H .  M .  I .  S .    K I S T N A   ( U 4 6 )

 

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

 

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 5

 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                         Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

to                            Nominated for support of military operations in Burma

November

 

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        Provided naval gunfire support off Ramree Island during MATADOR.

                to            (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE FORGOTTEN

                20th        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, GODAVERI, 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, GODAVERI 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 2?th 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.