HMS Blackmore (L43)
Encyclopedia
HMS Blackmore (pennant number
L43) was an escort destroyer
of the Hunt Type II class. The Royal Navy
ordered Blackmores construction three months after the outbreak of the Second World War. A. Stephen & Sons
laid down her keel at their Glasgow
yard on 10 February 1941, as Admiralty Job Number J1479. The ship was adopted by the civil community of Langport
, Somerset
after a successful Warship Week
campaign. The ship was sold to the Royal Danish Navy
and renamed HDMS Esbern Snare.
. On 1 June the Blackmore joined Convoy WS19P, with the battleship
HMS Nelson and the destroyer HMS Derwent as ocean escort during the convoy's Atlantic passage. On 15 June the destroyer detached from W519P upon arrival at Freetown, where she was retained for local escort duties.
On 24 June the destroyer left Freetown with the destroyer HMS Brilliant
to meet with and escort military convoy WS20 during its Atlantic passage from the Clyde. On 26 June she joined WS20 on its way to Freetown. In July the Blackmore was transferred to the Indian Ocean
for convoy defence, detaching from WS20 on 2 July along with the other ships on arrival to Freetown. On 6 July the Blackmore joined WS20 as ocean escort, with the battleship HMS Malaya the destroyers HMS Brilliant and HMS Wivern during the convoy's passage to the Cape of Good Hope
.
On 17 July the Blackmore detached from ocean escort duties with HMS Malaya and escorted the convoy into cape town. On 19 July the destroyer was deployed at Simonstown for convoy defence in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. The destroyer remained in duty at Simonstown up until January 1943.
In February, the destroyer joined military convoy WS26 during its passage from Freetown to the Cape. The Blackmore then joined as escort for WS26 as a relief for the destroyer HMS Quality
. The destroyed sailed to Durban
for convoy defence duties in the Indian Ocean. On 1 March the destroyer rejoined WS26 from Durban as escort with the minesweeper HMS Carnatic and the destroyers HMS Catterick and HMS Relentless
. On 3 March the Blackmore detached from the convoy to join another Convoy DN21 as escort. After arriving at Durban with DN21, the Blackmore took passage to Simonstown to effect a refit. The destroyer's refit was finished in May, and after completing post refit trials, the Blackmore took passage to Freetown to serve for Atlantic convoy defence.
The destroyer was then deployed for local escort duties at Freetown, making a passage to Gibraltar on 20 June to escort military convoy WS31 to Freetown. In July the Blackmore was nominated for transfer to the Mediterranean. The destroyer arrived at Freetown with WS31 on 4 July and rejoined military convoy WS31. HMS Blackmore escorted the convoy until 15 July when she returned to Freetown and took passage to the Mediterranean.
, and deployed for convoy defence in the central Mediterranean. In September the destroyer joined a naval task force to escort and support the Allied invasion of Italy
. On 8 September the destroyer was deployed as an escort of the military convoy TSF1X during passage from Palermo
to the Salerno
beach head. Upon being released from the invasion of Italy, the destroyer resumed her convoy defence duties with the Division. Between November and December, HMS Blackmore joined the 60th Destroyer Division, also based in Malta but deploying for convoy defence and support duties of military operations in the Adriatic sea.
From January to May 1944, HMS Blackmore continued in her convoy escort duties. On 16 January she carried out a bombardment of Durazzo in Albania
with the destroyer HMS Ledbury
. During June HMS Blackmore was transferred to the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet, taking part in an engagement against four German E-Boat
s in the Adriatic, with the destroyer HMS Eggesford. One E-Boat was sunk, with ten survivors rescued. In July the destroyer continued in her deployment with the flotilla, this time with the nomination for escort and patrol duties of military convoys during Allied landings in the south of France
. This operation was carried under overall US Navy command.
In August, HMS Blackmore joined in the escort of Convoy SM2 from Naples
, sailing on 13 August. After being released from the operation, the destroyer resumed her flotilla duties. In September HMS Blackmore was recalled to the United Kingdom for a refit at Sheerness
, before being nominated for service with the Eastern Fleet.
. In April the destroyer was prepared for foreign service with the 18th Destroyer Flotilla within the Eastern Fleet. On 28 April the Blackmore joined the flotilla at Bombay. In May the destroyer was deployed as a weather ship in the Andamans
, during the Allied landings at Rangoon
. After these landings, HMS Blackmore was again deployed for convoy defence in support of military operations and patrol in the Indian Ocean.
HMS Blackmore continued to be deployed in this theatre until August, sailing from Trincomalee
on 4 September as part of the escort task force for aircraft carriers during their passage to the Malacca Straits. On 6 September the destroyer joined military convoy JE1F, in the Malacca Straits, forming part of the escort in Operation Zipper
.
, and was nominated for return to the United Kingdom where she was to be paid off into the reserve. The destroyer sailed from Trincomalee on 8 October 1945, and on arriving at Plymouth
the destroyer was paid off at Devonport
where she was laid up in the reserve fleet until 1952. After being placed on the sales list, HMS Blackmore was transferred on loan to Denmark
, on 18 July 1952. After refitting, the destroyer joined the Royal Danish Navy
as a frigate, renamed Esbern Snare. The ship remained in Danish naval service until 1966, when she was stricken from the active list.
Pennant number
In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
L43) was an escort destroyer
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
of the Hunt Type II class. The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ordered Blackmores construction three months after the outbreak of the Second World War. A. Stephen & Sons
Alexander Stephen and Sons
Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often referred to simply as Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Govan in Glasgow, on the River Clyde.-History:...
laid down her keel at their Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
yard on 10 February 1941, as Admiralty Job Number J1479. The ship was adopted by the civil community of Langport
Langport
Langport is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The town has a population of 1,067. The parish includes the hamlets of Bowdens and Combe...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
after a successful Warship Week
Warship Week
Warship Weeks were British National savings campaigns during the Second World War, with the adoption of a Royal Navy warship by a civil community. A level of savings would be set to raise enough money to provide the cost of building a particular naval ship...
campaign. The ship was sold to the Royal Danish Navy
Royal Danish Navy
The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters...
and renamed HDMS Esbern Snare.
Early operations
The Blackmore began her contractor sea trials in April, and the destroyer was commissioned with the Second Destroyer Flotilla. After completing trials and working up for operational service, in May the destroyer was nominated for escort of military convoys during their passage to FreetownFreetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
. On 1 June the Blackmore joined Convoy WS19P, with the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
HMS Nelson and the destroyer HMS Derwent as ocean escort during the convoy's Atlantic passage. On 15 June the destroyer detached from W519P upon arrival at Freetown, where she was retained for local escort duties.
On 24 June the destroyer left Freetown with the destroyer HMS Brilliant
HMS Brilliant (H84)
HMS Brilliant was a built for the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War.From 1931 to 1938, she served in the Mediterranean. At the outbreak of war, Brilliant was deployed with the 19th Destroyer Flotilla at Dover and took part in Channel convoy protection and escorting...
to meet with and escort military convoy WS20 during its Atlantic passage from the Clyde. On 26 June she joined WS20 on its way to Freetown. In July the Blackmore was transferred to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
for convoy defence, detaching from WS20 on 2 July along with the other ships on arrival to Freetown. On 6 July the Blackmore joined WS20 as ocean escort, with the battleship HMS Malaya the destroyers HMS Brilliant and HMS Wivern during the convoy's passage to the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
.
On 17 July the Blackmore detached from ocean escort duties with HMS Malaya and escorted the convoy into cape town. On 19 July the destroyer was deployed at Simonstown for convoy defence in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. The destroyer remained in duty at Simonstown up until January 1943.
In February, the destroyer joined military convoy WS26 during its passage from Freetown to the Cape. The Blackmore then joined as escort for WS26 as a relief for the destroyer HMS Quality
HMS Quality (G62)
HMS Quality was a Q class destroyer built for the Royal Navy. Entering service in 1942, the destroyer served in several theatres of World War II. Following the war's conclusion, the ship was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy , commissioning as HMAS Quality in late 1945...
. The destroyed sailed to Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
for convoy defence duties in the Indian Ocean. On 1 March the destroyer rejoined WS26 from Durban as escort with the minesweeper HMS Carnatic and the destroyers HMS Catterick and HMS Relentless
HMS Relentless (H85)
HMS Relentless was an R-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F185....
. On 3 March the Blackmore detached from the convoy to join another Convoy DN21 as escort. After arriving at Durban with DN21, the Blackmore took passage to Simonstown to effect a refit. The destroyer's refit was finished in May, and after completing post refit trials, the Blackmore took passage to Freetown to serve for Atlantic convoy defence.
The destroyer was then deployed for local escort duties at Freetown, making a passage to Gibraltar on 20 June to escort military convoy WS31 to Freetown. In July the Blackmore was nominated for transfer to the Mediterranean. The destroyer arrived at Freetown with WS31 on 4 July and rejoined military convoy WS31. HMS Blackmore escorted the convoy until 15 July when she returned to Freetown and took passage to the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean
In August HMS Blackmore joined the 57th Fleet Division based at MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, and deployed for convoy defence in the central Mediterranean. In September the destroyer joined a naval task force to escort and support the Allied invasion of Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
. On 8 September the destroyer was deployed as an escort of the military convoy TSF1X during passage from Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
to the Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
beach head. Upon being released from the invasion of Italy, the destroyer resumed her convoy defence duties with the Division. Between November and December, HMS Blackmore joined the 60th Destroyer Division, also based in Malta but deploying for convoy defence and support duties of military operations in the Adriatic sea.
From January to May 1944, HMS Blackmore continued in her convoy escort duties. On 16 January she carried out a bombardment of Durazzo in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
with the destroyer HMS Ledbury
HMS Ledbury (L90)
HMS Ledbury was an escort destroyer of the Hunt Type II class. The Royal Navy ordered Ledbury's construction two days after the outbreak of the Second World War and J. I. Thornycroft Ltd laid down her keel at their Southampton yard on 24 January 1940. Air raid damage to the yard delayed her...
. During June HMS Blackmore was transferred to the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet, taking part in an engagement against four German E-Boat
E-boat
E-boats was the designation for Motor Torpedo Boats of the German Navy during World War II. It is commonly held that the E stood for Enemy....
s in the Adriatic, with the destroyer HMS Eggesford. One E-Boat was sunk, with ten survivors rescued. In July the destroyer continued in her deployment with the flotilla, this time with the nomination for escort and patrol duties of military convoys during Allied landings in the south of France
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. This operation was carried under overall US Navy command.
In August, HMS Blackmore joined in the escort of Convoy SM2 from Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, sailing on 13 August. After being released from the operation, the destroyer resumed her flotilla duties. In September HMS Blackmore was recalled to the United Kingdom for a refit at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
, before being nominated for service with the Eastern Fleet.
Service in the East
The ship was taken in hand, the refit taking from October to January. Post refit trials were made at Nore Command. In March HMS Blackmore was deployed briefly for convoy defence, since additional escorts were needed to combat a concerted submarine and E-Boat attack in the Thames estuaryThames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
. In April the destroyer was prepared for foreign service with the 18th Destroyer Flotilla within the Eastern Fleet. On 28 April the Blackmore joined the flotilla at Bombay. In May the destroyer was deployed as a weather ship in the Andamans
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
, during the Allied landings at Rangoon
Operation Dracula
During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign. When it was launched, the Imperial Japanese Army had already abandoned the city.-Background:...
. After these landings, HMS Blackmore was again deployed for convoy defence in support of military operations and patrol in the Indian Ocean.
HMS Blackmore continued to be deployed in this theatre until August, sailing from Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
on 4 September as part of the escort task force for aircraft carriers during their passage to the Malacca Straits. On 6 September the destroyer joined military convoy JE1F, in the Malacca Straits, forming part of the escort in Operation Zipper
Operation Zipper
During the Second World War, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it was never fully executed. Some of the proposed landings on Penang went...
.
Post War Service
HMS Blackmore was then deployed at SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and was nominated for return to the United Kingdom where she was to be paid off into the reserve. The destroyer sailed from Trincomalee on 8 October 1945, and on arriving at Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
the destroyer was paid off at Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
where she was laid up in the reserve fleet until 1952. After being placed on the sales list, HMS Blackmore was transferred on loan to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, on 18 July 1952. After refitting, the destroyer joined the Royal Danish Navy
Royal Danish Navy
The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters...
as a frigate, renamed Esbern Snare. The ship remained in Danish naval service until 1966, when she was stricken from the active list.