BLACK SWAN-Class
Sloop ordered from William Denny of Dumbarton under the 1940 Build Programme as
Job No 1260 (Yard No 1360) on 13th
April 1940. She was laid down on 27th February 1941 and launched on 11th August
1942 by the Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service, Dame Vera Laughton-Mathews. This ship was the fourth RN ship to carry
the name which had been introduced in 1653. It had previously been used by a
destroyer sunk in an air attack off Aldeburgh on 27th July 1940. Build was
completed on 4th February 1943 and the ship had been
adopted after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in February 1942 by the civil community of Knutsford
and Northwich, Cheshire. For very obvious reasons
this ship was held in great regard by the Women’s Royal Naval Service and they
maintained a great interest in all her activities during WW2.
B a t t
l e
H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-40*
- NORWAY 1940* -
ATLANTIC 1943-45 - BISCAY 1943-44 - NORMANDY 1944 - ARCTIC 1944
(* Awarded to ship lost in 1940)
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, a Wren on a branch, all Gold.
M o t t o
Ex parvulis magna: 'From small things develop
great'
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
February Commissioned
for service in 2nd Escort Group
(Note: This Group was commanded by the renowned Captain F J Walker
the most
distinguished of all U-Boat ‘killers’ during WW2.
For details see RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D E Weymss.)
4th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory for work-up.
(Note: Captain Walker also conducted exercises with all newly joined ships to his
command.)
March
5th Joined 2nd Escort
Group which was deployed as a Support Group and deployed for support of
convoys under threat of attacks and to supplement escort of other Atlantic
convoys.
16th
Deployed with HM Sloop WOODPECKER for escort of joint military convoy KMF11 to
Gibraltar and WS28 to Freetown and joined HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, DOUGLAS,
EGGESFORD, GOATHLAND, WHADDON and Polish destroyer ORP KRAKOWIAK in Clyde.
21st
Detached from joint convoy when KMF11 as escort for passage to Gibraltar.
24th
Resumed Atlantic support and convoy defence duties with Group.
For details of
anti-submarine operations in defence and support of convoys in
the
Atlantic see
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D
Macintyre, CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by
C Blair.).
April
Deployed with Group in support of
passage of convoys in Atlantic and based at Liverpool.
May
Supported transit of Convoy ONS8
and HX 240.
June
Transferred with Group to
Devonport to take part in joint offensive with RAF
Coastal
Command
against U-Boats crossing Bay of Biscay on passage to and from
Atlantic
(Operations MUSKETRY and SEASLUG.)
(For details see BATTLE OVER THE BAY by N Franks).
Deployed with HM Sloops
STARLING, WILD GOOSE, KITE and WOODPECKER.
(Note: Cover against interference by German surface warships was provided by
HM Cruiser
SCYLLA.)
14th
Rescued survivors from U607 sunk
on 13th by Sunderland of 228 Squadron RAF.
24th
Sank U449 with HM Sloops WILD
GOOSE, KITE and WOODPECKER in position 45.00 N
11.59 W with no survivors.
July
Bay of Biscay operations in
continuation.
13th
Rescued survivors from U607 sunk by Sunderland aircraft of 228 Squadron RAF
and landed
them at Plymouth.
30th Sank
U504 with HM Sloops WILD GOOSE, KITE and WOODPECKER in position 45.33 N
10.47 W with no survivors.
(For details of all U-Boat sinkings, see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and
HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR.)
August
1st
Rescued six of crew of Sunderland from 10 Squadron RAAF which had been forced to
ditch
after being damaged during attacks which sank U454
September Bay of
Biscay operations in continuation
Increased enemy air support for U-Boats on passage was being
provided and ship came under
several sustained attacks. See references above.
21st
Returned to Liverpool with Group after end of fifth patrol.
October Withdrawn
from operations for refit at Avonmouth.
15th Taken
in hand for refit.
November Under refit.
December
15th On
completion worked-up at Tobermory for further convoy escort duty.
1 9 4 4
January Rejoined
Group and deployed in support role south of Iceland against U – Boat
assemblies for
attacks on convoys.
February Deployed
west of Ireland with Group.
7th
Supported merged Convoy SL147/MKS38 under threat from IGEL group.
15th
Deployed to reinforce 3rd British Escort Group escorting Convoy HX278 north of
the
Azores
through area under threat by known assembly of U-Boats.
(See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.)
17th
Transferred to join 7th Escort Group in defence of Convoy ON224 under attacks
by
HAI group
of
U-Boats.
During the anti-submarine operations which lasted for two days H M S WOODPECKER
and
HMS STARLING sank U264, the first SCHNORKEL-fitted U-Boat.
(For additional details of development and use of weapons see SEEK AND STRIKE
by W
Hackmann, RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse and above references.)
March
Transferred with Group for duty with Home Fleet In defence of Russian Convoys.
29th Joined
Russian Convoy JW58 escort with HM Sloops MAGPIE, WILD GOOSE, STARLING
and WHIMBREL of to supplement A/S defence during passage to Kola Inlet.
Sank U961 which was on independent passage to Atlantic in position 64.31 N
03.19 W with
no
survivors.
(Note: This convoy included USS MILWAUKEE being handed over to Russian Navy.
For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield, CONVOY! by P Kemp, and ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
April
2nd U-boat
attacks by THOR, BLITZ and HAMMER groups which lasted till 3rd were
unsuccessful.
4th
Detached from JW58.
7th
Provided A/S support for returning Convoy RA58 with ships of Group, four Fleet
destroyers
and
two corvettes.
14th
Detached from RA58 after uninterrupted passage on arrival at Loch Ewe.
May
Deployed with Group and A/S aircraft from HM Escort Carrier VINDEX for escort
and support
of
Atlantic convoys.
5th Sank
U473 with HMS STARLING and WS WILD GOOSE in position 49.29N 21.22W after
U-Boat wireless signals detected and revealed bearing
of submarine.
June
Nominated for duty in support of allied landings in Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities prior to and during this
assault see
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards, LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO)
and D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser for information about all mercantiles and
warships
involved.)
4th
Deployed with HMS STARLING and HMS WILD GOOSE in Western Approaches to carry
out
anti-submarine operations to prevent U-Boat attacks against invasion convoys.
27th On
released from NEPTUNE operations returned to Liverpool.
July
8th
Resumed escort and support duty in SW Approaches with Group.
August
10th Sank
U608 with LIBERATOR of 53 Squadron RAF in position 46.30N 03.08W during
passage
back to Liverpool at end of patrol.
Nominated for refit
September Under refit
at Falmouth.
October On
completion of post refit trials deployed
in SW Approaches for support and escort of
coastal
convoys against
attacks by SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and above references.)
20th Taken
in hand for refit in Humber shipyard
November Under refit
to
Allocated for duty with 22nd Escort Group. December
December
1 9 4 5
January
27th On
completion of post refit trials joined Group for escort and support duty in SW
Approaches
February Deployed
with HM Sloops HART, AMETHYST, MAGPIE, PEACOCK and HM Frigate LOCH
to
CRAGGIE for convoy defence in SW Approaches and Irish Sea.
March Nominated
for service in British Pacific Fleet after refit.
April Under
refit at commercial shipyard in Cardiff.
May Based
at Rosyth for convoy defence in North Sea.
10th Prepared for foreign service at Rosyth.
June
Deployed at Rosyth
to
July
August
Service in Pacific cancelled.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WREN Paid-off and was reduced to Reserve status after the end
of hostilities and was brought, forward in 1946 and re-commissioned
for service in the Persian Gulf. The ship continued duties in the Middle East
until 1955 with refits in Malta and Colombo during that period. She returned to finally Pay off at
Portsmouth in June 1955. Placed on the Disposal List she was sold to BISCO for demolition by Shipbreaking Industries at Charlestown and towed to the
Forth. The ship arrived at the breakers yard on 2nd February 1956.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
WREN
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
KMF 011
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
MKF 011
|
05/04/43
|
05/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
01/05/43
|
HX 236
|
05/05/43
|
09/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
12/05/43
|
ONS 007
|
21/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
SC 132
|
11/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
22/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
HX 258
|
02/10/43
|
06/10/43
|
13/01/44
|
13/01/44
|
TU 006
|
14/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
06/01/44
|
18/01/44
|
HX 274
|
20/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
12/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
SL 145MK
|
22/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
ON 221
|
25/01/44
|
11/02/44
|
30/01/44
|
04/02/44
|
ON 222
|
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
02/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
SL 147MK
|
12/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
05/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
HX 278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
ON 224
|
19/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
ONS 031
|
19/03/44
|
30/03/44
|
27/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
JW 058
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
RA 058
|
14/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
29/09/44
|
30/09/44
|
ONS 033
|
02/10/44
|
14/10/44
|
14/10/44
|
15/10/44
|
ONS 034
|
17/10/44
|
01/11/44
|
29/10/44
|
30/10/44
|
ONS 035
|
01/11/44
|
15/11/44
|
05/02/45
|
06/02/45
|
ON 283
|
unknown
|
27/02/45
|
06/02/45
|
07/02/45
|
OS 109KM
|
09/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)