Naval History Homepage and Site Search

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

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

HMS KITE (U 87) - Modified Black Swan-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Kite (Navy Photos/Bob Hanley, click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 

 

Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead under the 1940 Build Programme on 27th March 1941 and laid down as Job No 3467 (Yard No 1102) on 25th September 1941 She was launched by Mrs Cooper on 13th October 1942 as the 11th RN warship to carry the name, introduced in 1764 and last used by a gunboat sold in 1920. The build was completed on 1st March 1942. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil communities of Braintree and Becking in Essex.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

BISCAY 1943 - ATLANTIC  1943-44 - NORMANDY 1944 - ARCTIC 1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, a Kite hovering Proper.

 

M o t t o

Milvus an astra volat:   'The Kite flies to the stars'

 

 

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

 

February                Contractors trials and commissioning,

 

March

                1st           Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory.

                                Carried out work-up for operational service at Tobermory

 

April

                6th          Joined 2nd Support Group (2SG) based at Liverpool on completion of work-up.

                                Deployed with Group in Support for for defence of Atlantic convoys.

                15th        Supported passage of Convoy HX233 under threat from SPECHT group of U-Boats.

                                (Note: This may have prevented significant losses as only one ship was lost)

 

May

                22nd       Deployed with Group in support of passage of Convoys ONS8 and HX240.

                                (Note: By this time the U-Boat offensive had slackened due to the availability of more

                                escorts, better weapons and increased air cover.

                                For details of improved weapons and tactics used in defence of convoys see THE

                                BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC

                                (HMSO), CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton, SEEK AND STRIKE by

                                W Hackmann).

 

June                        Transferred with Group for offensive Anti-Submarine patrols in Bay of Biscay to intercept

                                U-Boats on passage to bases or for convoy attack operations .The ships were subjected

                                to heavy air attacks but these operations greatly influenced the enemy policy for U-Boat

                                transit across Bay of Biscay and in Spanish coastal waters,

                                (Operation MUSKETRY and Operation SEASLUG - For details see CONFLICT OVER THE

                                BAY by N Franks and WILD SWAN by Peter C Smith.)

                20th        Further deployment with SG2 in Bay of Biscay supported by RAF aircraft and with cover by

                                HM Cruiser SCYLLA to prevent interference by German destroyers. This series of patrols

                                was particularly successful but were subject to attacks by air attacks including Glider bombs

                                in later stages.

                24th        Participated in sinking of U449 in position 45.00N 11.59W with m Sloops WREN,

                                WOODPECKER and WILD GOOSE.

                                There were no survivors from U 449, See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

July                         Under repair at Devonport.

                23rd        Rejoined SG2 for further Anti-Submarine operations in Bay of Biscay.

                30th        Engaged U462 and U504 by surface gunfire after the submarines had been damaged in air

                                attacks by Coastal Command aircraft.

                                (Note: U462 had been abandoned and sank. See above reference.)

                                Participated in sinking of U504 with HM Sloops WOODPECKER, WREN and

                                WILD GOOSE. Submarine had dived in position 45.33N 10.47W.

                                There were no survivors. See reference.)

 

August                  Bay of Biscay and SW Approaches patrols in continuation.

                1st           Rescued some survivors from U545 which had been sunk by Sunderland aircraft of 10

                                Squadron RAAF which had been shot down after attacking the submarine

 

September             Returned with Group to North Atlantic convoy defence.

                30th        Deployed in support of passage of Convoy HX238 with aircraft cover.

 

October

                13th        Damaged in collision with tug ALLEGIANCE at Londonderry.

                23rd        On completion of repair resumed to convoy support role with Group.

                24th        Escorted Convoy ONS207 with HM Sloops STARLING, MAGPIE, WOODCOCK and WILD

                                GOOSE.

                25th        Transferred to assist 7th Escort Group in defence of Convoy HX262 under threat of attacks

                                by  SIEGFRIED Group of U-Boats.

                                Air cover was available from HM Escort Carrier TRACKER.

 

November

                5th          Transferred with ships of Group to support of passage of Convoy HX264 with air cover from

                                HMS TRACKER.

                                Convoy was under threat from TIRPITZ group of U-Boats.

                6th          Participated in sinking of U226 in position 44.49N 41.13W with HMS STARLING and HMS

                                WOODCOCK.

                                There were no survivors and convoy passed through area without interception.

                                See reference.

                8th          During passage to Argentia to refuel came under U-Boat attack.

                27th        Reinforced escort of Convoy MCS31/SL1UO with ships of 2nd and 4th Escort Groups with

                                air cover to counter threat from WEDDIGEN group of U-Boats.

                28th        Drove off attacks by U843 on convoy with other escorts.

 

December              On return from Atlantic support duties taken in hand for repair at Liverpool.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

                28th        Resumed convoy defence duty with Group.

                                (Note: HM Escort Aircraft Carriers ACTIVITY and NAIRANA were also deployed with this

                                Group in support of anti-submarine operations.):

 

February

                6th          Deployed in support of passage of Convoy MKS38/SL1H7(?) under threat from the IGEL

                                group of U-Boats.

                                Came under attack by T5 (Acoustic torpedoes) from U734 and U238.

                                Followed HF D/F bearing and sighted U238 at 800 yards on surface 10 miles from convoy.

                                Joined in hunt with HM Sloop MAGPIE after submarine submerged.

                                When HMS STARLING and HMS WILD GOOSE arrived later carried out HEDGEHOG and

                                'Creeping' attacks lasting 8 hours made.

                                Over 266 depth charges were used.

                                U238 was sunk in position 49N 16.07W with no survivors. See reference.

                                Depth charge stocks were then replenished from merchant ship in Convoy HX277.

                17th        Deployed with 2nd and 7th Support Groups in defence of Convoy ON224 under threat from

                                HAI Group of U-Boats.

                19th        Convoy avoided an ambush by diversion.

                                Joined in series of attacks on U264

                                (Note: The first SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boat and later sunk by HMS STARLING and HMS

                                WOODPECKER, but HMS WOODPECKER was sunk by a T5 torpedo in a counter-attack.)

 

March                    Transferred to 7th Support Group based at Greenock for convoy defence in the NW

                                Approaches.

                30th        Damaged in collision with freighter ANNAGMORE.

 

April

                1st           Taken in hand for repair at Clyde shipyard

                11th        On completion of repair detached for escort duty in eastern Channel and North Sea based at

                                Sheerness.

 

May                        Deployed in Channel and North Sea.

                                Nominated for escort duty of military convoys during Normandy landings.

                                Allocated to 115th Escort Group (Operation NEPTUNE)

                                (For further details of naval activities before and during this Operation see LANDINGS

                                IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards. and for

                                information about all mercantiles and warships taking part D –DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.)

 

June                        Joined HM Destroyer FORESTER, HM Escort Destroyer QUORN, HM Frigates TYLER

                                and SEYMOUR in Escort Group 115 on formation.

                                (Note: Convoy comprised eight Personnel Ships, three Troopships, Accommodation Ship

                                HMS AMBITIOUS and two Hospital Carriers.

                                Personnel Carriers were taking Pre-Loaded British Build-Up Division to landing area.)

                5th          Escorted Convoy ETP1 with ships of Group from More to Eastern Task Force Area.

                6th          Waited at Portsmouth with convoy prior to passage to beach head.

                                Sailed as escort for re-designated Convoy EWP1.

                7th          Passage to Portsmouth for escort of convoys during Build-Up Phase of operation.

                8th          Continued NEPTUNE escort duty in Channel based at Portsmouth.

                27th        Retained in Channel after NEPTUNE terminated.

 

July                         Escort and support duty in continuation.

 

August                  Released from Portsmouth Command

                3rd          Passage to Scapa Flow for escort of convoy to Kola Inlet with 8th Support Group.

                                For details of all Russian Convoy operations including names of ships involved see

                                CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield,

                                CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)

                15th        Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW59 with HM Destroyer KEPPEL, HM Sloops

                                MERMAID and PEACOCK.

                                (Note: This convoy also included the Russian battleship ARCHANGELSK (Ex HMS

                                ROYAL SOVEREIGN, eight TOWN Class destroyers (Ex USN Lease Lend) and

                                and 12 Ex USN PT Boats being transferred to Russian Navy.

                20th        Convoy sighted by aircraft which alerts TRUTZ group of U-boats.

                21st         During deployment astern of convoy hit by two torpedoes fired from U344 and sunk

                                within one minute in position 220 miles SW of Bear Island.

                                Only nine of ship's company were rescued by HMS KEPPEL.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS KITE

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

 

 

 

 

 

24/04/43

01/05/43

HX 236

05/05/43

09/05/43

03/05/43

06/05/43

SL 128MK

09/05/43

14/05/43

17/05/43

22/05/43

ONS 008

25/05/43

01/06/43

19/05/43

27/05/43

HX 240

01/06/43

04/06/43

25/05/43

02/06/43

HX 241

06/06/43

10/06/43

05/09/43

14/09/43

XK 011

20/09/43

20/09/43

22/09/43

30/09/43

HX 258

02/10/43

06/10/43

24/10/43

25/10/43

ON 208

31/10/43

07/11/43

31/10/43

05/11/43

HX 264

08/11/43

17/11/43

24/11/43

27/11/43

SL 140MK

02/12/43

07/12/43

02/12/43

12/12/43

SC 148

12/12/43

16/12/43

28/01/44

31/01/44

ONS 028

03/02/44

15/02/44

30/01/44

04/02/44

ON 222

05/02/44

16/02/44

02/02/44

07/02/44

SL 147MK

12/02/44

13/02/44

05/02/44

14/02/44

HX 278

14/02/44

20/02/44

06/06/44

06/06/44

ETP 001

07/06/44

07/06/44

15/08/44

15/08/44

JW 059

21/08/44

25/08/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 31/5/11
further editing and formatting is required