Signals intelligence
In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. During early 1955 "Totem" carried out "Operation Defiant", a six-week patrol in the Barents Sea to gather Signals intelligence on Soviet naval forces. Towards the end of the mission, "Totem" was heavily depth charged, damaging the ship's periscope and dived to a depth of to evade the attacks, drifting into a minefield in the process before escaping.