The British Pacific and East Indies Fleets

The forgotten fleets that fought the Japanese in the Pacific and Indian Oceans


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East Indies Fleet
Support ships, Auxiliaries & Shore Bases

Use the quick links at the top of the page to go directly to a warship type.

Blue links are completed pages, Black links are pages under construction. Green links take users to histories already covered in other areas of the Royal Navy Research Archive.

Note on Pennant numbers: Temporary numbers were issued to most vessels to bring them into line with US Naval practice however, these do not appear to have been applied to the hulls of all EIF vessels. This table will show these temporary pennant numbers where they are known, and the one actually worn, if any, in square brackets.

Key to symbols & abbreviations:

‡ = Joined after August 15th 1945 or no active service, * = Transferred to British pacific Fleet,+ = Bar award to medal. RA = Rear Admiral, VA = Vice Admiral, C in C = Commander in Chief, RNVR = Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, SANF(V) – South African Naval Force (Volunteer) RAN = Royal Australian Navy, RCN = Royal Canadian Navy, RNZN = Royal New Zealand Navy, RIN = Royal Indian Navy, RFA = Royal Fleet Auxiliary (Blue ensign), MFA = Merchant Fleet Auxiliary (Red ensign), RNAS = Royal Naval Air Station, RNAMY = Royal Naval Air Maintenance Yard.

Depot Ships Repair Ships Salvage Vessels Rescue Tugs Floating Docks Deperming Ship Net Layer Boom Carriers Surveying Vessels Tankers Aircraft Target Ship Hospital Ships RN Bases RIN Base & Depot Ships RN Air Establishments RN Auxiliary Hospitals

 

Depot & Base Ships

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
ADAMANT* F64 Capt. H. M. Cyril Ionides, RN Dec 43
Capt. B. Bryant, DSO++, DSC RN Jun 45 		Submarine Depot Ship 4th Submarine flotilla, Trincomalee /Freemantle
AORANGI*     Submarine Depot Ship 4th Submarine flotilla, Freemantle
CARADOC D60 Capt. A. J. Baker-Cresswell, DSO, RN Apr 44
Cdr. K. E. Gain, RNVR early 45
Cdr. J. H. Eaden, DSC, RN Jul 45 		Accommodation Ship, Colombo, Flag Ship East Indies Fleet.
DERBY HAVEN‡   Cdr. T. A. Sergeant, RD, RNR  Coastal Forces Depot Ship, Singapore
GOMBROON   Capt. H. T. Strawbridge, R.N., OBE Jul 43
Capt. R. H. V. Sivewright, DSC Dec 44
Cdr. J. E. Fenton, OBE Sep 45

N.O.I.C. Basra, Base Ship; Depot ship Costal Forces Persian Gulf, Hotmuz; i/c RN Base, Khor Kuwai, / Depot ship Burma Costal Forces, Rangoon from May 45

LANDGUARD Y56 Lt. B. M. Skinner, RN Jan 44
Lt. R. O. Tyrer, RNVR May 45 		Ex-Us Cutter - temp Accommodation ship at Colombo from 5.45 after engine damage
LUCIA F27 Capt. G. H. Stapleton Submarine Depot Ship, Colombo
MAIDSTONE* F44 Capt. L. M. Shadwell Submarine Depot Ship 8th Submarine flotilla, Freemantle
WOLFE F37 Capt. J. E. Slaughter, DSO Submarine Depot Ship 2ND Submarine flotilla, Trincomalee
SCOUT H51 Lt. C. P. Kane-White, RANVR tender to WOOLWICH
SPRINGTIDE   Lt. F. W. Treves, BEM, RNR Base ship Kilindini
WOOLWICH F80 Capt. (retd) W. B. Hynes, DSO, RN Jul 44
 Capt. W. G. Davis, DSC, RN Sep 45 		Destroyer Depot Ship, Trincomalee
WUCHANG F30 Cdr. M. K. Cavenagh-Mainwaring, DSO, RN Feb 44
Lt.Cdr. J. H. L. McCarter, SANF(V) Apr 45 ) 		Accommodation Ship, Trincomalee
YINGCHOW   Lt.Cdr. L. E. Briard RINR Mar 43
Cdr. A. G. D. Bagot Mar 45		 Base Ship Trincomalee/Colombo

Repair Ships

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
AUSONIA F53 Capt. J. M. Scott Heavy Repair Ship
BEACHY HEAD

F02

 Capt. C. K. Adam, DSO Escort Maintenance Ship
CORBRAE   Lt. Cdr. C. H. Pollock, DSC Minesweeper Maintenance Ship
MULL OF GALLOWAY F26  Cdr. E. C. Hicks, RN, RNR Escort Maintenance Ship
MULLION COVE F186 Cdr. J. E. Evans, DSC, RD, RNR Hull Repair Ship
WAYLAND   Capt. W. G. A. Shuttleworth Fleet Repair Ship
LSE (LS) 01   Lt.Cdr. G. N. Spring, RNR Landing Ship Emergency Repair Vessel
LSE (LS) 02   Lt.Cdr. W. A. Willis, RNR Landing Ship Emergency Repair Vessel
LSE (LC) 51   Lt. G. D. Guppy, RNVR Landing Ship Emergency Repair (Landing Craft)

Salvage Vessels

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
OCEAN SALVOR      
SALVIGIL      
SALVIOLA      

Rescue Tugs

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
ASSIDUOUS W142    
EMINENT W116    

Floating Docks

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
AFD 22    Lt. Cullen  

Deperming Ship

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
BUSHWOOD    Lt. C. C. Boxall, RNR  

Net Layer

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
BRITTANY    Lt. S. R. Berry, RNR  

Boom Carriers

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
DEVON CITY    Cdr. A. McD. Harvey  
ETHIOPIAN   Cdr. K. A. S. Phillips, RD, RNR  

Surveying Vessels

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
CHALLENGER   Cdr. C. W. Sabine, OBE  
HDML 1238   Lt. T. E. Powell, RNVR  
HDML 1288   S/Lt. W. A. Bailey, RNVR  
HDML 1376   Lt. C. M. Ockleford, RNVR  
NGUVA   Lt. Cdr. C. J. Wood  
VIRGINIA   Lt. P. P. O'SuUivan, RNR  
WHITE BEAR   Lt. Cdr. K. W. Hay, DSC  

Tankers

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
DEWDALE (RFA)      
ECHODALE (RFA)      
ENNERDALE (RFA)      

Aircraft Target Ship

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
CARABINIERE (Italian)      

Hospital Ships

Name Pennant Commanding Officer Notes
VASNA*   Surg. Capt. R. A. Brown, MB, CHB  Senior Medical Officer Civilian crewed with RN medical staff
VITA   Surg. Capt. L. F. Strugnell, MB, BS., MRCS, LRCP Dec 43 Senior Medical Officer

Surg. Cdr. R. G. Anthony, MB, chB Jan 1945
Senior Medical Officer/span>		 Civilian crewed with RN medical staff
OPHIR   Surg. Capt. A. H. Harkins, MB, ChB Senior Medical Officer

Surg. Capt. F. L. Cassidi, MB, Bch Senior Medical Officer (01 June 45)

 Dutch Civilian crewed with RN medical staff
TJITJALENGKA*   Surg. Capt F. G. Hunt, MB, Bch Senior Medical Officer Dutch Civilian crewed with RN medical staff

RN Bases

Name   Commanding Officer Notes
ADYAR     Combined Operations base, Madras, india
AMZARI   Capt. G. I. S. More, OBE Landing Craft Base, Vizagapatam, India
BRAGANZA   Capt. A. R. Farquhar, DSC HM Naval Dockyard, Bombay, India
CHILWA   Lt. R. J. Evans, RNR Landing Craft Base, Calcutta, India
CHINKARA   Capt. I. W. Whitehom (Commodore, RNR) Landing Craft Base, Cochin, India
HIGHFLYER   Capt. A. O'Leary, OBE RN base, Trincomalee, Ceylon
IRONCLAD     RN base, Diego Suarez, Madagascar - Paid off 13 Feb 45
JUFAIR   Lt. Cdr. J. lrwin, RD, RNR RN base, Mina Salman, Bahrain
LANKA (II & III)   Capt. J. F. W. Mudford RN base/Accounting Base, Colombo, Ceylon
MARAGA   Lt. J. F. Humphreys, DSC, RNVR RN base, Addu Atoll, Maldives Islands
MAYINA   Capt. W. R. G. Reid RN Transit & Holding Camp, Chat Camp, Colombo, Ceylon
OMAN     RN base, Khor, Kuwait
PANGKOR (RIN)   Lt. R. Warren, RNR Base Ship, Bombay, India
SAMBUR   Cdr. W. Pennefather RN base, Plaisance, Mauritius
SANGDRAGON   Cdr. L. P. Lane RN base, Seychelles
SHEBA   Cdre. E. A. Aylmer, DSC RN base, Aden
TANA   Cdr. Sir P. W. Bowyer-Smyth, Bt RN base, Kilindini, Mombasa, Kenya
TENGRA   Capt. T. N. Sheffield, OBE Combined Operations base, Mandapam, India

RIN Base & Depot Ships

Name   Commanding Officer Notes
CIRCARS     RIN base, Vizagapatam
DALHOUSIE     RIN Depot, Bombay
HOOGLY     RIN base, Calcutta
MONZE     Local Naval Defence Base, Karachi
MOTI     Coastal Forces base, Bombay
PATUNGA     Local Naval Defence Base, Chittagong
SITA     RIN Rest Camp & Holding Depot, RIN holding depot, Ceylon
VENDURUTHI     RIN base, Cochin

Royal Naval Air Establishments

Name   Commanding Officer Notes
BAMBARA   Capt. H. M. Spreckley RNAS/RNARy Trincomalee. Ceylon
BERHUNDA   Capt. A. F. Campbell, OBE RNAS Colombo, Ceylon
GARUDA   Capt. E. R. G. Baker RNARY Coimbatore, S. India
KALUGU   Cdr. E. K. Lee, RNVR RN Air Sect. Cochin, S. India
KORONGO     RNAMY Nairobi, Kenya (On Care & Maintenance)
MONARA   Lt. Cdr L. C. Orman, DSC, 01 Oct 43 Commander G.T. McInnes, 23 Jan46 RN Air Ceylonese Training Establishment, Maharagama, Ceylon
RAJALIYA   Cdr. J. C. Cockbum, DSC RNAS  Puttalam, Ceylon
On books of 'TANA' (1)     RNAS Mackinnon Road, Kenya (On Care & Maintenance)
On books of 'TANA' (2)     RNAS Voi, Kenya (On Care & Maintenance)
On books of 'TANA' (3)     RN Air Sect. Port Reitz, Kenya (On Care & Maintenance)
UKUSSA   Capt. J. S. Crawford, DSO RNAS Katukurunda, Ceylon
VAIRI   Cdr. G. R. Brown, DSC RNAS Sulur, Coimbatore, S. India
VALLURU   Capt. H. M. S. Mundy, DSC RNAS Tambaram, Madras, S. India

RN Auxiliary Hospitals

Location   Commanding Officer Notes
Bombay, India   Surg. Capt T. M. D'Arcy, LRCP & s, DOMS  
Colombo, Ceylon   Surg. Rear Admiral H. E. Y. White, CVO, OBE, MD, CHB, FRCS, KHS  
Colombo (St. Peters), Ceylon   Surg. Capt E. C. Davis, MD  
Diyatalawa, Ceylon   Surg. Capt F. E. FitzMaurice, LRCP&S  
Trincomalee, Ceylon   Surg. Capt  0. D. Brownfield, OBE, MB, CBS, MRCS, LRCP  
Mombasa, Kenya   Surg. Capt J. Wylie, OBE, MB, CHB  
Durban, South Africa   Surg. Rear Admiral G . V . Hobbs , MRCS , LRCP  
       


 

 

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HM Ships COLOSSUS, GLORY, VENERABLE and VENGEANCE. GLORY did not arrive in Sydney until August 16th.

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At the end of June 1945, the Admiralty implemented a new system of classification for carrier air wings, adopting the American practice one carrier would embark a single Carrier Air Group (CAG) which would encompass all the ships squadrons.

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Sturtivant, R & Balance, T. (1994) 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm’ list 899 squadron as conducting DLT on the Escort Carrier ARBITER on August 15th. It is possible that the usual three-day evolution was cancelled due to the announcement of the Japanese surrender on this date and was postponed for a month.

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The reminiscences of

Gordon served with the radio section of Mobile Repair UNit No.1 (MR 1) at Nowra, he was a member of the local RN dance band, and possibly the last member of MONAB I to leave Nowra after it paid off. .

Drafted to

Coming home

In March 1946 I joined 812 squadron, aboard HMS Vengeance, spending some time ditching American aircraft north of Australia. Eventually we sailed for Ceylon ( Sri Lanka ) landing at Trincomalee and setting up a radio section at Katakarunda. In the belief that we were exhausted we were sent to a rest camp at Kandy for a few weeks. We moved down to Colombo to pick up Vengeance and returned to Portsmouth via the Suez Canal . I was discharged in November 1946.

Gordon Theaker