Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | ASW Trawler |
Class | [No specific class] |
Pennant | T 34 |
Built by | |
Ordered | |
Laid down | |
Launched | |
Commissioned | Jan 1939 |
End service | |
History | Built in 1935. Sold in 1945. |
Commands listed for HMS Beryl (T 34)
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 | Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNR | 28 Dec 1939 | Apr 1940 |
2 | Boatswain Henry Ernest Sellwood, RN | Apr 1940 | mid 1940 |
3 | Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNR | mid 1940 | 7 Oct 1940 |
4 | A/Cdr. (retired) James Collis Bird, DSC, RN | 7 Oct 1940 | mid 1941 |
5 | Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNR | mid 1941 | 11 Nov 1941 |
6 | Boatswain Victor Pretoria Rhind, RN | 11 Nov 1941 | 17 Dec 1941 |
7 | A/S.Lt. Harold William du Boisson, RNR | 17 Dec 1941 | Dec 1942 |
8 | T/S.Lt. Harold Olsberg, RNR | Dec 1942 | Sep 1944 |
9 | T/Skr. Joseph William Richmond, RNR | Sep 1944 |
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Notable events involving Beryl include:
9 Sep 1939
HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included an A/S exercise with HMS Coral and HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN) and later with HMS Jade and HMS Beryl. (1)
12 Sep 1939
HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included A/S exercises with HMS Coral and HMS Beryl. (1)
14 Sep 1939
HMS Salmon (Lt.Cdr. E.O. Bickford, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria with HMS Coral and HMS Beryl. (2)
22 Sep 1939
HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included an A/S exercise with HMS Jade and HMS Beryl. (1)
25 Sep 1939
HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included an A/S exercise with HMS Jade and HMS Beryl. (1)
21 Dec 1939
HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. This included a practice attack on HMS Malaya (Capt. I.B.B. Tower, DSC, RN) and A/S exercises with HMS HMS Coral and HMS Beryl. (3)
25 Dec 1939
HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Scarborough (Cdr. J.H. Ruck-Keene, RN) and HMS Beryl. (3)
28 Dec 1939
HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Beryl and later with HMS Daring (Cdr. S.A. Cooper, RN). (3)
17 Jul 1941
HMS Upholder (Lt.Cdr. M.D. Wanklyn, RN) and HMS Urge (Lt.Cdr. E.P. Tomkinson, DSO, RN) conducted exercises off Malta with HMS Beryl. (4)
19 Jul 1941
HMS Unique (Lt. A.F. Collett, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Malta with HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St.J. Morgan, RN) and and HMS Beryl (Mid. H.W. du Boisson, RNR) (5)
19 Oct 1941
HMS Thrasher (Lt. H.S. Mackenzie, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. These included A/S exercises with and practice attacks on HMS Beryl. (6)
29 Dec 1941
HMS Upholder, with Lt. C.P. Norman, RN temporary in command (to give Lt.Cdr. Wanklyn a rest during her next patrol) and HMS Urge (Lt.Cdr. E.P. Tomkinson, DSO and Bar, RN) conducted exercises off Malta with HMS Beryl.
When returning from the exercises around 1630B/29, they were attacked by German Me 109 fighter aircraft of 6 JG/53. HMS Urge dived in time but on HMS Upholder the crew on the bridge were reading a signal from a shore signal station and did not notice the approaching aircraft (the message was to warn Upholder about the approaching aircraft). Lt. Norman was hit by gunfire from one of the German fighters and was wounded. Despite his wounds he managed to shut the top hatch as Upholder crash dived. When Upholder arrived back at Malta he was taken to hospital and Lt.Cdr. Wanklyn assumed command again, his rest during Upholders next patrol being cancelled.
(7)Sources
- ADM 173/16103
- ADM 173/16021
- ADM 173/15881
- ADM 173/17136
- ADM 173/17124
- ADM 173/17032
- ADM 173/17141
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.