H .  M .  S .   T R E N T   ( K 2 4 3 )

 

RIVER-Class Frigate ordered or. 8th May 1941 in the 1941 War Programme from Charles Hill, Bristol and laid down as Yard No 291 on 31st January 1942. She was the 2nd of the Class built in this shipyard and was launched on 10th October that year by Mrs J Hodges whose husband worked for the shipbuilder. This ship was the 7th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1757 for a 6th Rate and previously by a vessel hired during WW1. Build was completed on was 20th February 1943. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK campaign for National Savings the ship had been  adopted by the civil community of Droylesden .Lancashire, now in Tameside Metropolitan Borough, Greater Manchester.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

LOUISBURG 1758 - QUEBEC 1759 - HAVANA 1762 - SICILY 1943 - ATLANTIC 1943 - BURMA 1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

No details are given in the official Record of Heraldic Crests which was exceptional

as the name had been previously used for several warships since 1757.

 

D e t a i l s   o f    W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 3

 

February                Contractors trials and commissioned for service in Western Approaches Command.

                27th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

 

March                    Carried out sea trials in Bristol Channel,

                15th        On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory

                16th        Arrived at Tobermory to commence work-up for operational service.

 

April                       Passage to join Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

May                        Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily

                                (Operation HUSKY)

 

June                        Passage to Mediterranean as part of escort for military convoy.

                                Deployed in Mediterranean

 

July                         Joined Support Force East for escort and support of HUSKY

                                (For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett. Naval Staff History

                                and for information about all mercantiles and warships involved BRITISH INVASION

                                FLEETS by J de Winser.)

                7th          Part of escort for assault convoys.

                                (Note : This deployment continued until build-up of military units was complete.)

 

August

                9th          Transferred East Indies Station or convoy defence

                                Passage to Kilindini to join East. Indies Escort Force.

 

September             Deployed at Kilindini for defence of Indian Ocean convoys.

 

October

                20th        Joined military convoy WS33 at Durban as part of escort during passage to Kilindini.

                26th        Detached from WS33 on arrival.

                30th        Deployed with HM Destroyer RAPID for escort of WS33 during passage from Kilindini to

                                Aden

 

November              Deployed for Indian Ocean convoy defence.

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Indian Ocean duties in continuation

to                            Nominated for refit

February                Passage to Simonstown.

 

March                    Taken in hand for refit at HM Dockyard Simonstown.

 

April                       On completion of post refit trials resumed Indian Ocean-convoy defence.

 

May                        Indian Ocean .deployment in continuation.

to

December

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Transferred to Trincomalee for duty with East Indies Fleet.

                                Deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

                                (For details of operations including landings on coast of Burma see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET

                                by J Winton, OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and Naval Staff History.)

 

February                Allocated for escort of RFA Tanker ECHODALE in Task Force 62 for replenishment of ships

                                carrying cut air operations.

                                (Operation STACEY - Photo-reconnaissance flights over Malaya and Sumatra.)

                22nd       Sailed from Trincomalee with RFA ECHODALE for replenishment duty.

                23rd        Detached from Force 62 and joined screen for Task Force 61 in place of HM Frigate SPEY

                                which had a machinery defect.

                                (Note : Task Force 62 comprised HM Escort Aircraft Carriers EMPRESS and AMEER,

                                HM Cruiser KENYA screened by HM Destroyers VOLAGE, VIRAGO, VIGILANT, HM

                                Frigates SWALE and PLYM.)

                24th        Refuelled from one of the Escort Carriers.

                26th        Reconnaissance flights commenced.

 

March                    Operation STACEY deployment in continuation.

                7th          Returned to Trincomalee on completion of STACEY.

                                Resumed convoy defence duties.

 

April                       Deployed with Force W for escort duties.

to                            (Note : During this period Assault landings were carried out at Rangoon

August                  Operation DRACULA and Force W provided escorts during passage of convoys.

                                Took part in extensive preparatory exercises.

                                (Note : Military convoys to ports in India and Burma required suitable escorts by ships of

                                Force W for planned landings in Malaya Operation ZIPPER.)

                                Landings in Malaya were postponed until after VJ Day but requirements for escorts in

                                Bay of Bengal were undiminished.

                                This delay was due to administrative problems in UK relating to the return of long

                                serving SEAC personnel and the insistence of the US Government for postponement.

                                (See above references and the SEAC Final Report (HMSO).)

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t es

 

HMS TRENT took passage to Cape Town after VJ Day and was refitted in a commercial shipyard. After completion the ship remained on the East Indies Station and was deployed in the Indian Ocean. She was transferred to the Royal Indian Navy at Bombay in May 1946 for use as a Survey Ship. Following conversion for this type of duty the ship served as HMIS KHUKRI until 1951 when she was renamed INS INVESTIGATOR. The name change was made after the earlier Survey Ship carrying the name, long been associated with surveying in the East Indies area, was sold. INS INVESTIGATOR Paid-off at the end of September 1974 after over 25 years use as a survey ship.