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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 HIND (U 39) - Modified Black Swan-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements

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

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Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Denny at Dumbarton under 1941 Build Programme on 11th February 1942. She was laid down on 31st August 1942 and launched on 30th September 1943 by Mrs Denny as the 20th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1545. It had last been used by a destroyer sold in 1921. Build was completed on 11th April 1944. An anti-submarine Ahead Throwing Mortar (HEDGEHOG) as well as the latest design of surface warning radar and a standard fire control radar were fitted during build.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

QUEBEC 1759 - NAVARINO 1827 - BALTIC 1855 - HELIGOLAND 1914 - NORMANDY  1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Field White, a Hind statant guardant 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 4

 

April                       Contractors Trials

                                Commissioned for service in Western Approaches Command.

                                (Note: Fitting cut after launch was carried out at Clydebank in John Brown's yard.

                11th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory.

 

May                        Deployed for work-up at Tobermory.

                                Nominated for service in support of allied landings in Normandy on completion of work-up

                                Transferred to Force G for planned allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

                                (For details of naval activities prior to and during landings, see LANDINGS IN

                                NORMANDY, JUNE 1944 (HMSO) , OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards, and for

                                information about all mercantiles and warships.)

                                Took part in preliminary exercises for NEPTUNE with ships of Force G and allocated for

                                deployment with Escort Group 112 during landings.

                                (Note: Other ships in Group were HM Sloop MAGPIE, HM Destroyer HAMBLEDON and

                                HM Frigate SPRAGGE.)

 

June                        Passage to Solent for briefing.

                4th          Operation delayed 24 hours.

                6th          Escorted Convoy G3 through Swept Channel.

                                (Note: Convoy was taking Pre-loaded US Build-up Division to Western Task Force area.

                                and comprised 24 Landing Craft.)

                7th          On arrival in Assault Area took passage to Plymouth.

                                Returned to Plymouth and rejoined ships of Escort Group.

                7th(?)      Deployed with Group for escort of Build-up convoys to Assault area

                27th        On termination of NEPTUNE retained in Channel for escort duties in Plymouth Command.

 

July                         Deployed in Channel

                                Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet.

 

August                  Passage to Holyhead for repair.

 

September             On completion of repair prepared for foreign service

                                Nominated for escort of military convoy to Port Said.

                                Took passage to Clyde to join escort for Convoy KMF35.

 

October

                1st           Sailed from Clyde with KMF35.

                11th        Detached from KMF35 and took independent passage to Aden.

 

November              Joined Eastern Fleet and deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.

                                Deployed as escort for Convoy AP75 from Aden to Hormuz at entrance to Persian Gulf.

                                Returned to Aden.

                                Joined escort for military Convoy ABF6 for escort during passage in Indian Ocean.

 

December              Detached with Ceylon section of ABF6 as escort during passage to Colombo

                5th          On arrival transferred to Calcutta for convoy defence in Bay of Bengal.

                                Deployed for escort of convoys to Chittagong from Calcutta in support of military operations

                                in Burma. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).

                                On re-organisation of Easter Fleer joined 60th Escort Group.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean with Group.

                                (For details see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by C Barnett)

 

February                Withdrawn from operations for repair of defects.

 

March                    Under repair at Colombo.

                                (Note: As local facilities were insufficient to complete repair, completion of work was

                                arranged at Alexandria.

 

April

                7th          Passage to Alexandria

                23rd        Taken in hand for repair

 

May                        Under repair

to                            Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet on completion.

July

 

August

                1st           Took passage to Colombo after post repair trials.

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS HIND joined the Fleet at Hong Kong in September 1945 and was deployed on patrol and support of repatriation operations. She transferred to 32nd Escort Flotilla at the end of the year and went to refit in Brisbane in February 1946. This ship rejoined her Flotilla on completion and later joined 1st Escort Flotilla. When the Far East Fleet replaced the British Pacific Fleet in 1949 this Flotilla was renumbered 3rd Frigate Flotilla. The ship remained in Far East until 1951 when she left the Station to return to UK. On arrival she was Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth. In 1951 she went to the Reserve Fleet Sub-Division at Hartlepool. Placed on the Disposal List in 1957, she was sold  to BISCO for demolition by Clayton and Davie at Dunston on Tyne and arrived at the breaker’s yard  on 10th December 1959.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS HIND

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

 

 

 

 

 

01/10/44

01/10/44

KMF 035

11/10/44

11/10/44

08/11/44

08/11/44

AP 075

14/11/44

14/11/44

01/12/44

01/12/44

AJ 006/2

05/12/44

05/12/44

13/12/44

13/12/44

CH 061A

14/12/44

14/12/44

24/12/44

24/12/44

CJ 044B

01/01/45

01/01/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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