Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Orders, Remarks etc

?

Dundee

2.2.42

2/1 Docked in West Graving Dock, Dundee
4/1 Undocked
Arrives Scapa 1/2 on completion of trials

3.2.42

Scapa

?

?

Loch Ewe

12.2.42

?

Kirkwall

14.2.42

14.2.42

NIGER (Senior Officer, Escort) and Hussar formed part of the ocean escort for PQ11 (13 ships). The convoy averaged about 8 knots in the rain, fog and snow that hid it from the enemy aircraft. Gales threw spray over the ships, freezing the gun mounting and the depth charges to their racks, and threatening the stability of the small escorts. As soon as the weather moderated all hands were turned out to clear the ice with steam hoses, shovels and picks.

From 17 to 21 February the escort was NIGER, HUSSAR, OXLIP and SWEETBRIAR; the cruiser NIGERIA joined for the 21/22 Feb, and on the last day (23rd) two Russian destroyers joined. A speed of about eight knots had been maintained and the enemy had failed to make contact.

Harrier, Hazard and Salamander provided part of the eastern local escort on 22/2, arriving at Murmansk later that day. No enemy action.

3.3.42

Able Seaman Harold Edward Sarsfield C/JX171537 died ashore age 25.

5.3.42

On 5th March HMS NIGER and Speedwell went to search for the Russian destroyer Gromki who had run out of fuel when returning from escorting convoy QP8 and was drifting. They provided an A/S screen for her at daylight on 6th March when she was in tow of a tug.

NIGER sighted and apparently unsuccessfully attacked a U‑boat off Teriberssky (69.2ON, 35.3OE).
 

15.3.42

Murmansk has been raided on three occasions. On the night of 15th-16th March, when three or four enemy aircraft dropped 12 bombs on the dock area. HMS NIGER had a narrow escape when the ship's store close alongside was destroyed, but no actual damage was done to shipping. The bombs dropped are said to have been 100 kilos. When the jetty to which HMS NIGER, Gossamer and Hussar were tied was hit, the minesweepers were covered with splinters and debris

Source: Report of SBNO North Russia

21.3.42

Gossamer, Hussar, Harrier, NIGER and Speedwell provided Eastern local escort for QP9 until 23/3. Ocean escort included Britomart and Sharpshooter.

24.3.42

At 17.05 on the same day, when eighteen Ju87 and an unspecified number of Me110 dropped more bombs. Subsequent Russian reports have given the number of enemy aircraft as being over 100, but although this figure might be questioned, there seems to be no doubt that Russian Hurricanes, attacking from below out of the sun, shot down five Ju87 and one Me110.Two Hurricanes made forced landings but the pilots of both machines are safe.   
 

28.3.42

Niger Eastern local escort for PQ13 with Hussar, Harrier, Gossamer and Speedwell, arriving Murmansk 31/3

30.3.42

At 1229A/30 NIGER and U S S R Gromki sailed to re-enforce the local escort.
1716 If Gossamer hasn't found survivors of Induna (merchant ship) by morning NIGER to join her (not found).

1812 NIGER escorted another merchant, River Afton into harbour.

1.4.42

Source: ADM 199/347- Report of the Local Escort

"NIGER", who had been boiler-cleaning and repairing Gyro Compass sailed a.m. to search for the Whaler "SULLA". At 1045 she saw three torpedoes approaching on the surface from the port quarter. Two were going to pass ahead, but the third which was expected to pass astern was zigzagging, and the necessary avoiding action was taken. "NIGER" proceeded at full speed down the torpedo tracks. A good contact was obtained on the Starboard bow and a counter attack was made. By a great misfortune, "NIGER'S" Asdic Dome was leaking slightly, with the result that echoes went woolly within 20º on either bow. Nevertheless the attacks carried out were good and may have damaged the submarine, since they were made in broad daylight and the submarine's original firing position was definitely established at the end of the torpedo tracks which were very plain in a calm flat sea. A search was carried out for several hours afterwards and no further contact was obtained. 

Having failed to find "SULLA", "NIGER" returned to harbour p.m. 3rd April.

I would like to pay tribute to the way in which Officers and men of H.M.Ships "HARRIER", "NIGER", "GOSSAMER", "SPEEDWELL" and "HUSSAR" carried out their duties on this occasion. The receipt of the following signal kindly sent by   The Senior British Naval Officer, North Russia on return to harbour was greatly appreciated by all ships:-

M.S.6                                                                   From S.B.N.O., N.R.

I should like Commanding Officers of all Minesweepers to know that I fully appreciate the good work in the difficult conditions in the past few days searching, escorting, and hunting under the nose of the enemy sea and air forces. It does everyone, but especially the Engine room department, great credit that all ships have been ready for service whenever called upon and I am sure that valuable lives and ships have been saved by the good work performed.   

Commander

Senior Officer, Sixth Minesweeping Flotilla

2.4.42

Pos. 072° 22'N 036° 10'E. NIGER counter attacked and sub sunk at 1300A/2 April.

Extract from ADM 199/1104 Report of SBNO North Russia March 1942

I wish to pay tribute to the recent work of the Minesweeping Flotilla, consisting of HMS Harrier (Senior Officer), NIGER, Gossamer, Speedwell and Hussar, under the command of Commander E P Hinton, DSO, MVC, Senior Officer, 6th Minesweeping Flotilla. These ships have been escorting QP and PQ Convoys in most severe weather conditions and expected every form of attack be the enemy at distances up to 300 miles from the base. They have little rest except when cleaning boilers, and can seldom berth alongside or obtain relaxation. Their work, especially when meeting convoy PQ13, has been extremely well done and reflects credit on all concerned. 

Signed N Bevan
Rear Admiral, Senior British Naval Officer, North Russia             

Polyarnoe, 1942
 

7.4.42

Edinburgh entered dry dock at Rosta on 7/4. The 12 dead were removed and placed on the deck of NIGER and taken to sea, a duty that for the rest of the war, occupied one or other of the small flotilla of ‘little ships’.

18.4.42

NIGER, Hussar, Gossamer and Harrier joined PQ14 as eastern local escort and a strong gale from the north-west sprang up. The convoy arrived Murmansk 19/4 where there were persistent air attacks.

28.4.42

NIGER, Hussar, Gossamer and Harrier joined QP11 (13 ships) from Murmansk as eastern local escort until 29/4. They escorted the convoy for the first 300 miles and then returned to Murmansk.

1.5.42

At 1800, following the torpedoing of HMS Edinburgh by U456, NIGER, Hussar, Gossamer and Harrier reinforced the protective screen of destroyers. Edinburgh was taken in tow with Gossamer acting as a drogue aft, making for Kola at 3 knots.

2.5.42

At 0627 Hussar, on Edinburgh's starboard quarter, came under fire from three German destroyers trying to close through the fog on Edinburgh and immediately opened fire with her 4 inch gun. Fire was returned immediately, straddling the tiny sweeper, which fell back towards Edinburgh. Immediately Harrier and the two destroyers swung round and headed towards the gun flashes.  These aggressive tactics by the destroyers and 3 minesweepers kept them at bay. Admiral Bonham Carter described the minesweepers actions as ‘like three young terriers, going in and firing when they could’. Edinburgh ordered Gossamer to cast off and, steaming in circles out of control, opened fire, hitting one of the German ships. Gossamer and Harrier closed in on Hussar and Edinburgh, their asdics searching for submarines. Unfortunately a German torpedo attack on one of the British destroyers missed but went on to hit Edinburgh.  

Gossamer was ordered alongside to take off the wounded and merchant navy personnel being taken home. She embarked 440 officers and men while Edinburgh continued firing at the German ships. At 0800 the order to abandon ship was given and the remaining 350 crew were transferred to Harrier. Rear Admiral Bonham Carter hoisted his flag on Harrier. [See Harrier's history for 2.5.42 for more details]

The laden sweepers, with the Rubin and the damaged destroyers Foresight and Forester, set course for Kola Inlet. Bonham Carter was surprised that the Germans did not attack again and thought that a bolder enemy would have completely destroyed his force. There is some evidence to suggest that the Germans believed the minesweepers were destroyers, an understandable mistake given the weather conditions and the boldness of their handling. At 1020 NIGER, which had been detached in the night to locate and bring in the two refuelled Russian destroyers, rejoined.

5.5.42

Harrier, Hussar, NIGER and the other ships arrived at Kola.

29.5.42

On the evening of the 29^th, 140 miles NE of the Kola Inlet,  Captain Crombie commanding the 1^st MSF based at Kola joined PQ16 in HMS Bramble, together with Leda, Seagull, NIGER, Hussar and Gossamer. The convoy divided and at 2330 Crombie's section, escorting six of the merchant ships to Archangel, was attacked by 15 Ju88’s while 18 attacked the Murmansk-bound ships.

30.5.42

Crombie's division, proceeding in line ahead and led by the Empire Elgar, arrived at the estuary of the Dvina on 30/5 where it met the ice breaker Stalin. They began a passage through the ice lasting 40 hours. Confined to the narrow lead cut by the Stalin, they were attacked by Ju87 Stukas in a noisy but useless attack.  This section of PQ16 passed Archangel and secured alongside at Bakarista, a new wharf two miles upstream.

Commander Onslow, Senior Officer close escort reported that four fifths of the convoy had got through....  ‘... due to the gallantry, efficiency and tireless zeal of the officers and men of the escorts and to the remarkable courage and determination of those of the merchant vessels. No praise can be too high for either’.

28.6.42

QP13 (35 ships) sailed in two parts from Murmansk and Archangel, joining at sea on 28/6. NIGER and Hussar were part of the Ocean escort. The convoy was not attacked as the German's attention was focussed on PQ17.

4.7.42

The convoy divided off Iceland with 16 going to Loch Ewe and the other 19, escorted by NIGER, Hussar a corvette and two trawlers, heading around the north coast of Iceland to Reykjavik.

Map source: 'Last Call for HMS Edinburgh' Frank Pearce
 

5.7.42

At 1900 the convoy was approaching the north-west coast if Iceland in five columns. The weather was bad; visibility was under one mile, rough seas and a Force 8 wind from the north-east. No sighting had been taken since 2/7 and the convoy's position, calculated by dead reckoning, was in doubt.

At 1910 NIGER's Senior Officer (Commander Antony J Cubison) went on ahead in order to obtain a navigational fix and suggested to the Commodore that the convoy be reduced from five to two columns to pass between the coast at Straumness and a British minefield to the north west of Iceland..

At 2100 NIGER, which had gone ahead looking for land, leaving Hussar in between as a visual link with the convoy, sighted what she believed to be the North Cape and ordered a course alteration for the convoy. Unfortunately, what NIGER had sighted was an iceberg and the alteration took the convoy into the minefield. From soundings he estimated that the North Cape of Iceland had been passed and ordered a south-west course to try to make a landfall. Cautiously making his way through the mist and cloud he suddenly saw what appeared to be a steep cliff looming up in the murk, which he thought must be the North Cape after all. It seemed that the convoy had altered course too soon and if they maintained the direction they would be into the coastline. To correct this, Cubison immediately signalled the convoy back on to a west course. Hardly had the convoy swung back onto the new course when a clearance in the weather showed that what had been taken for a cliff was in fact a large iceberg.

Just before 2240 NIGER realised the mistake and signalled the Commodore to change course but it was too late and at 2240 NIGER hit a mine and blew up in position 66.55N, 22.20W. NIGER sank very quickly. With her bottom torn out and her back broken she lasted but a few minutes. As she settled into the Arctic sea there was a muffled roar as her boilers exploded. And then, maintaining her level with the water, she slowly heeled over onto her side, her mast and funnel dipping despairingly into a surface of burning oil gushing from her tanks. For a moment the keel showed wet black against the turbulent sea and then in a rush of vomiting bubbles she was gone.

She took with her the commanding officer, Commander Cubison, 80 officers and crew, and 39 passengers, survivors from HMS Edinburgh.  Fog further reduced visibility to 500 yards, and the Merchant Ships thought a U Boat attack or Surface Raider attack was in progress. Four Merchant Ships were sunk by mines, and two more seriously damaged. The escorts displayed conspicuous gallantry in entering and remaining in the minefield to rescue the survivors. ROSLYS, whose Commanding Officer had appreciated that his ship was in the minefield remained in it for six and a half hours while she rescued 179 survivors. 

Miraculously, two of the passengers from Edinburgh survived NIGER's sinking. Finally a definite shore fix was obtained by Hussar and the convoy reached Reykjavik on 7/7.

The Commanding Officer, eight officers and 140 ratings perished when NIGER sank; the large casualty list is probably explained by the fact that the ship was carrying naval passengers home from North Russia including 39 survivors from HMS Edinburgh. 

A letter dated September from Tiny Peebles, the Petty Officer Gunners Mate on NIGER at the time reveals that there were actually 8 survivors from NIGER of whom one was a survivor from EDINBURGH. ADM 199/347 reports there were 3 survivors from NIGER