HMIS Godavari

HMIS Godavari (U 52) was a Black Swan-class sloop which served in the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) during World War II.

For other ships with the same name, see INS Godavari.

HMIS GODAVARI launched at Southampton by Mrs Lall, the wife of the Deputy High Commissioner for India
History
Name: Godavari
Namesake: Godavari River
Ordered: 29 August 1940
Builder: Thornycroft
Yard number: Yard 1386
Laid down: 30 August 1941
Launched: 21 March 1943
Commissioned: 28 June 1943
Out of service: 1948
Honours and
awards:		 Burma, 1945
Fate: Transferred to Pakistan
Badge: Map of India and the Indian Ocean with a border of lotus; sea Blue, British territory Gold and Lotus proper
General characteristics
Class and type: Black Swan-class sloop
Displacement:
  • 1,250 tons original
  • 1,350 tons modified
Length: 299 ft 6 in (91.29 m)
Beam:
  • 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m) original
  • 38 ft 6 in (11.73 m) modified
Draught: 11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion:
  • Geared turbines, 2 shafts:
  • 3,600 hp (2.68 MW) (original)
  • 4,300 hp (3.21 MW) (modified)
Speed:
  • 19 knots (35 km/h) (original)
  • 20 knots (37 km/h) (modified)
Range: 7,500 nmi (13,900 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h)
Complement:
  • 180 (original)
  • 192 (modified)
Armament:

Godavari was transferred to Pakistan in 1948 after the Partition of India and eventually renamed PNS Sind.

Operational service
Leading Seaman Harjit Singh striking the bell of Godavari on commissioning at Woolston, Southampton, 22 June 1943 (IWM A17517)

On 29 August 1940, the Indian Government placed an order for two sloops, HMIS Godavari and HMIS Narbada with John I. Thornycroft & Company.[1] Godavari was laid down as Yard number 1386 at Thonycroft's Woolston, Southampton shipyard on 31 October 1940, launched on 21 January 1943 and completed on 28 June 1943.[2][3] Following commissioning she was sent to Scapa Flow for trials and working up. She was deployed in home waters for convoy defence on the UK-Gibraltar route. On 22 December 1943 she was involved in a collision with the SS Manchester Progress and was sent for repair in Londonderry.

On completion of repairs in February 1944 Godavari was nominated for transfer to the Eastern Fleet and convoy defence in the Indian Ocean, where she arrived in April 1944.

On 12 August the German submarine U-198 was sunk near the Seychelles, in position 03º35'S, 52º49'E, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Findhorn (under the command of Lt.Cdr. J.C. Dawson, RD, RNR) and Godavari (under the command of A/Cdr. A.B. Goord, RIN).[4]

Between January and March 1945 she was nominated for support of military operations in Burma. In August she was also nominated for support of the allied landings in Japan as part of Operation Zipper, however this operation was cancelled following the dropping of the atomic bombs and Japan's subsequent surrender.

Her commanding officers in the Royal Indian Navy were:

  • From 22 Jun 1943 to 10 May 1944: A/Capt. James Wilfred Jefford OBE, RIN
  • From 10 May 1944 to 10 Feb 1945: A/Cdr. Anthony Brian Goord, RIN
  • From 10 Feb 1945 to 1948: A/Lt.Cdr. Hajee Mohammed Siddiq Choudry, RIN

Post war

After the Independence of India and the subsequent Partition, she was among the vessels transferred to Pakistan, where she was renamed PNS Sind.

Notes
  1. Hague 1993, pp. 6, 71
  2. Hague 1993, p. 71
  3. Mason, Geoffrey B. (10 June 2011). "HMIS Godavari (U 52) - Modified Bittern-class Sloop: including Convoy Escort Movements". Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2. naval-history.net. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  4. http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3922.html

References
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