Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic
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Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic
There is no mention of the forthcoming events to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of winning the Battle of the Atlantic, without which there could have been no landing in occupied France or Western front, in the 'features' section of the Royal Navy website. Hopefully this will change in the next few days. It is noted in this news story:
HMS Defender leads weekend of commemorations marking victory in the Atlantic
Royal Navy and allied warships will join merchant vessels in Liverpool next week for three days of commemorations marking the Battle of the Atlantic.
Led by destroyer HMS Defender, the ships are due to arrive on the morning of Friday May 26, raising the curtain on a weekend of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the longest, hardest naval battle in British history.
Joining HMS Defender on the prime berth of the Cruise Liner Terminal at the heart of Liverpool’s waterfront will be the French frigate Bretagne, and Trinity House Vessel Patricia. The American destroyer USS Ramage will also call into the city during the weekend.
The vessels will provide an impressive backdrop to events on and over the Mersey, while their sailors will join in commemorative events ashore. HMS Defender and the Bretagne will be open to visitors, welcoming members of the public on board throughout Saturday and Sunday.
“This will probably be our final chance to say ‘thank you’ to that wonderful wartime generation who fought the battle – serving in the ships, in the docks, in the shipyards, in the homes,” said Commodore Phil Waterhouse, the Royal Navy’s Regional Commander for Northern England, based at HMS Eaglet in Liverpool.
“No city is more connected with the Battle of the Atlantic than Liverpool, it felt its effects, suffered the loss of men, suffered under the bombs, waved U-boat hunters off to sea and celebrated their return. So there can be no more fitting a setting for these 80th anniversary commemorations.” ...
HMS Defender leads weekend of commemorations marking victory in the Atlantic
Royal Navy and allied warships will join merchant vessels in Liverpool next week for three days of commemorations marking the Battle of the Atlantic.
Led by destroyer HMS Defender, the ships are due to arrive on the morning of Friday May 26, raising the curtain on a weekend of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the longest, hardest naval battle in British history.
Joining HMS Defender on the prime berth of the Cruise Liner Terminal at the heart of Liverpool’s waterfront will be the French frigate Bretagne, and Trinity House Vessel Patricia. The American destroyer USS Ramage will also call into the city during the weekend.
The vessels will provide an impressive backdrop to events on and over the Mersey, while their sailors will join in commemorative events ashore. HMS Defender and the Bretagne will be open to visitors, welcoming members of the public on board throughout Saturday and Sunday.
“This will probably be our final chance to say ‘thank you’ to that wonderful wartime generation who fought the battle – serving in the ships, in the docks, in the shipyards, in the homes,” said Commodore Phil Waterhouse, the Royal Navy’s Regional Commander for Northern England, based at HMS Eaglet in Liverpool.
“No city is more connected with the Battle of the Atlantic than Liverpool, it felt its effects, suffered the loss of men, suffered under the bombs, waved U-boat hunters off to sea and celebrated their return. So there can be no more fitting a setting for these 80th anniversary commemorations.” ...
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 26th May 2023 at 08:45.
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Will there be a dedicated television programme, or news coverage, or is that too much to ask? At the time of the fiftieth anniversary in 1993 the BBC broadcast a programme with coverage of the memorial at Liverpool Cathedral and the parade, the sail pass off the Mersey, and a flying display of historic and modern aircraft. Most importantly the story was told and a number of veterans were interviewed.
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If you are interested, there is a Battle of the Atlantic episode of Battlefield which gives a good account of how the battle developed:
It was also covered in the Wolfpack episode of The World At War:
The airpower aspects are covered here:
It was also covered in the Wolfpack episode of The World At War:
The airpower aspects are covered here:
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As if to highlight the contribution of the escort carrier:
Small ship with a big pedigree arrives for Liverpool’s Battle of Atlantic commemorations - Royal Navy
Although she’s one of the smallest vessels in the Royal Navy, the ship (HMS Biter) has a strong Battle of the Atlantic pedigree.
Her predecessor was a WW2 escort carrier – built specifically to protect convoys – and was heavily engaged in the Atlantic battles of spring 1943, battles which ultimately resulted in the defeat of the U-boat and the victory which is being celebrated this weekend...
Small ship with a big pedigree arrives for Liverpool’s Battle of Atlantic commemorations - Royal Navy
Although she’s one of the smallest vessels in the Royal Navy, the ship (HMS Biter) has a strong Battle of the Atlantic pedigree.
Her predecessor was a WW2 escort carrier – built specifically to protect convoys – and was heavily engaged in the Atlantic battles of spring 1943, battles which ultimately resulted in the defeat of the U-boat and the victory which is being celebrated this weekend...
And they cost washers TBH
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Based on merchant ship hulls with merchant ship machinery, and often Merchant Navy personnel as part of the crew as they had been signed over the the Admiralty. Cheaper and quicker to build than a full size carrier - definitely. Cheaper than a contemporary destroyer - probably not.
Cheaper than not providing convoys with around the clock aircraft patrols against U boats and fighter protection - yes.
From: Wargaming the Atlantic War: Captain Gilbert Roberts and the Wrens of the Western Approaches Tactical Unit
The other day I stumbled upon a Google site entitled 'Fleet Air Arm Sprog'. It was a short memoir by somebody who entered the Royal Navy as a Radio Mechanic in 1942 (I think) and served with a FAA squadron aboard an escort carrier in the Atlantic in late 1943 and then in the Arctic. It had a PDF version which I did not have the sense to download.
Looking for the same site today all I got was this.
We're sorry, we were unable to locate the site /fleetairarmsprog/.
Could it be cached somewhere?
Cheaper than not providing convoys with around the clock aircraft patrols against U boats and fighter protection - yes.
From: Wargaming the Atlantic War: Captain Gilbert Roberts and the Wrens of the Western Approaches Tactical Unit
The other day I stumbled upon a Google site entitled 'Fleet Air Arm Sprog'. It was a short memoir by somebody who entered the Royal Navy as a Radio Mechanic in 1942 (I think) and served with a FAA squadron aboard an escort carrier in the Atlantic in late 1943 and then in the Arctic. It had a PDF version which I did not have the sense to download.
Looking for the same site today all I got was this.
We're sorry, we were unable to locate the site /fleetairarmsprog/.
Could it be cached somewhere?
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"Torpedo Junction" is not far from where I sit....and the Battle of the Atlantic touched these isolated shores around me.
Four Crewmembers of the HMT Bedforshire are buried in the British Cemetery at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.
There are other British Sailors buried at Buxton a bit further north of Ocracoke.
The Cemetery is maintained by members of the US Coast Guard and there is an annual ceremony commemorating those lost in the war offshore here.
My father told me of being able to see three smoke columns from burning Tankers that had been torpedoed by U-Boats.....suggesting just how close in the boats came despite the shallow waters.
https://www.nps.gov/places/000/ocracoke-british-cemetery.htm
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/battleoftheatlantic2/bedfordshire.html
Four Crewmembers of the HMT Bedforshire are buried in the British Cemetery at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.
There are other British Sailors buried at Buxton a bit further north of Ocracoke.
The Cemetery is maintained by members of the US Coast Guard and there is an annual ceremony commemorating those lost in the war offshore here.
My father told me of being able to see three smoke columns from burning Tankers that had been torpedoed by U-Boats.....suggesting just how close in the boats came despite the shallow waters.
https://www.nps.gov/places/000/ocracoke-british-cemetery.htm
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/battleoftheatlantic2/bedfordshire.html
"Torpedo Junction" is not far from where I sit....and the Battle of the Atlantic touched these isolated shores around me.
Four Crewmembers of the HMT Bedforshire are buried in the British Cemetery at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.
There are other British Sailors buried at Buxton a bit further north of Ocracoke.
The Cemetery is maintained by members of the US Coast Guard and there is an annual ceremony commemorating those lost in the war offshore here.
My father told me of being able to see three smoke columns from burning Tankers that had been torpedoed by U-Boats.....suggesting just how close in the boats came despite the shallow waters.
https://www.nps.gov/places/000/ocracoke-british-cemetery.htm
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/battleoftheatlantic2/bedfordshire.html
Four Crewmembers of the HMT Bedforshire are buried in the British Cemetery at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.
There are other British Sailors buried at Buxton a bit further north of Ocracoke.
The Cemetery is maintained by members of the US Coast Guard and there is an annual ceremony commemorating those lost in the war offshore here.
My father told me of being able to see three smoke columns from burning Tankers that had been torpedoed by U-Boats.....suggesting just how close in the boats came despite the shallow waters.
https://www.nps.gov/places/000/ocracoke-british-cemetery.htm
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/battleoftheatlantic2/bedfordshire.html
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Here is a recording of the programme by the BBC in May 1993 to mark the fiftieth anniversary.
A lot of content was squeezed into approximately forty five minutes. It included a sail past by Royal Navy, Commonwealth, and international warships and merchant vessels. The frigate HMS Cornwall acted as the flagship in the place of HMS Ark Royal due to operations in the Adriatic, the NATO Standing Force Atlantic was absent for the same reason. Nevertheless there were were ships from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Russia
The flypast of naval/maritime aircraft was led by RN Sea Harriers, RAF Buccaneers, and RAF Nimrods. There was Norwegian P-3 Orion and a number of historic aircraft. A BBMF represented the Seafire and presumably other wartime FAA fighters. RN Lynx and Ssa Kings provided a finale.
The participation of the Royal Artillery band in the march past was a reminder of the Royal Artillery Maritime Regiment. The memorial services were covered, and the programme found time to mention many of the key technologies, the role of the Liverpool HQ, and the role of ports and dockyards.
A lot of content was squeezed into approximately forty five minutes. It included a sail past by Royal Navy, Commonwealth, and international warships and merchant vessels. The frigate HMS Cornwall acted as the flagship in the place of HMS Ark Royal due to operations in the Adriatic, the NATO Standing Force Atlantic was absent for the same reason. Nevertheless there were were ships from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Russia
The flypast of naval/maritime aircraft was led by RN Sea Harriers, RAF Buccaneers, and RAF Nimrods. There was Norwegian P-3 Orion and a number of historic aircraft. A BBMF represented the Seafire and presumably other wartime FAA fighters. RN Lynx and Ssa Kings provided a finale.
The participation of the Royal Artillery band in the march past was a reminder of the Royal Artillery Maritime Regiment. The memorial services were covered, and the programme found time to mention many of the key technologies, the role of the Liverpool HQ, and the role of ports and dockyards.
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 26th May 2023 at 09:25.
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If I may be forgiven for quoting Wikipedia:
Escort Carrier
Some snippets: In the Battle of the Atlantic, escort carriers were used to protect convoys against U-boats. Initially escort carriers accompanied the merchant ships and helped to fend off attacks from aircraft and submarines. As numbers increased later in the war, escort carriers also formed part of hunter-killer groups that sought out submarines instead of being attached to a particular convoy...
The Royal Navy had recognized a need for carriers to defend its trade routes in the 1930s. While designs had been prepared for "trade protection carriers" and five suitable liners identified for conversion, nothing further was done mostly because there were insufficient aircraft for even the fleet carriers under construction at the time. However, by 1940 the need had become urgent and HMS Audacity was converted from the captured German merchant ship MV Hannover and commissioned in July 1941. For defense from German aircraft, convoys were supplied first with fighter catapult ships and CAM ships that could carry a single (disposable) fighter. In the interim, before escort carriers could be supplied, they also brought in merchant aircraft carriers that could operate four aircraft...
In all, 130 Allied escort carriers were launched or converted during the war. Of these, six were British conversions of merchant ships: HMS Audacity, Nairana, Campania, Activity, Pretoria Castle and Vindex. The remaining escort carriers were U.S.-built. Like the British, the first U.S. escort carriers were converted merchant vessels (or in the Sangamonclass, converted military oilers). The Bogue-class carriers were based on the hull of the Type C3 cargo ship. The last 69 escort carriers of the Casablanca and Commencement Bay classes were purpose-designed and purpose-built carriers drawing on the experience gained with the previous classes...
The Attacker class is an example - from Wikipedia again:
The United States Navy had acquired 22 C3 cargo ships shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor to be converted into the Bogueclass. With an increasing need for convoy escorts in the North Atlantic eleven of these were transferred to the Royal Navy, and reclassified as Attacker class, under the terms of the Lend-Lease program.
The ships were originally intended to serve as convoy escort carriers, equipped with both anti-submarine and fighter aircraft, and transport carriers, transferring new and replacement aircraft to forward bases. During successful use during the amphibious invasion of North Africa to cover advancing ground units until land airbases were secured, several ships were refit as strike carriers, equipped with just fighter aircraft. When used as convoy escorts, the ships' aircraft were successful in deterring German submarines from attacking Allied convoys, with a number of German submarines and aircraft destroyed or damaged by the aircraft...
All the escort carriers had the capacity for up to 20 anti-submarine or fighter aircraft, which could be a mixture of the British Hawker Sea Hurricane, Supermarine Seafire, and Fairey Swordfish, and the American Grumman Wildcat, Vought F4U Corsair and Grumman Avenger. The exact composition of the embarked squadrons depended upon the mission. Some squadrons were composite squadrons for convoy defence, and would be equipped with anti-submarine and fighter aircraft, while other squadrons working in a strike-carrier role would only be equipped with fighter aircraft...
Escort carriers were designed to accompany other ships, forming the escort for convoys. The anti-submarine aircraft employed were initially Fairey Swordfish and later Grumman Avengers, which could be armed with torpedoes, depth charges, 250-pound (110 kg) bombs, or the RP-3 rocket projectile. As well as carrying out their own attacks on U-boats, these aircraft identified target locations for the convoy's escorts to attack. Typically anti-submarine patrols would be flown between dawn and dusk. One aircraft would fly about 10 miles (16 km) ahead of the convoy, while another patrolled astern. Patrols would last between two and three hours, using both radar and visual observation in their search for U-boats. By 1944, it was usual to have two escort carriers working as a pair on convoy escort. Experience had shown it was best to have two composite squadrons. One squadron included fighters and the by then obsolete Fairey Swordfish equipped with air-to-surface vessel (ASV) radar for night patrols. The other squadron would be equipped with fighters and the Grumman Avenger for long-range day patrols, as they could not be fitted with the ASV radar.
The Fleet Air Arm squadrons flying off the Attacker class escort carriers did have some successes of their own. The first of six confirmed U-boats destroyed by aircraft flying off Attacker class ships was on 10 February 1944, when two Fairey Swordfish from the 842 Naval Air Squadron on board Fencer sank U-666 west of Iceland. On 4 March, while on Arctic convoy patrol, Fairey Swordfish from 816 Naval Air Squadron on board Chaser so severely damaged U-472 with a salvo of RP-3 rockets that she could not submerge and was sunk by HMS Onslaught* For the rest of the day Chaser's Fairey Swordfish kept the U-boats at bay by identifying their locations to her escorts. They also damaged two other U-boats themselves. The U-366 was sunk by RP-3 rockets fired from a Fairey Swordfish on 5 March, and the U-973 on 6 March. Three other U-boats sighted managed to evade an attack in foggy conditions. Operating from Fencer, 842 Squadron sank their second submarine, U-277, on 1 May, and sank U-959 and U-674 on 2 May 1944.
The carriers' aircraft could also claim some success against the Luftwaffe's long-range bombers. On 1 December 1943, two Grumman Wildcats from 842 Naval Air Squadron on board Fencer shot down a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 that was spying on Convoy OS 60. The next confirmed air-to-air success came on 24 February 1944, when four Grumman Wildcats from 881 Naval Air Squadron on board Pursuer were scrambled after the ship's radar had identified at least three aircraft approaching. The approaching bombers consisted of a mixed force of seven Focke-Wulf Fw 200 and Heinkel He 177s carrying glider bombs. One Fw 200 and one He 177 were shot down by Grumman Wildcats. The rest of the Germans kept their distance due to the combined efforts of the fighters and the ships' anti-aircraft fire. Off Cape Finisterre in March 1944, Grumman Wildcat fighters from Pursuer shot down a Heinkel He 177 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 200, and damaged a Fw 200.
In August 1944, the Arctic convoys had started again, the first one being escorted by Striker and HMSVindex, a British-built escort carrier. On board Striker was 824 Naval Air Squadron with twelve Fairey Swordfish IIs, ten Grumman Wildcat Vs, and two spares. The Grumman Wildcats shot down a Blohm & Voss BV 138 on 22 August. For Operation Neptune from 5 June 1944 to the middle of the month, five all-fighter escort carriers, including Fencer, provided air cover to protect the anti-submarine groups on the flanks of the Normandy invasion fleet...
*It was common for a U boat kill to be shared between an aircraft and the surface escorts. This might be the aircraft spotting a surfaced U-boat, or being cued by HF/DF. If a U boat sighted an aircraft it would usually crash dive, but its position was now known to the convoy and escorts. Swordfish (etc) might well be go in with rockets, which would not directly sink a U-boat most times, but could hole the pressure hull and trap the submarine on the surface: for surface units to close in, and have the U-boat either make a doomed last stand or get the crew off and scuttle.
The convoys and support groups also worked with long range land based types such as Sunderlands from RAF Coastal Command, but the heavy aircraft carried weapons able to achieve an outright kill.
Escort Carrier
Some snippets: In the Battle of the Atlantic, escort carriers were used to protect convoys against U-boats. Initially escort carriers accompanied the merchant ships and helped to fend off attacks from aircraft and submarines. As numbers increased later in the war, escort carriers also formed part of hunter-killer groups that sought out submarines instead of being attached to a particular convoy...
The Royal Navy had recognized a need for carriers to defend its trade routes in the 1930s. While designs had been prepared for "trade protection carriers" and five suitable liners identified for conversion, nothing further was done mostly because there were insufficient aircraft for even the fleet carriers under construction at the time. However, by 1940 the need had become urgent and HMS Audacity was converted from the captured German merchant ship MV Hannover and commissioned in July 1941. For defense from German aircraft, convoys were supplied first with fighter catapult ships and CAM ships that could carry a single (disposable) fighter. In the interim, before escort carriers could be supplied, they also brought in merchant aircraft carriers that could operate four aircraft...
In all, 130 Allied escort carriers were launched or converted during the war. Of these, six were British conversions of merchant ships: HMS Audacity, Nairana, Campania, Activity, Pretoria Castle and Vindex. The remaining escort carriers were U.S.-built. Like the British, the first U.S. escort carriers were converted merchant vessels (or in the Sangamonclass, converted military oilers). The Bogue-class carriers were based on the hull of the Type C3 cargo ship. The last 69 escort carriers of the Casablanca and Commencement Bay classes were purpose-designed and purpose-built carriers drawing on the experience gained with the previous classes...
The Attacker class is an example - from Wikipedia again:
The United States Navy had acquired 22 C3 cargo ships shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor to be converted into the Bogueclass. With an increasing need for convoy escorts in the North Atlantic eleven of these were transferred to the Royal Navy, and reclassified as Attacker class, under the terms of the Lend-Lease program.
The ships were originally intended to serve as convoy escort carriers, equipped with both anti-submarine and fighter aircraft, and transport carriers, transferring new and replacement aircraft to forward bases. During successful use during the amphibious invasion of North Africa to cover advancing ground units until land airbases were secured, several ships were refit as strike carriers, equipped with just fighter aircraft. When used as convoy escorts, the ships' aircraft were successful in deterring German submarines from attacking Allied convoys, with a number of German submarines and aircraft destroyed or damaged by the aircraft...
All the escort carriers had the capacity for up to 20 anti-submarine or fighter aircraft, which could be a mixture of the British Hawker Sea Hurricane, Supermarine Seafire, and Fairey Swordfish, and the American Grumman Wildcat, Vought F4U Corsair and Grumman Avenger. The exact composition of the embarked squadrons depended upon the mission. Some squadrons were composite squadrons for convoy defence, and would be equipped with anti-submarine and fighter aircraft, while other squadrons working in a strike-carrier role would only be equipped with fighter aircraft...
Escort carriers were designed to accompany other ships, forming the escort for convoys. The anti-submarine aircraft employed were initially Fairey Swordfish and later Grumman Avengers, which could be armed with torpedoes, depth charges, 250-pound (110 kg) bombs, or the RP-3 rocket projectile. As well as carrying out their own attacks on U-boats, these aircraft identified target locations for the convoy's escorts to attack. Typically anti-submarine patrols would be flown between dawn and dusk. One aircraft would fly about 10 miles (16 km) ahead of the convoy, while another patrolled astern. Patrols would last between two and three hours, using both radar and visual observation in their search for U-boats. By 1944, it was usual to have two escort carriers working as a pair on convoy escort. Experience had shown it was best to have two composite squadrons. One squadron included fighters and the by then obsolete Fairey Swordfish equipped with air-to-surface vessel (ASV) radar for night patrols. The other squadron would be equipped with fighters and the Grumman Avenger for long-range day patrols, as they could not be fitted with the ASV radar.
The Fleet Air Arm squadrons flying off the Attacker class escort carriers did have some successes of their own. The first of six confirmed U-boats destroyed by aircraft flying off Attacker class ships was on 10 February 1944, when two Fairey Swordfish from the 842 Naval Air Squadron on board Fencer sank U-666 west of Iceland. On 4 March, while on Arctic convoy patrol, Fairey Swordfish from 816 Naval Air Squadron on board Chaser so severely damaged U-472 with a salvo of RP-3 rockets that she could not submerge and was sunk by HMS Onslaught* For the rest of the day Chaser's Fairey Swordfish kept the U-boats at bay by identifying their locations to her escorts. They also damaged two other U-boats themselves. The U-366 was sunk by RP-3 rockets fired from a Fairey Swordfish on 5 March, and the U-973 on 6 March. Three other U-boats sighted managed to evade an attack in foggy conditions. Operating from Fencer, 842 Squadron sank their second submarine, U-277, on 1 May, and sank U-959 and U-674 on 2 May 1944.
The carriers' aircraft could also claim some success against the Luftwaffe's long-range bombers. On 1 December 1943, two Grumman Wildcats from 842 Naval Air Squadron on board Fencer shot down a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 that was spying on Convoy OS 60. The next confirmed air-to-air success came on 24 February 1944, when four Grumman Wildcats from 881 Naval Air Squadron on board Pursuer were scrambled after the ship's radar had identified at least three aircraft approaching. The approaching bombers consisted of a mixed force of seven Focke-Wulf Fw 200 and Heinkel He 177s carrying glider bombs. One Fw 200 and one He 177 were shot down by Grumman Wildcats. The rest of the Germans kept their distance due to the combined efforts of the fighters and the ships' anti-aircraft fire. Off Cape Finisterre in March 1944, Grumman Wildcat fighters from Pursuer shot down a Heinkel He 177 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 200, and damaged a Fw 200.
In August 1944, the Arctic convoys had started again, the first one being escorted by Striker and HMSVindex, a British-built escort carrier. On board Striker was 824 Naval Air Squadron with twelve Fairey Swordfish IIs, ten Grumman Wildcat Vs, and two spares. The Grumman Wildcats shot down a Blohm & Voss BV 138 on 22 August. For Operation Neptune from 5 June 1944 to the middle of the month, five all-fighter escort carriers, including Fencer, provided air cover to protect the anti-submarine groups on the flanks of the Normandy invasion fleet...
*It was common for a U boat kill to be shared between an aircraft and the surface escorts. This might be the aircraft spotting a surfaced U-boat, or being cued by HF/DF. If a U boat sighted an aircraft it would usually crash dive, but its position was now known to the convoy and escorts. Swordfish (etc) might well be go in with rockets, which would not directly sink a U-boat most times, but could hole the pressure hull and trap the submarine on the surface: for surface units to close in, and have the U-boat either make a doomed last stand or get the crew off and scuttle.
The convoys and support groups also worked with long range land based types such as Sunderlands from RAF Coastal Command, but the heavy aircraft carried weapons able to achieve an outright kill.
Thread Starter
Battle of the Atlantic commemorations to begin with service and flypast - Liverpool Echo
Today, Friday, May 26, a new national memorial and Garden of Reflection for the Battle of the Atlantic will be revealed at Our Lady and St Nicholas’s Church near the Pier Head. Princess Anne, Princess Royal, patron of the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Charity will be a guest of honour.
VIPs in attendance include Denis Rose, John Dennett BEM, and Ken Benbow, all local veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic campaign. Among the dignitaries in attendance will be Mark Blundell, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside; the Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence; the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Mayors of Wirral and Sefton, as well as the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.
Other special guests include the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, representatives from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy, and international naval forces, as well as civic dignitaries, cadet groups, and family members of Battle of Atlantic veterans.
Upon arrival at Our Lady and St Nicholas’ church, The Princess Royal will be introduced to The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, the Rector of Liverpool, Canon Dr Crispin Pailing, and civic dignitaries. Following the memorial service, The Princess Royal will be guided to Liverpool Parish Church’s Maritime Chapel to meet a selection of Battle of the Atlantic veterans, along with senior Merchant Navy and Royal Navy representatives.
Princess Anne will then be led out to the new Garden of Reflection, overlooking Liverpool’s famous waterfront, where she will formally unveil the new Battle of the Atlantic memorial. This will be followed by a blessing, given by The Bishop of Liverpool.
The service will conclude with a spectacular flypast by historic aircraft, including Swordfish, Poseidon, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Today, Friday, May 26, a new national memorial and Garden of Reflection for the Battle of the Atlantic will be revealed at Our Lady and St Nicholas’s Church near the Pier Head. Princess Anne, Princess Royal, patron of the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Charity will be a guest of honour.
VIPs in attendance include Denis Rose, John Dennett BEM, and Ken Benbow, all local veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic campaign. Among the dignitaries in attendance will be Mark Blundell, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside; the Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence; the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Mayors of Wirral and Sefton, as well as the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.
Other special guests include the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, representatives from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy, and international naval forces, as well as civic dignitaries, cadet groups, and family members of Battle of Atlantic veterans.
Upon arrival at Our Lady and St Nicholas’ church, The Princess Royal will be introduced to The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, the Rector of Liverpool, Canon Dr Crispin Pailing, and civic dignitaries. Following the memorial service, The Princess Royal will be guided to Liverpool Parish Church’s Maritime Chapel to meet a selection of Battle of the Atlantic veterans, along with senior Merchant Navy and Royal Navy representatives.
Princess Anne will then be led out to the new Garden of Reflection, overlooking Liverpool’s famous waterfront, where she will formally unveil the new Battle of the Atlantic memorial. This will be followed by a blessing, given by The Bishop of Liverpool.
The service will conclude with a spectacular flypast by historic aircraft, including Swordfish, Poseidon, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
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Flypast times for the BoA80 weekend - The Battle of the Atlantic Memorial
We are delighted to be welcoming Navy Wings and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to Liverpool during our Battle of the Atlantic Commemoration weekend. All flypasts will follow the River Mersey, with good visibility from both sides of the river. The planned flypast times are:
Friday 26th May
1211 – 1216: Flypast (North to South) Swordfish, BBMF, Poseidon
1900 – 1908: Swordfish display
1150 – 1205 BBMF (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire) Flypast (3 passes)
1315 – 1330 (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire) Flypast (3 passes)
1500 – 1510 Seafire and Swordfish formation display
1350 – 1400 Swordfish display
1720 – 1730 Swordfish display
Please remember that all flypasts are subject to weather and other environmental factors on the day, and amendments to the above timetable may be beyond our control on the day. Please follow us on social media for live updates.
We are delighted to be welcoming Navy Wings and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to Liverpool during our Battle of the Atlantic Commemoration weekend. All flypasts will follow the River Mersey, with good visibility from both sides of the river. The planned flypast times are:
Friday 26th May
1211 – 1216: Flypast (North to South) Swordfish, BBMF, Poseidon
1900 – 1908: Swordfish display
Saturday 27th May
1100 – 1110 Seafire and Swordfish formation display1150 – 1205 BBMF (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire) Flypast (3 passes)
1315 – 1330 (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire) Flypast (3 passes)
1500 – 1510 Seafire and Swordfish formation display
Sunday 28th May
1230 – 1245 (Lancaster, Hurricane, Spitfire) Flypast (3 passes)1350 – 1400 Swordfish display
1720 – 1730 Swordfish display
Please remember that all flypasts are subject to weather and other environmental factors on the day, and amendments to the above timetable may be beyond our control on the day. Please follow us on social media for live updates.
Thread Starter
The escort carriers are discussed on this thread: The Anniversary of The Channel Dash - 1942 - and the wider RN Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War
In particular here:
December 1941
15th-21st - Battle for Convoy HG76: Closing of the Gibraltar/UK Air-Gap - Gibraltar/UK convoy HG76 (32 ships) was escorted by the 36th Escort Group (Cdr F. J. Walker) with a support group including escort carrier “Audacity”. In advance of the convoy leaving Gibraltar, destroyers of Force H including the Australian “Nestor” located and destroyed “U-127” on the 15th. In the four days from the 17th, four more U-boats were sunk for the loss of two of the escorts and two merchantmen. The battle took place to the far west of Portugal, north of Madeira and the Azores: 17th - “U-131” was sunk by destroyers “Blankney”, “Exmoor” and “Stanley”, corvette “Pentstemon” and sloop “Stork” together with Grumman Martlets flying from “Audacity”. 18th - “U-434” was accounted for by “Blankney” and “Stanley”. 19th - Destroyer “STANLEY” was torpedoed and sunk by “U-574”, but then sent to the bottom, rammed by sloop “Stork”. 21st - The sole escort carrier “AUDACITY” was torpedoed by “U-751” and lost, but in the general counter-attack “U-567” was sunk by corvette “Samphire” and sloop “Deptford”. The sinking of five U-boats in exchange for two merchant ships was a significant victory for the escorts, and proved beyond any doubt the value of escort carrier aircraft against the submarine - as well as the patrolling Focke Wulf Kondors, two of which were shot down.
September 1942
Russian Convoy PQ18 - PQ18 left Loch Ewe in Scotland on the 2nd with over 40 merchantmen. The hard learnt lessons of PQ17 and previous convoys were not forgotten. Close escort was provided by 17 warships plus escort carrier "Avenger" and two destroyers. Two separate forces were in support - close cover by AA cruiser "Scylla" and 16 fleet destroyers under Rear-Adm R L Burnett, and further out three heavy cruisers. More distant cover was by Vice-Adm Sir Bruce Fraser with battleships "Anson" and "Duke of York", a light cruiser and destroyers to the northeast of Iceland. German heavy ships moved to Altenfiord but did not sortie. Instead the attacks were mounted by bombers and torpedo aircraft as well as U-boats. On the 13th, aircraft torpedoed nine ships, but next day "Avenger's" Hurricanes ensured only one more ship was lost to air attack. In total over 40 German aircraft were shot down by the convoy's defences. U-boats sank three merchantmen but lost three of their number to Adm Burnett's forces. Destroyers "Faulknor", "Onslow" and "Impulsive" sank "U-88", "U-589" and "U-457" respectively between the 12th and 16th in the Greenland and Barents Seas. Escort carrier "Avenger's" Swordfish from 825 Squadron helped with the destruction of "Onslow's" U-boat on the 14th. Of the original 40 ships, 27 reached Archangel on the 17th. In late 1941, escort carrier "Audacity" closed the Gibraltar air-gap for the first time. "Avenger" had now done the same for the Russian route. However, further convoys had to be postponed as ships were transferred in preparation for the North African landings.
May 1943
The May 1943 Convoy Battles - Victory of the Escorts
At the beginning of the month over 40 U-boats were deployed in three patrol lines off Greenland and Newfoundland. Another group operated to the far west of the Bay of Biscay. A number were passing through the northern transit area and over 30 on passage between their Biscay bases and the North Atlantic. More still were on patrol in the South Atlantic or passing through. There were numerous Allied convoys crossing the North Atlantic as suitable targets. Only those convoy battles involving escort carriers are summarised:
Slow UK/North America ONS6 - 31 ships escorted by British B6 group and 4th EG with escort carrier "Archer"; no merchant ship losses.
North America/UK HX237 - 46 ships escorted by Canadian C2 group and 5th EG with escort carrier "Biter". Three stragglers sunk in exchange for possibly three U-boats in mid-Atlantic, including: 12th - "U-89" to destroyer "Broadway" and frigate "Lagan", both of C2 group, assisted by Swordfish of 811 Squadron from "Biter".
North America/UK SC129 - 26 ships escorted by British B2 group, with 5th EG (escort carrier "Biter") transferred from HX237 on the 14th. Two merchant ships lost in mid-Atlantic in exchange for two U-boats.
UK/North America ON182 - 56 ships escorted by Canadian C5 group, with 4th EG (carrier "Archer") transferred from ONS6; no merchant ship losses.
UK/North America ON184 - 39 ships escorted by Canadian C1 group and US 6th EG with escort carrier "Bogue". No merchant ship losses in exchange for one U-boat: 22nd - "U-569" in mid-Atlantic to Avengers flying from "Bogue".
North America/UK HX239 - 42 ships escorted by British B3 group and 4th EG (carrier "Archer") transferred from ON182 (and before that ONS6). No merchant ship losses in exchange for one more U-boat: 23rd - In the first success with aircraft rockets, "U-752" in mid-Atlantic was badly damaged by "Archer's" Swordfish of 819 Squadron, and scuttled as surface escorts approach.
By the 24th, U-boat losses were so heavy and the attacks so fruitless, Adm Doenitz ordered his captains to leave the North Atlantic battlefield. They either returned home or concentrated on the US/Gibraltar routes. It was some time before the Allies realised the North Atlantic was almost free of U-boats. The air and sea escorts were winning.
I have listed snippets from the career of every RN escort carrier on that thread - from here onwards.
In particular here:
December 1941
15th-21st - Battle for Convoy HG76: Closing of the Gibraltar/UK Air-Gap - Gibraltar/UK convoy HG76 (32 ships) was escorted by the 36th Escort Group (Cdr F. J. Walker) with a support group including escort carrier “Audacity”. In advance of the convoy leaving Gibraltar, destroyers of Force H including the Australian “Nestor” located and destroyed “U-127” on the 15th. In the four days from the 17th, four more U-boats were sunk for the loss of two of the escorts and two merchantmen. The battle took place to the far west of Portugal, north of Madeira and the Azores: 17th - “U-131” was sunk by destroyers “Blankney”, “Exmoor” and “Stanley”, corvette “Pentstemon” and sloop “Stork” together with Grumman Martlets flying from “Audacity”. 18th - “U-434” was accounted for by “Blankney” and “Stanley”. 19th - Destroyer “STANLEY” was torpedoed and sunk by “U-574”, but then sent to the bottom, rammed by sloop “Stork”. 21st - The sole escort carrier “AUDACITY” was torpedoed by “U-751” and lost, but in the general counter-attack “U-567” was sunk by corvette “Samphire” and sloop “Deptford”. The sinking of five U-boats in exchange for two merchant ships was a significant victory for the escorts, and proved beyond any doubt the value of escort carrier aircraft against the submarine - as well as the patrolling Focke Wulf Kondors, two of which were shot down.
September 1942
Russian Convoy PQ18 - PQ18 left Loch Ewe in Scotland on the 2nd with over 40 merchantmen. The hard learnt lessons of PQ17 and previous convoys were not forgotten. Close escort was provided by 17 warships plus escort carrier "Avenger" and two destroyers. Two separate forces were in support - close cover by AA cruiser "Scylla" and 16 fleet destroyers under Rear-Adm R L Burnett, and further out three heavy cruisers. More distant cover was by Vice-Adm Sir Bruce Fraser with battleships "Anson" and "Duke of York", a light cruiser and destroyers to the northeast of Iceland. German heavy ships moved to Altenfiord but did not sortie. Instead the attacks were mounted by bombers and torpedo aircraft as well as U-boats. On the 13th, aircraft torpedoed nine ships, but next day "Avenger's" Hurricanes ensured only one more ship was lost to air attack. In total over 40 German aircraft were shot down by the convoy's defences. U-boats sank three merchantmen but lost three of their number to Adm Burnett's forces. Destroyers "Faulknor", "Onslow" and "Impulsive" sank "U-88", "U-589" and "U-457" respectively between the 12th and 16th in the Greenland and Barents Seas. Escort carrier "Avenger's" Swordfish from 825 Squadron helped with the destruction of "Onslow's" U-boat on the 14th. Of the original 40 ships, 27 reached Archangel on the 17th. In late 1941, escort carrier "Audacity" closed the Gibraltar air-gap for the first time. "Avenger" had now done the same for the Russian route. However, further convoys had to be postponed as ships were transferred in preparation for the North African landings.
May 1943
The May 1943 Convoy Battles - Victory of the Escorts
At the beginning of the month over 40 U-boats were deployed in three patrol lines off Greenland and Newfoundland. Another group operated to the far west of the Bay of Biscay. A number were passing through the northern transit area and over 30 on passage between their Biscay bases and the North Atlantic. More still were on patrol in the South Atlantic or passing through. There were numerous Allied convoys crossing the North Atlantic as suitable targets. Only those convoy battles involving escort carriers are summarised:
Slow UK/North America ONS6 - 31 ships escorted by British B6 group and 4th EG with escort carrier "Archer"; no merchant ship losses.
North America/UK HX237 - 46 ships escorted by Canadian C2 group and 5th EG with escort carrier "Biter". Three stragglers sunk in exchange for possibly three U-boats in mid-Atlantic, including: 12th - "U-89" to destroyer "Broadway" and frigate "Lagan", both of C2 group, assisted by Swordfish of 811 Squadron from "Biter".
North America/UK SC129 - 26 ships escorted by British B2 group, with 5th EG (escort carrier "Biter") transferred from HX237 on the 14th. Two merchant ships lost in mid-Atlantic in exchange for two U-boats.
UK/North America ON182 - 56 ships escorted by Canadian C5 group, with 4th EG (carrier "Archer") transferred from ONS6; no merchant ship losses.
UK/North America ON184 - 39 ships escorted by Canadian C1 group and US 6th EG with escort carrier "Bogue". No merchant ship losses in exchange for one U-boat: 22nd - "U-569" in mid-Atlantic to Avengers flying from "Bogue".
North America/UK HX239 - 42 ships escorted by British B3 group and 4th EG (carrier "Archer") transferred from ON182 (and before that ONS6). No merchant ship losses in exchange for one more U-boat: 23rd - In the first success with aircraft rockets, "U-752" in mid-Atlantic was badly damaged by "Archer's" Swordfish of 819 Squadron, and scuttled as surface escorts approach.
By the 24th, U-boat losses were so heavy and the attacks so fruitless, Adm Doenitz ordered his captains to leave the North Atlantic battlefield. They either returned home or concentrated on the US/Gibraltar routes. It was some time before the Allies realised the North Atlantic was almost free of U-boats. The air and sea escorts were winning.
I have listed snippets from the career of every RN escort carrier on that thread - from here onwards.
The Tom Hanks film, "Greyhound" accurately portrays the voyage of convoy HX-25 from the USA to the UK. It's available on Apple TV.
https://en.redshirtsalwaysdie.com/vi...To5pfc&page=51
Everything about the movie is authentic, from the German wolfpack tactics to the language and idiosyncrasies of giving and receiving orders at sea to Liverpudlian actor Stephen Graham’s New York accent.
BTW We Branch, that plot in post #9 is terrific - a good summary of the Battle of the Atlantic in one simple graph.
Greta graph - but Interesting that the merchant ship losses were already falling rapidly from the peak of Q2 1942 well before the introduction of the support groups and escort carriers - even though the number of U Boats on duty went up considerably.
Something else, probably SIGINT, must have been the main reason for the fall in losses.
Something else, probably SIGINT, must have been the main reason for the fall in losses.