the Hon. Edward Pleydell-Bouverie, RN

Born  10 Sep 1899Longford Castle, Britford, England, U.K.
Died  7 May 1951(51)Beaulieu, England, U.K.


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Ranks

2 Aug 1914 Mid.
15 Jul 1917 A/S.Lt.
15 Mar 1918 S.Lt.
15 Dec 1919 Lt.
15 Dec 1927 Lt.Cdr.
31 Dec 1933 Cdr.
31 Dec 1939 Capt.

Retired: 20 Apr 1946


Decorations

1 Jan 1941 MVO
13 Oct 1942 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)

Warship Commands listed for Edward Pleydell-Bouverie, RN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMS Abdiel (M 39)Capt.Minelayer15 Sep 194018 Aug 1942

Career information

Brother was Anthony Pleydell-Bouverie (en.wikipedia.org), captain of HMS Onslaught.

Events related to this officer

Minelayer HMS Abdiel (M 39)


7 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Having successfully completed her acceptance trials HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) is accepted from her builders yard. (1)

16 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
It is reported that HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) has successfully completed her trials at Portsmouth. (1)

18 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Portsmouth for Greenock. (1)

20 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Greenock to commence a work-up period. (1)

22 Mar 1941
At 0023A/22, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) is ordered to proceed to Milford Haven at high speed as she is urgently required for operations. the risk that the ship had not work-up properly was to be accepted. On board were dummy mines for vibration trials, she was ordered to jettison these en-route.

She arrived at Milford Haven around 1545A/22. She then embarked mines and departed for Plymouth 2200A/22. She was then still 15 mines short of her full storage and the mines embarked were not fitted with flooders due to lack of time. Her E.T.A. at Plymouth was 0700A/23. (2)

23 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)

Minelaying Operation GV.

Around 1630A/23, the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Plymouth for this minelaying operation. She was escorted until the vicinity of Bishops Rock by the destroyers HMS Kashmir (Cdr. H.A. King, RN) and HMS Kipling (Cdr. A. St. Clair-Ford, RN).

During the night of 23/24 March 1941, HMS Abdiel laid a total of 141 mines in groups along a line extending for 10 miles in a direction of 228° from position 48°42'N, 09°02'W. Mines were set to a depth of eight feet and sprockets were fitted to one fifth and grapnels to one fifth. The lay was entirely without incident and all gear on board the brand new minelayer functioned correctly.

HMS Abdiel then rejoined the destroyers and they returned to Plymouth around 1245A/24. (3)

26 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the evening, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Plymouth for Milford Haven where she was to load mines. She arrived at Milford Haven in the morning of the 27th. (4)

28 Mar 1941

Minelaying Operation GY.

In the afternoon of 28 March 1941, the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Milford Haven for this minelaying operation.

Around 2015A/28, she made rendezvous to the south-west of Wolf Rock with the destroyers HMS Kelly (Capt. L.F.A.V.N. Mountbatten, GCVO, DSO, RN), HMS Kashmir (Cdr. H.A. King, RN), HMS Kelvin (Cdr. J.H. Allison, DSO, RN) and HMS Jackal (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, DSC, RN). These destroyers had departed Plymouth around 1645A/28. Two German Heinkel 111's were engaged by the destroyers shortly before the rendezvous and the force then maintained a westerly course until 2030A/28 to throw off shadowers. Just after turning to 170°, HMS Abdiel opened fire on an aircraft overhead, but after this incident the operation proceeded uninterrupted, with the destroyers keeping station astern of HMS Abdiel until the lay commenced at about 0145A/29. A total of 150 mines were laid along a line extending for 9.8 miles in a direction of 185° from position 48°09'1"N, 05°38'W. The depth of the mines were set to 9 feet and the flooders were set to 29 April 1941. Sprockets were fitted to one fifth and grapnels to a similar number. Eight special obstructors were also laid.

The force arrived at Plymouth in the morning of the 29th. (3)

29 Mar 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Plymouth for Cowes. She is to undergo repairs to some defects that had popped up during the two recent minelaying missions. She arrived at her builders the following day. (1)

10 Apr 1941
With the repairs completed, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Cowes for Greenock where she arrived the following day. While in the Clyde area she was docked at Govan for an examination of her propellers [dates currently not known to us]. (1)

20 Apr 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The light cruiser HMS Dido (Capt. H.W.U. McCall, RN) and the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Greenock for Gibraltar. (5)

2 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1815C/2, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria to load mines at Haifa where she arrived the following day. (6)

4 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Haifa for Alexandria where she arrived around 1615C/5. (6)

12 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Haifa with her full load of mines still on board. The planned minelay between Lampedusa and the Kerkennah Bank had been cancelled as HMS Abdiel would be unable to fuel at Malta following the operation as both harbours at Malta had been mined.

At Haifa the mines were therefore disembarked. (3)

13 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Haifa for Alexandria where she arrived the following day. (6)

17 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria for Haifa where she was to embark a full outfit of mines. (1)

18 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Haifa and after embarking a full outfit of mines she departed to proceed at high speed to Alexandria. (1)

19 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Alexandria from Haifa. She departed Alexandria around 1500C/19 for operation ' Mat One ' during which a minefield was to be laid off Cephalonia.

(1)

21 May 1941

Minelaying operation Mat One.

Between 0328C/21 and 0411C/21, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) laid a total of 158 mines in two fields as follows;

A) 80 Mines along a dog legged line extending for 2.2 miles in a direction of 180° and thence for 1.3 miles in a direction of 340° from a position of 111°, Cape Dukato Lighthouse, 3.7 miles.

B) 78 Mines along a dog legged line extending for 2.8 miles in a direction of 155° and thence for 1.2 miles in a direction of 020° from a position of 277°, Cape Dukato Lighthouse, 1.1 miles.

All mines were set to a depth of 8 feet and 16 of them were fitted with grapnels.

On completion of the minelay, HMS Abdiel retired from the area at high speed. She arrived back at Alexandria on 22 May.

Meanwhile enemy ships had ran into the mines. First the Italian destroyer Carlo Mirabello and auxiliary gunboat Matteucci were sunk and a few hours later the German transports Kybfels (7764 GRT, built 1937) and Marburg (7564 GRT, built 1928) were also sunk. (3)

22 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) returned to Alexandria from operations. (1)

23 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Late on 23 May 1941, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria for Suda Bay where she landed about 200 personnel of ‘Layforce’ and about 80 tons of stores during the night of 24/25 May. She then departed for Alexandria with about 50 wounded and 4 Greek Cabinet Ministers. A dive bombing attack by 4 Ju.88’s around 1300C/25 was successfully avoided. She arrived at Alexandria around 2000C/25. (7)

26 May 1941
Around 0600C/26, the destroyers HMS Hero (Cdr. H.W. Biggs, DSO, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN) departed Alexandria.

Around 0620C/26, the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) also departed Alexandria and joined the destroyers. Course was then set for Suda Bay, Crete.

During the night of 26/27 May, these ships landed about 750 troops and stores at Suda Bay. These were the last reinforcements landed in Crete.

About 930 men no longer required on Crete were then embarked and taken back to Alexandria in these ships.

Air attacks commenced at daylight, just north-west of the Kaso Strait, and continued intermittently till 1130C/27. No damage was sustained except by HMS Hero whose speed was reduced to 28 knots by a near miss around 0700C/27.

They arrived back at Alexandria around 1800C/27. (7)

31 May 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0600C/31, the light cruiser HMS Phoebe (Capt. G. Grantham, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN, fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) and the destroyers HMS Hotspur (Lt.Cdr. C.P.F. Brown, DSC, RN), HMS Jackal (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, DSC, RN) and HMS Kimberley (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, DSO, RN) departed Alexandria for Sfakia on the south coast of Crete to evacuate troops from there. They arrived off Sfakia around 2320C/31.

By around 0245C/31, close to 4000 troops had been embarked and course was set to return to Alexandria where they arrived around 1700C/1. (8)

17 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria with aircraft torpedoes and stores urgently required by the Fleet Air Arm at Farmagusta.

The cargo was landed on the 18th and HMS Abdiel returned to Alexandria on the 19th. (9)

14 Aug 1941
Around 0145C/14, HMS Neptune (Capt. R.C. O'Conor, RN), HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Pleydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) and HMS Jackal (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, DSC, RN) arrived at Famagusta. After landing the troops HMS Neptune departed for Alexandria and HMS Abdiel and HMS Jackal for Port Said. They all arrived at their destination later the same day or early the following day (HMS Neptune). (10)

20 Sep 1941
Around 0800B/20, the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) and the destroyers HMS Jervis (Capt. P.J. Mack, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Kimberley (Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, DSO, RN) and HMS Hasty (Lt.Cdr. L.R.K. Tyrwhitt, DSC, RN) departed Alexandria with about 1000 troops and 120 tons of supplies for Tobruk. The troops and supplies were unloaded during the night of 20/21 September.

They returned to Alexandria around 1200B/21.

This was 'Serial 5' of 'Operation Supercharge'. (11)

24 Sep 1941
Around 0810B/24, the fast minelayer HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) and the destroyers HMAS Napier (Capt. S.H.T. Arliss, RN), HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMS Hotspur (Lt. T.D. Herrick, DSC, RN) departed Alexandria with troops and supplies for Tobruk. The troops and supplies were unloaded during the night of 24/25 September.

They returned to Alexandria around 1305B/25.

This was 'Serial 10' of 'Operation Supercharge'. (11)

26 Nov 1941
Around 2000B/26, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria for Haifa where she arrived the following day.

At Haifa she is to conduct exercises in embarking and laying mines. [No further details available.] (9)

13 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Haifa to create a W/T deception to convince to enemy that the battlefleet was at sea from Alexandria.

HMS Abdiel returned to Haifa the following day. (12)

16 Dec 1941
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Haifa for Alexandria where she arrived around 1200B/17. Again she created a W/T deception. (13)

29 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Alexandria for Haifa. (10)

30 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Haifa from Alexandria. At Haifa she is to embark a full load of mines after which she is to proceed to join the East Indies Station. (10)

31 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Haifa for Port Said and the Suez Canal. (9)

1 Jan 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) transited the Suez Canal southbound and on leaving the Canal set course for Aden. (1)

4 Jan 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Aden from Suez. After fuelling she departed for Colombo later the same day. (14)

10 Jan 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Colombo from Aden. (14)

24 Jan 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Colombo for Trincomalee where she arrived the following day. (14)

25 Jan 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Trinomalee from Colombo. She departed for Port Blair later the same day. (14)

27 Jan 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived Port Blair from Trincomalee. (14)

28 Jan 1942
During this day, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) laid a total of 163 mines in 4 separate minefields off South Andaman Island.

Off Port Blair a total of 67 mines were laid in two lines;
Line 1; 33 mines at a depth of 6 feet, between positions 11°41'0"N, 92°46'0"E and 11°41'9"N, 92°46'1"E.
Line 2; 34 mines at a depth of 8feet, between positions 11°41'6"N, 92°46'3"E and 11°40'9"N, 92°46'7"E.

At the Kotara Anchorage a total of 42 mines were laid at a depth of 7 feet. They were laid in a curved line between positions 11°58'0"N, 92°46'4"E and 11°58'9"N, 92°46'6"E.

At Port Meadows a total of 12 mines were laid at a depth of 6.5 feet. They were laid on a dog-legged line between positions 12°00'7"N, 92°47'2"E and 12°00'4"N, 92°47'1"E.

At Elphinstone Harbour a total of 42 mines were laid at a depth of 6 feet between position 12°18'8"N, 92°56'8"E and 12°19'4"N, 92°55'9"E.

On completion of this minelay HMS Abdiel set course for Trincomalee. (3)

29 Jan 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Trinomalee from minelaying operations in the Port Blair area. After embarking a full load of mines (163) she departed again later the same day to return to the Andaman Islands area. (15)

1 Feb 1942
During this day, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) laid a total of 163 mines off the Andaman Islands.

Off MacPherson Strait a total of 85 mines were laid in two lines;
Line 1; at the eastern end, composed of 60 mines at a depth of 6 feet between the following positions;
A) 11°28'25"N, 92°41'6"E
B) 11°28'5"N, 92°41'7"E
C) 11°28'65"N, 92°42'2"E
D) 11°28'5"N, 92°43'1"E

Line 2; at the western end, composed of 25 mines at a depth of 11 feet between the following positions;
A) 11°30'0"N, 92°35'4"E
B) 11°30'05"N, 92°35'6"E
C) 11°29'75"N, 92°36'05"E

Off Port Mouat a total of 50 mines were laid at a depth of 11 feet between positions 11°38'0"N, 92°33'1"E and 11°39'3"N, 92°34'0"E.

Off Port Anson 27 mines were laid in two lines and also two single mines were laid;
Line 1; composed of 15 mines at a depth of 11 feet between the positions 12°16'0"N, 92°42'5"E and 12°15'65"N, 92°42'1"E.

Line 2; composed of 12 mines at a depth of 8 feet between the positions 12°17'8"N, 92°43'8"E and 12°17'8"N, 92°43'5"E.

The two single mines were laid in position 12°17'1"N, 92°44'3"E and 12°17'2"N, 92°44'3"E.

While leaving Port Anson, HMS Abdiel after having laid all her mines the ship touched bottom at a charted depth of eight fathoms and she sustained damage to her starboard propeller shaft which was bent. She therefore returned to Colombo on one engine arriving on 5 February.

On 1 March 1942, the auxiliary patrol vessel HMIS Sophie Marie (T/Lt. D.G.C. Courtenay, RINR) was most likely list after hitting of the mines to the west of MacPherson Strait.

5 Feb 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Colombo from minelaying operations off the Andaman Islands.

At Colombo she was docked for repairs to her starboard propeller shaft but full repairs were not possible there and eventually it was decided to sent the ship to Durban. (3)

10 Mar 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Colombo for Durban via Addu Atoll and Kilindini / Mombasa. She is to be docked at Durban to continue the repairs to her bent starboard propeller shaft. (14)

11 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) makes a short call at Addu Atoll before continuing her passage to Kilindini / Mombasa. (14)

16 Mar 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Kilindini / Mombasa from Colombo via Addu Atoll.

She departed for Durban later the same day. (14)

20 Mar 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Durban where she is taken in hand for repairs.

It later became apparent that full repairs were not possible and that HMS Abdiel would have to return to the U.K. for full repairs. (14)

4 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) conducted exercises off Durban with the shore defences. (16)

5 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1212B/5, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Durban. Presumably for trials / exercises. She returned to Durban at 0609B/7. (16)

7 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1347B/7, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Durban for Simonstown. (16)

9 Jun 1942
In the morning, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN), arrived at Simonstown from Durban. (1)

10 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 2300Z/10, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Simonstown for Freetown via Porte Noire. (17)

14 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Porte Noire from Simonstown. (17)

15 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Porte Noire for Simonstown. She later signalled that she was proceeding to Takoradi instead to effect repairs to defective evaporators. (17)

17 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Takoradi for repairs on completion of which she departed for Freetown. (17)

19 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Freetown. She departed for Bathurst later the same day. (18)

20 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Bathurst from Freetown. (18)

22 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Bathurst for Gibraltar. (19)

25 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1600B/25, HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Gibraltar from Bathurst.

She departed for the U.K. around 2359B/25. (20)

29 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at Greenock from Gibraltar. (1)

30 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) departed Greenock for Newcastle-on-Tyne. (1)

1 Jul 1942
HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN) arrived at the Palmers shipyard at Newcastle-on-Tyne where she is to be taken in hand for repairs and refit. (1)

Sources

  1. ADM 199/2545
  2. ADM 199/2225 + ADM 199/2545 + ADM 234/560 + ADM 234/561
  3. ADM 234/560 + ADM 234/561
  4. ADM 199/2225 + ADM 199/2545
  5. ADM 199/2545 + ADM 199/2552
  6. ADM 199/414
  7. ADM 199/414 + ADM 199/2545
  8. ADM 53/114864 + ADM 53/114865 + ADM 199/414
  9. ADM 199/415 + ADM 199/2545
  10. ADM 199/415
  11. ADM 53/115214 + ADM 199/415
  12. ADM 187/16 + ADM 199/415 + ADM 199/2545
  13. ADM 53/115217 + ADM 199/415
  14. ADM 199/426 + ADM 199/2545
  15. ADM 199/426 + ADM 199/2545 + ADM 234/560 + ADM 234/561
  16. ADM 199/2349
  17. ADM 199/2243
  18. ADM 187/19 + ADM 199/2545
  19. ADM 187/19 + ADM 199/2244 + ADM 199/2545
  20. ADM 199/662

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


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