Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Corvette |
Class | Castle |
Pennant | K 387 |
Built by | Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland) |
Ordered | 2 Feb 1943 |
Laid down | 23 Mar 1943 |
Launched | 19 Aug 1943 |
Commissioned | 18 Nov 1943 |
End service | |
History | In reserve at Harwich during 1947-1948. |
Commands listed for HMS Berkeley Castle (K 387)
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. Frank Arnold Darrah, RNVR | 1 Sep 1943 | 11 Sep 1944 |
2 | Cdr. Norman Winder Duck, DSC, RD, RNR | 11 Sep 1944 | 8 Mar 1945 |
3 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. Arthur Charles Palmer, DSC, RNR | 8 Mar 1945 | 11 Dec 1945 |
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Notable events involving Berkeley Castle include:
7 Jan 1944
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. A. van Altena, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Ettrick (T/A/Lt.Cdr. N.J.T. Monsarrat, RNVR), HMCS Galt (T/Lt. A.M. Kirkpatrick, RCNVR), HMS Kenilworth Castle (Lt. J.J.Allon, RNR), HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR). (1)
8 Jan 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR). (2)
20 Jan 1944
In company with HMS Carisbrooke Castle en route to Newfoundland. The latter broke down and was towed for several days by Berkeley Castle and arrived off Argentia in bad weather. Authorities stated that conditions too bad for the ships to enter harbour or for the tug to operate. However the Commanding Officer of Berkeley Castle would have none of it and successfully towed Carisbrooke Castle into harbour and to her berth. (3)
1 Feb 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR) and HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. G.H.D. Williams, RN). (4)
3 Mar 1944
HMS Terrapin (Lt.Cdr. D.S.R. Martin, DSO and 2 bars, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with with the 21st Escort Group and later only with HMS Exe (Cdr. C.E.E. Paterson, RN) and HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR). (5)
11 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Havelock (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Tyler (Lt. C.H. Ranking, RN), HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR) and HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR). (6)
30 Jun 1944
HMS Upshot (Lt. H.W. Wilkinson, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMS Hadleigh Castle (Lt. C. Sandeman, RN) and HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR). (7)
26 Nov 1944
HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Berkeley Castle (Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC and Bar, RD, RNR). (8)
28 Nov 1944
HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Berkeley Castle (Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC and Bar, RD, RNR), HMS Lancaster Castle (T/Lt. W.S. Joliffe, RNR) and HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Heron, RNVR). (8)
Sources
- File 2.12.03.6384 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/17812
- Personal communication
- ADM 173/18513
- ADM 173/18996
- ADM 173/19218
- ADM 173/19296
- ADM 173/19423
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.