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Royal Navy
HMS Encounter
by
Ronnie Taylor and Tom Jowett
Keeping their Candle Burning
The ‘E’ Class Fleet Destroyer, HMS Encounter, was ordered by Hawthorn Leslie in November 1932 under the 1931 Build Programme. Together with her sister ship the HMS Electra , they were laid down in the same yard in March 1933.
HMS Encounter was launched on the 29th March 1934, being the fifth Royal Navy ship to carry the name. Completed for a cost of £252,250 in November 1934.
HMS Encounter
The Admiralty then supplied the guns and communication equipment before the HMS Encounter was assigned service in the Mediterranean. Before war broke out in 1939 she assisted enforcing the imposed arms blockade by Britain and France in Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War. In August 1939 Encounter attended a Review of the Reserve Fleet by HM King George VI in Weymouth Bay.
In September 1939 War was declared against Germany, and HMS Encounter participated in the Norwegian Campaign.
In mid 1940 HMS Encounter was attached to ‘H’ Force and was present at the Battle of Daker and Cape Spartivento.
In 1941 the Encounter was assigned escort duty for convoys to Malta in the Mediterranean. Later in the year with the threat of Japan entering the war, Encounter was transferred to the Eastern Fleet at Singapore.
Japan entered the war on the 8th December 1941 by attacking Pearl Harbour, Hong Kong and making landings near the Thailand/Malay border at Kota Bharu, Patani and Singora where they gained ground.
After the Japanese entered the war, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse sailed as ‘Z’ Force to Kuantan, off the East Coast of Malaya, their aim was to find  and attack proposed Japanese Landing craft in the area. HMS Encounter was not available due to a refit. Having little RAF air support, as the RAF had been seriously hit in Malaya, plus the addition of the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable fell though as she had run aground in the Caribbean Sea and was being repaired. This left both the Prince of Wales and the Repulse open to Japanese air attacks and on the 10th December the two ships were attacked and sunk by Japanese planes.
The Sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse
The HMS Electra, HMS Vampire and HMS Express picked up survivors and shipped them back to Singapore.
In January 1942 the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) was formed and HMS Encounter was attached to perform escort duties.
 Battle of the Java Sea
 HMS Encounter Roll
Repatriations are included in the HMS Encounter Roll
Information
Tom Jowett
Proofread by Tim Lloyds
Z Force
British Repatriation Rolls
Commonwealth War Graves
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