Allied Warships

HMS Polka (T 139)

ASW Trawler of the Dance class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeASW Trawler
ClassDance 
PennantT 139 
Built byHall, Russell & Co. Ltd. (Aberdeen, Scotland) 
Ordered9 Sep 1939 
Laid down19 Jun 1940 
Launched29 Jan 1941 
Commissioned17 Jun 1941 
End service 
HistorySold 3 April 1946.

 

Commands listed for HMS Polka (T 139)

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
1T/Lt. Kenneth Cranston Donaldson, RNVR21 May 1941early 1942
2T/Lt. Richard Wallace Hart, RCNVRearly 1942early 1942

3Gordon McIntosh Oliver, RNVR11 Jun 194221 Oct 1942
4T/Lt. Innes Athole Thorpe, RNVR21 Oct 194224 May 1944
5T/Lt. Edwin John Scotcher, RNVR24 May 1944

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Notable events involving Polka include:


4 Jul 1941
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Balta (T/Lt. J.A.H. Punting, RNR), HMS Cotillion (A/Skr.Lt. J. Flett, RNR), HMS Polka (T/Lt. K.C. Donaldson, RNVR) and HMS Asie (Skr. F.C. Butler, RNR). (1)

6 Jul 1941
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with FFS Alysse, HMS Asie (Skr. F.C. Butler, RNR), HMS Polka (T/Lt. K.C. Donaldson, RNVR) and HMS Minuet (T/Lt. A.M. Sullivan, RNVR). (1)

7 Jul 1941
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Asie (Skr. F.C. Butler, RNR), HMS Polka (T/Lt. K.C. Donaldson, RNVR), FFS Alysse and HMS Minuet (T/Lt. A.M. Sullivan, RNVR). (1)

9 Jul 1941
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Polka (T/Lt. K.C. Donaldson, RNVR), HMS Le Tiger (T/Lt. C.A. Hoodless, RNR), HMS Brora (T/Lt. L.A. Enevoldson, RNVR) and HMS Flotta (T/Lt. G.L McArthur, RANVR). (1)

2 Jun 1943
HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) conducted A/S exercises in the Firth of Forth with HMS Brimness (Skr. A.E. Larner, RNR), HMS Kingston Onyx, HMS Polka (T/Lt. I.A. Thorpe, MBE, RNVR) and HMS Berkshire (Skr. G. Bruce, RNR). (2)

3 Jun 1943
HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) conducted A/S exercises in the Firth of Forth with Verdun (Lt.Cdr. D. Parsons, RD, RNR), HMS Lady Beryl, HMS Polka (T/Lt. I.A. Thorpe, MBE, RNVR) and HMS Berkshire (Skr. G. Bruce, RNR). (2)

18 Apr 1944
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.G. Davies, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Methill with HMS Castleton (Lt. S.E. Jagger, RN), HMS Polka (T/Lt. I.A. Thorpe, MBE, RNVR), HMS Leicester City (T/Lt. C.E. Irving, RNVR), HMS Valse (T/Lt. E.J. Newell, RNVR) and HMS Spurs (A/Skr.Lt. E.J. Day, RNR). (3)

Sources

  1. File 2.12.03.6376 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  2. File 2.12.03.6390 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  3. ADM 173/19315

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


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