Allied Warships

HMS Bustler (W 72)

Rescue Tug of the Bustler class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeRescue Tug
ClassBustler 
PennantW 72 
Built byHenry Robb Ltd. (Leith, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down1 Feb 1941 
Launched4 Dec 1941 
Commissioned14 May 1942 
End service 
History

 

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Notable events involving Bustler include:


2 Aug 1942
HrMs O 10 (Lt. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Valena (Lt.Cdr. E. Gleave, RNR) and HMS Bretwalda (Skr. J. Windram, RNR). Following these A/S exercises O 10 participatd in an exercise in which she was taken in tow by HMS Bustler. (1)

28 May 1943

Towage of AFD 18 from Oban to Oran.

In the late evening of 28 May 1943 the Floating Dock AFD 18 departed Oban for Oran. The dock was being towed by the tug HMS Bustler.

Escort was provided by the sloop HMS Chanticleer (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bristowe, DSO, RN) and the corvettes HMS Dianella (T/Lt. J.F. Tognola, RNR), HMS Lotus (Lt.Cdr. H.J. Hall, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Poppy (T/Lt. D.R.C. Onslow, RNR) and HMS Starwort (Lt. A.H. Kent, DSC, RNR).

Cover during part of the passage was to be provided by the AA cruiser HMS Charybdis (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN) which departed Plymouth on 31 May.

The tow experienced difficulties and much delay.

This resulted in that some of the escorts had not enough fuel to reach Gibraltar and on 7 June they were all relieved by the destroyer HMS Boreas (Lt.Cdr. E.L. Jones, DSC, RN) and escort destroyer HMS Melbreak (Lt. G.E.C.G. Baines, RN) which had departed Gibraltar on 5 June. Later the corvette HMS Cyclamen (?) and the A/S trawlers HMS Huddersfield Town (A/Skr.Lt. J.H. Consadine, DSC, RNR) and HNoMS Molde also joined. These too had departed Gibraltar on 5 June.

AFD 18 towed by HMS Bustler and escorted by HMS Bulldog, HMS Cyclamen, HMS Huddersfield Town and HNoMS Molde finally arrived at Oran on 12 June 1943. HMS Melbreak meanwhile had parted company arriving at Gibraltar on 13 June.

Sources

  1. File 2.12.03.6380 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)

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