H .  M .  S .  I B I S   (U 9 9 )

 

BLACK SWAN-Glass Sloop ordered on 29th June 1939 from Furness Shipbuilders under the 1939 Build Programme and laid down on 22nd September 1939. She was launched by Mrs McGovern on 28th November 1940 as the 3rd RN warship to carry the name, first used for a trawler hired during WW1 .The build was completed on 30th August. 1941. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this ship had been adopted by the civil community of Stoke Newington, Greater London, now in the Metropolitan Borough of Hackney.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC  1941-42 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - NORMANDY  1944*

(* Awarded to Smoke-Making Trawler HMS IBIS II used during Normandy landings).

 

H e r a l d i  c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Blue Issuant from water in a base barry wavvy

of four  white and blue, an Ibis Proper

 

D e t a i l s   o f  W a r   Service

 

1 9 4 1

 

August                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

                                (Note : Original Pennant Number allocated for visual signalling use was L99 but had been changed

                                during build to U99)

                31st         Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

 September            On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory.

                                Carried out Work up for operational service at Tobermory..

                                Passage to Londonderry on completion of work-up

 

October                  Joined 41st Escort Group at Londonderry on completion.

to                            Deployed with Group for escort of OS Series convoys to Freetown and return convoys in SL Series

December              to Liverpool.

                                (For details of development of new weapons and anti-submarine defence of convoys see SEEK

                                AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLER’S

                                U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  West African route convoy defence in continuation.

to

June

 

July                         Embarked gold bullion for transit to UK and joined escort for return Convoy SL116.

 

August                  Passage to UK with SL116.

                10th        Taken in hand for refit at Tilbury.

 

September             Under refit.

                                Nominated for support of allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH).

                23rd        On completion of post refit trials rejoined Western Approaches Command.

 

October                  Part of escort for military convoy KX1(?) to Gibraltar

                                (Note : This was part of the preliminary build-up for TORCH.)

                                Joined escort for return convoy to UK.

 

November              Passage to Gibraltar with escort of main assault convoy KMF1 for landings in North Africa..

                8th          Deployed with Eastern Task Force for convoy defence and support during landings at Algiers.

                10th        Sunk 10 miles north of Algiers during attacks by Italian torpedo bombers.

                                Ship capsized in position 36.55N 03.05E almost immediately.

                                102 members of ship's company survived.

                                (For details of TORCH operation see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by C Burnett). and for information about all mercantiles and warships taking part

                                BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)