US Coastguard Cutter ITASCA built by General Engineering and Dry Dock, Oakland, California, launched on 16th November 1929. When transferred to Royal Navy in 1940 under Lease-Lend Agreement, in common with other US Coastguard Cutters the ship was given the name of a British Coastguard Station and renamed HMS GORLESTON. This name had been intended for use by a WW1 minesweeper but was changed to HMS GAINSBOROUGH before commencing service.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1942-43
H e r a l d i c D a t a
As the ship was on loan no official RN Badge was approved..
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 1
May
30th Formal transfer from US Coastguard Service.
June
2nd Sailed from New York with sister Cutter HMS LANDGUARD.
July
10th Boiler Clean and fit of Type 286M radar at Liverpool.
(For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
August Nominated for service with 40th Escort Group based at Londonderry for escort of outward
OS Series convoys to West Africa and inward SL Series return convoys to Liverpool
(Note: Other ships in Group included HM Cutters LANDGUARD, LULWORTH, HM Sloop
BIDEFORD and HM Destroyer STANLEY.)
23rd Deployed with ships of Group for escort of outward Convoy OS4 during passage to
Freetown.
27th Under attack by U557 and U558 during which five ships in convoy were sunk.
(See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)
and ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45 by A Hague.)
September
11th Detached from OS4 on arrival at Freetown.
14th Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group as escort for inward Convoy SL87 during passage
to Liverpool.
October
6th Detached from SL87 on arrival at Liverpool.
7th In dry dock at Belfast
21st On completion resumed convoy escort duty with 40th Escort Group at Londonderry.
25th Deployed with ships of Group for escort of outward Convoy OS10 during passage to Freetown.
31st Under attack by U96 during which one mercantile in convoy was sunk. See above
references.
November
18th Detached from OS10 with ships of Group on arrival at Freetown.
19th Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group as escort for inward Convoy SL93 during
passage to Liverpool.
December
10th Detached from SL93 with ships of Group on arrival at Liverpool.
Nominated for refit and took passage to Belfast
1 9 4 2
January
1st Under refit at Belfast.
12th On completion resumed convoy escort duty at Londonderry.
19th Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS17 during passage to Freetown..
February
7th Detached with escort on arrival of OS17 at Freetown
9th Deployed with escort for returning Convoy SL100 to UK.
(Note: Some ships detached and took separate passage to Liverpool with escort
on 19th as Convoy SL100F. These ships arrived on 28th February.)
March
4th Detached from slower ships of SL100 on arrival at Liverpool.
13th Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS22 during passage to Freetown.
April
1st Detached from OS22 on arrival at Freetown.
9th Deployed with escort for inward Convoy SL106 during passage from Freetown
to Liverpool.
(Note: Some faster ships detached as SL106F and arrived on 29th April.)
May
2nd Detached from slower ships of SL106 on arrival at Liverpool.
12th Deployed as escort for outward Convoy OS 28 during Atlantic passage to Freetown.
30th Detached from OS28 on arrival at Freetown.
June
8th Deployed with escort for inward Convoy SL112 on departure from Freetown
23rd Detached from SL112 on arrival at Liverpool.
July
11th Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS34 during passage to Freetown.
30th Detached from OS34 on arrival at Freetown.
August Nominated for refit
4th Joined escort for return Convoy SL118 from Freetown with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
CHESHIRE, HM Sloops FOLKESTONE and WELLINGTON.
16th SL118 sighted by U653 of BLUCHER U-Boat Group which called up other submarines.
These radio transmissions enabled ships of the escort to locate the submarines by their
H/F Direction Finding Equipment . See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)
Under daylight attacks by U566 of Group during which Norwegian freighter TRITON was
sunk.
Despite counter attacks by escort
U566 escaped.
18th Two mercantiles sunk in single attack by U214.
The third torpedo hit the HMS CHESHIRE which was later taken in tow and arrived safely.
U653 of Group was damage by LIBERATOR aircraft.
20th Further attacks by U-Boat Group were called off after LIBERATOR aircraft of Coastal
Command were able to provide continuous air cover for remainder o passage.
26th Detached from SL118 on arrival at Liverpool and took passage to Humber
September
2nd Under refit in Humber shipyard.
October Nominated for support of planned allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH)
6th On completion of post refit trials carried out work-up for operational service at Tobermory.
November Resumed convoy escort at Londonderry with 40th Escort group on completion of work-up.
14th Joined military Convoy KMF3 in Clyde as part of escort during passage to Algiers.
23rd Detached from KMF3 on arrival and joined return military Convoy MKF3 as part of
escort during passage to Clyde.
December
3rd Detached from MKF3 on arrival in Clyde.
12th Joined escort for military Convoy KMF5 in Clyde as part of escort for passage to Algiers.
20th At Gibraltar.
23rd Detached from KMF5 on arrival at Algiers.
24th Sailed from Algiers as part of escort for return Convoy MKF5.
30th Detached from MKF5 on arrival in Clyde.
1 9 4 3
January
8th Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for military Convoy KMF 7 during passage to Algiers..
17th Detached from KMF7on arrival at Algiers.
18th Joined escort for passage of return Convoy MKF7on departure from Algiers
25th Detached from MKF7 on dispersal in NW Approaches.
27th Under repair at Liverpool.
February Transferred to 42nd Escort Group.
15th Deployed with HM Sloops WESTON, FOLKESTONE, HM Cutter TOTLAND, HM
Frigates NESS and EXE as escort for Tanker Convoy UC1 during passage from Liverpool
to Curacoa.
March
6th Detached from UC1 on arrival at Curacoa.
23rd Sailed from Curacoa with same ships and USN Navy Destroyers as escort for return Tanker
Convoy CU1 during passage to UK.
(Note: US Navy destroyers may have left convoy during Atlantic passage.)
April
1st Detached from CU1 with escort on arrival in Liverpool.
16th Joined joint military convoy WS29/KMF13 in Clyde with HM Destroyers VENOMOUS
and LAUDERDALE, HM Sloops WELLINGTON, WESTON, HM Cutter TOTLAND, HM
Frigates EXE and NESS as escort during passage.
20th Detached from WS29 ships and escorted KMF13 for passage to Algiers.
23rd On arrival at Algiers detached from KMFF13
Escorted returning Convoy MKF13 to UK.
24th Sailed from Algiers with ships of Group as escort for return Convoy MKF13 during passage
to Clyde.
May
2nd Detached from MKF13 with ships of Group on arrival in Clyde.
19th Joined joint military convoy WS30/KMF15 in Clyde with HM Destroyers CLEVELAND
Polish destroyer SLAZA, HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN. HM Sloops LOWESTOFT,
WESTON, WELLINGTON, HM Frigates NESS, EXE and HM Cutter TOTLAND as
escort for Atlantic passage.
25th Detached from WS30 ships for escort of KMF15 to Algiers.
28th On arrival of KMF5 at Algiers detached with escort and joined return Convoy MKF15
as escort for passage to UK
June
5th Detached from KMF15 with ships of Group on arrival in Clyde.
Nominated for service at Freetown with Group
20th Sailed from Londonderry for foreign service.
Passage to Freetown with Group as escort for routine OS Series convoy.
(Note: Deployment as part of escort for joint Convoy OS51/KMS51 to be confirmed.)
July On arrival deployed for Local escort of Atlantic and coastal convoys,
August Freetown deployment in continuation.
September Nominated for escort of Floating Dock from Freetown to Gibraltar.
(Note Floating Dock was on passage from build in USA.)
14th Deployed as escort of AFD53 during passage to Gibraltar.
October
5th Arrived at Gibraltar with AFD53
12th Joined escort for inward Convoy MKF24 during passage from Gibraltar to Clyde.
18th Detached from MKF24 escort on arrival in Clyde.
Nominated for refit at Newport.
Deployed for escort of outward convoy to Iceland (SD33) and return Convoy DS33.)
November On release from Iceland escort duty took passage to Newport, Glamorgan for refit.
December Under refit.
Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet
1 9 4 4
January Carried out harbour trials
On completion of shipyard work carried out post refit trials in Bristol Channel
February Carried out work-up at Tobermory for operational service in Eastern Fleet.
March
13th Passage from Clyde via Mediterranean to join East Indies Fleet.
27th Arrived at Alexandria.
April
18th Involved in collision in Gulf of Suez during passage to Aden and sustained
structural damage..
21st Under repair at Port Said,
May Under repair
June
20th On completion retained in Mediterranean Fleet for local escort in eastern Mediterranean
and Red Sea
July Convoy defence in Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.
28th At Massawa
August On release from Mediterranean Fleet took passage to took passage to Kilindini to join East
Indies Escort Force for duty in Indian Ocean.
September
7th Deployed as part of escort for Convoy AB45 during passage to Kilindini
Part of escort for Convoy KM6 from Kilindini
23rd Returned to Kilindini.
October Deployed on convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at Kilindini.
to (Note: KM series to Karachi and Bombay. CM Series from cape of Good Hope.
December See ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45.)
Nominated for refit.
1 9 4 4
January Passage to Durban.
9th Taken in and for refit at Durban in commercial shipyard.
February Under refit
to (Note: Improved design Sonar (ASDIC Type 244B) fitted.)
April
May On completion of post refit trials resumed Indian Ocean convoy.
14th Escorted convoy to Mauritius and returned to Durban
June
2nd Transferred to Colombo for duty with convoys to Burma and on Indian coasts.
17th Arrived in Colombo
Deployed for convoy defence in Bay of Bengal including visits to Trincomalee and Rangoon
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) for details of naval activities in Burma during this period.
July Convoy defence deployment in continuation.
to Prepared for duty with military convoys for allied operations in Malaya.
August (Operation ZIPPER – Execution was delayed due to US insistence and problems relating to
the implementation of release from SEAC of long serving personnel in the PYTHON Scheme.
For details see Final Report of Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO).).
September
3rd Deployed as part of escort for ZIPPER assault Convoy JME1F during passage to landing
area south of Port Swettenham
7th At Singapore
(For details of naval activities prior to and during ZIPPER see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO),
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser, and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET By J Winton.)
30th Retained in Singapore as Senior Officer (Escorts.)
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS GORLESTON was retained in Singapore as Senior Officers ship for Escorts and deployed in East Indies area until January 1946 when she returned to Portsmouth, arriving there on 8th February. After three weeks during which she underwent essential repair and de-stored prior to return to USN service, she sailed for Norfolk, Va. On 23rd .April 1946 she was paid off from her RN service and recommenced US Coastguard service as USS ITASCA. This Cutter was removed from the Active List in 1950 and sold for demolition on 4th October that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS GORLESTON
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
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|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy
as escort
|
Convoy No. |
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/08/41
|
23/08/41
|
OS 004
|
09/09/41
|
11/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
16/09/41
|
SL 087
|
06/10/41
|
06/10/41
|
25/10/41
|
01/11/41
|
OS 010
|
15/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
SL 093
|
10/12/41
|
10/12/41
|
18/11/41
|
04/12/41
|
OS 012
|
05/12/41
|
11/12/41
|
12/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
SL 095
|
31/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
18/01/42
|
20/01/42
|
OS 017
|
05/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
09/02/42
|
11/02/42
|
SL 100
|
04/03/42
|
04/03/42
|
13/03/42
|
14/03/42
|
OS 022
|
01/04/42
|
01/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
SL 106
|
02/05/42
|
02/05/42
|
12/05/42
|
12/05/42
|
OS 028
|
30/05/42
|
30/05/42
|
04/06/42
|
04/06/42
|
SL 112
|
23/06/42
|
23/06/42
|
11/07/42
|
12/07/42
|
OS 034
|
30/07/42
|
30/07/42
|
04/08/42
|
04/08/42
|
SL 118
|
25/08/42
|
26/08/42
|
16/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
DS 033
|
21/10/42
|
21/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
SD 033
|
27/10/42
|
27/10/42
|
14/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
KMF 003
|
22/11/42
|
23/11/42
|
23/11/42
|
26/11/42
|
MKF 003
|
03/12/42
|
03/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
KMF 005
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
KMF 005A
|
21/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
MKF 005
|
31/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
08/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
KMF 007
|
17/01/43
|
17/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
MKF 007
|
25/01/43
|
25/01/43
|
15/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
UC 001
|
06/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
CU 001
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
KMF 013
|
23/04/43
|
23/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
MKF 013
|
02/05/43
|
02/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
KMF 015
|
28/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
MKF 015
|
05/06/43
|
05/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
KMS 018A
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
06/07/43
|
06/07/43
|
RS 008
|
12/07/43
|
12/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
TS 048
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
OSS 052
|
14/08/43
|
12/08/43
|
12/10/43
|
12/10/43
|
MKF 024A
|
17/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
14/03/44
|
14/03/44
|
KMF 029B
|
22/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
04/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
UGS 035
|
31/03/44
|
31/03/44
|
18/09/44
|
18/09/44
|
KM 006
|
03/10/44
|
03/10/44
|
18/11/44
|
18/11/44
|
CM 059/1
|
24/11/44
|
24/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
01/12/44
|
CM 059A
|
05/12/44
|
05/12/44
|
(Note on Convoys)