The H.M.S Derwent
Oil on Canvas
48 x 63 cm
Signed lower right
The H.M.S. Derwent
The present painting by Peter McIntyre depicts a Royal Navy Type III Hunt Class Escort Destroyer, The Derwent L83. The work was commissioned directly from the artist just after World War Two by Sub Lieutenant Douglas (Dufty) Wilson, who stands beside his three fellow New Zealand sailors on the starboard bow of the vessel. To the right of Wilson are Tom Bourke (possibly also Sub Lieutenant at this time), Den Burton and Laurie Carr (who later became Rear Admiral).
Both Wilson and Bourke went on to captain LCI landing craft in the first wave into St. Aubin in the Normandy D-Day invasion. Wilson's LCI hit a mine on the way in, with nine Commandos instantly killed. Wilson was swiftly taken onboard another LCI and was one of the first back in Portsmouth, where he was immediately given another LCI to take across.
The Derwent was ordered by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow under the 1940 Emergency Programme on 4th July 1940, along with seven others of its type. She was launched on 22nd August 1941 as the fifth RN ship to carry this name, that of a fox-hunt in Yorkshire. She was commissioned for service on April 24th, 1942.
In January 1943, the Derwent was deployed on convoy escort and patrol in the Indian Ocean. She then went to the Red Sea to escort a military convoy taking the ANZAC 9th Division back to Australia from the Middle East, after recall for defence of Australia (Operation PAMPHLET).
On March 19th 1943, she joined the 22nd Destroyer Flotilla Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria. She was deployed for convoy defence patrol and support of military operations. Whilst anchored in Tripoli harbour, Libya, she underwent heavy air attack by an Italian division flying German Ju 88 aircraft, and was hit by a circling torpedo. She sustained major damage with flooding in midship compartments, including her boiler room. She was holed on the port side and completely immobilised, with 6 fatal casualties, and was eventually beached.
Having been towed back to England, the Derwent was stored at Devonport HM Dockyard to undergo repairs but a decision was eventually made to stop repairs and reduce the ship to Reserve status. In September 1946 her machinery was transferred to RNEC at Manadon for use in training of Marine Engineer officers. The ship was sold to BISCO on 8th November that year for demolition by T. W. Ward at Penryn where she arrived in tow on 21st February 1947.
Rear Admiral Laurie G. Carr C.B., D.S.C.
Admiral Carr is the right-most figure in the group of four in the painting. Born in Wellington in 1920, Admiral Carr joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1941, being seconded to the Royal Navy where he saw considerable war service. In 1942 he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant, in the Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve.
In 1946 he was granted a permanent commission in the Royal New Zealand Navy, specialising in communications, subsequently being again seconded to the Royal Navy.
In 1951 he was appointed Commanding Officer of HMNZS KANIERE. He commanded this vessel in the Korean War, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Following a wide variety of postings he was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in 1969, being promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1971 and retired in 1972. He died in 1990. His uniform and medals are in the collection of the Royal New Zealand Navy Museum.
