Modified BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop built by John I
Thornycroft at Woolston and
laid down on 29th November 1942 as Yard No 4017.The ship was launched on 21st
December 1943 as the 6th RN warship to carry the name which dates from 1651.
During March 1942 following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign she was adopted by the civil community of Tadcaster
in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Build was completed
on 10th May 1944 and included improved design surface warning radar Type 276
instead of the earlier Type 271 designed in 1940. For details of use and
development of radar in RN during WW2 see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
CHINA 1900 - ARCTIC 1944 - ATLANTIC 1945
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field White, upon
a pedestal Black, a peacock 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
May Contractors sea trials and commissioning
10th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Nominated for duty with Home Fleet.
June On completion of trials and storing took passage to
Tobermory.
Worked-up for operational service at Tobermory.
July On completion joined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow for
convoy defence.
August Nominated for duty with 8th Escort Group to supplement
anti-submarine defence of Russian
Convoy JW59B during passage to Kola Inlet.
15th Joined JW59 with HM Sloops KITE, MERMAID, HM
Destroyers KEPPEL and WHITEHALL
Stationed ahead of convoy with HMS KEPPEL.
(Note: This convoy included ARCHANGELSK (Ex HM
Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and
ten Ex USN PT boats being
transferred to Russian Navy.
20th Convoy under attack by Acoustic (T5) torpedoes fired
by TRUTZ group of U-Boats during
which HMS KITE was sunk.
24th After detection by SWORDFISH aircraft of 825
Squadron from HM Escort Carrier
VINDEX,
participated in sinking of U354 with HMS KEPPEL,
HMS MERMAID and HM
Frigate LOCH
DUNVEGAN in position 72.49N 30.4 E. See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp.
28th Part of escort for returning convoy RA59A with same
ships.
September
1st Took part on sinking of U394 in position 69.47N
04.41E, west of Lofotens with
HMS KEPPEL
and HMS WHITEHALL after detection by
SWORDFISH aircraft of 825
Squadron from HMS
VINDEX. See above reference.
6th Detached on arrival at Loch Ewe with comparatively
little interference.
(For details see THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg , CONVOY ! by P Kemp and
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
10th Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches based
at Scapa Flow and Greenock
October Convoy escort duty in continuation.
November Under refit at Chatham.
December On completion took passage to Liverpool to join 22nd
Escort Group for duty in support of
Atlantic convoys.
(For details of Atlantic convoy support and
defence tactics see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER
by P Gretton. ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair)
1 9 4 5
January Deployed with Group in support role.
16th Carried out sustained A/S search with Croup after
the sinking of H M Escort
Carrier THANE
in Firth of Clyde.
Participated in sinking of UU82 in
North Channel with HM Sloops STARLING, .HART
AMETHYST, HM Frigates LOCH CRAGGIE and AMETHYST.
There were no survivors. (See above reference.)
February Deployment with Group in support of convoys in
continuation.
to During this period SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats were
concentrating on attacks in UK
coastal
April waters.
(Note: The prime duty of support Groups was to
detect and destroy any
U-Boats
threatening the
passage of convoys, including those to and from
the Atlantic which were being routed
via
the
English Channel and SW Approaches.
(For details of U-Boat tactics and use of new
weapons by A/S ships see SEEK AND
STRIKE by
W Hackmann, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C
Barnett,
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
May Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet
after refit.
June
2nd Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in
Liverpool to prepare for Pacific service.
July Under refit.
August
9th On completion transferred to Mediterranean Fleet
since the need for Sloops by
the Pacific Fleet
had lapsed.
10th Took passage to Malta to work-up for service.
16th Commenced work-up in Malta.
P o s
t W a r S e r v i c e
HMS PEACOCK was retained in the Mediterranean after
completing work-up and was used for duty as Guardship and interception of ships
taking illegal immigrants to Palestine. She continued duty in Frigate Flotilla
based at Malta until 1954 and then returned to Portsmouth to Pay-off. The ship
remained in Reserve Fleet, Portsmouth and was placed on the Disposal List in
1958 after the 1957 Defence Review. Sold to BISCO for demolition by Shipbreaking Industries she arrived in tow at the Breaker’s
yard near Rosyth on 7th May 1958.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
PEACOCK
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been
cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No. |
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/08/44
|
15/08/44
|
JW 059
|
25/08/44
|
25/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
RA 059A
|
04/09/44
|
05/09/44
|
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
|
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
|
05/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
MKS 099G
|
12/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)