Allied Warships

HMS Bann (K 256)

Frigate of the River class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassRiver 
PennantK 256 
Built byCharles Hill & Sons (Bristol): Bellis & Morcom 
Ordered20 Jun 1941 
Laid down18 Jun 1942 
Launched29 Dec 1942 
Commissioned7 May 1943 
End service 
History

After commissioning and working up HMS Bann went to the Mediterranean where in July 1943 she was involved in the Allied landings in Sicily, (operation Huskey) as a unit of support force east, under Rear Admiral Harcourt.

In March 1944 HMS Bann was in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa for repairs to her bow, which had been damaged by striking the quay at Port Louis, Mauritius a few weeks previously.

On 5 December 1945 HMS Bann was transferred to the Indian Navy where she was converted to a midshipman’s training ship by the Bombay Dockyard, and renamed Tir. Tir was decommissioned in 1979.

 

Commands listed for HMS Bann (K 256)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt.Cdr. Frank Arthur Shaw, RNR10 Mar 1943Aug 1945
2T/A/Lt.Cdr. Robert Hudson Jameson, RNRAug 19455 Dec 1945

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Notable events involving Bann include:


9 Oct 1943
On 9 October 1943, convoy WS-33 arrived in South Africa from the UK with reinforcements for service in Burma, the convoy consisted of 4 ships. The British frigates HMS Bann, HMS Plym, HMS Teviot and HMS Trent were responsible for providing the Anti-Submarine escort on the last leg of the passage. (1)

8 Jan 1944

Convoy AB 27A.

This convoy departed Aden on 8 January 1944.

It was made up of the troop transports;
Dunnottar Castle (British, 15007 GRT, built 1936) and Strathaird (British, 22281 GRT, built 1932).

On departure from Aden, around 1500C/8, the convoy was escorted by the destroyer HMAS Quiberon (Cdr. G.S. Stewart, RAN).

Around 1800C/8, the destroyer HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN) joined coming from Aden having overtaken the convoy. She had departed around an hour after the convoy had departed.

Around 0800E/11, the frigate HMS Bann (Lt.Cdr. F.A. Shaw, RD, RNR) joined coming from Bombay. HMAS Norman then parted company to return to Aden.

Around 0800E/12, the escort carrier HMS Battler (A/Capt. F.M.R. Stephenson, RN), destroyer HMS Redoubt (Lt.Cdr. N.E.G. Ropner, DSO, RN) and frigate HMS Kale (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Houchen, OBE, RD, RNR) joined.

Around 1200E/12, HMS Battler and HMS Bann parted company to proceed to Port Victoria, Seychelles.

Around 1030FG/14, the convoy arrived at Bombay. (2)

19 Jan 1944

Operation Thwart.

Attempt to intercept the German supply tanker Charlotte Schliemann.

The light cruiser HMS Newcastle (Capt. P.B.R.W. William-Powlett, DSO, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A.D. Read, CB, RN) and the escort carrier HMS Battler (A/Capt. F.M.R. Stephenson, RN) departed Mauritius to patrol an area roughly near position 30°00'S, 68°00'E. A German supply vessel (Charlotte Schliemann (7747 GRT, built 1928) is suspected to be operating in that area to resupply U-boats operating in the Indian Ocean.

On 21 January 1944, the heavy cruiser HMS Suffolk (Rear-Admiral R. Shelley, CBE, RN) and the frigate HMS Bann (Lt.Cdr. F.A. Shaw, RD, RNR) also departed Mauritius to join HMS Newcastle and HMS Battler.

HMS Suffolk, joined HMS Newcastle and HMS Battler around dawn on the 24th.

In the morning of the 26th HMS Suffolk fuelled HMS Bann.

Around noon on the 29th, HMS Newcastle parted company with HMS Suffolk and HMS Battler to return to Mauritius.

In the evening of the 30th, HMS Suffolk and HMS Battler set course to proceed to the westwards to pastrol their way towards Durban.

HMS Newcastle arrived at Mauritius on 31 January 1944.

HMS Bann arrived at Mauritius on 2 February 1944 [Her exact movements during this patrol are unknown to us.]

HMS Suffolk and HMS Battler arrived at Durban on 4 February 1944.

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Also on 21 January 1944, the light cruiser HMS Kenya (Capt. C.L. Robertson, RN) and the destroyer HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN) departed Mauritius to patrol to patrol an area roughly near position 25°00'S, 65°00'E.

HMS Nepal returned to Mauritius on 28 January 1944.

HMS Kenya returned to Mauritius on 1 February 1944.

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The armed merchant cruiser HMS Canton (Capt. J.J.E. Barclay, RNR) also departed Mauritius for the operation. She arrived at Durban from patrol around 1400C on 2 February. (3)

17 Sep 1945
On 17 September 1945 HMS Bann spent one day in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa for repairs. (1)

Sources

  1. Personal communication
  2. Report of proceedings of HMAS Quiberon for January 1944
  3. ADM 53/118946 + ADM 53/118947 + ADM 53/120136 + ADM 53/120137 + ADM 53/120568

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


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