US Coastguard Cutter ITASCA built by General Engineering and Dry Dock, Oakland, California, launched on 16th November 1929. When transferred to Royal Navy in 1940 under Lease-Lend Agreement, in common with other US Coastguard Cutters the ship was given the name of a British Coastguard  Station and renamed HMS GORLESTON. This name had been intended for use by a WW1 minesweeper but was changed to HMS GAINSBOROUGH before commencing service.

 

B a t t l e    H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC  1942-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

As the ship was on loan  no official RN Badge was approved..

 

 

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

 

May

                30th        Formal transfer from US Coastguard Service.

 

June

                2nd         Sailed from New York with sister Cutter HMS LANDGUARD.

 

July

                10th        Boiler Clean and fit of Type 286M radar at Liverpool.

                                (For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)

 

August                  Nominated for service with 40th Escort Group based at Londonderry for escort of outward

                                OS Series convoys to West Africa and inward SL Series return convoys to Liverpool

                                (Note: Other ships in Group included HM Cutters LANDGUARD, LULWORTH, HM Sloop

                                BIDEFORD and HM Destroyer STANLEY.)

                23rd        Deployed with ships of Group for escort of outward Convoy OS4 during passage to

                                Freetown.

                27th        Under attack by U557 and U558 during which five ships in convoy were sunk.

                                (See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)

                                and ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45 by A Hague.)

 

September

                11th        Detached from OS4 on arrival at Freetown.

                14th        Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group as escort for inward Convoy SL87 during passage

                                to Liverpool.

 

October

                6th          Detached from SL87 on arrival at Liverpool.

                7th          In dry dock at Belfast

                21st         On completion resumed convoy escort duty with 40th Escort Group at Londonderry.

                25th        Deployed with ships of Group for escort of outward Convoy OS10 during passage to Freetown.

                31st         Under attack by U96 during which one mercantile in convoy was sunk. See above

                                references.

 

November

                18th        Detached from OS10 with ships of Group on arrival at Freetown.

                19th        Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group as escort for inward Convoy SL93 during

                                passage to Liverpool.

 

December

                10th        Detached from SL93 with ships of Group on arrival at Liverpool.

                                Nominated for refit and took passage to Belfast

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                1st           Under refit at Belfast.

                12th        On completion resumed convoy escort duty at Londonderry.

                19th        Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS17 during passage to Freetown..

 

February

                7th          Detached with escort on arrival of OS17 at Freetown                   

                9th          Deployed with escort for returning Convoy SL100 to UK.

                                (Note: Some ships detached and took separate passage to Liverpool with escort

                                on 19th as Convoy SL100F. These ships arrived on 28th February.)

 

March

                4th          Detached from slower ships of SL100 on arrival at Liverpool.

                13th        Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS22 during passage to Freetown.

 

April

                1st           Detached from OS22 on arrival at Freetown.

                9th          Deployed with escort for inward Convoy SL106 during passage from Freetown

                                to Liverpool.

                                (Note: Some faster ships detached as SL106F and arrived on 29th April.)

 

May

                2nd         Detached from slower ships of SL106 on arrival at Liverpool.

                12th        Deployed as escort for outward Convoy OS 28 during Atlantic passage to Freetown.

                30th        Detached from OS28 on arrival at Freetown.

 

June

                8th          Deployed with escort for inward Convoy SL112 on departure from Freetown                         

                23rd        Detached from SL112 on arrival at Liverpool.

 

July

                11th        Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS34 during passage to Freetown.

                30th        Detached from OS34 on arrival at Freetown.

 

August                  Nominated for refit

                4th          Joined escort for return Convoy SL118 from Freetown with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser

                                CHESHIRE, HM Sloops FOLKESTONE and WELLINGTON.

                16th        SL118 sighted by U653 of BLUCHER U-Boat Group which called up other submarines.

                                These radio transmissions enabled ships of the escort to locate the submarines by their

                                H/F Direction Finding Equipment . See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

                                Under daylight attacks by U566 of Group during which Norwegian freighter TRITON was

                                sunk.

                                Despite counter attacks by escort U566 escaped.

                18th        Two mercantiles sunk in single attack by U214.

                                The third torpedo hit the HMS CHESHIRE which was later taken in tow and arrived safely.

                                U653 of Group was damage by LIBERATOR aircraft.

                20th        Further attacks by U-Boat Group were called off after LIBERATOR aircraft of Coastal

                                Command were able to provide continuous air cover for remainder o passage.

                26th        Detached from SL118 on arrival at Liverpool and took passage to Humber

 

September

                2nd         Under refit in Humber shipyard.

 

October                  Nominated for support of planned allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH)

                6th          On completion of post refit trials carried out work-up for operational service at Tobermory.

 

November              Resumed convoy escort at Londonderry with 40th Escort group on completion of work-up.

                14th        Joined military Convoy KMF3 in Clyde as part of escort during passage to Algiers.

                23rd        Detached from KMF3 on arrival and joined return military Convoy MKF3 as part of

                                escort during passage to Clyde.

 

December

                3rd          Detached from MKF3 on arrival in Clyde.

                12th        Joined escort for military Convoy KMF5 in Clyde as part of escort for passage to Algiers.

                20th        At Gibraltar.

                23rd        Detached from KMF5 on arrival at Algiers.

                24th        Sailed from Algiers as part of escort for return Convoy MKF5.

                30th        Detached from MKF5 on arrival in Clyde.

 

1 9 4 3                    

 

January

                8th          Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for military Convoy KMF 7 during passage to Algiers..

                17th        Detached from KMF7on arrival at Algiers.

 

                18th        Joined escort for passage of return Convoy MKF7on departure from Algiers

                25th        Detached from MKF7 on dispersal in NW Approaches.

                27th        Under repair at Liverpool.

 

February                Transferred to 42nd Escort Group.

                15th        Deployed with HM Sloops WESTON, FOLKESTONE, HM Cutter TOTLAND, HM

                                Frigates NESS and EXE as escort for Tanker Convoy UC1 during passage from Liverpool

                                to Curacoa.

 

March

                6th          Detached from UC1 on arrival at Curacoa.

                23rd        Sailed from Curacoa with same ships and USN Navy Destroyers as escort for return Tanker

                                Convoy CU1 during passage to UK.

                                (Note: US Navy destroyers may have left convoy during Atlantic passage.)

 

April

                1st           Detached from CU1 with escort on arrival in Liverpool.

                16th        Joined joint military convoy WS29/KMF13 in Clyde with HM Destroyers VENOMOUS

                                and LAUDERDALE, HM Sloops WELLINGTON, WESTON, HM Cutter TOTLAND, HM

                                Frigates EXE and NESS as escort during passage.

                20th        Detached from WS29 ships and escorted KMF13 for passage to Algiers.

                23rd        On arrival at Algiers detached from KMFF13

                                Escorted returning Convoy MKF13 to UK.

                24th        Sailed from Algiers with ships of Group as escort for return Convoy MKF13 during passage

                                to Clyde.

 

May

                2nd         Detached from MKF13 with ships of Group on arrival in Clyde.

                19th        Joined joint military convoy WS30/KMF15 in Clyde with HM Destroyers CLEVELAND

                                Polish destroyer SLAZA, HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN. HM Sloops LOWESTOFT,

                                WESTON, WELLINGTON, HM Frigates NESS, EXE and HM Cutter TOTLAND as

                                escort for Atlantic passage.

                25th        Detached from WS30 ships for escort of KMF15 to Algiers.

                28th        On arrival of KMF5 at Algiers detached with escort and joined return Convoy MKF15

                                as escort for passage to UK

 

June

                5th          Detached from KMF15 with ships of Group on arrival in Clyde.

                                Nominated for service at Freetown with Group

                20th        Sailed from Londonderry for foreign service.

                                Passage to Freetown with Group as escort for routine OS Series convoy.

                                (Note: Deployment as part of escort for joint Convoy OS51/KMS51 to be confirmed.)

 

July                         On arrival deployed for Local escort of Atlantic and coastal convoys,

 

August                  Freetown deployment in continuation.

 

September             Nominated for escort of Floating Dock from Freetown to Gibraltar.

                                (Note Floating Dock was on passage from build in USA.)

                14th        Deployed as escort of AFD53 during passage to Gibraltar.

 

October

                5th          Arrived at Gibraltar with AFD53

                12th        Joined escort for inward Convoy MKF24 during passage from Gibraltar to Clyde.

                18th        Detached from MKF24 escort on arrival in Clyde.

                                Nominated for refit at Newport.

                                Deployed for escort of outward convoy to Iceland (SD33) and return Convoy DS33.)

 

November              On release from Iceland escort duty took passage to Newport, Glamorgan for refit.

 

December              Under refit.

                                Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Carried out harbour trials

                                On completion of shipyard work carried out post refit trials in Bristol Channel

 

February                Carried out work-up at Tobermory for operational service in Eastern Fleet.

 

March

                13th        Passage from Clyde via Mediterranean to join East Indies Fleet.

                27th        Arrived at Alexandria.

 

April

                18th        Involved in collision in Gulf of Suez during passage to Aden and sustained

                                structural damage..

                21st         Under repair at Port Said,

 

May                        Under repair

 

June

                20th        On completion retained in Mediterranean Fleet for local escort in eastern Mediterranean

                                and Red Sea

 

July                         Convoy defence in Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.                            

                28th        At Massawa

 

August                  On release from Mediterranean Fleet took passage to took passage to Kilindini to join East

                                Indies Escort Force for duty in Indian Ocean.

 

September

                7th          Deployed as part of escort for Convoy AB45 during passage to Kilindini

                                Part of escort for Convoy KM6 from Kilindini

                23rd        Returned to Kilindini.

 

October                  Deployed on convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at Kilindini.

to                            (Note: KM series to Karachi and Bombay. CM Series from cape of Good Hope.

December              See ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45.)

                                Nominated for refit.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Passage to Durban.

                9th          Taken in and for refit at Durban in commercial shipyard.

 

 

 

February                Under refit

to                            (Note: Improved design Sonar (ASDIC Type 244B) fitted.)

April

 

May                        On completion of post refit trials resumed Indian Ocean convoy.

                14th        Escorted convoy to Mauritius and returned to Durban

 

June

                2nd         Transferred to Colombo for duty with convoys to Burma and on Indian coasts.

                17th        Arrived in Colombo

                                Deployed for convoy defence in Bay of Bengal including visits to Trincomalee and Rangoon

                                See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) for details of naval activities in Burma during this period.

 

July                         Convoy defence deployment in continuation.

to                            Prepared for duty with military convoys for allied operations in Malaya.

August                  (Operation ZIPPER – Execution was delayed due to US insistence and problems relating to

                                the implementation of release from SEAC of long serving personnel in the PYTHON Scheme.

                                For details see Final Report of Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO).).

 

September

                3rd          Deployed as part of escort for ZIPPER assault Convoy JME1F during passage to landing

                                area south of Port Swettenham

                7th          At Singapore

                                (For details of naval activities prior to and during ZIPPER see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO),

                                BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser, and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET By J Winton.)

                30th        Retained in Singapore as Senior Officer (Escorts.)

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS GORLESTON was retained in Singapore as Senior Officers ship for Escorts and deployed in East Indies area until January 1946 when she returned to Portsmouth, arriving  there on 8th February. After three weeks during which she underwent essential repair and de-stored prior to return to USN service, she sailed for Norfolk, Va. On 23rd .April 1946 she was paid off from her RN service and recommenced  US Coastguard service as USS ITASCA. This Cutter was removed from the Active List in 1950 and sold for demolition on 4th October that year.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS GORLESTON

by Don Kindell

 

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

 

(Note on Convoys)