| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Rescue Tug |
| Class | Assurance |
| Pennant | W 73 |
| Built by | Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 11 Mar 1940 |
| Launched | 6 Aug 1940 |
| Commissioned | 19 Nov 1940 |
| End service | |
| History | HMRT Prudent was renamed Cautious when she became a Dockyard Tug in 1947. Sold and renamed Rivtow Lion in 1964. She was finally sunk as a recreational dive site at Nanaimo, BC (Canada) on 6 February 2005. |
We don't have any commands listed for HMS Prudent (W 73)
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 Prudent include:
16 Sep 1941
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, DSC, RN) is wiped.
In the evening, she also conducted gunnery exercises off St. John's firing on a target that was being towed by HMRT Prudent. (1)
23 Sep 1942
Around 1530Z/23, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) departed from Freetown for Pointe Noire. She was escorted by Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves.
Around 1000A/27, in position 02°45'N, 04°23'W, HMRT Prudent joined company. (2)
2 Oct 1942
Around 1630B/2, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN), Commandant d'Estienne d'Orves and HMRT Prudent arrived at Pointe Noire. (2)
3 Oct 1942
Around 1730B/3, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HMRT Prudent departed from Pointe Noire, Congo for Simonstown, South Africa. (2)
12 Oct 1942
Around 1500B/12, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HMRT Prudent arrived at Salandha Bay, South Africa.
The previous day they had been ordered to proceed to Salandha Bay instead of Simonstown due to the threat of German U-boats that were operating in South African waters at that time. (2)
16 Oct 1942
Around 0915B/16,HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HMRT Prudent departed from Salandha Bay for Simonstown. (3)
10 Dec 1943
Around 0800F/10, the heavy cruiser HMS Frobisher (Capt. J.F.W. Mudford, RN) made rendezvous in position 09°40'S, 78°09'E with the disabled French light cruiser (large destroyer) Le Triomphant that was being towed by tanker Cedar Mills (American, 10172 GRT, built 1943). During the day evacuated crew members from the disabled French ship which had been on board the Cedar Mills transferred to HMS Frobisher. Also the tow was transferred and the Cedar Mills parted company to proceed to her own destination.
HMS Frobisher with the Le Triomphant in tow then set course for Diego Suarez.
Around 2045E/14, in approximate position 11°57'S, 63°00'E, the sloop Savorgnan de Brazza joined coming from Diego Suarez.
Around 1500DE/15, the rescue tug HMRT Prudent joined and took over the tow. HMS Frobisher then parted company with the other ships around 1620DE/15. She arrived at Diego Suarez around 1515C/16. The other three ships arrived at Diego Suarez in the evening of 19 December 1943. (4)
Sources
- ADM 53/114284 + ADM 173/17098
- File 2.12.03.6412 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- File 2.12.03.6413 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 53/117548
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.