~ Late WW2 HMS Duncan Royal Navy 1933 Destroyer Leader Ships White Alloy Boat Badge ~
The badge is an original piece from the ship and would have been mounted on one of the ships launches.
It bears the ships name and emblem of a hunting horn and is now mounted on a wooden plaque.
Alloy or steel was often used in the later years of WW2 to replace bronze badges, as bronze became in short supply.
~ HMS Duncan ~
HMS Duncan was a D-class destroyer leader built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930’s. The ship was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before she was transferred to the China Station in early 1935 where she remained until mid-1939. Duncan returned to the Mediterranean Fleet just after World War II began in September 1939. She was transferred to the Home Fleet in December 1939, although she was badly damaged in a collision the following month, and required repairs that lasted until July 1940. The ship joined Force H at Gibraltar in October, escorting the larger ships and various convoys until March 1941 when she was transferred to West Africa for convoy escort duties for a few months. Duncan rejoined the 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar in July and escorted several convoys to Malta during the rest of the year. After a refit, she briefly returned to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla before joining the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean to participate in Operation Ironclad in May 1942. The ship was recalled home to be converted into an escort destroyer in late 1942.
Duncan was assigned to Escort Group B-7 in the North Atlantic after her conversion was complete in May 1943. She escorted a number of convoys before she required a lengthy refit from November to May 1944. She helped to sink two German submarines in October 1943. The ship was assigned to anti-submarine duties in the Western Approaches after her refit was finished in May 1944, and Duncan remained there until April 1945. At that time she was transferred to coastal anti-submarine patrols to counter any last-gasp effort by the Kriegsmarine to interfere with the Allied supply lines to the Continent. Placed in reserve the following month, Duncan was in bad shape and was sold for scrap later that year. The demolition, however, was not completed until 1949.
~ Condition ~
The badge is in good order.
~ Dimensions ~
The boat badge is 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) tall by 12.5 cm (5 inches) wide.
#9803