HMS Glengyle

HMS "Glengyle" was an infantry landing ship of the Royal Navy. She saw service in the Second World War, formally known as a "Landing Ship Infantry Large" (LSI(L)).

Design and conversion

"Glengyle" was built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Dundee for the Glen Line, but was acquired shortly after her launch, and was converted into a fast supply ship. In April she underwent conversion into a landing ship capable of transporting up to 700 troops. She was accepted into service on 10 September, and on 31 January 1941 "Glengyle" sailed around Africa to the Mediterranean, where she became part of Force Z.

Mediterranean and Far East service

"Glengyle" was part of the raid on Bardia on 19-20 April, and later that month was involved in the evacuation of Greece. She evacuated some 4,500 troops from Raphto, and in May carried another 3,000 to Crete. Later in May she and the SS "Cameronia" evacuated 6,000 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as part of the evacuation of Crete. On 8 June "Glengyle" was operating with the cruisers HMS "Phoebe", HMAS "Perth" and HMS "Calcutta" at the start of the Syria-Lebanon Campaign. By January 1942 she was part of the Malta Convoys, carrying supplies from Alexandria, before returning to Britain in April for preparations for the Dieppe Raid. After being disguised as a tanker she was present at the operation on 19 August.

She returned to the Mediterranean in November, where she was used to transport US troops for the Operation Torch landings, and was also involved in the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, during which Admiral Philip Vian briefly commanded a squadron aboard her. After transporting troops to Salerno in September, "Glengyle" sailed to Bombay, but was then recalled to participate in Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio. After this had been completed she was refitted at Liverpool, before transporting the 5th Airborne Division to Bombay. She was at Trincomalee in August, and in company with the Union-Castle Line's "Llanstephan Castle", she transported 3 Commando Brigade to Hong Kong, arriving shortly after the end of the War.

Post war

She was transferred to the Australian Naval Board in October, landing a garrison at Singapore, as well as repatriating Australian troops from South-East Asia. She transported a garrison to Kure in January 1946, before returning home with liberated British prisoners of war from Manila. "Glengyle" was returned to the Glen Line on 17 July, and after being refitted for a return to merchant service at Vickers-Armstrongs, re-entered service on 3 March 1948. She was transferred to the Blue Funnel Line in October 1970 and was renamed "Deucalion", but by June 1971 she had been broken up at Kaohsiung.

References

* [http://navalhistory.flixco.info/H/214597x53056/8330/a0.htm LSI description]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/62/a2426762.shtml BBC People's War]
* [http://www.red-duster.co.uk/GLEN10.htm Ships of the Glen Line at red-duster.co.uk]