HMS Vigilant – R93
Index of Allied warships during Operation Neptune
History, technical sheet and photo
HMS Vigilant history
This class V destroyer was launched on 22 December 1942 and entered active service on 10 September 1943. It was named HMS Vigilant and deployed in the English Channel and North Sea in the 26th destroyers fleet after a few exercises to conduct patrols and escorts.
In May 1944, as part of the preparation for Operation Overlord, it joined the Bombarding Force E, itself subordinate to Task Force J. It participated in Exercise Fabius on May 3rd, the general rehearsal of the amphibious operations in Normandy. The Vigilant escorts convoy J2 across the English Channel during the night of June 5-6, 1944 to Juno Beach. On D-Day, it participated in the fire support of the landed Allied troops at Langrune-sur-Mer and patrolled in the sector until June 27th.
Until December, it carried out new patrols and escorts in the Channel and in the North Sea. After a rapid restoration, HMS Vigilant was deployed until the end of the Second World War in the Indian Ocean against Japanese maritime and air forces.
Returning to the United Kingdom, it served in the 3rd fleet of destroyers before being transformed into an anti-submarine frigate in 1952. Placed in reserve, the Vigilant eventually returned to service until 1963 for the benefit of the training of English cadets. Definitely set aside in 1965, it is scrapped as of June 6, 1965, exactly 21 years after D-Day.
HMS Vigilant technical sheet
Creator/User: Great-Britain
Denomination: R 93 – H.M.S. Vigilant
Class: V-class destroyer
Crew: 180-225 sailors
Armament (1944): 4x 120 mm guns, 2x 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, 6x 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, 8x 533 mm torpedo tubes
Displacement: 1,710 tons
Speed: 37 knots
Length: 111 m
Beam: 10,87 m
Draught: 3 m
