HMS St Tudno

Based at Hole Haven during WW2

HMS St Tudno

HMS St Tudno, a converted ferry and veteran of Dunkirk, was used by the RN as a minesweeper depot ship from 1 July 1941.

She was originally based at Sheerness but moved temporarily to Holehaven (Canvey Island) on 15 April 1943. She was reported back at Sheerness on 29 October 1944 and was then based at Ijmuiden (Holland) November 1944 and Amsterdam (Holland) from December 1944 before returning to Sheerness in May 1945.

Update 2014

We now know the Captain of the St Tudno was Humfrey Greenwood Hopper, who had been active in WWI. During WWII he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 19 December 1944) for his
services in minesweeping in the Scheldt; mentioned in despatches (London
Gazette 4 September 1945) for Operation Fireball.

Lt Cdr Douglas John Scott

Lt Cdr Douglas John Scott was also based on Minesweeper 27 during the period HMS St Tudno it was based at Hole Haven. Many thanks go to his daughter Sue who has provided us with his picture, copies of his papers and his prayer book. All these are being passed to the Bay Museum for safe keeping.

Sue says –St.Tudno was the base ship and Captain Hopper was the CO on board. My father was in command of Minesweeper 27. Father did take the church services on board St. Tudno. Every time a ship went out St.Tudno signalled them as they went past. My mother remembered a signal came across and Cpt. Hopper asked the signalman, Dickie Jones, what it said and an embarrassed signalman replied ‘ Ta Ta for now !’

RN Prayer Book

Inside the prayer book.

Comments about this page

  • Interesting to read as my father had command of St.Tudno during WW2.

    By Sue Oliver (02/08/2014)
  • Ref to Sue Oliver – I have a war time letter addressed to my farther who was in P.S. attached to depot ship St Tudno from his ‘old skipper’ a chap who signed his letter ‘Johnny’ (name was John Scott) – I wondered if this was the same chap as Sue’s farther?

    By n.Hargreaves (09/07/2015)

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