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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS HART (U 58) - Modified Black Swan-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements  

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Hart (Navy Photos/Bob Hanley, click to enlarge)

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Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Alex Stephen at .Govan under 1941 Build Programme on 18th December 1941. The ship was laid down on 27th March 1942 and launched on 7th July 1943 by Mrs Pitohar as the 11th RN ship to carry this name, introduced in 1546 for a Galley. It had last been used for an Accommodation  Ship during WW1. Build was completed on 12th December 1943. An Anti-submarine Ahead Throwing  Mortar (HEDGEHOG) and a centimetric surface warning radar (Type 273) as well as a standard fire-control radar (Type 285) were all fitted during build. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in April 1942 this ship had been adopted by the civil community of Hale., then in Cheshire.

 

B a t t 1 e   H o n o u r s

ARMADA 1599 - CHINA 1900 - ATLANTIC 194-45 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944 - NORMANDY 1944 - KOREA 1951*

 (* Awarded for UN Service)

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: b a Field White , a Hart statant White

 

 

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

 

 

1943

 

December              Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 7th Escort Group based at Greenock.

                12th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Took passage to Tobermory on completion of trials and storing.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Joined Group at Greenock on completion of work-up.

                                Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches and Irish Sea

 

February                Atlantic convoy escort and support in continuation.

                                Nominated for transfer to Gibraltar with Group

 

March                    Transferred to Gibraltar for convoy defence.

                                Deployed in Atlantic and Western Mediterranean

 

April                       Gibraltar deployment in continuation.

                                Nominated for anti-submarine duty in support of planned Allied landings in Normandy.

                                (Operation NEPTUNE -For details of naval activities prior to and during Allied

                                landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards, LANDINGS IN NORMANDY

                                June 1944 (HMSO) and for information about all mercantiles and warships taking part

                                D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.)

 

May                        Passage to Clyde

                                Nominated for duly in Escort Group 113 for escort of military convoy Solent.

                                with HM Sloop WHIMBREL, HM Destroyer BLENCATHRA and HM Frigates

                                WHITAKER and WALDEGRAVE.

                                Took part in preparatory exercises for NEPTUNE deployment.

                                Joined Escort Group at Milford Haven

                31st         During passage from Milford Haven to the Solent collided with HM Sloop ROCHESTER

                                in thick fog off Lands End.

                                (Note: Bow structure was damaged when HMS ROCHESTER was struck amidships.

                                The damage was not repaired until after the Normandy landings.)

 

June                        Nominated for escort of military Convoy EBP2 with ships of Group and HM Frigates

                                SPRAGGE and STOCKHAM of 112 Escort Group.

                                (Note: 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 for escort of Build-up Phase convoys in Channel with ships of Group

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

 

July                         Continued deployment in Channel.

to August

 

September             Channel deployment in continuation based at Plymouth

                19th.       In collision with troopship ss VIKING.

 

October                  Taken in hand for repair and refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

 

November              Under refit.

                                Nominated for service with 22nd Escort Group on completion.

 

December              Carried out Post refit trials at Plymouth on completion of dockyard work.

                23rd        Took passage to Tobermory for work-up.

                26th        Commenced work-up programme.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  On completion of work-up took passage to Liverpool to join Group.

                                Deployed with Group in Irish Sea and NW Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                (Note: During this period SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats were concentrating attacks in coastal

                                waters. See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, BUSINESS IN GREAT

                                WATERS by J Terraine, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and

                                HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

                16th        Took part in sustained anti-submarine operation with ships of Group in North Channel after

                                HM Escort Aircraft Carrier THANE had bean torpedoed.

                                U482 was detected and sunk in combined attacks with HM Sloops AMETHYST, PEACOCK,

                                STARLING and HM Frigate LOCH CRAGGIE

                                (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

 

February                Western Approaches convoy defence and anti-submarine patrols in continuation.

to                            Nominated for service in Pacific after refit.

April

 

May                        After VE-Day prepared for foreign service at Devonport.

 

June                        Took passage from Plymouth to Malta for work-up before joining British Pacific Fleet Forward

                                Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands.

 

July                         On completion of Mediterranean work-up took passage to Colombo.

 

August

                20th        At Colombo and diverted to join Fleet at Hong long.

                                Nominated for service with Task Group 111.5.

                                (Note: Task Force comprised HM Light. Fleet Aircraft Carrier GLORY, HM Sloops

                                AMETHYST, HART, HM Australian Destroyer VENDETTA and RAN minesweepers.)

 

P o s t   W a  r    N o t e s

 

HMS HART was present at Rabaul on 6th September for the formal surrender of Japanese  forces  in  the area which was signed on board HMS GLORY. The ship remained in the Far East until 1951 and had joined the 3rd Frigate Flotilla in 1949 when the British Pacific Fleet was renamed Far East Fleet. She was deployed with the UN naval forces off Korea after the outbreak war as recognised by the KOREA Battle Honour. In May 1951 this Sloop returned to UK and was Paid-off into Reserve at Plymouth. After a period laid-up at Plymouth she was transferred to Lisahally, Ulster. She was later returned to Plymouth and was placed on the Disposal List. During November 1957 the ship was sold to the Federal German Republic and refitted in UK before being renamed SCHEER on 24th January 1958. She was deployed as a Radar Training Ship until 1967 when stricken from the Active List.  In March 1971 the ship was sold for demolition and broken-up in Hamburg.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS HART

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

 

 

 

 

 

07/02/44

10/02/44

ON 223

11/02/44

24/02/44

05/02/44

16/02/44

HX 278

17/02/44

20/02/44

14/02/44

18/02/44

ON 224

20/02/44

02/03/44

12/01/45

13/01/45

ONS 040

14/01/45

30/01/45

16/01/45

29/01/45

SC 165

29/01/45

31/01/45

07/02/45

unknown

HX 337

unknown

21/02/45

21/02/45

22/02/45

ON 286

22/02/45

09/03/45

23/02/45

unknown

HX 340

unknown

10/03/45

28/02/45

unknown

HX 341

unknown

15/03/45

29/03/45

unknown

HX 347

unknown

14/04/45

03/04/45

unknown

HX 348

unknown

20/04/45

17/04/45

18/04/45

ON 297

18/04/45

02/05/45

05/05/45

12/05/45

MKS 099G

12/05/45

12/05/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 31/5/11
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