HALCYON-Class Minesweeper ordered from Ailsa
SB at Troon
on
4th September 1936 with sister ship to
be named HMS FRANKLIN as part of the 3rd
Group of this Class. Her turbine
propulsion machinery was to be supplied
John
I Thornycroft,
Woolston.
The ship was laid down on 12th December
1936 and launched on 6th October 1937
as the 16th RN warship to carry this
name which had been introduced for a Fireship
purchased in 1673. The name is taken
from Greek
mythology and was last used for an Armed
Yacht hired in 1915. Build of this
ship was completed for use as a Survey
Ship on 9th June 1938.but in November
that she was taken out of service and
converted for use as a Fleet Minesweeper
by HM Dockyard Portsmouth. She was
re-commissioned for deployment as a
convoy
escort on 27th September
1939..After a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in December 1941 this ship was adopted
by the civil community of St Austell,
Cornwall.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1940
- NORTH SEA 1941-42 - ARCTIC 1943
- NORMANDY
1944
H
e r
a l d i
c D a
t a
On
a field Red, a golden
fleece.
M
a n n i n g D i v i s i o n
Portsmouth.
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
September
Dockyard work completed
28th
Commissioned at Portsmouth for service
in 1st Anti-submarine Striking Force.
October
Completed Acceptance Trials and carried
out minesweeping work-up
12th
Sustained minor damage after grounding
on Row Point.
November
Deployed for convoy defence in Home
waters with Force
to
December
1 9 4 0
January
Transferred to 3rd Anti-submarine
Striking Force for service in Western
Approaches Command.
to
Deployed for convoy defence
July
Pennant Number for visual signal
purposes changed to J99 as part of
changes made to all those
used by RN warships after May 1940.
August
3rd
Under repair at Belfast.
21st
On completion of trials and shipyard
work resumed Convoy defence in NW
Approaches.
28th
Deployed with HM Corvette HIBISCUS for
escort of mercantile convoy during
passage from
Clyde to Methil.
(Note: These 19 ships had detached from
inward convoy HX66 for passage to east
coast ports.)
30th
Under attack by U32 and U28 during which
four mercantiles were sunk.
September
Convoy defence in continuation
16th
Sustained significant structural damage
to stem in collision with rescue tug
SCHELDT.
20th
Taken in hand for repair at HM Dockyard
Rosyth.
23rd
Resumed operational service on
completion of dockyard work.
Deployed with Rosyth Escort Force for
defence of convoys to and from Clyde.
October
Rosyth Force convoy escort in
continuation
18th
Deployed as part of escort for inward
Convoy HX79 to Liverpool during concentrated
U-Boat attacks during which 10 ships
were sunk
For details see HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair.
(Note: Inward Convoy SC7 was also under
attack at this time.
The enemy attacks involving at least
eight submarines were one of the
heaviest
made in 1940 )
November
Rosyth deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 1
January
Deployment with Rosyth Escort Force for
convoy defence
to
June
July
21st
Taken in hand for refit at Leith.
August
26th
Resumed operational deployment at Rosyth
on completion of dockyard work and
trials.
September
Convoy defence based at Rosyth in
continuation
to
December
1 9 4 2
January
Rosyth deployment in continuation
February
25th
Under repair by HM Dockyard Rosyth
28th
Resumed convoy defence duties at Rosyth
March
Convoy defence based at Rosyth in
continuation.
to
Nominated for conversion for Fleet
minesweeping duty including
“Arcticisation”.
July
August
Released from Rosyth Escort Force
24th
Taken in hand for conversion and refit
by HM Dockyard Rosyth.
September
Conversion and refit.
to
November
December
24th
During trials on completion of refit
work retained in dockyard for repairs
26th
Under repair
1 9 4 3
January
5th
Carried out sea trials on completion of
repair.
On completion of trials deployed for
minesweeping trials and shakedown prior
to detached service in North Russia.
February
15th
Joined Convoy JW53 with HM Fleet
Minesweeper HALCYON, HM Corvettes
BERGAMOT, POPPY and a Trawler. at Loch
Ewe
part of escort during passage to Kola
Inlet
(Note: This convoy experienced extreme
weather during passage and many
mercantiles
had to return due to weather damage or
defects.
HMS HALCYON detached and took passage to
Iceland on 22nd.)
19th
Ocean escort of Fleet destroyers joined
JW53.
20th
HM Corvettes BLUEBELL and CAMELLIA
joined JW53
26th
Eastern Local Escort comprising HM Fleet
Minesweeper BRITOMART and five Soviet
destroyers joined .
27th
Detached from JW53 on arrival and joined
HM Fleet Minesweepers BRITOMART,
HALCYON, HAZARD, GOSSAMER and
SHARPSHOOTER for minesweeping, patrol
and convoy defence in North Russia.
For details of all warships and
mercantiles involved in convoys to and
from North Russia
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield,
CONVOY! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIA CONVOYS
by R Woodman
(Note: JW53 was last Russian convoy in
the 1943 season).
March
North Russia deployment in continuation
to
May
June
17th
Deployed with HM Fleet Minesweeper
BRITOMART as escort during passage of
Russian
icebreakers during passage from White
Sea to Kara Sea.
22nd
Detached with HMS BRITOMART from
icebreakers on arrival in Kara Sea and returned to
Kola Inlet
July
North
Russia
deployment in continuation.
to
(Note: During service in North Russia
these ships were frequently under air
attack
October
during patrol and minesweeping . In one
attack HMS BRITOMART was
hit by two bombs which skidded along the
upper deck and fell overboard
without detonating.
Service on board and during limited
shore leave was far below standards
found during service in Home waters.
Nominated for return to UK
November
1st
Joined Convoy RA54 with HMS BRITOMART in
Kola Inlet for escort during passage to
Loch Ewe.
(Note: Other escort for return passage
included Home Fleet destroyers and a
corvette..
See references.)
14th
Detached from RA54A on arrival in Home
waters.
Passage to Portsmouth
22nd
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard.
December
Under refit
1 9 4 4
January
Under refit.
February
Carried out harbour and sea trials.
Resumed service with 1st Flotilla.
Passage from Portsmouth to join ships of
15th Minesweeping Flotilla in Cromarty
Firth for night minesweeping exercises.
28th
Took passage from Cromarty Firth on
completion and sailed for Scapa Flow.
March
Carried out anti-submarine exercises
based at Scapa Flow with HMS HARRIER, HMS
HUSSAR and HMS SPEEDWELL.
Nominated with ships of Flotilla for
minesweeping support during planned
allied landings in Normandy (Operation
NEPTUNE).
9th
On completion of anti-submarine
exercises carried out minesweeping
exercises with other
ships of 1st Flotilla.
April
4th
Under repair by HM Dockyard Rosyth.
10th
On completion rejoined Flotilla.
Passage to Portsmouth from Scapa Flow
with Flotilla and called at North
Shields and Harwich.
Joined Force S with ships of Flotilla.
May
Nominated with Flotilla for mine
clearance of approach Channels to the
beach head anchorage
areas.
(Note: Two minesweeping Motor Launches,
one Isles-Class Trawler and three
trawlers
were attached to Flotilla for danlaying
during this specialised operation
Took part in preparatory exercises with
ships of Force S.
(Exercise FABIUS)
Carried out night sweeping exercises
with Flotilla.
For details of naval activities before
and during landings see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY JUNE 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards
.
and D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.
June
Deployed at Portsmouth for briefing and
preparations for minesweeping of Channel
9 in
advance of Assault convoys.
4th
Operation delayed by 24 hours.
5th
Sailed from Solent to commence Channel 9
clearance.
No mines cleared or exploded.
6th
On completion deployed for mine sweeping
of anchorages.
8th
Deployed for widening approach Channels
and defence patrols off Eastern Task
Force landing
to
areas.
17th
Carried out Channel convoy escort as
required.
18th
Involved in collision and sustained
significant damage and flooding in
forward structure.
Released from Force s and took passage
to Portsmouth.
20th
Deployed at Portsmouth to await repair
July
Under repair
August
14th
Carried out trials after repair and
resumed Flotilla service.
Deployed for minesweeping off Normandy
for minesweeping and patrol off
Arromanches
with HM Minesweepers HARRIER, HUSSAR,
BRITOMART , GLEANER and
SALAMANDER.
22nd
Transferred to Le Havre area for mine
sweeping operation in anchorage
Selected for bombardment of enemy
positions by HM Battleship WARSPITE,
HM Monitors EREBUS and ROBERTS.
23rd
Under shore fire during minesweeping
operations.
26th
Permission to remain in area instead of
taking passage back to Arromanches
approved in order to complete clearance.
27th
Deployed as Senior Officer’s ship during
final clearance, came under rocket
attacks by
RAF TYPHOON aircraft. Sustained major
damage.
(Note: HMS BRITOMART and HMS HUSSAR were
sunk, HMS SALAMANDER
damaged beyond economic repair and two
trawlers damaged..
For details see OUT SWEEPS by Lund and
Ludlam, FRIEND OR FOE by P Kemp
and Naval Staff History.
This disaster was directly due to
failure of Flag Officer British Assault
Area to ensure
that approval of extended minesweeping
operation had been advised to all
concerned
with air operations.)
Passage to Portsmouth
September
Deployed at Portsmouth to await repair
9th
Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard
25th
Carried out post refit trials on
completion of dockyard work.
Resumed Flotilla duties
November
Deployed with the Flotilla for
minesweeping off coast of Belgium.
to
(Note: Ships returned to Ostend to
anchor each evening.)
December
1 9 4 5
January
Transferred to Harwich for mine
clearance in southern North Sea.
to
(Note: Extensive minelaying was being
carried out by E-Boats and midget
submarines
February
to disrupt passage of military convoys
to ports in Belgium for support of
military operations. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.)
Returned to Downs anchorage overnight
and every 10 days individual ships
returned
to Base.
Nominated for refit.
March
Under refit at Thames commercial
shipyard.
April
25th
On completion of post refit trials
rejoined Flotilla at Harwich.
May
Southern
North Sea
minesweeping in continuation.
to
(Note: After VE Day Flotilla remained in
Harwich for mine clearance.)
June
July
26th
Sustained serious structural damage in
collision with HMS HAZARD in North Sea.
(Note: Ships was holed below boat deck.)
August
Passage to Thames to await repair in
commercial shipyard.
P
o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS
JASON resumed Flotilla
deployment for mine
clearance in November 1945 on
completion of repair. The ship remained
in commission until
1946 when Paid-off at Portsmouth and
placed on the Sales List. She was placed
on the Sales list and acquired by
Wheelock Marden
&Co for
use as a mercantile. Renamed JASLOCK
this ship used in trade until 1950 when
sold
to T W Ward
for demolition at Grays,
Essex where she arrived in tow later
that year.
Addendum
Link
to
www.halcyon-class.co.uk
by
Bill Burn