AS Dept. Singapore December 1941

Discussion in 'War Against Japan' started by Bev Saylor, May 31, 2022.

  1. Bev Saylor

    Bev Saylor Member

    The Navy List for Dec 1941 mentions the Loch Long, a twin screw tug assigned to the "A. S. Dept." in Singapore. Can anyone tell me what the "A. S." stands for. I looked in the list of abbreviations listed in the front of the book, but it wasn't there. Thanks!
     
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

  3. Bev Saylor

    Bev Saylor Member

    David, That was my first thought as well, but the list of abbreviations included in the Navy Lists has "A/S" as the approved abbreviation for Anti-Submarine, and the entry for the Loch Long is "A. S. Dept."
     
  4. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Unlikely that Anti-Submarine would be referred to as a Dept. Almost certain that AS Dept is Armament Supply Depot.

    Tim
     
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  5. Bev Saylor

    Bev Saylor Member

    Tim, I think you've nailed it. The link David provided says the Loch Long was based at the RN Torpedo Depot in Malta before transferring to Singapore in 1938. It is logical to assume it would have been assigned to a similar facility in Singapore. Interesting that Loch Long is not referred to as a "Naval Armament Tug" like the Gatling is at Hong Kong. Thanks to all for you insight & assistance!
    Bev
     
  6. Richard Lewis

    Richard Lewis Member

    Another possibility, 'Admiral Superintendent'

    From Admiralty Fleet Order 3833/45 (19 July 1945)

    AS.jpg

    Richard

    p.s. Navy Lists have abbreviation for Armament Supply Department as ASD, but clerks did not always use correct abbreviations (not surprisingly given the huge amount of them).
     
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  7. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    Admiral Superintendent seems the most likely.

    I have a book in the library”Fifty Years of Naval Tugs” by Bill Hannan published back in the 1980s. It lists Loch Long as a tug operated by a Royal Naval Armament Depot and being at Singapore from 1938. Tugs seem to have been under the command of whoever ran the Dockyard. In most cases it was the Captain of Dockyard (CD) but there was a Captain Superintendent at Trincomalee in 1945 but a CD at Singapore in Dec 1945. So maybe Singapore was important to have an Admiral in charge in 1941.

    Bit more digging after a lightbulb moment!

    On 3rd Dec 1941 the duties of Rear Admiral Malaya were split between a Flag Officer in Charge and a Superintendent of the Dockyard. Commodore FEP Hutton was appointed to the latter role. You will find his career history here (scroll down to almost the bottom)
    Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945  --  H

    Rear Admiral Malaya in Dec 1941 was Rear Admiral Ernest John Spooner. His career history notes that he was also “in charge of Naval Establishments at Singapore”. Died escaping Singapore. So does that make him an “Admiral Superintendent”?
    Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - S
    Ernest John Spooner - Wikipedia
     
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  8. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    As far as I can see from the Navy List there was no one with the appointment of Admiral Superintendent in Singapore. Such appointments seem to be confined to the Dockyards at Chatham, Devonport, Portsmouth and Rosyth.
    In the List of Tugs which O/P referred to there are entries for other tugs marked, for instance, Upnor A.S. Dept and Priddy's Hard A.S. Dept. Both Upnor and Priddy's Hard were RN Armament Depots.

    Tim
     

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