BANGOR-Class
with
Reciprocating Machinery ordered on
9th September 1939
from Lobnitz
at Renfrew and laid down on 29th June
1940 as Job Number 1089 (Yard N.1029), The
ship was launched 5th November 1940
as the 2nd RN ship to carry this name. It
was first used by a vessel hired in
1917. This ship was adopted by the civil
community of Eastbourne, East Sussex
following a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in March 1942.
Build was completed on 26th May 1941.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-43 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - DIEPPE 1942 -
NORMANDY 1944
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue,
in
front of 2 anchors in saltire
Gold
a sea-horse argent.
(Note:
This badge may not have been
used until after WW2).
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 1
May
Contractors
trials and commissioned for service.
26th Build completion
and commenced Acceptance
Trials
On
completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory
for work-up.
Nominated
for service in 13th Minesweeping Flotilla.
June
Carried
out work-up at Tobermory
July
Carried
out minesweeping training in Forth based
at South Queensferry.
August
On completion
joined Flotilla at Harwich for East Coast
minesweeping.
(Note:
Flotilla comprised HM Minesweepers BLYTH,
CLACTON, FELIXSTOWE.
ILFRACOMBE.
POLRUAN
and STORNOWAY.
Primary
purpose of
sweeping operation was to ensure clear
passage of the
convoy route
in North Sea
between Southend
and Firth of Forth,
September Deployed
with Flotilla off East Coast.
October
Detached
and took passage to Portsmouth with HMS BLYTH.
Joined HM
Minesweeper BRIDLINGTON with HMS BLYTH
at Portsmouth
for detached
service minesweeping
in English Channel.
(Note:
During this period
involved in collection of personnel
escaping from France.
November
Channel
deployment in continuation.
On
release took passage alone to rejoin
Flotilla at Harwich.
(Note:
HM BRIDLINGTON
rejoined 9th Flotilla).
December
Deployed with Flotilla for clearance
of gaps in British East Coast Mine
Barrier.
(Operation QO
- These were required to ensure speedy
entry to North
Sea and Dover
Straits by Nore
Command destroyers in the event of an
attempt by German
battleships
SCHARNHORST
and GNEISENAU
to return from Brest to Germany by
passage through
English
Channel).
1
9
4 2
January
Transferred with Flotilla to
Falmouth for coastal minesweeping duties.
February
Transferred
to Belfast with Flotilla
for special duty.
Deployed to ensure clear passage
into Belfast for military
convoy bringing US troops
to Northern Ireland
Operation carried
out in bad weather.
March
Resumed coastal minesweeping
in Plymouth Command
based at Falmouth.
to
(Note: Subject to air
attacks during one of which sister ship
HMS BLYTH was
hit)
June
July
Returned to Harwich with
Flotilla for minesweeping off east coast.
Nominated for joint minesweeping
operation in
support of the planned landings at Dieppe
(Operation JUBILEE
- For details see Naval Staff History and
THE WATERY MAZE by
B Fergusson.)
August
Deployed with ships of 9th and 13th
Flotillas for operation to clear
passage of
assault convoy
through German
minefield off Dieppe.
15th
Sustained damage during operation.
Taken in hand for
repair.
September
On completion rejoined Flotilla at
Portsmouth and deployed for minesweeping
in Channel.
Nominated for
service in support of planned allied
landings in North Africa
(Operation TORCH
- For details see Naval Staff
History
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett).
October
14th
Sustained damage in collision with HMS ILFRACOMBE
during exercises in preparation
for Operation
TORCH.
Taken in hand for
repair.
November
On completion took passage to
Mediterranean.
December
Deployed for minesweeping off
North Africa and support of military
operations.
1
9 4 3
January
Western Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
Passage to UK
February Deployed
off for minesweeping
in UK Coastal waters.
10th
Escorted HM Coastal Minelayer PLOVER
for minelay
in East Coast Barrier.
(Operation QV3 -
off The Wash)
17th
Escorted
HMS PLOVER for further East Coast Barrier
minelay
(Operation QV2).
20th
Escorted HMS PLOVER for minelay
off Humber Estuary (Operation BS87).
March
Deployed in North Sea and
Channel for mine clearance in convoy
routes.
to December
1
9 4 4
January Deployed
with 13th Flotilla
for minesweeping in UK coastal waters
to .
Flotilla
nominated for
support of allied landings in Normandy.
April
Allocated for clearance
of Channel 7 for assault convoys to JUNO beachhead.
(Operation
NEPTUNE: See OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards and Naval Staff History)
May
Channel
minesweeping in
continuation and detached to join
Amphibious exercises
with
Force J
(Exercise FABIUS
series).
June
Channel
7 clearance in
continuation.
4th
Operation
NEPTUNE delayed 24 hours.
5th
Carried
out clearance sweep of Channel 7 in
advance of Force J assault convoys.
6th
After
arrival off beach head carried out
sweeping of bombardment area to be used by
Bombardment
Group for gunfire support.
7th
Deployed
for additional mine clearance of approach
channels.
24th
Joined US Task Force 129
with Flotilla and
sailed from Portland as Minesweeping Unit
2
for planned gunfire support
off Cherbourg.
(Note: Task Force comprised:
Bombardment
Group No 1
US
Battleship NEVADA. US Cruisers
USS TUSCALOOSA, QUINCY
HM
Cruisers GLASGOW and ENTERPRISE with
screen of six US Navy
Destroyers.
Bombardment
Group No 2.
US
Battleships
USS ARKANSAS ,TEXAS. with five US
Navy
Destroyers
as
screen.
Minesweeping
Unit No 1.
Four
BANGOR Class RN Minesweepers, four RN Danlayers
four RN
Motor
Launches and eight RN BYMS
of 159th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
Minesweeping
Unit No 2.
Eight
US Navy
Minesweepers, one RN Danlayer
and four Motor launches
25th
Carried out mine clearance operation in
Fire Support area prior to the arrival
Bombardment
Group No 1 came under heavy fire from
coastal batteries during sweep
and
withdrew after
completing half of intended task
For details see
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY JUNE 1944 (HMSO)
Released on
completion of bombardments and resumed
duties with Eastern Task Force
for minesweeping and
patrol off beachhead.
July
Deployment in support
of allied landings in continuation.
Modified
for towing duties.
Carried out
towing duties for barges intend to
activate OYSTER Pressure Mines.
(Note: HMS SEAHAM
and HMS FORT YORK (RCN) were also used as
'Fleet
Tugs'
in
this
role but the
results were not a total success).
August
On release from support of
military operations resumed
minesweeping duties.
to
December
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed in Home waters for
minesweeping and ant-submarine patrol
duties.
to
(Note: No record
has been traced of return of ship to 9th
Flotilla which was deployed
August
in Norway after VE
Day. This period is subject to amendment).
P
o s t W a r N o t
e s
HMS EASTBOURNE was paid off
after VJ Day
and remained in Reserve until placed on
the Disposal List in 1947. The ship was
then sold for breaking-up by Clayton
and Davies at Dunston
where she arrived in in
tow during October 1948. The name was
carried forward and used for a Type 12
Frigate built by Vickers-Armstrong. The
3rd ship to carry the named was launched
on 29th December 1955 and served with the
Fleet for over 20 years before also being
sold for breaking-up.