Halcyon Class Minesweepers HMS Harrier 1941
 
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HMS Harrier - Halcyon Class Minesweeper
HMS Harrier

Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Orders, Remarks etc

3.1.41

Harwich

4.1.41

 

5.1.41

Harwich

7.1.41

 

8.1.41

Harwich

8.1.41

 

9.1.41

Harwich

10.1.41

 

11.1.41

Harwich

12.1.41

 

12.1.41

Harwich

14.1.41

 

14.1.41

Harwich

17.1.41

 

18.1.41

Harwich

22.1.41

 

23.1.41

Harwich

25.1.41

 

2.2.41

Harwich

2.2.41

 

3.2.41

Harwich

3.2.41

 

4.2.41

Harwich

6.2.41

 

7.2.41

Harwich

10.2.41

 

12.2.41

Harwich

16.2.41

 

16.2.41

Harwich

18.2.41

HARRIER was re‑deployed to Scapa Flow, but in the following month she was again transferred, this time to the Western Approaches Command, for ocean escort duties.

21.2.41

Scapa

20.3.41

Sailing of HARRIER delayed by weather

?

Aberdeen

29.3.41

24/3 Taken in hand 21/3 for boiler cleaning and minor repairs, completes 26/3

30.3.41

Scapa

5.4.41

31/3 Able Seaman Harry George Constable died.

6.4.41

Aberdeen

?

Transferred to the Western Approaches Command, for ocean escort duties.

9.4.41

Greenock

14.4.41

 

18.4.41

Iceland

?

 

?

Stornoway

20.4.41

 

 

 

 

8/5 HARRIER can be taken in hand for refit forthwith by Messrs Thorneycroft, Southampton.

9/5 Intend sailing HARRIER for Southampton 10/5 to arrive 13/5

?

Stornoway

10.5.41

For Clyde

11.5.41

Clyde

11.5.41

 

12.5.41

Milford Haven

13.5.41

 

?

Falmouth

15.5.41

 

?

Dartmouth

16.5.41

 

?

Southampton

 

26/5 Taken in hand Southampton 19/5, completes 6/7

?

Portsmouth

15.7.41

14/7 Intend to sail HARRIER in convoy PW5 on 16/7 for onward routing to Londonderry

?

Falmouth

18.7.41

 

19.7.41

Milford Haven

20.7.41

 

22.7.41

Londonderry

26.7.41

HARRIER was one of the ships which rendered assistance to the ATLANTIC CITY in convoy OS1, which was torpedoed in 55° 42'N, 9° 58' W.  

26/7 HARRIER to proceed with despatch to join Walker hunting U-boat in 55°N, 09°36’W.

26/7 Request NO i/c Londonderry will sail HARRIER to escort tug to Atlantic City and back with tow.

28.7.41

Londonderry

31.7.41

 

1.8.41

Scapa

?

 

SALAMANDER, NIGER, HARRIER and HALCYON spent most of August providing A/S protection for the port of Seidisfjord in Iceland.

Ruegg

4.8.41

Seidisfjord, Iceland

12.8.41

 

13.8.41

Iceland

?

 

20.8.41

At sea

31.8.41

Halcyon, HARRIER and Salamander provided part of the ocean escort for Operation Dervish, the first convoy to North Russia, arriving Archangel 31/8 without being attacked.

They sailed to the White Sea to conduct mine searching operations at its entrance in preparation for future Arctic convoys.

24.9.41

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings


Report of the proceedings of HM Ships HARRIER, Salamander and Halcyon is submitted herewith. 

MINESWEEPING OPERATION OF SEPT 24TH – 27TH

Preparatory to the arrival of HMS LONDON 

The three sweepers sailed p.m. 24th; on 25th searched QZF38 and then north to Cape Gorodetski with Oropesa and SA. Sweeping was abandoned p.m. owing to strong northerly winds. Ships anchored south of Veshnyak for the night. As stated in the sailing directions, this is an uncomfortable anchorage owing to strong tides. 

On Sept 26th a high percentage search of QZF 38 was carried out with LL and SA. On completion ships returned to the North Dvina Lightship, arriving a.m. Sept 27th.
 

28.9.41


The three sweepers formed part of the escort of convoy QP1 (14 ships), parting company at 1300 on Sept 30th. I had intended to carry out a further search of Gorodetski – QZF 38 area before the return of HMS London but, owing to the bad visibility, only an acoustic search was possible. Ships returned to Archangel a.m. Oct 2nd.

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

3.10.41

DEPARTURE OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN MISSION 

HMS London arrived p.m. October 3rd. SALAMANDER and HALCYON were sent to the North Dvina Lightship to provide A/S protection, while HARRIER remained at Archangel as W/T link and to take the mission down river on Oct 4th.

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

4.10.41


For some unknown reason the mission did not embark in HARRIER until 1730, by which time HMS LONDON had been compelled to cross the bar by the falling tide and anchor NW of the North Dvina Lightship. 

A north-westerly gale had been blowing all day and by the time HARRIER crossed the bar at 1830 it was blowing Force 8. Although a certain amount of minor damage was inevitable, I decided to endeavour to secure alongside, rather than delay the departure of the mission for probably 24 hours. I was somewhat influenced in this decision by the fact that the Russian Naval Staff who were on board, obviously considered the operation impracticable. 

At the third attempt HARRIER succeeded in securing alongside, and by various extemporaneous methods the mission and their baggage was successfully transferred. Admiral Stanley, US Navy, gave the party a lead over. The safe transfer of Lord Beaverbrook who, in view of his importance, had been given a special lifeline raised a short round of applause. In the darkness a senior military was detailed with two ordinary seamen to tend a wire, a duty he performed in an exemplary manner until his identity was realised. 

HARRIER was alongside about an hour and a half and during this time a certain amount of superficial structural damage was done, without, however, impairing fighting and seagoing efficiency. On completion of the operation, HARRIER returned to harbour with the Russian Naval Staff.

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

6.10.41


HARRIER went alongside the Russian floating workshop a.m. October 6th. Repairs were completed by p.m. Oct 7th. The work was carried out efficiently and rapidly.

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

8.10.41


HARRIER and HALCYON sailed on October 8th to buoy the newly established QZF 39 and to search QZF 38 before the arrival of convoy PQ1. This was done at dusk on Oct 9th and HALCYON was sent back to Archangel, while HARRIER proceeded to position Z to meet the convoy. 

The convoy was picked up by RDF at a range of 10,000 yards at 0400 Oct 10th. HARRIER joined up and formed part of the escort until arrival off Dvina at dawn on Oct 11th

The weather was too bad to embark pilots outside the bar, so HARRIER led the minesweepers across the bar where they embarked pilots, and in turn led the ships of the convoy across the bar.

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

11.10.41

Archangel

14.10.41

 

14.10.41


HM Ships HARRIER, SALAMANDER, BRITOMART and HALCYON sailed from Archangel p.m. Oct 14th, with orders to return to Scapa via Seidisfiord. SALAMANDER had only temporary repairs to her forepeak and was compelled to reduce speed in any head sea; HALCYON could only steam 11 knots owing to a distorted tail shaft: BRITOMART has no A/S: HARRIER’s Type 271 was out of action owing to lack of spares. 

Soon after sailing, orders were received from the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet to search Brentsburg and Longyearby for possible enemy occupation. It was obvious that SALAMANDER and HALCYON would be unable to make the extra distance so at noon on October 18th HARRIER and BRITOMART parted company and increased to 13 knots to make landfall at Spitzbergen before (?) on October 18th

The weather, however, deteriorated and by the afternoon of October 18th it was blowing a north-easterly gale with snow squalls and visibility between a half mile and two miles. Ships were compelled to alter course to the southward for safety. 

A rough position had been obtained from soundings on the Spitzbergen bank. As the fuel situation made it essential to carry out the reconnaissance on October 19th, course was altered again to the NW at 2100 in the hope of the weather clearing. This occurred sufficiently to enable a starsight to be taken, and Isfiord was made at dawn on Oct 19th

A report of the encounter in Spitzbergen is being forwarded separately (my B/30/10 of 22nd October 24th). 

The passage to Scapa was without incident. HARRIER and BRITOMART oiled at Seidisfiord on October 24th  

Throughout the work in Russian waters Lt Commander W A Cooke of HMS SALAMANDER and Acting Lt Commander H Harding RNR maintained a high standard of efficiency under arduous and exacting conditions. I received great assistance from the work of Lt J D D Moore, the flotilla navigating officer. 

J M Bayley
Commander  HMS HARRIER 

Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings

19.10.41

On the way back to Scapa from Archangel with BRITOMART, HARRIER examined the harbours at Spitzbergen for any evidence of renewed German activity there. They entered Isfjord on 19th, and found an enemy meteorological party which had just arrived by air to establish a station. The party got away by air, but HARRIER captured some of their equipment.

23.10.41

Seidisfjord

24.10.41

Can be fitted out by Consolidated Fisheries, Grimsby.

25.10.41

Scapa

28.10.41

 

29.10.41

Humber

15.12.41

HARRIER to be taken in hand 1/11 for refit and fitting out for arctic service by Consolidated Fisheries, completes 13/12.

23/11 HARRIER is urgently required to be ready to sail 4/12

16.12.41

Methil

16.12.41

 

17.12.41

Scapa

22.12.41

Halcyon, HARRIER, Scott and Speedwell left Scapa with Arethusa, 6 destroyers, 2 corvettes, and two LSIs for the raid on Vaagso (Operation Anklet, the landing of commandos on the Lofoten Islands); entered Vestfjord on 26/12 and the Commando raid began. Force left 28/12 and arrived Scapa 1.1.42

HMS Harrier viewed from stern
HMS Harrier viewed from stern

     

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This site was last updated 17 Januar 2012