H .  M .  S .   B L A C K   S W A N   ( L 5 7 )

 

BLACK SWAN-Class Sloop ordered from Yarrow's of Scotstoun, Glasgow on 1st January 1938 under the 1937 Build Programme. The ship was laid down on 20th June 1938 and launched on 17th July 1939 by Mrs Hogarth. She was the first RN ship to carry this name and build was completed on 27th January 1940. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 the ship was adopted by the civil community of Widnes, Lancashire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORWAY  1940 - ATLANTIC  1941-43 - NORTH SEA 1940  - KOREA  1950-51

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field White,. upon water in base barry wavy Blue and White,

a black swan proper.

 

D  e t a i l s   o f    W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Contractor's trials and commissioned for service.

                27th        Build completion date and commenced Acceptance Trials

 

February                On completion of trials and storing took passage to Portland to work-up for operational

                                Duties.

                                On completion joined Rosyth Escort Force for AA defence of East Coast convoys.

 

March                    North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

                8th          After German invasion of Norway transferred to Home Fleet for AA defence in support

                                of military operations in Norway.

                14th        Embarked Royal Marines, with supporting Army AA weapons, searchlight units and stores

                                at Rosyth.

                                Took passage to make landings at Andalsnes with HM Sloops AUCKLAND, FLAMINGO

                                and BITTERN (Operation PRIMROSE).

                15th        Delayed on passage by heavy weather and sheltered at Invergordon.

                17th        Disembarked troops at Andalsnes and went to Alesund to land guns and crews.

                                Returned to Andalsnes as AA Guardahip.

                19th        Under sustained air attacks for two days in Ronsdal Fjord

                20th        Deployed as AA Guardship at Andalsnes and under heavy air attacks.

                21st         Relieved by HM Cruiser CURACOA and returned to UK to replenish ammunition.

                26th        Deployed as AA Guardship at Andalsness and again subjected to continual air attack.

                27th        Only 70 rounds of HA ammunition left which restricted extent of AA fire.

                                Hit aft in dive bombing attack.

                                Bomb passed through Wardroom and the 4in magazine before exploding under hull.

                                Sustained serious flooding and structural damage but without affecting propulsion and

                                steering.

                                Withdrew to seaward and relieved by HM Sloop FLEETWOOD.

                28th        Passage to UK for repair.

                                (For full details of the disastrous Norwegian operations in 1940 see NARVIK by D.

                                Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by J Adams

                                and Naval Staff History (HMSO, 2001).)

 

May                        Under repair at Falmouth.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U57-

 

June                        On completion of post refit trials rejoined Rosyth Escort Force in continuation of North Sea

                                convoy defence.

 

July                         North Sea deployment in continuation.

to

October

 

November

                1st           Damaged by mine detonation.

                3rd          Taken in hand for repair at commercial shipyard in Dundee.

 

December              Under repair.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under repair

to

April

 

May

                16th        On completion carried out post refit trials and took passage to Scapa Flow..

                                Worked-up for service at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet.

 

June                        Work up in continuation.

                27th        Joined 1st Escort Division in Western Approaches Command.

 

July                         Deployed in Irish Sea for AA defence of convoys.

 

August

                25th        Damaged in air attack at Milford Haven and taken to Pembroke Dock.

 

September             Under repair.

                11th        On completion resumed convoy defence in Irish Sea.

 

October                  Transferred to Londonderry for Atlantic convoy defence

                                Joined 37th Escort Group for convoy escort between Gibraltar and UK.

 

November              Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                                (Note : During this period HF/D/F equipment and air warning radar Type 291 were fitted..

                                See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

 

December

                14th        Deployed at Gibraltar and escorted Convoy HG76 with ships of 36th Escort Group

                                for initial stage of passage to UK.

                                (For details see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC BY D Macintyre and HITLER’S

                                U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.

                                Under heavy U-Boat attacks.

                18th        Detached from HG76 and returned to Gibraltar.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to

May

 

June                        Under refit at Rosyth.

                                (Note : :Radar Type 285 for fire control fitted. See above reference.)

 

July                         On completion of post refit trials and calibration resumed Atlantic escort.

 

August                  Deployed in Atlantic for convoy defence

to

September

 

October                  Escorted military convoys for landings in North Africa

                                (Operation TORCH – For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                C Barnett, BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and Naval Staff History.)

 

November              Gibraltar route convoy defence in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Gibraltar route convoy escort in continuation.

to

February

 

March                    Transferred to UK - Freetown route convoy defence.

 

April

                2nd         Participated in sinking of U124 in position 41.02N 15.39W (WNW of Lisbon.) with

                                HM Corvette STONECROP during defence of Convoy OS45.

                                (Note : Ships of Group carried out anti-submarine operations.).

 

May                        Freetown route convoy defence in continuation.

 

June                        Damaged by an explosion alongside ship

                                (Note : This could have been due to premature explosion of depth charges or by a torpedo

                                which detonated prematurely

                7th          Taken in hand for repair at Liverpool. In commercial shipyard.

 

July                         Under repair

to

September

 

October                  Carried out post-refit trials on completion of shipyard work.

                8th          On completion went to Tobermory for work-up.

                                Withdrawn from work-up for repair of defects found during work-up

                                Repair arranged in commercial shipyard at Troon. Ayrshire.

 

November              Under repair.

 

December              Resumed Atlantic escort duty.

                                Escorted military Convoy KMF28 to Gibraltar.

                                Joined 51st Escort Group on arrival.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Deployed on escort of Mediterranean convoys between Gibraltar and Port Said.

to

February

 

March

                30th        Reinforced US Task Force 64 ships with HM Cruiser COLOMBO, HM Sloops DEPTFORD,

                                AMETHYST, and HM Corvette CAMPION in escort of Convoy UGS36.

                                (Note: Convoy included 37 mercantiles and 13 Landing Ship Tank on passage from USA to

                                the eastern Mediterranean.)

                31st         Drove off U-Boat attack on convoy by U421, U450 and U509 with USS TOUCH.

 

April                       Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation.

to                            During this period surface warning radar Type 272 was replaced by an improved outfit

August                  (Type 276) at Alexandria. See RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse).

 

 

September             Nominated for transfer to Western Approaches Command based at Holyhead, Anglesey for

                                defence of UK coastal convoys based at Holyhead.

 

October                  Passage to UK.

 

November              Deployed on Atlantic convoy defence and transferred to Clyde in continuation.

                                Nominated for service in Far East after refit

 

December              Taken in hand for refit in commercial shipyard at Leith and prepared for foreign service

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under refit.

to

March

 

April                       Carried out post refit trials upon completion of shipyard work.

                                Passage to Tobermory.

                10th        Worked-up for operational service at Tobermory.

 

May                        Deployed for convoy escort in Home waters with 12th Escort Group

                                Under repair at Devonport.

 

June                        Prepared for foreign service.

                22nd       Took passage to Malta for training exercises prior to Pacific deployment.

 

June                        On completion of exercises with Mediterranean Fleet ships took passage to Manus to join

                                British Pacific Fleet.

 

August                  On passage.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS BLACK SWAN joined Fleet units in Hong Kong after arrival at Manus and assisted in operations associated with re-occupation and repatriation. She continued her Far East deployment with 1st Escort Flotilla and later joined the 3rd Escort Flotilla. After the outbreak of the Korean war the ship took part in patrol and support of military operations off the west coast of Korea with other snips of her Flotilla serving under UN Command. In March 1952 she sailed for Portsmouth to pay off and was Laid-up in Reserve, initially at Devonport and later transferred  to Lisahally, Northern Ireland. The ship was placed on the Disposal List in 1956 and sold to West of  Scotland Shipbreakers for demolition. She arrived at the shipbreaker’s yard at Troon, Ayrshire on 13th September 1956.