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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS BANFF (Y 43) - ex-US Coast Guard Cutter
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Gorleston, sister-ship  (Photo Ships, click to enlarge) return to Contents List   
 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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)

 

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