View source for HMS Tartar (F43)

{{Short description|Tribal-class destroyer}}
{{Other ships|HMS Tartar}}
{{More footnotes|date=June 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Tartar at a buoy.jpg
|Ship caption=Tartar at a [[buoy]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Tartar''
|Ship ordered=19 June 1936
|Ship namesake=[[Tatars]]
|Ship builder=[[Swan Hunter|Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson]], [[Wallsend]]
|Ship laid down=26 August 1936
|Ship launched=21 October 1937
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned=10 March 1939
|Ship decommissioned=1946
|Ship fate=Sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]], 6 January 1948
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname='Lucky Tartar'
|Ship honours=12 [[battle honours]]
|Ship original cost=[[pound sterling|£]]339,750
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]s: G43, later F43
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class={{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer|||1936}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1891|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|2519|LT|t}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|377|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} ([[Length overall|o/a]])
|Ship beam={{convert|36|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|11|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*3 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|44000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts; 2 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5700|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship sensors=[[ASDIC]] 
|Ship complement=190
|Ship armament=*4 × twin [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|4.7 in (120&nbsp;mm) guns]]
*1 × quadruple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pdr ({{cvt|40|mm}})]] [[AA gun]]s
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5 in (12.7&nbsp;mm)]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun]]s
*1 × quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21 in (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tubes]] 
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 × rack, 2 × throwers
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Tartar''''' was a {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer (1936)|0}} [[destroyer]] of the [[Royal Navy]] that saw service in most of the naval theatres of [[World War II]]. She had an eventful career, eventually receiving the [[nickname]] 'Lucky Tartar' due to her numerous escapes from dangerous situations.<ref>[http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4229.html Uboat.net]</ref> She was one of only four from the sixteen Royal Navy-operated Tribal-class destroyers to survive the war.

==Description==
The Tribals were intended to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to improve the firepower of the existing destroyer [[flotilla]]s and were thus significantly larger and more heavily armed than the preceding {{sclass2|I|destroyer|4}}.<ref>Lenton, p. 164</ref> The ships displaced {{convert|1891|LT|t|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|2519|LT|t}} at [[deep load]].<ref>English, p. 14</ref> They had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|377|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|36|ft|6|in|m}}<ref name=l65>Lenton, p. 165</ref> and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|11|ft|3|in|m}}.<ref name=e12>English, p. 12</ref> The destroyers were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]] using steam provided by three [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|44000|shp|lk=on}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=l65/> During her [[sea trial]]s ''Tartar'' made {{convert|35.9|kn}} from {{cvt|44077|shp|kW}} at a displacement of {{convert|2025|LT|t}}.<ref>March, p. 323</ref> The ships carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give them a range of {{convert|5700|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}.<ref name=e12/> The ships' complement consisted of 190 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]], although the [[flotilla leader]]s carried an extra 20 officers and men consisting of the [[Captain (D)]] and his staff.<ref name=w99>Whitley, p. 99</ref>

The primary armament of the Tribal-class destroyers was eight [[List of British ordnance terms#QF|quick-firing (QF)]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark XII guns]] in four [[superfiring]] twin-gun mounts, one pair each fore and aft of the [[superstructure]], designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. The mounts had a maximum [[elevation (ballistics)|elevation]] of 40°. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft (AA)]] defence, they carried a single quadruple mount for the {{convert|40|mm|adj=on|1}} [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF two-pounder Mk II]] "pom-pom" gun and two quadruple mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5-inch (12.7&nbsp;mm) Mark III]] [[machine gun]].<ref>Hodges, pp. 13–25</ref> Low-angle fire for the main guns was controlled by the [[Director (military)|director-control tower (DCT)]] on the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]] roof that fed data acquired by it and the {{convert|12|ft|adj=on|1}} [[Coincidence rangefinder |rangefinder]] on the Mk II Rangefinder/Director directly aft of the DCT to an analogue [[mechanical computer]], the Mk I [[Admiralty Fire Control Clock]]. Anti-aircraft fire for the main guns was controlled by the Rangefinder/Director which sent data to the mechanical [[Fuze Keeping Clock]].<ref>Friedman, p. 32</ref>

The ships were fitted with a single above-water quadruple mount for [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref name=w99/> The Tribals were not intended as anti-submarine ships, but they were provided with [[ASDIC]], one [[depth charge]] rack and two throwers for self-defence, although the throwers were not mounted in all ships;<ref>Hodges, pp. 30–31, 40</ref> Twenty depth charges was the peacetime allotment, but this increased to 30 during wartime.<ref>English, p. 15</ref>

===Wartime modifications===
Heavy losses to German air attack during the [[Norwegian Campaign]]  demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the Tribals' anti-aircraft suite and the RN decided in May 1940 to replace 'X' mount with two [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mark XVI]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s in a twin-gun mount. To better control the guns, the existing rangefinder/director was modified to accept a [[Type 285 radar|Type 285]] [[fire-control radar|gunnery radar]] as they became available. The number of depth charges was increased to 46 early in the war, and still more were added later.<ref>Friedman, p. 34; Hodges, pp. 41–42</ref> To increase the firing arcs of the AA guns, the rear [[funnel (ship)|funnel]] was shortened and the [[mainmast]] was reduced to a short pole mast.<ref>Whitley, p. 116</ref>

== Construction and career ==
Authorized as one of nine Tribal-class destroyers under the 1936 Naval Estimates,<ref>Brice, p. 11</ref> ''Tartar'' was the seventh ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy.<ref>Colledge & Warlow, p. 345</ref> The ship was ordered on 19 June 1936 from [[Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson]] and was [[laid down]] on 26 August at the company's [[Wallsend]], [[Tyne and Wear]], [[shipyard]]. [[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]] on 21 October 1937, ''Tartar'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 10 March. The ship cost [[pound sterling|£]]341,462 which excluded weapons and communications outfits furnished by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]].<ref>English, pp. 13, 16</ref> She was equipped for use as a [[Flotilla leader]].

After commissioning she was assigned to the 2nd Tribal Destroyer Flotilla of the [[Home Fleet]], and was later transferred to the re-designated [[6th Destroyer Flotilla]]. A period of trials and exercises was interrupted by the sinking of the submarine {{HMS|Thetis|N25|2}} in [[Liverpool Bay]] on 1 June 1939. ''Tartar'' was one of the [[Home Fleet]] ships sent to the scene of the accident to assist in search and recovery efforts, and formed the Headquarters ship for rescue operations. Further work-up exercises revealed defects, and ''Tartar'' was under repair in [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Dockyard]] until the end of July 1939, after which she joined the Home Fleet at [[Scapa Flow]].

===Home Waters: the North Sea===
On the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], she carried out a number of activities with her flotilla, including screening major warships, intercepting [[blockade runner]]s and [[commerce raider]]s and anti-submarine patrols.  On 24 November, she was deployed with other Home Fleet ships to search for the German light [[battleship]]s {{ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}} after the sinking of the [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{HMS|Rawalpindi}}.

By December she was experiencing extensive leaking due to high speed operations in heavy weather conditions. This was a defect common to the Tribal-class destroyers, and ''Tartar'' was under repair at the yards of [[Alexander Stephen and Sons]] in [[Govan]] on the [[River Clyde]] until 29 December. January and February 1940 were spent escorting convoys to and from Norway, and screening fleet units. In March, she and {{HMS|Mohawk|F31|2}} escorted the [[ocean liner]] {{RMS|Queen Elizabeth}} through the [[Western Approaches]] on her maiden voyage, before moving to [[Rosyth]] to carry out convoy escort duties.

In April, ''Tartar'' escorted convoys [[Convoy HN-24|HN-24]] and [[Convoy HN25|HN-25]], with breaks to search for German warships operating in the [[North Sea]]. She then supported allied operations off Norway, including escorting the damaged cruiser {{HMS|Suffolk|55|2}} and covering the evacuation of allied troops from [[Åndalsnes]] and [[Molde]]. She continued to operate off Norway until the end of May, at which point she returned to Scapa Flow. She was back in the North Sea in early June, escorting the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}} and the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}. She also escorted a number of allied evacuation convoys, and carried out another unsuccessful search for ''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau'' after the sinking of the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Glorious|77|2}}.

''Tartar'' then embarked in an anti-submarine patrol with [[sister ship|sisters]] {{HMS|Bedouin|F67|2}} and {{HMS|Mashona|F59|2}}. On 19 June she rescued survivors from a torpedoed Portuguese merchant vessel, and on 20 June, in company with ''Mashona'', she seized control of the Swedish destroyers {{ship|HSwMS|Romulus|27|2}} and {{ship|HSwMS|Remus|28|2}}. After intense diplomatic activity they were later returned to Sweden.  In the meantime, ''Tartar'' became the Leader of the 6th Flotilla whilst her sister {{HMS|Somali|F33|2}} was under repair. ''Tartar'' herself needed repairs in mid July after sustaining damage to her rudder.

On 8 August she was temporarily assigned to [[Force H]] whilst providing an escort for ships bound for [[Gibraltar]]. On 5 September she was an escort for ships of the 1st Minelaying Squadron during [[minelaying]] in the [[Northern Barrage]]. A further refit at Devonport followed in October, which included work to repair leaks from the water feeds and the replacement of the twin 4.7&nbsp;inch gun mounting in "X" position with twin 4&nbsp;inch HA mounting to improve anti-aircraft defence. This work lasted until December, when ''Tartar'' returned to Scapa Flow as the Leader of the [[4th Destroyer Flotilla]].

In January and February 1941 she was used to escort a number of minelaying operations in the North Sea. On 1 March she was one of the destroyers escorting the landing ships of [[Operation Claymore]] to the [[Lofoten]] Islands, and then provided support for the landing operations.<ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38331.pdf Despatch on raid on military and economic objectives in the Lofoten Islands (Norway) 1941 Mar., by Admiral Sir John C. Tovey, Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet]</ref> On 3 March she sank the German merchantman {{SS|Bernhard Schulte||2}} at {{Coord|61|55|N|5|07|E}}.<ref name=Claymore>{{cite web|url=http://www.deutsches-marinearchiv.de/Archiv/1935-1945/Personen/RKzumKVK/landskron.htm |title=Franz Landskron  |publisher=Deutsches Marine Archiv |language=de |access-date=15 June 2010}}</ref><ref name=Coord>{{cite web |url=http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/miszellen/41-03-claymore.htm |title=Chronik des Seekrieges 3./4.3.1941 |publisher=Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart |language=de |access-date=15 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907144545/http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/miszellen/41-03-claymore.htm |archive-date=7 September 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Whilst carrying out this duty on 4 March, she intercepted the German [[naval trawler|trawler]] ''Krebbs'' and captured her with a boarding party. An [[Enigma machine]] and supporting documents were recovered and later transported to [[Bletchley Park]] to assist decryption efforts. In May ''Tartar'' was deployed to defend the [[Battle of the Atlantic|Atlantic convoys]]. During these duties, she was present at the sinking of the German battleship {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}}. After this, on 28 May ''Tartar'' was returning to Scapa Flow with ''Mashona'', when they came under heavy air attack west of [[Ireland]], and ''Tartar''{{'}}s action report states: "...It is believed that all attacking aircraft were [[Heinkel He 111|H.E. 111's]]. Occasionally a [[Focke-Wulf Fw 200|F.W. Condor]] was seen shadowing astern. It is estimated that about 50 aircraft took part in the attacks over a period of 13 hours..."<ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/1002wellings_onhismajestysservice.pdf On His Majesty's Service Observations of the British Home Fleet from the Diary Reports and Letters of Joseph H Wellings Assistant US Naval Attache London 1940-41.], p.237</ref> The ''Mashona'' was hit and badly damaged, eventually capsizing, but in return ''Tartar'' shot down an He 111 bomber.<ref>Wellings, p.238.</ref> ''Tartar'' was able to rescue 14 officers and 215 ratings, and transported them to [[Greenock]]. During this engagement " ''Tartar'' used her [[Fuze Keeping Clock]]  to aim her 4.7" guns and "...Every gun was used, the 4.7" in controlled fire and the 4" and close range weapons firing independently. 290 rounds of 4.7", 255 rounds of 4", 1,000 rounds of pom pom and 750 rounds of .5 machine gun ammunition were fired."<ref>Wellings, p.237.</ref>

===Arctic Ocean===
''Tartar'' resumed her duties with the Home Fleet in June 1941, when she was attached to a small force whose aim was to capture a German [[weather ship]] to obtain an Enigma coding machine and associated documentation. On 26 June she escorted the cruiser {{HMS|Nigeria|60|2}} with ''Bedouin'' from Scapa Flow to the waters off [[Jan Mayen Island]]. On 28 June the task force spotted the {{ship|German weather ship|Lauenburg}} and a boarding party from ''Tartar'' seized control of the vessel, recovering important documentation. ''Tartar'' then sank ''Lauenburg'' with gunfire. On 27 July she carried out reconnaissance of [[Spitsbergen]] to assess the possibility of using the island as a refuelling base for [[Arctic convoys of World War II|Russian convoys]].

''Tartar'' continued to operate in the [[Arctic Ocean]] throughout August. On 2 August she destroyed the [[weather station]] at [[Bear Island (Norway)|Bear Island]] and evacuated Russian nationals to [[Murmansk]] from the island. ''Tartar'' accompanied the destroyer {{HMS|Inglefield|D02|2}} while transporting [[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]] to Scapa Flow. On 17 August she screened the battleship {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|2}} that was carrying [[Winston Churchill]] back from his [[Atlantic Charter]] meeting with [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|President Roosevelt]]. Shortly thereafter, ''Prince of Wales'' overtook an eastbound convoy of 73 ships, turned around and passed through the convoy again so that the Prime Minister and the merchant ships could greet each other.  When ''Prince of Wales'' arrived on the [[River Clyde]], ''Tartar'' embarked the Prime Minister and took him to [[Greenock]] for his return to [[London]].

On 20 August ''Tartar'' escorted the troopship {{RMS|Empress of Australia|1919|2}} and support ship {{ship|RFA|Oligarch}} to Spitsbergen to establish a garrison. Having successfully achieved this, she then escorted ''Empress of Australia'' to Murmansk, carrying members of the Russian and Norwegian populations of the island. She then underwent a refit, carried out by Green and Silley Weir, [[Royal Albert Dock, London|Royal Albert Dock]], London, which lasted from September until mid-October. The work included removing the original mainmast to improve gunnery arcs, shortening the after funnel, relocating depth charge positions and installing the Type 285 gunnery radar for main armament fire-control. She returned to Scapa Flow after the completion of these works and became the Leader of the 6th Flotilla.

January and February 1942 were spent escorting Russian convoys, including convoys [[Convoy PQ 7B|PQ 7B]], [[Convoy QP 5|QP 5]], [[Convoy PQ 12|PQ 12]], [[Convoy PQ 13|PQ 13]] and [[Convoy QP 9|QP 9]]. On 8 March ''Tartar'' screened Home Fleet units carrying out an unsuccessful search for the German battleship {{ship|German battleship|Tirpitz||2}}. During these operations, she sustained damage to her forward gun mounting due to high-speed operations in rough weather. At the end of March she travelled to [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] for repair and refit at Brigham and Cowan's shipyard until June. From 17 February until 28 April 1942 ''Tartar''{{'}}s captain was Commander R. T. White D.S.O.** (later [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] R. T. White D.S.O.**, 2nd son of [[Sir Archibald White, 4th Baronet|Sir Archibald White, Bt.]], of [[Wallingwells]]).

===Mediterranean===
[[File:HMS Tartar aa guns.jpg|thumb|left|Salerno, 9 September 1943, ''Tartar'' puts up an anti-aircraft barrage with her 4.7-inch guns]]
In August 1942, ''Tartar'' was assigned to support Royal Navy operations in the [[Mediterranean]]. She took part in [[Operation Pedestal]] as part of the escort. The convoy came under air and submarine attacks from 11 August after it was sighted by the Italian submarine [[Italian_submarine_Uarsciek|''Uarsciek'']]. On 12 August, ''Tartar'' carried out [[depth charge]] attacks to drive off the {{ship|Italian submarine|Granito||6}}, and together with the destroyer {{ship|HMS|Lookout|G32|2}} drove off the {{ship|Italian submarine|Emo||6}}. After the destroyer {{ship|HMS|Foresight|H68|2}} was damaged in an air attack, ''Tartar'' took her in tow, and attempted to bring her to Gibraltar. On the way, she was the target of an unsuccessful attack by [[German submarine U-73 (1940)]] on 13 August, and after that it was decided that attempts to save ''Foresight'' were hopeless. ''Tartar'' took off ''Foresight''{{'}}s crew, then scuttled her with a [[torpedo]]. After the culmination of Operation Pedestal, ''Tartar'' sailed to rejoin the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

On her return in September, she formed part of the escort for [[Convoy PQ 18]] and then [[Convoy QP 14]]. In October, she returned to the Mediterranean to support [[Operation Torch]], the allied landings in North Africa. During this deployment, from 8 November to 30 November, she screened fleet units and convoys, and carried out anti-submarine patrols. She was then attached to Force Q at [[Algiers]], where she was assigned to intercept enemy supply convoys and escort allied convoys. She carried out these duties into February 1943, despite coming under attack on numerous occasions. On 28 April 1943, ''Tartar'' carried out an attack on [[E-boat]]s near [[Marettimo]], [[Sicily]], and on 7 May she deployed with other destroyers of the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]] to blockade the [[Cape Bon]] area to intercept craft attempting to evacuate enemy personnel from [[Tunisia]].

[[File:HMS Foresight sunk by HMS Tartar.jpg|thumb|right|HMS ''Foresight'' sinking after being torpedoed by HMS ''Tartar''. The torpedo has blown away the entire midships section of the ship.]]
In June, she was supporting operations off [[Pantelleria]], and in July was escorting convoys as part of Operation Husky, the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]]. On 11 July, she rescued some 200 survivors from the [[hospital ship]] {{Ship|SS|Talamba||2}}, which had been sunk by German air attack off the beach head. On 12 July ''Tartar'' sank the Allied [[Ammunition ship]] [[Baarn#Vessels|SS ''Baarn'']], which was on fire after being damaged in air attacks. On 13 July, she took the damaged destroyer {{ship|HMS|Eskimo|F75|2}} in tow to [[Malta]], after ''Eskimo'' had been damaged by air attacks. In August, she supported the [[Allied invasion of Italy]], by covering the landings at [[Calabria]], and later the landings at [[Salerno]]. On 19 September, ''Tartar'' provided gunfire support during a German counter-attack, and subsequently came under attacks from radio-controlled glider bombs  She returned to the UK at the end of October and spent the last months of 1943, and January and February 1944, under refit at [[Devonport, Plymouth|Devonport]].

===Home waters: the English Channel===
[[File:HMS Tartar ensign.jpg|thumb|left|A proud souvenir, the torn [[White Ensign|Battle Ensign]] of HMS ''Tartar'', carried in her action with German destroyers in the Channel]]
In March and April 1944 she deployed as the Leader of the [[10th Destroyer Flotilla]] with the [[Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth|Plymouth Command]] to carry out offensive patrols against coastal shipping off the French coast, as well as escorting allied convoys through the [[English Channel]]. In May she provided cover with the cruiser {{HMS|Bellona|63|2}} for the [[minelayer]] {{HMS|Apollo|M01|2}}, on a minelaying operation off the French coast in preparation for the [[Normandy Landings|Allied landings in Normandy]]. On 6 June she led the 10th Destroyer Flotilla into the English Channel to prevent German interference with the landings or the passage of convoys during [[Operation Neptune]].

On 9 June she and the flotilla were [[Battle of Ushant (1944)|in action against German warships]]. Though the German destroyers {{ship|German destroyer|ZH1||2}} and {{ship|German destroyer|Z32||2}} were sunk, ''Tartar'' was damaged by return fire.  Her galley and bridge were hit and set on fire. Four men were killed and twelve wounded including Commander Jones. Her foremast hung over the side and all of the radar and communications were dead.  She returned to Devonport briefly to undergo temporary repairs, before resuming operations in the English Channel. On 7 July she intercepted and engaged [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweepers]] of the 46th German Flotilla off the [[Channel Islands]] and sank the minesweepers ''M4601'' and ''M4605''. On 6 August ''Bellona'', ''Tartar'',  {{HMS|Ashanti|F51|2}} and the Canadian destroyers {{HMCS|Haida|G63|2}} and {{HMCS|Iroquois|G89|2}} attacked a convoy off [[Saint-Nazaire]], sinking the minesweepers M263 and M486, the patrol boat [[Sachsenwald (1939)|''V414'']] and a coastal launch together with four small ships.

===Far East===
''Tartar'' underwent another refit from November 1944 until February 1945, after which she was assigned to serve with the [[Eastern Fleet]]. In March 1945 she escorted several [[escort aircraft carrier]]s to Gibraltar and then carried out exercises in the Mediterranean before departing for [[Trincomalee]], where she arrived on 20 April. She was initially deployed with the 10th Destroyer Flotilla as a screen for the ships involved in a sweep of the [[Andaman Islands|Andaman and Nicobar]] areas. She then participated in bombardments of [[Car Nicobar]] and [[Port Blair]], as well as covering [[Operation Dracula]], the allied landings at [[Rangoon]].

Further deployments included screening duties and attacks on enemy shipping, during which time she came under repeated air attacks, but without damage or casualties. She was then assigned to the planned [[Operation Zipper]], but it was never carried out. She spent the rest of the war on escort and screening duties until the Japanese surrender. She was present at the signing of the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] in [[Tokyo Bay]] on 2 September 1945.

===Post-war===
After the end of the war, ''Tartar'' sailed for [[Penang]] on 7 September 1945 and from there to the UK, where she arrived at [[Plymouth]] on 17 November. She was paid off and placed in [[reserve fleet|reserve]] in early 1946 after having been de-stored.  She was used as an Accommodation Ship for Reserve Fleet personnel before being placed on the Disposal List in 1947.

''Tartar'' was sold to [[British Iron & Steel Corporation|BISCO]] for breaking up on 6 January 1948 and arrived at J. Cashmore's yard in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], South Wales for demolition on 22 February. She had gained a total of twelve [[battle honours]] for her service in the war.

==Battle honours==
===Inherited honours===
*[[Battle of Málaga (1704)|Velez Malaga]] 1704
*[[Battle of Ushant (1781)|Ushant]] 1781
*[[Crimean War#Baltic theatre|Baltic]] 1855
*[[Second Boer War|South Africa]] 1899-1900
*Belgian Coast 1914-16

===World War II===
*[[Norwegian campaign|Norway]] 1940-41
*''[[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck|Bismarck]]'' 1941
*[[Arctic convoys of World War II|Arctic]] 1942
*[[Malta convoys|Malta Convoys]] 1942
*[[Operation Torch|North Africa]] 1942-43
*[[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily]] 1943
*[[Operation Avalanche|Salerno]] 1943
*[[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Mediterranean]] 1943
*[[Normandy landings|Normandy]] 1944
*English Channel 1944
*Biscay 1944
*[[Operation Dracula|Burma]] 1945

==Citations==
{{reflist|2}}

== References ==
* {{cite journal|last1=Birchfield |first1=B. |last2=Borgenstam |first2=Carl |last3=Caruana |first3=Joseph |last4=Frampton |first4=Viktor|year=1988|title=Question 3/87|journal=Warship International|volume=XXV|issue=2|pages=205–210|issn=0043-0374|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Brice|first=Martin H.|title=The Tribals|publisher=Ian Allan|date=1971 |location=London |isbn=0-7110-0245-2}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Gravesend, Kent|date=2001|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers and Frigates, the Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2006 |isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940|year=2010 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-051-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Haarr|first=Geirr H.|title=The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940 |year=2009 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=978-1-59114-310-9 |url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/germaninvasionof00geir}}
*{{cite book|last=Hodges|first=Peter|title=Tribal Class Destroyers|year=1971 |publisher=Almark |location=London|isbn=0-85524-047-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998 |isbn=1-55750-048-7 |author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
*{{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|location=London |oclc=164893555}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland |year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Whitby |first1=Michael |editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |title=Warship 2022 |date=2022 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford|pages=29–46 |isbn=978-1-4728-4781-2 |chapter=The Challenges of Operation 'Tunnel', September 1943 — April 1944}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Tartar (F43)}}
*[http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-34Tribal-Tartar.htm HMS Tartar's career]
*[http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4229.html HMS ''Tartar'' at Uboat.net]

{{Tribal class destroyer (1936)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tartar}}
[[Category:Tribal-class destroyers (1936) of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]