"HMS [slightly rude name]" Topic

I was reading a discussion about Boaty-McBoatface and someone brought up strangely named RN ships:
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One in particular had an interesting history: HMS chafer – no, I am for real. Check your copy of Janes Fighting Ships under Insect Class.

A good link here:
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The Insect class patrol boats (or Large China Gunboats ) were a class of small, but well-armed Royal Navy ships designed for use in shallow rivers or inshore. They were intended for use on the Danube (the name was to disguise their function).

The ships were designed to operate in shallow fast-flowing rivers, with a shallow draught and a good turn of speed to counter river flow. They were fitted with two reciprocating (VTE) engines operating two propeller shafts to offer some redundancy. The propellers were housed in tunnels to minimise the operating draught.

During the First World War, chafer was assigned to the defence of the south east coast of England, based at Brightlingsea. During the Russian Civil War, she served with some of her sister ships as part of the British intervention forces fighting in support of White Russian forces on the Dvina River during 1919-1920. On 17 January 1920, the Insect class ships HMS Cricket, HMS chafer, HMS Moth, HMS Mantis and HMS Scarab set out from Chatham, England for China. chafer was stationed on the Yangtze River where her duties were patrolling and protection of British nationals and interests in China.

One significant event which chafer was involved in was the Wanhsien Incident in August and September 1926. Wanhsien, now known as Wanzhou District, is a port on the Yangtze River about 1500 miles upstream from Shanghai. The local warlord, Marshal Wu Pei Fu controlled the area and his local commander was General Yang Sen.
General Yang's troops seized a British merchant ship, SS Wanhsien in August 1926.The crew of chafer heard the British crew calling for help and sent an officer and boarding party to Wanhsien to investigate. They found the ship occupied by 100 Chinese soldiers. The Navy party obtained the release of the ship after a heated argument.
Two days later another British ship, SS Wanliu was boarded by Chinese soldiers. The captain ordered the ship to leave and rumours spread that the ship had intentionally rammed boats full of Chinese soldiers drowning them.
In fact two of the boats had collided and one had capsized and it is unclear how many soldiers were lost. The Wanliu steamed upstream while the Chinese soldiers aboard attempted to capture the ship. They were unable to do so by the time the Wanliu reached Wanhsien where chafer sent a boarding party to remove the soldiers.
The reports about the escape of the Wanliu reached General Yang whose troops captured SS Wanhsien again. The British officers were held aboard. Another British merchant ship SS Wantung was also captured. Chinese troops with artillery gathered on the shore. General Yang seized several of chafer's Chinese crewmembers who were ashore and one was killed in full view of the rest of the crew. Yang refused to negotiate with the commander of chafer and the senior officer on the Upper Yangtze, commander of HMS Widgeon headed for Wanhsien while chafer remained at Wanhsien in a standoff with the overwhelming numbers of Chinese troops.
On 1 September 1926 HMS Widgeon arrived at Wanhsien but negotiations did not go well and the Rear Admiral on the Yangtze decided that the matter would have to be settled by force. A British merchant ship, SS Kiawo, was camouflaged and armoured and manned by a naval crew gathered from chafer, HMS Despatch (a light cruiser), HMS Scarab and HMS Mantis boarded Kiawo and she sailed on 4 September 1926.
In the evening of 5 September 1926 the Kiawo arrived in sight of Wanhsien. The plan was to board and re-take SS Wanhsien and SS Wantung. While HMS Widgeon and HMS chafer would provide covering fire. Kiawo came under fire from the Chinese troops ashore. She came alongside Wanhsien and boarded under fire. The boarding party rescued the British seaman held onboard after fierce fighting.
In the meantime, Chinese troops onshore and aboard Wantung opened fire on chafer and Widgeon which returned fire. The boarding party aboard SS Wanhsien suffered a number of casualties including the senior British officer from HMS Despatch and chafer's sub-lieutenant who were killed.
Having rescued the British merchant seamen onboard SS Wanhsien the attacking force retired to SS Kiawo. After an hour of fighting, the action was discontinued and the two merchant ships were abandoned. The British ships then retired having rescued the crews.

Thank you, Aristonicus, for an interesting ship's history.

Ron

Remarkably, the RN has used that name *four* times.

It is the name of a beetle.

How charming that the word should be bleeped in this context. It is, as has been said, an insect. If we are so sensitive to words like this what, for axample, should we call a male hen should the need arise?

Are people really so uptight that they can't look at a word which, in one of it's meanings is slang for a body-part, but also has other meanings which are unlikely to frighten a maiden aunt?

My father served as the exec on one of the ships listed, HMCS Bittersweet. Neither he nor any of the crew considered the name odd – just typical for the Flower class corvettes.

Rick

That is a dang cool story. I'd like to know more about what provoked the incident as it sounds super pulpy!

In the same vein the London and North Eastern Railway named a locomotive TRIMBUSH.

Male hen. I'd like to see that.

HMS Slightly Rude Name would be a cool name for a ship.

I'm sure the crews of HMS Pansy suffered more than their share of jibes. Interestingly the 1939 Flower class Corvette which was slated to be named Pansy had is name changed to HMS Heartsease.

Fatman

Insect class gun boat is available in 20mm from Andy at Grubby Tanks…..

One of the class was used during WWII in the med to ferry supplies into Torbrouk

Chris

Male hen. I'd like to see that.

Ooops – Iadmit, I'm an idiot. I suppose it would be a male chicken…? Hopefully….

Love the tale and the various posts. Then I got to thinking.
A (male chicken) is usually called a rooster. A rooster goes -a-doodle-doo. A atrice is a mythical creature that can turn a person to stone with a glance. Gamers love to tell -and-bull stories. A atiel or atoo is a type of small parrot with a prominent crest. A boat is a small rowboat. A ed hat is a tricorn. A roach is a disgusting insect that could survive a nuclear war. Pilots are in a pit when they fly a plane. And I like to drink an occasional tale when I get home from work.

Common chafer (Melolontha Melolontha)

Ugly little blighter.

Ron

That is one weird looking bug.

Truthfully, I thought that uncensored should be OK but I just didn't want to take the risk that my whole post would be censored. And then everyone would have missed out on the cool story.

Thanks BC1745 for the tip on where to get one in 20mm, it is a useful class of ship for early 20th century wargaming. Plus it has the ability to have your opponent subconsciously reminded of hessian underpants when you deploy it on the table.

For an insect it's unusually 'cute'; must be its symmetrical binocularity. Most insects have too many eyes in weird locations.