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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Geoffrey B Mason, Lieutenant Commander, RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS AGAMEMNON - mercantile conversion, Auxiliary Minelayer
SS Agamemnon in her cargo-passenger ship role (Fred Waddington, Merchant Navy Officers, click to enlarge)

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Blue Funnel Line cargo-passenger ship of 7,593grt, built in 1929 by Workman Clark at Belfast for use between ports in UK and the Far East. She was requisitioned for use as an Auxiliary Minelayer on 30th December 1939 when she returned from the Far East.  After conversion for this specialised use she joined the 1st Minelaying Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh. Her first operation was to take part in the initial minelay of the Northern Barrage, which had been delayed due to lack of escorts and completion of adequate support facilities at this new base. Her entire service as a minelayer was associated with this large minefield which was intended to trap enemy submarines on passage to attack Atlantic convoys. When the Squadron was disbanded in October 1943 this ships was selected with her sister ship HMS MENESTHEUS also part of  the Squadron for conversion to an Amenities Ship intended for support of the British Pacific Fleet. The work was carried out at Vancouver but owing to the end of hostilities against Japan never completed. She was never adopted by a civil community in UK following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during 1941-42, possibly due to the nature of her use, details of which were secret. This name, that of a classical Greek hero was used by Alfred Holt and Company for many of their merchant ships, but had been used since 1781 for Royal Navy warships. The first to bear this name was a 5th Rate, built at Bucklers Hard, Hampshire and had served with great distinction until wrecked on 16th June 1809 in the River Plate. Amongst her commanding officers was Horatio Nelson for the period 1793 to 1797. The last to carry the name was a battleship built in 1906 which served at Jutland during WW1 and which was later used as a target ship for gunnery exercises before being sold in 1927. This requisitioned ship was the fifth major RN warship to bear the name also used by a trawler hired in 1914 but lost in 1915.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

USHANT 1781 - THE SAINTES 1782 - GENOA 1795  - COPENHAGEN 1801 - TRAFALGAR 1805 -

SAN DOMINGO 1806 - CRIMEA 1834-35 - DARDANELLES 1915-16

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a field Black, an arm, the hand grasping a spear, Gold

 

M o t t o

Multa tuli fecique: 'I have borne much and much done'

 

 

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

 

 

For details of all minelaying operations by RN surface ships, Light Coastal Forces craft and submarines, see Naval Staff History (Mining), BR1736(56) Parts (A) and (B).  Information on types of mines and locations of individual lays in SN Series are provided elsewhere in these pages. See Royal Navy Minelaying Operations.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Under conversion for use as an Auxiliary Minelayer

to

July

 

August                  Commissioned for service in 1st Minelaying Squadron

to                            Conversion completed and carried out Acceptance Trials.

September             Completed storing and prepared for operational service as a minelayer.

 

October                  Passage to join Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh

                18th        Deployed with HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT NAPIER, PORT QUEBEC,

                                MENESTHEUS and SOUTHERN PRINCE in Faroes –Iceland gap for first

                                minelay escorted by HM Destroyers BATH, BEAGLE and BULLDOG.)

                                (Operation SN3)

November

                12th        Deployed for two minelays in North Channel (Operations SN43 and 44 ).

                26th        Deployed for minelay in Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT

                                QUEBEC and MENESTHEUS escorted by HM Destroyers BATH and KEPPEL

                                (Operation SN11).

                                (Note: HMS PORT NAPIER was lost when she sank after a fire on board at Kyle of

                                Lochalsh on 27th November.)

 

December              Deployed with HM Auxiliary Minelayer MENESTHEUS for minelay in Faroes–Iceland

                                gap of Northern Barrage escorted by HM Destroyers BATH, DOUGLAS, KEPPEL,

                                and ST ALBANS with cover from HM Battlecruiser REPULSE

                                (Operation SN10A)

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                3rd          Deployed with HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE for minelay south of Faroes in Northern Barrage, escorted by

                                HM Destroyers SIKH, KEPPEL, ESKIMO, ELECTRA, ECHO, DOUGLAS, BEAGLE

                                and Free French destroyer OURAGON with cover from HM Battlecruiser HOOD and

                                HM Cruiser EDINBURGH,

                                (Operation SN6)

                4th          Deployed with HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE for minelay south of Faroes in Northern Barrage escorted by

                                HM Destroyers KEPPEL, SIKH, BEAGLE, DOUGLAS, ECHO, ELECTRA, ESKIMO,

                                PARTRIDGE and FS OURAGON.

                                (Operation SN65) (Note: date probably later in the month - 14th or 24th?)

 

February

                6th          During passage to carry out minelay in Northern Barrage deployed to take HMS

                                MENESTHEUS in tow to Kyle of Lochalsh after that ship had been damaged when

                                she detonated a drifting British mine. Ship had been on passage for minelay in

                                Northern Barrage (Operation SN72).

                17th        Deployed with HMS PORT QUEBEC and HMS SOUTHERN PRINCE for Northern

                                Barrage minelay in two positions escorted by HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN,

                                BRIGHTON and LANCASTER.

                                (Operations SN7B and SN68A)

 

March

                11th        Deployed with HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE for Northern Barrage minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap escorted

                                by HM Destroyers ZULU, COSSACK and ST MARYS,

                19th        Carried out repeat Northern Barrage minelay with same ships escorted by HM Destroyers

                                CHARLESTOWN, CASTLETON and ST MARY'S.

                26th        During deployment with HMS PORT QUEBEC, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE for minelay North Rona area, escorted by HM Destroyers

                                CHARLESTOWN, CASTLETON, ST MARY'S and LANCASTER,

                                (Operation SN4)

                27th        Sustained damage in collision during heavy weather conditions with HM Destroyer

                                CASTLETON during return passage.

                                Repair arranged with HM Dockyard Rosyth on return to Lochalsh..

                               

 

April                       Under repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth

                6th          Deployed with same three ships as for SN4 and carried out minelay in Denmark Strait

                                for Northern Barrage escorted by HM Destroyers COSSACK, LANCASTER,

                                ST MARY'S and ANTHONY (Operation SN8).

 

May

                6th          Carried out minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap of Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary

                                Minelayers PORT QUEBEC and MENESTHEUS escorted by HM Destroyers

                                INTREPID and IMPULSIVE (Operation SN9A)

                                (Note: Flag of ML1 was worn during this operation.)

                15th        Deployed with same two ships as SN9A for minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap of

                                Northern Barrage escorted by HM Destroyers ANTELOPE, ANTHONY and ELECTRA

                                Operation SN9B)

 

June

                10th        Carried out minelays in North Rona area of Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary

                                Minelayer MENESTHEUS escorted by HM Destroyers ANTHONY and IMPULSIVE

                                (Operations SN64A & B)

                16th        Carried out minelay in Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary Minelayer MENESTHEUS

                                escorted by HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON, ST MARYS and WELLS,

                                (Operation SN 66)

                25th        Carried out minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap of Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary

                                Minelayer MENESTHEUS escorted by HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON,

                                and WELLS, covered by HM Cruisers KENYA

                                (Operation SN70B)

                27th        HMS KENYA involved in collision with HMS BRIGHTON which was relieved by

                                HM Destroyer ECLIPSE from Iceland.

 

July

                9th          Carried out minelay in Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS

                                and PORT QUEBEC escorted by HM Destroyers CASTLETON, HEYTHROP, and

                                WELLS (Operation SN67A)

 

August                  Deployed at Lochalsh

                15th        Nominated for refit in USA on completion of planned minelay.

                22nd       Carried out Deep Field minelay in Butt of Lewis escorted by HM Destroyer NEWARK

                                (Operation SN22B)

 

September

                7th          Carried out minelay in North Rona area of Northern Barrage escorted by HM Destroyer

                                CASTLETON (Operation SN61)

                                Passage to USA for refit

 

October                  Under refit.

to

November

 

December              Passage to Lochalsh to resume duties in 1st Minelaying Squadron.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                3rd          Carried out further Deep Field minelay in Butt of Lewis escorted by HM Destroyer

                                NEWARK (Operation SN26A)

                23rd        Continued minelay of Butt of Lewis Deep Field escorted by HM Destroyer

                                ST MARYS

                                (Operation SN26B)

 

February

                9th          Carried out minelay in Faroes Fjords with HM Auxiliary Minelayer MENESTHEUS

                                escorted by HM Destroyers LANCASTER, NEWARK and ST MARYS

                                (Operation SN5B)

                16th        Carried out minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap of Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary

                                Minelayers MENESTHEUS and PORT QUEBEC escorted by LANCASTER and

                                WELLS (Operation SN84 )

                28th        Carried out further Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay with HM Auxiliary Minelayers

                                MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE escorted by HM

                                Destroyers LANCASTER and WELLS (Operation SN85)

 

March

                15th        Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay in continuation with same Auxiliary Minelayers escorted

                                by HM Destroyers LANCASTER, WELLS, ST MARYS and LEDBURY

                                (Operation SN81)

                30th        Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay in continuation with same Auxiliary Minelayers escorted

                                by HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN, LANCASTER and WELLS (Operation SN87)

                                (Note: HM Escort Sloop SCOTT was deployed with escort to provide accurate

                                navigational information.)

 

April

                18th        Carried out further minelay in Faroes-Iceland Gap with same ships as SN87 escorted

                                by HM Destroyers SARDONYX, SALADIN, CHARLESTOWN, WELLS and HMS

                                SCOTT deployed for navigational accuracy (Operation SN88 )

 

May

                8th          Deployed with HM Cruiser Minelayer ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers

                                MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE in continuation of Deep

                                Field Northern Barrage minelay in Faroes Bank (Operation SN3A). Escort included

                                HM Escort Sloop SCOTT for navigational accuracy with HM Destroyers BRIGHTON,

                                CASTLETON, NEWARK and WELLS.

 

June

                1st           Carried out first minelay in Denmark Strait section of Northern Barrage with same

                                minelayers as SN3A escorted by HM Destroyers NEWARK, ST MARY'S, SALADIN,

                                SARDONYX (Operation SN72)

                11th        Carried out further minelay in Faroes Deep Anti-submarine Field of Northern Barrage

                                with HM Cruiser Minelayer ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS,

                                PORT QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE escorted by HM Sloop SCOTT for accurate

                                navigation, HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON, NEWARK and WELLS.

                                (Operation SN3B)

                20th        Detached with HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS, SOUTHERN PRINCE,

                                HM Destroyers CASTLETON and ST MARY'S of Squadron for special operation in

                                support of passage of Russian Convoy (Operation ES)

                                Deployed to form Dummy Convoy intended to act as a diversion during transit of

                                Convoy PQ17.

                                (Note: For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by

                                RA Ruegg, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, CONVOY ! by P Kemp

                                and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield.

                                PQ17 was scattered due to threat of imminent attack.

                                See references and Naval Staff History.)

                                Resumed service with Squadron on release from ES.

 

July

                11th        Deployed to continue lay of Faroes Deep A/S Field with HM Cruiser Minelayer

                                ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE escorted by HM Destroyers BRIGHTON and ST MARY'S.

                                (Operation SN3C)

                31st         Carried out Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay in Northern Barrage with HM Cruiser

                                Minelayer ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS, PORT

                                QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE escorted by HMS SCOTT for navigational

                                purposes, HM Destroyers VANQUISHER, BRIGHTON, CASTLETON,

                                LANCASTER and NEWARK (Operation SN82).

 

August

                21st         Carried out further minelay in Denmark Strait with same ships as SN82 escorted by

                                HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON and NEWARK covered by HM

                                Cruiser AURORA (Operation SN73).

 

September

                2nd         Carried out further Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay in Northern Barrage with same

                                ships as SN73 escorted by HMS SCOTT for navigational accuracy, HM

                                Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON and LANCASTER covered by HM

                                Cruiser JAMAICA (Operation SN89).

                15th        Faroes-Iceland Gap minelay in continuation with same ships as SN73 escorted by

                                HM Destroyers NEWARK, CHARLESTOWN and PUCKERIDGE.

                                (Operation SN65A.)

                                (Note: This operation was delayed by U-Boat activity in the area designated.)

 

October

                18th        Carried out minelay west of Orkneys in Northern Barrage with HM Auxiliary

                                Minelayers MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC, SOUTHERN PRINCE and

                                HMS ADVENTURE escorted by HM Escort Sloop SCOTT for navigational

                                accuracy, HM Destroyers CASTLETON, CHARLESTOWN and WELLS.

                                (Operation SN3E – Start delayed by U-Boat activity in the area.)

 

November

                1st           Minelay in area west of Orkneys continued with same ships as SN3E escorted

                                HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON, LANCASTER and WELLS

                4th          Passage to Thames for refit in commercial shipyard.

 

December              Under refit.

 

1 9 4 3

 

 

January                  Under refit

to

February

 

March                    On completion of Post Refit Trials took passage to Lochalsh to resume duties

                                in 1st Minelaying Squadron.

                21st         Deployed west of Iceland for Deep minelay in Northern Barrage with HMS

                                MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC escorted by HM Destroyers

                                NEWARK, ST MARY'S and WELLS covered by HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS.

 

April                       Deployed at Lochalsh

                                (Note: This interruption may have been due to the consideration of future

                                minelaying policy and also by the intense U-Boat activity at the peak

                                of the Battle of the Atlantic. See Naval Staff History)

 

May

                5th          Carried out continuation of lay of Deep Field off Iceland with HMS PORT

                                QUEBEC and HMS MENESTHEUS escorted by HMS SCOTT for accurate

                                navigation, HM Destroyers NEWARK and FURY (Operation SN111A)

                15th        Deployed independently for lay of experimental Minefield in Butt of Lewis

                                escorted by HM Destroyers CASTLETON, LANCASTER and ST MARY'S

                                (Operation SN123A)

                                (Note: This Field was made up of modified M Mark I Mines).

                26th        Lay of experimental minefield in Butt of Lewis in continuation with HMS

                                MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC escorted by HMS SCOTT,

                                HM Destroyers CASTLETON, NEWARK and ST MARY'S covered by

                                HM Cruiser BELFAST.

 

June

                11th        Deployed in Butt of Lewis for further lay of experimental minefield with same

                                auxiliary minelayers as SN 123B escorted by HMS SCOTT. HM Destroyers

                                NEWARK and ST MARY'S covered by HMS BELFAST.

                                (Operation SN 123C)

                26th        Carried out lay of minefield SE of Iceland in Northern Barrage with HMS

                                MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC escorted by HM Sloop SCOTT

                                for navigational accuracy, HM Destroyers LANCASTER, NEWARK and

                                ST MARY'S, covered by HM Cruiser GLASGOW (Operation SN222A).

 

July                         Deployed at Lochalsh

 

August

                16th        Carried out reinforcement of minefield in Denmark Strait with HMS

                                MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC escorted by HM Destroyers

                                ST MARY'S, WELLS, SALADIN, SABRE, MIDDLETON and

                                IMPULSIVE and HMS SCOTT for navigational accuracy (Operation SN74)

 

September

                4th          Continued lay of Deep Field SE of Iceland minefield with same two ships

                                and HMS SCOTT escorted by HM Destroyers METEOR, NEWARK,

                                SARDONYX and LANCASTER (Operation SN222B)

                26th        Carried out final lay in Northern Barrage to complete Field SE of Iceland

                                with same two ships of Squadron as SN222B escorted by HM Destroyers

                                METEOR, NEWARK, SARDONYX, LANCASTER with navigational

                                accuracy from HM Escort Sloop SCOTT (Operation SN222C).

 

October                  1st Minelaying Squadron disbanded.

                                (Note: Ship will have remained at Lochalsh pending decision on future use.)

 

November              Future under consideration

to December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Nominated for conversion for use as an Amenities Ship

to October             To be deployed for support of British Pacific Fleet after refit in Canada

                                (See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton)

 

November              Passage to Vancouver, British Columbia, on Pacific Coast..

 

December              Taken in hand for conversion.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under conversion

to July

 

August                  Conversion abandoned after VJ Day

 

P o s t    W a r    N o t e s

 

HMS AGAMEMNON remained in Commission and may have been used for transport of returning PoW from Far East until 1947. She was then Paid-off and Returned to Trade on 26th April that year.
 

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