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Notable events involving Stoke City include:

1 Jun 1940

Sinking of the transport Astronomer.

The transport Astronomer (8401 GRT, built 1917) was en-route from Rosyth to Scapa Flow with naval stores escorted by the auxiliary A/S trawlers HMS Leicester City (T/Lt. A.R. Cornish, RNR) and HMS Stoke City (Lt.Cdr. N.C.H. Scallan, RNR).

Late in the evening of June, 1st, the Astronomer was hit by one torpedo from the German submarine U-58 but she did not sink.

Early the next day two more torpedoes single torpedoes were fired by the German submarine and one hour after the last hit. The trawlers then picked up the survivors.

A report of the damage to the transport was received at 0100/2 and in response the destroyer HMS Kelvin (Lt.Cdr. J.L. Machin, RN) was sent out from Scapa Flow.

At 0215/2 the destroyer HMS Mashona (Cdr. W.H. Selby, RN) departed Scapa Flow to assist HMS Kelvin in the A/S hunt.

The auxiliary A/S trawlers HMS Paul Rykens (Skr. G.C. Lawrence, RNR) HMS Peter Hendricks (Skr. G. Bryan, RNR), which were on patrol, were ordered to proceed to the area to assist.

The rescue tug St. Mellons departed Scapa Flow but returned after it became apparent that the transport had sunk.

A/S trawler HMS Leicester City obtained an A/S contact in the vicinity at about the time the transport was hit for the last time but she was also busy picking up survivors with together with HMS Stoke City. A total of 104 were picked up by the trawlers which then took them to Aberdeen. HMS Stoke City made a depth charge on a contact she obtained but without result. Apparently this was indeed an attack on U-58

At 0640/2, an aircraft attacked a submarine in position 57°25'N, 00°56'W, twenty five miles south of of the attack position. Destroyers HMS Mashona and HMS Kelvin were ordered to search the area of the aircraft attack but no contact was obtained.

At 1100/2, the destroyer HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St J. Morgan, RN) and escort destoyer HMS Atherstone (Cdr. H.W.S. Browning, RN) departed Rosyth. HMS Atherstone arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200/2. HMS Encounter was was to join the search for the submarine.

At 1800/2, HMS Atherstone. while en-route to Scapa Flow, reported a line of mines near the sinking position of the Astronomer.

The boom defense vessel HMS Barbican (T/Boom Skr. J.F. Rendall, RNR), escorted by M/S trawler HMS Elm (T/Lt. J. Hutchinson, RNR), was ordered to the area. Barbican recovered the mooring buoys, covered by HMS Encounter and HMS Mashona.

HMS Kelvin returned to Scapa Flow at 0315/3.

HMS Encounter and HMS Mashona arrived at Scapa Flow at 1130/3. (1)

24 Jun 1940
HMS Diana (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Le Geyt, RN) departed Scapa Flow in the evening for Aberdeen where she joined the transports Lochnagar (1523 GRT, built 1906) and store carrier Kylebrook (870 GRT, built 1927) and their escorts the Auxiliary A/S trawler HMS Stoke City (Lt.Cdr. N.C.H. Scallan, RNR) and the M/S trawler HMS Whitethorn (Lt. W.G.H. Bolton, RNR).

The next day Kylebrook and HMS Whitethorn were detached off Scapa Flow and entered that place.

The remaining ships continued on to Lerwick where they arrived in the afternoon of the 25th.

HMS Diana then departed for Scapa Flow where she arrived at 2130/25.

20 May 1942
HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) conducted A/S exercises at / off Scapa Flow with HMS Derwent (Cdr. R.H. Wright, DSC, RN), HMS Bleasdale (Lt. P.B.N. Lewis, RN), HMS Lord Lloyd (T/Lt. M.W. Bond, RNVR) and HMS Stoke City (Lt. D.P. Piggford, RNR). (2)

10 Jun 1942
HMS P 45 (Lt. H.B. Turner, RN) participated in A/S exercises off Scapa Flow with HMS London (Capt. R.M. Servaes, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral L.H.K. Hamilton, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Stoke City (Lt. D.P. Piggford, RNR), HMS Preston North End (Lt. K.A. Vasey, MBE, RNR). (3)

21 Jul 1942
HMS P 45 (Lt. H.B. Turner, RN) shifted from Lerwick to Scapa Flow. She was escorted by HMS Stoke City (Lt. D.P. Piggford, RNR). (4)

14 Apr 1944
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.G. Davies, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Methill with HMS ML 201 (T/Lt. G.T. Bruce, RNVR), three HDML's and HMS Stoke City (T/Lt. J.P.P. Tyndall, RNVR). (5)

17 Apr 1944
HMS Ursula (Lt. A.G. Davies, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Methill with HMS Stoke City (T/Lt. J.P.P. Tyndall, RNVR). (5)