Allied Warships

HMS Beryl (T 34)

ASW Trawler

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeASW Trawler
Class[No specific class] 
PennantT 34 
Built by 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched 
CommissionedJan 1939 
End service 
History

Built in 1935.
Taken over by the Admiralty in January 1939.
Displacement: 615 tons.
Armament: 1 4" gun.

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.

CommanderFromTo
1Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNR28 Dec 1939Apr 1940
2Boatswain Henry Ernest Sellwood, RNApr 1940mid 1940
3Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNRmid 19407 Oct 1940
4A/Cdr. (retired) James Collis Bird, DSC, RN7 Oct 1940mid 1941
5Mid. Harold William du Boisson, RNRmid 194111 Nov 1941
6Boatswain Victor Pretoria Rhind, RN11 Nov 194117 Dec 1941
7A/S.Lt. Harold William du Boisson, RNR17 Dec 1941Dec 1942
8T/S.Lt. Harold Olsberg, RNRDec 1942Sep 1944
9T/Skr. Joseph William Richmond, RNRSep 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

  1. ADM 173/16103
  2. ADM 173/16021
  3. ADM 173/15881
  4. ADM 173/17136
  5. ADM 173/17124
  6. ADM 173/17032
  7. ADM 173/17141

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


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