| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | ASW Trawler |
| Class | [No specific class] |
| Pennant | T 40 |
| Built by | Smiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | |
| Launched | 20 Dec 1934 |
| Commissioned | Nov 1935 |
| Lost | 20 Apr 1941 |
| History | Completed in January 1935. HMT Topaze (Chief Skipper George Richard Gale, RNR) was sunk after a collision with the British battleship HMS Rodney off the Clyde on 20 April 1941. The Commanding officer and 17 more members of the crew went down with the ship. |
Commands listed for HMS Topaze (T 40)
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 | Lt. John Nicholas Hambly, RN | 3 Oct 1938 | 14 Jan 1941 |
| 2 | Ch.Skr. George Richard Gale, RNR | 14 Jan 1941 | 20 Apr 1941 (+) |
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Notable events involving Topaze include:
8 Feb 1940
HMS H 32 (Lt. M.D. Wanklyn, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Portland with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN) and HMS Hertfordshire (Skr. A.H. Sandford, RNR). (1)
19 Jun 1940
HrMs O 9 (Lt. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Portland together with the British A/S yacht HMS Valena (Capt. W.H. Poole, RNR) and A/S trawler HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (2)
26 Jun 1940
HrMs O 9 (Lt. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Portland with HMS Valena (Capt. W.H. Poole, RNR) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (2)
27 Jun 1940
HrMs O 10 (Lt. G. Quint, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Portland together with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (3)
19 Jul 1940
HMS Oberon (Lt. C.B. Crouch, RN) conducted exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (4)
22 Jul 1940
HMS H 33 (Lt. E.P. Tomkinson, RN) participated in / conducted exercises off Campbeltown. These included a practice attack on HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (5)
23 Jul 1940
HMS H 33 (Lt. E.P. Tomkinson, RN) participated in / conducted exercises off Campbeltown. These included a practice attack on HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). Upon completion of these exercises HMS H 33 proceeded to Rothesay. (5)
4 Aug 1940
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. G. Quint, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN), HMS Carina (Cdr.(Retd.) T.St.V.F. Tyler, RN) and HMS Lady Sharazad (Cdr.(Retd.) A.G. Venables, RN). (3)
6 Aug 1940
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. G. Quint, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Tuscarora (Capt.(Retd.) E.C. Stubbs, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (3)
7 Aug 1940
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. G. Quint, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN) and HMS Lady Sharazad (Cdr.(Retd.) A.G. Venables, RN). (3)
17 Sep 1940
HMS H 34 (Lt. A.F. Collett, RN) conducted A/S exercises of Campbeltown with HMS St. Modwen (Cdr.(Retd.) W.A. Ford, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN).
Upon completion of these exercises Lt. Napier took command of HMS H 34 vice Lt. Collett. (6)
19 Sep 1940
HMS H 34 (Lt. L.W. Napier, RN) conducted A/S exercises of Campbeltown with HMS Lady Sharazad (Cdr.(Retd.) A.G. Venables, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (6)
21 Sep 1940
HMS H 34 (Lt. L.W. Napier, RN) conducted A/S exercises of Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN) and HMS Carina (Cdr.(Retd.) T.St.V.F. Tyler, RN). (6)
28 Sep 1940
HMS H 34 (Lt. L.W. Napier, RN) conducted A/S exercises of Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. John J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN) and HMS Terje 2 (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR). Upon completion of these exercises HMS H 34 proceeded to Rothesay. (6)
27 Oct 1940
HMS H 32 (Lt. R.L. Alexander, RN) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown. These also included practice attacks on HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (7)
1 Nov 1940
HMS H 50 (Lt. G.V. Prowse, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (8)
16 Nov 1940
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Terje 2 (Skr. S.G. Jinks, RNR) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (9)
22 Nov 1940
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Anthony (Lt.Cdr. V.C.F. Clark, DSC, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (9)
9 Dec 1940
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Lady Sharazad (Cdr.(Retd.) A.G. Venables, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (10)
12 Dec 1940
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS St. Modwen (Cdr.(Retd.) W.A. Ford, RN) and HMS Topaze (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Hambly, MBE, RN). (10)
15 Jan 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR). (11)
17 Jan 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSO, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR) and HMS Terje 3 (Skr. J.H.D. Dansie, RNR). (11)
20 Feb 1941
HrMs O 9 (Lt. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR). (12)
4 Mar 1941
HMS H 31 (Lt. R.D. Whiteway-Wilkinson DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR). (13)
5 Mar 1941
HMS H 31 (Lt. R.D. Whiteway-Wilkinson DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Topaze (Ch.Skr. G.R. Gale, RNR). (13)
Sources
- ADM 173/16283
- File 2.12.03.6365 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- File 2.12.03.6375 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/16346
- ADM 173/16295
- ADM 173/16306
- ADM 173/16289
- ADM 173/16334
- ADM 173/16349
- ADM 173/16350
- ADM 173/16814
- File 2.12.03.6367 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/16727
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.