Halcyon Class Minesweepers  HMS Sharpshooter
October 1939
 
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HMS SHARPSHOOTER Ship’s Log -
Source:  Original records held at Public Records Office ADM 53 / 110544

Date

    At

 

1/10/39

Scapa

Employed hands cleaning ship. Make general payment.

2/10/39

Scapa

Employed boys scrubbing upper deck. Training classes. Gunnery drills.  

3/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship. Training classes. Gunnery drills. Secured ship for sea.

4/10/39

Scapa

Passed through Switha Gate. Sweeps with Speedy.
09.30 Closed up action stations.
09.50 Secured from action stations
Working sweeps.

5/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship. Training classes. Gunnery drills.
Slipped and proceeded to Invergordon

6/10/39

At sea

09.05 Rejoined MS Over 
10.10 Close and examine fishing ships
12.00 Take station on 1st Minesweeping Flotilla
15.45 Secure alongside HMS Speedy in Cromarty Firth

7/10/39

Invergordon

07.05 Slipped and proceeded in company with HMS Bramble.
Working Sweeps. To Scapa Flow.

8/10/39

Scapa

Working sweeps

9/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship.
09.30 Action stations.
10.00 Hands fell out action stations.

10/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship. Training.

11/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship. Training. Hands to physical exercise.

12/10/39

Scapa

Employed white watch embarking stores and fresh produce.
RFA Petronel alongside.

13/10/39

Scapa

Securing for sea. Cleaning ship. Training.

 

 

[Note: On night of 13th, HMS Royal Oak sunk by U Boat in Scapa Flow, 810 hands lost]

14/10/39

Scapa

06.53 Slipped and proceeded through Switha Gate. Sweeping approaches to
09.10 Entered harbour and awaited orders.
10.15 Passed through Switha Boom.
10.50 Sweeping inside Scapa with Hazard.
14.50 Parted sweep wire. Dropped Dan buoy.
15.00 Passed sweep wire to Hazard.
15.50 Parted sweep wire. Let go Dan buoy. Hove to.
17.08 Proceeded course and speed to close down Iron Duke
18.45 At anchor.

15/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship. Cleaning guns. Secure for sea.
Carry out sweeps in Scapa Flow

16/10/39

Scapa

Secured for sea. Passed through Hoxa Boom with HMS Hazard. Working sweeps
15.15 Half mast colours.
Rehoisted colours

17/10/39

Scapa

[Note HMS Iron Duke holed by near miss aircraft bombs and beached]

08.35 Weighed and secured to RFA Mikal. Commenced oiling.
10.00 Action stations. Red Warning.
10.15 Engaged Enemy aircraft.
10.35 Claim to have shot down one aircraft.
11.00 Slipped from oiler and proceeded to stand by Iron Duke. Lowered lifeboats.
11.35 Hoisted both lifeboats.
12.00 Secured to No 9 Buoy Long Hope.
12.50 Action Stations for Red Warning.
13.40 High bombing attacks made by enemy aircraft. Engaged aircraft.
14.30 Secured from Action Stations.
16.10 Action Stations.
16.20 Secured from Action Stations.

18/10/39

Scapa

Cleaning ship and reeling up wires.
10.30 Action Stations for Red Warning
10.55 Opened fire on enemy aircraft
11.50 Secured from Action Stations
14.12 Action Stations for Red Warning
14.50 Fell out from Action Stations
16.33 Weighed and proceeded to lay off HMS Iron Duke
18.30 Weighed and proceeded to lay off Voltaire

19/10/39

Scapa

09.00 Embarked officers for passage [from Voltaire]

Admiral Sir Reginald Plunket Ernle Drax KCB DSO

Vice Admiral R H T Raikes CB, CVO DSO

Captain G C Muirhead-Gould DSC RN

Commander R F Nichols

Proceeded and secured alongside outer jetty, Thurso Bay, Scrabster.
Shifted billet and secured alongside Scrabster jetty

20/10/39

Scrabster

Clean ship
14.40 Officers of Investigation Committee come on board
14.45 Ship proceeded to Scapa
Passed through Hoxa Boom
16.20 Inspection of blocked channels and booms
18.10 Hove to off Voltaire. Disembarked officers.
19.50 Proceed to anchor alongside HMS Bramble

21/10/39

Scapa

At sea sweeping
10.30 Action stations red warning
11.12 Secured from Action Stations.
18.05 Returned to harbour and anchored alongside HMS Bramble

22/10/39

Scapa

00.10 Secured stores lighter alongside, embarked stores.
01.25 Slipped and proceeded to Loch Ewe
15.00 At anchor Loch Ewe

23/10/39

Loch Ewe

08.30 Secured drifter Lunar Bow alongside, disembarked stores
09.30 Cast off drifter Lunar Bow
10.30 Secured drifter Lunar Bow alongside, disembarked stores.
12.00 Cast off drifter Lunar Bow
13.30 RFA Cumyll alongside

24/10/39

Loch Ewe

Clean ship, secure for sea, proceed Scapa.

25/10/39

Scapa

Proceed through Switha Gate.
07.30 Course and speed for U Boat search and patrol
10.00 Close ‘British Prudence’ tanker and escort her
13.00 Rejoin HMS Bramble, sweeping
18.00 Anchor Kirkwall

26/10/39

Kirkwall

Employ hands cleaning and making wire netting

27/10/39

Kirkwall

07.00 Proceed in station astern Bramble to Scapa
12.45 Proceed to sea
14.25 Commenced zig-zagging

28/10/39

At sea

Proceeding to Greenock
12.52 Out sweeps
19.00 Enter Clyde boom

29/10/39

Greenock

Sweeping

30/10/39

Greenock

Cleaning ship and embarking stores

31/10/39

Greenock

Out sweeps – northern channel
Proceed to Lamlash

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