Modified
BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop built by John I
Thornycroft
at Woolston
and
laid down on 29th November 1942 as Yard
No 4017.The ship was launched on 21st
December 1943 as the 6th RN warship to
carry the name which dates from 1651.
During March 1942 following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign she was adopted by the civil
community of Tadcaster
in the North Riding
of Yorkshire. Build was completed
on 10th May 1944 and included improved
design surface warning radar Type 276
instead of the earlier Type 271 designed
in 1940. For details of use and
development of radar in RN during WW2
see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
CHINA
1900 - ARCTIC 1944 -
ATLANTIC 1945
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White,
upon
a
pedestal Black, a peacock 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 4
May
Contractors sea trials and commissioning
10th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
Nominated for duty with Home Fleet.
June
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory.
Worked-up for operational service at
Tobermory.
July
On completion joined Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow for convoy defence.
August
Nominated for duty with 8th Escort Group
to supplement anti-submarine defence of
Russian
Convoy JW59B during passage to Kola
Inlet.
15th
Joined JW59 with HM Sloops KITE,
MERMAID, HM Destroyers KEPPEL and
WHITEHALL
Stationed ahead of convoy with HMS
KEPPEL.
(Note: This convoy included ARCHANGELSK
(Ex HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and
ten
Ex USN PT boats being transferred to
Russian Navy.
20th
Convoy under attack by Acoustic (T5)
torpedoes fired by TRUTZ group of
U-Boats during
which HMS KITE was sunk.
24th
After detection by SWORDFISH aircraft of
825 Squadron from HM Escort Carrier
VINDEX,
participated in sinking of U354 with HMS
KEPPEL, HMS MERMAID and HM
Frigate LOCH
DUNVEGAN in position 72.49N 30.4 E. See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
28th
Part of escort for returning convoy
RA59A with same ships.
September
1st
Took part on sinking of U394 in position
69.47N 04.41E, west of Lofotens with
HMS KEPPEL
and HMS WHITEHALL after detection by
SWORDFISH aircraft of 825
Squadron from HMS
VINDEX. See above reference.
6th
Detached on arrival at Loch Ewe with
comparatively little interference.
(For details see THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B Schoefield,
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg
, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
10th
Deployed for convoy defence in NW
Approaches based at Scapa Flow and
Greenock
October
Convoy escort duty in continuation.
November
Under refit at Chatham.
December
On completion took passage to Liverpool
to join 22nd Escort Group for duty in
support of
Atlantic convoys.
(For details of Atlantic convoy support
and defence tactics see THE BATTLE OF
THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, CONVOY ESCORT
COMMANDER by P Gretton. ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair)
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed with Group in support role.
16th
Carried out sustained A/S search with
Croup after the sinking of H M Escort
Carrier
THANE
in Firth of Clyde.
Participated in sinking of UU82 in
North Channel with HM Sloops STARLING, .HART
AMETHYST, HM Frigates LOCH CRAGGIE and
AMETHYST.
There were no survivors. (See above
reference.)
February
Deployment with Group in support of
convoys in continuation.
to
During this period SCHNORKEL fitted
U-Boats were concentrating on attacks in
UK
coastal
April
waters.
(Note: The prime duty of support Groups
was to detect and destroy any
U-Boats
threatening the
passage of convoys, including those to
and from the Atlantic which were being
routed
via
the
English
Channel and SW Approaches.
(For details of U-Boat tactics and use
of new weapons by A/S ships see SEEK AND
STRIKE by
W Hackmann, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C
Barnett,
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
May
Nominated for service with British
Pacific Fleet after refit.
June
2nd
Taken in hand for refit at commercial
shipyard in Liverpool to prepare for
Pacific service.
July
Under refit.
August
9th
On completion transferred to
Mediterranean Fleet since the need for
Sloops by
the Pacific
Fleet
had lapsed.
10th
Took passage to Malta to work-up for
service.
16th
Commenced work-up in Malta.
P o
s
t W a r S
e r v i c e
HMS
PEACOCK was retained in the
Mediterranean after
completing work-up and was used for duty
as Guardship and interception of ships
taking illegal immigrants to Palestine.
She continued duty in Frigate Flotilla
based at Malta until 1954 and then
returned to Portsmouth to Pay-off. The
ship
remained in Reserve Fleet, Portsmouth
and was placed on the Disposal List in
1958 after the 1957 Defence Review. Sold
to BISCO for demolition by Shipbreaking
Industries she arrived in tow at the
Breaker’s
yard near Rosyth on 7th May 1958.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
PEACOCK
by
Don Kindell
This
convoy list has not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/08/44
|
15/08/44
|
JW
059
|
25/08/44
|
25/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
RA
059A
|
04/09/44
|
05/09/44
|
12/01/45
|
13/01/45
|
ONS
040
|
14/01/45
|
30/01/45
|
16/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
SC
165
|
29/01/45
|
31/01/45
|
07/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX
337
|
unknown
|
21/02/45
|
23/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX
340
|
unknown
|
10/03/45
|
28/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX
341
|
unknown
|
15/03/45
|
29/03/45
|
unknown
|
HX
347
|
unknown
|
14/04/45
|
03/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
348
|
unknown
|
20/04/45
|
05/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
MKS
099G
|
12/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)