HMS Zebra (R81): The Destroyer That Swapped Names With Her Sister Ship

A Curious Name Swap

HMS Zebra was built by William Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton, and in a curious quirk of wartime shipbuilding administration, was originally planned to be named HMS Wakeful before being renamed Zebra in January 1943, in what appears to have been a straightforward swap of names with her sister ship, which took on the Wakeful name instead. She was launched on 18 March 1944 and commissioned on 13 October that year.

A Rocky Start

After working up, Zebra joined the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, though her early operations were hampered by a collision in October 1944 that kept her under repair through December, a bumpy beginning for a ship soon to face far more demanding waters.

Arctic Convoys and Minelaying

Zebra went on to carry out screening operations and Arctic convoy escort duty, including convoys JW63 and RA63 in January 1945, followed by minelaying operations off Norway that February, before turning to occupation support duties as the war in Europe drew to its close.

A Transfer That Never Happened

After the war, Zebra transferred to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla until 1947, before entering reserve status and moving between the Plymouth and Harwich Reserve Fleets through the early 1950s.

Plans to convert her into an anti-submarine frigate were cancelled in 1955, and a proposed transfer to West Germany was subsequently rejected after an inspection revealed her poor condition, leaving her with no further useful role.

Broken Up at Newport

HMS Zebra was sold to the British Iron and Steel Corporation in 1958 and broken up at Newport, Monmouth by Cashmore, arriving in tow at the breakers' yard on 12 February 1959, bringing to a close the career of a destroyer whose very identity had begun with an administrative swap of names.