Halcyon Class Minesweepers HMS Gossamer 1940
 
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Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Orders, Remarks etc

    6.2.40 With Convoy HGF18

Convoy HGF18 consisting of 32 ships left Gibraltar at 13:30 on Feb 6-1940 and formed up 5 miles 180° from Carnero Point at 14:30, 6 knots while forming up. Escorts were HMS Vortigern, Gossamer, Folkestone and sub. Otway and also an aircraft. The weather was fine, with a southwesterly breeze and slight sea. All the ships were still in sight at 06:00 on Feb 8, and zig-zagging was recommenced at sunrise, in a southwesterly wind and confused sea and swell. HMS Enchantress joined at 07:45 that morning, taking over command from Gossamer - position 36 29N 11 38W, convoy speed: 8.25 knots. The night leading up to Feb 13 was extremely dark, with a strong east wind, and at dawn 3 ships were found to be missing, namely Alma Dawson, Dagmar and Bruse Jarl (the latter 2 fell astern in approx. 49 30N 4 00W and were not seen again). Zig-zagging was commenced at 07:10 and 20 minutes later the speed was reduced to 8 knots in an attempt to give the missing ships a chance to catch up. The escorts Gossamer and Otway parted company at 07:40 in 49 00N 07 12W

Source: http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hg18f.html

 

 

 

12/2 From C in C W A : GOSSAMER and Otway are to leave convoy. GOSSAMER is to escort Otway to Portsmouth and then proceed to Chatham

14.2.40

Portsmouth

14.2.40

 

15.2.40

Chatham

3.3.40

15/2 GOSSAMER should be taken in hand for D.G. Request ships company meanwhile be given 7 days leave to each watch. On completion request GOSSAMER should be sailed to join 5th MSF, Rosyth Command.

17/2 From A S Chatham: GOSSAMER taken in hand for fitting degaussing coil on 16/2, completion 24/2. Work in hand will prevent vessel sailing at 24 hours notice 

4.3.40

Humber

19.3.40

D of D 21/2 Completes 29/2

20.3.40

Dover

5.4.40

 CLICK HERE for reports on mine clearance

5.4.40

Harwich

5.4.40

 

5.4.40

Harwich

6.4.40

 

7.4.40

Humber

16.4.40

 

16.4.40

Tyne

10.5.40

 

13.5.40

Humber

14.5.40

 

14.5.40

Tyne

27.5.40

On Sunday afternoon 26th May the 5th MSF arrived back in harbour at North Shields having been out on a routine sweep since 0430 that morning.

25.5.40

North Shields – Routine sweep 0330 to 1930

26.5.40

On Sunday afternoon 26th May the 5th MSF arrived back in harbour at North Shields having been out on a routine sweep since 0430 that morning, a welcome early finish after the previous day’s long session.

1900 Signal received to recall all libertymen ashore and prepare for sea by 2230.

27.5.40

Harwich

28.5.40

First stop was Harwich where the flotilla spent the night before coaling and sailing for the French coast.

 

Source: Orde

HMS GOSSAMER at Dunkirk
 

28.5.40

1230

GOSSAMER (Cdr R C V Ross, Senior Officer  5th MSF ) sailed from Harwich for Braye‑Dunes with all ships of the 5th MSF in company (except the Saltash) viz: the Kellett, Albury Ross, Lydd, Pangbourne and Leda.     

 

2115

The Kellett and the Leda stopped off Braye‑Dunes: the remaining ships went on to Dunkirk. Thereafter the ships of the flotilla acted independently. The ships had hoisted their battle ensigns.

GOSSAMER secured alongside the east pier and embarked troops

 

2215

GOSSAMER sailed with 420 on board

Just outside the Zuidcoote Pass, the P/V Manxman was seen aground. The P/V Prague was stopped without charts; a chart was sent over to her.

In the vicinity of Kwinte Bank buoy, the survivors of the destroyer Wakeful were seen In the water. Her Captain (Cdr. R. L. Fisher) said she had been torpedoed. GOSSAMER lowered 3 whalers and a skiff which picked up a few survivors in the darkness, The skiff was left alongside a drifter; the whalers eventually found their way back to the GOSSAMER.

Proceeded. 

29.5.40

0655

Arrived Dover. Disembarked 420 British troops

 

0850

Sailed from Dover. Carried out an ‘A’ sweep and then a double Oropesa search sweep of the new direct channel route which was to be used in the future.

30.5.40

0040

 

Arrived off Dunkirk, which was lit by the red flames of burning oil tanks. Embarked troops from Braye‑Dunes in the ship's boats and canvas punts.

 

0515

Proceeded, having left all boats on the beach as ordered.

 

1015

Arrived Dover. Disembarked 487 British troops

 

1330

Sailed from Dover with a party of signalmen for La Panne

 

1830

Arrived off Bray. Embarked Rear Admiral Dover (Admiral Wake Walker)

 

1930

Arrived La Panne. Transferred Rear Admiral Dover to the destroyer Worcester. Anchored and embarked troops.

31.5.40

0118

Proceeded.

 

1015

Arrived Dover. Disembarked 502 troops.

 

1800

Requisitioned the motorboat Handy Billie and sailed for La Panne.

 

2207

Anchored 1 mile west of La Panne, 4 cables from the shore. Sub Lieutenant M. Phipps, R.N. searched the shore in Handy Billie, but received no answer to his hails.

 

2301

Thousands of troops now massing abreast the ship. The destroyer Ivanhoe lent a motorboat to assist in the embarkation of the troops.

1.6.40

0200

Lt Cdr J W McClelland swam off from the shore with a situation report for Rear Admiral Dover.

The troops, forced out of La Panne, were marching west. Among those GOSSAMER embarked was a major, the 2nd in command of the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards.

Continued to embark troops and some wounded. Ivanhoe was also embarking troops. A Paddle Minesweeper (probably the Oriole) beached herself to facilitate embarkation. 

Account of a survivor from Middlesex regiment:

“A lifeboat is drawing near. I hail it. There are already some troops on board. I walk out and after a few breast strokes—I am glad I unlaced my boots as I can now easily kick them off—I am hauled aboard by Captain Porter! He is sitting in the prow. We all help to row to H.M.S. GOSSAMER— no more fair minesweeper has ever put to sea. We are given a cabin in which to remove our clothes, and wrap ourselves in blankets."
 

 

0500

Machine-gunned by low-flying aircraft.

 

0600

Captain (D) (Codrington) ordered GOSSAMER to Dunkirk to “fill up”. Proceeded there with 675 troops on board. En route went alongside minesweeper Skipjack who required medical supplies.

Berthed on Dunkirk east arm. Embarked 170 French troops.

 

0800

Proceeded. Air attack. Destroyer Ivanhoe hit by bomb.

 

0906

Near 5 W buoy, attacked by 5 Ju87 dive-bombers; they were followed by 9 or 10 more. The destroyer Havant received a bomb hit. Five misses near GOSSAMER; the troops between decks could not tell whether the ship was hit or not. P.O. Steward Hockney calmed them; he sat on the ladder to the mess deck and sang to the French soldiers.

 

0915

R.A.F. fighters passed the ship.

 

1345

Arrived Sheerness. Disembarked 845 troops.

2.6.40

Afternoon

A trip was made this night to Dunkirk harbour and 470 troops embarked and landed.

3.6.40

Afternoon

A final trip was made this night to Dunkirk harbour and 490 troops were embarked and landed at home.

 

 

Total: 3214

 

AWARDS

 

 

DSO

Commander R C V Ross awarded DSO

 

DSM

P.O.  E W Higgs

 

DSM

Asst Cook T H Ward

 

Mention in Despatches

P.O.   Steward A Hockney

 

Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Orders, Remarks etc

1.6.40

Harwich

?

 

?

Sheerness

2.6.40

 

3.6.40

Sheerness

3.6.40

 

4.6.40

Sheerness

5.6.40

 

6.6.40

Humber

29.8.40

11/7 Taken in hand for refit and turbine repairs, completes 17/8

28/8 From C in C Nore: MS5 in GOSSAMER to take Harrier under orders and complete the clearance of the Would for magnetic mines. Ships to be based on Yarmouth.

30.8.40

Yarmouth

?

 

2.9.40

Harwich

3.9.40

 

3.9.40

Gt Yarmouth

4.9.40

4/9 From C in C Nore: GOSSAMER is to be sailed for Humber as soon as possible

5.9.40

Humber

18.10.40

30/9 GOSSAMER is to join 6th MSF to form LL pair with Harrier. CO’s of GOSSAMER and Leda are to exchange ships. (Exchanged at noon 4/10)

19/10 from C in C Nore: To be sailed as soon as convenient to join 4th MSF at Harwich

5.10.40

Ordinary Seaman Albert James Osborne P/JX174185 died age 22.

19.10.40

Harwich

20.10.40

 

22.10.40

Harwich

23.10.40

 

24.10.40

Harwich

27.10.40

 

27.10.40

Harwich

28.10.40

 

29.10.40

Harwich

31.10.40

 

31.10.40

Sheerness

?

31/10 from St Mellons: MTB16 sunk. Crew on board GOSSAMER, am returning to harbour.

2.11.40

Harwich

4.11.40

 

4.11.40

Harwich

5.11.40

 

6.11.40

Harwich

7.11.40

 

7.11.40

Harwich

11.11.40

 

11.11.40

Harwich

13.11.40

 

18.11.40

Harwich

22.11.40

 

23.11.40

Harwich

1.12.40

 

2.12.40

Harwich

18.12.40

 

10.12.40

Harwich

20.12.40

 

21.12.40

Harwich

27.12.40

 

27.12.40

Harwich

29.12.40

 

30.12.40

Harwich

5.1.41

 

     

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This site was last updated 17 Januar 2012