HALCYON-Class Minesweeper ordered from HM
Dockyard, Devonport on 1st July 1936 with sister ship to be named HMS SEAGULL as
part of the 3rd Group of this Class.. Her turbine propulsion machinery was to be
supplied Richardson Westgarth of West Hartlepool. The ship was laid down on 16th
November 1936 and launched on 8th June 1937 as the 6th RN warship to carry this
name which had been introduced for a 5th Rate built at Rotherhithe in 1783. The
name is derived from Classic Greek legend. Last used for a Torpedo Gunboat built
by HM Dockyard, Sheerness in 1892 and sold in 1920. Build was completed on 19th
May 1938. Before her loss in 1942, after a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in February 1942, this ship was adopted by the civil
community of Kingsbridge, Devon.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
TOULON 1793 - EGYPT 1801 - CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
1806 - BUENOS AIRES 1806 - JAVA 1811 - ATLANTIC 1939-41 - DUNKIRK 1940 - ARCTIC
1941-42
H e r a l
d i c D a t a
On a
field Blue, upon water in base barry wavy White and Blue
a swan
roussant Proper gorged with a collar, chained Gold, the chain
grasped
by a hand issuant in chief also Proper.
M a n n i
n g D i v i s i o n
Portsmouth
S u m m a r y o f P
r e - w a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 8
May Contractors trials
17th Commissioned for
service on completion of build and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion
deployed for Fishery Protection duties in Home waters.
June Home waters
deployment in continuation.
to December (Note: This organisation
was responsible for monitoring British fishing activities to ensure
adherence to
internationally agreed rules and to prevent ships of other nations
from fishing in
territorial waters. Larger ships of the squadron were deployed
in areas as far
apart as the Arctic Sea and SW Approaches including
the Spanish
coast
1 9 3 9
January Fishery Protection
deployment in continuation.
to July War Station nominated
for duty in 5th Minesweeping Flotilla
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
August Deployed in SW
Approaches.
September Passage from Gibraltar to join HM Minesweepers HALCYON, HARRIER,
HUSSAR, NIGER,
SALAMANDER,
GOSSAMER, SKIPJACK, SPEEDWELL and SPHINX based at Dover.
as 5th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
October Deployed with Flotilla
for minesweeping in Nore Command.
November Transferred to Grimsby with
ships of Flotilla to ensure clear passage of East Coast convoy routes.
to December (Note: Extensive enemy
minelaying including magnetic mines was being carried out.
For details see
THE TORPEDOMEN by EN Poland, HM MINESWEEPERS (HMSO),
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)
1 9 4 0
January Transferred with
Flotilla to Rosyth in continuation of North Sea duties.
(Note: HMS
HALCYON and HMS HUSSAR remained at Grimsby as part of 4th Minesweeping
Flotilla.)
February Deployed in Moray Firth with Flotilla for minesweeping.
3rd Under air attacks in
snow storm 15 miles north of Kinnaird Head.
(Note: HMS
SPHINX was sunk during these attacks.)
March North Sea deployment in
continuation.
(Note:
Anti-submarine operations were carried out in this period.)
April Remained with 5th
Minesweeping Flotilla when all other HALCYON Class
were transferred
to 4th and 6th Flotilla.
Joined by HM
Minesweepers KELLETT, LYDD, PANGBOURNE, ROSS and
SALTASH and based
at Rosyth for service in North Sea.
May Deployed in North Sea with Flotilla
Detached to take
part in evacuation of British and allied troops from Dunkirk
28th Arrived at Dunkirk
with HMS GOSSAMER and HMS NIGER.
(Note: Sister
ships SHARPSHOOTER, SKIPJACK, HALCYON, HEBE and SPEEDWELL
from 1st, 5th and
6th Flotillas and HMS SALAMANDER also took part in DYNAMO.)
31st Sustained slight
damage in collision
Pennant Number
for visual signalling changed to J93
June DYNAMO rescue
operations in continuation.
4th Involved in
collision and sank French tug MARESHAL FOCH during passage.
Forward structure
holed and required dockyard repair.
5th Passage to
Sheerness.
6th Taken in hand for
repair
12th Passage to Harwich to
resume Flotilla duties on completion of repair.
15th Deployed with
Flotilla for minesweeping duties to ensure clear passage in East Coast convoy
routes.
July Flotilla
minesweeping duties in North Sea based at Harwich in continuation.
to August Transferred to Grimsby
with Flotilla.
September
1st Despatched with HM
Minesweeper SALTASH to assist in rescue operations after HM
Destroyers ESK,
EXPRESS and IVANHOE were mined off the Texel during minelay.
(Operation CBX5 –
See Naval Staff History (Mining).)
2nd Took part in recovery
of disabled destroyer IVANHOE with HMS SALTASH.
Transferred tow
to tugs sent from Felixstowe and remained as escort for passage to Humber.
4th Resumed Flotilla
Minesweeping duties.
October Deployed with Flotilla
off Scottish coast.
30th Sustained serious
damage in Tiller Flat when ship dragged anchor into path of an
oncoming
mercantile.
November Taken in hand for repair in
commercial shipyard in Aberdeen.
December Resumed Flotilla
minesweeping duties in North Sea.
1 9 4 1
January Transferred to southern
North Sea with Flotilla in continuation of clearance of safe
passage for
coastal convoys inside existing British minefield.
(Note: In
addition to hazard from mines laid by aircraft and E-Boats. Surface attacks
were a common
feature of all escort and minesweeping operations.)
February Remained in southern
North Sea when Flotilla was transferred to Granton in Forth Estuary
for service off
Scottish coast.
March
25th Embarked three
Dutchmen from HM Destroyer MEYNELL for passage to Harwich
(Note: These men
had been found adrift in an open boat near Sunk Light Vessel whilst
escaping from
occupied Europe. The destroyer was part of escort for an East Coast
convoy.)
April Transferred to 6th
Minesweeping Flotilla
Ships in Flotilla
were all HALCYON-class and included HM Minesweepers
HALCYON, HARRIER,
HUSSAR, SPEEDWELL and GOSSAMER based at
Harwich for east
coast minesweeping.
2nd Taken in hand for
repair at Leith in commercial shipyard.
May Under repair
June Transferred to Rosyth
14th Taken in hand for
further repair by HM Dockyard Rosyth
July
1st Resumed Flotilla
duties with 6th Flotilla
(Note: The
Flotilla had been transferred to Western Approaches Command for convoy
escort duties in
view of the lack of escorts available and the fact that this Class
of minesweeper
was fitted with ASDIC underwater detection equipment and
some had surface
warning radar Type 271 fitted during recent refits.
See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of development and use.)
August Deployed for Local Escort
of Atlantic convoys based at Stornoway.
(Note: When not
required for escort and anti-submarine patrol carried out
minesweeping as
required by Local Command.
Nominated for
detached service in North Russia for minesweeping operations
to ensure safe
passage of Russian convoys to and from Iceland.
(Note: HM
Minesweepers BRITOMART, GOSSAMER and HUSSAR were also
nominated and the
four HALYCONs were to join H0M Minesweepers
HALCYON, HARRIER
and SALAMANDER already at Archangel.)
September Nominated for service in
North Russia
(Note: Ships of
this Class were “Articised” during which bow structure was
strengthened and
additional insulation provided for deckheads and internal
bulkheads. In
view of the short time available before deployment this work
may not have been
undertaken in this ship.)
20th Passage to Iceland to
join escort for Russian Convoy PQ1with HM Minesweepers
BRITOMART and
GOSSAMER.
(Note: For full
details of all Russian convoy passages with names of the escorts and
mercantiles see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B
Schoefield, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
29th Joined Ocean Escort
for Russian convoy PQ1 at Hvalfjord with HM Cruiser SUFFOLK,
HM Destroyers
IMPULSIVE and ESCAPADE, HMS BRITOMART, HMS GOSSAMER,
and HMS HUSSAR.
October
2nd HMS ANTHONY detached
from escort and relieved by HM Destroyer ESCAPADE.
4th HMS ANTELOPE
detached from escort.
10th HMS HARRIER joined
PQ1 as Local Escort into Archangel..
11th Arrived at Archangel
after uninterrupted passage.
(Note: Ships
were deployed for local duties in North Russia including
convoy defence,
minesweeping and patrol in White Sea.)
29th Joined inward convoy
QP2 for Local Escort into Archangel with HMS GOSSAMER
and HMS HUSSAR
(Note: HM Fleet
Minesweepers BRAMBLE, SPEEDY and SEAGULL had been part of
Ocean Escort and
were joining for service in North Russia.)
30th Arrived at Archangel
with PQ2 after uninterrupted passage.
November
3rd Deployed as Local
Escort for Convoy QP2 with HMS BRAMBLE and HMS SEAGULL
for initial stage
of passage from Archangel.
5th Detached from QP2
with Local Escort and returned to Archangel.
(Note This convoy
arrived in Scapa Flow on 17th without incident.)
7th Deployed for local
minesweeping.
December Local minesweeping in
continuation.
18th Despatched to join
inward convoy PQ6 in place of HMS SPEEDY which had been
attacked and
damaged in action against German destroyers whilst on passage to
provide Local
Escort into Murmansk with HMS HAZARD.
19th Deployed for Local
Escort of PQ6 with HMS HAZARD into Murmansk
20th Arrived at Murmansk
with PQ6,
29th Joined return convoy
QP4 with HM Minesweepers SEAGULL, SPEEDY, BRAMBLE and
HEBE, HM Trawler
BUTE and HM Trawler STELLA CAPELLA for escort during passage
from Archangel.
1 9 4 2
January
5th Remained with QP4
when HM Cruiser EDINBURGH, HM Destroyers ECHO and
ESCAPADE joined
as reliefs for HMS BRAMBLE and HMS SPEEDY.
9th Detached from QP4
with HMS SEAGULL, SPEEDY and the two trawlers when QP4 was
dispersed on
arrival in Home waters.
Took passage for
refit.
February Under refit in commercial
shipyard.
to March (Note: This refit
included “Arcticisation”.)
April
15th On completion of post
refit trials took passage to Iceland to resume service in North Russia.
26th Deployed with HM
Fleet Minesweepers BRAMBLE, SEAGULL. HM Destroyer LEDBURY
and four trawlers
as part of escort for inward convoy PQ15 during passage into Murmansk.
28th HM AA Ship ULSTER
QUEEN, HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, BOADICEA,
MATCHLESS,
SOMALI, VENOMOUS and Norwegian ST ALBANS joined with HM
Submarine
STURGEON to supplement escort with cruiser cover provided by HMS
LONDON and HMS
NORFOLK
(Note: This
convoy was also given particularly strong Distant Cover by RN and USN
major warships.
During their cover HM Battleship KING GEORGE V had collided
in fog sinking HM
Destroyer PUNJABI whilst east of Iceland.)
May
2nd Convoy under heavy
and sustained attacks by submarines and aircraft
after sighting by
reconnaissance aircraft. Three mercantiles were lost.
(Note: Submarine
contact by HMS SEAGULL and HNorMS ST ALBANS
was attacked and
later it was established that this was the Polish
JASTRAB which had
been out of her allotted patrol area and had been sunk.
3rd During further air
attacks one mercantiles was hit and damaged but
was able to reach
Murmansk.
(Note: 15 of the
mercantiles in PQ15 were US flagged.)
For full details
of all Russian Convoy operations with names of warships
and mercantiles
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B
Schoefield, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
5th Detached from PQ15
after arrival at Murmansk.
Resumed
minesweeping and Local duties after return from PQ15
21st Deployed with
Russian destroyers GROZNI and SOKRUSHITELNY, HMS BRAMBLE,
HMS GOSSAMER and
HMS SEAGULL as Local Escort for outward Convoy QP12 during
initial stage of
passage from Kola Inlet.
23rd Detached from PQ15
with Local Escort and took return passage to Kola Inlet.
29th Joined Local Escort
for inward convoy PQ 16 by three Russian destroyers including
GROZNI and
SOKRUSHIELNY, HM Minesweepers BRAMBLE, GOSSAMER
and SEAGULL
during passage into North Russia with HM Destroyer MARNE and
HM Auxiliary AA
Ship ALYNBANK for escort of ships bound for Archangel.
(Note: This
convoy had been subject to air attacks on 28th.)
30th Under unsuccessful
air attacks during passage and detached on arrival at Archangel.
Detached from
ships from PQ16 on arrival.
June Deployed for
minesweeping in North Russia
10th Under air attack off
Mishokvo. Near missed by six bombs and slightly damaged.
26th Deployed with Russian
destroyers GROZNI, GREMYASCHI and KUIBYSHEV,
HMS BRAMBLE,
HAZARD and SEAGULL for Local Escort of outward Convoy
PQ13 during
initial stage of passage to Rekyavik, Iceland.
28th Detached from QP13
with Local Escort and returned to North Russia.
(Note: During
later passage in fog off Iceland this convoy went into a British minefield
and suffered many
losses including that of sister ship HMS NIGER which was
returning to UK
as part of the escort.)
July Deployed for
minesweeping duties in North Russia
Despatched to
take part in search operations for merchant ships dispersed from
inward Convoy
PQ17 after perceived threat of attack by major German warships
including the
battleship TIRPITZ. See THE CONVOYS IS TO SCATTER by
J Broome and the
Naval Staff History.
26th Deployed with HM
Minesweepers BRAMBLE, HAZARD, HM Corvette DIANELLA
and HM Auxiliary
AA Ship POZARICA as well as Russian destroyers in search for
boats with
survivors and shipping,
Deployed with HMS
BRAMBLE to escort found mercantiles into Archangel.
August Resumed minesweeping
deployment in North Russia.
September Nominated for return to UK
for refit with HMS BRAMBLE.
13th Joined return convoy
QP14 with HMS BRAMBLE as part of Ocean Escort
for return to UK. Other ships of Ocean Escort were:
(Note: HM Cruiser
SCYLLA, HM Escort Aircraft Carrier AVENGER,
HM Destroyers
ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY,
INTREPID, MARNE,
METEOR, MILNE, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT,
ONSLOW,
OPPORTUNE, SOMALI, TARTAR, WHEATLAND,
WILTON, BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON, HM Trawlers AYRSHIRE,
LORD AUSTIN, LORD
MIDDLETON, NORTHERN GEM, HM
Auxiliary AA
Ships ALYNBANK, PALOMARES and POZARICA
Distant Cover was
provided by ships of Home Fleet in view of any
attack by German
heavy warships.
This convoy was
also carrying survivors from the ill fated PQ17.)
14th Passage in heavy
weather with no immediate threat of interference.
20th Under attack by seven
U-Boats. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR, Volume 2
by C Blair.
Whilst in
position astern of convoy in poor weather, hit by two torpedoes
fired by U435.
Ship sank one and
a half hours later in position 76.48N 06.00E with the loss of 46 lives
in total -
1officer, the Surgeon LT, RNVR, 43
ratings, and two MN survivors (until then). Six
of these were among the
86 of the ship's
company who were rescued, and who later died.
(Casualty
List -
note on casualties)
(Note: In the
continuing submarine attacks, ss SILVER SWORD, which had survived
PQ17 was sunk.
The destroyer HMS SOMALI was hit by U703 and
disabled. Taken
in tow by sister HMS ASHANTI the stricken ship
sank in heavy
weather on 24th.)
Addendum
Link to
www.halcyon-class.co.uk
by Bill Burn