| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | ASW Trawler |
| Class | [No specific class] |
| Pennant | 4.31 |
| Built by | Cook, Welton & Gemmill (Beverley, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | |
| Launched | 1 Jun 1927 |
| Commissioned | Sep 1939 |
| End service | |
| History | Completed on 20 July 1927. Taken over by the Admiralty on 30 August 1939. Displacement: 352 tons. Returned to her owner on 17 November 1945. |
Commands listed for HMS Kingston Topaz (4.31)
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.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Lt. Walter Lawrence Smith, RNR | 5 Sep 1939 | early 1941 | |
| 2 | Skr. William McKenzie Smith, RNR | 5 Apr 1941 | 13 Feb 1942 | |
| 3 | Skr. Stanley Charles Larner, RNR | 13 Feb 1942 | 8 Feb 1943 | |
| 4 | Skr. Alexander Flett, RNR | 8 Feb 1943 | 17 Aug 1943 | |
| 5 | Ch.Skr. John Edward Harwood, RD, RNR | 17 Aug 1943 | mid 1945 | |
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Notable events involving Kingston Topaz include:
27 Jul 1941
HMS Proteus (Lt.Cdr. P.S. Francis, RN) departed Portsmouth for Holy Loch. She was initially escorted by HMS Arctic Pioneer (Skr. G. Bryan, RNR) and HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr. W.M. Smith, RNR). (1)
19 Dec 1942
Around 1600A/19, HMS Thrasher (Lt. H.S. Mackenzie, DSO, RN) and HMS P 221 (Lt. M.F.R. Ainslie, DSC, RN) departed Portsmouth for Sheerness. They were escorted by HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr. S.C. Larner, RNR). (2)
24 Mar 1943
HMS Taku (Lt. A.J.W. Pitt, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Portsmouth with a French Chasseur and HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr. A. Flett, RNR). (3)
7 May 1943
At 1115 hours, HMS Unsparing (Lt. A.D. Piper, DSC and 2 bars, RNR), made rendez-vous with HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr. A. Flett, RNR), her escort towards Portsmouth.
They then waited for HMS Unbending (Lt. E.T. Stanley, DSC, RN) which joined them at 1450 hours.
6 Oct 1943
HMS Uther (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Dundee with HMS Kingston Onyx (T/Lt. W.C. Morgans, RNR) and HMS Kingston Topaz (Ch.Skr. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (4)
17 Dec 1943
HMS Viking (Lt. R. Bannar-Martin, DSC, RN) shifted from Dundee to Methyl. She was escorted by HMS Kingston Topaz (Ch.Skr. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (5)
18 Dec 1943
HMS Viking (Lt. R. Bannar-Martin, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Methyl with HMS Kingston Topaz (Ch.Skr. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (5)
19 Dec 1943
HMS Viking (Lt. R. Bannar-Martin, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Methyl with HMS Kingston Topaz (Ch.Skr. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (5)
20 Dec 1943
HMS Viking (Lt. R. Bannar-Martin, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Methyl with HMS Kingston Topaz (Ch.Skr. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (5)
1 Jul 1944
At / off Scapa Flow, HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) conducts attack exercises with HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr.Lt. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (6)
7 Jul 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) departed from Scapa Flow for Dundee. She is escorted by HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr.Lt. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR). (6)
13 Jul 1944
HMS Shakespeare (Lt. D. Swanston, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow, first with HMS Stella Pegasi (T/Lt. C.D.M. Grierson, RNVR), HMS Kingston Topaz (Skr.Lt. J.E. Harwood, RD, RNR) and later with HMS Myngs (Capt. M.L. Power, CBE, RN). (7)
Sources
- ADM 173/16919
- ADM 173/17608
- ADM 173/18172
- ADM 173/18397
- ADM 173/18456
- ADM 173/19127
- ADM 173/18719
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.