Modified BLACK SWAN-Class
Sloop ordered from
Denny at Dumbarton under 1940 Build Programme
on 9th
January 1941. This ship was laid down on
13th June 1941 and was launched on 24th
September in that year by Lady Denny as
the 4th RN ship to carry the name,
introduced in 1808. It had last been
used by
a WW1 trawler. Build was completed on
29th March 1943 and the ship had been
adopted by Gravesend, Kent after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign
in March 1942. A new design
anti-submarine ahead throwing mortar
(HEDGEHOG) as
well as surface and fire control radar
were fitted during build.
B a t
t l
e H o n o
u r s
SICILY 1943
- ATLANTIC 1943
H e r
a l d i
c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field
White, a cock crowing proper.
M
o t t
o
Vigil antibus Non Dormientibus:
'To
watchers not to sleepers'
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
March
Commissioned for service and carried out
Contractor's sea trials.
9th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
For details of radar and anti-submarine
weapons and their development see RADAR
AT
SEA by D Howse, THE TORPEDOMEN by A
Poland, and SEEK AND STRIKE by W
Hackmann.)
April
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory.
Worked-up for operational service at
Tobermory.
May
Joined 7th Escort Group based at
Greenock for Atlantic convoy escort
duty.
Escorted Floating Dock under tow from
Oban to Malta for passage to Gibraltar
(Note: This operation took place in very
adverse weather and two men fell
overboard
when the tow parted.)
Detached after 11 days to refuel in
Lisbon.
June
Deployed for escort of convoys between
Gibraltar and UK.
28th
Part of escort for Convoy KMF18
July
7th
Detached from KMF18 and took passage to
Bone.
9th
Joined escort for Convoy KMF19 during
passage to Beach Head in Sicily
10th
Detached from KMF19 and joined Support
Force East for support of allied
landings.
(Operation HUSKY - For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
Barnett, Naval Staff History and for
details of all mercantiles and warships
involved
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de
Winser.).
August
On release from HUSKY support resumed
Atlantic convoy escort and support duty.
September
1st
Part of escort for Convoy MKF22 from
Gibraltar to UK with ships of Group.
Nominated for refit in Clyde commercial,
shipyard.
October
On completion of refit resumed Atlantic
convoy defence.
(See SEEK AND STRIKE and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
November
2nd
Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group
as escort for inward Convoy SL139 during
passage to Liverpool.
16th
Remained with escort when SL139 merged
with Convoy MKS for passage to
Liverpool.
(Note: MKS130 was routine convoy from
Gibraltar to Liverpool)
18th
During defence of convoy from attacks by
SCHILL U-Boat Group hit by acoustic
torpedo
(T5 - GNAT) fired from U515 in position
39.47N 20 12W (250 miles ENE of San
Miguel
Island, Azores,
Stern blown off and taken in tow to
Ponta Delgado, Azores.
28 of ship's company were lost.
22nd
De-equipped and Paid off.
December
Towed to Horta, Azores by Salvage Vessel
SALVEDA.
S p e c i
a l N o t e
The hulk was used as Base Ship
for RN personnel serving at Horta
and was renamed
HESPERIDES. On
31st December 1943 this identity was
changed to LUSITANIA II but the
ship continued to be used as the Base
Ship for the remainder of the European
war when she was again Paid Off. The
hulk was sold for breaking up in Lisbon
in 1946.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS CHANTICLEER
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
28/06/43
|
28/06/43
|
KMF
018
|
07/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
MKS
018
|
22/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
GUS
010
|
22/07/43
|
09/08/43
|
14/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
MKF
019
|
29/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
19/08/43
|
01/09/43
|
MKF
022
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
05/10/43
|
10/10/43
|
ON
205
|
13/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
HX
260
|
16/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
ON
207
|
27/10/43
|
04/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
SC
146
|
13/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
HX
265
|
16/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
18/11/43
|
SL
139MK
|
18/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)