|
|
HMS Seagull
|
Date of Arrival |
Place |
Date of Departure |
Remarks |
|
1.1.44 |
Scapa |
12.1.44 |
|
|
18.1.44 |
Loch Ewe |
22.1.44 |
|
|
22.1.44 |
SEAGULL provided part of
the Ocean escort for JW56B (17 ships) from Loch Ewe on 22/1
arriving Kola Inlet 1/2. Some 15 U boats were directed against the
convoy. |
|
25.1.44 |
In the late afternoon the
U-boats concentrated for an attack. Seven of the U-boats fired a total
of 10 Gnat torpedoes against the escorts while another four used
conventional torpedoes against the merchant ships. One destroyer and
three merchantmen were sunk. One U boat was lost and the enemy
commented on the tenacity of the escort. |
|
28.1.44 |
Convoy arrived Kola Inlet |
|
3.2.44 |
At sea |
? |
Gleaner and SEAGULL
provided local eastern escort for RA56 (39 ships) from 3rd
to 5th Feb. Halcyon, Hussar and Speedwell formed part of
the Ocean escort. |
|
? |
Kola Inlet |
15.2.44 |
|
|
? |
Archangel |
18.2.44 |
|
|
? |
Murmansk |
25.2.44 |
|
|
27.2.44 |
Owing to the return to UK with RA57 of minesweepers normally
stationed in North Russia, the local escort for the
White Sea
section of JW57 was, for the first time, an all Russian one,
the Senior Officer being Rear Admiral Kolchin (recently promoted).
It had been arranged that Gleaner and SEAGULL would accompany the
Russians to assist in effecting a meeting then return to Kola Inlet.
On Sunday 27th February it was learned quite casually
that Kolchin had intentions of sailing 24 hours earlier than the
pre-arranged time and without the British ships. (The lad is quite a
grown man now, thank you, and is able to stand on his own feet. As
the convoy’s route was being constantly altered, all of which tended
to shorten it and alter the ETA, this plan of Kolshin’s, who was as
yet unaware of the above, left much to be desired. I imagine too
that VAD in Black Prince would hardly welcome 15 assorted Russian
ships stooging about rather lost in his vicinity at night, although
being on the old route the probability is that they would have
missed the convoy altogether, thanks be.
Report of SBNO North Russia |
|
2.3.44 |
At sea |
9.3.44 |
Gleaner and SEAGULL
provided ocean escort for RA57 (33 ships). One merchantman was
sunk by U703, but three U boats were sunk and two damaged thanks to
the presence of aircraft from the escort carrier Chaser.
Gleaner
and SEAGULL were the last minesweepers to be stationed in Northern
Russia. Since 1941, such vessels had provided Local Eastern Escorts
for the convoys and also assisted the Soviet authorities in running
the feeder convoys to and from Murmansk, Archangel and other ports in
the area. The work of the minesweepers had been a lonely and
thankless task spent in a desolate theatre with an ally who seemed to
place little value on their presence. Yet, the work of the
minesweepers, which went largely unnoticed compared to the greater
events out at sea, was extremely important to the smooth running of
the convoy cycle.
Source: Convoy! Paul Kemp |
|
9.3.44 |
Scapa |
11.3.44 |
By 9/3 Jason, Harrier
(SO), Speedwell and Hussar had been joined by Britomart, Gleaner,
Halcyon, Salamander and SEAGULL and the 1st MSF proceeded
to carry out minesweeping exercises. |
|
12.3.44 |
Leith |
22.3.44 |
|
|
? |
Rosyth |
22.3.44 |
|
|
23.3.44 |
Cromarty |
2.4.44 |
24/3
Jason
arrived Invergordon. Rest
of 1st MSF there, including SEAGULL and Gleaner, making eight ships in
the flotilla there.
30/3. 0230 Left harbour to
continue exercise - sweeping ahead of bombarding force, laying
smokescreen at dusk, preparing for E-boat attack, responding to
repeated calls to action stations, and forming a perimeter defence
line - precisely what happened on D-Day. Returned to Cromarty.
|
|
? |
Dundee |
11.4.44 |
|
|
11.4.44 |
Rosyth |
11.4.44 |
|
|
? |
Leith |
12.4.44 |
Slipped and
proceeded east down
Forth
in line ahead. |
|
14.4.44 |
Tyne |
22.4.44 |
Flotilla
(Britomart, Gleaner, Halcyon, Harrier, Hussar, Jason, SEAGULL and
Speedwell ) with Alexander Scott, Craftsman and Colsay (dan layers)
sweeping off Tynemouth. Area cleared. |
|
23.4.44 |
At sea |
|
Proceeded to
Harwich. Particularly alert as E-boats were anticipated. |
|
24.4.44 |
Harwich |
1.5.44 |
|
|
6.5.44 |
Harwich |
13.5.44 |
|
|
14.5.44 |
Portsmouth |
9.6.44 |
16/5
Grounded near Dover
17/5 Taken in hand
Portsmouth, repairs. Completes 22/5 |
|
3.6.44 |
All Commanding
Officers and Navigators of 1st MSF went for a briefing in the theatre
at HMS Vernon. On return to ships they were in good spirits and were
'sealed' i.e. banned from shore leave. Orders were at 1300 on 4th to
proceed down the eastern
Solent and set course for
France. About
25 miles south of Selsey Bill, sweeps would be streamed and a 40 mile
approach channel to the Baie de la Seine would be swept, to be
finished to the north of Ouistreham. Sweeps would be veered at 2030 on
the 4th and taken in at 0600 on D-Day. Orders later received delaying
by 0ne day.
CLICK HERE FOR AN
ACCOUNT OF THE HALCYON'S ON D DAY |
|
5.6.44 |
13.55 1st Flotilla left
Solent (Anchorage 28) for Sword (the easternmost of the landing
beaches)
16.00 Streamed sweeps
(Assault Convoy S1)
1952 Commenced
sweep of channel 9, reaching lowering position at 0325. Channel 9 was
one of the approach channels for Canadian troops who were in landing
ships behind the minesweepers.
HM Minesweepers Britomart,
Gleaner (under repair until left Grimsby 7th June, ETA beach head 10th
June), Halcyon, Harrier (damaged while oiling from Rodney in Eastern
Task Force Area on 19th June), Hussar, Jason, Salamander, SEAGULL,
Speedwell, (Speedy withdrawn mid May). Attached dan layers - Alexander
Scott, Colsay (lost propeller on grounding 19th, refloated 21st June),
Craftsman, Lord Ashfield.
|
|
6.6.44 |
0430 In
sweeps - shells from coastal guns dropping near. The Flotilla turned
into unswept water between channels 9 and 8 to allow the landing craft
through, it was expendable by then. 1st MSF sweeping between channels
5 and 6. |
|
8.6.44 |
1st MSF in
Solent |
|
9.6.44 |
1st MSF
slipped at 0230, proceeded to sea and swept for 15 hours, anchoring
off Port-en-Bessin.
2055 - beach
bombed, action stations.
2132 - Secured
from action stations.
2140 - Heavy
flak over anchorage - action stations. Seven Focke Wolfe aircraft flew
overhead at 100 feet.
2215 - Secured
from action stations. HMS Hussar carries out depth charge attack on
U-boat.
|
|
10.6.44 |
0200 E-boats
seen. 0415 bombs dropped. 0600 - weighed and commenced sweep until
2020 |
|
20.6.44 |
Portsmouth |
8.7.44 |
|
|
15.7.44 |
Harwich |
? |
|
|
? |
Portsmouth |
22.7.44 |
|
|
23.7.44 |
Southend |
? |
|
|
? |
Nore |
24.7.44 |
|
|
25.7.44 |
France (ETF) |
7.8.44 |
|
|
9.8.44 |
Lowestoft |
23.10.44 |
SEAGULL taken in hand by
LNER Lowestoft for refit, date of docking 22/8, completes 16/10 |
|
23.10.44 |
Harwich |
24.10.44 |
|
|
? |
Dover |
3.11.44 |
|
|
7.11.44 |
Harwich |
11.11.44 |
|
|
20.11.44 |
Harwich |
14.12.44 |
|
|
21.12.44 |
Source: ADM 199/153 (Extracts)
Date: 26th
December 1944
From: The Commanding
Officer, HMS Gleaner
To: Commander in Chief, The Nore
Subject:
Minesweeping Reports No. 2 and 4
REPORT
No. 2
Thursday 21st
December 1944
Searching sweep
of channel from NF3 to 53F buoys.
Speedwell,
Halcyon, Speedy, SEAGULL with dan layer Foday.
Wind variable.
Sea and swell 10. Weather misty.
Moored mine
swept up, not sunk. Lost in poor visibility.
Speedwell
parted port sweep on what is believed to be the wreck marked PA in
position 51°21’N, 2° 13’E. This puts the wreck approximately one
mile to westward of charted position.
REPORT No.
4
Speedwell swept
up one moored mine believed German, believed GR. Apparently new,
black paint. 51° 21’ 42” North. 2° 12’ 42” East. Charted depth 14
fathoms. 21st December 1944 1342A, no evidence to suggest
that mine was dragged before being cut.
H A King, Lt
Commander RNVR
Senior Officer (borne in Speedwell during this operation)
_______
HMS Shearwater
on patrol during night of 18th/19th December
reported that E-boats had been encountered and had possibly laid
mines in the vicinity of 51° 21’ 30” N, 02° 10’ 40” E.
A search of QZS
596 was therefore ordered and this was carried out by 1st
Minesweeping Flotilla on 21st December, one moored mine
being cut as in Minesweeping Reports 2 and 4.
A danger area
was then declared and this area was subsequently cleared by the 18th
MSF, five moored mines being swept, all to the eastward of the
original one.
Admiral of the
Fleet
The Nore
|
|
23.12.44 |
Harwich |
30.12.44 |
|
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