Allied Warships

HMS Cyclops (F 31)

Submarine Depot Ship

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeSubmarine Depot Ship
Class[No specific class] 
PennantF 31 
Built bySir James Laing & Son (Sunderland, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched27 Oct 1905 
CommissionedOct 1907 
End service 
History

Displacement: 11300 tons.
Armament: 2 4" guns.
Speed: 13 knots

Was at Malta in reserve at the start of the Second World War, went to home waters and served there for the duration of the war.

Scrapped at Newport in July 1947.

 

Commands listed for HMS Cyclops (F 31)

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
1Capt. Philip Ruck-Keene, RN15 Nov 193927 May 1940
2A/Capt. Edward Henry Longsdon, RN27 May 194011 Jul 1940
3A/Capt. Roderick Latimer Mackenzie Edwards, RN11 Jul 19405 Apr 1943
4A/Capt. Harold Robson Conway, RN5 Apr 194330 Oct 1944
5Cdr. Benjamin Bryant, DSO, DSC, RN30 Oct 19444 Feb 1945
6A/Capt. David Caldicott Ingram, DSC, OBE, RN5 Feb 1945mid 1946

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Notable events involving Cyclops include:


11 Oct 1940
HMS H 31 (Lt. R.E. Coltart, RN) conducted A/S and attack exercises (for the C.O.Q.C. = Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area together with HMS Otway (Lt. E.D. Norman, RN). The targets were the submarine tender HMS Cyclops (A/Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) escorted by (at least) patrol yacht HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (1)

8 May 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A. E. Johnston, RN).

Also a practice attack was carried out on HMS Cyclops (A/Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) which was escorted by HMS Breda and MA/SB's. (2)

9 May 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS Cyclops (A/Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) and HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A. E. Johnston, RN). (2)

24 Jun 1941
Convoy attack exercises were carried out in the Clyde area.

The convoy was made up of HMS Cyclops (A/Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN), which served as the 'main target'. She was escorted by HMS Alecto (Cdr. R.M.G. Gambier, RN), HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN), HrMs Z 5 (Lt. J.J. Steensma, RNN), HMS La Capricieuse (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Dobson, RNR) and FFS La Moqueuse.

This convoy was attacked in the morning by two submarines; HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) and HMS H 43 (Lt. J.D. Martin, RN).

In the afternoon the convoy was attacked (near Campbeltown) by HMS L 27 (Lt. H.N. Edmonds, DSC, RN), HMS H 31 (Lt. R.J. Hemingway, DSC, RN) and HMS H 32 (Lt. B.G. Heslop, DSC, RN). (3)

25 Jun 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS La Capricieuse (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Dobson, RNR) and FFS La Moqueuse

Later practice attacks were made on HMS Cyclops (A/Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) and her escort which was made up of HMS Alecto (Cdr. R.M.G. Gambier, RN), HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN), HrMs Z 5 (Lt. J.J. Steensma, RNN), HMS La Capricieuse and FFS La Moqueuse. (4)

6 May 1942
HMS H 28 (Lt. R.E. Boddington, RN), HMS H 32 (Lt. J. Whitton, RN), HMS P 614 (Lt. D.J. Beckley, RN) conducted practice attacks on a convoy made up of the submarine tenders HMS Cyclops (Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN), HMS Titania (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) and their escort HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A. E. Johnston, RN), HMS La Capricieuse (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Dobson, RNR) and HMS Boarhound (Skr. S.G. Jinks, RNR). (5)

29 Sep 1942
HMS Otway (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS Cyclops (Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) and HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A. E. Johnston, RN). (6)

29 Sep 1942
HMS Sealion (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area with HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A. E. Johnston, RN). Later attacks were carried out on HMS Cyclops (Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN) which was screened by HMS Breda and HMS Z 5 (T/A/Lt.Cdr. S.T. Wenlock, RNR). (7)

30 Sep 1942
HMS Otway (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS Cyclops (Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN). (6)

30 Sep 1942
HMS Sealion (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area. practice attacks were carried out on HMS Cyclops (Capt. R.L.M. Edwards, RN).

[As no log is available for October 1942, no details for her training programme can be given for this month.] (7)

21 Nov 1944
HMS Safari (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area during which HMS Cyclops (Cdr. B. Bryant, DSO and 2 Bars, DSC, RN) served as target. Cyclops was escorted by HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. C.G. Walker, RN). (8)

22 Nov 1944
HMS Unrivalled (Lt. D.S. Brown, RNVR) conducted a practice attack in the Clyde area on HMS Cyclops (Cdr. B. Bryant, DSO and 2 Bars, DSC, RN) which was escorted by HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. C.G. Walker, RN). (9)

22 Nov 1944
HMS Safari (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area during which HMS Cyclops (Cdr. B. Bryant, DSO and 2 Bars, DSC, RN) served as target. Cyclops was escorted by HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. C.G. Walker, RN). (8)

Sources

  1. ADM 173/16280
  2. ADM 173/16818
  3. File 2.12.03.7131 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  4. ADM 173/16819
  5. ADM 173/17201 + ADM 53/116690
  6. ADM 173/17340
  7. ADM 173/17558
  8. ADM 173/18627
  9. ADM 173/19289

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


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