Modified
BLACK SWAN-Class ordered from Scotts,
Greenock under the 1940 Build Programs
on 27th
March 1941 and laid down on 17th
December 1941. The ship was launched by
Mrs Evelegh
en 16th July 1943 and was the 11th RN
warship to
carry the name. It was first used in
1764 by a Cutter
built at Broadstairs
and lastly by a WW1 destroyer
sold in 1921. In February 1942 this ship
was adopted by the civil community of
Saffron Walden. Essex after a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign. Build was completed on
21st March 1943 and armament
included the new design Type 276 radar
in place of Type 272 for surface
warning, Type 285 for fire control and
Type 291 to
give warning of aircraft and surface
targets (See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
HELIGOLAND
1914 - BELGIAN
COAST 1914 - DOGGER BANK 1915 - JUTLAND
1916 - NORMANDY
1944 - NORTH SEA 1944 -
ARCTIC
1944-45
He
r a l d i
c D at a
Badge:
On a Field White, a lapwing in flight
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
March
Contractors trials and commissioning.
21st
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory.
April
Carried out work-up for operational
service at Tobermory.
On completion
deployed in Western Approaches for
convoy escort.
May
Nominated for service with 111th Escort
Group for support of allied landings in
Normandy
based at Plymouth
(Operation NEPTUNE - For details of
naval activities before and during
NEPTUNE see
OPERATION NEPTUNE
by K Edwards
and LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO).
Convoy defence in continuation.
June
Joined Group at Milford Haven for escort
of Convoy EBP1.
(Note: Other ships in this Group were HM
Sloop PELICAN, HM Destroyer MENDIP, HM
Frigates NARBROUGH and RUPERT.)
4th
Operation delayed by 24 hours
5th
Joined Convoy EBP1 with Group in Bristol
Channel.
(Note: EBP1 was made up of 4 ships
carrying Pre-loaded US Build-up Division
and
two Depot
Ships for passage to beach head in
Western Task Force Area for
US Army
landings.)
7th
Arrived in
beach head with EBP1 after passage
through swept channel.
Took passage to Plymouth with Group to continued escort of follow-up convoys.
27th
After termination of NEPTUNE remained in
Channel area for convoy escort and
anti-submarine
operations.
July
Channel deployment based at Plymouth in continuation. Nominated for transfer to 8th Escort
to
Group for convoy defence in NW
Approaches.
August
September
Passage to Clyde to Join new Group.
Deployed with Group in NW Approaches.
October
Detached for Russian convoy escort duty
with Home Fleet.
Deployed with HM Destroyer WALKER, HM
Sloop LARK, HM Corvettes CAMELLIA,
OXLIP and RHODODENDRON as Close Escort
for Convoy JW61 during passage to Kola
Inlet.
(For details of Russian convoy
operations with names of mercantiles and
escorts
see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg, CONVOY! by P Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS
by
R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield.)
November
1st
Took part in anti-submarine operations
against U-Boats assembled off Kola Inlet
for attack on
return convoy to UK.
2nd
Part of escort returning Convoy RA 61
with same ships.
9th
Detached from RA61 on arrival at Loch
Ewe after uninterrupted passage.
10th
Under repair of weather damage in Clyde
shipyard.
26th
On completion prepared for further
convoy defence duties in Home Fleet.
28th
Involved in collision with HM Mooring
Vessel MOORBY when leaving
Clyde on passage
No serious damage sustained.
29th
Joined escort for Russian convoy JW62
with HM Sloops CYGNET and
LARK
December
1st
Main escort and covering ships from Home
Fleet joined JW62
(Note: Heavy escort was provided despite
the elimination TIRPITZ by bombing
attacks
on
12th November 1944).
7th
Detached on arrival of JW62 at Kola
Inlet after unscathed passage,
9th
Deployed with other escorts for attacks
on U-Boat assembly off Kola Inlet before
return convoy sailed for UK.
10th
Joined escort for Convoy RA62 with same
ships.
19th
Detached from RA62 on arrival in NW
Approaches.
30th
Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW63
with HM Destroyers KEPPEL, WALKER,
HM Sloops CYGNET, LARK and three CASTLE Class corvettes.
1
9 4 5
January
8th
Detached from JU&3 on arrival at
Kola Inlet after safe passage.
11th
Joined escort for Convoy RA63 with same
ships.
21st
Detached from RA63 after an
exceptionally stormy passage which had
forced convoy
to take shelter when NE of Faeroes.
24th
Taken in hand for rep-air of weather
damage repair in Clyde shipyard.
(Note: Many other escorts also sustained
structural damage,
February
2nd
Passage to Scapa Flow to resume convoy
defence duties.
3rd
Joined Close Escort for Russian Convoy
JW64 with HMS LARK, HMS WHITEHALL
and four
corvettes for
passage to Kola Inlet.
15th
Detached from JW64 on arrival at Kola
Inlet.
11th
Joined Close Escort for Russian Convoy
JW64 with HMS LARK, HMS WHITEHALL and
four
corvettes for passage to Kola Inlet.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
13th
HMS DENBIGH CASTLE was torpedoed by U993
and sustained major damage
The abandoned ships was taken in tow and
beached but slid into the sea and sank.
See above HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair
and above references.)
15th
Detached from JW64 on arrival at Kola
Inlet.
(Note: This convoy had been under heavy
and sustained air attacks during passage
with
one
escort.)
16th
Deployed with other escorts to carry out
anti-submarine hunt assisted by Russian
aircraft to
attack U-Boats assembled outside
Kola Inlet in wait for returning convoy
to UK.
(
Note:
During these operations U425 was sunk by
HMS
LARK
and HM Corvette ALNWICK
CASTLE.)
17th
During U-Boat attacks HMS LARK was hit
by a Homing torpedo from U968 and
abandoned.
(Note: This ship was taken in tow to
Kola Inlet, beached and de-equipped
Although declared a total loss she was
salvaged by the Soviet Navy and later
put into
service.)
HM Corvette was also sunk by U711 using
the same type of weapon.
Only 12 survivors were rescued.
19th
Collected ships of convoy after dispersal by very heavy weather.
20th
Under
sustained air attacks which were driven off by AA fire
from escorts and aircraft from
HM
Escort Aircraft Carrier NAIRANA.
See above references.
23rd
Hurricane force winds again dispersed
convoy which was reassembled.
Enemy aircraft failed to find convoy.
March
1st
Detached from RA64 escort on arrival in NW Approaches.
11th
Joined close escort for Russian Convoy
JW65 with HM Destroyers MYNGS, Norwegian
STORD and seven corvettes for defence
during passage to Kola Inlet.
20th
Hit amidships by T5 homing torpedo fired
from U968 off Kola Inlet in position 69
26N
33.44E.
Ship broke in two but stern section
remained afloat for 20 minutes which
enabled
some
survivors
to
be rescued.
(Note: Post war research suggests U968
was responsible but U716 is also
recorded
as
the
attacker.
See references.)
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
LAPWING
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
11/06/44
|
11/06/44
|
FCM
001
|
12/06/44
|
12/06/44
|
20/10/44
|
20/10/44
|
JW
061
|
28/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
02/11/44
|
02/11/44
|
RA
061
|
09/11/44
|
09/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
JW
062
|
07/12/44
|
07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
RA
062
|
19/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
30/12/44
|
30/12/44
|
JW
063
|
08/01/45
|
08/01/45
|
11/01/45
|
11/01/45
|
RA
063
|
21/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
03/02/45
|
06/02/45
|
JW
064
|
15/02/45
|
15/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
RA
064
|
28/02/45
|
28/02/45
|
11/03/45
|
11/03/45
|
JW
065
|
20/03/45
|
21/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)