Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | ASW Trawler |
Class | [No specific class] |
Pennant | T 90 |
Built by | Cook, Welton & Gemmill (Beverley, U.K.) |
Ordered | |
Laid down | |
Launched | 31 Jul 1934 |
Commissioned | Jan 1939 |
End service | |
History | Completed on 30 August 1934. Sold in 1946. |
Commands listed for HMS Moonstone (T 90)
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. William Joseph Henry Moorman, RN | 25 Aug 1939 | Jan 1941 |
2 | Lt.Cdr. Percy George Britten, RNR | Jan 1941 | 18 Feb 1942 |
3 | T/Lt. Herbert Samuel May, RNR | 18 Feb 1942 | 14 Feb 1944 |
4 | T/Lt. Robert Charles Ley Greaves, RNVR | 14 Feb 1944 | 30 Jun 1945 |
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Notable events involving Moonstone include:
7 Sep 1939
HMS Salmon (Lt.Cdr. E.O. Bickford, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included an A/S exercise with HMS Coral and HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN). Later on the day she made a practice attack on HMS Devonshire (Capt. J.M. Mansfield, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.H.D. Cunningham, CB, MVO, RN) who was conducting 4" gunnery exercises off Alexandria. (1)
8 Sep 1939
HMS Salmon (Lt.Cdr. E.O. Bickford, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria with HMS Coral and HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN). (2)
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. (3)
11 Sep 1939
HMS Salmon (Lt.Cdr. E.O. Bickford, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria with HMS Coral and HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN). (2)
23 Sep 1939
HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included an A/S exercise with HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN), HMS Amber (Boatswain H.W. Clark, RN) and later with HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN). (3)
20 May 1940
Around 0400Z/20, the light cruiser HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN) and the A/S trawler HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN) departed Aden to reinforce the armed boarding vessel HMS Chantala (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E.I. Gibbs, RN) on the Perim patrol. HMAS Hobart was to provide cover for the two other ships.
28 May 1940
Around 1330C/28, HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN) anchored in Perim Harbour.
Earlier that day, around 1030C/28, the destroyers HMS Khartoum (Cdr. D.T. Dowler, RN) and HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, RN) had taken over the Perim patrol from the sloop HMS Shoreham (Lt.Cdr. F.D. Miller, RN) and A/S trawler HMS Moonstone (Lt. W.J.H. Moorman, RN) which then set course to proceed to Djibouti. (4)
19 Jun 1940
The Italian submarine Galileo Galilei was captured by the British Anti-Submarine Trawler Moonstone (Boatswain W.J.H. Moorman, RN) south of Aden, in position 12°48'N, 45°12'E.
9 May 1941
Convoy AS 30.
This convoy departed Suda Bay on 9 May 1941.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Belray (British, 2888 GRT, built 1926), Crista (British, 2590 GRT, built 1938), Kephallinia (Greek, 1055 GRT, built 1893), Kirkland (British, 1361 GRT, built 1934), Lesbos (Greek, 1106 GRT, built 1893), Pass of Balmaha (British (tanker), 758 GRT, built 1933), Popi (Greek, 1594 GRT, built 1896), Rodi (British, 3220 GRT, built 1928, former Italian), Rokos (Greek, 6426 GRT, built 1918), Runa (British, 1575 GRT, built 1930), Samos (Greek, 921 GRT, built 1889), Scottish Prince (British, 4917 GRT, built 1938) and Zealand (British, 2726 GRT, built 1930).
On departure from Suda Bay the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMAS Vampire (Cdr. J.A. Walsh, RAN), HMAS Voyager (Cdr. J.C. Morrow, DSO, RAN), sloops HMS Auckland (Cdr. E.G. Hewitt, RN), HMS Flamingo (Cdr. R.J.O. Otway-Ruthven, RN), minesweeper HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), ASW trawler HMS Moonstone (Lt.Cdr. P.G. Britten, RNR). The Greek torpedo boat RHS Sfendoni was also with the convoy.
The passage was undisturbed. The convoy split into two sections (Port Said and Alexandria) around 2100C/11.
Both sections arrived at their destination on the 12th. The Port Said section was escorted by HMS Flamingo while the other escorts remained with the Alexandria section.
Sources
- ADM 53/ 108301 + ADM 173/16021
- ADM 173/16021
- ADM 173/16103
- Report of proceedings of HMAS Hobart for May 1940
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.