E Coast R.N. Named Ships

[E28]

Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Co of Hong Kong Ltd was developed by Swire being completed in 1907 with the whole having to be approved by the British Admiralty with the intention of serving the C N Co fleet amongst other expansionist interests. All credits in attachment as stated.

With the T E Bangors they were contracted to build a pair with 2 more by H K & Whampoa, needless to say with the fall of the Colony in december 1941 all 4 fell into Japanese hands whilst still on the stocks, were duly completed much modified and saw service under the flag of the rising sun.

10 years previously Taikoo yno 260 was launched 20 feb 1932 as a steel single screw tug for the Commissioners for the port of Rangoon in British Burma for towing services on the Rangoon river, of 147.5' length x 32.87' breadth x 15.56' depth her engines were also constructed by Taikoo contract 194 from Scottish forgings, the s.s. Chinthe was 432 tonnage with confusing grt's of between 550 and 667, registered on 154066 in her home port.

[E28]

Christmas day 1942, friday 25 december the situation in the European theatre, Mediterranean and North Africa is amply illustrated here, full credits to c holder ...

where Seaham and other 14th minesweeper flotilla ships having conducted hasty trials and work up in northern waters had left the UK in early 1942 heading down the west African coast, round the Cape of Good Hope, up the east African coast, Red sea, all the time being called upon to keep assorted channels clear, through Suez and then heavy involvement in the Med with assault and channel sweeping, convoy escort and relief becoming indispensible in these still hostile waters where most RN Bangors would serve, 5 being lost in total, all in the med.

This month would see the new 600 ton Italian sommergibilie Bronzo conducting trials, at home coastal U class P49 having completed trials commenced her first patrol off Norway on the 23rd, same date as sister P48 left Malta never to be heard from again becoming a rare Christmas day statistic with all 34 men. 6 unnamed RN U class submarines, the same size as the Italian 600 tonners, were sunk, like the 5 Bangors all in the deceptively calm but taxing Med waters. The RN's P222 and P311 were also sunk close to the date P48 disappeared, the only unnamed S and T class boats respectively lost again taking all their men down.

[Hornbeam]

Looking back at the Bangor Class Minesweepers the Diesel powered HMS Bridlington Post War was laid up for a short time at West Hartlepool but re-enlisted very quickly into the RAF dropping the HMS and any Armament along with any other “bits and bobs “ not required for her new Role as a HMAFV to take up her duties replacing the War weary Wooden built RAF Rescue Craft and being “Cost Effective “ ( lost count of this terminology in todays world) the Crew being reduced from RN 6 Officers, 77 Men Warloading to 4 Officers, 48Men Cold Warloading their first job being Rescue Craft under the stream of Aircraft during the Berlin Airlift.

[E28]

The 14 MSF by july '43 comprised Seaham and 3 turbine Bangors, Boston, Cromarty and Poole, all actively employed in the mid Med region as the tide turned against the Axis forces, sweeping and escort duties continued apace, anti submarine duties and the capture of Italian submarines were not,strictly speaking, part of their operational orders.

Through the inter war years the Italians built an impressive fleet of assorted sommergibilie (submarines), which on 10 june 1940 when they joined the conflict numbered 115 in total, only the Russians had more. The largest group was the Bernardis 600 ton type, the final class comprising 13 Acciaio boats including Bronzo.

The RN submarine P49 was renamed Unruly in feb 1943, Winston was most insistent all British subs had a monocle rather than a number, and having completed 1 patrol in home waters was sent to join the fray in the agreeably warmer Med waters where during her 5th patrol on 11 july sighted Bronzo sufaced, carried out an attack loosing 4 fish, which alas, all missed.

Bronzo had scarcely 24 hours remaining under the Regias flag when off Syracuse she surfaced amongst the 14 MSF ships to be warmly greeted by hot lead from the accommodating sweepers. This was never going to end well, Seaham fired 4 x 3" with 3 hits, 40 x 2 pdr, 650 x 0.5" and 12 x 20mm oerlikon, Boston loosed 7 x 3", 50 x 2pdr and 120 x 20mm with numerous hits between them.

Bronzo lowered her ensign to be secured alongside Seaham...

The capture of enemy warships in WW2 was uncommon, your adversary would invariably sink unlike the wooden walls days, the aggressor always worth capturing for the bounty.

Bronzo was the 3rd Italian submarine captured in action by the RN, none proved of operational value under the white ensign.

[E28]

Seaham and her capture of Bronzo leads me to divert this tale as for decades the British submarine Unruly has been credited with sinking the italian Acciaio the day prior to Bronzo's misfortune.

Unruly, previously named P49 but retained that moniker as her pendant, was identical to her lost sister P48, an image of which shows the latter as built running trials 6 months prior to her loss, those men visible almost certainly going down with her... V A Barrow from october 1940 were constructing 2 U class boats per slip, P49 with P47 which became the Dutch Dolfijn while P48 paired with P51, Unseen, in each case one of the pair was laid down a few days prior to the second then once the first was launched all the paraphernalia needed to be re set for the second boat to take to the water. Some days later the next pair would occupy the vacant slip.

whilst Unruly did attack an unidentified Italian surfaced, loosed a 4 fish salvo all which missed, it was long believed this was Acciaio, however subsequent post war analysis proved the claim false, her fate was far more uncertain but by diligent analysis an outcome has been determined with the cause of Acciaio sinking being assaulted from the air.

Meanwhile, Seaham and the other sweepers continued with their tasks, her company undoubtedly earning a few tots ashore regaling her action.