RFA Prunella
RFA Prunella
True Name HMS Cape Howe
Previous name: Knight Almoner
Subsequent name:
Official Number: 167638
Class: Special Service Freighter - Q ship
Pennant No: X02
Laid down:
Builder: Lithgows, Port Glasgow
Launched: 31 March 1930
Into Service: 15 September 1939
Out of service: 21 June 1940
Fate: Sunk
Items of historic interest involving this ship: -
Background Data:
In 1939 Winston Churchill gave authority for a number of merchantmen to be requisitioned for service as Q-ships, although for security purposes they were referred to as Special Service Freighters. A fleet of 9 small mainly coal-burning vessels were acquired , 6 for deep-sea work and 3 for coastal work. All were commissioned as HM ships under their original names but were given RFA cover names and on entering harbour and while in harbour they wore the Blue Ensign, behaved as RFA’s and adopted the RFA commercial practices. None of them was really suitable for their intended roles and met with a complete lack of success. Their Q-ship service officially ended on 2 March 1941
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31 March 1930 launched by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow as Yard Nr 830 named KNIGHT ALMONER for Ottoman Line Ltd ( Pardoe-Thomas & Co Ltd, Managers) Cardiff
23 May 1930 mortgaged; joint mortgagees were James Shearer & Bertie Pardoe-Thomas
July 1930 completed
1930's laid up at Newport during the depression
11 March 1933 mortgage transferred to James Shearer Snr and John McCulloch of Lithgows Ltd.
30 January 1934 sold to Lyle Shipping Co Ltd., Glasgow
7 February 1934 renamed Cape Howe by her owner
6 March 1937 sailed Batavia to New York with a cargo of rubber
September 1939 requisitioned by the Admiralty for conversion into a Special Service Freighter by Portsmouth Dockyard
19 September 1939 commissioned as HMS Cape Howe
February 1940 conversion completed. Cover name RFA PRUNELLA. Complement 90 under command of Commander E.L. Woodhall Royal Navy. Armed with 7 x single 4-inch guns, 4 x Lewis machine guns, 4 x single 21-inch torpedo tubes, 100 x depth charges and was fitted with Asdic
7 April 1940 sailed Portsmouth on her first cruise
5 June 1940 while disguised as RFA PRUNELLA, reported sighting at 1630 two unidentified warships northwest of Norway in 64-45N, 00-24W making for Iceland on course 265 at 20 knots
21 June 1940 while hunting German submarines to the South of Ireland torpedoed and sunk at 49.54N 8.47W by the German submarine U28 (Kapitanleutnant Gunter Kuhnke) with 57 of the crew being killed. Those lost are remembered with pride on the Naval Memorials at Liverpool, Plymouth and Portsmouth. The body of one who was lost was recovered and he is buried in Pornic War Cemetery, Loire Atlantique, France
HMS Cape Howe a.k.a RFA Prunella sinking
27 June 1940 13 survivors were picked up off a raft in position 48.47 N 07.59 W, about 150 miles off Ushant by the destroyer HMS VERSATILE
4 October 1940 Honours awarded as a result of the sinking of HMS Cape Howe: -
Sub-Lieutenant Duncan Cameron Kennedy, R.N.R. mentioned in despatches for "seamanship, bravery and good leadership" taking command of the lifeboats from HMS Cape Howe when she sunk (see below)
Able Seaman G H Rhoades JX.136445
6 January 1948 Mr Charles Percy Smith, Chief Engineer Officer granted permission to wear, without restriction, the award of Chevalier of the Order of Leopold II with Palm and the Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm made by by the King of the Belgians
Notes:
- RFA Prunella was a cover name for the 'Q' Ship HMS Cape Howe. The name Prunella was used when the ship was in port so her true identity was not disclosed. She never actually sailed as an RFA