HMS Glengyle facts for kids
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|} HMS Glengyle was a large cargo ship that became a special troop transport ship for the British Royal Navy during World War II. It weighed about 9,919 tons. The Glengyle helped carry soldiers from Britain and other Allied countries in important sea-to-land attacks. It was fast, so it could travel long distances quickly. Then, using its smaller landing boats, it could drop off soldiers, vehicles, and supplies right onto enemy beaches.
Contents
- Early Operations in 1941
- Malta Convoys and Dieppe Raid
- Mediterranean and Far East Missions
- Refit and End of War
| History | |
|---|---|
  United Kingdom |
|
| Name | HMS Glengyle |
| Builder | Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Dundee |
| Launched | 18 July 1939 |
| Commissioned | 10 September 1940 |
| Out of service | Returned to Glen Line 17 July 1946 |
| Renamed | Deucalion in October 1970 |
| Fate | Scrapped by June 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 9,919 GRT |
| Length | 507 ft 6 in (154.69 m) |
| Beam | 66 ft 4 in (20.22 m) |
| Draught | 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m) |
| Installed power | 12,000 bhp |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Capacity | 34 officers 663 other ranks |
| Complement | 523 |
| Armament |
|
Building and Changing the Ship
The Glengyle was built by a company called Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Dundee, Scotland. It was originally for a shipping company called Glen Line. While Glengyle and its sister ships (Glenearn, Glenroy, and Breconshire) were being built in 1938, experts realized they would be perfect for carrying soldiers and landing them on beaches. These four fast ships were first meant to carry passengers and goods to the Far East.
The British Navy (Admiralty) took over Glengyle soon after it was launched. They changed it into a fast supply ship. From April to June 1940, it was changed even more to become a troop landing ship. It could carry up to 34 officers and 663 other soldiers. It also carried 12 smaller Landing Craft Assault (LCA) boats and one LCM boat. These smaller boats were used to get soldiers from the ship to the shore. The Glengyle officially joined the Navy on September 10, 1940.
World War II Service
In January 1941, Glengyle sailed around Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. There, it joined a special group of ships called Layforce.
Early Operations in 1941
The Glengyle took part in the Bardia raid on April 19-20, 1941. Later that month, it helped evacuate soldiers during the evacuation of Greece. It rescued about 4,500 troops from Porto Rafti. In May, it carried another 3,000 soldiers to Crete. Later that same month, Glengyle and another ship, the Cameronia, helped evacuate 6,000 soldiers from Crete during the Battle of Crete.
On June 8, Glengyle worked with the cruisers HMS Phoebe, HMAS Perth, and HMS Calcutta at the start of the Syria–Lebanon campaign.
Malta Convoys and Dieppe Raid
By January 1942, Glengyle was part of the Malta Convoys, carrying important supplies from Alexandria. It then returned to Britain in April to get ready for the Dieppe Raid. To keep its true purpose a secret, Glengyle was disguised as a tanker. On August 19, it carried Canadian soldiers (The Essex Scottish Regiment) to "White Beach" during the raid.
Mediterranean and Far East Missions
In November, Glengyle returned to the Mediterranean. It transported US troops for the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. In 1943, it was also involved in the Allied invasion of Sicily. During this invasion, Admiral Philip Vian briefly commanded a group of ships from aboard the Glengyle.
After taking troops to Salerno in September, Glengyle sailed to Bombay (now Mumbai). But it was soon called back to take part in Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio, Italy.
Refit and End of War
After Anzio, the ship was refitted (repaired and upgraded) in Liverpool. Its ability to carry LCA boats was doubled to 24. It could also carry an extra LCM boat. After this upgrade, Glengyle's next trip was to carry the 5th Airborne Brigade to Bombay.
In August, it was in Trincomalee. Along with another ship, Llanstephan Castle, it carried the 3 Commando Brigade to Hong Kong. They arrived shortly after World War II ended.
After the War
In October 1945, Glengyle was transferred to the Australian Navy. It helped land soldiers in Singapore and brought Australian troops home from Southeast Asia. In January 1946, it transported soldiers to Kure, Japan. Then, it returned home to Britain, carrying British prisoners of war who had been freed from Manila.
The Glengyle was given back to its original owner, the Glen Line, on July 17, 1946. After being refitted to become a merchant ship again, it started service on March 3, 1948. In October 1970, it was transferred to another shipping company, Blue Funnel Line, and renamed Deucalion. However, by June 1971, the ship had been taken apart for scrap in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
