Naval History Homepage - and Site Search

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

 

HMS TANATSIDE (L 69) - Type III, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Melbreak, Type III class-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 

 

Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Yarrow's at Scotstoun, Glasgow under the War Emergency Programme on 23rd August 1940. The ship was laid down en 23rd June 1941 as Job No 1869 and launched on 30th April 1942 as the first RN ship to carry the name, that of a fox-hunt in North Wales. Build was completed on 4th September 1942 and the ship had been adopted by the civil community of the Welsh county of Cardiganshire, now Dyfed, after a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1943 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943 - NORMANDY 1944  - BISCAY 1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field  per fess wavy White and Blue, an oak tree eradicated proper

enfiled  with a mural crown Gold.

 

 

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 2

 

August                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

September

                4th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.

                                Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

                26th        Sustained structural damaged in collision with HM Minesweeper BRAMBLE in the NW

                                Approaches  (position 58.13N, 03.18E).

                28th        Taken in hand for repair in Tyne shipyard.

 

October                  Under repair.

                28th        On completion of shipyard work took passage to Scapa Flow to resume work-up.

 

November              Completed work-up and took passage to Join Flotilla at Plymouth for interception of enemy

                                coastal traffic and convoy defence in SW Approaches and English Channel.

 

December              Deployed with HM Sloop EGRET for interception of German tanker

                                (Operation TUNNEL Series - See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith).

                12th        Intercepted German tanker GERMANIA which scuttled on approach.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Channel convoy defence and patrol deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

to

September

 

October

                23rd        Sustained damage to forward structure in collision with ss NORMANV1LLE.

                25th        Taken in hand for repair in HM Dockyard Devonport.

 

November              Under repair.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  On completion of post refit trials prior rejoined Flotilla for continuation of convoy defence and

                                offensive patrol duties.

 

February                In action against enemy forces off Brittany with HM Escort Destroyers TALYBONT,

                                BRISSENDEN and WENSLEYDALE.

                                Sustained slight damage in exchange of fire with a German torpedo boat.

March                    Flotilla duties in continuation.

 

April

                17th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyer MELBREAK and Motor Torpedo Boats of Light Coastal

                                Forces in support of HM Cruiser APOLLO during minelay in preparation for Normandy assault

                                landings.

                                (Operation MAPLE - HOSTILE 23 - See Naval Staff History (Mining).)..

                19th        Deployed with HM Destroyers MELBREAK, WENSLEYDALE, HAIDA (RCN) and ASHANTI

                                to cover minelay by 10th Motor Launch Flotilla and the escorting MTB's off the French coast

                                (Operation MAPLE - HOSTILE 24).

                25th        Deployed to provide cover further minelay by 10th Motor Launch Flotilla with HMS

                                WENSLEYDALE.

                                (Operation MAPLE - HOSTILE 25).

                                Under fire from shore batteries without damage.

 

May                        Flotilla convoy escort and support duties in continuation.

                4th          Nominated with HM Destroyers TALYBONT and MELBREAK of Flotilla for duty with

                                Western  Task Force under overall US Navy Command in Force O during planned allied

                                landings in Normandy

                5th          Took part in preparatory exercises prior to assault operations.

                                (Operation NEPTUNE - For details of activities prior to and during landings see LANDINGS IN

                                NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and for details of

                                involvement of all ships deployed D DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.).

 

June                        Joined US HQ Ship USS ANCON AND US destroyers at Portland prior to passage with Group

                                I of Force O.

                4th          Operation delayed for 24 hours.

                5th          Sailed from Portland with Group I for passage through Swept Channel to Beach Head.

                6th          Arrived off OMAHA beach and deployed for defence of anchorage and support of the assault

                                phase of NEPTUNE.

                7th          Deployment for support in OMAHA Beaches area in continuation.

                to            Deployed with HM Destroyers BRISSENDEN, WENSLEYDALE, BEAGLE, HM Sloop

                16th        LONDONDERRY, HM Fighter Direction Tender 13, HM Frigate ROWLEY, Free French Frigates

                                L'AVENTURE and L'ESCARMOUCHE for interception patrols in defence of cross Channel

                                routes against attack by E-Boats.

                27th        On release from NEPTUNE resumed Flotilla duties.

 

July                         Nominated for refit and took passage to Bristol

                12th        Taken in hand for refit in commercial shipyard.

 

August                  Under refit.

                22nd       On completion of post refit trials rejoined Flotilla at Plymouth.

 

September             Deployed for patrol and convoy defence in Channel area.

to                            Nominated for transfer to 21st Destroyer Flotilla at Sheerness.

November              (Note: A significant increase in attacks on convoys and minelaying in the Nore Command had

                                made necessary a reinforcement of destroyers for interception patrol and convoy defence.

 

December              Deployed with 21st Flotilla in North Sea area.

                16th        Sustained major structural damage forward after collision with HM Frigate BYRON.

                                Repair arranged in HM Dockyard Devonport.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under repair at Devonport.

                22nd       On completion of post refit trials rejoined Flotilla at Sheerness.

 

February                Deployed with Flotilla for interception patrols and convoy defence in Nore Command.

to

April

 

May                        Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet after refit in Taranto.

 

June                        Passage to Taranto and taken in hand for refit.

 

July                         Under refit

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS TANATSIDE did not complete refit and was kept under care and maintenance at Taranto. In 1946 she was transferred on loan to the Royal Hellenic Navy to replace sister ship ADRIAS (Ex BORDER) which had been  transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy during WW2 and taken out of  service in 1943 after losing her bow structure. This destroyer served in the Royal Hellenic Navy as HHMS ADRIAS (ii) until August 1962 when returned to the RN and placed on the Disposal List. The ship was sold to BISCO for demolition. The ship arrived at a breaker’s yard  in Greece during January 1964.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS TANATSIDE

by Don Kindell

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

27/11/42

27/11/42

KMF 004

06/12/42

06/12/42

10/12/42

10/12/42

MKF 004

18/12/42

18/12/42

03/01/43

03/01/43

KX 008

13/01/43

21/01/43

14/01/43

15/01/43

MKS 005X

17/01/43

25/01/43

09/02/43

09/02/43

WP 292

11/02/43

11/02/43

14/02/43

19/02/43

OS 043

21/02/43

04/03/43

01/03/43

01/03/43

WP 302

01/03/43

03/03/43

05/03/43

06/03/43

WP 304

07/03/43

07/03/43

11/03/43

11/03/43

WP 307

13/03/43

13/03/43

19/03/43

19/03/43

WP 311

21/03/43

21/03/43

23/03/43

23/03/43

WP 313

24/03/43

25/03/43

26/03/43

26/03/43

PW 314

28/03/43

28/03/43

25/02/43

27/03/43

WP 300

27/03/43

27/02/43

27/03/43

27/03/43

WP 315

29/03/43

29/03/43

30/03/43

30/03/43

PW 316

01/04/43

01/04/43

04/04/43

04/04/43

WP 319

06/04/43

06/04/43

07/04/43

07/04/43

PW 320

09/04/43

09/04/43

08/04/43

08/04/43

WP 321

10/04/43

10/04/43

07/05/43

08/05/43

PW 335

09/05/43

09/05/43

11/05/43

12/05/43

WP 337

13/05/43

13/05/43

15/05/43

15/05/43

PW 339

16/05/43

16/05/43

16/05/43

16/05/43

WP 340

18/05/43

18/05/43

20/05/43

20/05/43

WP 342

22/05/43

22/05/43

23/05/43

23/05/43

PW 343

25/05/43

25/05/43

29/05/43

30/05/43

PW 346

31/05/43

31/05/43

01/06/43

01/06/43

WP 348

02/06/43

03/06/43

03/06/43

03/06/43

WP 349

05/06/43

05/06/43

08/08/43

08/08/43

WP 382

09/08/43

10/08/43

03/09/43

03/09/43

WP 395

05/09/43

05/09/43

23/09/43

23/09/43

WP 405

25/09/43

25/09/43

15/10/43

15/10/43

WP 416

16/10/43

17/10/43

08/11/43

08/11/43

WP 428

10/11/43

10/11/43

12/11/43

12/11/43

WP 430

14/11/43

14/11/43

20/11/43

20/11/43

WP 434

21/11/43

22/11/43

08/12/43

08/12/43

WP 443

10/12/43

10/12/43

16/12/43

16/12/43

WP 447

18/12/43

18/12/43

07/01/44

07/01/44

WP 458

08/01/44

09/01/44

09/01/44

09/01/44

WP 459

10/01/44

11/01/44

15/01/44

15/01/44

WP 462

16/01/44

17/01/44

02/02/44

02/02/44

WP 471

05/02/44

05/02/44

08/02/44

08/02/44

WP 474

09/02/44

10/02/44

10/02/44

10/02/44

WP 475

12/02/44

12/02/44

14/02/44

15/02/44

WP 477

16/02/44

16/02/44

16/02/44

17/02/44

WP 478

18/02/44

18/02/44

28/02/44

28/02/44

WP 484

29/02/44

01/03/44

01/03/44

01/03/44

WP 485

02/03/44

03/03/44

07/03/44

07/03/44

WP 488

09/03/44

09/03/44

31/03/44

31/03/44

WP SP 26

02/04/44

02/04/44

06/04/44

06/04/44

WP 503

07/04/44

08/04/44

08/04/44

08/04/44

WP 504

09/04/44

10/04/44

29/10/44

29/10/44

ON 263

01/11/44

15/11/44

24/02/45

24/02/45

BTC 079

27/02/45

27/02/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 13/8/11
further editing and formatting is required


 

if any ads offend, please contact Naval-History.Net