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T or TUMULT-Class Destroyer ordered with the 6th Emergency Flotilla on 13th March 1941 from John Brown of Clydebank. The ship was laid down on 10th November 1941 and launched on 23rd September 1942. She was the second RN ship to bear this name, previously used in 1805 for a hired ship. In March 1942 following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was adopted by the civil community of Walthamstow, Greater London, now part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The build was completed on 8th March 1943 and she was fitted for use as a Flotilla Leader.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

SICILY  1943 - SALERNO 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN  1943-44 - AEGEAN 1944 - SOUTH FRANCE  1944  - ADRIATIC 1944 - OKINAWA  1945

H e r a l d i c    D a t a

Badge: On a field Red, upon water barry wavy in base White and Blue a

bridge of three spans turreted White, masoned Black, flying therefrom

a flagstaff proper a flag Blue.

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)

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March                    Contractor's trials and commissioning.

           8th               Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

                               Nominated for service in 24th Destroyer Flotilla as Leader.

                               Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet for operational service

April                       Worked up with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

                               On completion took passage to Mediterranean.

May                       Deployed for screening duties of major units.

        10th               Part of screen for HM Cruisers AURORA, NEWFOUNDLAND, ORION, PENELOPE

                              and EURYALUS with Mediterranean Fleet destroyers and Motor Torpedo Boats for surrender of

                              Pantellaria.

                              (Operation CORKSCREW - General Eisenhower was embarked on board HMS AURORA).

June                       Deployed for Fleet screening during preparation for planned allied landings in Sicily

                              (Operation HUSKY – For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                              Corelli Barnett and Naval Staff History.)

July

           8th              Sailed from Malta with HM Destroyer TUMULT for Fleet screening in support of HUSKY.

         10th              Part of destroyer screen for HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT,

                              HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers PENELOPE,

                              AURORA, CLEOPATRA, and EURYALUS with HM Destroyers QUILLIAM,

                              QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, ISIS, FAULKNOR, ECHO, INTREPID, ECLIPSE, FURY,

                              INGLEFIELD, ILEX, TUMULT, TYRIAN, OFFA, Polish ORP PIORUN and Greek

                              VASILASSA

                              (Note: These major warships were deployed in the Ionian Sea to provide cover against any

                                           attempt by Italian surface warships to interfere with landings.)

August                   Deployment for Fleet screening in continuation. 

         31st               Deployed as part of screen for HMS NELSON, HMS RODNEY and HMS ORION to provide

                               naval gunfire support during allied landings in Calabria.

                               (Operation BAYTOWN - See above references).

September

          2nd                Provided additional naval gunfire support for Calabrian landings.

          9th                Deployed with destroyer screen for major units providing cover against Italian

                                surface warships during allied landings at Salerno.

                               (Operation AVALANCHE - See above references).

                               (Note: Major units and screen were same ships as for HUSKY).

        11th                Under heavy air attack off Salerno and provided AA protection to Fleet units.

October                   Deployed with Fleet screen and support of military operations in Italy.

November               Bombarded shore targets at Minturno.

December                Deployed with ships of Flotilla for support of military operations on the East

                                 coast of Italy based at Bari.

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January                   Deployed in Adriatic for attacks on shipping and support of military operations, based at Brindisi.

                                Carried out bombardment of Dubrovnic and island of Korcula.

          3rd                 Sank supply ship during attack off Civitanova with HM Destroyer TUMULT

          8th                 Took part in bombardment of San Bendetto until 10th.

                                (Note: Ship ran aground off Italian coast but was refloated without major

                                           damage.)

February

                                Adriatic deployment in continuation.

         27th                Bombarded targets at Curzola with HMS TUMULT.

March                      Deployed In Adriatic and Eastern Mediterranean for convoy defence, patrol and

to                             support of military operations.

April

May

                                 Nominated for support of planned attack on island of Pantelleria and deployed in

                                 Malta for preparatory meetings and exercises. (Operation CORKSCREW)

          31st                Took part in bombardment of Pantelleria with HM Cruiser ORION and HM

                                 Destroyer PETARD.

June

            2nd               Took part in farther bombardment at Pantelleria with HMS ORION and HM

                                 Destroyer PALADIN.

          10th                Deployed with HM Cruisers AURORA, ORION, NEWFOUNDLAND,

                                 PENELOPE, EURYALUS as screen with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT,

                                 LOYAL, JERVIS, TARTAR, NUBIAN and WHADDON to cover landings

                                 on Pantelleria.

                                 (Note: General Eisenhower was embarked in HMS AURORA.)

          11th                Present during landings after which Italian Rear Admiral Pavesi surrendered the

                                 fortress.

          14th                Deployed with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND and found island of Lampione deserted.

           20th               Nominated for support of planned landings on Sicily and deployed for preparatory

                                 exercises (Operation HUSKY)

July                          Preparation for support of assault landings with ships of Flotilla. Joined HM Escort

                                 Carriers  KHEDIVE, EMPEROR, SEARCHER, PURSUER and ATTACKER, HM

                                 Cruisers ROYALIST and DELHI with HM Destroyers TUSCAN, TYRIAN, TEAZER,

                                 TUMULT, Greek destroyer NAVARINON and HM Escort Destroyer WHEATLAND

                                 for screening duty during air operations as Task Group 88.1

August

           12th              Sailed from Malta with TF88.1

           15th              Present during landings in South of France.

                                (Operation DRAGOON –formerly ANVIL

                                See INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO), ENGAGE THE ENEMY

                                MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.).

           18th              With TG88.1 at Maddalena to refuel and for rest period.

           21st               Redeployed with screen off beachhead.

           24th               With TG88.1 at Maddalena.

           28th               Released from DRAGOON and reverted to RN control.

September

                                 Re-deployed with Flotilla in Eastern Mediterranean with British Aegean Force

                                 for re-occupation of islands and preparation for landings in Greece.

           13th               Sank small Transport TON1 north of Crete with HM Destroyer TUSCAN during an

                                 operation to intercept craft evacuating German garrison.

           19th              Participated in sinking of U407 south of Meloe in position 36.27N  24.33E with

                                HM Destroyers TERPSICHORE, BRECON, ZETLAND and Polish ORP GARLAND.

October                  Patrol and support duty in Aegean.

                                Nominated for service with Flotilla in Pacific after refit

November              Passage to Chatham for refit prior to service with 24th Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet..

December               Under refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham.

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January                   Under refit.

February                 On completion of refit carried out post refit trials prior to storing for foreign service.

                                Took passage to Malta to work-up for service with Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet

March                     On completion of work-up with ships of Mediterranean Fleet took passage to Australia

                                via Suez to prepare for service in with Flotilla as part of Task Force 57

April                        On arrival at Sydney prepared for operational service under US Navy overall command.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D49 to conform to US Navy

                                system of identity for destroyers.

                                Took passage to forward British Base at Manus for deployment with Flotilla in BPF.

May

             9th              Joined TF57 with HM Destroyers NAPIER, NEPAL, TENACIOUS and TERMAGANT.

.                               Replaced destroyers in screen for HM Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS and

                                FORMIDABLE after series of attacks by KAMIKAZE during air operations in

                                Sakashima-Gunto area.

                                 (Operation ICEBERG - For details of BPF operations see OPERATION PACIFIC by

                                 E Grey, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton. TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and

                                 WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).

            25th              On completion of TF57 air operations on Sakishima Gunto detached and joined HM

                                 Battleship KING GEORGE V as destroyer screen with HM Destroyers TENACIOUS

                                 and TERMAGANT for passage to Guam.

                                 (Note: HMS KING GEORGE V was taking Admiral Rawlings for visit to US Navy

                                              CinC Pacific Fleet.)

            28th             Arrived at Guam.

June

                                Passage to Manus with HMS KING GEORGE V to rejoin ships of TF57

                                On arrival nominated for duty with Task Group 111.2 under RN command for air

                                operations and bombardment of Truk (Operation  INMATE)

             12th            Formed Task Unit 111.2.15 with HM Destroyers TENACIOUS, TERPSICHORE

                                and TEAZER for screening of HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE, HM Cruisers

                                NEWFOUNDLAND, UGANDA (RCN) and ACHILLES (RNZN).

             15th            Carried out bombardment of Truk with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND when air operations

                                had been completed.

             16th            Passage to Manus with Task Force 111.2.

July                          Transferred to US 3rd Fleet as Task Force 38 with ships of BPF after changes in US

                                 Navy Command structure in Pacific area..

                                 (Note: Task Force 37 comprised HMS KING GEORGE V, HM Aircraft Carriers

                                             IMPLACABLE, FORMIDABLE and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers

                                             NEWFOUNDLAND, ACHILLES, UGANDA, GAMBIA, EURYALUS

                                             and BLACK PRINCE screened by 15 destroyers).

             18th             Ships of BPF Joined US TG 38 for series of combined attacks on the Tokyo and

                                 Yokohama areas.

                                 Screening duty in continuation during operations and replenishment.

August                      Deployment with TF37 screen during Joint operations with US TF38 including

                                  air attacks on targets in North Honshu and Hokkaido.

             12th              Re-deployed as part of US TF38 in Task Group with HMS KING GEORGE V,

                                  HMS INDEFATIGABLE, HM Cruisers GAMBIA and NEWFOUNDLAND as

                                  screen with HM Destroyers TERMAGANT, TENACIOUS, TEAZER TERPSICHORE,

                                  BARFLEUR, NIZAM, WAKEFUL, NAPIER and WRANGLER.

                                  (Note: The remaining British ships of TF37 were withdrawn from the operation

                                               because of difficulties in obtaining fuel from the RN Fleet Train and the

                                               increasing maintenance problems (See above references))

.            14th              Refuelled from US Navy tankers.

             15th              Deployed with screen for TG38.5 during final air strikes on Japan.

             27th              Passage to Sagami Wan with BPF units for attendance at formal surrender ceremony.

September

              2nd              Present with BPF units at Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS TROUBRIDGE returned to UK later in 1945 with ships of the 24th Flotilla and was retained in commission. She served in the Mediterranean with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla as its Leader after HMS SAUMAREZ had been badly damaged by a. mine off Corfu. The ship was paid off into Reserve at Chatham In 1949. She was selected for conversion to a Type 15 Anti-Submarine Frigate in 1955 by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth but later transferred to JS White at Cowes for completion. Commissioned for service in 1957 this ship was deployed In the West Indies and in the Home Fleet until 1962. After a refit in Malta in 1964 she re-commissioned for service in 24th Escort Squadron. HMS TROUBRIDGE finally paid off on 27th March 1969 and was placed on the Disposal List. On 5th May 1970 she arrived at Newport, Gwent under tow of HM Tug REWARD to be broken-up by Messrs Cashmore.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TROUBRIDGE

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)