RIVER-Class Frigate ordered on
29th October 1940 from G. Brown of Greenock
and to be named CHELMER. However
this was changed and build was to be for a
FLOWER-Class Corvette. The ship was
laid
down as Job No 1453 (Yard No 224) on 16th
April.1941 and intended to be named CHELMER.
The ship was launched as HMS BALSAM on 30th
May
1942. Build was completed on 28th November 1942
, and
she had been adopted by the civil community of
Biggleswade,
Bedfordshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in
January 1942. Radar and an anti-submarine
Ahead Throwing Mortar (HEDGEHOG) were
both fitted during build
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1943-45 - NORMANDY 1944 -
ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1944-45
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
No
Badge is recorded in the official List of
Crests.
This
is
not unusual for ships of this Class built
during WW2
but
many had an unofficial
Badge.
S
u m m a r y 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 2
November Contractors
trials.
28th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
December
Carried out trials in Clyde.
2nd
Sailed
to Tobermory from
Clyde
(Note:
Nominated initially for service at Gibraltar
)
17th
Retained
in Western Approaches.
(Note: This may
have been due to work-up requirements.)
24th.
Joined 37the Escort Group on
completion of work-up
for operational service.
Deployed as part of escort
for outward Convoy KMS6
during passage
to Gibraltar.
1
9 4 3
January
3rd
Detached
from KMS6 with ‘condenseritis',
and took independent
passage to Gibraltar.
11th
On
completion of repair deployed as part of
escort for inward Convoy MKS5 to Liverpool.
25th
Arrived at Liverpool
February
6th
Deployed as part of escort of Convoy KMS9
during passage to Gibraltar.
Returned to Liverpool with escort
for inward Convoy MKF9.
24th
Transferred to 39th Escort Group and
joined HM Corvettes COLTSFOOT, MIGNONETTE,
and
SPIRAEA.
(Note: See ALLIED
CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague for details of
dates.)
March
6th
Deployed as part of escort for outward
Convoy OS44 during passage from Liverpool to
West
Africa.
12th
Under heavy
U-Boat attacks.
(See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and
HITLER’S U –BOAT WAR by
C Blair.)
24th
Arrived at Freetown with OS44.
31st
Sailed
from Freetown a part of escort for inward
Convoy SL127 during passage to
Liverpool.
April
23rd
Arrived at
Liverpool with SL127.
May
5th
Deployed with ships of Group for escort
of outward joint Convoy OS47/KMS14 during
Atlantic
passage from Liverpool.
16th
Remained
with Convoy OS47 with ships of Group as escort
during passage
to Freetown
when Convoy
KMS14 detached to proceed to
Gibraltar.
25th
Detached from
OS47 on arrival at Freetown.
30th
Sailed Freetown
SL130 As escort during passage to Liverpool.
June
11th
Remained as escort for joint convoy
when Convoy MKS14 merged with SL130
21st
Detached on arrival of joint convoy at
Liverpool.
July
5th
Joined joint convoy OS51/KMS20 as escort
during Atlantic passage from Liverpool with
HM Corvettes COLTSFOOT, AZALEA,
GERANIUM and
MIGNONETTE.
13th
Remained
as escort of Convoy OS51 when ships of Convoy
KMS20 detached and took
passage to
Gibraltar.
15th
During
attack on OS51 by U135 one mercantile
was damaged.
Carried out depth charge attacks with
HM Sloop
ROCHESTER
and MIGNONETTE which
forced
submarine to
surface.
(Note: U135 was then rammed and sunk by
this
attack and 41 of the crew were taken prisoner.
For
details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by
P Kemp and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by
C Blair.)
23rd
Detached
from OS51 on arrival at Freetown
28th.
Deployed
as escort with ships of Group for inward
Convoy SL134 during passage from
Freetown. to
Liverpool.
August
12th
Under air attacks
by FW aircraft.
19th
Detached from SL134 on arrival.
28th
Deployed with HM Corvettes SPIRAEA, ALISMA,
GERANIUM, and AZALEA as escort for
joint convoy
OS54/KMS25 during Atlantic passage.
September
4th
Convoy sighted by U515 which then was
shadowed
5th
Under attempted night surface torpedo
attacks by U515 which forced to submerge after
being
sighted.
(Note:
HM Frigate TAVY carried
out depth charge
attacks after sonar contact
and seriously
damaged
U515 which the had to return to base. See above
references.)
8th
Remained with escort for OS54 when
ships of KMS25 detached and took passage to
Gibraltar.
17th
Detached from OS54 on arrival at
Freetown
Nominated for
Local Escort of convoy from Gibraltar
October
1st
Took passage to
join Convoy RS10 during passage to Sierra
Leone from Gibraltar.
10th
Rejoined ships of Group at Freetown.
13th
Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group
as escort for inward Convoy SL138during
passage
to
Liverpool
24th
Remained with escort when Convoy KMS25
from Gibraltar merged with SL138.
27th
Convoy sighted by German aircraft
29th
Convoy sighted by U262 which summoned
support for a major attack on joint convoy.
31st
Under attack by
U262, U333 and U306.
(Note:
Escort for joint convoy included HM Destroyers
WHITEHALL and
WRESTLER. HM
Frigate
TAVY, HM Sloops ROCHESTER, HASTINGS
and SCARBOROUGH and
Corvettes
of 39th Escort Groups. HM Auxiliary AA Ship
ALYNBANK was also
deployed to provide
additional AA defence.
U306
was sunk by. HMS
WHITEHALL and HM Corvette GERANIUM in
defence of
the convoy. See
above references for details.)
November
5th
Detached from joint convoy on arrival at
Liverpool
16th
Deployed with ships of Group as escort
for joint Convoy OS59/KMS33 during Atlantic
passage
from Liverpool
28th
Remained with escort for OS59 when KMS33
detached and took passage to Gibraltar.
29th
Detached from OS59 during passage to
Freetown.
(Note:
It is
presumed ship went to Gibraltar.)
December
3rd
Sailed from Gibraltar as part of escort
for Convoy MKS32 during passage to join Convoy
SL141
on passage from Freetown.
4th
Joined joint escort for merged convoy
SL141/MKS32
during passage to Liverpool.
(Note:
HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier FENCER was deployed to
provide air cover for this
passage.)
8th
Under air attacks, driven off by HMS FENCER
aircraft
10th
Further air attacks
repelled by aircraft from HMS FENCER.
15th
Detached from
S141/KMS32 before arrival at Liverpool.
Passage
to
Manchester for refit
1
9 4 4
January Under
refit
in commercial shipyard.
7th
On
completion of post refit
trials took passage to Tobemory
for work-up.
19th
Sustained damage by grounding during
work-up
February
Under repair.
to
March
April Carried
out post refit trials and resumed work-up
28th
On
completion rejoined Western Approaches
Command.
May Detached
for
support of planned allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE)
Allocated for service in
Escort Group 106 with HM Corvette
ABELIA.
Took
part in preparatory exercise
for NEPTUNE
(For details of
naval activities before and during NEPTUNE,
see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO). OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards
and
for
information
about all mercantiles
and warships involved D-DAY
SHIPS
by
J de Winser.).
June
Passage to Milford Haven
to join HM Destroyer VANQUISHER, HM Frigate
STRULE,
HMS
ABELIA and two Motor Launches on formation
of EG106.
Nominated
for escort of Build-up Convoy EBM3.
4th
Operation delayed 24 hours.
Passage
to join EBM3 in Bristol Channel. as
escort
during passage to Isle of Wight.
(Note: Convoy
comprised 111empty supply ships to be loaded
at designated south coast
port.).
5th
Joined by HM Trawlers CALDY and GWEAL during
passage off Start Point,
Joined later by HM
Canadian Corvettes MOOSEJAW and
ARTHUR.
6th
Detached from EBM3 during embarkation of
vehicles.
7th
Rejoined
EBM3 for escort during passage through Swept
Channel.
Detached
from EBM3 on arrival at US Beach Head in
Western Task Force area.
Passage
to Falmouth from Beach Head.
8th
Deployed for escort of Build-up convoys.
July
Transferred to Portsmouth
after release from NEPTUNE.
Deployed
for escort and anti-submarine patrol in
English Channel.
August
Channel convoy escort in continuation.
September
Joined 41st Escort Group for escort of
Atlantic convoys in SW Approaches and
Channel based at Devonport.
Escorted for inward Convoy HX308 in SW
Approaches during passage to Liverpool
Escorted outward convoy ON255 during
passage
from Southend in
Channel.
October
Escorted outward Convoy ON259 during
passage
in Channel from Southend.
Escorted
inward Convoy HX312 during passage to
Liverpool
November
Escorted
joint
Convoy SL176/MKS67 during passage to Liverpool
December
Escort
outward
Convoy ON270 during passage in Channel from Southend
Escorted inward Convoy HX322 during passage
to Liverpool.
Escorted
inward Convoy
MKS71 during passage to Liverpool.
Escorted inward Convoy MKS72
during passage to Liverpool.
1
9 4 5
January Escorted
outward Convoy ON278
in Channel during passage from Southend
Escorted inward Convoy HX330 during
passage to Liverpool
Escorted outward Convoy ON279 in
Channel during passage from Southend
Escorted inward
Convoy HX331 during passage to Liverpool
Escorted outward Convoy ON280 in
Channel during passage from Southend
Escorted inward
Convoy HX332 during passage to Liverpool
February
Escorted inward Convoy
KMS84 during
passage to Liverpool
Escorted inward Convoy
KMS82 during passage to Liverpool.
Escorted outward Convoy ON287
in Channel during passage from Southend.
March Escorted
inward Convoy HX339
during passage to Liverpool
Escorted outward
Convoy ON289 in Channel during passage from Southend
Escorted inward Convoy HX341 during
passage to Liverpool
Nominated
for refit at Cardiff
24th Taken
in hand for refit
in commercial shipyard.
April
Under
refit
to
May
June
Nominated for Paying-of
and to be reduced to Reserve status
13th
On
completion of post refit trials took
passage to Milford Haven.
Paid-off and
de-stored
July
On completion of reduction, laid-up at
Milford Haven.
P o s t R e f i t
N o t e
s
HMS BALSAM was placed on the Disposal List
in 1947 and sold to BISCO for
demolition by J Cashmore
at
Newport, Glamorgan. The ship arrived
in tow at the breaker’s yard on 20th April
1947
Addenda
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
BALSAM
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
24/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
KMS
006G
|
05/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
05/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
MKS
005
|
22/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
06/02/43
|
06/02/43
|
KMS
009G
|
16/02/43
|
20/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
19/02/43
|
MKF
009
|
24/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
06/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
OS
044
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
SL
127
|
21/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
05/05/43
|
06/05/43
|
OS
047KM
|
16/05/43
|
16/05/43
|
16/05/43
|
16/05/43
|
OS
047
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
30/05/43
|
30/05/43
|
SL
130
|
11/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
SL
130MK
|
21/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
04/07/43
|
05/07/43
|
OS
051KM
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
OS
051
|
23/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
SL
134
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
OS
054KM
|
08/09/43
|
08/09/43
|
01/10/43
|
01/10/43
|
RS
010
|
07/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
13/10/43
|
13/10/43
|
SL
138
|
24/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
SL
138MK
|
05/11/43
|
05/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
OS
059KM
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
KMS
033G
|
29/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
03/12/43
|
03/12/43
|
MKS
032G
|
04/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
SL
141MK
|
13/12/43
|
17/12/43
|
03/06/44
|
03/06/44
|
EBM
003
|
unknown
|
07/06/44
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
EPM
002
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
17/08/44
|
17/08/44
|
EBC
075
|
19/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
27/08/44
|
27/08/44
|
ETM
067
|
28/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
08/09/43
|
08/09/44
|
OS
054
|
17/09/44
|
17/09/43
|
13/09/44
|
26/09/44
|
HX
308
|
29/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
12/10/44
|
12/10/44
|
ON
259
|
unknown
|
29/10/44
|
05/10/44
|
19/10/44
|
HX
312
|
21/10/44
|
21/10/44
|
10/10/44
|
23/10/44
|
HX
313
|
25/10/44
|
24/10/44
|
18/11/44
|
23/11/44
|
SL
176MK
|
24/11/44
|
24/11/44
|
03/12/44
|
03/12/44
|
ON
270
|
06/12/44
|
22/12/44
|
24/11/44
|
06/12/44
|
HX
322
|
09/12/44
|
08/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
22/12/44
|
MKS
071G
|
23/12/44
|
24/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
28/12/44
|
MKS
072G
|
30/12/44
|
30/12/44
|
26/12/44
|
02/01/45
|
MKS
073G
|
04/01/45
|
04/01/45
|
07/01/45
|
07/01/45
|
ON
277
|
10/01/45
|
23/01/45
|
29/12/44
|
11/01/45
|
HX
329
|
14/01/45
|
12/01/45
|
12/01/45
|
12/01/45
|
ON
278
|
15/01/45
|
31/01/45
|
03/01/45
|
16/01/45
|
HX
330
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
ON
279
|
20/01/45
|
05/02/45
|
08/01/45
|
20/01/45
|
HX
331
|
23/01/45
|
22/01/45
|
22/01/45
|
22/01/45
|
ON
280
|
25/01/45
|
09/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
10/02/45
|
OS
110KM
|
14/02/45
|
15/02/45
|
09/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
MKS
082G
|
17/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
07/02/45
|
19/02/45
|
HX
337
|
21/02/45
|
21/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
ON
287
|
28/02/45
|
14/03/45
|
18/02/45
|
01/03/45
|
HX
339
|
03/03/45
|
03/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
ON
289
|
12/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
28/02/45
|
12/03/45
|
HX
341
|
15/03/45
|
15/03/45
|
18/03/45
|
18/03/45
|
TBC
101
|
21/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)