| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine Depot Ship |
| Class | Maidstone |
| Pennant | F 44 |
| Built by | John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd. (Clydebank, Scotland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 17 Aug 1936 |
| Launched | 21 Oct 1937 |
| Commissioned | 5 May 1938 |
| End service | |
| History | Her equipment included a foundry, coppersmiths, plumbers and carpenters work shops. Heavy and light machine shops, electrical and torpedo repair shops and plants for charging submarine batteries. Designed for looking after 9 operational submarines, and capable of supplying over 100 torpedoes and a similar number of mines when required. Besides large workshops, there are repair facilities onboard for all material in the attached submarines and extensive diving and salvage equipment is carried. There were steam laundries, cinema, hospital. chapel. 2 canteens, bakery, barber shop, fully equipt operating theatre and dental surgery. In September 1939 Maidstone was Depot Ship to the ten submarines of the 1st Submarine Flotilla. In March 1941 she went to Gibraltar. From November 1942 Maidstone was based at Algiers Harbour now the main Allied base in the Mediterranean. In November 1943 she went to the Eastern Fleet. In september 1944 Maidstone and the 8th Submarine Flotilla were transferred from Ceylon to Freemantle in Western Australia to operate in Pacific waters. Late 1945 Maidstone left Fremantle, and en-route to UK the submarine depot ship was docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa. Whilst on passage, she was diverted to Macassar to pick up 400 British naval prisoners of war from HMS Exeter, HMS Encounter and HMS Stronghold. In November she arrived at Portsmouth. 1946 Maidstone became mother to the 2nd and 7th, Submarine Flotilla. The 2nd Flotilla comprised operational boats, the latter was specifically a trials and training squadron. Maidstone had a semi-permanent mooring off Monkey Island (Portland) but often put to sea with her brood. In 1951 Maidstone called briefly at Corunna to land a sick rating, but this was not classified as an official visit, although it was the first time a British ship had entered a Spanish harbour since the Spanish Civil War. On 16 June 1955 the submarine HMS Sidon sank in Portland harbour alongside Maidstone twenty minutes after an internal explosion had occurred in the forward torpedo compartment. 13 men lost their lives. A week later, the submarine was raised and the accident was found to be caused by an explosion of the high-test peroxide fuel used in a torpedo. In 1956 Maidstone was the Flag Ship of the C in C Home Fleet. In September 1957, the Russians protested when Maidstone accompanied by the training aircraft carrier HMS Ocean visited Helsinki. In 1959 Maidstone received an extensive refit, allowing her to accommodate nuclear submarines, the 2nd Flotilla was then moved to Devonport. In October 1969 Maidstone was restored and re-commissioned as an accommodation ship for 2,000 troops and sent to Belfast. She arrived under tow at Belfast to serve as barracks for the increased security forces in the area, and for a time as a prison ship for detainees. She retained a small party of naval ship-keepers onboard. On 23 May 1978 Maidstone was broken up for scrap at Rosyth. |
Commands listed for HMS Maidstone (F 44)
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 | Capt. Philip Ruck-Keene, RN | 4 Jan 1938 | 14 Nov 1939 |
| 2 | A/Capt. Edward Henry Longsdon, RN | 20 Nov 1939 | 27 May 1940 |
| 3 | Capt. Philip Ruck-Keene, RN | 27 May 1940 | 13 Aug 1940 |
| 4 | Capt. Hugh Meynell Cyril Ionides, RN | 14 Aug 1940 | 9 Sep 1940 |
| 5 | Capt. Oliver Loudon Gordon, RN | 25 Sep 1940 | 10 Mar 1941 |
| 6 | Capt. George Arthur Wallis Voelcker, RN | 10 Mar 1941 | 26 Jun 1942 |
| 7 | A/Capt. George Barney Hamley Fawkes, RN | 5 Jul 1942 | 12 Mar 1944 |
| 8 | Capt. Lancelot Milman Shadwell, RN | 12 Mar 1944 | Jan 1946 |
You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.
Notable events involving Maidstone include:
3 Nov 1939
HMS Maidstone (Capt. P. Ruck-Keene, RN), HMS Defender (Lt.Cdr. St.J.R.J. Tyrwhitt, RN) and HMS Aberdeen (Cdr. H.P. Currey, RN) arrived at Malta. (1)
12 Nov 1939
The submarine depot ship HMS Maidstone (A/Capt. E.H. Longsdon, RN) departed Gibraltar for Freetown. She is escorted by the light cruiser HMS Capetown (Capt. T.H. Back, RN). (2)
15 Nov 1939
Around 0630A/15, light cruiser HMS Neptune (Capt. J.A.V. Morse, DSO, RN) made rendezvous west of the Canary Islands in approximate position 28°00'N, 20°50'W with the light cruiser HMS Capetown (Capt. T.H. Back, RN) which is escorting the submarine depot ship HMS Maidstone (A/Capt. E.H. Longsdon, RN) which is on passage from Gibraltar to Freetown. HMS Neptune then took over the escort duties from HMS Capetown. (3)
17 Nov 1939
HMS Neptune (Capt. J.A.V. Morse, DSO, RN) and HMS Maidstone (A/Capt. E.H. Longsdon, RN) arrived at Dakar.
HMS Neptune then immediately left again for Freetown. (4)
14 Mar 1940
HMS Maidstone (A/Capt. E.H. Longsdon, RN) departed Freetown for the U.K. She was escorted by HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) G.B. Lewis, RN). Both ships were to refit in the U.K.
Near Freetown they were escorted by HMS Dainty (Cdr. M.S. Thomas, RN) and HMS Diamond (Lt.Cdr. P.A. Cartwright, RN) until 2200N/14 after which the destroyers returned to Freetown. (5)
21 Mar 1941
Around 1940A/21, the aircraft carrier HMS Argus (Capt. T.O. Bulteel, RN), light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.A.A. Larcom, RN), armed merchant cruiser HMS Dunnottar Castle (Capt.(Retd.) C.T.A. Bunbury, RN) and the submarine tender HMS Maidstone (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN) departed the Clyde for Gibraltar. With them was also the troopships Highland Monarch (British, 14139 GRT, built 1928) and Largs Bay (British, 14182 GRT, built 1921). They were escorted by the destroyers HMAS Napier (Capt. S.H.T. Arliss, RN), HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN), HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. E.R. Mainguy, RCN) and ORP Garland (Lt.Cdr. K.F. Namiesniowski, ORP).
Around 0800A/22, the destroyer HMCS St.Francis (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Pullen, RCN) joined.
Around 1425A/22, the destroyer HMS Ripley (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Agnew, RN) joined.
At 1030A/24, HMCS Ottawa and ORP Garland were detached.
At 1800A/24, HMS Ripley and HMCS St. Francis were detached.
At 2050A/26, HMS Dunnottar Castle and the Largs Bay were detached to Freetown.
At 0830A/28, the destroyers HMS Velox (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Roper, DSC, RN) and HMS Wrestler (Lt. E.L. Jones, DSC, RN) joined. (6)
29 Mar 1941
Around 1530A/29, HMS Argus (Capt. T.O. Bulteel, RN), HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.A.A. Larcom, RN), HMS Maidstone (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN), HMAS Napier (Capt. S.H.T. Arliss, RN), HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN), HMS Velox (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Roper, DSC, RN) and HMS Wrestler (Lt. E.L. Jones, DSC, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (6)
1 Mar 1944
Around 0830C/1, the submarine depot ship HMS Maidstone (Capt. G.B.H. Fawkes, RN) departed Aden for Trincomalee. She was escorted by the destroyers HMS Quilliam (Capt. R.G. Onslow, DSO and 2 Bars, RN), HMAS Quiberon (Cdr. G.S. Stewart, RAN) and HMS Queenborough (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO and Bar, MVO, RN). The transport Margrethe Bakke (Norwegian, 5478 GRT, built 1938) was also with them until 1445E/4 when she parted company to proceed to Karachi. (7)
9 Mar 1944
Around 1500FG/9, HMS Maidstone (Capt. G.B.H. Fawkes, RN), HMS Quilliam (Capt. R.G. Onslow, DSO and 2 Bars, RN), HMAS Quiberon (Cdr. G.S. Stewart, RAN) and HMS Queenborough (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO and Bar, MVO, RN) arrived at Trincomalee from Aden. (7)
25 Aug 1944
HMS Surf (Lt. D. Lambert, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Trincomalee which included a practice attack on HMS Maidstone (Capt. L.M. Shadwell, RN). (8)
25 Aug 1944
On 25 August 1944, the troopship Dunnottar Castle (British, 15007 GRT, built 1936) departed Colombo for Melbourne. She was escorted by the destroyer HMAS Quickmatch (Lt.Cdr. O.H. Becher, DSC, RAN) and the frigate HMS Helford (Cdr. C.G. Cuthbertson, DSC, RNR).
On the same day the submarine depot ship HMS Maidstone (Capt. L.M. Shadwell, RN) and the escort carrier HMS Atheling (A/Cdr. H.L. Oliver, RN) departed Trincomalee for Fremantle and Mauritius respectively. They were escorted by the light cruiser HMS Nigeria (Capt. H.A. King, DSO, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A.D. Read, CB, RN) and the destroyer HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN) and HMAS Nizam (Cdr. C.H. Brooks, RAN).
HMAS Norman however soon returned to harbour after the destroyers HrMs Van Galen (Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) and HMS Pathfinder (Lt.Cdr. T.F. Hallifax, RN), which had already been at sea, had joined.
These two groups made rendezvous around 1845FG(-6.5)/26. HMAS Quickmatch was then detached to return to Colombo.
At 0030FG/29, HMAS Nizam, HrMS Van Galen and HMS Pathfinder parted company. HMAS Nizam and HMS Pathfinder returned to Trincomalee while HrMs Van Galen proceeded to Colombo. They all arrived on 31 August 1944.
At 0045FG/29, HMS Atheling and HMS Helford parted company.
This left the Dunnottar Castle and HMS Maidstone proceeding towards Australia escorted by HMS Nigeria.
At 1330H/4, the Dunnottar Castle parted company to proceed to Melbourne.
HMS Maidstone and HMS Nigeria arrived at Fremantle around noon on the 5th.
4 May 1945
HMS Vox (Lt. W.E.I. Littlejohn, DSC, RANVR) conducted attack exercises off Sydney during which HMS Maidstone (Capt. L.M. Shadwell, RN) served as the target. (9)
Sources
- ADM 53/108241
- ADM 53/107948
- ADM 53/107948 + ADM 53/109911 + ADM 199/380
- ADM 53/109911
- ADM 199/380
- ADM 53/113615 + ADM 53/114577 + ADM 53/115052
- ADM 53/119831 + Report of proceedings of HMAS Quiberon for March 1944
- ADM 173/18905
- ADM 173/20352
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.