Arthur Wells Perrons

CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL 60, 1.

HMS Firedrake

HMS Firedrake was an F-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the early 1930s. Although assigned to the Home Fleet upon completion, the ship was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1935–36 during the Abyssinia Crisis. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–39, she spent much time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict.

Several weeks after the start of the Second World War, Firedrake helped to sink a German submarine and took part in the Norwegian Campaign in early 1940. She was sent to Gibraltar in mid-1940 and formed part of Force H where she escorted many Malta convoys in the Mediterranean and helped to sink an Italian submarine. Firedrake participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento and screened the capital ships of Force H as they bombarded Genoa before she was damaged by an Italian bomb in mid-1941. After repairs were completed the ship became a convoy escort in the Atlantic.

While escorting Convoy ON(S) 94 in May, the escorts drove off U-406. Firedrake received repairs in April on the Clyde and August in Belfast. She rescued survivors from the torpedoed merchantman MV Olaf Fostenes on 26 September. Two months later, the ship was detached to reinforce the escort for Convoy ON 144 on 18 November and helped to prevent any further losses to the convoy. On 16 December, while escorting Convoy ON 153, Firedrake was torpedoed by U-211 at 19:11. She broke in two; the bow section sinking immediately but the stern stayed afloat until 00:45. The corvette Sunflower picked up 26 survivors, but the rest of her crew of 140 men, including Ordinary Coder Arthur Perrons from Nottingham, were lost. (Wikipedia)

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