Allied Warships

HMS Tango (T 146)

ASW Trawler of the Dance class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeASW Trawler
ClassDance 
PennantT 146 
Built bySmith's Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) 
Ordered9 Sep 1939 
Laid down23 Aug 1940 
Launched29 Nov 1940 
Commissioned22 Apr 1941 
End service 
History

Sold in July 1946 to Belgian owners.
Converted in 1948 to fishing trawler at Chantier Naval St. Pierre, Hemiksem, Belgium.
Dimensions 49,78m, 8,40m, 4,41 m
Displacement 452 GRT 165 NRT 515 tdw.

Sold to Compagnie Maritime du Progés, Ostende, Belgium in 1949 being renamed Ramspkapelle (callsign OPMP).

Sold to Köser & Co., Hamburg, Germany in March 1952 being renamed Carola (callsign DECY).

Sold to Anglo-Skandia G.m.b.H., Cuxhaven, Germany later in 1952. Laid up for about a year.

Sold to Tankreederei Rhein-Weser G.m.b.H., Bremen, Germany in May 1953. Managed by DDG Hansa, Bremen, Germany, from 1956 the ship was managed by its owner. Reconstructed to Winetanker at the Jadewerft, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Also a new engine was built in. New dimensions were 54,00m, 8,46m, 4,48m. New displacement was 488 GRT, 280 NRT, 649 tdw. Machinery 8-Cylinder Diesel engine (Maschinenbau Kiel A. G., Kiel-Friedrichsort) 600 PSe / 290 rpm, 1 shaft, 1 rudder, speed 11,0 kn. The ship was delivered in October 1953 being named Vinum (callsign DECY).

Sold to Vinum S.p.A., Palermo, Italy in July 1962 being renamed Vino (Callsign IVJO) (LR-Nr. 5381459).

Sold to Finnavi S.r.L., Napels, Italy in 1987. As of 1995/1996 no longer listed in Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

 

Commands listed for HMS Tango (T 146)

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and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1T/Lt. John Hunter, RNR21 Jan 1941mid 43
2T/Lt. Robert Frederick Giles, RNVRmid 43

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Notable events involving Tango include:


11 Jun 1942
HMS H 28 (Lt. J.S. Bridger, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Lulworth (Lt.Cdr. C. Gwinner, RN) and HMS Bideford (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Moore, RNR).

After completing these exercises HMS H 28 set course for Rothesay escorted by HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR). (1)

12 Jun 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. A.D. Piper, DSC, RNR) and HMS H 44 (Lt. R.P. Webb, RN) departed Rothesay for Londonderry. They were escorted by HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR). (2)

21 Dec 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Campion (Lt.Cdr. A. Brown, RNVR), HMS Myosotis (Lt. G.P.S. Lowe, RNVR), HMS Violet (Lt. C.N. Stewart, RNR), HMS Carnation (Lt. A. Branson, RNR) and HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR). (3)

22 Dec 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Fowey (Cdr.(Retd.) L.B.A. Majendie, RN), HMS Carnation (Lt. A. Branson, RNR), HMS Black Swan (Cdr. T.A.C. Pakenham, RN), HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR), USS Spencer, USS Badger and HMCS Trillium (T/Lt. P.C. Evans, RCNR). (3)

23 Dec 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with USS Spencer, HMCS Dauphin (T/Lt. R.A.S. MacNeil, RCNR) and HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR) plus ships from the 37th Escort Group. (3)

24 May 1943

Convoy ET 21.

This convoy departed Bone / Philippeville on 24 May 1943 for Gibraltar where it arrived on 28 May 1943.

No full info on the composition of this convoy is currently known to us.

On departure from Bone / Philippeville the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Javelin (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Alliston, DSC, RN), HMS Kelvin (Lt.Cdr. J.T.B. Birch, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Velox (Lt. G.B. Barstow, RN), HMS Venomous (Lt. H.D. Durell, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Liddesdale (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Mackenzie, RNR).

HMS Javelin and HM Kelvin were detached on the 26th to conduct an A/S hunt but rejoined later the same day.

The convoy made a short call at Algiers on 26 May and various ships were detached and other ships joined and the escort was reinforced with other vessels. On arrival at Gibraltar the following escorts had joined the convoy additional to the ones listed above; corvette HMS Pentstemon (T/Lt. D.C. Williams, RNVR), A/S trawlers HMS Gavotte (T/Lt. D. Bates, RNR), HMS Tango (T/Lt. J. Hunter, RNR) and the auxiliary A/S trawlers HMS King Sol (Lt. P.A. Read, RNR) and HMS Reighton Wyke (Skr. G.M. Sutherland, RNR).

Also the rescue tug HMRT Restive had joined the convoy (4)

4 Jul 1944

Convoy UGS 47.

This convoy departed Hampton Roads on 4 July 1944.

On departure from Hampton Roads the convoy made up of the following transport / tankers; Abner Doubleday (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Alfred Moore (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), American Trader (American (tanker), 8862 GRT, built 1923), Anna Odland (Norwegian, 4980 GRT, built 1939), Archbishop Lamy (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Aztec (Hunduran, 5511 GRT, built 1929), Backhuysen (Dutch (tanker), 8194 GRT, built 1942), Barendrecht (Dutch (tanker), 9385 GRT, built 1938), Booker T. Washington (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Britannia (Norwegian (tanker), 9977 GRT, built 1939), Button Gwinnett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Caleb Strong (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Carter Baxton (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Chung Shan (Chinese, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Chung Tung (Chinese, 7120 GRT, built 1944), Dromus (British (tanker), 8036 GRT, built 1938), Edward Rutledge (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), Frank Springer (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Granville (Norwegian, 5745 GRT, built 1930), Henry Middleton (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942), Hilary A. Herbert (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Isaac Coles (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James Barbour (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James Ford Rhodes (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James Gordon Bennett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), James J. Maguire (British (tanker), 10525 GRT, built 1939), Jerome K. Jones (American, 7199 GRT, built 1943), Juaquin Miller (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Joel Chandler Harris (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Chandler (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John Davey (American, 7209 GRT, built 1943), John Fiske (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Harvard (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Sullivan (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John W. Davis (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Jonathan Edwards (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Jonathan Elmer (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Jonathan Trumbull (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Joseph Leidy (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Joseph Augustin Chevalier (American, 7176 GRT, built 1944), Jotunfjell (Norwegian (tanker), 8264 GRT, built 1937), Kong Haakon VII (Norwegian, 7073 GRT, built 1942), Leslie M. Shaw (American, 7181 GRT, built 1943), Magdala (Dutch (tanker), 8248 GRT, built 1931), Pan-Maine (American (tanker), 7237 GRT, built 1936), Peter Minuit (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), R.S. Wilson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1944), Reverdy Johnson (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Richard Bassett (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Robert Dale Owen (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Samaffric (British, 7210, built 1944), Samfaithful (British, 7210, built 1944), Samindoro (British, 7210, built 1944), Samlouis (British, 7219, built 1943), Samluzon (British, 7210, built 1944), Samnethy (British, 7210, built 1944), Samoland (British, 7255, built 1944), Samskern (British, 7210, built 1944), Samtana (British, 7210, built 1944), Samuel Blatchford (American, 7200, built 1943), Silverster Gardiner (American, 7176, built 1943), Timothy Dwight (American, 7176, built 1943), Viggo Hansteen (American, 7176, built 1943), Westmount Park (Canadian, 7133, built 1943), William L. Smith (American, 7196, built 1943), William P. Fessenden (American, 7176, built 1942) and William S. Young (American, 7176, built 1943).

Also with the convoy were the naval tanker USS Escalante (Cdr. C.L. Kiewert, USNR) and the petrol carrier USS Gauger (Lt. G.V. Davis, USNR).

On departure from Hampton Roads the convoy was escorted by the cutter USCGC Campbell (Cdr. S.F. Gray, USCG, with COMTASKFOR 61, T/Capt. J.C. Sowell, USN on board) and the destroyer escorts USS Evarts (Lt.Cdr. F.A. Harding, Jr., USNR, with COMCORTDI5 5, Cdr. R.A. Fitch, USNR on board), USS Wyffels (Lt. S.N. Gleis, USNR), USS Decker (Lt.Cdr. H.S. Cody, Jr., USNR), USS Dobler (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Butler, USNR), USS Smartt (Lt. E.R. Wepman, USNR), USS Walter S. Brown (Lt. L.C. Burdett, USNR), USS Gillette (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Daniel, Jr. USNR, with COMCORTDIV 56, T/Cdr. W.L. Harmon, USN on board), USS Underhill (Lt.Cdr. S.R. Jackson, USNR), USS Henry R. Kenyon (Lt.Cdr. A.D. Berliss, Jr., USNR), USS Gunason (Cdr. H.G. White, USNR), USS Major (Lt.Cdr. O.W. Goepner, USNR) and USS Weeden (Lt.Cdr. C.F. Tillinghast, Jr., USNR).

Also with the convoy were the patrol vessels, USS PC-1140 (Lt. F.H. Beardsley, USNR), USS PC-1168 (Lt. R.R. Hart, USNR), USS PC-1169 (Lt.(jg) R.S. Mueller, USNR), USS PC-1173 (Lt. R.S. Cathcart, USNR), USS PC-1174 (Lt. W.B. Tyler, USNR), USS PC-1244 (Lt. E.W. Stacy, USNR), USS PC-1246 (Lt. W.L. Smith, USNR), USS PC-1595 (Lt.(jg) L.H. Nightengale, USNR), USS PC-1597 (Lt. R.P. Harris, USNR) and Dague which were all on passage to the Mediterranean.

Around 0542Q/7, USS Gunason parted company to proceed to Bermuda with an appendicitis patient from USS Escalante. She rejoined the convoy around 2300Q/7.

Around 0610Q/7, the patrol vessels USS PC-1593 (Lt.(jg) J.A. Foley, USNR), USS PC-1594 (Lt. G.A. Tredick, Jr., USNR) and USS PC-1596 (Lt. J.C. McKay, USNR) joined the convoy coming from Bermuda.

At 0612Q/7, the Aztec broke down. It was estimated repairs would take six hours. USS Decker was ordered to remain behind with the stricken ship. They rejoined the convoy around 0700P/8.

On 9 July 1944, USS Escalante fuelled all the patrol vessels that had been with the convoy on departure from Hampton Roads in the following order; USS PC-1173, Dague, USS PC-1595, USS PC-1174, USS PC-1169, USS PC-1140, USS PC-1597, USS PC-1244, USS PC-1169 and USS PC-1246.

On 10 July 1944, USS Escalante fuelled the following escort vessels; USCGC Campbell, USS Walter S. Brown, USS Gillette, USS Decker, USS Major, USS Wyffels, USS Henry R. Kenyon, USS Dobler, USS Weeden, USS Smartt, USS Evans, USS Gunason, USS PC-1593 and USS Underhill.

Around 1100N/14, the tanker Var (French, 7935 GRT, built 1931) and transport Henry Baldwin (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942) joined coming from the Azores. They had been escorted to the rendezvous by the A/S trawler HMS Paynter (T/Lt. T.B.S. Brown, RNVR). HMS Paynter did not join the convoy.

Around 1030N/15, the Button Gwinnett broke down. Repairs were estimated to take about four to six hours. USS Decker was ordered to stand by. They rejoined the following morning.

During the 16th, all the escorts were fuelled by USS Escalante in the following order; USS PC-1593, USS PC-1169, USS PC-1173, USS Dague, USS PC-1596, USS PC-1140, USS PC-1174, USS PC-1597, USS PC-1595, USS PC-1593, USS PC-1168, USS PC-1246, USS PC-1594, USS Walter S. Brown, USCGC Campbell, USS PC-1244, USS Henry R. Kenyon, USS Wyffels, USS Gunason, USS Dobler, USS Major, USS Decker, USS Weeden, USS Smartt, USS Evarts, USS Gillette and USS Underhill.

Around 1630A/17, the James J. Maguire broke down. USS Decker was ordered to stand by the stricken vessel. They rejoined the convoy on the 19th.

Around 1615A/18, the following transports / tankers parted company with to convoy to proceed to Casablanca; Booker T. Washington, Jonathan Edwards, Pan-Maine and Var. They were escorted by the patrol vessel / sloop Amiral Mouchez and the patrol vessels L'Ardent and Le Resolu which had departed Casablanca earlier on the 18th. The 'Casablanca section' arrived there on the 19th.

On 19 July 1944, in the Straits of Gibraltar the transport Benjamin Tay (British, 1814 GRT, built 1943) joined the convoy as did the rescue tugs HMRT St. Day and HMRT Aspirant.

Around 1600B/20, the following transports / tankers; Aztec, Button Gwinnett, Dromus, Joel Chandler Harris, Jonathan Elmer, Richard Bassett and USS Gauger parted company with the convoy to proceed to Oran Bay.

Around the same time the following transports joined coming from Oran Bay; Bernard N. Baker (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Dwight W. Morrow (American, 7225 GRT, built 1943), Ezra Cornell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Gouverneur General Lepine (French, 3509 GRT, built 1923), Howard A. Kelly (American, 7191 GRT, built 1943), Moses Rogers (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Sidi-Brahim (British (former French), 2427 GRT, built 1910), Theodoric Bland (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Thomas R. Marshall (American, 7200 GRT, built 1943), Ville d'Ajaccio (French, 2444 GRT, built 1929) and Walter E. Ranger (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).

Around 1700B/20, the AA cruiser HMS Caledon (Capt. R.F. Nichols, RN) joined the convoy coming from Algiers.

Around 1734B/20, the destroyer USS Madison (T/Cdr. D.A. Stuart, USN) joined the convoy to serve as jamming ship against possible German radio controlled bomb attacks.

Around 1415B/21, the following transports; American Trader, Britannia, Gouverneur General Lepine, Henry Baldwin, James J. Maguire, Kong Haakon VII, Samoland, Sidi-Brahim, Silvester Gardiner, Ville d'Ajaccio and Walter E. Ranger parted company with the convoy to proceed to Algiers. The patrol vessel Dague was also detached to Algiers.

Around the same time the following transports / tankers joined coming from Algiers; Chiswick (British, 6006 GRT, built 1943), Empire Spartan (British, 7009 GRT, built 1942), Fort Gaspereau (British, 7134 GRT, built 1943), Fort Kootenay (British, 7133 GRT, built 1942), Fort Pembina (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942), Fort Richelieu (British, 7130 GRT, built 1943), Harlesden (British, 7273 GRT, built 1943), Ocean Gypsy (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942) and Ocean Rider (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942).

Around 1800B/22, the transports Egret (British, 1391 GRT, built 1937) and Kwai Sang (British, 2320 GRT, built 1917) joined coming from Bone. The rescue tug HMRT Aspirant was detached to Bone.

Around 2200B/22, USS Madison was detached to proceed to Oran.

Around 0730B/23, a British escort group relieved the American escorts which then proceeded to Bizerta with HMS Caledon, USS Escalante and the transport Howard A. Kelly in company. the British escorts were the following; sloop HMS Fleetwood (Cdr. W.B. Piggott, DSC and Bar, OBE, RD, RNR), minesweeper HMS Hazard (Lt.Cdr. L.C. Smith, RN) and the corvettes HMS Anemone (Lt. J.B. Sparkes, RNR) and HMS Coltsfoot (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.W. Rayner, RNVR).

On 24 July 1944, the transport Changte (British, 4324 GRT, built 1925) joined the convoy coming from Malta.

On 24 July 1944, the following transports / tankers departed Augusta to join the convoy; Badarpur (British (tanker), 8079 GRT, built 1922), Buccinum (British (tanker), 5237 GRT, built 1910), Crista (British, 2590 GRT, built 1938), Empire Rock (British, 7061 GRT, built 1943), Fort Drew (British, 7134 GRT, built 1943), Morialta (British, 1379 GRT, built 1940) and Samfaithful (British, 7210 GRT, built 1944). These ships were most likely escorted to the rendezvous with the convoy by the A/S trawler HMS Gavotte (T/Lt. W.A. Swain, RNVR) and HMS Tango (T/Lt. R.F. Giles, RNVR) and M/S trawler HMS Egilsay (T/Lt. J.F. Squires, RNVR).

On these ships joining the following transports / tankers were detached to Augusta where they arrived on 25 July 1944; Abner Doubleday, Alfred Moore, Archbishop Lamy, Backhuysen, Barendrecht, Benjamin Tay, Bernard N. Baker, Caleb Strong, Carter Braxton, Chiswick, Dwight W. Morrow, Egret, Empire Spartan, Ezra Cornell, Fort Gasperea, Fort Kootenay, Fort Pembina, Fort Richelieu, Harlesden, Hilary A. Herbert, Isaac Coles, James Barbour, James Ford Rhodes, Jerome K. Jones, Juaquin Miller, John Chandler, John Fiske, John Harvard, John Sullivan, Jonathan Trumbull, Joseph Leidy, Jotunfjell, Kwai Sang, Leslie M. Shaw, Magdala, Moses Rogers, Ocean Gypsy, Ocean Rider, Peter Minuit, Robert Dale Owen, Samindoro, Samluzon, Samskern, Samuel Blatchford, Theodoric Bland, Thomas R. Marshall, Timothy Dwight, Viggo Hansteen, William Smith, William P. Fessenden and William S. Young. They were most likely escorted to Augusta by the three above mention trawlers.

On 28 July 1944 the transports / tankers; Changte, Crista, Granville, Joseph Augustin Chevalier, Morialta, Reverdy Johnson and Samaffric arrived at Alexandria after having been detached from the convoy. HMS Hazard, HMS Anemone and HMS Coltsfood also arrived at Alexandria.

On 29 July 1944, the transports / tankers; Anna Odland, Badarpur, Buccinum, Chung Shan, Chung Tung, Edward Rutledge, Fort Drew, Empire Rock, Frank Springer, Henry Middleton, James Gordon Bennett, John Davey, John W. Davis, R.S. Wilson, Samfaithful, Samlouis, Samnethy, Samtana and Westmount Park arrived at Port Said escorted by HMS Fleetwood.

Sources

  1. ADM 173/17202
  2. ADM 173/17238 + ADM 173/17262
  3. ADM 173/17244
  4. ADM 199/639

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


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