Allied Warships

HMS Nadder (K 392)

Frigate of the River class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassRiver 
PennantK 392 
Built bySmiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) 
Ordered15 Jul 1942 
Laid down11 Mar 1943 
Launched15 Sep 1943 
Commissioned20 Jan 1944 
End service 1945 
History

Transferred to the Royal Indian Navy in 1945 and renamed Shamsher.  

Commands listed for HMS Nadder (K 392)

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and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1T/Lt. Philip Edward Kitto, RNR15 Oct 1943late 1945

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Notable events involving Nadder include:


7 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Kingsmill (Lt. G.H. Cook, RN), HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR), HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR) and HMS Rushen Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Warwick, DSC, RNR). (1)

8 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Lochy (Lt.Cdr. W.J.P. Roberts, RNR), HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR), HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR) and HMS Rushen Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Warwick, DSC, RNR). (1)

9 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Lochy (Lt.Cdr. W.J.P. Roberts, RNR) and HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR). (1)

13 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with FFS L'Escarmouche, HMS Rushen Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Warwick, DSC, RNR), HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR) and HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR). (1)

14 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR) and HMS Rushen Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Warwick, DSC, RNR), HMS Lochy (Lt.Cdr. W.J.P. Roberts, RNR) and HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR). (1)

29 Mar 1944

Combined convoy KMF 30 / NSF 19.

Convoy KMF 30.

This convoy was assembled off Oversay on 29 March 1944.

The convoy was made up of the (troop) transports; Alcantara (British, 22209 GRT, built 1922), Antenor (British, 11174 GRT, built 1925), Boissevain (Dutch, 14134 GRT, built 1937), Capetown Castle (British, 27002 GRT, built 1938), Christiaan Huygens (Dutch, 16287 GRT, built 1927), City of Calcutta (British, 8063 GRT, built 1940), Clan Campbell (British, 9545 GRT, built 1943), Duchess of Richmond (British, 20022 GRT, built 1928), Durban Castle (British, 17388 GRT, built 1938), Highland Princess (British, 14133 GRT, built 1930), Monarch of Bermuda (British, 22424 GRT, built 1931), Nieuw Holland (Dutch, 11066 GRT, built 1927), Orduna (British, 15507 GRT, built 1914), Ormonde (British, 14982 GRT, built 1917), Otranto (British, 20026 GRT, built 1925), Ranchi (British, 16738 GRT, built 1925), Silversandal (British, 6770 GRT, built 1930), Strathaird (British, 22281 GRT, built 1932) and Tegelberg (Dutch, 14150 GRT, built 1937).

The naval transports USS Andromeda (T/Cdr. W.A. Fly, USN) and USS Arcturus (T/Cdr. C.R. Woodson, USN), USS Cepheus (Capt. R.B. Hall, USCG) and USS Oberon (T/Cdr. D.G. Greenlee, USN) were also part of the convoy.

On assembly the convoy was escorted by the AA ship HMCS Prince Robert (Cdr. A.M. Hope, RCN) and the frigates HMS Bazely (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Brock, RCNVR), HMS Bentinck (Cdr. E.H. Chavasse, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Byard (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.M. Ferris, RNVR), HMS Calder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E. Playne, RNVR), HMS Drury (Lt.Cdr. N.J. Parker, RN), HMS Lochy (Lt.Cdr. W.J.P. Roberts, RNR) and HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR).

On 30 March 1944, the troop transport Queen of Bermuda (British, 22575 GRT, built 1932) departed Plymouth to join the convoy. She was escorted by the frigate HMS Wear (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.G.L. Hone, RNVR) which had departed Swansea also on 30 March 1944.

When approaching Gibraltar several ships of the convoy were detached for destination not in the Mediterreanean, these were the following; Antenor, Boissevain, Clan Campbell, Duchess of Richmond and Silversandal.

On 5 April 1944, the destroyers ORP Garland (Kmdr.ppor.(Cdr.) B.J. Biskupski) and HMS Isis (Lt. H.D. Durell, RN) departed Gibraltar to join the convoy which they did later the same day. Black Swan On 6 April 1944, the Nieuw Holland and Ormonde arrived at Gibraltar after having been detached from the convoy while the troop transport Sibajak (Dutch, 12226 GRT, built 1927) joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar as did the escort destroyers HMS Farndale (Cdr. G. Ransome, DSC, RN), HMS Catterick (Lt. D.P. Willan, DSC, RN) and HMS Cleveland (Lt. J.K. Hamilton, RN).

On 6 April 1944, HMCS Prince Robert parted company with the convoy and arrived at Gibraltar later the same day. HMS Byard also made a short stop at Gibraltar but rejoined the convoy.

Convoy NSF 19.

This convoy departed Oran Bay on 6 April 1944.

It was made up of the following naval transports; USS Elizabeth C. Stanton (Cdr. W.A. Wiedman, USNR), USS Florence Nightingale (T/Cdr. F.J. Nelson, USN), USS Lyon (Capt. T.C. Sorensen, USNR) and the troop transports Volendam (Dutch, 15434 GRT, built 1922) and Winchester Castle (British, 20012 GRT, built 1930).

On departure from Oran Bay the convoy was escorted by the AA cruiser HMS Caledon (Capt. R.F. Nichols, RN), escort destroyer HMS Calpe (Lt.Cdr. A.T. Morgan, RNVR) and the minesweeper USS Seer (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Walker, Jr. USNR).

Around 2000B/6, convoy NSF 19 merged with convoy KMS 30 in position 35°53'N, 00°38'W.

On convoy NSF 19 merging with convoy KMF 30 the four USN transports; USS Andromeda, USS Arcturus, USS Cepheus, USS Oberon (T/Cdr. D.G. Greenlee, USN) and the troop transports Highland Princess and Orduna parted company and proceeded to Oran / Mers-el-Kebir.

On 7 April 1944, HMS Nadder and HMS Wear arrived at Gibraltar after having parted company with the convoy.

Around 0900B/7, the 'Algiers' section of the now combined convoy joined in position 36°54'N, 03°12'E. It was made up of the troop transports Ascania (British, 14013 GRT, built 1924), Leopoldville (Belgian, 11509 GRT, built 1929) and Sobieski (Polish, 11030 GRT, built 1939). With them the escort destroyer HMS Liddesdale (Lt. C.J. Bateman, RN) which also joined the convoy.

Around 0230B/8, the 'Bone' section joined in position 37°08'N, 07°49'E. It was made up of the troop transport Almanzora (British, 15551 GRT, built 1914).

At 1200B/8, the 'Naples' section of the convoy split off. It was made up of the Almanzora, Capetown Castle, Christiaan Huygens, Durban Castle, Leopoldville, Ranchi, USS Elizabeth C. Stanton, USS Florence Nightingale and USS Lyon.

The 'Naples' section was escorted by HMS Caledon, HMS Liddesdale, HMS Bazely, HMS Bentick, HMS Byard, HMS Calder, HMS Drury, HMS Lochy and USS Seer.

The Naples' section of the convoy arrived at it's destinsation on 9 April 1944.

The remaining ships continued on to Port Said where they arrived on 12 April 1944. HMS Catterick remained with the convoy until Port Said. The Tegelberg had been detached to Alexandria where she also arrived on the 12th as did HMS Farndale, HMS Calpe and HMS Cleveland.

3 Jun 1944
During 3/4 June 1944, HMS Tradewind (Lt.Cdr. S.L.C. Maydon, DSO and Bar, RN), conducted A/S exercises off Trincomalee with the Indian sloop HMIS Cauvery (A/Cdr. F.F.W. Harvey, RIN) and the British frigates HMS Lossie (Lt.Cdr. A.F. MacFie, OBE, RNR), HMS Findhorn (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Dawson, RD, RNR) and HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR). (2)

12 Jun 1944
During 12 and 13 June 1944, HMS Sea Rover (Lt. J.P. Angell, RN) conducted exercises off Trincomalee. These included night exercises. During these exercises she was escorted by HMS Rosalind (A/Skr.Lt. E.G. Littler, DSC, RD, RNR). Also part of these exercises were a practice attack on HMS Begum (A/Capt. J.E. Broome, DSC, RN) and A/S exercises with two of her escorts, the frigates HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR) and HMS Lossie (Lt.Cdr. A.F. MacFie, OBE, RNR). (3)

1 Sep 1944
The British merchant Troilus is torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-859 about 300 nautical miles north-east of Socotra Island in position 14°10'N, 61°04'E. Later HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR) and HMS Taff (Cdr. G.A.G. Ormsby, DSO, DSC, RN) together pick up 95 survivors and landed them at Aden on 10 September.

Sources

  1. ADM 173/19326
  2. ADM 173/19049
  3. ADM 173/18674

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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