HMS Vidette (D48) was an Admiralty V class

V and W class destroyer

The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...

 destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. She was laid down by Alexander Stephens & Sons Limited in Linthouse

Linthouse

Linthouse is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. It is immediately west of Govan, and although it is often referred to locally as 'Govan' due to its closeness, it is in fact a distinct area .Linthouse was home to the shipbuilder...

, Govan

Govan

Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....

 on 1 February 1917, was launched on 28 February 1918, and completed on 27 April 1918.

She spent most of the 1920s and 1930s in reserve, but was brought back to active service in 1939 for World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. In the picture, taken probably in 1939, she is wearing the funnel bands of the 16th Destroyer Flotilla based at Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

; one red over one white. Early in the war she would have landed the after set of torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

 tubes and shipped a QF 12 pounder 12 cwt gun

QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun

The QF 12 pounder 12 cwt gun was a common calibre naval gun introduced in 1894 and used until the middle of the 20th century. It was produced by Armstrong Whitworth, Elswick and used on Royal Navy warships, and exported to allied countries...

 in lieu.

For the first three years of war she was based at Gibraltar, as part of the 13th Destroyer Flotilla. She took part in the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, but spent most of her time escorting Atlantic convoys into and out of Gibraltar.

She was converted to a long-range escort destroyer

Escort destroyer

A Escort Destroyer is a US Navy post World War II classification for destroyers modified for and assigned to a fleet escort role. These destroyers retained their original hull numbers...

 in September 1942 and served with Peter Gretton's 'B7' escort group in the crucial battles around convoys HX-231, ONS-5

Convoy ONS-5

ONS 5 was a North Atlantic convoy during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II; the battle surrounding it in May 1943 is regarded as the turning point of the Atlantic campaign....

 and SC-130

Convoy SC-130

Convoy SC-130 was the 130th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool...

 in the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945). She helped to sink four submarines: U 531, U 274, U 282 and U 413.

Vidette was sold for scrapping in 1947.