Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from
Denny at Dumbarton under 1940 Build Programme on 9th January 1941.The ship was
laid down on 13th June 1941 and was launched on 9th November 1942 by Mrs
Roberts on the same day as HM Sloop CHANTICLEER of this Class. She was the 7th
RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1590. Fitting Out was completed at Clydebank
in John Brown's yard on 10th May 1943.
Fire control and surface warning radar were installed on build. In March 1942
after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign this ship had been
adopted by the civil community of Bethnal Green in Greater London.
B a t t l e H o n o
u r s
CADIZ 1596 -
DOVER PATROL 1915-18 - BISCAY 1943
- SICILY 1943 - ATLANTIC 1943-44 -
NORMANDY
1944 - ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1944 - OKINAWA
1945 -
KOREA
1952-53*
(* Award made for service
during Korean War with United Nations naval
forces)
H e r a l d i c D a t
a
Badge: On a Field
Blue. in water barry wavy. in base proper
a crane also proper.
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
May Commissioned for service and Contractor's sea trials.
10th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
(For details of development and use of radar and
anti-submarine weapons used in Escorts
see RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
On completion of trials and storing too passage
to Tobermory for work-up.
June Carried out work-up for operational service.
July On completion joined HM Sloops CHANTICLEER and
PHEASANT in 7th Escort Group at
Greenock for escort and support of Atlantic convoys.
Nominated for defence of military convoys on
passage in Atlantic to Gibraltar.
Escorted military convoys to Mediterranean for
allied Landings in Sicily with other ships of Group.
(Operation HUSKY - For details see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett ,
Naval Staff History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS
by J de Winser for information about
all warships and mercantiles involved.)
10th Joined Support Force East with ships of Group for
Sicily landings.
August On release from HUSKY resumed Atlantic escort duties
with Group.
September Deployed with 1st Support Group for joint anti-submarine
operations with RAF Coastal
Command
in Bay of Biscay against U-Boats on
passage to and from bases in France.
(Operations MUSKETRY and SEASLUG - See CONFLICT OVER THE BAY by N Franks
and Naval Staff History.)
October Convoy defence and support duties with Group. November
13th Part of escort for Convoy MKS30 from Gibraltar to UK with
Group.
14th Convoy SL139 from Sierra Leone joined.
15th Convoy position reported by Aircraft and SCHILL1
Group of U- Boats began attack operations.
18th Under attack by SCHILL1 Group of U-Boats.
After HM Sloop CHANTICLEER was sunk by T5
acoustic torpedo carried out hunt for ten
hours
for U515 without success.
November
21st Sank U538 in position 45.50N 19.35W with HM Frigate
FOLEY during defence of convoy
SL139.
(Note: There were no survivors. See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
December Convoy escort and support with Group in continuation.
(For details of development and use of weapons
during Battle of the Atlantic by escorts and
submarines, see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMSO), SEEK and STRIKE and THE
BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre.)
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation with Group.
to
March
April
6th Provided support to escort of Convoy SC156 with HM
Sloop CYGNET of Group.
Convoy and escort under attacks by LANDWIRT
U-Boat Group.
Shared credit with HMS CYGNET for sinking U962
in position 45.43N 19.57W.
(Note: There were no survivors from submarine.
See above reference.)
On completion of support duty transferred to
English Channel for support of planned allied
landings
in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)
(Note: For details of activities before and
during landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards
and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).)
May Deployed in Channel and Bay of Biscay en interception
patrol to prevent U-Boats entering
Channel area.
Allocated to 114th Escort Group with HM Sloop
LARK. HM Escort Destroyer BLANKNEY,
HM
Frigates CHELMER and TORRINGTON.
June Passage to More to Join Convoy ETP1 in Thames
Estuary.
4th Operation delayed for 24 hours.
6th Escorted ETP1 which comprised eight
Personnel Ships, three Troopships, Fuel Carrier HMS
AMBITIOUS and two Hospital Carriers taking
Pre-loaded British Division to the Assault Area.
7th Passage to Solent with HMS LARK and ships of 115th Escort Group.
Passage from Solent through Swept Channel.
On arrival in assault area returned to
Portsmouth for support
deployment
Deployed for anti-submarine operations in
English Channel.
July Channel deployment with Group in continuation.
Nominated for refit in Hull
August Took passage via Irish Sea to refit in Hull.
Called in Clyde.
7th Involved in collision with mercantile ss TILAPA on
passage and sustained structural damage.
Taken in hand for refit and repair at commercial
shipyard in Hull.
September Under refit and repair.
to Nominated for duty with British Pacific Fleet on
completion.
October
November On completion prepared for foreign service and stored at
Greenock.
Carried out work-up in SW Approaches based at
Falmouth for operational service.
26th Took passage to Brest for visit prior to leaving
Home waters to join Fleet in Australia.
December Called at Malta and Aden.
1 9 4 5
January Passage to Fremantle with call at Colombo.
February Deployed as escort for HM Repair Ship ART1FEX and HM
Depot Ship TYNE from Freemantle
to
Sydney.
Took passage to British Forward Base at Manus in
Admiralty Islands.
March
4th Joined Task Force 112 (British Fleet Train) on
arrival at Manus.
14th Allocated to Task Unit 112.2.1 in Fleet Train with
HM Escort Carrier STRIKER, HM Destroyer
WHIRLWIND and HM Frigate FINDHORN as escort for
tankers CEDARDALE, SAN
AMBROSIO
and SAN ADOLPHO.
17th Passage to operational area with HM Destroyer
WHIRLWIND and HM Frigate FINDHORN as
escort
for HM Escort Carrier STRIKER during
passage to join Task Force 57.
20th Deployed as escort for Fleet Train tankers with HM
Escort Carriers STRIKER and SPEAKER,
HM
Sloop PHEASANT and HM Frigate FINDHORN.
28th Deployed in Area MIDGE to provide AA defence of
ships of Fleet Train.
April Fleet Train deployment for support of ICEBERG ONE in
continuation.
(For details of naval activities in the Pacific
see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Grey, ENGAGE
THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton, TF57
by
P Smith and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
30th Passage to US Forward Base at Leyte with HMS STRIKER
and HM Destroyer WHIRLWIND.
(Note: Flag Officer (Destroyers) embarked from
HM Cruiser EURYALUS for passage.)
May Passage from Leyte with ships of Fleet Train to
resume support during further operations
against
airfields in Sakishima Gunto (Operation
ICEBERG TWO.)
6th Deployed in Replenishment Area COOTIE with HM
Sloops WHIMBREL, PHEASANT, and
HM
Frigate AVON as escort for Supply Tamers WAVERING, WAVE MONARCH,
AMBROSIO,
SAN ADOLPHO and CEDAR LAKE as refuelling group.
(Note: HM Escort Carriers STRIKER and RULER
escorted by HM Australian Destroyers
NAPIER,
NORMAN and NEPAL were also deployed with this Group for support of air
operations by Task Force 57 carriers in
Sakishima Gunto area.
14th Deployed with Fleet Train in Area COOTIE during
replenishment of BPF ships with HM
Frigates
WOODCOCK, PHEASANT, HM Destroyer NIZAM (RAN), HM Escort Carriers
RULER and
STRIKER for defence of Fleet Train tankers ARNDALE, DINGLEDALE, WAVE
KING and
WAVE MONARCH (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
18th Provided AA defence for Tankers SAN AMBROSIA, .SAN ADOLPHO, CEDARDALE
and
Armament Stores Ship ROBERT MAERSK of Fleet
Train during replenishment of BPF ships
with
HM Escort Carriers RULER, CHASER, HM Sloop WHIMBREL, HM Destroyers
GRENVILLE,
NORMAN, HM Frigate PARRET and HM
Australian Minesweeper BENDIGO.
23rd Provided AA defence for HM Escort Carriers RULER,
CHASER, SPEAKER, tankers SAN
AMADO, WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH, and
Ammunition Supply Ship AASE
MAERSK
during the replenishment of BPF ships.
25th On completion of support for ICEBERG TWO returned to
Manus.
June Fleet Train deployment in continuation.
(Note: Ships of BPF had a repair and
maintenance period in Australia.).
July Deployed with Fleet Train during Joint RN/USN
operations off Japan.
31st Provided AA defence for tankers WAVE GOVERNOR, CARELIA, OLNA. WAVE KING,
Stores
Supply Ship GLENARTNEY, ROBERT MAERSK and CORINDA and Radar
Maintenance Ship HMNZS ARBUTUS with HM
Escort Carriers CHASER, SPEAKER, RULER,
HM
Destroyers NORMAN (RAN), QUEENBOROUGH
(RAN), HM Sloops PHEASANT,
WOODCOCK,
REDPOLE, HM Frigates ODZANI, DERG and HM Australian Minesweeper
PIRIE
during replenishment of BPF ships.
August
6th Provided AA defence for HMS ARBITER,. HMS CHASER,
HMS RULER. tankers
DINGLEDALE, WAVE KING and SAN AMADO, .Stores
Supply Ships GLENARTNEY, FORT
WRANGELL during BPF replenishment with HM
Destroyers NORMAN (RAN), NIZAM, HM ,
Frigate
BARLE, HM Sloop PHEASANT, HM Australian
Minesweepers BALLARAT and
BURNIE
13th Provided AA defence for Fleet Train auxiliaries WAVE EMPEROR, OLNA, SAN ADOLPHO,
SAN
AMADO, SAN AMBROSIO, FORT WRANGELL and HMS RULER with
HMS
PHEASANT,
HMS FINDHORN, HM Frigates USK, BARLE HM Australian Minesweepers
BURNIE,
BALLARAT, GERALDTON, IPSWICH and Hospital
Ship TJITJALENGKA.
(Note This was the last replenishment of BPF
during war operations).
15th On cessation of hostilities transferred to 1st
Escort Group BPF.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS CRANE remained with the British Pacific Fleet after VJ-Day and was deployed on patrol duty based in Hang Kong until refitting In
Brisbane at the end of 1945. On completion the ship became part of the 3rd
Frigate Flotilla until July 1946 when she took passage to return to UK. On
arrival after Paying-off, de0-stored and reduced to Reserve status at Harwich.
Later transferred to Chatham Reserve Fleet and in July 1951 brought forward for
service with the 3rd Frigate Flotilla ,Far East. She re-commissioned after
refit during which HEDGEHOG anti-submarine mortar outfit equipment was fitted
and the 20mm Oerlikon weapons replaced by 40mm Bofors. Apart from detachment to
the Mediterranean during the Suez crisis in 1956 she stayed in the Far East
until 1962. During the Suez operation the ship was damaged by Israeli aircraft.
This ship was finally Paid off in late 1962 and laid up at Portsmouth. When
placed on the Disposal List in 1965 she was sold to BISCO for breaking-up by
Lacmots at Queenborough, Kent where she arrived tow during March that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CRANE
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escorted
|
Convoy No. |
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
GUS 010
|
22/07/43
|
09/08/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
MKS 018
|
22/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
MKF 019
|
28/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
28/06/43
|
26/08/43
|
KMF 018
|
07/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
05/10/43
|
10/10/43
|
ON 205
|
13/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
HX 260
|
16/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
ON 207
|
27/10/43
|
04/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
SC 146
|
13/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
HX 265
|
16/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
18/11/43
|
SL 139MK
|
25/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
07/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON 223
|
11/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
HX 278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
ON 224
|
20/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
MKF 029
|
16/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
ON 228
|
unknown
|
01/04/44
|
20/05/44
|
21/05/44
|
WP 525
|
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
24/05/44
|
25/05/44
|
WP 527
|
26/05/44
|
26/05/44
|
29/05/44
|
29/05/44
|
CE 270A
|
30/05/44
|
30/05/44
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
ETP 001
|
07/06/44
|
07/06/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)