BANGOR-Class with
Reciprocating Machinery ordered on 9th September 1939
from Lobnitz at Renfrew and laid down on 29th June
1940 as Job Number 1089 (Yard N.1029), The ship was launched 5th November 1940
as the 2nd RN ship to carry this name. It was first used by a vessel hired in
1917. This ship was adopted by the civil community of Eastbourne, East Sussex
following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.
Build was completed on 26th May 1941.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-43 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - DIEPPE 1942 - NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, in front of 2 anchors in saltire Gold
a sea-horse argent.
(Note:
This badge may not have been used until after WW2).
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 1
May
Contractors trials and commissioned for service.
26th Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory
for work-up.
Nominated for service in 13th Minesweeping Flotilla.
June Carried
out work-up at Tobermory
July
Carried out minesweeping training in Forth based at South Queensferry.
August On completion
joined Flotilla at Harwich for East Coast minesweeping.
(Note: Flotilla comprised HM Minesweepers BLYTH,
CLACTON, FELIXSTOWE.
ILFRACOMBE. POLRUAN and STORNOWAY.
Primary purpose of
sweeping operation was to ensure clear passage of the
convoy route in North Sea between Southend and Firth of Forth,
September Deployed
with Flotilla off East Coast.
October Detached
and took passage to Portsmouth with HMS BLYTH.
Joined HM
Minesweeper BRIDLINGTON with HMS BLYTH at Portsmouth
for detached
service minesweeping
in English Channel.
(Note: During this period
involved in collection of personnel escaping from France.
November Channel
deployment in continuation.
On release took passage alone to rejoin Flotilla at Harwich.
(Note: HM BRIDLINGTON
rejoined 9th Flotilla).
December Deployed with Flotilla for clearance
of gaps in British East Coast Mine Barrier.
(Operation QO - These were required to ensure speedy entry to North
Sea and Dover
Straits by Nore Command destroyers in the event of an attempt by German
battleships
SCHARNHORST
and GNEISENAU to return from Brest to Germany by
passage through
English Channel).
1 9
4 2
January Transferred with Flotilla to
Falmouth for coastal minesweeping duties.
February Transferred to Belfast with Flotilla
for special duty.
Deployed to ensure clear passage into Belfast for military
convoy bringing US troops
to Northern Ireland
Operation carried
out in bad weather.
March Resumed coastal minesweeping
in Plymouth Command based at Falmouth.
to (Note: Subject to air
attacks during one of which sister ship HMS BLYTH was
hit)
June
July Returned to Harwich with
Flotilla for minesweeping off east coast.
Nominated for joint minesweeping operation in
support of the planned landings at Dieppe
(Operation JUBILEE
- For details see Naval Staff History and THE WATERY MAZE by
B Fergusson.)
August Deployed with ships of 9th and 13th Flotillas for operation to clear
passage of assault convoy
through German
minefield off Dieppe.
15th Sustained damage during operation.
Taken in hand for
repair.
September On completion rejoined Flotilla at
Portsmouth and deployed for minesweeping in Channel.
Nominated for
service in support of planned allied landings in North Africa
(Operation TORCH
- For details see Naval Staff History
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
October
14th Sustained damage in collision with HMS ILFRACOMBE during exercises in preparation
for Operation
TORCH.
Taken in hand for
repair.
November On completion took passage to
Mediterranean.
December Deployed for minesweeping off
North Africa and support of military operations.
1 9 4 3
January Western Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
Passage to UK
February Deployed off for minesweeping
in UK Coastal waters.
10th Escorted HM Coastal Minelayer PLOVER
for minelay in East Coast Barrier.
(Operation QV3 -
off The Wash)
17th
Escorted HMS PLOVER for further East Coast Barrier minelay
(Operation QV2).
20th Escorted HMS PLOVER for minelay off Humber Estuary (Operation BS87).
March Deployed in North Sea and
Channel for mine clearance in convoy routes.
to December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed with 13th Flotilla
for minesweeping in UK coastal waters
to . Flotilla nominated for
support of allied landings in Normandy.
April Allocated for clearance
of Channel 7 for assault convoys to JUNO beachhead.
(Operation
NEPTUNE: See OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and Naval Staff History)
May Channel minesweeping in
continuation and detached to join Amphibious exercises with
Force J
(Exercise FABIUS series).
June Channel 7 clearance in
continuation.
4th Operation
NEPTUNE delayed 24 hours.
5th Carried
out clearance sweep of Channel 7 in advance of Force J assault convoys.
6th After
arrival off beach head carried out sweeping of bombardment area to be used by
Bombardment
Group for gunfire support.
7th Deployed
for additional mine clearance of approach channels.
24th Joined US Task Force 129 with Flotilla and
sailed from Portland as Minesweeping Unit 2
for planned gunfire support
off Cherbourg.
(Note: Task Force comprised:
Bombardment
Group No 1
US Battleship NEVADA. US Cruisers
USS TUSCALOOSA, QUINCY
HM Cruisers GLASGOW and ENTERPRISE with screen of six US Navy
Destroyers.
Bombardment
Group No 2.
US
Battleships USS ARKANSAS ,TEXAS. with five US Navy
Destroyers
as screen.
Minesweeping
Unit No 1.
Four BANGOR Class RN Minesweepers, four RN Danlayers
four RN
Motor Launches and eight RN BYMS of 159th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
Minesweeping
Unit No 2.
Eight US Navy
Minesweepers, one RN Danlayer and four Motor launches
25th Carried out mine clearance operation in
Fire Support area prior to the arrival
Bombardment
Group No 1 came under heavy fire from coastal batteries during sweep and
withdrew after
completing half of intended task
For details see
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY JUNE 1944 (HMSO)
Released on
completion of bombardments and resumed duties with Eastern Task Force
for minesweeping and
patrol off beachhead.
July Deployment in support
of allied landings in continuation.
Modified for towing duties.
Carried out
towing duties for barges intend to activate OYSTER Pressure Mines.
(Note: HMS SEAHAM and HMS FORT YORK (RCN) were also used as 'Fleet
Tugs'
in this role but the results were not a total success).
August On release from support of
military operations resumed minesweeping duties.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Deployed in Home waters for
minesweeping and ant-submarine patrol duties.
to (Note: No record
has been traced of return of ship to 9th Flotilla which was deployed
August in Norway after VE Day. This period is subject to amendment).
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS EASTBOURNE was paid off
after VJ Day and remained in Reserve until placed on
the Disposal List in 1947. The ship was then sold for breaking-up by Clayton
and Davies at Dunston where she arrived in in tow during October 1948. The name was
carried forward and used for a Type 12 Frigate built by Vickers-Armstrong. The
3rd ship to carry the named was launched on 29th December 1955 and served with
the Fleet for over 20 years before also being sold for breaking-up.