CAPTAIN-Class
Turbo-Electric Buckley frigate ordered under the UK/US Lease-Lend Agreement on
10th January 1942 and laid down on
15th September1943 by the Bethlehem Steel Shipyard at Hingham, Mass. USA.
The ship that had been
intended for US Navy service as DE563, was launched on
16th
October 1943. She was
the third RN ship to carry this name, commemorating the
service of Admiral Sir Edward Spragge who lost his
life at Texel in August 1673. Introduced later 1673 for a Fireship,
lost in 1677 it was selected for a destroyer
being built in 1919 but the order was cancelled before
launch. Build was completed on14th January 1944 and
was initially manned by Royal Canadian Navy personnel who
steamed the ship to Londonderry for transfer to
the Royal Navy at Lisahally on 28th February 1944.
Details of manning arrangements made for
commissioning of this Class of warship in the USA are given in THE CAPTAIN CLASS FRIGATES IN WW2
by D Collingwood.
B a t t l e H
o n o u r s
NORMANDY 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
None is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic
Crests.
(Note: Many ships built during WW2 had an
unofficial
crest but these were never given
Admiralty formal approval.)
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
Contractors trials
14th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
(Note: Royal Canadian Navy provided personnel
for taking the ship across
the Atlantic for transfer to the RN. It is assumed that Lieut. Commander
Grant, RNR will have taken command on completion of Acceptance
Trials and that the ship was then formally
accepted for serve as HMS
SPRAGGE. Some RN personnel will have been on
board.
On completion of trials carried out shakedown
exercises and prepared for
passage
February
Passage to St Johns to join routine convoy for passage to UK.
Detached from convoy and took passage to
Londonderry.
Nominated for service in Western Approaches
Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
28th Remainder of RN complement joined ship and Lisahally
March
Under modification to suit RN requirements for deployment.
(Note: In addition to changes made to equipment
fit some other alterations were made to
domestic arrangements. These including change to
RN Canteen Messing instead of
the US Navy Cafeteria System and replacement of
steel furniture by wooden items
which is quite astounding. Equipment changes
included increase in number of Depth
Charges carried and their stowage, improvement
of the Sonar (ASDIC) equipment
and communications.)
April On completion of modification took passage to
Tobermory to work-up for operational
service Worked-up at Tobermory with three sister
ships,
(Note: The work-up was marred by a tragic
accident when the forward falls of the ships
whaler failed when the ship was under way. The
Leading Seaman in charge was
flung overboard and seen to be in difficulty,
possibly by striking his head against
the ships structure during his descent. An
officer and a senior rating immediately
dived into the water to effect a rescue but his
body was never recovered.)
May On completion of work-up took passage to Belfast to
commence operational duties.
Transferred to 113th Escort Group as Senior
Officer’s ship for duties in support
of planned allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE)
Joined HM Sloops HIND and MAGPIE, HM Destroyer
HAMBLEDON and sister
ship HMS HOTHAM at Liverpool for escort of
assault and follow-up convoys to
landing beaches
Fitted with additional 2Pdr Pom-Pom weapon on
foc’sle for defence against
E-Boat attacks on convoys.
Took part in preparatory exercises prior to
assault landings
June Passage to Milford Haven to join HM Sloops HART and
WHIMBREL. HM Destroyer
BLENCATHRA, Sister Frigates WHITAKER and
WALDEGRAVE of 112th Escort
Group for escort of Assault Convoy EBP2 to
Western Task Force Area.
(Note: For details of activities before and
during NEPTUNE see LANDINGS IN
IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K.
Edwards.)
4th Operation postponed for 24 Hours.
6th Sailed from Bristol Channel with 112th and 113th Escort Groups as
escort for military
Convoy EBP2.
(Note: Convoy comprised five Personnel ships
carrying Pre-loaded US Build
up Division for landings on UTAH Beach, HQ Ship
for MULBERRY B.
and three smaller mercantiles.)
7th Passage from Solent through Swept Channel
8th Arrived off UTAH Beach.
(Note: Present off beaches when assault troops
came under heavy and unexpected fire.
9th Return passage from Normandy to Plymouth for escort of Follow-up
convoys
to landing beaches.
Escorted Follow-up and Return convoys to landing
areas.
24th Operation NEPTUNE terminated.
Remained in Plymouth Command for escort of
Channel convoys.
July Plymouth Command convoy escort duties in
continuation.
to August
September
Transferred to Portsmouth Command in continuation.
Joined
sister frigates HMS HOTHAM in 1st
Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth
with HMS HARGOOD, WALDEGRAVE for convoy escort,
patrol and support
of military operations in Channel area including
Dutch coast.
October
Channel deployment in continuation based at Portsmouth.
to (Note: Increased attacks were being made by
E-Boats and submarines on
December
Convoys to French and Dutch ports and escorts were reinforced.
1 9 4 5
January
Channel deployment in continuation.
to February
Involved in collision with Landing Craft during return passage from
Walcheren and sustained major structural damage.
(Note: Forward part of ship was holed and one
rating was injured.)
Disabled ship had to take passage, stern first,
to Plymouth for repair.
March
Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
to
April Paid-off.
May Resumed service with Flotilla at Portsmouth
Nominated for conversion for use as a floating
Power Station.
(Note: Armament was removed and electrical
system modified provide shore supplies
from ship’s generators to provide power to
shore.)
June Modification in hand by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth
to August
September
Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet.
Armament replaced and Electrical System changed
to provide power for normal ship services
Recommisioned for foreign service
October
Took passage with HMS HOTHAM to Singapore.
November
Independent passage to Hong Kong.
(Note: HMS HOTHAM had detached on arrival at
Singapore and was used to provide
electric power to HM Dockyard.)
December
Deployed for Fleet duties based at Hong Kong
(Note: Frigates of British Pacific Fleet were
used for support of military garrisons in Japan,
China and French Indo-China ports as well as for
transport of personnel and carry
out patrols to ensure safe passage of British
flagged mercantiles.
1 9 4 6
January
Hong Kong deployment in continuation
Nominated for return to US Navy.
February
Complement reduced to Steaming Party.
Passage from Hong Kong to Subic Bay, Philippines.
28th Returned to US Navy and paid-off.
F i n a l P h
a s e
This
ship was never put into service by the US Navy and was sold for demolition on
18th November
1947.
It is likely that the ship remained at Subic Bay, but if sold in USA will have been taken there in tow, which seems
unlikely.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
SPRAGGE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
24/04/44
|
25/04/44
|
WP 512
|
26/04/44
|
26/04/44
|
28/04/44
|
28/04/44
|
WP 514
|
30/04/44
|
30/04/44
|
28/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
WP 529
|
30/05/44
|
30/05/44
|
17/03/45
|
17/03/45
|
VWP 097
|
18/03/45
|
18/03/45
|
22/03/45
|
22/03/45
|
VWP 102
|
23/03/45
|
23/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)