.gif)
HMS Kempthorne (K483)
Encyclopedia
HMS Kempthorne (K483) was a Captain-class
frigate
of the Royal Navy
and named after Captain (later Admiral Sir) John Kempthorne
of HMS Mary Rose
in 1669.
on 18 January 1942 as the Evarts-class
destroyer escort
Trumpeter (DE-279). She was not commissioned into the US Navy but was instead transferred to the Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease
agreement and commissioned on 31 October 1943.
area in November before taking passage to Bermuda
. Throughout December she carried out further exercises and shore training, after which she sailed to Halifax
to join convoy HX-274 bound for the UK. Also sailing to the UK as part of this convoy were here fellow sister corvettes HMS Goodson
, HMS Bligh
and HMS Keats, who had also been at Bermuda taking part in exercises. They sailed on 6 January as members of the convoy rather than as escorts as they lacked the necessary equipment and were not properly trained. On arrival in British waters on 21 January they were detached and sailed to Belfast
.
Here they underwent a refit to replace unsatisfactory US Navy equipment. The ships were fitted with an Admiralty
design Gyro compass and depth charge
arrangements, as well as receiving the latest sonar
systems and a Royal Navy design radio direction finding outfit. The refit lasted until late February, and on its completion on 28 February Kempthorne was nominated to deploy with the 5th Escort Group in the Western Approaches Command
. Further sea trials were carried out in March, followed by a period of work-up at Tobermory. She then joined the Group at Belfast in April, serving alongside her sisters HMS Aylmer
, Bickerton
, Bligh
, Grindall, Keats, Tyler and Goodson
. The senior officer of the group was Commander Donald MacIntyre
, who had already achieved renown as the commander of the 2nd Escort Group.
HMS Vindex
and the ships of the 9th Escort Group deploying to defend convoys under threat of attack from German U-boat
s. They made contact with Vindex and the group on 2 May. They refuelled from Vindex, whilst the ships of the 9th Group returned to Canada to refuel. Kempthorne, Goodson and Keats were then deployed as a close escort for Vindex. They remained with Vindex for several days and on 6 May U-765 was detected by HMS Bickerton. Fairey Swordfish
of 825 Naval Air Squadron
were scrambled from Vindex whilst Bligh, Bickerton and Aylmer carried out depth charge attacks. These attacks brought U-765 to the surface where she was engaged by surface gunfire from the attacking ships. A Swordfish then dropped two depth charges which sank U-765. Further refuelling of the escorts was carried out on 9 May and the ships returned to the Clyde
with Vindex on 14 May.
to interfere with the landings. During this time the group remained under the command of CinC Home Fleet and was not attached to the Naval Commander Expeditionary Force. Whilst Kempthorne was patrolling off The Lizard
with the River class frigate
HMS Mourne on 15 June, they came under attack from U-767, which torpedoed and sank Mourne. Kempthorne survived and on 26 June was present at the sinking of U-269 by HMS Bickerton. Bickerton was then dispatched to Plymouth
with the survivors of U-269, with HMS Goodson became the Senior Officer’s ship. Later that day the group was attacked by U-984 and Goodson was seriously damaged by a torpedo hit. She was towed into port by HMS Bligh, but was found to be beyond economical repair.
on 12 August. On 18 August they were deployed as a screen for the escort carriers HMS Nabob
and HMS Trumpeter
for the planned air attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz
, lying at anchor in Altenfjord, Norway
. This was designated Operation Goodwood. Adverse weather hampered operations however and the attempt was aborted on 20 August. Whilst waiting in the area for an improvement in the weather, Nabob and Bickerton were attacked by U-354. Nabob was hit, but was able to return to Scapa Flow under her own steam. Bickerton was also critically damaged. Kempthorne took off casualties and non-essential personnel, but it was later decided to scuttle Bickerton and she was sunk three hours after being hit. The ships returned to the Clyde on 30 August and Commander MacIntyre was relieved by Commander BW Taylor.
The group then returned to defending the Atlantic convoys with the Western Approaches Command in September. In October they were deployed to escort a military convoy from the UK to Naples
and on their return in December they were deployed in the North Western Approaches to intercept U-boats that had been forced by the advancing allied armies to sail from the North German and Norwegian submarine bases to reach the Atlantic convoy routes.
and the South Western Approaches. On 26 January the group was deployed to come to the assistance of the 4th Escort Group which was attacking U-1172. Both groups then launched surface attacks, before HMS Aylmer rammed and sank the submarine. They then began to search for another submarine known to be in the area, and posing a threat to the inbound convoy HX-332 as it passed through the Irish Sea bound for Liverpool
. The submarine, U1051 was detected on 27 January by HMS Keats and then sunk by HMS Bligh, Keats and Tyler. Kempthorne remained deployed with the group in the North Western Approaches throughout February and March 1945, followed by a period off the west of Ireland and the north west of Scotland in April. In May 1945, she was one of two British warships which presided over the surrender of the German U-boat
s at Trondheim
, Norway
. She was then nominated to be returned early to the US and was paid off by June.
the same day for the voyage home. She arrived at Philadelphia on 8 September 1945 and was decommissioned at the navy yard there on 17 October. She was struck from the U.S. Navy list on 1 November 1945 and scrapped by 28 May 1946.
Captain class frigate
The Captain class were 78 frigates of the Royal Navy, constructed in the United States, launched in 1942–1943 and delivered to the United Kingdom under the provisions of Lend-Lease. They served in World War II as convoy escorts, anti-submarine warfare vessels and coastal forces control frigates...
frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and named after Captain (later Admiral Sir) John Kempthorne
John Kempthorne (Royal Navy officer)
Sir John Kempthorne was an officer in the English Royal Navy during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars, who eventually rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral.-Childhood and early years:...
of HMS Mary Rose
HMS Mary Rose (1654)
The Maidstone was a 40-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Woodbridge, and launched in 1654....
in 1669.
Construction and commissioning
Kempthorne was ordered from the Boston Navy YardBoston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
on 18 January 1942 as the Evarts-class
Evarts class destroyer escort
The Evarts class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1942–1944. They served in World War II as convoy escorts and anti-submarine warfare ships. They were also known as the GMT or "short hull" DE class, with GMT standing for General Motors Tandem Diesel...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
Trumpeter (DE-279). She was not commissioned into the US Navy but was instead transferred to the Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
agreement and commissioned on 31 October 1943.
Initial training and refitting
After commissioning Kempthorne carried out training exercise in the BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area in November before taking passage to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. Throughout December she carried out further exercises and shore training, after which she sailed to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
to join convoy HX-274 bound for the UK. Also sailing to the UK as part of this convoy were here fellow sister corvettes HMS Goodson
HMS Goodson (K480)
HMS Goodson , originally USS George , was an Evarts class destroyer escort, assigned to the United Kingdom under the lend-lease....
, HMS Bligh
HMS Bligh (K467)
HMS Bligh was a Buckley class Captains class frigate active during World War II. She was named after William Bligh, commander of at the Battle of Camperdown during the French Revolutionary War, and commander of the Bounty....
and HMS Keats, who had also been at Bermuda taking part in exercises. They sailed on 6 January as members of the convoy rather than as escorts as they lacked the necessary equipment and were not properly trained. On arrival in British waters on 21 January they were detached and sailed to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Here they underwent a refit to replace unsatisfactory US Navy equipment. The ships were fitted with an Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
design Gyro compass and depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
arrangements, as well as receiving the latest sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
systems and a Royal Navy design radio direction finding outfit. The refit lasted until late February, and on its completion on 28 February Kempthorne was nominated to deploy with the 5th Escort Group in the Western Approaches Command
Western Approaches Command
Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches was the commander of a major operational command of the Royal Navy during World War II. The admiral commanding, and his forces, sometimes informally known as 'Western Approaches Command,' were responsible for the safety of British shipping in the Western...
. Further sea trials were carried out in March, followed by a period of work-up at Tobermory. She then joined the Group at Belfast in April, serving alongside her sisters HMS Aylmer
HMS Aylmer (K463)
HMS Aylmer was a Buckley class Captain class frigate during World War II. The ship was named after Matthew Aylmer, commander of at the Battle of Barfleur in 1692 during the War of the Grand Alliance....
, Bickerton
HMS Bickerton (K466)
HMS Bickerton was a Buckley class Captains class frigate during World War II. Named after Sir Richard Bickerton commander of at the First Battle of Ushant during the American Revolutionary War....
, Bligh
HMS Bligh (K467)
HMS Bligh was a Buckley class Captains class frigate active during World War II. She was named after William Bligh, commander of at the Battle of Camperdown during the French Revolutionary War, and commander of the Bounty....
, Grindall, Keats, Tyler and Goodson
HMS Goodson (K480)
HMS Goodson , originally USS George , was an Evarts class destroyer escort, assigned to the United Kingdom under the lend-lease....
. The senior officer of the group was Commander Donald MacIntyre
Donald Macintyre (naval officer)
This page is about the World War II naval officer. For others of similar name see Donald MacIntyreDonald George Frederick Wyville Macintyre DSO & Two Bars, DSC was a Royal Navy officer during the Second World War and a successful convoy escort commander.Following the war, he was also an author of...
, who had already achieved renown as the commander of the 2nd Escort Group.
Deployed in the Atlantic
Kempthorne first deployed with the group on 21 April, helping to escort the westbound convoy ONS-233 in appalling weather. They were then detached from the convoy on 26 April to join the aircraft carrierAircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
HMS Vindex
HMS Vindex (D15)
HMS Vindex was a of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was built at Swan Hunter shipyards in Newcastle upon Tyne...
and the ships of the 9th Escort Group deploying to defend convoys under threat of attack from German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s. They made contact with Vindex and the group on 2 May. They refuelled from Vindex, whilst the ships of the 9th Group returned to Canada to refuel. Kempthorne, Goodson and Keats were then deployed as a close escort for Vindex. They remained with Vindex for several days and on 6 May U-765 was detected by HMS Bickerton. Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
of 825 Naval Air Squadron
825 Naval Air Squadron
825 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier-based squadron formed on 8 October 1934 from the aircraft and personnel of 824 Naval Air Squadron...
were scrambled from Vindex whilst Bligh, Bickerton and Aylmer carried out depth charge attacks. These attacks brought U-765 to the surface where she was engaged by surface gunfire from the attacking ships. A Swordfish then dropped two depth charges which sank U-765. Further refuelling of the escorts was carried out on 9 May and the ships returned to the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
with Vindex on 14 May.
South Western Approaches
They then sailed to Belfast, where the group was nominated to support Operation Neptune, the Normandy Landings. The group was then deployed at Moelfre Bay in the Clyde area by 28 May. In early June the group moved to the South Western Approaches to intercept U-boats which might be attempting to enter the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
to interfere with the landings. During this time the group remained under the command of CinC Home Fleet and was not attached to the Naval Commander Expeditionary Force. Whilst Kempthorne was patrolling off The Lizard
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
with the River class frigate
River class frigate
The River class frigate was a class of 151 frigates launched between 1941 and 1944 for use as anti-submarine convoy escorts in the North Atlantic....
HMS Mourne on 15 June, they came under attack from U-767, which torpedoed and sank Mourne. Kempthorne survived and on 26 June was present at the sinking of U-269 by HMS Bickerton. Bickerton was then dispatched to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
with the survivors of U-269, with HMS Goodson became the Senior Officer’s ship. Later that day the group was attacked by U-984 and Goodson was seriously damaged by a torpedo hit. She was towed into port by HMS Bligh, but was found to be beyond economical repair.
Attempted attack on the Tirpitz
Kempthorne and the group were released from their duties in the South West Approaches in July and returned to Belfast, were they were nominated for Home Fleet screening duties. After a period spent undergoing essential repairs and repainting, the group sailed to Scapa FlowScapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
on 12 August. On 18 August they were deployed as a screen for the escort carriers HMS Nabob
HMS Nabob (D77)
HMS Nabob was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier which served in the Royal Navy during 1943 and 1944. The ship was built in the United States as USS Edisto but did not serve with the United States Navy.She was laid down on 20 October 1942, launched 22 March 1943, and transferred under...
and HMS Trumpeter
HMS Trumpeter (D09)
The USS Bastian was an escort aircraft carrier built by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington, laid down on 25 August 1942 and launched 15 December 1942...
for the planned air attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
, lying at anchor in Altenfjord, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. This was designated Operation Goodwood. Adverse weather hampered operations however and the attempt was aborted on 20 August. Whilst waiting in the area for an improvement in the weather, Nabob and Bickerton were attacked by U-354. Nabob was hit, but was able to return to Scapa Flow under her own steam. Bickerton was also critically damaged. Kempthorne took off casualties and non-essential personnel, but it was later decided to scuttle Bickerton and she was sunk three hours after being hit. The ships returned to the Clyde on 30 August and Commander MacIntyre was relieved by Commander BW Taylor.
The group then returned to defending the Atlantic convoys with the Western Approaches Command in September. In October they were deployed to escort a military convoy from the UK to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and on their return in December they were deployed in the North Western Approaches to intercept U-boats that had been forced by the advancing allied armies to sail from the North German and Norwegian submarine bases to reach the Atlantic convoy routes.
Irish Sea
In 1945 Kempthorne deployed with the group in the Irish SeaIrish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
and the South Western Approaches. On 26 January the group was deployed to come to the assistance of the 4th Escort Group which was attacking U-1172. Both groups then launched surface attacks, before HMS Aylmer rammed and sank the submarine. They then began to search for another submarine known to be in the area, and posing a threat to the inbound convoy HX-332 as it passed through the Irish Sea bound for Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The submarine, U1051 was detected on 27 January by HMS Keats and then sunk by HMS Bligh, Keats and Tyler. Kempthorne remained deployed with the group in the North Western Approaches throughout February and March 1945, followed by a period off the west of Ireland and the north west of Scotland in April. In May 1945, she was one of two British warships which presided over the surrender of the German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s at Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. She was then nominated to be returned early to the US and was paid off by June.
Decommissioning and scrapping
Kempthorne was returned to the custody of the United States on 20 August 1945 and was commissioned in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
the same day for the voyage home. She arrived at Philadelphia on 8 September 1945 and was decommissioned at the navy yard there on 17 October. She was struck from the U.S. Navy list on 1 November 1945 and scrapped by 28 May 1946.
External links
- Boston Naval Shipyard Production Record - Haze Gray Underway
- Kempthorne - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- The Captain Class Frigates Association.