Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Orders, Remarks etc

2.1.43

Harrier and SEAGULL met JW51B and led it through fog to Kola, arriving 6/1

21.1.43

The Russian Staff reported, late on the 20^th January, that a U-boat had been sighted, and later attacked by A/S craft, off Cape Gorodetski. They asked that the British minesweepers might search the area, and the channel to southward, as minelaying was suspected.

HMS SEAGULL accordingly left the Kola Inlet on the 21^st accompanied by two corvettes to provide her with A/S protection while sweeping. Boiler trouble in the SEAGULL made it necessary for MS6 in the Harrier to proceed the following day, but the SEAGULL’s defects were temporarily remedied at Iokanka and both minesweepers carried out a search on the 23^rd and 24^th, finding no mines.

These four ships were then kept at Iokanka to provide escort for merchant ships coming from White Sea ports to join convoy RA52. But the merchant ships were delayed by ice, and Harrier and SEAGULL and the corvettes were recalled to the Kola Inlet where they arrived on the 27^th to refuel and join the escort of that convoy…

24.1.43

24/1 from SBNO N Russia: SEAGULL recently been incapacitated. As defects cannot be repaired locally, intend to send her home.

29.1.43

Harrier and SEAGULL formed part of Ocean escort for the homeward convoy RA52 (10 ships).

1.2.43

U625 made unsuccessful attack on convoy. This was followed by several other U-boats probing the defences.

3.2.43

U255 torpedoed the American freighter Greylock, but all hands were rescued by Harrier and others.

5.2.43

Iceland

6.2.43

At 1120 HMS SEAGULL with 8 cracked boiler tubes and HMS Honeysuckle with less than 40% fuel remaining were detached to Seidisfiord with orders to fuel, effect boiler repairs and proceed together to rejoin the convoy.

Source: ADM199/73

8.2.43

HM Ships SEAGULL and Honeysuckle rejoined at 1500 on 8^th February

Convoy arrived Loch Ewe between 8/2 and 9/2.

9.2.43

Scapa

13.2.43

14.2.43

Rosyth

27.3.43

18/2 SEAGULL taken in hand by Menzies Leith for refit A’s & A’s, completes 22/3

28.3.43

Scapa

19.4.43

22.4.43

Reykjavik

8.5.43

11.5.43

Scapa

27.5.43

30.5.43

Hvalfiord

31.5.43

?

Londonderry

12.8.43

25/7 During the night Salamander was damaged when SS St Enoch ran into her whilst Salamander was at anchor of Moville. As a result of the damage sustained, Salamander had to proceed up river to Londonderry, and Cockatrice took over her duties as danlayers.

Flotilla delayed sailing until 1100 due to early fog, and then proceeded to area “B Middle”, sweeps were got out at 1200, G formation to Starboard in the order Harrier, SEAGULL and Onyx, Cockatrice and Halcyon danning. 

17.8.43

Grimsby

29.9.43

Refitting. Taken in hand by Doigs of Grimsby, completes 28/9

1.10.43

Scapa

17.10.43

20.10.43

Seidisfiord

23.10.43

23/10 As part of Operation FR, Harrier and SEAGULL with several destroyers and other ships sailed for Polyarnoe. The escorts were to bring back the merchant ships that had remained there since March when the convoys were suspended. Jason and Britomart were to be relieved by their sister minesweepers.

EXTRACT FROM

THE WAR DIARY OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, HOME FLEET
October 1943

 

114. Operation F R

           

This movement whose object was to sail certain American built light craft (for the Soviet Navy) to North Russia with the close escort for R A 54 A was also carried out according to plan. Opportunity was taken to send reliefs, mails, and stores to North Russia in the escort.

           

The start of the operation was delayed owing to weather, the general sluggishness of the Russian craft and the usual trouble over visas and passports.

           

The Commanding Officers of the Soviet light craft (minesweepers and MLs) were briefed by Rear Admiral Brykin, of the Soviet Mission in London, who attended the convoy conference at Seidisfiord before the force sailed.

           

Detailed movements of the forces involved are as follows:

           

Force 3

            17th      HARRIER and SEAGULL left Scapa for Seidisfiord

                        EGLANTINE and WESTCOTT left Liverpool for Seidisfiord

            18th      3 Russian minesweepers and 6 Russian motor launches left Reykjavik for Seidisfiord

            20th      HARRIER and SEAGULL arrived Seidisfiord

                        EGLANTINE and WESTCOTT arrived Seidisfiord

                        Russian minesweepers and MLs arrived Seidisfiord

            23rd      Force 3 left Seidisfiord for North Russia

            30th      Russian minesweepers and MLs detached with one Russian destroyer to Kola Inlet arriving a.m.

            31st      HARRIER, SEAGULL, WESTCOTT, and EGLANTINE arrived Archangel

30.10.43

Archangel

1.11.43

1.11.43

At sea

3.11.43

Harrier and SEAGULL formed part of the local escort for RA54A (which included Jason and Britomart).
3/11 Detached from convoy to Kola Inlet, arriving p.m.

3.11.43

Murmansk

5.11.43

7.11.43

Archangel

10.11.43

12.11.43

Kola Inlet

22.11.43

For Iokanka

24.11.43

At sea

26.11.43

Part of Local eastern escort for JW54A, probably escorting the Dvina section of the convoy.

26.11.43

At sea

28.11.43

Hussar and SEAGULL formed part of the local eastern escort to RA54B (10 ships) 26/11 to 28/11. Harrier formed part of Ocean escort from 27/11 to 9/12. The convoy arrived Loch Ewe on 9/12 undetected after a passage in very poor weather.

29.11.43

Kola Inlet

4.12.43

6.12.43

Dvina Bar

12.12.43

14.12.43

Kola Inlet

?

22.12.43

At sea

31.12.43

SEAGULL formed part of the Ocean escort for RA55A (23 ships) which was not attacked and arrived at Loch Ewe 1/1.