Modified
BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from
Denny at Dumbarton under 1940 Build
Programme on 9th January 1941.The ship
was
laid down on 13th June 1941 and was
launched on 9th November 1942 by Mrs
Roberts on the same day as HM Sloop
CHANTICLEER of this Class. She was the
7th
RN ship to carry the name, introduced
in 1590. Fitting Out was completed at
Clydebank
in John Brown's yard on 10th May 1943.
Fire control and surface warning radar
were installed on build. In March 1942
after a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign this ship
had been
adopted by the civil community of
Bethnal Green in Greater London.
B
a t t l e H o n o
u r s
CADIZ 1596 -
DOVER PATROL 1915-18 - BISCAY
1943 - SICILY 1943 - ATLANTIC
1943-44 -
NORMANDY
1944 - ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1944 - OKINAWA
1945 -
KOREA
1952-53*
(*
Award made for service
during Korean War with United
Nations naval
forces)
H
e r a l d i c D a t
a
Badge:
On a Field
Blue. in water barry wavy. in base
proper
a
crane also proper.
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
May
Commissioned for service and
Contractor's sea trials.
10th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
(For details of development and use
of radar and anti-submarine weapons
used in Escorts
see RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
On completion of trials and storing
too passage to Tobermory for
work-up.
June
Carried out work-up for operational
service.
July
On completion joined HM Sloops
CHANTICLEER and PHEASANT in 7th
Escort Group at
Greenock for escort and support of Atlantic convoys.
Nominated for defence of military
convoys on passage in Atlantic to Gibraltar.
Escorted military convoys to
Mediterranean for allied Landings in
Sicily with other ships of Group.
(Operation HUSKY - For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
Barnett ,
Naval Staff History and BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser for
information about
all warships and mercantiles
involved.)
10th
Joined Support Force East with ships
of Group for Sicily landings.
August
On release from HUSKY resumed
Atlantic escort duties with Group.
September
Deployed with 1st Support Group for
joint anti-submarine operations with
RAF Coastal
Command
in
Bay of Biscay against U-Boats on
passage to and from bases in France.
(Operations MUSKETRY and SEASLUG -
See CONFLICT OVER THE BAY by N
Franks
and Naval Staff History.)
October
Convoy defence and support duties
with Group. November
13th
Part of escort for Convoy MKS30 from Gibraltar to UK with
Group.
14th
Convoy SL139 from Sierra Leone
joined.
15th
Convoy position reported by Aircraft
and SCHILL1 Group of U- Boats began
attack operations.
18th
Under attack by SCHILL1 Group of
U-Boats.
After HM Sloop CHANTICLEER was sunk
by T5 acoustic torpedo carried out
hunt for ten
hours
for U515 without success.
November
21st
Sank U538 in position 45.50N 19.35W
with HM Frigate FOLEY during defence
of convoy
SL139.
(Note: There were no survivors. See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
December
Convoy escort and support with Group
in continuation.
(For details of development and use
of weapons during Battle of the
Atlantic by escorts and
submarines, see
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO),
SEEK and STRIKE and THE
BATTLE
OF THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre.)
1 9 4 4
January
Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation with Group.
to
March
April
6th
Provided support to escort of Convoy
SC156 with HM Sloop CYGNET of Group.
Convoy and escort under attacks by
LANDWIRT U-Boat Group.
Shared credit with HMS CYGNET for
sinking U962 in position 45.43N
19.57W.
(Note: There were no survivors from
submarine. See above reference.)
On completion of support duty
transferred to English Channel for
support of planned allied
landings
in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)
(Note: For details of activities
before and during landings see
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards
and
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).)
May
Deployed in Channel and Bay of
Biscay en interception patrol to
prevent U-Boats entering
Channel
area.
Allocated to 114th Escort Group with
HM Sloop LARK. HM Escort Destroyer BLANKNEY,
HM
Frigates
CHELMER and TORRINGTON.
June
Passage to More to Join Convoy ETP1
in Thames Estuary.
4th
Operation delayed for 24 hours.
6th
Escorted ETP1 which comprised eight
Personnel Ships, three Troopships,
Fuel Carrier HMS
AMBITIOUS and two Hospital Carriers
taking Pre-loaded British Division
to the Assault Area.
7th
Passage to Solent with HMS LARK and ships of 115th Escort Group.
Passage from Solent through Swept
Channel.
On arrival in assault area returned
to
Portsmouth for support
deployment
Deployed for anti-submarine
operations in English Channel.
July
Channel deployment with Group in
continuation.
Nominated for refit in Hull
August
Took passage via Irish Sea to refit in Hull.
Called in Clyde.
7th
Involved in collision with
mercantile ss TILAPA on passage and
sustained structural damage.
Taken in hand for refit and repair
at commercial shipyard in Hull.
September
Under refit and repair.
to
Nominated for duty with British
Pacific Fleet on completion.
October
November
On completion prepared for foreign
service and stored at Greenock.
Carried out work-up in SW Approaches
based at Falmouth for operational
service.
26th
Took passage to Brest for visit
prior to leaving Home waters to join
Fleet in Australia.
December
Called at Malta and Aden.
1 9 4 5
January
Passage to Fremantle with call at
Colombo.
February
Deployed as escort for HM Repair
Ship ART1FEX and HM Depot Ship TYNE
from Freemantle
to
Sydney.
Took passage to British Forward Base
at Manus in Admiralty Islands.
March
4th
Joined Task Force 112 (British Fleet
Train) on arrival at Manus.
14th
Allocated to Task Unit 112.2.1 in
Fleet Train with HM Escort Carrier
STRIKER, HM Destroyer
WHIRLWIND and HM Frigate FINDHORN as
escort for tankers CEDARDALE, SAN
AMBROSIO
and SAN ADOLPHO.
17th
Passage to operational area with HM
Destroyer WHIRLWIND and HM Frigate
FINDHORN as
escort
for
HM Escort Carrier STRIKER during
passage to join Task Force 57.
20th
Deployed as escort for Fleet Train
tankers with HM Escort Carriers
STRIKER and SPEAKER,
HM
Sloop
PHEASANT and HM Frigate FINDHORN.
28th
Deployed in Area MIDGE to provide AA
defence of ships of Fleet Train.
April
Fleet Train deployment for support
of ICEBERG ONE in continuation.
(For details of naval activities in
the Pacific see OPERATION PACIFIC by
E Grey, ENGAGE
THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton, TF57
by
P Smith and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
30th
Passage to US Forward Base at Leyte
with HMS STRIKER and HM Destroyer
WHIRLWIND.
(Note: Flag Officer (Destroyers)
embarked from HM Cruiser EURYALUS
for passage.)
May
Passage from Leyte with ships of
Fleet Train to resume support during
further operations
against
airfields
in Sakishima Gunto (Operation
ICEBERG TWO.)
6th
Deployed in Replenishment Area
COOTIE with HM Sloops WHIMBREL,
PHEASANT, and
HM
Frigate AVON as escort for Supply
Tamers WAVERING, WAVE MONARCH,
AMBROSIO,
SAN ADOLPHO and CEDAR LAKE as refuelling group.
(Note: HM Escort Carriers STRIKER
and RULER escorted by HM Australian
Destroyers
NAPIER,
NORMAN and NEPAL were also deployed
with this Group for support of air
operations by
Task Force 57 carriers in Sakishima
Gunto area.
14th
Deployed with Fleet Train in Area
COOTIE during replenishment of BPF
ships with HM
Frigates
WOODCOCK, PHEASANT, HM Destroyer
NIZAM (RAN), HM Escort Carriers
RULER
and
STRIKER for defence of Fleet Train
tankers ARNDALE, DINGLEDALE, WAVE
KING
and
WAVE MONARCH (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
18th
Provided AA defence for Tankers SAN AMBROSIA, .SAN ADOLPHO, CEDARDALE
and
Armament Stores Ship ROBERT MAERSK
of Fleet Train during replenishment
of BPF ships
with
HM Escort Carriers RULER, CHASER, HM
Sloop WHIMBREL, HM Destroyers
GRENVILLE,
NORMAN,
HM Frigate PARRET and HM Australian
Minesweeper BENDIGO.
23rd
Provided AA defence for HM Escort
Carriers RULER, CHASER, SPEAKER,
tankers SAN
AMADO, WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH, and
Ammunition Supply Ship AASE
MAERSK
during the replenishment of BPF
ships.
25th
On completion of support for ICEBERG
TWO returned to Manus.
June
Fleet Train deployment in
continuation.
(Note: Ships of BPF had a repair and
maintenance period in Australia.).
July
Deployed with Fleet Train during
Joint RN/USN operations off Japan.
31st
Provided AA defence for tankers WAVE GOVERNOR, CARELIA, OLNA. WAVE KING,
Stores
Supply Ship GLENARTNEY, ROBERT
MAERSK and CORINDA and Radar
Maintenance Ship
HMNZS ARBUTUS with HM Escort
Carriers CHASER, SPEAKER, RULER,
HM
Destroyers
NORMAN (RAN), QUEENBOROUGH (RAN), HM
Sloops PHEASANT,
WOODCOCK,
REDPOLE, HM Frigates ODZANI, DERG
and HM Australian Minesweeper
PIRIE
during replenishment
of BPF ships.
August
6th
Provided AA defence for HMS
ARBITER,. HMS CHASER, HMS RULER.
tankers
DINGLEDALE,
WAVE KING and SAN AMADO, .Stores
Supply Ships GLENARTNEY, FORT
WRANGELL during BPF replenishment
with HM Destroyers NORMAN (RAN),
NIZAM, HM ,
Frigate
BARLE, HM
Sloop PHEASANT, HM Australian
Minesweepers BALLARAT
and
BURNIE
13th
Provided AA defence for Fleet Train
auxiliaries WAVE EMPEROR, OLNA, SAN ADOLPHO,
SAN
AMADO, SAN AMBROSIO, FORT WRANGELL and HMS RULER with
HMS
PHEASANT,
HMS FINDHORN, HM Frigates USK, BARLE
HM Australian Minesweepers
BURNIE,
BALLARAT,
GERALDTON, IPSWICH and Hospital Ship
TJITJALENGKA.
(Note This was the last
replenishment of BPF during war
operations).
15th
On cessation of hostilities
transferred to 1st Escort Group BPF.
P
o s t W a r N
o t e s
HMS
CRANE remained with the British
Pacific Fleet after VJ-Day and was
deployed on patrol duty based in Hang
Kong until refitting In
Brisbane at the end of 1945. On
completion the ship became part of the
3rd
Frigate Flotilla until July 1946 when
she took passage to return to UK. On
arrival after Paying-off, de0-stored
and reduced to Reserve status at
Harwich.
Later transferred to Chatham Reserve
Fleet and in July 1951 brought forward
for
service with the 3rd Frigate Flotilla
,Far East. She re-commissioned after
refit during which HEDGEHOG
anti-submarine mortar outfit equipment
was fitted
and the 20mm Oerlikon weapons replaced
by 40mm Bofors. Apart from detachment
to
the Mediterranean during the Suez
crisis in 1956 she stayed in the Far
East
until 1962. During the Suez operation
the ship was damaged by Israeli
aircraft.
This ship was finally Paid off in late
1962 and laid up at Portsmouth. When
placed on the Disposal List in 1965
she was sold to BISCO for breaking-up
by
Lacmots at Queenborough, Kent where
she arrived tow during March
that year.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS CRANE
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been
cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escorted
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
GUS
010
|
22/07/43
|
09/08/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
MKS
018
|
22/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
MKF
019
|
28/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
28/06/43
|
26/08/43
|
KMF
018
|
07/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
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
|
25/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
07/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON
223
|
11/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
HX
278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
ON
224
|
20/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
MKF
029
|
16/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
ON
228
|
unknown
|
01/04/44
|
20/05/44
|
21/05/44
|
WP
525
|
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
24/05/44
|
25/05/44
|
WP
527
|
26/05/44
|
26/05/44
|
29/05/44
|
29/05/44
|
CE
270A
|
30/05/44
|
30/05/44
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
ETP
001
|
07/06/44
|
07/06/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)