Plaque presented to H.M.S. Quiberon to commemorate her adoption by the people of the Borough of West Ham in Warship Week March 21-28 1942.

HMS (HMAS) QUIBERON (G51) was a Q-c1ass destroyer laid down by J. Samuel White and Company at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 14 October 1940, launched on 31 January 1942 by Mrs Tillard, wife of Rear Admiral S.D. Tillard, Flag Officer in Charge, Southampton and commissioned on 6 July 1942. She was named after the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

'Quiberon' was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy in 1942, served on North Atlantic convoy escort duty, supported the Allied landings in North Africa in October 1942, attacked and sank the enemy Italian submarine 'Dessie' of the Algerian coast on 28 November 1942, operated in North African waters on convoy and fleet escort duties, served on convoy escort duties in the Indian Ocean, took part in the carrier air strikes against Sabang in April 1944, took part in operation in support of the American seizure of Okinawa and attacks on the Japanese home islands, and served on occupation duties in Japan following the cessation of hostilities.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 HMAS QUIBERON was deployed with TG111.3 to assist in collection of allied nationals from Shanghai and was deployed in the Pacific with other RAN ships during the rest of 1945. Loan from RN was extended after end of hostilities and permanent transfer made in October 1945. During 1950 this ship was selected for conversion to an Anti-Submarine Frigate and she-rejoined the Fleet in 1952 after completion. She remained operational until reduced to Reserve status in 1964.. Placed on the Disposal List in 1970 and in January 1972 was sold to a Japanese shipbreaker. The ship left Sydney in tow for passage to Japan on 10 April that year.

Part of Newham Heritage & Archives collection