Allied Warships

HMS Celia (T 134)

MS Trawler of the Shakespearian class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeMS Trawler
ClassShakespearian 
PennantT 134 
Built byCochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.) : Amos & Smith 
Ordered12 Dec 1939 
Laid down25 May 1940 
Launched15 Sep 1940 
Commissioned12 Jan 1941 
End service 
History

Sold into merchantile service in 1946.

 

Commands listed for HMS Celia (T 134)

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
1T/Lt. Frederick George Dawson, RNRDec 1940mid 1942
2T/Lt. Graham Cunningham Wood, RNVRmid 194229 Oct 1942
3T/Lt. Leslie Bertram Merrick, RNR29 Oct 19421 Nov 1944
4T/Lt. Haakon Wivestad, RNR1 Nov 194428 May 1945
5T/Lt. David Miller Wight, RNVR28 May 1945late 1945

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Notable events involving Celia include:


3 Nov 1941

Convoy QP 2.

This convoy departed Archangelsk on 3 November 1941 for Kirkwall where it arrived on 17 November 1941.

On departure from Archangelsk the convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Atlantic (British, 5414 GRT, built 1939), Blairnevis (British, 4155 GRT, built 1930), Cepira (Panamanian, 5625 GRT, built 1920), Chernyshevski (Russian, 3588 GRT, built 1919), Gemstone (British, 4986 GRT, built 1938), Harmonic (British, 4558 GRT, built 1930), IJora (Russian, 2815 GRT, built 1921), Lorca (British, 4875 GRT, built 1931), North King (Panamanian, 4934 GRT, built 1903), River Afton (British, 5479 GRT, built 1935), Stephan Khalturin (Russian, 2498 GRT, built 1921) and Ville d'Anvers (Belgian, 7462 GRT, built 1920).

On departure from Archangelsk the convoy was escorted by the minesweepers HMS Bramble (Capt. J.H.F. Crombie, RN), HMS Leda (Lt.Cdr. A.D.H. Jay, RN) and HMS Seagull (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Pollock, RN).

In the morning of the 4th the convoy was joined by the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. A.J.L. Phillips, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker CB, OBE, RN) and the destroyers HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN).

At dusk on the 5th HMS Bramble, HMS Leda and HMS Seagull parted company with the convoy to return to North Russia.

At 0500A/11, HMS Norfolk parted company with the convoy to proceed to Scapa Flow.

Later on the 11th, the HMS Celia (T/Lt. F.G. Dawson, RNR) and HMS Windermere (Skr. J. Mawer, RNR) joined the convoy. HMS Icarus and HMS Eclipse were then detached to fuel at Seidisfjord. The rejoined the convoy on 13 November following which the trawlers were detached.

The convoy arrived at Kirkwall on 17 November 1941.

14 May 1943
At 0340 hours, HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN), was spotted by a Catalina that was sent out to search for her. Around 0600 hours HMS Chiddingfold (Lt. T.M. Dorrien-Smith, RN) came in sight. Late in the morning they were joined by HMS Brecon (Lt.Cdr. T.D. Herrick, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Brissenden (Lt. D.C. Beatty, RN) and HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR). HMS Brecon then took O 10 in tow. Around 1600 hours HMS Halcyon (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Corbet-Singleton, RN) arrived which took over the tow. (1)

2 Jun 1943
HMS Satyr (Lt. T.S. Weston, RN) departed Dundee for Lerwick. She was escorted by HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR). She made part of the passage North together with HNoMS Ula (Lt. R.M. Sars), submarine FFS Rubis (Lt.Cdr. H.L.G. Rousselot) and FFS Minerve (Lt. H.F.D. Simon-Dubuisson). (2)

13 Oct 1943
HMS Storm (T/Lt. E.P. Young, DSC, RNVR) conducted A/S exercises with USS Corry (Lt.Cdr. L.B. Ensey, USN), HMS Brissenden (Lt. the Hon. D.D.E. Vivian, RN), HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. J.C. Boyd, RNVR) and HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR). (3)

18 Nov 1943
HMS Taku (Lt. A.J.W. Pitt, RN) participated in A/S exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR) and HMS Switha (T/Lt. V.S. Jeffery, RNVR). (4)

8 Dec 1943
HMS Telemachus (Cdr. W.D.A. King, DSO, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR) and another trawler. (5)

22 Jul 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) conducts attack exercises with HMS Satyr (Lt. T.S. Weston, RN).

In the afternoon Trusty departed from Dundee for Scapa Flow. She is escorted by HMS Celia (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.B. Merrick, RNR). (6)

Sources

  1. ADM 199/1856
  2. ADM 199/1838
  3. ADM 173/18123
  4. ADM 173/18180
  5. ADM 173/18214
  6. ADM 173/19127

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


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