Allied Warships

HMS Rupert (K 561)

Frigate of the Captain class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassCaptain 
PennantK 561 
Built byBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard Inc. (Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) 
Ordered10 Jan 1942 
Laid down25 Aug 1943 
Launched31 Oct 1943 
Commissioned24 Dec 1943 
End service 
History

Assigned USN penant DE 96 but had not been named.

Returned to the USN on 20 March 1946. Stricken on 17 April 1946 and scrapped.

 
Former nameDE 96

Commands listed for HMS Rupert (K 561)

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. Peter Claud Shipton Black, RN24 Dec 1943late 1945

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Notable events involving Rupert include:


3 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Whiteaker (Lt. G.P.W. Edwards, RN) and HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN). (1)

25 Apr 1944
HMS Seraph (Lt. T. Russell-Walling, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Plymouth with HMS Spragge (Lt.Cdr. G.S. Grant, RD, RNR), HMS Stockham (T/A/Lt.Cdr. B.C. Hamilton, RNR), HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN) and HMS Waldegrave (Lt. T. Hay, RN). (2)

10 Oct 1944
HMS Torbay (Lt. C.P. Norman, DSO, RN) proceeded from the Clyde area to Larne where she conducted A/S exercises off Larne with ships from the 21st Escort Group which was made up of the frigates HMS Byron (Lt.Cdr. K.G.L. Southcombe, RN), HMS Conn (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN, Senior Officer of the group), HMS Deane (Lt. V.A. Hickson, DSO, RN), HMS Fitzroy (A/Lt.Cdr. A.J. McCullogh Miller, DSC, RNVR), HMS Redmill (Lt. J.R.A. Denne, RN) and HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN).

On completion of the exercises HMS Torbay entered Larne harbour while the frigates arrived at Belfast later the same day. (3)

5 Feb 1945

Convoy CU 57.

This convoy departed New York on 5 February 1945.

On departure it was made up of the following ships (New York Section);
Alden Besse (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944), Arawa (British, 14462 GRT, built 1922), Athos II (French, 15276 GRT, built 1927), Cape Corwin (American, 5124 GRT, built 1943), Cape Nome (American, 5124 GRT, built 1944), Carnifex Ferry (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1945), Chatterton Hill (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Chickamauga (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Esso Camden (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Examiner (American, 6737 GRT, built 1942), Fort Fetterman (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Fort Stevens (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Grand River (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Hubbardton (American (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Java (Dutch, 9250 GRT, built 1939), Karsten Wang (Norwegian (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Marine Eagle (American, 11500 GRT, built 1943), Marine Panther (American, 11758 GRT, built 1944), Mobile Bay (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1945), Ocala Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1945), Pit River (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1945), Rangitata (British, 16737 GRT, built 1929), Raphael Semmes (American, 6165 GRT, built 1942), Rosemont (Panamanian, 4956 GRT, built 1938), Sandy Creek (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Santa Rosa (American, 9135 GRT, built 1932), The Yakima (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Yellow Tevern (American (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944) and York (American (tanker), 10448 GRT, built 1943).

The following ships were also part of the convoy; escort carrier (in an aircraft ferry role) HMS Pursuer (A/Capt. H.R. Graham, DSO, DSC, RN) and naval troop transport USS Hermitage (23254 GRT, built 1925) (T/Capt. J.T. Talbert, USN).

On departure from New York the convoy was escorted by the destroyers USS McDougal (T/Cdr. E.W. Logsdon, USN, with COMTASKGR 61.5, T/Capt. E.D. Poole, USN, on board), USS Simpson (Lt.Cdr. L.W. Sedgwick, USNR) and the destroyer escorts USS Robert E. Peary (Lt. D. McKinlay, Jr., USNR), USS Blair (Lt. W. Gadsby, Jr., USNR) and USS Sturtevant (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Mertz, USNR).

On 6 February the Boston Section of the convoy departed that place, it was made up of the following ship;
Brazil (American, 20614 GRT, built 1929), Cape Borda (American, 5124 GRT, built 1944), Cape Race (American, 5124 GRT, built 1944), Excelsior (American, 6737 GRT, built 1943), Kokomo Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1945), Oneida Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), Pachaug Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), Sea Tiger (American, 7886 GRT, built 1944) and Thomas H. Barry (American, 11250 GRT, built 1930).

On departure from New York this section was escorted by the escort destroyers USS Jacob Jones (Lt. Frank L. Sullivan, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 3, T/Cdr. C.W. Musgrave, USN, on board), USS Brough (Lt. M.A. Stein, USNR), USS Roy O. Hale (Lt. H.C. Pogue, Jr., USNR) and USS Dale W. Peterson (Lt.Cdr. A.S. Bigelow, USNR).

Around 1015Q/7, the Boston Section of the convoy joined the main convoy. USS Simpson then parted company to proceed to Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Around 1800O/9, the merchant vessel Waiwera (British, 12435 GRT, built 1934) joined the convoy coming from the Panama Canal.

Around 0950O/10, the destroyer escorts USS Hammann (Lt.Cdr. C.L. Gould, USNR) and USS Martin H. Ray (Lt. H.V. Tucker, Jr., USNR), which had been delayed in sailing with the convoy due to the need for repairs, joined the convoy.

Around 1915N/11, the merchant vessels Hororata (British, 13945 GRT, built 1942) and Westerley Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944) joined the convoy coming from the Panama Canal and Horta, Azores respectively.

Around 1530N/12, the merchant vessel Empire Rawlinson (British, 9912 GRT, built 1944) joined the convoy coming from Ascension.

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Around 1700N/12, the Irish Sea / west coast section of the convoy parted company. This section was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Arawa, Carnifex Ferry, Chatteron Hill, Empire Rawlinson, Esso Camden, Fort Stevens, Grand River, Hororata, Mobile Bay, Pit River, Rangitata, Sandy Creek, The Yakima, Waiwera and York. HMS Pursuer was also part of this section. They were escorted by USS Jacob Jones, USS Hammann, USS Robert E. Peary, USS Brough and USS Roy O. Hale.

Around 1245Z/13, the merchant vessel Empire Grace (British, 13478 GRT, built 1942) joined the Irish Sea / west coast section. She came from the Panama Canal.

Around 1645A/15, ' Force 33 ' (21st Escort Group) reinforced the escort. This were the frigates HMS Conn (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Byron (Lt. J.B. Burfield, DSC, RN), HMS Deane (T/Lt.Cdr. F. Brock, RCNVR), HMS Fitzroy (Lt.Cdr. O.G. Stuart, RCNVR), HMS Redmill (Lt. J.R.A. Denne, RN) and HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN).

Around 1730A/15, HMS Redmill was detached for other escort duties.

Around 1945A/15, ' Force 37 ' (31st Escort group) joined and took over from ' Force 33 ' which then parted company. ' Force 37 ' was made up of the corvettes HMS Berkeley Castle (Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC and Bar, RD, RNR), HMS Carisbrooke Castle (T/Lt. W.H. Forster, RNR), HMS Dumbarton Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.C. Heron, RNVR) and HMS Lancaster Castle (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.S. Joliffe, RNR).

Around 2140A/15, the Esso Camden parted company to proceed to the Clyde. USS Brough went with her as escort. They arrived in the Clyde the following morning.

Around 2225A/15, HMS Pursuer was detached to Belfast Lough where she arrived around an hour later.

Around 0200A/16, ' Force 37 ' parted company having been relieved by the 19th Escort Group which was made up of the frigate HMS Loch Shin (Cdr. J.P. de W. Kitcat, RN), HMS Loch Insh (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.W.C. Dempster, RNVR), HMS Anguilla (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C. Morrison-Payne, RNVR), HMS Cotton (Lt.Cdr. I.W.T. Beloe, RN) and HMS Goodall (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Fulton, RNVR).

Around 0300A/16, the Bristol Channel section of the convoy parted company. This was made up of the following merchant vessels; Arawa, Chatterton Hill, Empire Grace, Fort Stevens and Pit River. They all arrived at Avonmouth on 16 / 17 February 1945. USS Robert E. Peary and USS Roy O. Hale went with them as escorts and they arrived at Cardiff in the evening of 16 February. This section of the convoy was supported by ships of the ' 25th Escort Group ' from 0700A/16 until the vicinity of Milford Haven. The 25th Escort Group was made up of the frigates HMCS Orkney (A/Cdr. V. Browne, RCNR), HMCS La Hulloise (Lt.Cdr. J. Brock, RCNVR), HMCS Strathadam (A/Lt.Cdr. H.L. Quinn, DSC, RCNVR) and HMCS Thedford Mines (Lt. J.A.R. Allan, DSC, RCNVR).

The remaining ships of the Irish Sea / west coast section arrived off the Bar light ship off Liverpool around 1030A/16 and the ships then started to enter the harbour.

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The remaining ships made up the Channel / east coast section.

Around 1200A/15, the destroyers HMS Faulknor (Cdr. D.E. Holland-Martin, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN), HMCS Iroquois (Capt. K.F. Adams, RCN) and escort destroyers HMS Tanatside (Cdr. B.J. de St. Croix, DSC, RN) and HMS Brissenden (Lt. D.D.E. Vivian, DSC, RN) joined.

Around 0355A/16, the Java suffered a steering defect and collided with the Westerly Victory. HMS Tanatside was ordered to standby them. They arrived at Plymouth later on the 16th. Java being towed into port by the rescue tug HMRT Allegiance.

Around 0730A/16, the Fort Fetterman and Yellow Tavern were detached to Weymouth Bay where they arrived later the same day.

Around 1000A/16, HMS Faulknor, HMCS Iroquois and HMS Brissenden parted company after the destroyer HMS Vidette (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.S. Wooley, RNVR), frigates HMS Hargood (Cdr. P.G. MacIver, DSO, RD, RNR), HMS Kingsmill (Lt. G.H. Cook, RN) and L'Escarmouche joined.

Around 1400A/16, the ' London ' Section of the convoy parted company. This section was made up of the following merchant vesssels;
Chicamauga, Hubbardton and Karsten Wang. HMS Vidette went with them as escort.

The remaining ships arrived in Le Havre Roads in the evening of 16 February. (4)

30 Mar 1945
German U-boat U-965 was sunk north of Scotland, in position 58°19'N, 05°31'W by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN) and HMS Conn (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN).

23 Apr 1945
At Loch Alsh, HMS Trespasser (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSC, RN) and HMS Tactician (Lt.Cdr. L.N.A. Jewell, DSC, MBE, RN) conducted A/S exercises with HMS Philante (Cdr. M.J. Evans, OBE, RN) and ships from Escort Group 23 which were most likely the following; HMS Conn (Lt.Cdr. R. Hart, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Byron (Lt. J. Burfield, RN), HMS Deane (A/Lt.Cdr. E.L. Cook, DSC, RN), HMS Fitzroy (Lt.Cdr. O.G. Stuart, RCNVR), HMS Redmill (Lt. J.R.A. Denne, RN) and HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN). (5)

Media links


The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War

Collingwood, Donald

Sources

  1. ADM 173/19218
  2. ADM 173/18697
  3. ADM 173/19040
  4. War diaries of several USS warships + ADM 217/762 + ADM 217/765 + ADM 217/774 + File RG24-D-2 / Vol. 7419 (Library and Archives Canada)
  5. ADM 173/19808 + ADM 173/19975

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


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