| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Frigate |
| Class | River |
| Pennant | K 253 |
| Built by | A & J Inglis Ltd. (Glasgow, Scotland) : Parsons |
| Ordered | 1 Jan 1942 |
| Laid down | 13 Aug 1942 |
| Launched | 5 Jun 1943 |
| Commissioned | 15 Oct 1943 |
| End service | |
| History | This was one of the few turbine engined River-class frigates. Scrapped 14 November 1957. HMS Helmsdale is not listed as active unit in the October 1945 Navy List |
Commands listed for HMS Helmsdale (K 253)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. Logie James Simpson, RNR | 1 Sep 1943 | 27 Dec 1943 |
| 2 | Cdr. Colin William McMullen, DSC, RN | 27 Dec 1943 | Sep 1944 |
| 3 | Cdr. Philip Whitworth Burnett, DSC, RN | Sep 1944 | 3 Apr 1945 |
| 4 | Cdr. Hugh William Falcon-Steward, RN | 3 Apr 1945 | mid 1945 |
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Notable events involving Helmsdale include:
23 Nov 1943
HMS H 28 (Lt. J.W. Kelly, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Snowflake (Lt. E.J. Powell, RNR) and HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR). (1)
23 Nov 1943
HMS Sealion (Lt. N.J. Coe, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Snowflake (Lt. E.J. Powell, RNR) and HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR). (2)
24 Nov 1943
HMS H 28 (Lt. J.W. Kelly, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Windrush and HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR). (1)
24 Nov 1943
HMS Sealion (Lt. N.J. Coe, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Windrush and HMS Snowflake (Lt. E.J. Powell, RNR) and HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR). (2)
30 Nov 1943
HMS H 28 (Lt. J.W. Kelly, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Pimpernel (Lt. H.D. Hayes, RNR), HMS Burdock (T/Lt. F.R.M. Greasley, RNR), HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR) and HMS Portchester Castle (Lt. A.G. Scott, RNR). (1)
30 Nov 1943
HMS Sealion (Lt. N.J. Coe, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Pimpernel (Lt. H.D. Hayes, RNR), HMS Burdock (T/Lt. F.R.M. Greasley, RNR), HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR) and HMS Portchester Castle (Lt. A.G. Scott, RNR). (2)
1 Dec 1943
HMS H 28 (Lt. J.W. Kelly, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Pimpernel (Lt. H.D. Hayes, RNR), HMS Burdock (T/Lt. F.R.M. Greasley, RNR) and HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR). (3)
1 Dec 1943
HMS Sealion (Lt. N.J. Coe, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Pimpernel (Lt. H.D. Hayes, RNR), HMS Helmsdale (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.J. Simpson, RNR) and HMS Burdock (T/Lt. F.R.M. Greasley, RNR). (4)
12 Feb 1944
HMS Strongbow (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMS Winchelsea (Lt. C.T. Shuttleworth, RNVR) and HMS Helmsdale (Cdr. C.W. McMullen, RN). (5)
23 Mar 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. R.W. van Lynden, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Kilbride (Lt. H.O. L’Estrange, DSC, RNR), HMS Helmsdale (Cdr. C.W. McMullen, RN), HMS Bayntun (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wright, RD, RNR), an unidentified vessel (unable to read the name in the log of HrMs O 9) and HMS Clover (Lt. T.E. Fanshawe, DSC, RNR). (6)
9 Sep 1944
German U-boat U-484 was sunk in the North Atlantic north-west of Ireland, in position 55°45'N, 11°41'W, by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Portchester Castle (Lt. A.G. Scott, RNR) and the British frigate HMS Helmsdale (Cdr. P.W. Burnett, DSC and Bar, RN).
Sources
- ADM 173/17764
- ADM 173/18021
- ADM 173/17765
- ADM 173/18022
- ADM 173/18851
- File 2.12.03.6372 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.