INSECT-Class River Gunboat
ordered from Barclay Curle and launched on
17th December 1915 as
the 3rd RN ship
to carry the name. It was introduced for a
Hired Ketch in 1808 and previously used by
a coastal
destroyer in 1906 which was later renamed
TB1. Build of this ship was completed in
1916 During 1919 she was deployed at
Archangel during
operations against Bolshevik
forces. and
seriously damaged by shore fire. Following
her repair
in UK the ship joined the Yangtse
Flotilla baaed at Hong Kong where she
provided a British presence
to protect British flagged shipping and
British
nationals in an emergency.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r
LIBYA
1941
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Red , a cricket Gold
D
e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
1
9 3 9
September
Nominated
for conversion for minesweeping duties.
to
Taken in hand for conversion to new
role.
December
1
9 4 0
Nominated
for service at Alexandria
On
completion took passage to join
Mediterranean Fleet
Taken
in hand for repair to defects on passage
1
9 4
1
January
Under repair
to
April
May
Prepared for
service in Inshore Squadron for support of
military operations in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
June
Deployed off North African coast.
29th
Escorted convoy with HM Sloop
FLAMINGO and HM South African Whaler
SOUTHERN ISLE to Mersa Matruh
30th
Came under attack by 60 dive
bombers off Mersa Matruh and sustained
major
damage. Boiler Room
flooded and ship disabled.
July
Towed
to Alexandria.
to
(Note:
Initially by HMS FLAMINGO and later by HM
Tug ST ISSEY
December
Found
beyond
economic repair and placed on the Disposal
List.
(Note: Gun
barrels were transferred to HMS
APHIS but not very
satisfactory)
Placed on Disposal List
1
9 4 2
Sold at Alexandria for
breaking-up.