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) 2003

HMS TEAZER (R 23) -  T-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Teazer (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

T or TUMULT-Class Destroyer ordered with the 6th Emergency Flotilla in March 1941 from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. The ship was laid down on 20th October 1941 as Build No 1099 and launched on 7th January 1943. She was the 8th RN ship to bear this name last used by a WW1 destroyer sold in 1931. This ship was adopted by the civil community of Macclesfield, Cheshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942. Her build which excluded modifications for Arctic service was completed on 13th September 1943.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ZEEBRUGGE   1918 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - ADRIATIC   1944 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944 - AEGEAN 1944

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a field White a thistle proper.

 

 

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 3

 

September            Builder's trials and commissioning

             13th         Accepted into service with 24th Destroyer Flotilla.

 

October               On completion of work-up at Scapa Flow deployed with Flotilla.

                             Nominated for service in Mediterranean with Flotilla.

                             Took passage to Mediterranean.

 

November            Deployed in support of shore military operations in Italy.

                              Bombarded targets in Minturno area

 

December             Support deployment in continuation.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                 Deployed with Flotilla in Adriatic for support of military operations

 

February

               4th         Bombarded Havar and Curzola in Dalmatia with HM Destroyer TUMULT.

 

March                  Adriatic and central Mediterranean deployment in continuation for support,convoy

to                         defence and patrol duties.

June                     (See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason).

 

July                      Nominated for duty under US Navy Command for support of allied landings in the

                             south of France (Operation DRAGOON)

August                Joined Carrier Task Force (TF88) with HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TUSCAN,

                            and TYRIAN of Flotilla

 

             12th        Escorted HM Escort Carriers KHEDIVE, EMPEROR, SEARCHER, PURSUER

                            PURSUER, ATTACKER, STALKER and HUNTER, HM Cruisers ROYALIST,

                            CALEDON and COLOMBO with ships of Flotilla, HM Destroyer WHEATLAND,

                            Greek destroyer NAVARINON and US warships for passage to the assault area.

                            (For details of activities prior to and during South France landings see ENGAGE THE

                            ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett and INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF

                            FRANCE (HMSO).

              15th       Deployed in defence of Task Force during Assault Phase.

              27th       Resumed duties Flotilla duties under overall British command when British carriers

                            were released from DRAGOON

 

September          Deployed with HMS ROYALIST and ships of Flotilla for interception of evacuation

                            craft leaving islands in Aegean

               15th      Sank KT ship ERPEL and Submarine Chaser UJ2171 (HEIDELBERG) off Cape

                            Spatha

               24th      Joined British Aegean Force for support of re-occupation of Aegean Islands and

                            Greek mainland.

 

October               Deployed with H M Escort Carriers HUNTER, STALKER, EMPEROR, ATTACKER,

                             SEARCHER, PURSUER and KHEDIVE, HM Cruisers AJAX, ORION, ROYALIST,

                             BLACK PRINCE, ARGONAUT, AURORA and COLOMBO, ships of Flotilla, HUNT

                             Class Escort destroyers and six Greek destroyers for support of military occupation

                             interception and screening duties.

               23rd       Landed troops at Skopelos in Aegean, East of Greek coast. (See ENGAGE THE

                             ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).

 

November            Deployment with British Aegean Force in continuation.

                             Supported military operations on Greek mainland.

                             Nominated for service in Pacific with Flotilla.

 

December             Passage to Plymouth for refit to prepare for Pacific service

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                 Under refit

to February

 

March                   On completion took passage to join British Pacific Fleet.

 

April                     On passage to Sydney.

 

May                     Joined Fleet at Manus with Flotilla. and deployed with Task Force 57 on arrival.

                             (For details of British naval activities in Pacific under overall US Navy Command.

                             See TF57 by P Smith, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, OPERATION

                             PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN  (HMSO).

 

June

              12th        Part of screen for HM Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE and RULER,  HM  Cruisers

                             UGANDA, SWIFTSURE, NEWFOUNDLAND and ACHILLES with HM Destroyers

                             TROUBRIDGE, TENACIOUS, TERPSICHORE and TERMAGANT as Task Group

                             111.2.

              14th        Provided defence during air attacks by carriers on Truk (Operation INMATE).

              15th        Bombarded island of Moen with HMS SWIFTSURE.

              17th        Passage to Manus

                             Rejoined TF57 for screening duties during operations off Japan.

 

July                      Transferred with ships of BPF (TF57) to US 3rd Fleet and redesignated TF37

                             Passage to join US Task Force 38 with HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE,

                             and IMPLACABLE, HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM Cruisers

                             NEWFOUNDLAND, ACHILLES (RNZN), UGANDA (RCN), EURYALUS

                             and BLACK PRINCE as destroyer screen with HM Destroyers QUIBERON,

                             QUICKMATCH, QUALITY, QUADRANT, TROUBRIDGE, GRENVILLE,

                             TERMAGANT, TERPSICHORE, UNDAUNTED, UNDINE, URANIA, URCHIN

                             and ULYSSES (TF37).

              18th        Part of destroyer screen for TF57 during joint attacks by RN and USN carriers on

                             mainland islands of Japan.

 

August                Deployment with TF37 in continuation.

                9th        Bombarded Kamaisha, Honshu, Japan with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND, HMS

                              GAMBIA, HMS TERMAGANT and HMS TENACIOUS.

             11th         Redesignated Task Group TG38.5 and retained in operational area.

                             (Note: Other ships in Group were HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS

                                          INDEFATIGABLE, HMS GAMBIA, HMS NEWFOUNDLAND, HM

                                          Destroyers BARFLEUR, NAPIER (RAN), NIZAM (RAN), WAKEFUL,

                                          WRANGLER, TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT and TENACIOUS.

                                          remaining British warships had been withdrawn because of insufficient fuel

                                          being available from British supply tankers).

              13th        Deployed as screen for ships of TG38.5 during attacks on Tokyo area.

              15th        Hostilities ceased after Japanese surrender.

              27th        Attended surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay with ships of TG38.5.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS TEAZER returned to UK with Flotilla later in 1946 and was placed in Reserve at Devonport. She was selected for full conversion to an Anti-Submarine Frigate in 1952 but this was later changed because of the costs involved. Instead a limited conversion to this role was approved and on completion by 1956 was recommissioned  for service in the 2nd Training squadron. She was placed on the Disposal List in 1965 and sold to BISCO for breaking-up at Dalmuir where she arrived in tow on 7th August that year.

 


 

Addenda

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TEAZER

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

 

 

 

 

 

21/04/44

21/04/44

IXF 013

21/04/44

25/04/44

28/06/44

unknown

XIF 017

unknown

02/07/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 


 

 

CADET TRAINING CRUISE TO GIBRALTAR, 1956

 by Gordon Smith

 

see Navy-Mad in the Nineteen Fifties

 

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 11/11/10
further editing and formatting is required