Not something I had considered as used by the Mediterranean fleet but makes sense given the shallow draft. Noted reference in AR's http://ww2chat.com/forums/obituaries/1434-lt-cdr-fuzz-fyson-dsc-rip.html Insect class gunboat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia At the start of World War II, three vessels, HMS Cricket, Gnat and Ladybird, were transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet's Inshore Squadron. They joined the monitor HMS Terror and provided bombardment support for the 8th Army. Their shallow draught allowed them to act also as supply and landing vessels, able to close in to beaches. In June 1943, HMS Aphis took part in the bombardment of Pantellaria (Operation Corkscrew). Several lost in the Far East as well including one impressed into Japanese service but sunk by a mine on the Yangtze in 1945. Wouldn't have wanted to be crew on HMS Cockchafer...imagine having that on your hat!
H.M.S. Falcon - Royal Navy Gunboats in China and the Far East - excellent website As the world situation deteriorated all of the Insect Class gunboats in China steamed for Hong Kong. In late 1939 Aphis and Ladybird left for Singapore. In February of 1940, Gnat and Cockchafer were withdrawn from the Yangtze and set off for Singapore, followed by Scarab in July, Cricket in October and Tarantula in December. The two remaining Insect Class ships, Moth and Cicala, continued in the Hong Kong area as the Japanese entered the war. HMS Moth was damaged on December 12, 1941 and was probably submerged with HMS Margaret when the dry-dock they were in was intentionally flooded. She was salvaged by the Japanese on July 1, 1942 under the name "HIJMS Suma" and put into service as a Japanese gunboat on the Yangtze. On March 19, 1945 she was sunk by a US laid mine on the Yangtze near Nanking. HMS Cicala was crippled on December 21, 1941 by four drive bomb attacks that scored three direct hits. She soon thereafter sank (probably being scuttled) in the West Lamma Channel (vicinity of Hong Kong). During the invasion of Hong Kong she had been subject to no less than 60 dive bomb attacks. The six remaining Insect Class vessels (HMS Aphis, HMS Cockchafer, HMS Cricket, HMS Gnat, HMS Ladybird and HMS Scarab) were stripped down and towed or steamed to the Mediterranean where they fought during WWII.
HMS Gnat, on which Fyson served: uboat.net - Allied Ships hit by U-boats - HMS Gnat (T 60) (Gunboat) Interesting investigation of HMS Cricket with some minor conpsiracy theories thrown in: New Page 1 The discovery and painstaking identification of Cricket: HMS CRICKET - LOST AND FOUND (The Wreck of HMS Cricket - by Geoff Brown)
