H .  M .  S .  R O M N E Y   ( J 7 7 )

 

“BANGOR” Class Minesweeper fitted with reciprocating machinery ordered on 28 August 1939 from Lobnitz and laid down at Renfrew on 22nd February 1940. She was launched 3rd August 1940 and build was completed on 12th December 1941.  The name may have been chosen for the first warship to carry the name in view of the association of Henry SIDNEY, Earl of Romney (1641 –1704) who was a supporter of William III. This 4th Rate ship was built at Blackwall, London in 1694 and wrecked 13 years later on the Scillies. In 1815 the last ship to bear the name was built  at Frindisbury near Chatham and was another 4th Rate which later was used as a Depot for  Free slaves in Jamaica before being sold there in 1845. This minesweeper was the 5th RN ship to carry this name, named, like others of the Class built in UK, after a coastal town. After a Successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was most appropriately “adopted” by the civil community of Romney. Kent

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

                                             “Sibylle” 1794 *                    EGYPT 1801

                                              DIEGO SUAREZ 1942        SICILY 1943

                                                                     NORMANDY 1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

                                   Badge : On a Field Blue, a leopard’s face in front of two trident

                                                 in saltire, also Gold and an anchor White.

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 0

 

December         Contractors trials and commissioning 9th Minesweeping Flotilla.

            12th      Build completion and commenced AcceptanceTrials.

                         On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January            Deployed with HM Minesweepers BANGOR (SO), BRIDLINGTON.

                         BRIDPORT and RHYL for Flotilla work-up and minesweeping trials

                         at Scapa Flow.

                         On completion deployed for minesweeping to ensure clear passage of Fleet units

                         in and out of Scapa Flow and also of East Coast convoy routes between

                         Aberdeen and NW of Scottish coast.

February          Flotilla minesweeping duties in continuation based at Scapa Flow.

to April            (Note : HM Minesweeper  CROMER. and HMS BUDE joined Flotilla.

                                      Duties also included clearance of gunnery firing ranges off Cape Wrath.)

 

May                 Transferred to English Channel for minesweeping duties with Flotilla.

 

June                    Channel deployment with Flotilla including convoy escort as well as routine

to November      mine clearance on convoy routes of convoy routes between Dover and

                           Plymouth.

                           Based at Poole and Portland as required by commitments.

                           RAF air cover was provided subject to UK air defence requirements and came

                           under air attacks.

                           (Note : Ships of the Flotilla were provided with balloons using specially fitted

                                       hand winches, for protection against bombing attacks, but their value

                                       was indeterminate. HMS SIDMOUTH and HMS TENBY joined

                                        Flotilla.)

December           Transferred to 14th Minesweeping Flotilla and joined HM Minesweepers

                           CROMER, CROMARTY, POOLE, BEAUMARIS, RYE, TENBY and

                           FRASERBURGH for North Sea minesweeping based at Rosyth.

                           (Note : This work was vital and ensured safe passage of convoys between

                                       Thames Estuary as far north as Aberdeen

 

1 9 4 2

 

January              Rosyth deployment in continuation

to February        Nominated with Flotilla for transfer to Mediterranean for convoy defence.

                           (Note : This move was needed in view of the shortage of warships for anti

-                                       submarine work due to losses in defence of Crete and Greece as well

                                        as support of the Malta and the Tobruk garrison.).

 

March                Prepared for foreign service after release from North Sea duties.

                           Passage to Gibraltar

                           (Note : HM Minesweepers SEAHAM and WHITEHAVEN joined the

                                       Flotilla before departure.)

                           Re-routed for passage via Cape of Good Hope and Red Sea.

 

April                  On arrival at Durban detached from Flotilla with HMS CROMARTY,

                           HMS CROMER and HMS POOLE for service in Indian Ocean with

                           Eastern Fleet.

                           Nominated for minesweeping support during planned landings in

                           Madagascar (Operation IRONCLAD).

 

May

              3rd        Passage to Diego Suarez

              5th        Deployed with detached minesweepers and two FLOWER Class

                           corvettes in advance of assault ships to clear mines laid in Amararata

                           Bay. for details see Naval Staff History and WAR WITH JAPAN )

                           (Note ; HM Corvette AURICULA struck a mine became a total loss

                                        having broken her back.

              6th            Carried out minesweeping in Courier Bay to ensure safe anchorage

                               for disembarkation of troops from Landing Ships.

                               On release from IRONCLAD took return passage to Killindini to join

                               Escort Force for defence of convoys in Indian Ocean.

 

June                        Deployed for convoy escort in Indian Ocean based at Killindini

to August

 

September              Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean with same detached ships

                               and to rejoin Flotilla at Alexandria.

             22nd          Took passage to Egypt from Killindini 

 

October                  Joined HMS BOSTON, HMS SEAHAM and HMS WHITEHAVEN

                               at Alexandria for Flotilla minesweeping duties.

 

November              Deployed with Flotilla for minesweeping off Egyptian and Libyan

to December          coast to ensure safe passage of supply convoys  under air attacks.

                               (Note : HMS CROMER was lost after hitting a floating mine .

                                            The ship sank quickly and survivors were rescued by

                                             ships of Flotilla.)

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Eastern Mediterranean minesweeping in continuation to ensure

to May                   safe passage for supply convoys supporting advance of Eighth

                               Army.

 

June                        On completion of minesweeping to clear entrances to Libyan ports

                               transferred with ships of Flotilla for minesweeping support of the

                               planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)

 

July                        Deployed with Flotilla and ships of 13th Minesweeping Flotilla in

                               preparation for HUSKY. See Naval Staff History and ENGAGE

                               THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett for details)

            9th              Carried out minesweeping in advance of British Support Force

                               East and assault ships on passage to landing areas.

           10th             Deployed for minesweeping in anchorage and bombardment areas.

           11th             Deployed off Syracuse and under air attacks.

           12th             During minesweeping off Augusta forced to withdraw because of

                                shore batteries fire.

 

August

             8th              Joined HM Minesweepers HYTHE, RYE, WHTEHAVEN, HM

                                Sloop SHOREHAM, HM Australian Minesweepers GAWLER

                                IPSWICH and MARYBOROUGH for escort of military convoy

                                MKS21 during passage from Malta to Gibraltar.

                                (Operation COCKATOO)

            13th             Under air attack by He111 torpedo bombers which damaged two

                                 mercantiles in convoy which were taken in tow. Later a second

                                 air attack was driven off with one He111 shot down by of the

                                 escorts. A submarine attack later failed.

            20th              Passage to Malta to resume minesweeping duties with Flotilla.

 

September                 Deployment based in Malta in continuation. To be confirmed.

                                  Nominated for minesweeping operations to open up the Strait

                                  of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica.

                                  (Note This area was known to have been heavily mines with no

                                             known channels.

 

*October                   Deployed with Flotilla for mine clearance in Strait of

 to November            Bonifacio based at Maddalena.  To be confirmed.

                                  (Note : A requirement for shallow draft minesweepers had

                                               been recognised before the start of this work, but

                                               only one Ex Italian Navy craft was available to deal

                                               with mines laid in shallow water. The loss of HMS

                                               CROMARTY on 23 October may have been due

                                               to failure to use a suitable vessel.. 47 mines were

                                               swept. by the Flotilla during these operations.

 

December                  On relief by 13th Minesweeping Flotilla took passage with

                                  14th Flotilla to Malta prior to leaving Mediterranean.

                                  Passage in Mediterranean and Bay of Biscay from Malta to

                                  UK. To be confirmed.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                     On arrival in Home ports ships of Flotilla under routine maintenance

                                  and essential repairs. To be confirmed.

                                  Resumed operational deployment based at Plymouth for

                                  minesweeping in SW Approaches coastal convoy routes.

                                  Joined 14th Minesweeping Flotilla ships at Plymouth as

                                  Senior Officer’s ship.

 

February                    Plymouth deployment in continuation,

to March                    Other ships in Flotilla were HM Minesweepers SEAHAM

                                   POOLE, RYE, WHITEHAVEN, GUYSBOROUGH,

                                   KENORA and VEGREVILLE.

                                   (Note : The last three were sister ships built in Canadian shipyards.

                                   Nominated for minesweeping support during the planned

                                   allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)

 

April                          Allocated to Force U of Western Task Force and

                                   nominated for clearance of Swept Channel No 2 from

                                   south of the Isle of Wight to “UTAH” Beach landing area.

                                   (Note HMS GEORGIAN, HMS PETERHEAD, HMS

                                              SIR GALAHAD and HMS SIR LANCELOT

                                              were attached to Flotilla for use as Danlayers to

                                              lay marker buoys marking extremities of swept area.

                                   Took part in preparatory exercises with ships of Force U

                                   (Note : Exercise TIGER, a landing exercise in Lyme Bay

                                                came under E-Boat attacks and was a total disaster

                                                with many casualties.

                                   See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June 1944 and

                                   OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards for details

                                   of naval activities prior to and during NEPTUNE.

 

May                           Deployed as part of Force U for service in Western Task

                                   Force when not deployed for minesweeping. and took part

                                   in preparatory exercises with Ships of Force U.

                                   Passage to Portland to join Force U for NEPTUNE briefing.

 

June                            Passage from Portland with Flotilla and Danlayers.for

                                   designated Channel 2 mine clearance..

              4th                Operation was delayed by 24 hours. See references.)

                                   After discovery of minefield 15 miles south of St

                                   Catherine Point, IoW deployed with Flotilla for a

                                   minesweep during which five mines were cut and two

                                   exploded in sweeps of Flotilla.

              5th                Commenced sweep of Channel 2 with Flotilla and the

                                   attached Danlayers

              6th                After undetected arrival off UTAH beach with ships of Flotilla

                                   commenced further clearance operations in area between Channels

                                   3 and 4.

              7th                Deployed for minesweeping off assault area.

              8th                Carried out minesweeping operation off Brest with Flotilla

                                   (Note : During this operation HMS PETERHEAD, a sister ship

                                               converted for use as a Danlayer, was lost after

                                               hitting a mine.)

                                   Eleven mines were swept and 25 anti-minesweeping devices

                                   caused loss of sweeps and delayed work.)

            25th                Deployed off Cherbourg with ships of Flotilla to clear approach

                                   channel to the selected bombardment area for US battleships USS

                                   TEXAS and USS ARKANSAS.

                                   On completion carried out further minesweeping off Cherbourg.

            29th                Retained for minesweeping duties off Normandy on completion of

                                   NEPTUNE.

                                   For further details of minesweeping operations off Normandy see

                                   THEY LED THE WAY by J Williams.

 

July                            Minesweeping support off French coast in continuation.

                                  Deployed off Brest after occupation by allied forces.

 

August                       Released from support of landings in France and taken in hand for

                                   repair and maintenance.

 

September                  Resumed Flotilla duties and carried out mine clearance in Channel

to December               and Nore Command areas.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                       Minesweeping and convoy defence in continuation.

to April

 

May                            Deployed with HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH, TENBY

                                    BLACKPOOL, BANGOR and RYE off southern Norway

                                    after VE Day for mine clearance.

                                    Based at Stavanger.

                                    Took part in longest continual sweep during WW2 which lasted

                                    nearly 79 hours and ensured safe passage for shipping.

 

June                            On return from Norwegian deployment taken in hand for repair and

                                   maintenance.

  

July                             Deployed with Flotilla in SW Approaches for mine clearance

to August                    duties based at Plymouth

P o s t   W a r  N o t e s

 

HMS ROMNEY remained in commission after VJ Day and continued mine clearance

duties in Bristol Channel and SW Approaches until July 1946 when she was Paid off and

reduced to Reserve status. It is of interest that some ships of this Class were sold to

 Egypt, Norway and Portugal with others sold for mercantile use and one transferred to

the RAF for use as a Tender. This ship remained in Reserve only until 1949 when placed

on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO on 18th January 1950 for demolition by Granton

Shipbreakers she arrived at the breaker’s yard in the Forth later that month.

 

Special Note: Deployments between September 1943 and February 1944 are to be confirmed.