Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Yarrow's at Scotstoun under 1940 Build Programme on 13th April 1940. The ship was laid down on 31st October 1941 and launched on 25th August by Mrs White as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Build was completed on 12th January 1943. An anti-submarine ahead throwing mortar (HEDGEHOG) and a centimetric surface warning radar, Type 272 as well as a standard fire control radar, Type 285, were fitted during build. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 the ship had been adopted by the civil community of Hornsea, then in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

SICILY 1943 - ATLANTIC 1943-44 - NORMANDY 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944 - ARCTIC 1944  - OKINAWA 1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, a Whimbrel proper

 

 

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

 

January                  Contractor's trials and commissioned for service

                12th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Nominated for service in 2nd Escort Group, Western Approaches Command.

                                Passage to Tobermory on completion of trials and storing.

 

February                On completion of work-up for operational service at Tobermory joined Group at Liverpool

                                for defence of Atlantic convoys.

 

March                    Deployed with Group for defence of North Atlantic convoys.

                                Part of escort for Convoys outward Convoy ON170 and inward Convoy SC123.

                                (Note: For details of dates of departure and arrival for all convoys see ALLIED CONVOY

                                SYSTEM by A Hague.)

 

April                       Transferred for escort of OS Series Convoys to West Africa and return SL series convoys to

                                Liverpool.

                                Deployed for escort of outward Convoy OS46 and return convoy SL129 to Liverpool.

 

May                        Under refit in Clyde shipyard

 

June                        On completion of post refit trials joined 7th Escort Group baaed at Greenock for escort of

                                convoys on UK - Gibraltar route.

                                Part of escort for military convoy to Gibraltar.

                                Nominated for support of allied landings In Sicily.

                                (Operation HUSKY: For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.

                                Naval Staff History and for information about all mercantiles and warships involved BRITISH

                                INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)

 

July                         Deployed for escort for military convoy to Gibraltar.

                10th        Joined Support Force East for escort and support of Sicily landings.

 

August                  Resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties.

 

September             Deployed for escort of convoy from Gibraltar to USA and returned with Convoy UT1/

                                (Note: Convoy comprised troopships and tankers on passage to Liverpool.

 

October                  Escorted UK-Gibraltar convoy followed by convoy from Gibraltar to Canada

 

November              On return from Canada taken in hand for refit in commercial shipyard at Hartlepool.

 

December              Under refit.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                On completion of post refit trials joined 2nd Escort Group.

                                (Note: The Group was deployed in the Support role to ensure the safe passage of

                                Atlantic convoys.

                                For details of development of new weapons and tactics see SEEK AND STRIKE

                                by W Hackmann and RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D E C Weymss).

 

March                    Transferred with ships of EG2 to provide A/S defence of Russian Convoys.

                                (For details of all Russian convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, CONVOY!

                                by P Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B

                                Schoefield.)

                29th        Joined Russian Convoy JW58 in support role with HM Sloops STARLING, WILD GOOSE,

                                MAGPIE ,WREN, HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA, KEPPEL and WALKER

                                (Note: HM Cruiser DIADEM and 11 Home Fleet destroyers were also employed.

                                The convoy also included the US Navy Cruiser MILWAUKEE on passage for transfer

                                to the Soviet Navy.

                                Distant cover was available by Home Fleet ships concurrently carrying out Operation

                                TUNGSTEN, air attacks on German battleship TIRPITZ - See references,)

 

April

                4th          Detached from JW58 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

                                (Note: During passage several unsuccessful attempts were made by U-Boats.

                                No mercantiles were lost or damaged and three u-Boats were sunk.

                                See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR and above references.)

                7th          Joined escort for returning Convoy RA58 with Group.

                                (Note: Other ships deployed were HM Escort Carriers ACTIVITY ,TRACKER HM Destroyers

                                IMPULSIVE, OBEDIENT, ORIBI, SCORPION and two corvettes.

                14th        Detached from RA59 on arrival at Loch Ewe after uninterrupted passage.

                16th        Under weather repair damage in Liverpool.

 

May                        On completion of repair Rejoined Group for operations in support role against assemblies of

                                U-Boats threatening passage of convoys in NW Approaches.

                5th          Deployed with Group and HMS TRACKER to carry out attacks on submarines located by D/F

                                ‘fixes' and air sightings. See SEEK AND STRIKE and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

                                (Note: U473 was sunk during these operations. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.).

                25th        Deployed in SW Approaches with ships of Group to deny access to Channel area by U-Boats

                                Nominated for support of planned Allied landings in Normandy.

                                Allocated for service Force G for escort of Build-up Convoy in 113th(?) Escort Group

                                (Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities before and during landings see

                                LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO) , OPERATION NEPTUNE by K

                                Edwards and D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.).

 

June                        Passage to Bristol Channel to join HM Sloop HART, HM Destroyer BLENCATHRA, HM

                                Frigates WHITTAKER and WALDEGRAVE as escort for Convoy EBP2 .

                                (Note: HM Frigates SPRAGGE and STOCKHAM of 112 Escort Group were also deployed.

                                Convoy consisted of five Personnel ships carrying pre-loaded US Army Build-

                                up Division to Western Task Force area.

                4th          Operation postponed 24 hours.

                6th          Joined EPB2 with ship of 112th and 113th Escort Groups in Bristol Channel.

                7th          Passage to Solent as escort for EBP2.

                8th          Detached from EBP2 on arrival off beach head and took passage to Plymouth.

                                Deployed in Channel

                27th        Retained in Channel for escort and anti-submarine patrol duties on termination of NEPTUNE.

 

July                         Channel deployment in continuation.

to

August

 

September             Under repair at Sheerness.

 

October                  On completion redeployed in Western Approaches for escort and support duty.

                                Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet after refit.

 

November              Taken in hand for refit at Newport, South Wales and prepared for Pacific service.

 

December              Under refit.

                14th        On completion of post refit trials worked up in Home waters.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Work-up in continuation.

                18th        Took passage to Malta for further work up and exercises with other frigates going to Far East.

 

February                Carried out work-up exercises with ships of Mediterranean Fleet in Malta.

                21st         Took passage to join British Pacific Fleet with calls at Colombo and Sydney.

 

March                    On passage

 

April                       Arrived at British Forward Base in Manus , Admiralty Islands.

                                Nominated for duty with Fleet Train.

 

May                        Joined Fleet Train to provide AA defence.

                                Deployed for AA defence in replenishment area ,

                                (Note: British Task Force 57 were carrying out attacks on Sakishima Gunto Group airfields.

                                For details see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by

                                J Winton, WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith.)

 

June                        Fleet Train AA defence in continuation until end of Sakishima operations by TF57.

 

July                         Remained with Replenishment Group when BPF operations began off Formosa and in

                                off Japan.

 

August

                13th        Returned to Sydney with Fleet Train when British Pacific Fleet operations by re-designated

                                British Task Force 37 off Japan were terminated.

                20th        Deployed under RN control and passage to Hong Kong for support of repatriation

                                operations and defence of British Flagged ships in Chinese waters.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS WHIMBREL remained in the Far East for defence of trade until the end of 1946. The ship then returned to UK to Pay-off into Reserve at Harwich. S was laid up in the Sheerness Division of the Reserve Fleet until being placed on the Disposal List. Sold to Egypt in November 1949 she was renamed EL MALEK FAROUK and began service in the Egyptian Navy. Renamed TARIQ in 1954 when King Farouk was deposed this Sloop was still in use in 1990 as a training and accommodation ship. Possible purchase for return to UK was reported in recent years but this had not been concluded in 2004.

 

---

 

Addenda

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WHIMBREL

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)

 

---

 

 HMS WHIMBREL (1942-1949) BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC PROJECT

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
by Rod Pudduck

The HMS WHIMBREL (1942-1949) Battle of the Atlantic Memorial project is currently dormant after failed attempts to negotiate a sale from the Egyptian (Mubarak) government. In due course it is hoped to reopen negotiations with the new regime.

Meanwhile the naval architect and archivist for the project Rod Pudduck who surveyed the ship in 2005 holds a collection of technical information  which it is hoped can be used one day to conserve the ship and restore her to her 1940s RN condition. A specification has been completed however much more technical information will be needed to supplement presently available drawings and photographs. Can you fill any gaps?

In particular any photos of the interior of WHIMBREL or any of the class could be helpful. Snaps of crew members can show background detail such as mess kit and domestic articles, engine room controls, bridge detail etc. Whilst the Egyptian Navy has made few major changes to the ship, little of the original communications and radar equipment has survived hence any information about the  WT, Transmitting Station and RDF rooms would therefore be extremely valuable. All information however slight would be welcome. For example, who remembers when the original western approaches blue and white camouflage paint scheme was changed? What was the colour of the deck coverings in the crews galley and passageways? What colours were used for hand-wheels in the engine room? What bright work was kept polished? 

In addition to collecting technical material Rod is writing the history of the ship. E-mail contributions have been gratefully received from all round the world. from ex-crew and family members with direct knowledge of HMS Whimbrel and also from other Black Swan sister ships. He has interviewed several of the wartime crew members, now of course all very old gentlemen, but all with pin-sharp memories that greatly will help make the history of the ship more "alive".  Rod intends to include as much as possible of the human experiences in the book. By this means, even if we are not successful in bringing the ship home at least there will be a published record of the very valuable contribution of U29 and her class to the Battle of the Atlantic with special references and a tribute to the young men who served in these ships.

If you think you can help, please contact Rod at rodkp@btinternet.com, or send by post to:

Rod Pudduck, Jones House, Jones Hill, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire BA15 2EE.

All offered material will be carefully handled & returned if required, with the appreciation of the project and acknowledgement where possible will be included in the book.