~ HMS Maidstone 1938 Submarine Depot Ship Bronze Boat Badge ~
The badge is an original piece from the ship and would have been mounted on one of the ships launches. It has two screws to the reverse.
It bears the ships name and the ships emblem of a lion.
~ HMS Maidstone ~
HMS Maidstone was a submarine depot ship of the Royal Navy. She operated in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean during the Second World War. She was later used as a barracks ship and then a prison ship in Northern Ireland.
In September 1939 Maidstone was depot ship to the ten submarines of the 1st Submarine Flotilla. In March 1941 she went to Gibraltar. From November 1942, Maidstone was based at Algiers Harbour, the main Allied base in the Mediterranean. In November 1943 she was assigned to the Eastern Fleet. In September 1944 Maidstone and the 8th Submarine Flotilla were transferred from Ceylon to Fremantle in Western Australia to operate in the Pacific.
In late 1945 Maidstone left Fremantle, and en route to the UK, docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa. While on passage, she was diverted to Macassar to pick up 400 British naval prisoners of war from HMS Exeter, HMS Encounter and HMS Stronghold. In November 1945 she arrived at Portsmouth.
During the war Maidstone was adopted by the Borough of Maidstone as part of Warship Week. The plaque from this adoption is held by the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
On 23 May 1978 Maidstone was broken up for scrap at the Thos W Ward scrapyard in Inverkeithing. Her bell is now located at Maidstone Grammar School, where it is rung to signify the start of assemblies.
~ Condition ~
The badge is in good order.
~ Dimensions ~
The boat badge is 17 cm (6.75 inches) tall by 15 cm (6 inches) wide.
#9802