H .  M .  I .  S .   N A R B A D A   ( U 4 0 )

 

Modified BITTERN-Class Sloop ordered from John I Thornycroft under the 1940 Build Programme for the Royal Indian Navy on 29th August 1940. The ship was laid down en 30th August 1941 as Yard No. 1385 and launched on 21st November 1942 by Mrs Amery. Build was completed on 29th April 1943.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

BURMA 1944-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge :  On a Field Blue, rising from a base barry wavy of four,

a trident gold, with a cobra proper entwined.

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 3

 

April                       Contractors trials and commissioned for Royal Indian Navy service.

                                Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet.

                29th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

 

May                        On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory.

                                Carried out work-up for operational service

 

June                        Transferred to Scapa Flow for further work-up with ships of Home Fleet.

 

July                         Under repair for defects discovered during work-up

 

August                  Prepared for foreign service

                12th        Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for Convoy KMF22 during passage to Algiers.

                21st         Deployed as escort for convoy through Red Sea from Alexandria to Aden.

 

September             Passage in Red Sea.

                                Deployed with escort of Convoy during passage from Aden to Bombay.

                14th        On arrival detached from convoy and joined Eastern Fleet.

 

October                  Deployed for escort of military convoys in Bay of Bengal in support of planned

to                            operations in Burma.

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Bay of Bengal convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Nominated for support of military operations in

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January

                2nd         Deployed with HM Indian Sloop JUMNA to support landing of 74th Indian Brigade on

                                Akyab Peninsular .

                                (Operation LIGHTNING - For details see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J. Winton,

                                OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).).

                7th          Engaged shore batteries up the Kaladan River near Ponnagyun with HMIS JUMNA,

                                HM Motor launches 381 and 829.

                                Bombarded retreating enemy troops. See above references.

                12th        Embarked troops and joined Task Force 64 for support of landing by 3rd British

                                Commando Brigade between Akyab and Ramree with HM Destroyers NAPIER (RAN),

                                HMIS JUMNA and HM Cruiser PHOEBE which provided Fighter Direction facilities.

                13th        Under attack by Japanese OSCAR aircraft and destroyed one.

 

February

                16th        Provided naval gunfire supported during landing of 53rd Brigade at Ryuwa with HM Sloop

                                FLAMINGO and HMIS JUMNA before the

                                Carried out further bombardment of enemy positions later.

                22nd       Hit aft by return fire but depth charges were not detonated.

 

March                    Military support duties in continuation.

                16th        Taken in hand for refit in Bombay.

 

April                       On completion of post refit trials resumed support duties.

                27th        Escorted assault convoy for landings at Rangoon with HM Indian Sloops CAUVERY,

                                GODAVERI, KISTNA, SUTLEJ and HINDUSTAN

                                (Operation DRACULA – See above references.).

 

May

                16th        Deployed with H M Indian Sloops CAUVERY, GODAVERI, KISTNA, SUTLEJ and

                                HINDUSTAN supported initially by HMS PHOEBE and later by HM Cruiser

                                CEYLON for patrol to intercept Japanese craft evacuating Japanese forces from

                                Andamans.

                                No enemy ships were sighted during these patrols.

                23rd        On completion resumed Flotilla duties.

 

June

                15th        Deployed in rotation with HM Sloop LOSSIE, HM Indian Sloop CAUVERY

                                GODAVERI and KISTNA for interception patrol between Andamans and coast and

                                coast of Burma.

 

July                         Nominated for escort and support of planned landings in Malaya

                                Took part in preparatory exercises for Operation ZIPPER.

                                Deployed at Trincomalee for convoy defence.

 

August                  Further postponement of Operation ZIPPER because of indecision by authorities in

                                London on arrangements for the return of long serving service personnel in SEAC

                                under the PYTHON Scheme and resistance by the US Government.

                                See above references and Final Report of Supreme Commander SEAC, Appendix E

                                (HMSO).

                30th        Joined escort of assault convoy JMD1A during passage to beach head near

                                Port Swettenham.

 

September             Passage in Malacca Straits

                9th          Deployed off MORIB beach head to provide naval gunfire support in the event of

                                resistance.

                                (Note : No interference was encountered.)

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMIS NARBADA was deployed in the Bay of Bengal after VJ Day and on 26th September was present at the formal Japanese surrender of the Andamans garrison at Port Blair by Vice Admiral Hara IJN. At partition in 1947

this Sloop was transferred from the Indian Navy to Pakistan and was renamed PS JHELUM. She recommissioned

and remained in service until 1959 when put on the Disposal List. Sold on 17th July that year she was broken up in Pakistan.