Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Yarrow at Scotstoun under 1940 Build Programme on 10th September 1941 for the Royal Indian Navy. This ship was laid down on 14th July 1942 and launched on 22nd April 1943 by Mrs Godfrey as the 1st RIN ship to carry the name. During her build, which was completed on 26th August 1943. Radar Type 272 for surface warning and Type 285 for main armament fire-control were installed.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1943 -BURMA 1944-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Not listed in Royal Navy official List

 

 

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

 

August

 

Contractor's sea trials and commissioning.

 

26th - Accepted into service in Royal Indian Navy.

 

September

 

Worked-up in NW Approaches for escort duties. (Note: Defects to be repaired before operational service.)

 

October

 

Under repair at Londonderry

 

28th - Joined 40th Escort Group on completion for deployment at Greenock for escort of OS Series outward convoys and inward SL Series convoys on UK-West Africa route

 

November

 

Passage with OS convoy and detached to take passage to Gibraltar.

 

13th - Sailed from Gibraltar as escort for inward Convoy MKS139 during passage to Liverpool.

 

16th - Transferred to escort for Convoy SL139 when ships and escort of MKS139 merged to form joint convoy.

 

Convoy sighted by German aircraft and U-BOAT Group SCHILL formed to establish three Patrol Lines for concentrated attacks on this large convoy of over 60 mercantiles.

 

18th - Under attacks by U Boats of SCHILL group which were repelled by escorts. (Note: HM Sloop CHANTICLEER was hit by a torpedo from U515 and sustained major damage. She was able to remain afloat and went to the Azores where she was found beyond economic repair for further service.)

 

21st - Under air attacks by Hs 233 Glider bombs during which one mercantile was sunk and another damaged.

 

26th - Detached from escort on arrival at Liverpool. (Note: For full details of the passage of this convoy see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and U333 by P Kremer. This German failure to carry out a successful operation with a large number of ships and aircraft was a significant milestone in the Battle of the Atlantic.)

 

December

 

Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy defence. Nominated for service with RIN in Indian Ocean and prepared for passage.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

2nd - Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for joint Convoy KMS36 to Port Said and OS62 to Freetown.

 

7th - Detached from OS62 with escort to KMS62 mercantiles destined for Port Said.

 

13th - Detached from escort for KMS36 on arrival at Port Said Passage to Aden

 

February

 

Escorted Convoy AB30 during passage from Aden to Bombay.

 

15th - Detached fromAB30 on arrival at Bombay and joined Eastern Fleet.

 

March

 

Deployed for escort of convoys between Bombay, Persian Gulf and Aden.

 

April

 

12th - Transferred to convoy escort between Bombay, Colombo and Calcutta.

 

May

 

Escorted supply convoys from Calcutta to Chittagong in support of the military operations in Burma.

 

29th - Deployed for escort of convoys between Calcutta and Colombo.

 

June

 

Transferred to Bombay for escort and patrol duty in Indian Ocean.

 

July to November

 

Indian Ocean deployment in continuation. Nominated for support of military operations in Burma

 

December

 

Deployed with HM Sloop FLAMINGO, HM Indian Sloops JUMNA and NARBADA as a Support Group for support of advance by Indian Division down the Mayu Peninsula in Burma (Operation ROMULUS - See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN ( HMSO)

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January

 

Deployed with HM Cruiser PHOEBE, HM Destroyer RAPID and HM Sloop FLAMINGO for support of landings by British 4th and Indian 71st Divisions in northern part of Ramree Island (Operation MATADOR)

 

18th to 20th - Provided naval gunfire support off Ramree Island during MATADOR. (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray, and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) for details of Eastern Fleet activities in 1945, including Operation DRACULA.)

 

February

 

Escort and support duties in continuation, Nominated for refit

 

March

 

Under refit in Bombay

 

April

 

On completion of post refit trials returned to Trincomalee. Prepared for support of landings in Burma.

 

27th - Part of escort for assault landings by 26th Indian Division at Rangoon with HM Indian Sloops CAUVERY, NARBADA, GODAVARI, SUTLEJ and HINDUSTAN. (Operation DRACULA - See above references)

 

May

 

Support and patrol duties in continuation.

 

June

 

15th - Deployed on patrol duty between Andamans and mainland for interception of supply and evacuation craft with HM Frigate LOSSIE, HM Indian Sloops CAUVERY, GODAVARI and NARBADA.

 

July

 

Deployed on patrol duty in Malacca Strait during minesweeping operations. (Operation COLLIE – See references.).

 

August

 

Preparation for final landings on coast of Malaya (Operation ZIPPER). (Note: This operation was planned to take place on 27th August after delay in approval from the War Office due to implementation of the PYTHON Release Scheme for long serving personnel in SEAC. See references and Final Report by SEAC Supreme Commander (HMSO).)

 

Deployed on patrol in support of planned landings.

 

25th - Landings further delayed at US insistence. (See above references).

 

Deployed for escort of assault convoy. (For details of all mercantiles and warships involved in ZIPPER see BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)

 

September

 

At Penang after Japanese surrender and returned to Bombay for RIN duties.

 

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMIS KISTNA was transferred to the Indian Navy after partition in 1947 and renamed INS KRISNA. The ship was part of the 12th Frigate Squadron for many years and used for training duties before being relegated for non-operational duties. She finally Paid off in 1981 and sold  for breaking-up in India.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMIS KISTNA

by Don Kindell

 

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

(Note on Convoys)