HMS Ilex (D61)

HMS "Ilex" (D61), named after "Ilex", the genus of flowering plants also known as "holly", was an I-class destroyer that served during World War II. She is the only ship of the Royal Navy ever to have bourne the name.

Career

1939

On the outbreak of war "Ilex" was deployed in the Mediterranean with the Third Destroyer Flotilla. She was immediately transferred to the Western Approaches for convoy escort duty with her Flotilla. On 13 October she attacked and sank the German submarine "U-42" south-west of Ireland in company with the destroyer HMS|Imogen|D44|6.

1940

off Cape Spada, rescuing 230 survivors.

Continuous service with the Mediterranean Fleet continued through 1940, and on 11 November she was deployed as a screening destroyer for HMS "Illustrious" during the attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto.

1941

On 20 March she formed part of the destroyer screen for the Fleet at the Battle of Cape Matapan. On 14 June she suffered major structural damage from dive-bombing near misses during an operation to to prevent interference by Vichy French warships. She was towed to Haifa and underwent a series of temporary repairs there, and at Suez, Aden, Mombassa and Durban, in order to reach the United States of America for a refit and full repair.

1942

It was not until September of 1942 that "Ilex" was re-commissioned. She spent the rest of the year at Freetown, Sierra Leone conducting convoy duties.

1943

In February of 1943 "Ilex" returned to the Mediterranean, and in July and August she participated in the Sicily and Salerno landings. In December she was withdrawn from operational service because of a high defect load and poor availability.

1944

She was laid up at Bizerte in Tunisia, then transferred to Ferryville in June, and laid up there.

1945

In March 1945 she was towed to Malta for repair, and in April reduced to Reserve Category C, the survey declaring her "not required for further operational service". She was placed on the Disposal List in August.

Disposal

"Ilex" was sold for scrap at Malta on 22 January 1946 and broken up in Sicily in 1948.

References