| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Minesweeper |
| Class | Hunt |
| Pennant | J 55 |
| Built by | Napier & Miller (Old Kirkpatrick, Scotland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | |
| Launched | 28 Jun 1918 |
| Commissioned | 17 Sep 1918 |
| Lost | 20 May 1941 |
| History | HMS Widnes was laid up in reserve at Singapore when the Second World War started HMS Widnes (Lt.Cdr. Robert Bruce Chandler, RN) was sunk by German aircraft in Suda Bay, Crete on 20 May 1941. Raised and repaired by the Germans and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine as UJ 2109. Sunk off Kalymnos by the British destroyers HMS Jervis and HMS Penn on 17 October 1943. |
Commands listed for HMS Widnes (J 55)
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| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. William Maurice Passmore, RN | Oct 1939 | 9 Dec 1939 |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. Robert Bruce Chandler, RN | 9 Dec 1939 | 20 May 1941 |
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Notable events involving Widnes include:
15 Feb 1940
HMS Orpheus (Cdr. C.J. Blake, RN) conducted exercises off Colombo together with aircraft and HMS Widnes (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Chandler, RN). (1)
23 Feb 1940
HMS Olympus (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Dymott, RN) conducted exercises off Colombo together with HMS Widnes (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Chandler, RN). (2)
15 Mar 1940
HMS Orpheus (Cdr. C.J. Blake, RN) departed Colombo for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to proceed to Diego Saurez, Madagascar. En-route she was to inspect several anchorages. Upon departing Colombo exercises were carried out with HMS Widnes (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Chandler, RN). (3)
Sources
- ADM 173/16368
- ADM 173/16356
- ADM 173/16369
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.