BANGOR-Class Minesweeper fitted with Diesel propulsion machinery ordered on 6th July 1939 from Harland and Wolff and laid down at Govan. Glasgow  as Job Number 1020 (Yard No. 1039) on 19th September 1939 with sister ship to be named BLACKPOOL. She was launched 23rd May 1940 and build was completed on 3rd February 1941. She was the 1st RN ship to carry this name, which like others of the Class built in UK was that of a coastal town, making her a most appropriate adoption by the civil community of Bangor, North Wales after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

DIEPPE 1942 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1941-43 - NORMANDY 1944

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a Field barry wavy of 4 white and Blue, a griffin sejant Red,

holding in the paws a mace Gold.

 

 

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 0

 

November        Nominated as First of Class

                4th    Commissioned for service in 9th Minesweeping Flotilla.

                7th    Build completion and commenced First of Class Acceptance Trials.

                          On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.

 

December         Deployed as Senior Officer 13th Flotilla with HM Minesweepers BRIDLINGTON, BRIDPORT,

                          RHYL and ROMNEY for Flotilla work-up and minesweeping trials at Scapa Flow.

                          On completion deployed for minesweeping to ensure clear passage of Fleet units in and out of

                          Scapa Flow and also for clearance of East Coast convoy routes between Aberdeen and NW of

                          Scottish coast.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January             Flotilla minesweeping duties in continuation based at Scapa Flow.

to                       (Note: Relieved as Senior Officer's ship by HM Minesweeper CROMER.

April                              HMS BUDE joined Flotilla.

                                       Duties also included clearance of gunnery firing ranges off Cape Wrath.)

 

May                  Transferred to English Channel for minesweeping duties with Flotilla.

June                  Channel deployment with Flotilla including convoy escort as well as routine clearance

to                       of convoy routes between Dover and Plymouth.

November         Based at Poole and Portland as required by commitments.

                           RAF air cover was provided subject to UK air defence requirements and ship came under air attacks.

                          (Note: Ships were provided with small balloons using specially fitted hand winches, for protection

                                      against bombing attacks, but their value was indeterminate.

                                      HMS SIDMOUTH and HMS TENBY joined Flotilla.)

 

December         Transferred to Harwich with Flotilla for special mine clearance off East Coast with ships of

                          13th Minesweeping Flotilla (Operation QO).

                          On arrival carried out joint minesweeping operations to provide two gaps through British East Coast

                          Mine Barrier and a known German minefield for use by allied destroyers requiring speedy access to

                          North Sea from Harwich.

                          Poor visibility often proved of great value since work was completed without enemy air attacks.

                          (Note: This was required In view of any attempt by the German battleships SCHARNHORST

                                       and GNEISENAU to return to Germany from Brest through the English Channel instead of

                                       via NW Passage. It was indeed justified within two months.)

                                       9th Minesweeping Flotilla were also deployed in Channel.)

                          Resumed Channel duties at Poole on completion of QO.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January             Channel deployment based at Poole with Flotilla in continuation.

to                       (Note: HMS SIDMOUTH had replaced HMS CROMER as Senior Officer.)

June                   Nominated for support of planned assault landings at Dieppe (Operation JUBILEE)

 

July                    Deployed with Flotilla for joint minesweeping operations with 13th Flotilla in preparation

                           for  JUBILEE.

                           (Note: This operation had been subject to many delays after its initial conception in and was

                                        cancelled when air attacks on assembled ships off Yarmouth, IoW were attacked by

                                        aircraft and later operation further delayed by weather. See THE WATERY MAZE

                                        by B Fergusson and Naval Staff History.

                                        It is assumed that the minesweepers resumed their Channel duties after the cancellation.

 

August               Channel deployment in continuation pending execution of JUBILEE.

             18th         Joined invasion ships in Channel and took passage to assembly area north of Dieppe.

                             (Note: Other ships of Flotilla taking part were HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH (SO),

                                       BLACKPOOL, BRIDLINGTON, BRIDPORT, RHYL and TENBY).

           19th          Commenced night minesweeping operations in advance of assault craft and control ships.

                            (Note: Two channels were swept in advance of invasion force and an unexpected encounter with a

                                       German coastal convoy was a prelude to what proved to be a disastrous attempt to make an

                                        effective landing.

           20th         Resumed Channel minesweeping and convoy defence duties.

                           (Note: See above references for details of return of invasion force.

                                       No record of minesweeping support during return passage was traced.)

 

September          Channel minesweeping and convoy escort duties in continuation.

to                        (Note: In addition to routine clearance of convoy routes the Flotilla carried out mine sweeping to

December                       ensure clear passage of destroyers to carry out attacks on enemy coastal ships

                                        (TUNNEL Series of operations.)

 

1 9 4 3

 

                           Deployed in English Channel with Flotilla for minesweeping and convoy defence.

                           (Note: Other ships in Flotilla during this period were HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH (SO),

                                       TENBY, BRIDPORT, BRIDLINGTON, BLACKPOOL, EASTBOURNE,  BLYTH and

                                       ILFRACOMBE.)

 

1 9 4 4

 

January              Channel deployment in continuation.

to                        Nominated for minesweeping support with Flotilla for planned allied landings in

April                   Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)

 

May                    Deployed as part of Force J for service in Eastern Task Force and nominated for clearance of

                            Approach Channel No.7 to JUNO Beach with ships of 9th Minesweeping Flotilla.

                            Took part in preparatory exercises with Ships of Force J based at Cowes, IoW.

                            (Note: Ships of Forces O, S and J carried out Final Rehearsal for NEPTUNE with Force J

                                        deployed off Hayling Island . These were primarily for berthing, loading and sailing prior

                                        to departure and minesweepers may not have been required. (Exercise FABIUS)

                                        between 2nd and 4th May. Similarly a Defence exercise was also carried out off Brighton

                                        which may not have included minesweepers.

                                        The Flotilla may therefore have resumed normal duties in Channel for part of this month.)

                             Passage to Solent to join Force J for NEPTUNE briefing.

                             For details of naval activities before and during operation see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY,

                             June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and D DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.

 June                    Deployed in Solent with HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH, BLACKPOOL. BOSTON,

                            BRIDLINGTON, BRIDPORT, EASTBOURNE, and TENBY HM Trawlers BRYHER,

                            DALMATIA, IJUIN and SIGMA.

(Note: The Trawlers were to be deployed as Danlayers to identify boundaries of

            Channel No 7. Three of these were all ships requisitioned for minesweeping early in WW2

             but BRYHER built in 1943 was an Admiralty ISLES Class Danlayer.)

           4th           Operation delayed 24 hours.

           5th           Sailed from Solent with ships of Flotilla to carry out mine clearance of Channel No 7.

           6th           Mine entangled in sweep gear and had to be cut when reaching clear water..

(Note HMS TENBY sweep was also involved)

On completion of clearance of Channel 7 deployed off beachhead for minesweeping in anchorage

area for Force J ships.

           7th           Deployed off landing beaches in Eastern Task Force area.

          25th          Deployed off Cherbourg with ships of Flotilla to clear approach channel to the selected

                            bombardment area for US battleships USS TEXAS and ARKANSAS.

On completion carried out further minesweeping off Cherbourg.

           29th          Retained for minesweeping duties off Normandy on completion of NEPTUNE.

For further details of minesweeping operations off Normandy see THEY LED THE WAY by

J Williams.

 

July                     Minesweeping support off French coast in continuation.

                            Deployed off Brest after occupation by allied forces.

 

August                Released from support of landings in France and taken in hand for repair and maintenance.

 

September           Resumed Flotilla duties and carried out mine clearance in Channel and Nore Command areas.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                Minesweeping and convoy defence in continuation.

to

April

 

May                     Deployed with HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH, TENBY, BLACKPOOL,

                              ROMNEY and RYE off southern Norway after VE Day for mine clearance. Based at Stavanger.

                              Took part in longest continual sweep during WW2 which lasted nearly 79 hours and ensured safe

                              passage for shipping.

                               During final recovery of sweeps on completion involved in another entanglement with sweep gear of

                               HMS TENBY in which a mine was trapped. After cutting sweep gear she returned to Stavanger with

                               Flotilla.

June                       On return from Norwegian deployment taken in hand for repair and maintenance.

July                        Deployed with Flotilla in SW Approaches for mine clearance duties based at

to                            Plymouth

August

 

Post  War Notes

 

HMS BANGOR remained in commission after VJ Day and continued mine clearance duties in Bristol Channel area until July 1946 when she was Paid off and reduced to Reserve status. This minesweeper was sold to Norway later in 1946 and was renamed HM Nor. S. GLOMMA. She remained on the Active List of the Royal Norwegian Navy until 1st January 1961 when stricken and later sold for demolition.