10th Destroyer Flotilla 1944

[tim lewin]

This flotilla was created to clear the channel of German interference with D-day and post D-day cross channel shipping. Almost nightly this collection of RN and RCN Tribal class destroyers, Polish manned destroyers and a small 6" cruiser, Bellona or Black Prince would go out and indulge in high-speed running battles with their German antaggonists. These battles were fought often at full speed, in complete dark with radar and experience the predominent ingredient. The attached was written by "Anon" at least no one can now recall, and certainly displayed in Ashanti. This copy was sent to my father in the 1960's by a former colleague who had rediscovered it.

[culverin]

Splendid ditty here Tim, the right hand page even clearly shows the tribal as Ashanti at the top.
Interestingly, when you read those 8 names of the 10DF at this time, we have
Tartar
Ashanti
Blyskawica - Polish
Haida - Canadian
Piorun - Polish
Huron - Canadian
Eskimo
Javelin
Another member had been lost, the 1st Canadian tribal
Athabaskan
and she was lost on 29 Apr 1944, so your papers must surely post date that.
Of the 8 tribals built for Canada, 2 carried the name Athabaskan, a comparatively rare, but by no means unique event.

[tim lewin]

not forgetting the night Ashanti ran into Huron at 30+ kts. narrowly averting going straight through Huron by going full ahead on one engine and full astern on the other, they managed a pointy side-swipe that bent Ashanti's bow round and crumpled most of Huron's side plating. I have a pic of Huron the morning after, does anyone have one of Ashanti?