Allied Warships

HMS Kingsmill (K 484)

Frigate of the Captain class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassCaptain 
PennantK 484 
Built byBoston Navy Yard (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) 
Ordered25 Jan 1942 
Laid down9 Jul 1943 
Launched13 Aug 1943 
Commissioned29 Oct 1943 
End service 
History

Assigned USN penant DE 280 but not named.

Returned to the USN on 22 August 1945. Scrapped.

 
Former nameDE 280

Commands listed for HMS Kingsmill (K 484)

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. George Henry Cook, RN29 Oct 194326 Sep 1944
2T/A/Lt.Cdr. David Turquand-Young, RNVR26 Sep 194424 Oct 1944
3Lt. George Henry Cook, RN24 Oct 1944mid 1945

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Notable events involving Kingsmill include:


7 Mar 1944
HMS Uther (Lt. A.A. Catlow, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory with HMS Kingsmill (Lt. G.H. Cook, RN), HMS Nadder (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.E. Kitto, RNR), HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.F. Broadhead, RNR) and HMS Rushen Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Warwick, DSC, RNR). (1)

25 May 1945

Convoy CU 72.

This convoy departed New York on 25 May 1945.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports / tankers; Allatoona (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1945), Aztec (Hunduran, 5511 GRT, built 1929), Blue Licks (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1945), Champion's Hill (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Chicaca (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1945), Churubusco (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Empire Law (British (tanker), 8128 GRT, built 1944), Empire Protector (British (tanker), 8148 GRT, built 1944), Fort Ridgley (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), French Creek (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Great Republic (American, 6178 GRT, built 1943), Hammerfest (Norwegian (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1945), James Parker (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Karsten Wang (Norwegian (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Kirkenes (Norwegian (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Raphael Semmes (American, 6165 GRT, built 1942), Red Bank (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Robin Sherwood (American, 7101 GRT, built 1941), Sea Tiger (American, 7886 GRT, built 1944), Sweepstakes (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944) and Wolf Creek (American (tanker), 10448 GRT, built 1944).

The escort carrier, in an aircraft ferry role, HMS Ranee (A/Capt. J.A.W. Tothill, DSC, RN) was also part of the convoy.

The convoy was escorted by Task Group 61.8 which was made up of the destroyer escorts USS Pillsbury (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Cassleman, USNR, with COMTASKGR 61.8 / COMCORTDIV 4, Capt. J.R. Litchfield, USNR, on board), USS Pope (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Montgomery, USNR), USS Flaherty (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Duff, USNR), USS Chatelain (Lt.Cdr. D.S. Knox, USNR) and USS Neunzer (Lt.Cdr. V.E. Gex, USNR).

Around 0715Q/26, the Boston section of the convoy, made up of the (troop) transport General T.H. Bliss (American, 9943 GRT, built 1942) joined. She had been escorted to the rendezvous by the destroyer escorts USS Amick (with, COMCORTDIV 15, T/Cdr. F.C.B. McCune, USN, on board), USS Atherton (Lt. L. Iselin, USNR) and USS Booth (Lt. J.L. Rinn, USNR).

On 1 June 1945, the USS Raphael Semmes straggled from the convoy due to defects. She was ordered to proceed to her destination independently.

On 2 June 1945, the convoy split into the 'Irish Sea section ' escorted by USS Pope and USS Chatelain and the 'English Channel section ' escorted by USS Pillsbury, USS Flaherty and USS Neunzer.

On 3 June 1945, USS Pope arrived at Liverpool with the ' Liverpool Section ' of the convoy. USS Chatelain had been detached on 2 June 1945 with the ' Bristol Channel Section ' of the convoy made up of two ships, one of which was the Kirkenes. USS Chatelain arrived at Cardiff on 3 June 1945. HMS Ranee proceeded to the Clyde where she arrived on 4 June 1945.

Around 0300A/3, the ' English Channel Section ' of the convoy was joined by the frigates HMS Ascension (Cdr. W.J. Moore, DSC, RNR) and HMS Moorsom (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR). They remained in company until around 1515A/3.

Around 1600A/3, the ' English Channel Section ' of the convoy was joined by the frigate HMS Kingsmill (Lt. G.H. Cook, RN).

Around 1700A/3, the ships for Le Havre parted company escorted by USS Flaherty and USS Neunzer. These were the Aztec, Empire Law, General T.H. Bliss, James Parker and Sea Tiger. On delivering these ships at Le Havre the destroyer escorts proceeded to Portsmouth.

Around 1900A/3, the ships for the east coast of the U.K. parted company escorted by HMS Kingsmill.

USS Pillsbury arrived at Portsmouth around 2000A/3. The Fort Ridgley, Robin Sherwood and Sweepstakes proceeded to Southampton.

Media links


The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War

Collingwood, Donald

Sources

  1. ADM 173/19326

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


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