US Coastguard Cutter SHOSHONE built by General Engineering and Dry Dock, Oakland, California, launched on 11th September 1930. Transferred to Royal Navy in 1940 under Lease-Lend Agreement and renamed HMS LANDGUARD when commissioned on delivery in 1941. This was the name of the coastguard station SW of Felixstowe.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1942 -43 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - BISCAY 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
None is recorded in official List of ships Badges
(Note: It is presumed any US Badge carried on board will have been retained.)
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
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and type name in Site Search
1 9 4 1
May
20th Commissioned for RN Service as HMS LANDGUARD at New York on formal transfer.
Prepared for ocean transit.
June Passage to UK with HMS GORLESTON with call at St John, Newfoundland.
23rd Under repair to machinery in Clyde shipyard.
July Under repair.
August On completion further repair and modifications to suit RN service as an escort required
before operational service
September
9th Taken in hand for repair in Thames commercial shipyard.
October Passage to Belfast.
12th In dry dock at Belfast or inspection of underwater fittings..
21st On completion took passage to Londonderry to join 40th Escort Group for escort of
OS Series convoys to West Africa and return SL Series convoys to Liverpool.
25th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS10 to Freetown
November
18th Detached from OS10 on arrival at Freetown.
19th Part of escort for return Convoy SL93.to Liverpool.
December
10th Detached from SL93 on arrival at Liverpool
23rd Part of escort for outward Convoy OS15 to Freetown.
1 9 4 2
January
13th Detached from OS15 on arrival at Freetown.
15th Part of escort with HM Cutters LULWORTH and CULVER for return Convoy SL98 to
Liverpool.
31st Under attack by U105 during which HMS CULVER was hit by torpedo and sunk.
(Note: HMS CULVER was sunk SW of Ireland in position 48.43N, 20.14W.)
February
5th Detached from SL98 on arrival at Liverpool.
22nd Part of escort with HM Cutter LULWORTH for outward Convoy OS 20 to Freetown
March
12th Detached from OS20 on arrival at Freetown
14th Part of escort with HMS LULWORTH for return Convoy SL103 to Liverpool.
April
2nd Detached from SL103 on arrival at Liverpool.
12th Part of escort with HMS LULWORTH for outward Convoy OS25 to Freetown.
29th Detached from OS25 on arrival at Freetown
May
4th Part of escort with HM Sloop HASTINGS and HM Cutter LULWORTH for return Convoy
SL109 to Liverpool.
11th Escorted Convoy SL109 with HM Sloop HASTINGS and HM Cutter LULWORTH.
Under attack by U128 whose presence had been detected by radio signals. During depth
charge attacks with HMS HASTINGS sustained damage by explosions.
Ship disabled and taken in tow
28th Detached from SL103 on arrival at Liverpool.
(Note: It may be assumed that repair was effected during passage.)
Nominated for refit.
June Passage to Humber
6th Taken in hand for refit in Grimsby shipyard.
July Under refit
August
2nd Resumed operational service on completion of post refit trials
Passage to Londonderry to rejoin Group.
10th Part of escort for outward Convoy OS37 to Freetown.
29th Detached from OS37 on arrival at Freetown.
September
3rd Part of escort for return Convoy SL121 to Liverpool
21st Detached from SL121 on arrival at Liverpool.
October Deployed for convoy defence based at Londonderry.
November
4th Docked at Liverpool for routine inspection.
Nominated fro support of planned allied landing in North Africa
(Operation TORCH - For details see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and for information about all mercantiles and warships
taking part BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
Deployed for escort of military convoys to Gibraltar
8th Took part of escort and support of landings.
December On release from TORCH resumed convoy defence with 40th Escort Group.
Escort military convoys in support of North African landings (BH).
1 9 4 3
January Transferred with Group for escort of military convoys to and from Gibraltar
in support of allied operations in North Africa.
6th Involved in collision with HM Frigate ROTHER and sustained slight damage,
21st Joined escort for outward Convoy KMS8 to Gibraltar
February
6th Detached from KMS8 at Gibraltar
8th Joined escort for inward Convoy MKS7 during passage to Liverpool.
17th Detached from KMS7 on arrival at Liverpool.
March Transferred with Group for convoy defence with North Atlantic convoys.
Joined HM Sloops ABERDEEN, HASTINGS, HM Frigate MOYOLA and HM Cutter
LULWORTH in 40th Escort. Group, Western Approaches Command.
Passage to St Johns, Newfoundland for escort of Convoy HX223 during Atlantic
passage with ships of Group.
(Note: This convoy included ships of HX229A which had cone from New York and
comprised 39 ships. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C. Blair. Convoy was
re-routed to avoid attacks by RAUBGRAF Group of U-Boats, but German
codebreakers ordered change of U-Boat dispositions.)
15th Convoy sighted by U91 of RAUBGRAF Group and summoned assistance.
Eleven U-Boats directed to carry out attacks, during which ten ships were sunk.
(Note: Despite weather conditions and in the absence of a Rescue Ship, many of the
ships in convoy attempted rescue operations which increased chances of
torpedo attacks by these submarines.
17th Some air cover provided from Iceland and Northern Ireland but during continued
attacks three more mercantiles were sunk
. 19th Air cover increased and further losses avoided.
(Note: See CONVOY by Martin Middlebrook, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO), THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC, Naval Staff Histories and
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for details of defence of HX229 which
sustained one of the heaviest losses in the Atlantic war.
U384 was the only submarine to be sunk.)
21st Detached from HX229 on arrival at Liverpool.
April
5th Part of escort for outward Convoy ONS3 during passage to Halifax
Joined escort for return Convoy SC128 on passage from Halifax to Liverpool.
May
1st Under threat of attack by U-Boats of the SPECHT and ANSEL groups and SC128
diverted by the vigorous defence tactics of the escorts.
(Note: 52 submarines had been deployed specifically for this purpose and convoys were
re-routed to avoided attacks. See above references.)
13th Detached from SC128 on arrival at Liverpool and arrived
(Note: SC128 arrived without loss. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
Nominated for refit
Passage to Belfast.
15th Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Belfast..
June
26th On completion of post refit trials resumed escort duty in Atlantic with Group.
July
9th Part of Escort for Convoy ON192 during passage to New York.
August Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet.
Deployed with HMS EXE and frigates of Group in Bay of Biscay to intercept U-Boats
using coastal waters when in transit to attack Atlantic shipping, or on return. to bases in
France. (Operation DERANGE). (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR.)
25th Under attacks by Do217 aircraft using Hs293 radio controlled bombs.
Sustained serious damage by near misses from these weapons.
September Under repair.
Sailed for Kilindini. to join Escort Force
26th Called at Tunis.
October Passage in Red Sea
20th Joined Kilindini Escort Group.
November Deployed on defence of convoys between Kilindini and Aden.
to Escorted Convoy DKA4 to Aden and returning AKD6
December Escorted Convoy DKA7 and returning AKD9.
1 9 4 4
January Kilindini deployment in continuation
to Escorted Convoys MK6 and DKA 10.
February Escorted Convoy AKD15 from Aden and return Convoy KB9.
March
7th Under repair at Diego Suarez, Madagascar.
24th On completion resumed escort duty.
April Escorted Convoy MC118 to Durban and returned to Kilindini.
May Escorted Convoy KR10 to Colombo and returned to Kilindini.
Nominated fro refit.
Escorted Convoy KD4 to Durban.
14th Taken in hand for refit at Durban.
July Under refit.
August Carried out harbour and sea trials on completion of shipyard work.
10th Resumed escort duty.
September Deployed on convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
to
February.
March Withdrawn from operational service because of serious defects in main machinery.
April Passage to Colombo.
May Laid up at Colombo and used as a Depot Ship.
to August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS LANDGUARD remained in use as an accommodation ship at Colombo until February 1946 when she was taken in hand for repair. On completion she was transferred to Trincomalee where she was involved in collision with HM Frigate LOCH ECK. Repair to the damage was carried out locally and she remained in Trincomalee The ship was held there pending return to the USA on a Care and Maintenance basis. In January 1947 this cutter was offered for sale by the US authorities but not moved until August 1949 when she was towed to Singapore by the RN Fleet Auxiliary BROWN RANGER. The ship was sold for breaking up in Manila in the following month.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS LANDGUARD
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
14/07/41
|
14/07/41
|
OB 346
|
01/08/41
|
01/08/41
|
05/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
SL 083
|
23/08/41
|
28/08/41
|
25/10/41
|
26/10/41
|
OS 010
|
15/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
SL 093
|
10/12/41
|
10/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
24/12/41
|
OS 015
|
11/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
15/01/42
|
18/01/42
|
SL 098
|
05/02/42
|
05/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
23/02/42
|
OS 020
|
10/03/42
|
12/03/42
|
14/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
SL 103
|
31/03/42
|
02/04/42
|
12/04/42
|
13/04/42
|
OS 025
|
29/04/42
|
29/04/42
|
04/05/42
|
04/05/42
|
SL 109
|
18/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
HG 083
|
07/06/42
|
07/06/42
|
10/08/42
|
11/08/42
|
OS 037
|
27/08/42
|
29/08/42
|
03/09/42
|
03/09/42
|
SL 121
|
21/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
09/10/42
|
SC 103
|
14/10/42
|
14/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
KMS 002G
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
MKS 001X
|
23/11/42
|
23/11/42
|
11/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
KMS 005G
|
24/12/42
|
27/12/42
|
21/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
KMS 008G
|
04/02/43
|
10/02/43
|
07/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
MKS 007
|
17/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
09/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
HX 229A
|
25/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
08/04/43
|
ONS 003
|
24/04/43
|
28/04/43
|
25/04/43
|
29/04/43
|
SC 128
|
11/05/43
|
13/05/43
|
09/07/43
|
12/07/43
|
ON 192
|
15/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
15/07/43
|
SC 136
|
19/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
18/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
KMS 026
|
29/09/43
|
29/09/43
|
16/10/43
|
28/10/43
|
DKA 004
|
05/11/43
|
05/11/43
|
28/10/43
|
03/11/43
|
BA 052
|
04/11/43
|
05/11/43
|
11/11/43
|
11/11/43
|
AKD 006
|
20/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
DKA 007
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
12/12/43
|
12/12/43
|
AKD 009
|
21/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
09/01/44
|
09/01/44
|
AKD 011A
|
15/01/44
|
23/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
MK 006
|
26/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
31/01/44
|
31/01/44
|
DKA 010
|
10/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
AKD 015
|
22/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
KR 009
|
04/03/44
|
06/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
06/04/44
|
DKA 016
|
12/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
MC 011B
|
21/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
14/05/44
|
15/05/44
|
KR 010
|
23/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44
|
KD 004
|
14/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
12/09/44
|
13/09/44
|
CM 058
|
20/09/44
|
20/09/44
|
24/10/44
|
24/10/44
|
KM 007
|
31/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
01/11/44
|
01/11/44
|
MK 008A
|
04/11/44
|
04/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
KR 013
|
19/11/44
|
19/11/44
|
21/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
CM 060
|
28/01/45
|
28/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
CM 060/1
|
08/02/45
|
08/02/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)