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)