| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Rescue Tug |
| Class | Brigand |
| Pennant | W 69 |
| Built by | Fleming & Ferguson Ltd. (Paisley, Scotland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | |
| Launched | 15 Feb 1938 |
| Commissioned | May 1938 |
| End service | |
| History | Bandit was based in Simonstown, South Africa for part of the war. In 1947 she was renamed Briton. From 15 June until 29 June 1948 Briton was docked for the last time in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown prior to her return to the U.K. In 1960 Briton was sold to commercial use. |
We don't have any commands listed for HMS Bandit (W 69)
You can help improve this page
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.
Notable events involving Bandit include:
10 Jan 1940
In the evening, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Canton (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, RN) grounded in bad weather conditions on the west coast of Lewis Island, Hebrides.
She was able to get off the following morning but had sustained damage and was holed forward.
Around 1100Z/11, the armed merchant cruiser HMS California (Capt. C.J. Pope, RAN) joined to render assistance. She parted company around 1325Z/11, after the destroyers HMS Isis (Cdr. J.C. Clouston, RN) and HMS Imperial (Lt.Cdr. C.A.de W. Kitcat, RN) had joined shortly before.
Around 1700Z/11, the destroyers HMS Fame (Cdr. P.N. Walter, RN) and HMS Foresight (Lt.Cdr. G.T. Lambert, RN) also joined.
Around 2015Z/11, the tug HMS Bandit arrived. Later also the HMS Englishman joined.
Around 2110Z/11, HMS Isis and HMS Imperial parted company.
Around 1115Z/12, HMS Foresight obtained an A/S contact but lost it soon afterwards, no submarines were in the area so this mist have been a non-sub contact as no enemy submarines were in the immediate area.
The destroyers HMS Faulknor (Capt. C.S. Daniel, RN), HMS Forester (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Tancock, RN), HMS Fortune (Cdr. E.A. Gibbs, DSO, RN), HMS Foxhound (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Peters, RN) and HMS Fury (Cdr. G.F. Burghard, RN) arrived in the area to cover the passage of the damaged armed merchant cruiser to the Clyde.
Around 1215Z/13, HMS Canton arrived at Greenock. (1)
10 Jul 1940
HMRT Bandit tries to salvage the Dutch merchant Alwaki that had been torpedoed by German U-boat U-61 in convoy OA-180 about 10 miles north-east of Cape Wrath, but the ship foundered in the evening.
27 Jan 1942
HMS Seawolf (Lt. R.P. Raikes, RN) ended her 24th war patrol at Lerwick having proceeded there from Sullom Voe escorted by HMS Bandit. (2)
23 Feb 1944
HMS Stubborn (Lt. A.A. Duff, DSC, RN) departed Lerwick for Holy Loch in tow of HMS Bandit. They were escorted by HNoMS Narvik. (3)
Sources
- ADM 53/111673
- ADM 199/1836
- ADM 173/18857
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.