Hello - this is my first post to this forum, I was hoping someone might be able to help with my research into Royal Navy commanding officers from WW2. I'm confident I know most of the Flower Class CO's, but there are one or two gaps in the Navy List which are causing me problems. To summarise:
HMS Abelia. When did Lt R A Parker RNVR, her last CO, relieve Lt D S Hutton RNR? This would be between 7/44-5/45.
HMS Buttercup. When did Lt W A M J Libert RNR, her las CO before transfer to Norway, relieve Lt Cdr J Hunter RNR? This would be between 3/44-12/44.
HMS Carnation. This ship was commissioned 7/40, but the earliest CO I can trace is Lt Cdr G W Houchen RNR, appointed 12/40. He was relieved in 6/42 (when he took command of the new frigate HMS Kale) but I cannot establish a CO between this date and 3/43, when Carnation was transferred to Norway. Similarly, records show that she returned to RN service in 10/44 but the next CO listed is Lt W R Fowler RNVR, appointed in 2/45. Was she possibly laid up for a time or times, perhaps as a result of defects or damage?
HMS Crocus. When did Lt D G White RNVR, her last CO, relieve Lt A R Mackay RNR? This would be between 10/43-5/45.
HMS Heartsease. Lt Cdr J A Baragwanath RNR was appointed in 7/41; by 12/41 the CO was Lt G C W Meldrum RNR. When did Lt Meldrum take over?
HMS Lotus. When did Lt T S Cox RNVR, her last CO, relieve Lt Cdr J B Bald RNVR? This would be 6/44-7/45.
HMS Meadowsweet. Major problems with this ship. Lt W E Saunders RNVR seems to have had two spells in command, the later until 10/45 when Lt C G Jackson RNR took over, and I am surmising the earlier one, in 1942/43, was temporary - perhaps he was 1st Lieutenant at that time? Lt P E Mawrey RNR was in command from 10/43 onwards but I don't know when he was relieved, and whether it was by Lt Saunders or another officer - and I cannot establish a CO, other than Saunders, from her commissioning in 7/42 until Lt Mawrey took over.
HMS Pink. Lt R Atkinson RNR was releived in 12/43 and Cdr G V Legassick RNR seems to have taken up temporary command (having been without a command of his own since 9/43, when he left the frigate HMS Berry). However, Cdr Legassick took over both the destroyer HMS Hesperus and his own Escort Group in 3/44, so who was Pink's CO between this time and 6/44, when she was torpedoed and damaged beyond repair?
HMS Primula. In July 1941, Lt Cdr J H Fuller RNR was in command; by 1/42 Lt J Paterson RNR had taken over. When was Lt Cdr Fuller relieved? Was it in 9/41, when Primula left the UK for the Middle East?
HMS Spiraea. In July 1941, Lt L C Head RNVR was in command; by 11/41 Lt R W Tretheway RNR had taken over. When was Lt Head relieved?
HMS Stonecrop. When did Lt Cdr P N F Appleyard RNVR, her last CO, relieve Lt J E Guest RNVR? This would be between 4/44-5/45.
I would be really grateful for any help on this, no matter how insignificant it might seem. My researches have shown that ship movements - refits, lay-offs due to damage, transfer to another theatre etc - can often provide significant clues to CO appointments, as can evidence of particular officers being in another place at a certain time.
Regards
Steve
