CAPTAIN Class
Diesel-Electric Evarts Type Frigate ordered under the UK/US Lease-Lend
Agreement on
18th January 1942 and laid
down on 5th June 1943 by the Boston Navy Yard, Mass. USA. The ship had been
intended for US Navy service as DE279 as USS TRUMPETER was
launched on 17th July 1943. She was
renamed KEMPTHORNE on
commissioning and was the first RN ship to carry this name, commemorating
the service of Admiral Sir John Kempthorne
(1620 –1679) who commanded the 2nd MARY ROSE in 1669. Build was completed on 23rd October
1943. This ship was not
adopted by a civil
community in UK in the 1941-42 National Savings WARSHIP WEEK
campaigns. Details of manning
arrangements made for commissioning of this Class of warship in
the USA are given in THE CAPTAIN CLASS
FRIGATES IN
WW2 by D Collingwood.
B a t t l e H o no u r s
ATLANTIC 1944-45
H e r a l d i c D a t a
None is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic
Crests.
(Note: Many ships built during WW2 had an
unofficial
crest but these were never given
Admiralty formal approval.)
D e t a i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search
1 9 4 3
October
Harbour Trials and Setting to Work.
23rd Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
31st On completion of trials commissioned for RN Service as HMS
KEMPTHORNE.
November On
completion of training exercises and shakedown in
Boston area too passage to
Bermuda
to prepare for RN service.
December
Deployed at Bermuda for exercises including shore training.
Passage to Halifax to join routine HX Series
convoy for passage to UK
1 9 4 4
January
Joined Convoy HX274 at Halifax with HM Frigates GOODSON, BLIGH and KEATS.
(Note: These were sister CAPTAIN Class Frigates
recently completed training and exercises
based at Bermuda.)
6th Sailed from Halifax with HX274.
(Note: The newly completed frigates were not
deployed as part of the escort as they were not
completely fitted with RN equipment required for
convoy defence and had not
worked-up at the Western Approaches for suitable
training prior to operational use.)
21st Detached from HX274 and took passage to Belfast.
On arrival taken in hand by Base Staff at
Pollock Dock to replace unsatisfactory US Navy
equipment , including an Admiralty design Gyro
compass and depth charge arrangements. In
addition the underwater detection equipment
(Sonar/ASDIC) was modified to latest standard
and an RN design radio direction finding outfit
was installed.
(Note: For further details of equipment changes
made see above reference and SEEK and
STRIKE by W Hackmann.)
February
Under refit in Belfast.
28th Nominated for service with 5th Escort Group in Western Approaches
Command.
March
Carried out sea trials on completion of refit work.
Carried out work-up at Tobermory.
April On completion of work-up joined 5th Escort Group at
Belfast.
(Note: Other ships in Group were:
Sister-ships HM Frigates AYLMER, BICKERTON,
BLIGH, GRINDALL, KEATS,
TYLER and GOODSON which joined Group
progressively on completion
on work-up and modification
Senior Officer was Commander D MacIntyre who had
already achieved great
renown as a Western Approaches Escort Commander
in the 2nd Escort Group
and is the author of several post war
publications including THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC and others with graphic description of WW2 operations)
21st Deployed with Group as escort for westbound Convoy ONS233 in
atrocious weather
conditions.
26th Detached from HX233 to join HM Escort Aircraft Carrier VINDEX and
ships on 9th
Escort Group (RCN) deployed in support of Atlantic convoy s under threat of attacks by
U-Boat Groups..
May
2nd Joined HMS VINDEX and EG9
Turbo-Electric ships of EG5 refuelled from HMS
VINDEX and Canadian Group detached
and returned to refuel at their Canadian base.
Deployed as close escort for HMS VINDEX with HM
Frigates GOODSON and KEATS
6th Remained with HMS VINDEX during fourth day of Anti-submarine search
operations by
rest of Group.
(Note: U765 was sunk by SWORDFISH aircraft of
825 Squadron from HMS VINDEX
after sonar contact HMS BICKERTON during depth
charge attacks with HMS
BLIGH, HMS BICKERTON and HMS AYLMER. See U-BOATS
DESTROYED.
Submarine was force to surface and engaged by
surface gunfire during which
SWORDFISH V delivered two depth charges which
sank U765.
9th Further refuelling of BUCKLEY’s from HMS VINDEX during submarine
search operations.
14th Returned to Clyde with HMS VINDEX close escort
Passage to Belfast.
Nominated for Home Fleet duties in support of
allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE- For details see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO), THE D DAY SHIPS and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards.
28th Deployed at Moelfre Bay in Clyde area with Group awaiting
commencement of NEPTUNE.
June Commenced anti-submarine patrol in South Western
Approaches to intercept any U-Boats
attempting passage into English Channel from
Atlantic to interfere with Assault or Follow-up
convoys and also for support of Atlantic convoys
under submarine attack.
(Note: 5th Escort Group remained under overall
command of CinC Home Fleet and was not
attached to Naval Commander Expeditionary Force.
See references.)
15th During patrol deployment with Group and HM Frigate MOURNE, SW of
Lizard Head under
attack by U767 which torpedoed and sank HMS
MOURNE.
26th During patrol deployment with Group, SE of Start Point present at
sinking of U269 by HMS
BICKERTON.
(Note: HMS BICKERTON detached and returned to
Plymouth with survivors rescued from
U767 and HMS GOODSON assumed role as Senior
Officer’s ship.)
Under attack by U984 during same patrol SE of
Start Point during which HMS GOODSON
was hit by Homing Torpedo (T5) which seriously
damaged ship.
(Note: HMS GOODSON was taken in tow to
Portsmouth by HMS BLIGH of Group
on survey ship was found beyond economic repair
and never returned to service.)
July Returned to Belfast on release from service in SW
Approaches.
Nominated for Home Fleet screening duties.
August
12th After completion of essential repairs too passage from Belfast to
Scapa flow for Home Fleet
duties.
(Note: On passage all ships in Group were
ordered to paint ship prior to arrival.)
18th Deployed with Group as screen for HM Escort Aircraft Carriers NABOB
and TRUMPETER
during planned air attacks on German battleship
TIRPITZ lying in Altenfjord, Norway
(Operation GOODWOOD)
20th GOODWOOD aborted due to adverse weather
Remained in Operation area
(Note: Past experience off
Norway had determined that U-Boat threat was always present
and a high state of alert was maintained with
constant ant-submarine measures
22nd Under attack by U354 which fired torpedoes at HMS NABOB and HMS
BICKERTON.
(Note: HMS NABOB was able to return to Scapa
Flow under own steam but on later
survey was declared beyond economic repair and
Paid-off.
U34 was sunk on 24th July. See U-BOATS DESTROYED
by P Kemp.)
Took off casualties and non essential personnel
from HMS BICKERTON.
(Note: HMS BICKERTON was sunk by own forces
three hours after being damaged.
This decided in order to expedite the return
passage of HMS NABOB and in order
to reduce chance of further attacks on remaining
ships of Force.
30th After return to Clyde, Commander MacIntyre was
relieved by Commander BW Taylor as
he was overdue for shore appointment after
continuous sea service for several years.
September
Resumed Atlantic Convoy Escort duties in Western Approaches Command.
October
Deployed with Group for escort of military convoy in KMF series during passage
to Naples
to from UK.
December On
return from Naples deployed with Group for anti-submarine operations in NW
Approaches
to intercept U-Boats in transit too and from
Atlantic convoy routes.
(Note: Following the advance of allied armies in
western Europe all U-Boats had to take
northerly passage to bases in Norway and
Germany. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO).
1 9 4 5
January
Deployed with Group for anti-submarine search operations in
Irish Sea and SW Approaches.
(Note: SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats were
concentrating attacks in UK Coastal waters against
coastal convoys and focal points for Inward and
outward Atlantic convoys.
See above references. Air threat from bases in
France had been removed.)
26th During operations in Irish Sea with Group, diverted to assist 4th Escort Group in attacks on
U1172 which had been forced to surface after
sustained depth charge attacks by ships of
that Group.
After arrival carried out surface gun attacks
with ships of both Groups during which HMS
AYLMER rammed and sank the damaged submarine.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED.
(Note: One source suggests that this ram was due
to misunderstanding of an order during the
surface action and that U1172 would have sunk in
any case due to the extensive
damage by earlier depth charge attacks.
Deployed with ships of 5th Group for another
submarine known to be in the area and a threat
to
inward Convoy HX332 on passage in Irish Sea to
Liverpool.
27th U1051 sunk by HM Frigates BLIGH, KEATS and TYLER of Group after
sonar contact by
HMS KEATS. See U-BOATS DESTROYED.
(Note: Participation in search by Group for this
submarine is to be confirmed.
Unless ships had been detached it is most likely
she was deployed in the area but
possibly not with attacking ships came under
attack by U1051 which
February
Group deployment in continuation with anti-submarine patrols in NW Approaches
for the
to interception of U-Boats on passage to and from
bases in Norway and and Germany.
March
April Group deployment continued in areas west of Ireland
and NW of Scotland.
May After VJ Day nominated for early return to USA and
Paid-off.
to
June
August
Passage to USA manned by Steaming Party.
20th Returned to US Navy
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
HMS KEMPTHORNE although
taking part in most anti-submarine operations, which resulted in sinking of a
U-Boat, did not share in the Credits awarded to ships taking part in the final
attacks resulting in the final destruction
or scuttling. She was only deployed with the 5th Escort
Group which had a most outstanding record of availability and successful
defence of Atlantic convoys in a comparatively short
period of operational service. This ship was never
re-deployed in the US Navy and was sold for scrap in May 1946. If the Ship’s
Monthly Deck Logs for her period under RN Command survived the post war
destruction of wartime records it will be
available at the Public Record Office at Kew.
This is to be confirmed.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
KEMPTHORNE
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy
sailed |
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No. |
Left convoy |
Date convoy arrived |
|
|
|
|
|
06/01/44
|
11/01/44
|
HX 274
|
21/01/44
|
21/01/44 |
20/04/44
|
22/04/44
|
ON 233
|
25/04/44
|
09/05/44 |
13/09/44
|
14/09/44
|
ON 253
|
15/09/44
|
28/09/44 |
06/11/44
|
06/11/44
|
KMF 036
|
17/11/44
|
19/11/44 |
16/11/44
|
19/11/44
|
MKF 036
|
30/11/44
|
30/11/44 |
01/01/45
|
01/01/45
|
MKF 037
|
06/01/45
|
06/01/45 |
13/01/45
|
27/01/45
|
HX 332
|
30/01/45
|
28/01/45 |
23/01/45
|
unknown |
HX 334
|
unknown |
06/02/45 |
18/02/45
|
unknown |
HX 339
|
unknown |
03/03/45 |
15/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
MKS 095G
|
21/04/45
|
23/04/45 |
(Note on Convoys)