US Coastguard Cutter CAYUGA built by United Dry Dock, Staten Island New York and launched on 7th October 1931. Build was completed on 26th March 1932 and the ship served with the US Coastguard service until transferred to the RN under the UK/US Lend-Lease Agreement in 1940. This Cutter, in common with other transferred was named after a Coastguard Station in UK. None of these ten Cutters was adopted by a UK civil community following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in 1941-42.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-44
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: None is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic Crests.
D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 1
May
12th Commissioned for RN service as HMS TOTLAND, manned with ratings from HM Battleship
MALAYA.
20th Passage to UK with call at St Johns, Newfoundland.
June Arrived in Clyde
Nominated for service in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
10th Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
July On completion took passage to Londonderry for operational service.
8th Sailed from Londonderry to join escort for Convoy HX139.
Detached from HX 139 and returned to Londonderry.
August Passage to Thames for modifications in commercial shipyard to suit RN service.
4th Taken in hand for refit.
21st On completion took passage to Londonderry to resume Atlantic convoy defence.
Nominated for escort of military convoy.
31st Joined HM Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER, NESTOR (RAN), HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE, HM Sloop SUTLEJ (RIN), HM Cutter SENNEN and HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD as Ocean Escort for military convoy WS1 1 during Atlantic passage.
September
4th Detached from WS11 when convoy divided into Slow and Fast Sections.
Joined WS11 Slow Section as A/S escort during passage 3to Freetown with HMS SENNEN
and HMIS SUTLEJ.
15th Detached from WS11 Slow and took passage to Gibraltar for escort of two tankers to UK.
October Returned to Londonderry after arrival of tankers.
28th At Belfast for further modifications.
November
14th On completion took passage to Londonderry to resumed Atlantic convoy defence and joined
the 42nd Escort Group. November (Cont.)
Part of escort for Convoy OS12 to Bathurst with HMS SENNEN.
December On arrival deployed with return Convoy SL95 as escort with HMS SENNEN.
(Note : HM Cutter GORLESTON joined escort for SL95 later.)
1 9 4 2
January On arrival in UK took passage to Belfast for repair.
14th Resumed duties with Group at Londonderry on completion.
19th Joined escort for Convoy OS17 with HM Cutters GORLESTON and HARTLAND .
February On arrival in West Africa returned to UK as escort for Convoy SL100 with HMS SENNEN
and HMS GORLESTON.
March Part of escort for outward Convoy OS22 with H M Cutters GORLESTON, HARTLAND
and SENNEN.
19th Joined escort for Convoy OS17 with HM Cutters GORLESTON and HARTLAND and
SENNEN.
April Escorted return Convoy SL106 with HMS GORLESTON and HMS SENNEN.
May On detachment from SL106 took passage to Hull for repair.
2nd Under repair in commercial shipyard.
10th On completion took passage to resume duty with Group at Londonderry.
Deployed as escort for Convoy SL28 to Freetown with HMS GORLESTON.
June Escorted return Convoy SL112 to UK from Freetown.
On arrival detached for refit and took passage to Grimsby.
July
2nd Taken in hand for refit in Commercial shipyard.
August Under refit.
September Completed out post refit trials.
2nd On completion took passage to rejoin Group at Londonderry.
Joined escort for outward Convoy OS40 for passage to Freetown.
October Returned to UK as escort for Convoy SL124
Nominated for escort of military convoys to North Africa in support of allied landings
(Operation TORCH - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett
Naval Staff History, and for information about all mercantiles and warships involved
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
November Part of escort for military convoy KMF3 and returned with escort for Convoy MKF3,
both with HMS GORLESTON.
December Part of escort for military convoy KMF5 and returned with escort for Convoy MKF5, also
with HMS GORLESTON.
1 9 4 3
January Part of escort for military convoy MKF7 and returned with escort for Convoy MKF7
with HMS GORLESTON.
February Resumed Atlantic convoy defence and nominated for escort of special Tanker Convoy
during passage from UK to Curacoa.
16th Deployed with HM Frigate NESS, HM Sloop FOLKESTONE and three Corvettes as escort
for Convoy CU1 with support from US Navy Support Group.
(Note : USN ships involved were USS MADISON. USS LANSDALE, USS HILARY P
JONES and USS CHARLES F HIGHES.)
One source states the RN ships were part of 42nd Support Group but others indicate
they belonged to the 44th Support Group. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
Convoy comprised 32 ships of which 1 7 were tankers.).
22nd CU1 Convoy sighted by U552 which summoned assistance.
23rd Under attacks by U-Boats of ROCHEN and ROBBE Groups.
Sank U522 by depth charges in position 31.27N 26.22 during defence of UC1.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER' U-BOAT WAR.
(Note : Eleven submarines took part in the attacks sinking three ships..)
March Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation
28th Joined escort of return Convoy CUl during passage from West Indies with a US Navy
escort.
30th Detached from CU1 on arrival in UK without loss.
April Nominated for escort of military convoy during Atlantic passage.
16th Joined HM Destroyers LAUDERDALE and VENOMOUS, HM Sloops WELLINGTON,
WESTON, HM Cutter GORLESTON, HM Frigates EXE and NESS in Clyde as the escort
for joint Convoy WS29/KMF13 during Atlantic passage.
(Note : Ocean Escort also included HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE and HM Destroyer
RAPID.)
20th Remained with ships of KMF13 when WS29 ships detached for passage to Freetown.
(Note : HM Destroyers MALCOLM, WITCH and WOLVERINE escorted WS26 Section
for onward passage.)
Deployed as part of escort for KMF13 during passage to Algiers.
Joined HM Frigates NESS and EXE for escort of joint military convoy KMF15/WS30
during Atlantic passage
(Note :Ocean Escort included HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN and HM Cruiser SUFFOLK.)
May Returned to UK as part of escort for military convoy MKF13
13th Involved in collision with HMS EXE and sustained structural damage on starboard side.
19th Joined HM Destroyers ACTIVE, CLEVELAND, BOADICEA, Polish ORP SLAZAK,
HM Sloops LOWESTOFT, WELLINGTON and WESTON, HM Cutter GORLESTON..
22nd Detached from joint convoy with KMF1 Sships and took passage to Algiers as part of
escort.
(Note : HM Destroyers ANTELOPE, CATTERICK and FOXHOUND had joined for WS30
Section as escort during passage to Freetown.
Detached on arrival at Algiers.
June Returned with HMS GORLESTON in escort for Convoy KMF 15 from Algiers.
Nominated for convoy defence based at Freetown on completion of refit.
15th Under refit at Belfast
July
27th On completion of post refit trials worked-up for operational duties.
August Nominated for escort of military convoy from Clyde on completion of work-up
17th Joined HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE, HM Destroyer WRESTLER, HM Sloops
CHANTICLEER, NARBADA (RIN) and WESTON, HM Frigates BARLE, ETTRICK
and USK for escort of joint convoy WS33/KMF33 during Atlantic passage.
20th HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS joined Ocean Escort.
24th Detached from joint convoy on arrival at Gibraltar.
September
3rd At Casablanca.
4th Joined HM Destroyer BULLDOG, HM Frigates BANN, NESS and HM Sloop WESTON
for escort of convoy WS33 for passage to Freetown.
10th Deployed at Freetown for Local Convoy escort.
October Freetown convoy defence in continuation
to
November
December
18th Involved in collision with ss INVELLA during escort of convoy.
Sustained slight structural damage on port side.
1 9 4 4
January Local escort duties at Freetown in continuation.
to Nominated for transfer to East Indies Station.
February
March
16th Took passage to Gibraltar prior to sailing for Kilindini via Mediterranean.
24th Hit jetty at Gibraltar and sustained serious structural damage.
April Under repair by HM Dockyard Gibraltar.
May On completion took passage to Indian Ocean via Red Sea.
June
3rd At Aden.
Escorted Convoy OM54 with HMS SENNEN.
July Deployed for Indian Ocean convoy defence based at Kilindini.
to
September
October Passage to Durban for refit.
Taken in hand for refit
November Under refit.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit.
to
March
April Post refit trials.
21st Prepared for operational service.
May Resumed Indian Ocean convoy defence.
Nominated for return to UK.
June Passage to Colombo.
24th Sailed from Colombo for UK with calls at Aden and in Mediterranean.
July Arrived in UK and selected for reduction to Reserve Status.
August Passage to Sunderland to Pay Off.
4th Arrived at Sunderland.
Paid Off and reduced to Reserve.
September Laid-up at Sunderland.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS TOTLAND remained at Sunderland until arrangements were made for her return to the US Coastguard Service. Manned by a steaming crew she sailed for Boston, Mass, on 26th March 1946 and was handed back on 2nd May that year. She was renamed USS MOCOMA and remained in use as a Coastguard Patrol Vessel until 15th July 1955 when sold for breaking-up.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TOTLAND
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
20/05/41 20/05/41 HX 128 06/06/41 06/06/41
07/07/41 07/07/41 OB 344 16/07/41 16/07/41
16/07/41 18/07/41 HX 139 29/07/41 31/07/41
23/08/41 31/08/41 OS 004 09/09/41 11/09/41
05/10/41 21/10/41 SL 089 unknown 26/10/41
18/11/41 19/11/41 OS 012 08/12/41 11/12/41
12/12/41 15/12/41 SL 095 31/12/41 31/12/41
18/01/42 23/01/42 OS 017 05/02/42 07/02/42
09/02/42 11/02/42 SL 100 04/03/42 04/03/42
13/03/42 19/03/42 OS 022 01/04/42 01/04/42
09/04/42 09/04/42 SL 106 02/05/42 02/05/42
12/05/42 12/05/42 OS 028 30/05/42 30/05/42
04/06/42 04/06/42 SL 112 23/06/42 23/06/42
09/09/42 10/09/42 OS 040 27/09/42 27/09/42
03/10/42 03/10/42 SL 124 22/10/42 22/10/42
14/11/42 14/11/42 KMF 003 22/11/42 23/11/42
23/11/42 26/11/42 MKF 003 03/12/42 03/12/42
12/12/42 12/12/42 KMF 005 20/12/42 20/12/42
24/12/42 24/12/42 MKF 005 31/12/42 31/12/42
08/01/43 08/01/43 KMF 007 17/01/43 17/01/43
18/01/43 18/01/43 MKF 007 25/01/43 25/01/43
15/02/43 15/02/43 UC 001 06/03/43 06/03/43
20/03/43 29/03/43 CU 001 01/04/43 01/04/43
16/04/43 20/04/43 KMF 013 23/04/43 23/04/43
24/04/43 24/04/43 MKF 013 02/05/43 02/05/43
19/05/43 25/05/43 KMF 015 28/05/43 27/05/43
28/05/43 28/05/43 MKF 015 30/05/43 05/06/43
01/06/43 02/06/43 XK 008 10/06/43 10/06/43
19/09/43 22/09/43 LTS 002 24/09/43 24/09/43
27/09/43 27/09/43 STL 002 02/10/43 02/10/43
05/10/43 07/10/43 LTS 003 10/10/43 10/10/43
15/10/43 15/10/43 STL 003 22/10/43 20/10/43
01/11/43 01/11/43 TS 053 05/11/43 05/11/43
09/11/43 09/11/43 LTS 005 14/11/43 14/11/43
23/11/43 23/11/43 STL 007 29/11/43 29/11/43
01/12/43 01/12/43 LTS 007 07/12/43 07/12/43
25/12/43 25/12/43 TS 055 30/12/43 30/12/43
02/01/44 02/01/44 STL 009 07/01/44 07/01/44
30/01/44 30/01/44 LTS 009 05/02/44 05/02/44
09/02/44 09/02/44 STL 011 14/02/44 14/02/44
18/02/44 18/02/44 LTS 011 25/02/44 26/02/44
13/03/44 13/03/44 SL 152 23/03/44 23/03/44
15/05/44 15/05/44 KMS 050 25/05/44 25/05/44
05/06/44 09/06/44 CM 054 11/06/44 11/06/44
14/06/44 14/06/44 AK 010/2 27/06/44 27/06/44
25/07/44 25/07/44 CM 057 01/08/44 01/08/44
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
(Note on Convoys)
