HALCYON-Class
Minesweeper ordered from JS White at
Cowes on 5 February 1935 with
sister ship to be
named
HMS SALAMANDER.. Her Propulsion
machinery was to be
supplied this shipbuilder. The ship was
laid
down on 1st April 1935 and launched on
29 January 1936 as the 6th RN warship to
carry this name which
had
been introduced for a 5th Rate in 1759.
The last
warship to carry the name was a Torpedo
Gunboat built in
1892,
converted for use as a minesweeper in
1909 and sunk
by a U-Boat off Deal in November 1914.
Her build was
completed on 4th June 1936. During
WW2
after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign
in
February 1942 this ship was adopted by
the civil
community of Swadlingcote,
Derbyshire .
B
a t t l e
H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1941-2 - ARCTIC
1942
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
On
a field Red a double
triangle Green within it a
Royal
crown Gold.
(Note:
The double triangle represents
the Seal
of David.)
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
August
Deployed with HM Minesweepers HALCYON,
HARRIER, HUSSAR, LEDA SALAMANDER,
GOSSAMER, SPEEDWELL and SPHINX in the
5th Minesweeping Flotilla.
Allocated War Station at Dover.
September
Passage to Dover for minesweeping
duties.
(Note: Extensive British minelaying
operation were planned for establishment
of the Channel
Mine Barrier.)
Deployed at Dover.
October
Dover deployment in continuation.
November
Transferred with Flotilla to Grimsby for
minesweeping and convoy defence duties
in North Sea.
Deployed at Grimsby.
December
Note: Extensive enemy minelaying using
magnetic mines was being carried out in
the North Sea
.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C
Barnett and the Naval Staff
History.)
Under repair at Chatham
1 9 4 0
January
On completion took passage to Rosyth to
resume minesweeping in northern
North Sea.
(Note: Flotilla had been transferred to
Rosyth in continuation of North Sea duties
HMS HALCYON and HMS HUSSAR remained at
Grimsby as part of 4th Minesweeping
Flotilla.)
February
Deployed in Moray Firth with Flotilla.
3rd
Under air attacks in snow storm 15 miles
north of Kinnairds Head.
(Note: HMS SPHINX was sunk during these
attacks.
Convoy escort was also carried out
during this period.)
21st
Investigated report of submarine in
position SE of Duncansby Head from
aircraft.
Depth charge attack carried out in
vicinity of oil slick.
(Note: This was later classified as
having probably been damaged.)
March
North Sea deployment in continuation.
(Note: Anti-submarine operations were
carried out in this period.)
April
Transferred to 4th Minesweeping Flotilla
with HMS SALAMANDER in place
of HM Minesweepers HALCYON and HUSSAR.
North Sea duties in continuation with new Flotilla
May
Deployed in North Sea with 4th Flotilla
20th
Under dive-bombing attack of Gravelines
and sustained some fire damage.
Detached with HMS SALAMANDER and took
passage to Dover for the
evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO).
28th
Deployed at Dunkirk with HM Minesweepers
SHARPSHOOTER, LEDA,
GOSSAMER, SKIPJACK, HALCYON, HEBE and
SPEEDWELL from
1st, 5th and 6th Flotillas and HMS
SALAMANDER.
June
1st
After several trips with rescued troops
made final trip to beaches and rescued
party of sailors
who were adrift in a lifeboat.
Returned to beaches and embarked
soldiers from Guards Regiments and Kings
Own Scottish
Border Regiment.
2nd
Released from DYNAMO and took passage to
Grimsby for repair of defects.
14th
Under repair..
July
8th
On completion resumed minesweeping and
escort duties in North Sea with Flotilla.
30th
Sustained damage in collision with HM
Trawler LAUREL in North Sea
Taken in hand for repair in commercial
shipyard in Grimsby.
August
On completion resumed Flotilla duties in
North Sea.
September
Nominated for special duties in
connection with anti-invasion measures.
Took passage to Thames area to take part
in Operation LUCID which was intended to
place
fireships in French harbours.
25th
Deployed with HM Minesweeper ELGIN as
escort for tanker WAR NAWAB during
passage
to Boulogne.
Recalled from LUCID during passage due
to weather conditions.
26th
Resumed Flotilla duties based at Harwich
for escort and mine clearance.
October
North Sea duties in continuation.
November
8th
Assisted damaged minesweeper ELGIN which
had been damaged by an acoustic mine
during
minesweep ahead of coastal convoy off
Suffolk.
December
Flotilla duties in North Sea in continuation.
Nominated for refit
30th
Taken in hand at commercial shipyard in
Grimsby.
1 9 4 1
January
Under refit
February
21st
On completion of post refit trials
resumed Flotilla duties in North Sea.
March
North Sea deployment in continuation.
Nominated for service based in Iceland
with 6th Minesweeping Flotilla.
April
5th
Passage to Iceland with HM Minesweeper
SPEEDWELL to join Iceland Escort Force
On arrival deployed for convoy escort
and anti-submarine patrol based in
Iceland.
May
Atlantic duties in continuation.
(Note: Duties included support of
convoys under threat during Atlantic
passage and
June
Atlantic deployment based in Iceland in
continuation
29th
Deployed with HM Catapult Armed Ship
MAPLIN, HM Minesweeper SPEEDWELL, two
destroyers, two corvettes and three
trawlers in support of passage of inward
Convoy HX133
under sustained attack by U-Boats.
July
Iceland duty including detached service
for special operation.
12th
Detached for special duties with HM
Minesweepers SALAMANDER. HALCYON and
HARRIER.
(Note: This may have been a preparatory
investigation of route to be used for
convoys to
and from North Russia which began the
journey from Iceland. or an
anti-submarine
deployment.)
15th
Deployed at Aberdeen for installation of
equipment.
August
3rd
Under repair in Dundee
September
28th
Resumed minesweeping duties after post
repair trials
October
6th
Taken in hand for repair in Dundee
November
Under repair
December
15th
Nominated for detached service in North
Russia for local escort and minesweeping
duties in
Barents Sea area.
1 9 4 2
January
Under refit
(Note: This included “Arcticisation”
during which bow structure was
strengthened and
additional insulation provided for
deckheads and internal bulkheads.
Radar Type 271 may have been fitted
prior to this detached service. For
details of
development and use of radar by RN see
RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
February
On completion of Post Refit Trials
resumed operational service.
14th
Joined Ocean Escort as Senior Officer
for passage of Russian Convoy PQ11 to
Murmansk
with HMS HUSSAR, HM Corvette OXLIP,
three
Trawlers, HM Destroyers AIREDALE and
MIDDLETON.
17th
Trawlers detached and HM Corvette
SWEETBRIAR joined PQ11.
22nd
HM Cruiser NIGERIA joined PQ11 escort
with two Soviet destroyers for Local
Escort into
Murmansk.
23rd
Commenced duties in North Russia.
March
21st
Deployed with HM Minesweepers GOSSAMER,
HARRIER, HUSSAR, SPEEDWELL
and a Soviet destroyer as Local Escort
for return Convoy QP9
23rd
Detached from QP9 and returned to Murmansk to resume minesweeping
and anti-submarine
duties.
(Note: For full details of all Russian
convoy passages with names of the
escorts and
mercantiles see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B Schoefield, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
April
18th
Deployed with HM Minesweepers GOSSAMER,
HARRIER and HUSSAR to join two
Soviet destroyers for Local Escort of
Russian Convoy PQ14 into
Murmansk from Reykjavik.
19th
Detached from PQ14 on arrival and
resumed local duties.
28th
Joined return Convoy QP11 as Local
Escort for passage from Murmansk with
two Soviet
destroyers, HM Minesweepers GOSSAMER,
HARRIER and HUSSAR.
29th
Detached from QP11 with Local Escort on
relief by Ocean Escort for passage to
Reykjavik.
(Note: The Ocean Escort for Home Fleet
destroyers and Corvettes was joined
later by HM
Cruiser EDINBURGH which was sunk on 2nd
May with a large cargo of bullion
after being badly damaged by submarine
torpedo on 28th April. See above
references.)
May
Local minesweeping and patrol duties in
Barents Sea continued.
June
Nominated for duty with Ocean Escort of
return Convoy QP13
26th
Joined HM Minesweeper HUSSAR, HM
Destroyers INGLEFIELD, INTREPID,
ACHATES, VOLUNTEER and Polish destroyer
ORP GARLAND, four corvettes,
HM Auxiliary AA Ship ALYNBANK and two
trawlers Ocean Escort for QP13.
July
4th
Detached from QP13 with HMS HUSSAR, Free
French Corvette ROSELYS, HM Trawlers
LADY MADELAINE and ST ELSTAN as escort
for 19 ships of PQ13 for passage to
Iceland.
5th
Detached from Iceland section of QP13
with HMS HUSSAR to make landfall prior
to
convoy passage through gap in British
minefield off Iceland.
(Note: This detachment was made due to
appalling weather conditions including
fog which
restricted visibility to less than one
mile.
Detonated mine in British field and sank
very quickly. 80 of the ship’s company
including
the captain, as well as 39 survivors
from the cruiser EDINBURGH lost their
lives. Ships of
the Iceland section of PQ13 then ran
into this minefield and five were sunk
after striking
mines. Only 183 survivors from these
ships were rescued out of the 600
personnel carried.
Rescue was carried out by the corvette
ROSELYS and the two trawlers from the
escort which
entered the dangerous mined area at
great risk.
(Casualty
List -
note
on casualties)
Addendum
Link
to
www.halcyon-class.co.uk
by
Bill Burn