US Coastguard Cutter TAHOE built by Bethelehem Shipbuilders, Quincy, Mass. and launched on 12th July 1928. Transferred to the Royal Navy in April 1941 under US/UK Lease-Lend Agreement and given the name of a British Coastguard Station following the practice adopted for all transfers of this type of ship, Renamed HMS FISHGUARD she was the first RN ship to carry the name. This record has been extensively improved by details of movements provided by James A Byrne of Shadwell, Leeds who served on board between April 1942 and July 1945. This invaluable help is acknowledged with thanks.
Original USCGC Tahoe before the war (US
Coast Guard)
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-43 - SICILY 1943
D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 1
April
30th Commissioned as HMS FISHGUARD at New York.
(Note : Ship’s company included several from HM Battleship MALAYA which was being
repaired in Brooklyn Navy Yard.)
May
7th Took passage to UK as part of escort for Convoy HX125 with H M Cutters BANFF and
CULVER
22nd Arrived in Clyde.
June Deployed in Hone waters pending modifications to suit RN use.
July
12th Took passage from Londonderry to Thames Estuary.
19th Taken in hand for refit in commercial shipyard at Poplar, London.
August Nominated for service in Western Approaches Command.
8th Took passage from Sheerness after post refit trials.
13th Sailed from Greenock to Londonderry for service with 44th Escort Group.
Deployed for defence of convoys to and from West Africa.
15th Part of escort for Convoy 0S3 to Bathurst.
29th Arrived at Bathurst.
September
8th Sailed from Bathurst as part of escort for return Convoy SL86.
24th Detached from Convoy SL86 and returned to Londonderry.
October
13th Joined escort for Convoy OS9 to Bathurst.
November
3rd Arrived at Bathurst.
9th Sailed from Bathurst with escort for return Convoy SL92.
30th Arrived at Belfast after detaching from SL92.
December
2nd Talk in hand for repair at Belfast.
13th Took passage to Londonderry on completion to resume convoy defence duties.
14th Joined escort for Convoy 0S14 to Bathurst with HMS BANFF.
1 9 4 2
January
2nd Arrived at Bathurst with OS14.
6th Sailed from Bathurst with escort for return Convoy SL97.
24th Arrived at Belfast after detaching from SL97-
(Note : HF D/F Outfit FH3 was installed during period.)
For details of function of Direction Finding Outfits see SEEK AND STRIKE
by W Hackmann and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
February
7th On completion of shipyard work took passage to Clyde for calibration of D/F equipment.
14th Resumed convoy defence duties on completion of calibration.
Joined HMS BANFF in escort for Convoy 0819 en passage to Bathurst.
March
1st Detached from OS19 on arrival at Bathurst.
6th Joined escort for return Convoy SL102 and took passage from Bathurst.
16th Under repair In Azores for 24 hours.
17th Passage to rejoin SL102.
25th Returned to Londonderry after arrival of SL102 in Clyde.
April
3rd Escorted outward Convoy OS24 to Freetown.
22nd Detached from 0S24 on arrival.
26th Sailed from Freetown in escort for return Convoy SL108.
May
17th At Liverpool after detaching from SL108.
30th Resumed convoy defence duties and took passage to Moville.
June
2nd Joined escort for Convoy OS30 for passage to Freetown.
19th Detached from OS30 on arrival at Freetown.
25th Joined HMS BANFF for escort of return Convoy SL114 to UK..
July
15th Detached from SL114 on arrival and returned to Londonderry.
August
1st Joined Convoy OS36 at Moville as escort for passage to Freetown with HMS BANFF.
18th Detached from OS36 on arrival at Freetown.
24th Joined return Convoy SL120 as escort for passage to Clyde.
September Nominated for refit at Falmouth on return to UK.
14th Detached on arrival and returned to Londonderry.
17th Passage to Plymouth.
19th Taken in hand for refit at Falmouth.
October Under refit
(Nominated for defence of military convoys to Gibraltar.
(Note : Type 271 Surface warning radar may have been fitted.
See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of development and use of radar
in the Royal Navy.)
November
5th On completion of Post Refit trials took passage to Plymouth.
(Note : US 5in mounting replaced by RN 4in type and improved AA Weapons.)
7th Passage to Londonderry.
9th Deployed in NW Approaches after arrival at Moville.
18th At Londonderry.
December
28th Joined military convoy KMF6 with HMS BANFF as escort for passage to Algiers.
1 9 4 3
January
3rd Detached from KMF6 on arrival at Algiers.
6th Took passage from Algiers with HMS BANFF In escort for returned Convoy MKF6.
. 14th At Londonderry after detachment from MKF6.
26th Joined Joint convey KMF8/US26 in Clyde with HMS BANFF and HM Frigate TEST as
part of Ocean Escort.
(Note : WS26 was on passage to Indian Ocean and Ocean Escort included two Armed
Merchant Cruisers and Fleet Destroyers on passage to Join Eastern Fleet.)
29th Remained with HMS BANFF and HMS TEST as escort for KMF8 when MS26 detached
from Joint convoy to take passage to Freetown.
February
1st Arrived at Algiers with KMF6
2nd Took passage, from Algiers as escort for return military convoy MKF8
8th Detached from MCF 6 on arrival in Clyde and returned to Londonderry.
27th Joined Joint convoy KNF10A/WB27 in Clyde with H M Sloops EGRET, ERNE,
HMS TEST and HM Destroyer CLARE as Ocean Escort. during Atlantic passage.
(Note : WS27 was on passage to Indian Ocean).
March
2nd Remained with Convoy KMF10A when WS27 detached for passage to Freetown.
4th At Oran.
5th Detached from MKF10A on arrival at Algiers.
6th Took Passage to Gibraltar
8th Joined escort for return convoy to UK at Gibraltar.
14th Returned to Londonderry.
Resumed escort duties with 44th Escort Group for mercantile convoy defence.
27th Part of escort for UK-Gibraltar convoy.
April
12th Detached at Gibraltar on arrival.
14th Part of escort for return convoy to UK.
24th At Liverpool.
May Nominated for defence of Atlantic convoy.
(Note : This was during a crucial stage of the Battle of the Atlantic when U-Boat
Groups were making sustained attacks. For details see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre. U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)
and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Volume IE by C Blair.)
2nd Joined escort for Convoy ON182 during passage to Newfoundland.
(Note : In addition to main escort , the passage of this convoy was supported by ships
of Support Group 4, comprising HM Escort Carrier ARCHER and 4 destroyers.
The convoy arrived without loss. See above reference.
17th Detached from ONS182 and went to St Johns.
24th Return passage from Newfoundland as part, of escort to routine mercantile convoy.
June Nominated service in Mediterranean for escort of convoys in support of planned allied
landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY).
4th Returned to Londonderry
21st Carried out exercises in NW Approaches and Irish Sea.
26th Joined military Convoy KMS19 in NW Approaches as part of escort during passage
in Atlantic to Mediterranean.
(For details of HUSKY assault and support see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE by Bamett,
Naval Staff History, and for information about all mercantiles and warships involved
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser,).
July Nominated for service in Escort Group D during HUSKY
9th Arrived at Bone.
10th Deployed for escort of HUSKY convoys between Algiers, Bizerta and Bone during the
to Build-up Phase of HUSKY.
25th On release from HUSKY took passage from Algiers to Gibraltar.
26th Arrived at Gibraltar for escort of military convoy to USA.
28th Sailed from Gibraltar as part of escort for Convoy GUS10X
August
14th Arrived at Norfolk Navy Yard after release from convoy escort.
21st Took passage from Norfolk, Va for Argentia, Newfoundland after boiler cleaning.
. 28th Sailed from Argentia as part of escort for Convoy UT1 during passage to UK.
(Note : First of a series of military convoys taking US troops to UK as part of
build-up for planned allied landings in Europe.)
September Nominated for foreign service in Indian Ocean.
4th Returned to Londonderry on release from UT1.
6th Took passage to Cardiff for refit.
8th Arrived at Cardiff after call at Belfast and taken in hand for refit.
October Under refit.
(Note: AA armament was improved to suit needs of future deployment.)
November
16th Took passage to Milford Haven on completion of post refit trials..
17th Return passage to Londonderry from Milford Haven after Awning fittings Installed
18th At Londonderry.
December
2nd Took passage from Moville to Barry.
(Note : It is assumed that this was a visit to refitting port area prior to the start
of foreign service.
6th Return passage to Moville to refuel before joining escort for convoy.
8th Sailed from Moville as escort, for convoy to Azores.
(Note : Allied aircraft were based in Azores after agreement with Portugal and landings
to set up bases during October (Operation ALACRITY).
19th Passage from Azores Gibraltar
22nd Sailed from Gibraltar for Alexandria
. 31st At Alexandria.
1 9 4 4
January
10th Sailed from Alexandria for Suez Canal transit.
16th Took passage through Red Sea to Aden after transit.
20th Arrived at Aden to commence convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
26th Deployed off Aden for exercises prior to first escort duty in Indian Ocean.
27th At Berbera.
29th Sailed from Aden as escort for Convoy AKD14 to Kilindini.
February Joined Kilindini Escort Force.
11th Arrived at Kilindini and took passage to Aden.
22nd Arrived at Aden.
26th Joined Convoy AKD16 as escort to Kilindini.
March
6th Arrived at Kilindini and detached from AKD16.
13th Sailed from Kilindini as escort for Convoy DKA14 to Aden.
26th Detached from DKA14 on arrival at Aden.
April Deployed at Aden.
4th At Berbera.
5th Returned to Aden.
6th Sailed from Aden as escort for Convoy AKD19 to Kilindini.
12th Detached from AKD 19 on arrival at Kilindini.
18th Sailed from Kilindini as escort for Convoy DKA16A to Aden.
24th Detached from DKA16A on arrival at Aden.
28th Sailed from Aden for Kilindini.
May
3rd Arrived at Kilindini.
7th Took passage to Somali coast for investigation into salvage of U852.
(Note : U852 had been damaged in an air attack by a WELLINGTON aircraft from
612 Squadron RAF 50 miles south of Cape Guardafui.
The submarine had been grounded deliberately and abandoned.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
11th Called at Benda Beila on Scroll coast.
12th Called at Danta, north of Benda Beila.
13th At Benda Beila for investigation work.
22nd Took passage to Aden.
24th Arrived at Aden.
27th Took passage to Hordio, north of Dante.
29th At Hordio
30th Returned to Benda Beila.
June
7th Took passage from Benda Beila on completion of work.
12th Arrived at Kilindini.
13th Took passage from Kilindini
(Note : One source records escort for Convoy KD 5 in this period.
In view of activities of German and Japanese submarines in area may have
carried out an anti-submarine deployment.)
23rd At Diego Suarez.
30th Returned to Benda Beila.
June
7th Took passage from Benda Beila on completion of work.
12th Arrived at Kilindini.
13th Took passage from Kilindini
(Note : One source records escort for Convoy KD 5 in this period.
In view of activities of German and Japanese submarines in area may have
carried out an anti-submarine deployment.)
23rd At Diego Suarez.
July
15th Took passage to escort convoy to Reunion, Mauritius during Indian Ocean passage.
16th At Reunion and arrived at Mauritius.
18th Took passage to Kilindini from Mauritius as escort for Convoy MK2.
24th Arrived at Kilindini and detached from MK2.
30th Took passage to Aden as escort for Convoy OM56 to Aden with HMS BANFF..
August
5th Detached from OM56 on arrival at Aden.
6th Deployed at Aden for ant-submarine patrol and visited Perim.
to
17th
18th Took passage from Aden in Kilindini.
25th Arrived at Kilindini.
September Deployed at Kilindini.
16th Sailed from Kilindini as escort for Convoy KR12A
21st Arrived at Seychelles with KR12A.
26th Escorted Motor Minesweepers during passage from Seychelles to Addu Atoll.
October
1st Arrived at Addu Atoll with MMS.
2nd Took passage to return to Kilindini.
9th Arrived at Kilindini and prepared for refit.
24th Passage to Durban for refit.
31st Arrived at Durban.
November Under refit.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit
to
March
April Carried out post refit trials.
16th Took passage from Durban to resume service.
25th Arrived at Kilindini.
May Deployed at Kilindini and visited Klsit Is.
12th Took passage from Kilindini for convoy defence in Arabian Sea.
17th Arrived at Aden.
26th Took passage from Aden for Bombay.
June
4th Deployed at Bombay after arrival.
11th Took passage to Colombo for escort of solitary convoys.
July Deployed at Bombay.
25th Escorted military convoy to Rangoon with call at Trincomalee
(Note : Planned landings in Malaya required build up of military resources
in Burma (Operation ZIPPER).
This operation was delayed several times because of US insistence and
implementation of the return of service personnel from SEAC under the
PYTHONS Scheme.
See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, Final SEAC Report (HMSO),
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and for information about all mercantiles and
warships involved BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
29th Arrived at Rangoon. August
August
4th Took passage from Rangoon for local escort.
6th At Kyaukpui , Ramree Island and Akyab, Burma..
10th Took passage to Rangoon with call at Akyab.
11th Returned to Rangoon.
(Note : No Battle Honour BURMA 1945 was awarded.
No Japanese attacks ware made on convoys In August.)
September Deployed at Rangoon during delay of start of ZIPPER.
2nd Passage to Penang for ZIPPER deployment.
Passage to Malacca Straits.
5th Passage to Singapore from Penang.
(Note : Japanese signed allied surrender document on board HM Cruiser SUSSEX on
4th.September.)
7th Deployed at Singapore for convoy escort and shipping control.
See BRITISH INVASION FLEETS.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS FISHGUARD continued deployment at Singapore until 21st October 1945 when she took passage to Colombo arriving on 27th of that month. The ship sailed to Portsmouth on 3rd November and arrived via the Mediterranean on 1st December 1945. After de-storing the ship left Portsmouth to be returned to the US Coastguard Service and arrived at Boston to pay of on 4th February.1946. On 24th October 1947 this ship was sold for breaking.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS FISHGUARD
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
Date convoy Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
06/05/41 07/05/41 HX 125A 22/05/41 22/05/41
01/06/41 13/06/41 SC 033 18/06/41 21/06/41
01/06/41 15/06/41 HX 130 19/06/41 20/06/41
26/06/41 04/07/41 HX 135 11/07/41 12/07/41
13/08/41 16/08/41 OS 003 29/08/41 01/09/41
04/09/41 08/09/41 SL 086 24/09/41 26/09/41
13/10/41 14/10/41 OS 009 02/11/41 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 14/02/42 OS 019 01/03/42 03/03/42
04/03/42 07/03/42 SL 102 26/03/42 26/03/42
02/04/42 03/04/42 OS 024 22/04/42 22/04/42
26/04/42 26/04/42 SL 108 19/05/42 19/05/42
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 14/09/42 15/09/42
26/12/42 26/12/42 KMF 006 03/01/43 03/01/43
06/01/43 06/01/43 MKF 006 14/01/43 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
25/02/43 02/03/43 KMF 010A 04/03/43 04/03/43
06/03/43 06/03/43 MKF 010A 14/03/43 14/03/42
31/03/43 01/04/43 KMS 012G 12/04/43 16/04/43
10/04/43 14/04/43 MKS 011 23/04/43 16/04/43
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
25/06/43 25/06/43 KMS 019G 05/07/43 06/07/43
14/07/43 14/07/43 KMS 019Y 16/07/43 unknown
17/07/43 17/07/43 MKS 018 22/07/43 22/07/43
27/06/43 22/07/43 UGS 011 23/07/43 unknown
22/07/43 25/07/43 GUS 010X 27/07/43 13/08/43
21/08/43 21/08/43 UT 001 21/08/43 04/09/43
08/12/43 08/12/43 OS 061KM 16/12/43 19/12/43
15/12/43 02/01/44 UGS 027 10/01/44 11/01/44
03/01/44 03/01/44 KMS 036 13/01/44 13/01/44
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
13/03/44 13/03/44 DKA 014 22/03/44 22/03/44
27/03/44 27/03/44 AKD 019 30/03/44 30/03/44
11/03/44 30/03/44 DKA 015 01/04/44 01/04/44
06/04/44 06/04/44 AKD 020 12/04/44 12/04/44
18/04/44 18/04/44 DKA 016A 24/04/44 24/04/44
15/06/44 15/06/44 KD 005 20/06/44 24/06/44
30/07/44 30/07/44 CM 056A 05/08/44 05/08/44
18/08/44 18/08/44 AK 012/2 25/08/44 25/08/44
16/09/44 16/09/44 KR 012A 01/10/44 01/10/44
24/10/44 24/10/44 MC 013A 31/10/44 31/10/44
16/04/45 16/04/45 CM 061 25/04/45 25/04/45
(Note on Convoys)