The first HMS Montrose was an 'Admiralty Design' class destroyer-leader, which was laid down at Hebburn-on-Tyne on 17th September 1917, launched on 10th June 1919 and completed on the 14th September the same year, too late for her to be involved in the First World War. She was sent to the Mediterranean Fleet where she would be stationed for ten years, being involved in numerous operations, including the evacuation of White Russian troops at Novorossiysk a harbour near the Black Sea in March 1920.
She finally returned back home in 1929 serving initially in the Nore Reserve Fleet, then with the more prestigious Home Fleet from 1930 to 1932 before placed into reserve until she was given her eventual refit at Devonport shortly before WWII begun. In 1939 she was made leader of the 17th Destroyer Flotilla, stationed with the Western Approaches Command, and for the first few months back in active service was tasked with anti-submarine patrols in the East Atlantic. On 27th May 1940 she assisted in the dramatic Dunkirk Evacuation successfully evacuating 925 troops before being forced to leave the action due to the damage she had sustained. Two months later, after she had been transferred to the 18th Destroyer Flotilla, Nore Command, she was damaged once again by enemy aircraft while protecting minesweepers on the east coast. While in this action she shot down at least one enemy aircraft, though she had been disabled due to damage that she had sustained by a number of near-misses and because of this had to be towed back to Chatham for repairs that were to last well over a year. On return from these repairs she was reallocated to the 16 Destroyer Flotilla where she would see out the remainder of her career.
Up until August of 1942 Montrose was charged with escort work protecting the minesweepers that were laying minefields in the Denmark Strait, but from September 1942 and well into January 1943 she was employed in escorting convoys to North Russia before she resumed coastal patrols as well as covering the east coast convoys. Her last action of the war came about supporting the pivotal Normandy Landings. During this engagement she was damaged once again, being towed to Immingham for repairs. These were never completed , and she was thus placed in reserve and subsequently decommissioned in 1946. The first HMS Montrose gained all the names six battle honours, a fitting epitaph to a venerable warship that served the Royal Navy proudly during her nation, and the Allies most vital hour.
Type 23 'Duke' Class Statistics
First
Second
Battle Honours