Allied Warships

HMS Falk (FY 789)

ASW Whaler

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeASW Whaler
Class[No specific class] 
PennantFY 789 
Built byFramnæs mekaniske Værksted (Sandefjord, Norway) 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched 
CommissionedMar 1941 
End service 
History

Completed in September 1937.
Norwegian whaler of A/S Ornen (Thor Dahl), Sandefjord, Norway taken over by the Admiralty in November 1940.
Displacement: 305 tons.

Returned to owner in October 1946.

 

Commands listed for HMS Falk (FY 789)

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
1A/S.Lt. Neville Harold Mangnall, RNVRMar 194127 May 1941
2Lt. Henry Scott Upperton, RNR27 May 1941mid 1942
3S.Lt. Neville Harold Mangnall, RNVRmid 194215 Jan 1943
4T/Lt. William Metcalfe, RNVR15 Jan 194325 Jun 1944
5T/Lt. Alan Richard Arthur Marshall, RNVR25 Jun 1944early 1946

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Notable events involving Falk include:


5 Nov 1941
The A/S whaler HMS KOS XIX / Cocker (Lt. L.H. Davies, RNR) sighted a periscope about 32 nautical miles west of Alexandria at 2220/5.

A hunt was started and she was joined by the corvette HMS Snapdragon (T/Lt. P.H. Potter, RNR), A/S whaler HMS Falk (Lt. H.S. Upperton, RNR) and the A/S motor boat HMS MA/SB 2.

Destroyer HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St J. Morgan, RN) was sent from Alexandria to assist. She already sailed at 2325/5.

Two more destroyers, HMS Hotspur (Lt. T.D. Herrick, DSC, RN) and HMS Decoy (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Alliston, RN), joined in the morning 6th. They had sailed at 0900/6 and 1000/6 respectively.

The destroyers were recalled to harbour at 1800 and arrived later in the evening. No contact had been obtained.

As an oil slick was sighted in the area of the hunt on the 7th the destroyers HMS Hotspur and HMS Kipling (Cdr. A. St.Clair-Ford, RN) were sent to hunt in the area again. They departed Alexandria at 1200 and 1400 hours respectively.

The search continued during the night of 7/8 November. HMS Encounter joined the destroyers in the morning. She sailed from Alexandria at 0815/8.

The hunt was however soon abandoned as no contact could be obtained and and the three destroyers then escorted the light cruiser HMS Neptune (Capt. R.C. O'Conor, RN) during a practice bombardment at Aboukir. HMS Neptune had departed Alexandria at 1000/8.

Following the exercise HMS Neptune immediately returned to Alexandria arriving at 1630/8.

HMS Encounter, HMS Hotspur and HMS Kipling returned to Alexandria at 1015/9 having remained outside on patrol for another night. (1)

4 Apr 1942
HMS Otus (Lt. R.M. Favell, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria together with HMS Klo (Lt. M.C. English, RNR) and HMS Falk (Lt. H.S. Upperton, RNR). (2)

14 Apr 1942
HMS Otus (Lt. R.M. Favell, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria together with HMS Hero (Cdr. H.W. Biggs, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Peony (Lt.Cdr.(ret.) M.B. Sherwood, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Gloxinia (Lt. A.F. Harkness, DSC, RNR), HMS Hurworth (Lt.Cdr. J.T.B. Birch, RN), HMS Dulverton (Lt.Cdr. W.N. Petch, OBE, RN), HMS Falk (Lt. H.S. Upperton, RNR) and HMS Klo (Lt. M.C. English, RNR). HMS Dulverton (Lt.Cdr. W.N. Petch, OBE, RN) (2)

9 May 1944

Convoy MKS 49.

This convoy departed Port Said on 9 May 1944.

On departure from Port Said the convoy was made up of the transports / tankers; Benrinnes (British, 5410 GRT, built 1921), Boskoop (Dutch, 5620 GRT, built 1927), City of Norwich (British, 6726 GRT, built 1913), Elise (Norwegian (tanker), 7910 GRT, built 1931), Empire Ballad (British, 6700 GRT, built 1942), Fort Turtle (British, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Hart Crane (American, 7207 GRT, built 1944) and Modasa (British, 9070 GRT, built 1921).

On departure from Port Said the convoy was escorted by the corvettes HMS Delphinium (Cdr. V.F. Smith, DSO, RD, RNR) and HMS Hyderabad (Lt. G.H. Taylor, RNR).

At 2230C/9, the Elise and HMS Hyderabad collided between Port Said and Alexandria. HMS Hyderabad put into Alexandria but was later able to rejoin the convoy.

On 10 May 1944 the following transports departed Alexandria to join the convoy; Bialystok (Polish, 7174 GRT, built 1942), Fort Grant (British, 7133 GRT, built 1943), Gorjistan (British, 5888 GRT, built 1929), J.C. Osgood (American, 7207 GRT, built 1944), John A. Brown (British (tanker), 10455 GRT, built 1938), Nordnes (Norwegian, 4147 GRT, built 1932) and Ocean Stranger (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942).

The boom carrier HMS Kirriemoor (4970 GRT, built 1935, Cdr.(Retd.) H.M. Montague, OBE, RN) was also in company with the convoy.

Also the escort destroyer RHS Kriti, frigate HMS Usk (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Pattinson, DSC, RD, RNR), A/S whalers HMSAS Protea (Lt. A. Thomas, DSC, SANF) and HMSAS Southern Sea (Lt.Cdr. M.R.J. Terry-Lloyd, SANF) and A/S trawler HMS Bream (A/Skr.Lt. S.C. Larner, RNR) joined coming from Alexandria.

On 11 May 1944, the Empire Ballad arrived at Alexandria after having been detached due to engine trouble.

On 15 May 1944, the Elise was detached to Malta as was HMS Bream. The transports Samaffric (British, 7210 GRT, built 1944) and Thelma (British, 1593 GRT, built 1935) joined the convoy coming from Malta as did the submarine HMS Trespasser (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Favell, RN). They were escorted to the rendezvous by the A/S whaler HMS Falk ( T/Lt. W. Metcalfe, RNVR).

Also on 15 May 1944, the following transports / tankers were detached to Augusta; Bialystok, Boskoop, Fort Grant, Fort Turtle, Hart Crane, J.C. Osgood, John A. Brown, Nordnes and while the following transports joined the convoy coming from Augusta; Domby (British, 5582 GRT, built 1932), Edward Livingston (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Empire Beatrice (British, 7046 GRT, built 1943), Empire Conrad (British, 7009 GRT, built 1942), Empire Noble (British, 7125 GRT, built 1944), Empire Wyclif (British, 6966 GRT, built 1941), Esso Nashville (American (tanker), 7943 GRT, built 1940), Fort de Douaumont (French, 5266 GRT, built 1918), Fort Gaspereau (British, 7134 GRT, built 1943), James Gordon Bennett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), John B. Hood (American, 7196 GRT, built 1942), John Sullivan (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Joseph Le Conte (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Ocean Gallant (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942), Ocean Traveller (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942), Richard Bassett (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Samave (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Samboston (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Samnethy (British, 7210 GRT, built 1944), Samoa (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Sampan (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Sampford (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Samphire (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Samwash (British, 7219 GRT, built 1943), Samwye (British, 7219 GRT, built 1944), Stancleeve (British, 5970 GRT, built 1942), Stanwell (British, 5767 GRT, built 1914), William Few (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942) and William W. Campbell (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).

On 16 May 1944, the transports Edward Livingston and Sampan were detached to Bizerta while the transports Capitaine Paul Lemerle (French, 4945 GRT, built 1925), Empire Derwent (British, 4026 GRT, built 1930), Fort la Baye (British, 7162 GRT, built 1943), Fort Lennox (British, 7149 GRT, built 1943), Harlesden (British, 7273 GRT, built 1943), Josiah Bartlett (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Lornaston (British, 4934 GRT, built 1925), Luther Martin (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942) and Roger Williams (American, 7177 GRT, built 1942) joined coming from Bizerta. Also the AA cruiser HMS Caledon (Capt. R.F. Nichols, RN) and salvage vessel USS Restorer (Lt. C.M. Boyd, USNR) joined the convoy.

On 17 May 1944, the transports Capitaine Paul Lemerle, Fort Lennox, Harlesden, Ocean Traveller and Sampford were detached to Bone while the rescue tug HMS Hengist joined the convoy.

On 18 May 1944, the transports and tanker Empire Beatrice, Empire Noble, Empire Wyclif, Esso Nashville, Fort de Douaumont, Fort Gaspereau, James Gordon Bennett, John Sullivan, Joseph le Conte, Lornaston, Ocean Gallant, Richard Bassett, Samaye, Samboston, Samoa, Samphire, Samwash, Stancleeve, Thelma, William Few and William W. Campbell as well as USS Restorer arrived at Algiers while the transports / tanker Empire Cavalier (British (tanker), 9891 GRT, built 1942), Grodno (British, 2458 GRT, built 1919), Jared Ingersoll (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), John Sergeant (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Marrakech (French, 6179 GRT, built 1914), Silverelm (British, 4351 GRT, built 1924) and Tabitha Brown (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942) joined the convoy.

On 19 May 1944, the transports Empire Conrad, Jared Ingersoll, John Sergeant, Josiah Bertlett, Luther Martin, Roger Williams, Samaffric, Samnethy, Silverelm and Tabitha Brown arrived at Oran having been detached from the Convoy. The transports / tanker Belgian Sailor (Belgian, 7028 GRT, built 1942), Benjamin Tay (British, 1814 GRT, built 1943), Blackheath (British, 4637 GRT, built 1936), Capitaine Saint Martin (French, 3441 GRT, built 1938), Caudebec (French, 1471 GRT, built 1910), Dartmouth (American, 9879 GRT, built 1943), Empire Grebe (British, 5736 GRT, built 1918), Fort Brandon (British, 7131 GRT, built 1943), Fort la Traite (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942) and Lookout Mountain (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943) joined the convoy coming from Oran. With them were also the LST's USS LST-197 (Lt. J.E. Neal, USNR), USS LST-326 (Lt.(jg) G.R. Ambler, USCGR) and USS LST-381 (Lt. J.P. Houlihan, Jr, USCGR).

The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 20 May 1944.

Sources

  1. ADM 53/115216 + ADM 199/415
  2. ADM 173/17330

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


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