.jpg) HMSBlackmore, underway on the river Medway. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSBlackmore |
| Ordered | 20 December 1940 |
| Builder | A. Stephen & Sons Ltd. (Glasgow |
| Laid down | 10 February 1940 |
| Launched | 2 December 1941 |
| Commissioned | 14 April 1942 |
| Identification | Pennant number: L43 |
| Honours and awards |
|
| Fate | Sold to theRoyal Danish Navy in 1954 |
 Denmark | |
| Name | HDMSEsbern Snare |
| Commissioned | 1954 |
| Decommissioned | 1965 |
| Identification | F341 |
| Fate | Scrapped in 1966 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type II Hunt-classdestroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 85.34 m (280.0 ft) |
| Beam | 9.62 m (31.6 ft) |
| Draught | 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines; 19,000 shp |
| Speed | 25.5 kn (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph) |
| Range | 3,600 nmi (6,670 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Complement | 164 |
| Armament |
|
HMSBlackmore(pennant number L43) was anescort destroyer of theType II Hunt class. TheRoyal Navy orderedBlackmore's construction three months after the outbreak of theSecond World War.[1]A. Stephen & Sons laid down her keel at theirGlasgow yard on 10 February 1941, as Admiralty Job Number J1479. The ship was adopted by the civil community ofLangport,Somerset after a successfulWarship Week campaign.[1] The ship was sold to theRoyal Danish Navy and renamedHDMSEsbern Snare.[2]
Blackmore began her contractor sea trials in April, and the destroyer joined theSecond Destroyer Flotilla. After completing trials and working up for operational service, in May the destroyer was nominated for escort of military convoys during their passage toFreetown. On 1 JuneBlackmore joinedConvoy WS 19P, with thebattleshipNelson and the destroyerDerwent as ocean escort during the convoy'sAtlantic passage. On 15 June the destroyer detached from WS 19P upon arrival at Freetown, where she was retained for local escort duties.[2]
On 24 June, the destroyer left Freetown with the destroyerBrilliant to meet with and escortConvoy WS 20 during its Atlantic passage from theClyde. On 26 June she joined WS 20 on its way to Freetown. In JulyBlackmore was transferred to theIndian Ocean for convoy defence, detaching from WS 20 on 2 July along with the other ships on arrival to Freetown. On 6 July,Blackmore joined WS 20 as ocean escort, with the battleshipMalaya the destroyersBrilliant andWivern during the convoy's passage to theCape of Good Hope.
On 17 July,Blackmore detached from ocean escort duties withMalaya and escorted the convoy into Cape Town. On 19 July the destroyer was deployed atSimonstown for convoy defence in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. The destroyer remained in duty at Simonstown up until January 1943.
In February, the destroyer joinedConvoy WS 26 during its passage from Freetown to the Cape.Blackmore then joined as escort for WS 26 as a relief for the destroyerQuality. The destroyer sailed toDurban for convoy defence duties in the Indian Ocean. On 1 March, the destroyer rejoined WS 26 from Durban as escort with the minesweeperCarnatic and the destroyersCatterick andRelentless. On 3 March,Blackmore detached from the convoy to join anotherConvoy DN 21 as escort. After arriving at Durban with DN 21,Blackmore took passage to Simonstown to effect a refit. The destroyer's refit was finished in May, and after completing post refit trials,Blackmore took passage to Freetown to serve for Atlantic convoy defence.
The destroyer was then deployed for local escort duties at Freetown, making a passage to Gibraltar on 20 June to escortConvoy WS 31 to Freetown. In July,Blackmore was nominated for transfer to the Mediterranean. The destroyer arrived at Freetown with WS 31 on 4 July and rejoined military convoy WS 31.Blackmore escorted the convoy until 15 July when she returned to Freetown and took passage to the Mediterranean.[2]
In AugustBlackmore joined the 57th Fleet Division based atMalta, and deployed for convoy defence in the central Mediterranean. In September the destroyer joined a naval task force to escort and supportthe Allied invasion of Italy. On 8 September the destroyer was deployed as an escort of the military convoy TSF1X during passage fromPalermo to theSalerno beach head. Upon being released from the invasion of Italy, the destroyer resumed her convoy defence duties with the Division. Between November and December,Blackmore joined the 60th Destroyer Division, also based in Malta but deploying for convoy defence and support duties of military operations in theAdriatic sea.
From January to May 1944,Blackmore continued in her convoy escort duties. On 16 January she carried out a bombardment ofDurazzo inAlbania with the destroyerLedbury. During JuneBlackmore was transferred to theFifth Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet, taking part in an engagement against four GermanE-Boats in the Adriatic, with the destroyerEggesford. One E-Boat was sunk, with ten survivors rescued. In July the destroyer continued in her deployment with the flotilla, this time with the nomination for escort and patrol duties of military convoysduring Allied landings in the south of France. This operation was carried under overallUS Navy command.[2]
In August,Blackmore joined in the escort ofConvoy SM 2 fromNaples, sailing on 13 August. After being released from the operation, the destroyer resumed her flotilla duties. In SeptemberBlackmore was recalled to the United Kingdom for a refit atSheerness, before being nominated for service with theEastern Fleet.
The ship was taken in hand, the refit taking from October to January. Post refit trials were made at Nore Command. In March,Blackmore was deployed briefly for convoy defence, since additional escorts were needed to combat a concerted submarine and E-Boat attack in theThames estuary. In April the destroyer was prepared for foreign service with the18th Destroyer Flotilla within the Eastern Fleet. On 28 AprilBlackmore joined the flotilla atBombay. In May the destroyer was deployed as a weather ship inthe Andamans, duringthe Allied landings at Rangoon. After these landings,Blackmore was again deployed for convoy defence in support of military operations and patrol in the Indian Ocean.
Blackmore continued to be deployed in this theatre until August, sailing fromTrincomalee on 4 September as part of theescort task force for aircraft carriers during their passage to theMalacca Straits. On 6 September the destroyer joined military convoy JE1F, in the Malacca Straits, forming part of the escort inOperation Zipper.[2]
Blackmore was then deployed atSingapore, and was nominated for return to the United Kingdom where she was to be paid off into the reserve. The destroyer sailed from Trincomalee on 8 October 1945, and on arriving atPlymouth the destroyer was paid off atDevonport where she was laid up in the reserve fleet until 1952.
After being placed on the sales list,Blackmore was transferred on loan toDenmark, on 18 July 1952. After refitting, the destroyer joined theRoyal Danish Navy as a frigate, renamedEsbern Snare.[3] The ship remained in Danish naval service until 1966, when she was stricken from the active list.[2]
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