HALCYON-Class
Minesweeper ordered from Gray at
Hartlepool on 13 March 1936 and laid down
on 27th May 1936. The ship was launched
on 26th February 1947 as the 11th RN
warship to carry this name which had
been introduced for coaster
requisitioned in 1588 and supported
ships engaged in attacks
on the
Spanish Armada. The last to carry this
name was Torpedo Gunboat built in 1894
and sunk by collision in January 1918.
Build was completed on 24th November
1937. In 1939 she was
deployed with the 1st Minesweeping
Flotilla in the Home
Fleet and during
WW2 this ship was adopted by the civil
community of Helston
and Kerrier,
Cornwall after a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings
campaign in December 1941.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ARMADA
1588 - MARTINIQUE 1809 - GUADALOUPE 1810 - SYRIA
1840 -
CHINA 1839-42 -
NEW
ZEALAND 1845-47 - BELGIAN COAST 1914 -
ATLANTIC 1941 - ARCTIC
1941-42 - SICILY 1943
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Green, a die
Silver
M o t t o
Facta
est
alea: 'The
die is cast'
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 3 9
August
Deployed with Flotilla in Channel and
carried out exercise in Lyme Bay.
(Note: 50 mines were laid to provide a
realistic setting in preparation for war
time
deployment. All mines were cut.
Passage to Scapa Flow to take up War Station with Home Fleet at
Scapa Flow.
War Station nominated as North Sea.
September
Deployed with HM Minesweepers BRAMBLE,
BRITOMART, HEBE, SHARPSHOOTER,
SPEEDY and SEAGULL of Flotilla at Scapa
Flow for minesweeping operations to ensure.
clear passage for Home Fleet ships in
and out of Fleet anchorage.
October
Transferred to Clyde after sinking of HM
Battleship ROYAL OAK at anchor in Scapa
Flow.
(Note: Home Fleet major ships were also
moved to west coast of Scotland pending
the
improvement of ant-submarine defences at
the main Fleet anchorages. See ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and
the Naval Staff History.)
November
Deployed at Greenock and cleared a deep British anti-submarine minefield in
Clyde below
Gourock.
December
Resumed North Sea deployment during which passages through the newly laid East Coast
Mine Barrier were kept clear of mines.
(Note: Extensive enemy minelaying using
magnetic mines was being carried
out in North Sea. See above references.)
1 9 4 0
January
Transferred with Flotilla for Atlantic
convoy defence based at Stornoway.
Deployed for escort of convoys during
passage to Canada.
February
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to
March
April
Transferred to Scapa Flow with HM Minesweepers SPEEDY, SEAGULL, BRAMBLE and
to
BRITOMART of Flotilla for Fleet
minesweeping duties .
October
(Note: NOT deployed for support of
evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO.)
November
Nominated for refit and took passage to
Leith
27th
Taken in hand for refit in commercial
shipyard,
December
Under refit
1 9 4 1
January
Under refit
February.
Carried out post refit trials and
resumed Flotilla duties.
March
Transferred to Western Approaches
Command for convoy defence duties with
3rd Escort
to
Group with HMS BRITOMART and HMS
BRAMBLE..
April
May
1st
Taken in hand for repair in Aberdeen.
6th
On completion resumed duties in Escort
Group.
June
Convoy defence in continuation
to
Deployed in Irish Sea and NW Approaches including convoys to and From Iceland, based at
October
Stornoway.
(Note: To be available for minesweeping
as required by Local Command.)
November
Nominated for detached service in North
Russia for minesweeping operations to
ensure safe
passage of Russian convoys to and from
Iceland.
(Note: HM Minesweepers GOSSAMER, LEDA
and HUSSAR were also nominated and the
four HALYCONs were to join HM
Minesweepers HALCYON, HARRIER and
SALAMANDER already at Archangel. Ships required for service in
North Russia had a
preparatory refit including installation
of Radar Type 271 and up-date of Sonar
if
required. For details of development and
use of radar in Royal Navy see RADAR AT
SEA by D Howse and for information on Sonar (ASDIC) see SEEK
AND STRIKE
by W Hackmann.).
Passage to Iceland
27th
Deployed with HM Minesweepers
SHARPSHOOTER and HEBE as escort for
Russian
Convoy PQ5 during passage to Murmansk
from Hvalfjord, Iceland
December
1st
HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD joined escort
7th
Detached from PQ5 with HMS SHEFFIELD and
HMS HEBE for passage to Murmansk
10th
At Murmansk.
15th
Took passage from Murmansk with HM
Minesweeper SPEEDY to meet inward
Russian
Convoy PQ6 as Local Escort during entry
into Kola Fjord.
17th
Engaged German destroyers Z23, Z24, Z25,
and Z27 which were searching for PQ6.
HMS SPEEDY was hit by four shells and
seriously damaged.
Returned to Murmansk as escort for HMS
SPEEDY.
18th
Took passage from Murmansk with HM
Minesweeper LEDA to provide Local
Escort.
19th
Joined PQ6
20th
Arrived at Murmansk with PQ6.
(Note: For details of all Russian Convoy
operations with names of the mercantiles
and
escorts see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B Schoefield, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and
ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R Woodman.
When not required for escort deployed
for minesweeping n North Russian waters
1 9 4 2
January
16th
Sailed to meet inward Convoy PQ8 with
HMS SHARPSHOOTER. as Local Escort.
17th
Detached from PQ8 with HMS SHARPSHOOTER
on arrival at Murmansk.
February
12th
Deployed with HM Minesweeper SPEEDWELL
as Local Escort for outward Convoy
QP7 for Local Escort from Murmansk.
13th
Detached from PQ7 with HMS SPEEDWELL and
returned to Murmansk.
22nd
Met inward Convoy PQ11 with HM Fleet
Minesweepers HARRIER and SALAMANDER
for Local Escort into Murmansk and
detached on arrival.
March
1st
Deployed with HMS SALAMANDER, HM
Corvettes OXLIP and SWEETBRIAR as
Ocean Escort for outward Convoy QP8
during passage to Iceland
7th
Detached from QP8 during passage from
Murmansk
16th
Taken in hand for refit at Aberdeen.
April
Under refit during which radar Type 271
was fitted.
May
On completion of post-refit trials took
passage to Iceland
21st
Escort Sailed from Reykjavik with HM
Trawlers ST ELSTAN, ST MADELEINE,
NORTHERN SPRAY and Free French Trawler
RETRIEVER as Local Escort
for inward Convoy PQ16.
25th
Remained with PQ16 when Ocean Escort
arrived and other ships of Local Escort
detached.
(Note: Ocean Escort, including
submarines, destroyers, an AA ship with
Distant Cover
by major Home Fleet units in view of
potential threat of attack by heavy
German fleet ships. See references.)
26th
Rescued crew of ss SYROS which had been
torpedoed by U703.
28th
Under heavy and sustained air attacks
for two days.
30th
Detached from PQ16 and made independent
passage to Murmansk after Eastern Local
Escort arrived.
June
Deployed for minesweeping and Local
duties at Murmansk.
26th
Joined HM Minesweepers BRAMBLE, LEDA and
SEAGULL for Eastern Local Escort
of Outward Convoy QP13 during initial
stage of passage to Reykjavik and Loch
Ewe
Detached from QP13 and returned to
Murmansk.
July
6th
Deployed with HM Minesweepers BRAMBLE
and LEDA in search for survivors from
ships dispersed from inward Convoy PQ17
and survivors from those sunk during the
subsequent attacks on remnants of the
convoy.
(Note: PQ17 was dispersed on Admiralty
order when imminent threat of attack by
German battleship TIRPITZ had been
incorrectly anticipated. See THE
CONVOYS IS TO SCATTER by J Broome and
Naval Staff History.
9th
Carried out search near Novaya Zemlya
Under air attacks.
11th
Returned to Murmansk.
August
Deployed for Local duties in North
Russia including nightly patrol for
enemy air mining
operations and minesweeping.
Repelled enemy aircraft and prevented
mining.
September
13th
Sailed from Murmansk for Eastern Local
Escort for return convoy QP14 with HM
Minesweepers BRITOMART, HALCYON and
SALAMANDER.
(Note: This convoy was taking some of
the survivors from PQ17 to UK
and had a particularly strong Ocean
Escort provided by Home Fleet.
See references for details including
loss of HM Destroyer SOMALI
and HM Minesweeper LEDA that was later
sunk when part of Ocean Escort .)
18th
Joined two Soviet destroyers in escort
of PQ18 in Barents Sea.
Under air attacks.
20th
Detached from PQ18 on arrival and
resumed local minesweeping and patrol
duties.
October
North Russian deployment in
continuation.
16th
Deployed with HMS HALCYON and HMS
SHARPSHOOTER for special
minesweeping operation to ensure clear
passage for next outward convoy.
18th
Carried out Acoustic Sweeping in extreme
weather conditions which prevented
Oropesa sweep.
20th
Returned to Archangel after two more
days sweeping, including some in Fog
using
searchlights.
(Note: One source records slight damage
after detonating an acoustic mine on
24th.
To be confirmed.)
November
17th
Deployed with HM Corvettes BERGAMOT,
BLUEBELL, BRYONY and CAMELLIA
as Ocean Escort for Convoy QP15 during
passage from Archangel to Loch Ewe.
20th
Detached from QP15 and returned to
Archangel with Local Escort.
December
Passage to Hull for refit
7th
Taken in hand for refit in commercial
shipyard.
1 9 4 3
January
Under repair
February
Carried out post repair trials on
completion of shipyard wok.
15th
Joined outward convoy JW53 with HM
Corvettes BRYONY, DIANELLA and HM
Trawler
as Local Escort for Convoy JW53 during
initial stage of passage to Kola Inlet.
17th
Detached from JW53 on relief by Ocean
Escort and returned to Loch Ewe
March
Deployed in NW Approaches.
to
Nominated for service in Mediterranean
with 12th Minesweeping Flotilla.
April
May
Passage to Mediterranean with joint
Convoy OS47/KMS14 with HMS SHARPSHOOTER
16th
Detached from convoy and took passage to
join Flotilla in Malta.
June
Deployed with Flotilla for minesweeping
in eastern Mediterranean
Based in Malta and nominated for convoy
escort and minesweeping support during
planned allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
July
9th
Deployed as part of escort for military
Convoy KMS18 during passage to Beach
Head. from Malta.
10th
Detached on arrival at BARK WEST and
deployed with HMS HEBE and HMS
SHARPSHOOTER for minesweeping to ensure
clear passage for landing craft.
On completion deployed for interception
patrol off Beach Heads.
17th
Released from HUSKY and resumed Flotilla
minesweeping duties in central
Mediterranean
August
Deployed for escort, patrol and
minesweeping and transferred to
Adriatic.
September
Flotilla duties in continuation based at
Bari
(Note: At Taranto after surrender of
Italian Fleet units.)
October
Central Mediterranean deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January
Transferred to 46th Escort Group and
deployed for convoy escort duties in
to
Eastern
Mediterranean.
June
Nominated for refit at Haifa.
July
Passage to Haifa.
31st
Taken in hand for repair at Haifa.
August
Under refit
17th
On completion of post refit trials
resumed convoy escort duties.
September
Nominated for return to UK for
minesweeping in Home waters with 1st
Minesweeping
Flotilla.
Passage to UK
October
Nominated for further refit
18th
Taken in hand for refit in commercial
shipyard in Aberdeen.
November
Under refit
to
December
1 9 4 5
January
Under refit
19th
Joined Flotilla at Harwich after
carrying post refit trials and work-up
for
resumption of minesweeping deployment.
(Note: Flotilla included HM Fleet
Minesweepers HARRIER, HALCYON,
GLEANER, SHARPSHOOTER, SEAGULL, JASON
and SPEEDWELL.
Of these some would be under repair or
refit at any one time.
February
Deployed for extensive and continuous
minesweeping operations in southern North Sea
to
to ensure safe passage of shipping in
Nore Command.
April
(Note: As threat of air attacks from
French bases had been removed Atlantic
convoy
traffic was re-routed through English
Channel and military supplies to support
final operations were being sent to
Dutch and Belgian ports.
May
After VE Day continued Flotilla duties
for mine clearance operations in North
Sea
to
based at Harwich.
June
July
26th
Involved in collision with HMS JASON and
sustained major damage to stern
structure.
August
Withdrawn from service pending repair
P
o s t W a r N o
t e s
HMS
HAZARD
was taken in hand at Ipswich for repair
to stern in September and resumed
service
with Flotilla for mine clearance in Home
waters during November 1945..
The ship remained in commission until
nominated for reduction
to Reserve status. Paid-off at Chatham
the ship was de-equipped and de-stored
at Chatham
in June 1946 and laid-up in the
Medway prior to being placed on the
Disposal List.
She was sold
to
BISCO
for demolition by W Ward at Grays,
Essex on 22nd
April 1949 and arrived at the Breaker’s
yard later that year.
Addendum
Link
to
www.halcyon-class.co.uk
by
Bill Burn