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)