Charles Leslie Firth DSO, RN
| Born | 21 May 1900 |
| Ranks
Retired: 7 Jul 1950 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Charles Leslie Firth, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Imogen (D 44) | Cdr. | Destroyer | 15 Jan 1940 | 16 Jul 1940 |
| HMS Jackal (F 22) | Cdr. | Destroyer | 27 Aug 1940 | 11 Mar 1941 |
| HMS Southern Prince (M 47) | Cdr. | Minelayer | 11 Mar 1941 | 19 May 1941 |
| HMS Troubridge (R 00) | Capt. | Destroyer | May 1943 | 30 Sep 1944 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Destroyer HMS Jackal (F 22)
3 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, RN) departed the Humber for Scapa Flow. (1)
4 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, RN) arrived at Rosyth. Her destination had been changed while en-route from the Humber to Scapa Flow. (1)
5 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, RN) and HMS Vortigern (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Howlett, RN) departed Rosyth to search for a reported enemy submarine in position 56°26'N, 00°43'W (by the submarine HMS Tuna (Lt.Cdr. M.K. Cavenagh-Mainwaring, RN).)
The destroyers returned to Rosyth the following day not having made contact with the enemy.
10 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, RN) arrived at Port Z.A. (Loch Alsh). (2)
11 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0730/11, the auxiliary minelayers Menestheus (Capt. W.H.D. Friedberger, RN), Port Napier (Capt.(Retd.) J.N. Tait, CBE, DSC, RN), Port Quebec (Capt.(Retd.) E.C. Watson, RN), Southern Prince (A/Capt. E.M.C. Barraclough, RN) departed Port ZA (Loch Alsh) for minelaying mission SN 41.
They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Electra (Lt.Cdr. S.A. Buss, MVO, RN), HMS Versatile (Cdr.(Retd.) J.H. Jauncey, RN) and HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. D.J.B. Jewitt, RN).
They returned to Port ZA at 1300/12. (3)
12 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Electra (Lt.Cdr. S.A. Buss, MVO, RN), HMS Versatile (Cdr.(Retd.) J.H. Jauncey, RN) and HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. D.J.B. Jewitt, RN) departed Port ZA (Loch Alsh) at 1945/12 for Scapa Flow where they arrived at 0630/13. (4)
8 Nov 1940
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) and HMS Jupiter (Lt.Cdr. N.V.J.T. Thew, RN) arrived at Dartmouth from patrol at 0900 hours. They had been unable to enter Plymouth due to enemy mining.
HMS Jackal departed for patrol later the same day. (5)
9 Nov 1940
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) returned to Dartmouth from patrol. (5)
10 Nov 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN, with Capt. L.F.A.V.N. Mountbatten, GCVO, RN = Capt.(D.5) on board), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) and HMS Jupiter (Lt.Cdr. N.V.J.T. Thew, RN) departed Dartmouth to proceed to the south of Ireland to search for a reported damaged Italian submarine. (5)
12 Nov 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN, with Capt. L.F.A.V.N. Mountbatten, GCVO, RN = Capt.(D.5) on board), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN) and HMS Jupiter (Lt.Cdr. N.V.J.T. Thew, RN) returned to Dartmouth. No enemy submarine had been encountered. (5)
18 Nov 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Jersey (Lt.Cdr. W. Evershed, RN) and HMS Kelvin (Cdr. J.H. Allison, DSO, RN) departed Dartmouth for patrol. They were to patrol between Start Point and the Lizard. (5)
19 Nov 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Jersey (Lt.Cdr. W. Evershed, RN) and HMS Kelvin (Cdr. J.H. Allison, DSO, RN) returned to Dartmouth from patrol. (5)
20 Nov 1940
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Jersey (Lt.Cdr. W. Evershed, RN) and HMS Kelvin (Cdr. J.H. Allison, DSO, RN) proceeded from Dartmouth to Plymouth. (5)
5 Dec 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived in the Humber where she was to undergo repairs and refit. (6)
7 Jan 1941
With her repairs and refit completed, HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) departed the Humber for Scapa Flow for a short work-up period. (2)
8 Jan 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow. (2)
10 Jan 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Plymouth where she was to rejoin her flotilla for operations in the western Channel area.
She was however soon ordered to reinforce the escort of convoy WS 5B. She was to proceed to Londonderry where she arrived on the 11th. After fuelling she departed from there on the 12th to join the convoy escort.
[See the event ' Convoy WS 5B ' for 7 January 1941 for more info on this convoy.]
18 Jan 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Londonderry from convoy escort duty.
She apparently departed again later the same day. (7)
21 Jan 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) joined the escort of convoy HG 50 which is en-route from Gibraltar (departure 8 January) to Liverpool (arrival 26 January).
25 Jan 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Londonderry from escort duty with convoy HG 50. (8)
28 Jan 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) departed Londonderry to reinforce the escort of the new battleship HMS Prince of Wales (Rear Admiral L.H.K. Hamilton, DSO and Bar, RN) which is en-route from Liverpool to Rosyth to complete her outfitting there. (8)
1 Feb 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Londonderry from escort duty.
She apparently departed again later the same day to make rendezvous with the aircraft carrier HMS Furious (Capt. A.G. Talbot, DSO, RN) and the light cruiser HMS Neptune (Capt. R.C. O'Conor, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.H.D. Cunningham, CB, MVO, RN) which were coming from Gibraltar. (8)
6 Feb 1941
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) departed Londonderry for Plymouth. (2)
6 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Londonderry. (8)
7 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Plymouth. (8)
12 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow to refuel early in the afternoon. She departed mid-evening for Londonderry.
13 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Londonderry in mid afternoon.
14 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) departed Londonderry for Plymouth. (2)
15 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Jackal (Cdr. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN) arrived at Plymouth. (2)
Destroyer HMS Troubridge (R 00)
19 Sep 1944 (position 36.27, 24.33)
German U-boat U-407 was sunk in the Mediterranean south of Milos, in position 36°27'N, 24°33'E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Troubridge and HMS Terpsichore and the Polish destroyer ORP Garland.
Sources
- ADM 187/9 + ADM 199/2557
- ADM 199/2557
- ADM 199/376 + ADM 199/378
- ADM 199/376
- ADM 199/372
- ADM 187/10
- ADM 187/11
- ADM 187/11 + ADM 199/2557
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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