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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | unnamed (DE-85) |
| Ordered | 10 January 1942 |
| Builder | Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard,Hingham,Massachusetts |
| Laid down | 23 June 1943[1] |
| Renamed | Dakins 1943 |
| Namesake | British name assigned in anticipation of transfer toUnited Kingdom |
| Launched | 18 September 1943[1] |
| Completed | 23 November 1943[1] |
| Commissioned | never |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom 23 November 1943[1] |
| Stricken | 7 February 1947 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSDakins (K550) |
| Namesake | CaptainGeorge Dakins[a] |
| Acquired | 23 November 1943 |
| Commissioned | 23 November 1943 |
| Identification | Pennant number K550 |
| Fate |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 1,400 long tons (1,422 t) |
| Length | 306 ft (93 m) |
| Beam | 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Range | 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 186 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
HMSDakins (K550) was aCaptain-classfrigate of the Royal Navy during theSecond World War. Built as theBuckley-classdestroyer escortDE-85 intended for theUnited States Navy, she was transferred to theRoyal Navy in 1943 under the terms ofLend-Lease.
Damaged by a mine in late 1944, she was not repaired before the end of the war. Following the war, she was used as a depot ship until sold for scrapping.
The still-unnamed ship waslaid down as the U.S. Navy destroyer escort DE-85 byBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., inHingham,Massachusetts, on 23 June 1943. Allocated to the United Kingdom, she received the British nameDakins and waslaunched on 18 September 1943. She was transferred to the United Kingdom upon completion on 23 November 1943.[1]
She wascommissioned into service in the Royal Navy as the frigate HMSDakins (pennant number K550) on 23 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer from the US. The ship served on patrol and escort duty.
On 25 December 1944, she struck amine in theNorth Sea 14nautical miles (26 km) northwest ofOstend,Belgium, at51°25′00″N002°44′00″E / 51.41667°N 2.73333°E /51.41667; 2.73333 (HMS Dakins struck mine). Although heavily damaged, she managed to limp back toHarwich on the east coast ofEngland.[1]
After sufficient repairs to make her seaworthy,Dakins steamed toAntwerp, Belgium, with a skeleton crew and docked at theJohn Cockerillshipyard in Antwerp'sHoboken district for assessment of what further repairs she required. Over the five to six months she was moored at Hoboken, no repairs began due to disruptions to port operations byGermanV-1 flying bomb andV-2 rocket attacks, and in the end plans to repair her were abandoned. AfterVictory in Europe Day ( 8 May 1945), she steamed back to Harwich, where she served as adepot ship for smaller ships and craft being laid up there.[1]
Dakins was declared aconstructive total loss and was sold on 9 January 1947 for scrapping in theNetherlands. The U.S. Navy struck her from itsNaval Vessel Register on 7 February 1947.[1]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1944 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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