <September 1939 <November 1941
Rainbow  UK <September 1939 <September 1940
Regent  UK <September 1939 <October 1940
Regulus  UK <September 1939 <November 1940
Rorqual  UK <September 1939 <June 1940
Rover  UK <September 1939 <January 1941
Scythian  UK <March 1945 >May 1945
Seal  UK September 1939 October 1939 Joined Home Fleet
Shakespeare  UK >December 1944 3 January 1945 Damaged by gunfire and air attack in the Nankauri Strait, Andaman Islands; written off as a constructive total loss
Spark  UK <December 1944 >July 1945
Statesman  UK <August 1944 >August 1945
Stonehenge  UK <February 1944 March 1944 Overdue, assumed lost
Stratagem  UK <August 1944 22 November 1944 Damaged by depth charges and scuttled in the Malacca Straits
Stygian  UK <September 1944 >July 1945
Subtle  UK <December 1944 >May 1945
Tally-Ho  UK <January 1944
Telemachus  UK <July 1944
Templar  UK <January 1944 >May 1945
Terrapin  UK <August 1944 May 1945 Damaged by depth charges west of Batavia, Java in the Java Sea; declared a constructive total loss
Trenchant  UK <August 1944 >July 1945

Gunboats

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Aphis  UK 1927 <June 1942 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Cicala  UK <September 1939 21 December 1941 Bombed and sunk (probably scuttled) near Hong Kong
Cockchafer  UK <September 1926 <March 1943 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet[11]
Cricket  UK <1939 November 1940 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet[12]
Dragonfly  UK June 1939 14 February 1942 Sunk in Riau Archipelago
Falcon  UK <September 1939 February 1942 Transferred to China; renamed Luan Huan
Gannet  UK <September 1939 February 1942 Transferred to China; renamed Ying Shan ("British Mountain")
Gnat  UK <September 1939 >December 1941 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Grasshopper  UK <September 1939 14 February 1942 Beached after dive bombers hit her (wreck still there today) in Riau Archipelago
Ladybird  UK 1927 >December 1941 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Mantis  UK 1927 January 1940 Scrapped Shanghai
Moth  UK <September 1939 12 December 1941 Sunk and refloated by Japanese; renamed Suma; mined and sunk 19 March 1945 near Nanking
Peterel  UK <September 1939 8 December 1941 Sunk at Shanghai
Robin  UK <September 1939 25 December 1941 Scuttled near Hong Kong
Sandpiper  UK 1933 February 1942 Transferred to China; renamed Ying Hao ("British Hero")
Scarab  UK <September 1926 >December 1941 Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
Scorpion  UK 1937 February 1942 Sunk near Singapore
Seamew  UK 1927 18 August 1947 Scrapped at Basra
Tarantula  UK <September 1939 1 May 1946 Sunk during target practice
Tern  UK <September 1939 19 December 1941 Scuttled at Deep Water Bay

Torpedo boats

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
MTB.7  UK <September 1939
MTB.8  UK <September 1939
MTB.9  UK <September 1939
MTB.10  UK <September 1939
MTB.11  UK <September 1939
MTB.12  UK <September 1939

Miscellaneous

Ship Type Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
Albatross Seaplane tender  UK May 1942 July 1943 UK for paying off & conversion to repair ship[13]
Barlane Boom defence vessel  UK
Barlight Boom defence vessel  UK 19 December 1941 Scuttled Hong Kong to prevent capture by the Japanese: subsequently raised and commissioned on 20 September 1942 into the IJN as Netlayer 101. Netlayer 101 sunk 15 June 1944 off Saipan.
Barricade Boom defence vessel  UK
Barrier Boom defence vessel  UK
Medway Submarine depot ship  UK <September 1939 April 1940 Joined Mediterranean Fleet
St Breock Rescue tug  UK 4 February 1942 Bombed & sunk off Sumatra
St Just Rescue tug  UK

Also to be classified

Ship Nationality Date joined Date left Fate/ next assignment
RFA Empire Salvage  UK
Endeavour
Karanja
Black Swan  UK
Lucia  UK September 1939 >April 1942
Barbette  UK <September 1939
Barnet  UK <September 1939
Fastnet  UK
Redstart  UK <September 1939

References

Notes
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Bibliography