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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS FLAMINGO (L 18) - Black Swan-class Sloop
including Convoy Escort Movements  

 Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Flamingo, sister-ship (Photo Ships, click to enlarge)

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BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Yarrow's of Scotstoun, Glasgow and laid down on 26th May 1938 The ship was launched by Mrs Parden on 18th April 1939 and was the 2nd. RN ship to carry the name which was first used in 1876. Build was completed in November 1939 and after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 was adopted by the civil community of Runcorn, Cheshire

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA 1939-40 - NORWAY 1940 - GREECE 1941 - CRETE 1941- LIBYA 1941 - BURMA  1944-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Gold, upon water in base barry wavy Blue

and White. a flamingo 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 3 9

 

October                  Contractors trials

                                Nominated for service with Rosyth Escort Force for defence of North Sea convoys.

November

                3rd          Build completion and carried out acceptance trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing tool passage to Portland for work-up

                                Deployed for escort of North Sea convoy.

                16th        Damaged in collision with mercantile DOWNLEAZE during escort Convoy FN137-

                                Repair arranged at commercial shipyard in Leith.

                                Taken in hand for repair..

 

December              On completion of repair at resumed North Sea convoy defence with Rosyth Escort Force.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

 

February

                6th          Detached from escort of Convoy FN83 and joined HM Destroyers ECHO and ECLIPSE with

                                HM Sloop Weston to escort HM Auxiliary Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA during lay of

                                dummy Minefield in East Coast Barrier (Operation LD).

                                (For details of East Coast Mine Barrier see Naval Staff History (Mining).)

 

March                    North Sea convoy escort in continuation.

 

April

                8th          Detached to join Home Fleet to supplement AA defence of units operating off Norway in

                                support of military operations (Operation RUPERT/R4)

                                (For details of the ill conceived Norwegian campaign see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, NARVIK by D Macintyre and Naval Staff History (HMSO, 2001).)

                14th        Embarked Royal Marines and supporting Army AA and searchlight units at Rosyth for

                                passage to Andalsnes with HM Sloops AUCKLAND, BLACK SWAN and BITTERN.

                                (Operation PRIMROSE).

                15th        Delayed on passage by heavy weather and sheltered at Invergordon.

                17th        Disembarked Marines at Andalsnes and went to Alesund to land guns and crews.

                24th        Replaced damaged cruiser HMS CURACOA as AA Guardship at Andalsnes.

                25th        Under heavy air attacks and requested air support from HM Aircraft Carrier GLORIOUS.

                26th        Relieved by HMS BLACK SWAN having expended all ammunition.

                27th        Return passage to UK.

                                (For full details of Norwegian operations in 1910 see above reference , THE DOOMED

                                EXPEDITION by Adams and CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton).

 

May                        Transferred to Mediterranean for duty with Red Sea Escort Force.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U 18

                23rd        Arrived at Port Sudan for convoy escort duty in Red Sea.

 

June                        Deployed for convoy defence and support of military operations in Red Sea.

to                             (See Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001).)

December

 

1 9 4 1

January                  Red Sea duties in continuation.

to

March

 

April                       Transferred to Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria for escort of convoys in Eastern

                                Mediterranean and support of military operations.

                26th        Assisted with evacuation of allied troops from Greece (Operation DEMON).

 

May                        Escorted convoys taking reinforcements to Crete.

                28th        Assisted in evacuation of troops from Crete and escort of convoys.

                                (For details of operations in Mediterranean see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN

                                by D Macintyre and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).

 

June

                15th        Joined Inshore Squadron with HM Sloops AUCKLAND and PARRAMATTA (RAN).

                                Deployed for defence convoys to Tobruk and carrying stores and personnel.

 

July                         Tobruk support in continuation and under air attacks during escort of convoys.

to

November

 

December

                7th          Damaged in air attack whilst engaged in support of military at Tobruk.

                                Sustained significant structural damage aft and withdrawn from Squadron for repair.

                15th        Laid, up in Suez Roads awaiting repair and used as AA Guardship.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  AA Guardship duties no longer possible due to state of hull and lack of proper maintenance

to                            of structure.

December              Repair arranged in HM Dockyard at Bombay.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Waiting towage at Alexandria.

 

February

                5th          Passage under tow by tug AKBAR to Aden.

                15th        Passage under tow by STAR OF CAIRO to Bombay.

                26th        Paid-off and taken in hand for repair.

 

March                    Under repair

to                            20mm Oerlikon guns fitted for improved close range AA defence.

December              Surface warning radar equipment fitted.

                                (For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse)

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

                3rd          Commissioned at Bombay for trials.

                16th        On completion of post refit trials joined Eastern Fleet for Indian Ocean escort duties.

 

 

February                Convoy defence duties in Indian Ocean in continuation.

to

May

 

June                        Joined 61st Escort Group based at Colombo.

                                Deployed on convoy escort and support of military operations in Burma.

 

July                         Convoy defence and support duty in continuation.

to                            (For details of Eastern Fleet operations see OPERATION PACIFIC by Edwin Gray, THE

October                  FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)

 

November

                17th        Joined Force 64 for support of military operation to clear the enemy from Arakan,

                22nd       Remained with Eastern Fleet on formation of BPF.

 

December

                13th        Formed part of close support group with HM Indian Sloops JUMNA, NARBADA and

                                KISTNA bombardments of shore targets as required by 74th Brigade. HM Cruiser PHOEBE

                                provided fighter direction facilities (Operation ROMULUS)

                22nd       Carried cut A/S attack en Japanese submarine Ro113 off east coast of Ceylon.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Military support duties in continuation.

                                Based at Chittagong.

                16th        Part of Bombardment Force during landings by British 4th Brigade and Indian 71st Brigade in

                                northern part of Ramree Island (Operation MATADOR).

                19th        Deployed for bombardment duties with HMS PHOEBE, HM Destroyer RAPID and HM Sloop

                                KISTNA (RIN).

                21st         Took part in support bombardments during assault.

 

February

                16th        Supported landings by 53rd Brigade at Ryuwa, 45 miles south of Myebon, Arakan with

                                HM Indian Sloops NARBADA and JUMNA.

                                Final stage of Operation BLOCK.

                                (Note: The Sloops fired 9,750 rounds during support of military ashore).

 

March                    Deployed for support and patrol duties off Burma.

 

April                       Withdrawn from Eastern Fleet for refit prior to deployment in Pacific.

                20th        Took passage to UK.

 

May

                13th        Arrived in Liverpool and taken in hand for refit.

 

June                        Under refit

to

July

 

August                  Refit work stopped after end of Pacific war.

                                Returned to Devonport.

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS FLAMINGO Paid off after return to Devonport and reduced to Reserve in late 1945. She was brought forward for service in the Persian Gulf and commissioned in January 1949. The ship served in that area until December 1955 when she returned to Devonport and was went on the Disposal List. The ship was sold to the German BUNDESMARINE in late 1957 and after refitting entered service as GRAF SPEE on 21st January 1959. She remained operational until 1964 after which she was used for air-sea rescue duties.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS FLAMINGO

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

 

 

 

 

 

13/11/39

13/11/39

FS 0036

15/11/39

15/11/39

20/12/39

20/12/39

FS 0057

22/12/39

22/12/39

28/12/39

28/12/39

FS 0060

29/12/39

29/12/39

05/01/40

05/01/40

FS 0065

07/01/40

07/01/40

20/01/40

20/01/40

FS 0077

21/01/40

21/01/40

03/02/40

03/02/40

FS 0086

05/02/40

05/02/40

15/02/40

15/02/40

MT 012

16/02/40

16/02/40

16/02/40

16/02/40

FS 0098

17/02/40

18/02/40

26/02/40

26/02/40

FS 0106

28/02/40

28/02/40

26/02/40

26/02/40

MT 018

26/02/40

26/02/40

28/02/40

28/02/40

FS 0108

01/03/40

01/03/40

04/03/40

04/03/40

FS 0112

06/03/40

06/03/40

17/03/40

17/03/40

FS 0123

19/03/40

19/03/40

20/03/40

20/03/40

FN 0125

22/03/40

22/03/40

25/03/40

25/03/40

FS 0129

27/03/40

27/03/40

02/04/40

02/04/40

FS 0136

04/04/40

04/04/40

06/04/40

06/04/40

TM 039

07/04/40

07/04/40

13/04/40

13/04/40

MT 050

13/04/40

13/04/40

11/05/40

11/05/40

FS 0168

13/05/40

15/05/40

23/06/40

06/07/40

BN 001

10/07/40

12/07/40

17/07/40

30/07/40

BN 002

03/08/40

05/08/40

31/07/40

03/08/40

BS 002

09/08/40

09/08/40

30/08/40

12/09/40

WS 002A

14/09/40

14/09/40

15/09/40

15/09/40

BS 004C

18/09/40

19/09/40

24/09/40

27/09/40

SW 001

unknown

08/10/40

02/10/40

02/10/40

BS 005A

06/10/40

06/10/40

08/10/40

10/10/40

SW 002

12/10/40

22/10/40

10/09/40

20/10/40

AP 003/1

22/10/40

22/10/40

20/10/40

20/10/40

BS 006B

24/10/40

24/10/40

28/10/40

30/10/40

SW 002A

01/11/40

01/11/40

25/10/40

03/11/40

BN 008

06/11/40

11/11/40

04/11/40

unknown

BS 008

12/11/40

12/11/40

12/11/40

19/11/40

BN 008A

20/11/40

23/11/40

23/11/40

23/11/40

SW 003

unknown

05/12/40

30/11/40

unknown

BS 009A

unknown

05/12/40

30/11/40

30/11/40

BN 009B

02/12/40

04/12/40

18/12/40

18/12/40

BN 011

22/12/40

25/12/40

19/12/40

22/12/40

BS 011

27/12/40

27/12/40

27/12/40

02/01/41

BN 012

06/01/41

09/01/41

03/01/41

unknown

BS 012

11/01/41

11/01/41

12/01/41

12/01/41

BS 012C

15/01/41

15/01/41

17/01/41

17/01/41

BN 013

22/01/41

24/01/41

19/01/41

unknown

BS 013

27/01/41

27/01/41

26/01/41

01/02/41

BNF 001

unknown

06/02/41

02/02/41

unknown

BS 014

unknown

08/02/41

20/02/41

21/02/41

BS 016

23/02/41

25/02/41

25/02/41

28/02/41

BS 017

03/03/41

04/03/41

19/02/41

04/03/41

FORCE Z

06/03/41

07/03/41

24/03/41

24/03/41

BN 021

27/03/41

31/03/41

24/03/41

29/03/41

BS 021

01/04/41

01/04/41

20/03/41

01/04/41

BN 022

04/04/41

07/04/41

06/05/41

06/05/41

AN 030

09/05/41

09/05/41

09/05/41

09/05/41

AS 030/1

12/05/41

12/05/41

29/02/44

29/02/44

MA 025/3

04/03/44

04/03/44

04/03/44

04/03/44

AM 001/1

08/03/44

08/03/44

02/04/43

02/04/44

CX 020

05/04/44

05/04/43

11/04/44

11/04/44

CX 022

12/04/44

12/04/44

06/05/44

06/05/44

AB 039A

12/05/44

12/05/44

15/06/44

15/06/44

BM 094C

19/06/44

19/06/44

28/06/44

28/06/44

AM 004/1

29/06/44

02/07/44

05/07/44

07/07/44

CJ 033A

09/07/44

09/07/44

19/01/45

19/01/45

MATADOR

21/01/45

21/01/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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