Allied Warships

FFL La Surprise (K 292)

Frigate of the River class

NavyThe Free French Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassRiver 
PennantK 292 
Built byBlyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd. (Blyth, U.K.) 
Ordered14 Apr 1942 
Laid down 
Launched16 Aug 1943 
Commissioned 1944 
End service 
History

Transferred to the F.N.F.L. (Free French) in 1944 and renamed La Surprise.
Transferred to Morocco in 1964 to serve as Royal Yacht and renamed Al Maouna.

 
Former nameHMS Torridge

We don't have any commands listed for FFL La Surprise (K 292)


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Notable events involving La Surprise include:


16 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Monnow (Cdr. E.G. Skinner, DSC, RD, RCNR), HMS Havelock (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN), La Surprise. (1)

21 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMCS Teme (T/Lt.Cdr. D.G. Jeffrey, DSO, RCNR), HMS Jed (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Miller, DSC, RNR), HMS Highlander (Cdr. D.A. Rayner, DSC, RNVR) and La Surprise. (1)

22 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Highlander (Cdr. D.A. Rayner, DSC, RNVR), La Surprise, HMS Loch Fada (Lt.Cdr. B.A. Rogers, RD, RNR) and HMS Jed (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Miller, DSC, RNR). (1)

27 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Jed (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Miller, DSC, RNR), La Surprise, HMCS Teme (T/Lt.Cdr. D.G. Jeffrey, DSO, RCNR) and HMS Loch Fada (Lt.Cdr. B.A. Rogers, RD, RNR). (1)

8 Jun 1944
Shortly after 1600B/8, HMS Nelson (Capt. A.H. Maxwell-Hyslop, AM, RN) departed Plymouth for Portsmouth. On departure from harbour first some exercises were carried out during which the frigate La Découverte was in company as escort. The frigate was however ordered to return to harbour around 1640B/8.

HMS Nelson was then joined around 1730B/8, by the frigate La Surprise and ten minutes later the escort destroyer HMS Hambledon (Lt. L.G. Toone, RN) also joined.

Around 1838B/8, the frigates HMS Rowley (Lt.Cdr. F.J.G. Jones, RD, RNR) and HMS Holmes (Lt. D.B.G. Dumas, RN) took over the escort from HMS Hambledon and La Surprise.

They arrived at Portsmouth (The Solent) shortly before midnight. (2)

Sources

  1. ADM 173/19218
  2. ADM 53/120129

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


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