Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | ASW Whaler |
Class | Lake |
Pennant | FY 252 |
Built by | Smith's Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) |
Ordered | |
Laid down | 6 Jul 1939 |
Launched | 31 Aug 1939 |
Commissioned | 15 Nov 1939 |
Lost | 19 Nov 1942 |
History | HMS Ullswater (T/Lt. Neil Black Cameron Ross, RNR) was torpedoed and sunk by a German motor torpedo boat in the English Channel on 19 November 1942.The Commanding officer was killed in the loss. |
Former name | Kos XXIX |
Commands listed for HMS Ullswater (FY 252)
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 | Skr. Charles Raymond Blowers, RNR | 8 Nov 1939 | 1 Jan 1940 |
2 | S.Lt. Douglas Riddell Stavert, RN | 1 Jan 1940 | 17 Apr 1940 |
3 | Lt. Oliver Russell Moore, RN | 17 Apr 1940 | 23 Oct 1940 |
4 | T/Lt. Neil Black Cameron Ross, RNR | 23 Oct 1940 | 19 Nov 1942 (+) |
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Notable events involving Ullswater include:
23 May 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) fires two torpedoes against the British merchant vessel Alster (8514 GRT, built 1928) off the Breidsundet, Norway in position 71°03'N, 24°26'E. Alster was under escort of the British anti-submarine trawler HMS Ullswater (Lt. O.R. Moore, RN).
The German merchant Alster was captured in the Vestfjord, north of Bodo, Norway on 11 April 1940 by the British destroyer HMS Icarus (Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC, RN). Lt.Cdr. Haggard was unaware of this but fortunately both torpedoes missed their target.
0910A/23 - In position 71°12'N, 26°50'E sighted smoke to the north and moving west.
0930A/23 - Sighted a merchant vessel, four masts and one funnel were visible. She was steering about 270°. Several puffs of smoke were sometimes seen near the merchant ship. These were most likely from an escort.
1010A/23 - Sent a report of this sighting. Experienced great difficulty in getting this signal through.
1120A/23 - Receipt of signal was acknowledged by Tromso. The ship was thought to be enemy.
1300A/23 - The enemy altered course to port and appeared to be making for the Porsanger Fjord steering an erratic course.
Meanwhile Lt.Cdr. Haggard was informed by one of his officers that he heard in Tromso that the German ship Alster was in British hands and in this vicinity. Various ratings in the crew had also heard this. Lt.Cdr. Haggard decided that he would only fire torpedoes if he was unable to identify the escort as friendly, considering it would be more important to prevent an enemy landing then to spare a British merchant ship.
1350A/23 - Enemy course remained to be erratic. It was therefore impossible to be sure where she was making for. Sighted the escort but was unable to identify her. She was a small ship and appeared to be camouflaged.
1400A/23 - Entered Rolvsoy Sund keeping to the West. The enemy entered on the eastern side. Range was approximately 12000 yards. The escort could still not be identified.
1415A/23 - Dived.
1429A/23 - Saw sharp sloping bows and high bow wave of escort. Lt.Cdr. Haggard decided it was neither British nor Norwegian.
1430A/23 - Fired two torpedoes from 6000 yards.
1439A/23 - Heard two distant explosions.
1500A/23 - Saw the escort bows on, range 1000 yards. She was hunting. Went to 80 feet.
1715A/23 - Sounds of the escort vessel getting faint.
1729A/23 - Surfaced. (1)
26 May 1940
At 1650A/26, HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) arrived off Hammerfest.
At 1900A/26, she departed Hammerfest for Harstadt. HMS Ullswater (Lt. O.R. Moore, RN) was in company until around 1200A/27 when they lost company with each other.
Around 1925A/27, HMS Truant arrived at Harstadt. (1)
28 May 1940
Around 0345A/28, HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) departed from Harstad for Rosyth. She was escorted until 0535A/27, by HMS Ullswater (Lt. O.R. Moore, RN) which then parted company to return to Harstadt.
At 1105A/28, HMS Truant boarded the Norwegian merchant vessel Profit (2613 GRT, built 1918) on passage from Bodo to Tromso which was allowed to proceed upon examination of her papers.
At 1630A/28, the destroyer HMS Arrow (Cdr. H.W. Williams, RN) was passed.
At 2115A/28, HMS Truant stopped the merchant vessel Blairgowie supposedly on passage to Murmansk, she is also allowed to proceed. In fact this is the Q-ship HMS Cape Howe (A/Cdr. E.L. Woodhall, DSO, MVO, RN) and she does not reveal her disguise. (1)
Sources
- ADM 199/1861
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.