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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 ALACRITY (U 60) - Modified Black Swan-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements 

HMS Alacrity (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Denny at Dumbarton under 1941 Build Programme on 12th August. 1942. This ship was laid down on 5th April 1943 and was launched on 1st September in 1944 by Miss Stewart, as the eighth RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1806.  Build was completed 13th April 1945.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

CHINA  1900 - KOREA  1950-52*

(*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 Silver a heart, Red, winged Gold.

 (Note: Alacrity is defined as 'cheerful readiness')

 

M o t t o

Adjuvare Propero:   'I hasten to help'

 

 

S u m m a r y   o f   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 5

 

April                       Nominated for service in Far East.

                13th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Tobermory after acceptance, calibrations and storing.

 

May                        Worked up at Tobermory.

                                Under repair of work-up defects and prepared for foreign service.

 

June

                19th        Took passage to Malta.

                                Exercised with ships of Mediterranean Fleet to improve readiness for operational

                                service.

 

July                         Mediterranean Fleet exercises and repair.

                                Passage to Colombo

 

August                  Arrived at Colombo after VJ-Day.

 

September             Passage to Hong Kong to join British Pacific Fleet Escort Force.

                19th        Arrived at Hong Kong.

 

October                  Deployed for support, of repatriation and protection of British flagged mercantiles during

                                passage off coast of China.

                                (Note:  Ships on passage in Formosa Strait were at risk of attack and military operations by

                                Chinese Nationalist and Communist forces.

                                French re-occupation of Indo China also affected free movement of trade and the

                                deployments of warships in China Sea area.)

                                Carried out Guardship duties at Shanghai.

 

November              Escort Force duties in continuation. Transferred to 32nd Escort Flotilla.

to

December

1 9 4 6

 

January                  Deployed for Flotilla patrol and escort, duties based at Hong Kong.

                                Nominated for refit in New Zealand.

February                Passage to Auckland

 

March                    Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Auckland.

 

April                       Under refit

 

May                        Refit in continuation.

                                Nominated for service as Senior Officer's ship, 1st Escort Force BPF.

 

June                        On completion of Post-refit Trials took passage to join Escort Force in Hong Kong.

 

July                         Deployed for patrol and escort duties with Flotilla including Fleet exercises and visits to

to                            Japan and Malaya.

December

 

1 9 4 7    t o    1 9 4 8

 

                                Escort Force duties in Far East Fleet in continuation.

                                Escort Force redesignated 1st Escort Flotilla

 

1 9 4 9

 

January                  BPF patrol, escort and visits duties in continuation with 1st Escort Flotilla.

to

April

 

May                        1st Escort Flotilla redesignated 3rd Frigate Flotilla on formation of Far East Fleet and

                                previous duties in continuation.

 

June                        Flotilla duties in continuation on Far East Station.

to                            (Note:  Routine dockings and refits for ships of Flotilla were carried out at Hong Kong

December              and Singapore after dockyard was operational.

 

1 9 5 0

 

January                  Flotilla duties in continuation

to

May

 

June                        After outbreak of war in Korea nominated for duty with Commonwealth Naval Force

                                formed to assist united Nations operations in Korean waters.

 

July                         On completion of preparation for war service took passage to Sasebo to join UN Naval

                                Task Force under overall US Command.

 

August                  Deployed for escort of military convoys and patrol off west, coast of Korea.

to                            (Note:  UN Task Groups off Korean coast provided support gunfire for military operations and

December              landings.)

 

1 9 5 1

 

                                UN duties with Commonwealth Naval Force in continuation.

                                (Note:  R&R periods were spent at Kure where work was carried out by Japanese commercial

                                shipyards.

                                Ships of the Force returned periodically to Hong Kong for longer periods and were also

                                detached for support of military operations against Communist insurgents in Malaya.)

 

1 9 5 2

 

January                  Far East Fleet, duties in continuation with Flotilla for UN service and other patrol duties in

to                            protection of shipping or military support.

July                         Nominated for return to UK to reduce to Reserve status.

 

August                  Took passage from Hong Kong for Portsmouth with calls at Singapore and Malta.

September             During passage from Gibraltar diverted to assist. British mercantile ATHELDUKE after Master

                                reported mutinous activity by some of crew.

                                Bearding Party placed on board and order restored.

                                Escorted ATHELDUKE to Gibraltar before resuming passage to Portsmouth.

 

October                  Paid-off at Portsmouth and reduced to Reserve status.

to                            Laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth.

December

 

F i n a l   P h a s e

 

HMS ALACRITY was transferred to the Reserve Fleet Sub-Division at Lisahally, Londonderery, Ulster in 1953. She remained there in a state of preservation until placed on the Disposal List in 1956. She was then sold to BISCO for demolition by WH Arnold Young & Co at Dalmuir. The ship arrived in tow at the breaker's yard on 15th December 1956.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ALACRITY

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

04/09/45

04/09/45

DM 007/2

10/09/45

10/09/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 31/5/11
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