Allan Poland DSO, RN
| Birth details unknown |
| Ranks
Retired: 7 Jan 1940 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Allan Poland, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Despatch (D 30) | Commodore 2nd cl. | Light cruiser | 31 Jul 1939 | 20 Feb 1940 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Light cruiser HMS Despatch (D 30)
25 Aug 1939
Around 1000A/25, HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN), the flagship of the 9th Cruiser Squadron, departed Portsmouth for Gibraltar. (1)
28 Aug 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (1)
31 Aug 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Gibraltar. (1)
2 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) arrived at Freetown from convoy escort duty. (2)
3 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) departed Freetown for Bermuda. She is to join the America and West Indies Station. (2)
13 Oct 1939
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) arrived at Bermuda from Freetown.
At Bermuda she is immediately docked in the floating dock. (2)
14 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) is undocked. (2)
19 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, RN) and HMAS Perth (Capt. H.B. Farncomb, RAN) conducted range and inclination exercises off Bermuda. (2)
29 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Kingston, Jamaica for the Pacific. She is to patrol along the west coast of South America. (3)
31 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) transited the Panama Canal westbound and arrived at Balbao. (2)
1 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Balbao to patrol off the Galapagos Islands. (4)
4 Nov 1939
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived in the Galapagos Islands area where she patrolled for a few days. (4)
16 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Callao, Peru. (4)
17 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Callao, Peru to continue her patrol along the west coast of South America. (4)
19 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During the night of 19/20 November 1939, HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN), fuelled from the RFA tanker Orangeleaf (5927 GRT, built 1917) off San Juan Bay, Peru. (4)
25 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) anchored off the Juan Fernandez Islands. (4)
26 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed the Juan Fernandez Islands to continue her patrol along the west coast of South America. (4)
27 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Valparaíso, Chili. (4)
28 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Valparaíso, Chili to continue her patrol along the west coast of South America. (4)
2 Dec 1939
During the night of 2/3 December 1939, HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN), fuelled from the RFA tanker Orangeleaf (5927 GRT, built 1917) off the Quaitecas Islands, Chile. (5)
15 Dec 1939 (position -27.14, -71.10)
The German merchant vessel Dusseldorf (4930 GRT, built 1935) was captured by HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) west of Punta Vial, Chile in approximate position 27°14'S, 71°10'W. A prize crew was placed aboard the German ship.
[This is often reported as having occurred on 5 December 1939 but this is incorrect, the logbook of HMS Despatch leaves no doubt as the correct date being the 15th.]
16 Dec 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) and the captured German merchant vessel Dusseldorf (4930 GRT, built 1935) arrived at Antofagasta, Chili.
(5)
17 Dec 1939
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) and the captured German merchant vessel Dusseldorf (4930 GRT, built 1935) both departed Antofagasta, Chile.
HMS Despatch fuelled during the night of 17/18 December 1939 from RFA tanker Orangeleaf (5927 GRT, built 1917) off Mejillones Bay, Chile. (5)
20 Dec 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Valparaíso, Chili. (5)
22 Dec 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Valparaíso, Chili to continue her patrol along the west coast of South America. (5)
24 Dec 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) anchored off the Quaitecas Islands, Chile. (5)
31 Dec 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed the Quaitecas Islands, Chile for San Quintin Bay, Chili (5)
1 Jan 1940
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) anchored in San Quintin Bay, Chili. (6)
4 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed San Quintin Bay, Chili to continue her patrol off the west coast of South America. (6)
13 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Valparaíso, Chili. (6)
14 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Valparaíso, Chili to continue her patrol along the west coast of South America. (6)
17 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The light cruiser HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN), armed merchant cruiser HMS Rajputana (Capt.(Retd.) F.H. Taylor, DSC, RN) and the RFA tanker Abbeydale (8299 GRT, built 1937) made rendezvous off San Nicolás Bay, Peru.
All ships departed again to resume their patrols later the same day. (7)
18 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Callao, Peru. (6)
20 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Callao, Peru to resume her patrol. (6)
24 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During the night of 24/25 January 1940, HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN), fuelled from the RFA tanker Abbeydale (8299 GRT, built 1937) near Isla de la Plata, Equador. (6)
25 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Salinas, Equador. (6)
26 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Salinas, Equador to resume her patrol. (6)
1 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Callao, Peru. (8)
2 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Callao, Peru to resume her patrol. (8)
3 Feb 1940
During the night of 3/4 February 1940, HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN), fuelled from the RFA tanker Abbeydale (8299 GRT, built 1937) in San Nicolás Bay, Peru. (8)
15 Feb 1940
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) arrived at Callao, Peru. (8)
16 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) departed Callao, Peru to resume her patrol. (8)
18 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) fuelled from the RFA tanker Bishopdale (8406 GRT, built 1937) at Manta Bay, Equador. On completion HMS Despatch resumed her patrol. (8)
20 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Despatch transited the Panama Canal eastbound.
During the passage Commodore C.G.B. Coltart, CVO, RN took over command of HMS Despatch from Commodore A. Poland, DSO, RN. (8)
Sources
- ADM 53/108288
- ADM 53/108290
- ADM 53/108290 + ADM 199/367
- ADM 53/108291
- ADM 53/108292
- ADM 53/111986
- ADM 53/111986 + ADM 53/113029
- ADM 53/111987
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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