Harold Hickling DSO, RN
| Born | 17 Sep 1892 |
| Ranks
Retired: 12 Jan 1948 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Harold Hickling, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Glasgow (21) | Capt. | Light cruiser | 6 Jun 1940 | 5 Jan 1941 |
| HMS Glasgow (21) | Capt. | Light cruiser | 8 Feb 1941 | 27 Dec 1941 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Light cruiser HMS Glasgow (21)
17 Jun 1940
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) is undocked. (1)
7 Jul 1940
With her refit completed, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Liverpool around 0900A/7 for Scapa Flow where she arrived around 1300A/8. Before entering Scapa Flow gunnery exercises were carried out in the Pentland Firth. (2)
9 Jul 1940
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery exercises at Scapa Flow on completion of which D/G and compass adjustment trials were carried out. (2)
10 Jul 1940
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. (2)
1 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) is undocked. (3)
4 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1300A/4, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Liverpool for Scapa Flow. (3)
5 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1230A/5, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow from Liverpool. (3)
6 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the afternoon, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted HA gunnery exercises in the Pentland Firth. (3)
9 Sep 1940
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted HA and close range AA gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. On return to the anchorage D/G trials were carried out. (3)
10 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted HA and close range AA gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. Also LA gunnery exercises were carried out with the close range AA guns on a target towed by HMS Tartar (Cdr. L.P. Skipwith, RN). (3)
13 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the afternoon and evening, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. (3)
17 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. (3)
23 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery, torpedo firing and bombardment exercises at Scapa Flow. (3)
24 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. A target, towed by HMS Eskimo (Cdr. St. J.A. Micklethwait, DSO and Bar, RN), was used during these exercises. (3)
24 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 2000A/24, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Immingham. On departure gunnery exercises were carried out in the Pentland Firth. (3)
25 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1830A/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrivd at Immingham from Scapa Flow. (3)
21 Oct 1940
Around 0920A/21, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Immingham for Rosyth where she arrived around 2030A/21. At Rosyth she is taken in hand for the fitting of Type 286 air search radar. (4)
29 Oct 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted D/F calibration trials at Rosyth.
She departed Rosyth for Greenock around 1800A/29. (4)
30 Oct 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 2040A/30, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Greenock from Rosyth. (4)
3 Dec 1940
At 1540B/3, the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN), which was at anchor in Suda Bay, was struck by two torpedoes from Italian aircraft during an enemy air attack. She was seriously damaged.
The first torpedo made a twenty two foot by twenty two hole foot in the starboard side forward. It caused structural damage and flooding.
The second torpedo which struck one minute later and hit the starboard side aft. X turret was knocked out of service and two propeller shafts were bent also rendering them inoperable.
One officer and two ratings were killed and two ratings were seriously wounded.
5 Dec 1940
Around 0300B/5, the damaged light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Hasty (Lt.Cdr. L.R.K. Tyrwhitt, RN) and HMS Hereward (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN) arrived at Alexandria. (5)
12 Dec 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) is docked in the floating dock at Alexandria. (5)
12 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1420B/12, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Alexandria for Port Said. (6)
13 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1015B/13, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Port Said from Alexandria. (6)
14 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) proceeded from Port Said southward through the Suez Canal to the Great Bitter Lakes. (6)
15 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) proceeded from the Great Bitter Lakes to Suez.
She departed Suez for Aden around 1100B/15. (6)
18 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1020C/18, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Aden from Suez.
After having fuelled, she departed for Durban around 1700C/18.
While en-route she was diverted on 21 February 1941, to search for a reported German raider (pocket battleship). (7)
24 Feb 1941
Around 1645C/24, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Mauritius from patrol. (7)
25 Feb 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1120C/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Mauritius to make a sweep to the southward and then join the ships of 'Force Z' and escort them to Aden. (7)
7 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1700B/7, 'Force Z', made up of the infantery landing ships HMS Glenearn (Capt.(Retd.) L.B. Hill, OBE, RN), HMS Glengyle (A/Capt.(Retd.) C.H. Petrie, RN) and HMS Glenroy (Capt.(Retd.) Sir J.F. Paget, RN) and their escort, the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN), arrived at Suez. (6)
8 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1630B/8, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Suez for Aden. (8)
11 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1100C/11, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Aden from Suez. (8)
20 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1600C/20, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Berbera for Aden. (8)
21 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0730C/21, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Aden from operations off Berbera. (8)
24 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1700C/24, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Aden to escort convoy SU 2.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy SU 2 ' for 18 March 1941.] (8)
30 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0730C/30, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) and the transport Arundel Castle (British, 19118 GRT, built 1921) arrived at Kilinidi / Mombasa. (8)
4 Apr 1941
Around 1830C/4, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Kilinidi / Mombasa for the Seychelles. (9)
7 Apr 1941
Around 0830D/7, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles from Kilinidi / Mombasa. (9)
8 Apr 1941
Around 1800D/8, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed
Port Victoria, Seychelles. She is escorting the transport Talamba (British, 8018 GRT, built 1924). They were to make rendezvous with convoy WS 6 which they did around noon on the 10th.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 6 ' for 8 March 1941.] (9)
13 Apr 1941
Around 1830C/13, when near Socotra, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) parted company with convoy WS 6. She is to return to the Seychelles. (9)
16 Apr 1941
Around 1000D/16, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles from convoy escort duty. (9)
20 Apr 1941
Around 1715D/20, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Port Victoria, Seychelles for patrol and then on to Kilindini / Mombasa. (9)
25 Apr 1941
Around 1330C/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Kilindini / Mombasa from patrol. (9)
3 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1700C/3, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Aden from convoy escort duty. (10)
6 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1130C/6, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Aden for the Seychelles. (10)
11 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1015D/11, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles. (10)
23 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000EF/23, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Colombo from patrol. (10)
2 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1330EF/2, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Colombo. She is escorting the troop transport Duchess of York (British, 20021 GRT, built 1929) part of the way to Kilindini / Mombasa. (11)
8 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800E/8, in approximate position 00°01S, 73°04'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) made rendezvouswith HMAS Bathurst (Lt.Cdr. A.V. Bunyan, RANR(S)) and HMAS Lismore (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Crawford, RANR(S)). They then set course for Port Victoria, Seychelles. (11)
13 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0630D/13, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN), HMAS Bathurst (Lt.Cdr. A.V. Bunyan, RANR(S)) and HMAS Lismore (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Crawford, RANR(S)) arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles. (11)
15 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700D/15, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Port Victoria, Seychelles for Colombo. (11)
19 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1415EF/19, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Colombo from Port Victoria, Seychelles. (11)
25 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1115EF/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Colombo for Singapore where she is to refit and undergo repairs to the action damage sustained in late 1940. (11)
29 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1400G/29, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Singapore from Colombo. (11)
4 Jul 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) is docked in the King George VI graving dock at Singapore. (12)
23 Aug 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) is undocked. (13)
14 Sep 1941
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) conducted post refit trials off Singapore. (14)
15 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0915GH/15, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Singapore for Trincomalee. (15)
19 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1630F/19, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) arrived at Trincomalee from Glasgow. (15)
20 Sep 1941
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) gunnery and torpedo firing exercises off Trincomalee. (14)
21 Sep 1941
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) gunnery exercises off Trincomalee. (14)
22 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) gunnery and torpedo firing exercises off Trincomalee. (14)
25 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1600F/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) departed Trincomalee to make rendezvous with the troop transport Stirling Castle (British, 25550 GRT, built 1936) and her current escort HMS Emerald (Capt. F.C. Flynn, RN). (15)
26 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800F/26, to the south of Ceylon, in approximate position 05°25'N, 81°00'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, RN) made rendezvous with the troop transport Stirling Castle (British, 25550 GRT, built 1936) and her current escort HMS Emerald (Capt. F.C. Flynn, RN). The troopships was on passage from Bombay to Singapore. HMS Glasgow then relieved HMS Emerald as escort. (16)
3 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700G/3, to the south-east of the Sunda Strait, in approximate position 07°30'S, 103°50'E, the light cruisers HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) and HMS Danae (A/Capt. F.J. Butler, MBE, RN) made rendezvous with convoy US 12B and its current escort, the light cruiser HMAS Sydney (Capt. J. Burnett, RAN).
[For more info and subsequent movements see the event ' Convoy US 12B ' for 15 September 1941.] (17)
8 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900EF/8, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Colombo with convoy US 12B. (18)
10 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900EF/10, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Colombo with convoy US 12B to escort it to the Gulf of Aden. (18)
16 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700D/16, in the Gulf of Aden, in approximate position 12°36'N, 47°10'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) parted company with convoy US 12B on its dispersal. HMS Glasgow then set course for Bombay. (18)
22 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000EF/16, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Bombay from convoy escort duty. (18)
30 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Convoy BA 8.
This convoy departed Bombay on 30 October 1941 and was made up of the troop transports Felix Roussell (British (former French), 17083 GRT, built 1930) and Westernland (Dutch, 16479 GRT, built 1918).
On departure from Bombay the convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN).
The convoy arrived at Aden on 4 November 1941. (19)
15 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0845C/15, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Aden to make rendezvous with convoy WS 12 to escort to Colombo section of that convoy to that destination. (20)
17 Nov 1941
Around 1000C/17, in approximate position 06°00'N, 50°36'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) made rendezvous with convoy WS 12. She then took charge of the Colombo section of that convoy which split off the main convoy.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 12 ' for 29 September 1941.] (20)
17 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700EF/23, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Colombo with convoy WS 12J, the Colombo section of convoy WS 12. (20)
24 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800EF/24, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Colombo to escort convoy WS 12V part of the way to Singapore.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 12 ' for 29 September 1941.] (20)
26 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0900FG/26, in approximate position 06°10'N, 92°06'E, convoy WS 12V escorted by HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) and the troop transport Awatea (British, 13482 GRT, built 1936) escorted by HMS Dragon (Capt. R.J. Shaw, MBE, RN) made rendezvous. Escorting vessels were then exchanged.
[For more info on convoy WS 12V, see the event ' Convoy WS 12 ' for 29 September 1941.] (20)
27 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1900F/27, in approximate position 06°00'N, 82°00'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) parted company with the troop transport Awatea (British, 13482 GRT, built 1936). The troop transport then proceeded to Colombo unescorted arriving there on the 28th. HMS Glasgow then set course for Madras. (20)
29 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800EF/29, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Madras from escort duty. (20)
2 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1400EF/2, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Madras for Trincomalee. (21)
4 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0800EF/4, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Trincomalee from Colombo. (21)
5 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1445EF/5, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Trincomalee for Colombo. (21)
6 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1015EF/6, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Colombo from Trincomalee.
Around 1730EF/6, she departed Colombo to patrol off the Laccadive Islands and then proceed to Bombay. (22)
9 Dec 1941 (position 15.20, 72.29)
Shortly after midnight during the night of 8/9 December 1941, about 80 nautical miles west of Goa in position 15°20'N, 72°29'E, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) in error sank the patrol vessel HMIS Prabhavati (T/Lt. D.M. Stafford, RINR) with two lighters in tow en route for Karachi. Due to difficulty with towing the barges were alongside HMIS Prabhavati at the moment and therefore she was mistaken for a large Japanese submarine.
At 2306EF/8, on board HMS Glasgow a white light was sighted and she then commenced to close to investigate.
At 2350EF/8, it was thought the contact was a submarine.
At 2355EF/8, HMS Glasgow went to action stations and seven minutes later fire was opened with the 6" main battery from 6000 yards.
At 0006EF/9, fire was ceased when the mistake was realised and the contact was closed.
At 0024EF/9, HMIS Prabhavati sank as a result of the damage sustained. Survivors were then picked up by HMS Glasgow.
At 0153EF/9, one of the lighters sank and at 0725EF/9 the second lighter also sank.
HMS Glasgow then continued her passage to Bombay where she arrived around 2230EF/9. (22)
10 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1615EF/10, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Bombay for Colombo. (22)
13 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0730EF/13, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Colombo from Bombay. (22)
18 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1800EF/18, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) departed Colombo for Bombay. (22)
20 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1800EF/20, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Bombay from Colombo. (22)
25 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1615EF/25, HMS Glasgow (Capt. H. Hickling, DSO, RN) arrived at Colombo from convoy escort duty. (22)
26 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1530EF/26, the light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Cdr. J.W. Cuthbert, RN) departed Colombo with the transport Madura (British, 8975 GRT, built 1921). They joined convoy BM 9B around 0730EF/27 in position 04°38'N, 80°40'E.
[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy BM 9B ' for 22 December 1941.] (22)
Sources
- ADM 53/112296
- ADM 53/112297
- ADM 53/112299
- ADM 53/112300
- ADM 53/112302
- ADM 53/114309
- ADM 53/114309 + ADM 199/408
- ADM 53/114310
- ADM 53/114312
- ADM 53/114313
- ADM 53/114314 + ADM 199/408
- ADM 53/114315
- ADM 53/114316
- ADM 53/114317
- ADM 53/114317 + ADM 199/408
- ADM 53/114317 + ADM 53/114226
- ADM 53/114031 + ADM 53/114318
- ADM 53/114318
- ADM 53/114318 + ADM 53/114319
- ADM 53/114319
- ADM 53/114320
- ADM 53/114320 + ADM 199/408
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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