Allied Warships

HMS Mourne (K 261)

Frigate of the River class


Photo from Imperial War Museum (IWM), FL-16496

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassRiver 
PennantK 261 
Built bySmiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) 
Ordered3 Jul 1941 
Laid down21 Mar 1942 
Launched24 Sep 1942 
Commissioned30 Apr 1943 
Lost15 Jun 1944 
Loss position49° 35'N, 5° 30'W
History

On 15 June 1944 HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. Raymond Spurr Holland, RD, RNR) from the 5th Escort Group was hit and sunk by a Gnat from U-767 in the English Channel in position 49º35'N, 05º30'W.  

Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 15 Jun 1944 by U-767 (Dankleff).

U-boat AttackSee our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Mourne

Commands listed for HMS Mourne (K 261)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt.Cdr. Raymond Spurr Holland, RD, RNR9 Jan 194315 Jun 1944 (+)

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Notable events involving Mourne include:


12 Jul 1943
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR). (1)

14 Jul 1943
HMS Untiring (Lt. R. Boyd, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR), HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. J.N.K. Knight, RN) and HMS Pimpernel (Lt. H.D. Hayes, RNR). (2)

21 Aug 1943
HMS P 511 (Lt. R.H. Bull, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Vesper (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rodgers, RN), HMS Sweetbriar (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R. Edwards, RNVR), HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR) and HMS Campanula (Lt. T.W. Lewis, DSC, RANVR). (3)

4 Nov 1943
HMS Thrasher (Lt. H.R.B. Newton, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with Escort Group B 2 and also with HMS Enchantress (Cdr. A.E.T. Christie, OBE, DSC, RN) and HMS Columbine T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.J. Griffiths, RNR).

Ship of Escort Group B 2 present at Lough Foyle on this day were HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and 2 Bars, RN), HMS Vanessa (Lt. C.E. Sheen, DSC, RN), HMS Vesper (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rodgers, RN), HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR), HMS Campanula (T/Lt. I. Bull, RNVR), HMS Clematis (T/Lt. R.H. Farrands, DSC, RNR) and HMS Gentian (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.W.C. Dempster, RNVR). Possibly not all of them participated in the A/S exercise though. (4)

23 Jan 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR) and HMS Churchill (Lt. A.C.D. Leach, RN). (5)

24 Jan 1944
HMS Unbending (Lt. J.D. Martin, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises in Lough Foyle with HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR) and HMS Clematis (T/Lt. R.H. Farrands, DSC, RNR). (6)

5 Feb 1944

Convoy HX 278.

This convoy departed New York on 5 February 1944.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; A Frank Lever (American, 7198 GRT, built 1943), Alan-A-Dale (Panamanian, 4646 GRT, built 1938), Andrea Gritti (Italian, 6404 GRT, built 1943), Andrew A. Humphreys (American, 7218 GRT, built 1943), Athelduke (British (tanker), 8966 GRT, built 1929), Avristan (British, 7266 GRT, built 1942), Belgian Gulf (Panamanian (tanker), 8237 GRT, 1929), Brimanger (Norwegian, 4883 GRT, built 1929), Cornwall (British, 10605 GRT, built 1920), Cymbula (British (tanker), 8082 GRT, built 1938), Edward D. White (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), El Oceano (Panamanian, 6767 GRT, built 1925), Empire Strength (British, 7355 GRT, built 1942), Fernwood (Norwegian, 4695 GRT, built 1930), Fjordass (Norwegian (tanker), 7361 GRT, built 1931), Florence Crittenton (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Fort St.Croix (British, 7160 GRT, built 1943), George G. Crawford (American, 7198 GRT, built 1944), George T. Angell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1944), Grant Wood (American, 7240 GRT, built 1943), Harvey Cushing (American, 7240 GRT, built 1943), Henry S. Lane (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Henry Watterson (American, 7225 GRT, built 1943), Irwin Russell (American, 7218 GRT, built 1943), James J. Maguire (British (tanker), 10525 GRT, built 1939), John Davenport (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John Merrick (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John N. Maffitt (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Joseph Jefferson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Julius Rosenwald (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Longwood (British (tanker), 9463 GRT, built 1930), Mataroa (British, 12390 GRT, built 1922), Mobile City (American, 6157 GRT, built 1920), Omar E. Chapman (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Orari (British, 10350 GRT, built 1931), Ovula (Dutch (tanker), 6256 GRT, built 1938), Robert Toombs (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Samuel Colt (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), San Vito (British (tanker), 8163 GRT, built 1943), Socony-Vacuum (American (tanker), 9511 GRT, built 1935), Sovac (British (tanker), 6724 GRT, 1938), Trojan Star (British, 9037 GRT, built 1936), Vacport (British (tanker), 6774 GRT, built 1930), W.R. Keever (American, 5350 GRT, built 1920), William McKinley (American, 7200 GRT, built 1920) and William Pepperell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).

On departure from New York the convoy was escorted by the corvettes HMCS Cobalt (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.A. Judges, RCNVR), HMCS Timmins (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.S. Maxwell, RCNVR), HMCS Trail (T/Lt. G.M. Hope, RCNVR) and the minesweeper HMCS Winnipeg (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.D.F. Johnston, RCNR).

On 7 February 1944, the following merchant vessels departed Halifax to join the convoy; Ariguani (British, 6746 GRT, built 1926), Bayano (British, 6815 GRT, built 1917), Benjamin H. Grierson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Cairnesk (British, 5007 GRT, built 1926), David F. Houston (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Edward Everett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Egbert Benson (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Empire MacMahon (British (tanker and MAC ship), 8856 GRT, built 1943), Fort Amherst (British, 3489 GRT, built 1936), Henry George (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), James I. McKay (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Jeremiah O'Brien (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John Chandler (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), John G. Whittier (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Montgemery City (American, 5686 GRT, built 1920), Stephen B. Elkins (American, 7180 GRT, built 1943), Victor Herbert (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943) and Walter A. Luckenbach (American, 6024 GRT, built 1918).

The rescue ship Fastnet (British, 1415 GRT, built 1928) was also part of this group.

They were escorted by the corvettes HMCS Arrowhead (Skr.Lt. L.A. Hickey, RCNR), HMCS Port Arthur (T/Lt.Cdr. E.T. Simmons, DSO, DSC, RCNVR) and the minesweeper HMCS Sault Ste Marie (Lt.Cdr. R. Jackson, RCNVR). HMCS Arrowhead however returned the following day.

On these merchant ships joining the convoy the Harvey Cushing and Socony-Vacuum were detached to Halifax escorted by HMCS Port Arthur and HMCS Sault Ste Marie. They all arrived around Halifax on 9 February 1944.

Also on 9 February 1944, the Vacport arrived back at New York after having been forced to return.

On 10 February 1944, the original escort was replaced by a new escort made up of the frigates HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR), corvettes HMS Clematis (T/Lt. R.H. Farrands, DSC, RNR), HMS Gentian (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.W.C. Dempster, RNVR), HMS Heather (T/Lt. W.L. Turner, RNR) and the minesweeper HMS Tattoo (T/Lt. A. Twiss, RNVR). The came from Argentia and St. Johns which they had departed between 7 and 9 February 1944.

On 11 February 1944, the Fort Amherst arrived at St. Johns after having been detached from the convoy. She was escorted by HMS Cobalt and HMCS Winnipeg.

On 13 February 1944, the Cairnesk arrived at St. Johns with defects after having been detached from the convoy. She was escorted by HMS Timmins and HMCS Trail.

On 14 February 1944, the corvette HMS Berkeley Castle (T/Lt. F.A. Darrah, RNVR) joined the convoy after having departed St. Johns on 11 February 1944.

On 14 February 1944, ships from the 2nd Escort Group joined the convoy, these were the sloops HMS Starling (Capt. F.W. Walker, CB, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Magpie (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Abram, RN), HMS Wild Goose (Lt.Cdr. D.E.G. Wemyss, DSC, RN), HMS Woodpecker (Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR) and HMS Wren (Cdr.(Retd.) L.B.A. Majendie, RN). They remained with the convoy until 17 February 1944.

On 15 February 1944, the escort carriers HMS Striker (Capt. F.M. Walton, RN), HMS Fencer (A/Capt. W.W.R. Bentinck, OBE, RN) joined the convoy.

On 16 February 1944, ships from the 7th Escort Group joined the convoy, these were the sloops HMS Woodcock (Cdr.(Retd.) J.F. Blackburn, DSO, RN), HMS Whimbrel (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Moore, DSC, RNR), HMS Hart (Cdr.(Retd.) M.B. Sherwood, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Crane (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Jenkins, RN) and from the 10th Escort Group joined the convoy, these were the frigates HMS Spey (Cdr. G.A.G. Ormsby, RN), HMS Findhorn (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Dawson, RD, RNR), HMS Lossie (Lt.Cdr. A.F. MacFie, OBE, RNR), HMS Rother (Cdr. Y.M. Cleeves, DSO, DSC, RD, RNR) and HMS Wear (Lt.Cdr. Gerald MacClelland, DSC, RN). Both the 7th and 10th Escort Group parted company with the convoy on 17 February 1944.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 19 February 1944.

29 Feb 1944
HMS H 34 (Lt. R.L. Jay, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Edmundston (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.D. Barrett, RCNR), HMS Mourne (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Holland, RD, RNR), HMS Gentian (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.W.C. Dempster, RNVR), HMS Gardiner (Lt. W.G.H. Bolton, DSC, RNR), HMS Clematis (T/Lt. R.H. Farrands, DSC, RNR) and one other vessel [unable to read the name in the log of HMS H 34]. (7)

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)

Sources

  1. ADM 173/18284
  2. ADM 173/18436
  3. ADM 173/17927
  4. ADM 173/18231
  5. ADM 173/17812
  6. ADM 173/19199
  7. ADM 173/18492

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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