Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Minesweeper |
Class | Algerine |
Pennant | J 295 |
Mod | Turbine engined |
Built by | Harland & Wolff Ltd. (Belfast, Northern Ireland) |
Ordered | 30 Apr 1942 |
Laid down | 20 Apr 1943 |
Launched | 29 Sep 1943 |
Commissioned | 10 Dec 1943 |
End service | |
History | Scrapped on 15 March 1962. |
Commands listed for HMS Plucky (J 295)
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 | T/Lt.Cdr. Russell Patterson, SANF(V) | 9 Nov 1943 | 19 Jul 1944 |
2 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. George Wallis, RNVR | 19 Jul 1944 |
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Notable events involving Plucky include:
30 Dec 1943
HMS Una (T/L. P.S. Thirsk, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Stornoway with HMS Plucky (T/Lt.Cdr. R. Patterson, SANF(V)). (1)
4 Jan 1944
HMS Una (T/L. P.S. Thirsk, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Stornoway with HMS Plucky (T/Lt.Cdr. R. Patterson, SANF(V)). (2)
4 Jan 1944
HMS Una (T/L. P.S. Thirsk, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Stornoway with HMS Plucky (T/Lt.Cdr. R. Patterson, SANF(V)). (2)
19 Jul 1945
Operation Livery.
Sweeping of mines off Phuket; bombardment and air strikes directed against appropriate targets.
'Force 63' departed Trincomalee on 19 July 1945. It was made up of the following warships; battleship HMS Nelson (Capt. C. Caslon, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Vice Admiral H.C.T. Walker, CB, RN), heavy cruiser HMS Sussex (Capt. A.F. de Salis, DSO, RN), escort carriers HMS Ameer (Cdr. P.D.H.R. Pelly, DSO, RN), HMS Empress (Capt. J.R.S. Brown, RN), destroyers HMS Rotherham (Capt. H.W. Biggs, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Racehorse (Cdr. J.J. Casement, DSC, RN), HMS Raider (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Cartwright, DSC, RN), HMS Paladin (Lt. H.R. Hewlett, RN) and the minesweepers HMS Pincher (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.B. Blake, RNVR), HMS Plucky (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G. Wallis, RNVR), HMS Squirrel (Lt. M. Buist, RN), HMS Rifleman (Lt. C.L. Carroll, DSC, RNR), HMS Vestal (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Porter, DSC, RN), HMIS Punjab(Lt. A.V. Baker, RIN) and HMS Deccan as attached danlayers.
The force passed through Sombrero Channel during the night of 22/23 July 1945 and arrived off Phuket in the morning of 24 July.
The area which had been given first priority was cleared of mines of as a result of operations carried out of 24th, 25th, and 26th July. A total of 24 mines were swept.
During the minesweeping operations HMS Squirrel was mined and damaged forward. Two and a half hours after hitting the mine she took a heavy list and therefore had to be sunk by our own forces. Seven ratings were lost with the ship.
In strikes against targets on the Kraa Isthumus, our aircraft achieved commendable results. Three small ships were destroyed and eleven others strafed in the Singora area, while fifteen locomotives were put out of action and rolling stock strafed on the railway system between Bandon and Dhungsong. A camp at Huatsei was bombed. One Sungei Patani airfield six grounded aircraft were destroyed, three left burning and two others hit. In all these operations only one Hellcat fighter was lost.
On 26 July 1945 attacks by enemy suicide aircraft were launched against units of 'Force 63'. One of these aircraft was shot down in flames by HMS Ameer and two were shot down by HMS Sussex. HMS Vestal was hit by a suicide aircraft, caught fire and had to be sunk by our own forces. Fifteen ratings were lost with the ship. Another enemy suicide aircraft bounced on the water and hit the side of HMS Sussex which sustained some hull damage above the waterline, but remained fully operational.
'Force 63' left the area of operation p.m. on 26 July and returned to Trincomalee where it arrived on 30 July. (3)
Sources
- ADM 173/18342
- ADM 173/19188
- ADM 199/1457
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.