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Reserve Forces => Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve => Topic started by: BargeBoy on 25 May 2020 09:22:27 am

Title: HMS Tappo - RNVR incident?
Post by: BargeBoy on 25 May 2020 09:22:27 am
Morning all. Has anyone ever heard of an incident (possibly in 1943) involving a minesweeper called Tappo (or Tapo) and possibly Ronso that resulted in my uncle (Lieutenant Arthur Rowland Emmett) apparently being mentioned in an Admiralty Despatch?

Thank you.
Stephen.
Title: Re: HMS Tappo - RNVR incident?
Post by: BargeBoy on 25 May 2020 01:27:08 pm
Sorry - have a more accurate update:

It was "Taipo" and relates to something that happened on January 6th 1942 involving the crew of "Ronso".

Regards.
Stephen.
Title: Re: HMS Tappo - RNVR incident?
Post by: PhiloNauticus on 25 May 2020 05:27:46 pm

Both ships were based at Dover at this time, but I cannot find anything specific for this date. The ships based at Dover were kept very busy, and full of incident.  "...in the Channel front line, under constant attack from raiding aircraft and shellfire from the big guns of Calais, theirs was an eventful life of minesweeping, escorting convoys, rescuing ship survivors and ditched airman..." (p.168 of Trawlers go to War by Lund and Ludlum)   
I cannot see that Lt Emmett was cited for a MiD; the full list of those awards for minesweeping may be found here:

http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/ww_ii_awards_for_rn_minesweeping_A.htm
Title: Re: HMS Tappo - RNVR incident?
Post by: BargeBoy on 26 May 2020 09:38:00 am
Thanks Philo - again, really helpful advice.

Best regards.
Stephen.
Title: Re: HMS Tappo - RNVR incident?
Post by: BargeBoy on 27 May 2020 09:02:37 am
Thanks to Philo I managed to find 'Trawlers Go to war' on-line and have had a read. It is a great book on the subject. Talking of books, my cousin said that Arthur Emmett was mentioned in a book called something like "Forgotten Heroes". I can't find it. Has anyone heard of that (or a similar) title?
Thanks.
Stephen.