return to Contents List   

T-Class Destroyer ordered from John Brown, Clydebank with the 6th Emergency Flotilla on 14th March 1941. The ship was laid down on 16th November that year and launched on 9th November 1942 as the second RN warship to bear this name, previously introduced for a WW1 destroyer. In March 1942 after successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was adopted by the civil community of Rowley Regis, then part of Staffordshire. Build was completed on 2nd April 1943.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1943 - SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943-44 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943-44 - ATLANTIC 1944 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

 Badge: On a field Blue, three bells Gold, two and one all conjoined

by a ring.

M o t t o

Tumultu: ‘Let us use this Tumult’

(To our advantage.)

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

(for more ship information,  go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

1 9 4 3

March                   Contractors trials

April                      Commissioned for Service in 24th Destroyer Flotilla.

              2nd          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

                               On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up

                               for operational service with ships of Home Fleet.

May                       Passage to Gibraltar to join Flotilla.

June                       Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and screening duties based in Malta.

                               Prepared for support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)

July

              8th           Sailed from Malta with HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE and TYRIAN to join

                              major ships deployed in the Ionian Sea to provide cover for landings.

                              For details see BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser, ENGAGE THE

                              ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)

August                   Fleet screening duties in continuation.

September            Nominated for support of planned landings at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE)

              9th           Deployed with  HMS TROUBRIDGE and HMS TYRIAN for screening of major

                              ships providing cover for landings. See above references.

            11th           Provided naval gunfire support and AA defence for Fleet units off landing beaches.

October                Transferred to Aegean for support of military operations following the surrender of

                              Italy.

                             (Note: German troops intended retain control of the islands after the Italian surrender

                                          and British troops had been sent to Cos and and Leros where they met serious

                                          opposition.  Naval support of the re-occupation was urgently required.

                                          For details see WAR IN THE AEGEAN by P Smith and E Walker.)

           5th             Deployed with HM Destroyer PATHFINDER and joined HM Cruisers DIDO and

                             AURORA to carry out patrol in Kaso Strait to intercept any enemy craft on passage to

                             reinforce German garrisons. No craft were sighted and ships came under spasmodic

                             unsuccessful air attacks

                             (Note: Later the two cruisers were involved in collision. See reference.)

          16th            Deployed with HMS TYRIAN and carried out attack on convoy during which a supply

                             ship was sunk.

          21st            Carried out patrol and sank trawler.

November            Deployed with Flotilla off west coast of Italy for military support and escort.

            8th            Bombarded shore batteries at Volurno and Gaeta

December            Deployed for Flotilla duties in Adriatic.

1 9 4 4

January                Adriatic deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

                             During patrol with HMS TROUBRIDGE intercepted supply ship off Civitanova.

             8th           Carried out bombardments in support of partisan operations at San Bendetto, Dubrovnik

                             and Korcula.

February

             1st           Carried out bombardment south of Ancona at Racanti and Padosa in support of

                             British military operations on east coast of Italy with HMS TENACIOUS.

             4th           Carried out bombardments in support of Yugoslav partisans at Hvar and Curzola with

                             HMS TEAZER.

          27th            Carried out further bombardment at Cuzola with HMS TROUBRIDGE.

March                  Resumed duties in central Mediterranean with Flotilla.

                             Deployed for convoy defence and anti-submarine patrol.

           29th           Carried out anti-submarine search for U223 with HM Destroyers LAFOREY and ULSTER.

                             After contact established with submarine by  HMS ULSTER took part in series of joint

                             attacks.

                             Joined by HM Destroyers WILTON, HAMBLEDON and BLENCATHRA and continued

                             attacks till nightfall.

          30th            Contact maintained until U223 forced to surface after daylight and sunk by surface gunfire

                             (Note: Before surfacing U223 fired torpedo at HMS LAFOREY which sank with heavy

                                          loss of life. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                              Rescued  27 survivors from U223 with other ships.

April                   Flotilla deployment in central Mediterranean in continuation.

to June

July                     Nominated for support of planned landings in South France with HM Destroyers

                            TROUBRIDGE, TUSCAN, TYRIAN and TEAZER (Operation DRAGOON –Formerly

                            ANVIL. See above references.)

                            Nominated for service with Task Group 88.1 as escort and took part in preliminary

                            exercises. Deployment under overall command of US Navy.

August                 Sailed from Malta to join HM Escort Aircraft Carriers  KHEDIVE, EMPEROR,

                            SEARCHER, PURSUER and ATTACKER.

              15th       Deployed as screen for TG88.1 during landing operations.

              27th       Released from TG881 on disbandment and resumed RN control.

                            Transferred to Eastern Mediterranean for service in British Aegean Force.

              29th       Carried out bombardment of Skyros with HM Cruiser  BLACK PRINCE.

September           Deployed in support of re-occupation of islands in Aegean and the planned landings

                             in Greece.

October               Eastern Mediterranean deployment in continuation.

                             Nominated for service in British Pacific Fleet with Flotilla

                             Refit arranged in UK.

November           Took passage to Portsmouth for refit.

December            Under refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth,.

1 9 4 5

January                Under refit.

to

March

April                    On completion carried out Post-refit trials and prepared for foreign service.

May                     Passage to Mediterranean and worked-up for service with ships of the Mediterranean

                             Fleet based in Malta.

June                     On completion of work-up took passage to Sydney via Suez.

July                     Arrived in Sydney.

                            Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D50 to conform with US

                            Navy system of identification for destroyers

August                 Deployed in Pacific.

                             (Note: Although part of British Fleet did not take part in any operations off Japan with

                                          ships of Flotilla.)

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS TUMULT was deployed in support of repatriation of allied prisoners of war and internees after VJ Day. These duties included service at Shanghai with HM Cruisers BERMUDA, ARGONAUT, HM Destroyers TUSCAN and QUIBERON. She returned to UK in 1946 and paid-off at Portsmouth. Laid –up in Reserve Fleet she was selected for conversion into a Type 16 Anti-submarine Frigate and after completion by a commercial shipyard in Birkenhead she was re-commissioned for service in the 2nd Training Squadron. The ship was deployed at Londonderry and Portland until returning to Reserve in December 1957. Laid-up at Chatham for three years and she then transferred to Rosyth before being placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO in 1965 she arrived at  in tow at Dalmuir on 25th October that year for demolition by Arnott Young.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TUMULT

by Don Kindell

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)