US Coastguard Cutter USS SARANAC built by General Engineering and Dry Dock, Oakland, California, launched on 12th April 1930. Transferred to Royal Navy in 1941 under Lease-Lend Agreement and renamed HMS BANFF when commissioned on delivery in 1941.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-43 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - SICILY 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
No record of a Badge is included in the official List.
This is not unusual for ships with names not previously used
in the RN.
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
April
30th Commissioned for RN Service at New York with crew from HMS MALAYA.
May
7th Passage to UK as part of escort for Convoy HX125
22nd Arrived in Clyde
June Preparations for refit prior to RN duty
July
19th Under modification in Thames commercial shipyard.
August
3rd Refit work completed and commenced post refit trials.
4th Damaged in collision with Thames lighter.
10th On completion of trials and storing took passage to Londonderry to join Western
Approaches Command for escort of convoys between West Africa and UK.
14th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS3 to Bathhurst.
September Returned with inward Convoy SL8(?) to UK.
(Note: For details of dates of convoys see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2
by A Hague)
October
4th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS9 to Bathurst with HM Cutter FISHGUARD.
November Returned as escort for inward Convoy SL93 with HM Cutters CULVER, GORLESTON,
LANDGUARD and LULWORTH.
December Under refit for modifications at Belfast.
15th Part of escort with HM Cutter FISHGUARD for outward Convoy OS14 to Bathurst.
1 9 4 2
January
24th Returned as escort for inward Convoy SL97 with FISHGUARD.
26th At Belfast commercial shipyard for fitting of HF D/F Outfit.
(Note: For details of use of this equipment see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
by D Macintyre.)
February
6th Rejoined West Approaches Command at Londonderry.
12th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS19 to Bathurst with HM Cutter FISHGUARD.
March
25th Returned as escort for Convoy SL102 with HM Cutter FISHGUARD.
April
2nd Under refit in Thames shipyard.
May
9th On completion rejoined Western Approaches Command at Londonderry.
June
2nd Part of escort for outward Convoy OS30 to Freetown with HM Cutter FISHGUARD.
6th Sustained slight damage in collision with SACKVILLE (RCN) during passage.
July Returned with HM Cutter FISHGUARD as escort for inward Convoy SL114.
August
1st Part of escort for outward Convoy OS36 to Freetown with HMS FISHGUARD.
September
14th Returned with inward Convoy SL120.
30th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS42 to Freetown with HM Cutter FISHGUARD.
October
9th Detached when convoy dispersed and took passage to Londonderry.
16th On arrival nominated for escort of military convoys to North Africa.
November
1st Part of escort for KMF2 to Algiers with HM Cutter SENNEN
10th Deployed in escort of convoys during allied landings in North Africa.
(Operation TORCH).
27th Returned with HM Cutter SENNEN in escort for inward military Convoy MKF2.
December
16th Part of escort for outward military Convoy KMF6 to Algiers with HMS FISHGUARD.
1 9 4 3
January
14th Returned with HMS FISHGUARD as escort for inward Convoy M3F5
23rd Part of escort for joint outward Convoy KMF8/WS26 to Algiers (Frigate TEST?).
29th Detached from WS26/KMF8 and returned to Clyde.
February Passage to Gibraltar for escort of convoy to UK.
9th Returned with same ships as escort for military Convoy MKF8
14th Damaged in collision with jetty at Immingham on arrival for refit.
16th Under refit including installation of HEDGEHOG A/S mortar
March Under refit.
April
12th On completion rejoined Western Approaches Command.
Resumed escort of convoys to Freetown..
May
6th Part of escort for outward convoy ON182
June Returned to UK- Gibraltar route convoy-escort.
14th Joined escort for military Convoy KMS18B.
Retained at Gibraltar for defence of convoys for planned allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY).
July
9th Deployed as part of escort for military convoy KMS19.
(Note: Award of Battle Honour SICILY suggests presence during landings.)
26th After release from HUSKY Support returned to UK with escort for joint inward
Convoy MKF18./SL133.
August Transferred to Atlantic convoy escort duty.
5th Resumed service in Western Approaches on arrival of MKF18/ SL133
21st Escorted outward Tanker Convoy UT1 to Argentia, Newfoundland.
September
3rd Returned with escort for inward Convoy GUS10 from Argentia to UK.
Nominated for transfer after refit for service in Eastern Fleet for convoy defence in
Indian Ocean.
Passage to Devonport for refit.
October On completion of post refit trials returned to Londonderry.
8th Joined escort with ships of 41st Escort Group for Convoy OS56/KKS29 to Gibraltar.
18th Detached on arrival to take independent passage in Mediterranean.
November Passage in Red Sea.
13th Escorted Convoy AKD8 to Kilindini from Aden.
Joined Kilindini Escort Force on arrival
December Deployed at Kilindini
17th Escorted Convoy DKA9 to Aden.
26th Returned to Kilindini with HMS SENNEN and HMS LANDGUARD as escort for Convoy
AKD11A.
1 9 4 4
January Passage to Aden..
February
4th Escorted Convoy AKD14 to Kilindini with HMS FISHGUARD.
11th Arrived at Kilindini and returned to Aden.
26th Escorted Convoy AKD16 to Kilindini with HMS FISHGUARD.
March
6th Arrived at Kilindini.
8th Passage to Port Elizabeth
12th Called at Durban
20th Under refit at Port Elizabeth. Under refit.
April Under refit .
May
29th On completion of post refit trials took passage to Durban arriving on 2/6.
June Passage to Kilindini.
24th Arrived at Kilindini.
Returned to Durban for docking and defect repairs.
30th Under repair at Durban.
July On completion of repair and docking joined escort for Convoy OM6.
29th Remained with Convoy OM56 and escorted to Aden.
(Note: Under attack by U198 which failed. See HITLER' 'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
August
5th Arrived at Aden.
Deployed at Aden for Local convoy defence.
September Escorted HM Submarines SHALIMAR and SURF in Gulf of Aden during passage to join
Eastern Fleet in Ceylon.
October Deployed at Aden area for escort and patrol duty.
November Passage to Kilindini.
(Note: Eastern Fleet re-designated East Indies Fleet on formation of British Pacific Fleet.)
December
24th Joined escort for Convoy CM59B to Aden.
1 9 4 5
January
1st Arrived at Aden and deployed in Aden area.
February
15th Under repair at Massawa, Eritrea.
March
24th On completion of post repair trials took return passage to Aden.
April Deployed at Aden.
Nominated for service based at Trincomalee with East Indies Fleet.
Passage to Trincomalee.
May Deployed in Bay of Bengal
(Note: Occupation of Rangoon was carried out early in May (Operation BISHOP)
with extensive escort requirements.)
Battle Honour BURMA is not recorded.)
8th At Rangoon.
Nominated for refit at Port Elizabeth.
June Passage to Port Elizabeth.
9th Taken in hand for refit.
July Under refit.
August Carried out post refit Trials
Resumed East Indies Fleet duties.
15th At Durban for VJ Day celebrations.
Deployed for escort of two new Motor Launches during passage to Colombo with
calls at Tulear, Majunga and Diego Suarez in Madagascar.
September Passage in Indian Ocean with calls in Seychelles and Addu Atoll.
October Passage from Addu Atoll to Colombo.
24th Arrived at Colombo.
November Nominated for return to UK for termination of loan.
Took passage from Colombo to Portsmouth.
December On passage
16th Arrived at Portsmouth.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS BANFF de-stored prior to return to the US Coastguard service and sailed from Portsmouth on 24th January 1946. The ship was Paid-Off at Boston on 27th February and resumed Coastguard service as USS TAMPA.
A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t
The details of ship movements after July 1945 were provided by Maurice Hubbard of Ely. This help is most gratefully acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS BANFF
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
06/05/41
|
07/05/41
|
HX 125A
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
01/06/41
|
15/06/41
|
HX 130
|
18/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
01/06/41
|
15/06/41
|
SC 033
|
18/06/41
|
21/06/41
|
26/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
HX 135
|
11/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
13/08/41
|
15/08/41
|
OS 003
|
29/08/41
|
01/09/41
|
04/09/41
|
07/09/41
|
SL 086
|
24/09/41
|
26/09/41
|
13/10/41
|
14/10/41
|
OS 009
|
01/11/41
|
05/11/41
|
06/11/41
|
11/11/41
|
SL 092
|
01/12/41
|
01/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
OS 014
|
01/01/42
|
03/01/42
|
04/01/42
|
06/01/42
|
SL 097
|
24/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
11/02/42
|
12/02/42
|
OS 019
|
01/03/42
|
03/03/42
|
04/03/42
|
07/03/42
|
SL 102
|
26/03/42
|
26/03/42
|
01/06/42
|
02/06/42
|
OS 030
|
17/06/42
|
19/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
SL 114
|
17/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
31/07/42
|
01/08/42
|
OS 036
|
18/08/42
|
18/08/42
|
24/08/42
|
24/08/42
|
SL 120
|
24/09/42
|
15/09/42
|
29/09/42
|
29/09/42
|
OS 042
|
09/10/42
|
09/10/42
|
01/11/42
|
01/11/42
|
KMF 002
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
MKF 002
|
22/11/42
|
23/11/42
|
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
|
26/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
KMF 006
|
03/01/43
|
03/01/43
|
06/01/43
|
06/01/43
|
MKF 006
|
13/01/43
|
14/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
KMF 008
|
01/02/43
|
01/02/43
|
02/02/43
|
02/02/43
|
MKF 008
|
09/02/43
|
09/02/43
|
06/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
ON 182
|
16/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
HX 240
|
03/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
KMS 018B
|
06/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
13/06/43
|
07/07/43
|
UGS 010
|
09/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
KMS 020
|
20/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
27/06/43
|
20/07/43
|
UGS 011
|
21/07/43
|
unknown
|
22/07/43
|
25/07/43
|
GUS 010X
|
27/07/43
|
13/08/43
|
21/08/43
|
21/08/43
|
UT 001
|
04/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
07/10/43
|
11/10/43
|
OS 056KM
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
KMS 029G
|
20/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
21/10/43
|
UGS 020
|
02/11/43
|
01/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
DKA 006
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
03/12/43
|
03/12/43
|
AKD 008
|
12/12/43
|
23/12/43
|
17/12/43
|
17/12/43
|
KA 009
|
26/12/43
|
26/12/43
|
09/01/44
|
09/01/44
|
AKD 011A
|
unknown
|
23/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
AB 028C
|
unknown
|
01/02/44
|
03/02/44
|
04/02/44
|
AKD 014
|
11/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
DKA 011
|
22/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
AKD 016
|
06/03/44
|
06/03/44
|
13/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
DKA 020
|
24/06/44
|
24/06/44
|
19/07/44
|
19/07/44
|
CM 056
|
26/07/44
|
26/07/44
|
30/07/44
|
30/07/44
|
CM 056A
|
05/08/44
|
05/08/44
|
14/10/44
|
14/10/44
|
MC 013
|
21/10/44
|
21/10/44
|
24/10/44
|
24/10/44
|
MC 013A
|
31/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
08/11/44
|
08/11/44
|
CM 059
|
15/11/44
|
15/11/44
|
24/12/44
|
24/12/44
|
CM 059B
|
31/12/44
|
31/12/44
|
18/01/45
|
20/01/45
|
MC 014B
|
24/01/45
|
25/01/45
|
24/01/45
|
24/01/45
|
CM 059C
|
30/01/45
|
30/01/45
|
06/05/45
|
06/05/45
|
KRS 001/
|
08/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
(Note on Convoys)