HMSAylmer
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(September 2021) |
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Builder | Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard |
| Laid down | 12 April 1943 |
| Launched | 10 July 1943 |
| Commissioned | 30 September 1943 |
| Decommissioned | Returned to US Navy on 5 November 1945 |
| Fate | Sold 20 June 1947 to Mr. John J. Witto of Staten Island, N.Y. and broken up for scrap |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Captain-classfrigate |
| Displacement | 1,800 long tons (1,829 t) (fully loaded) |
| Length | 306 ft (93 m) overall |
| Beam | 36.5 ft (11.1 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft (3.4 m) fully loaded |
| Speed | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Endurance | 5,500 nautical miles (10,190 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement | Typically between 170 & 180 |
HMSAylmerwas aCaptain-classfrigateof theRoyal Navythat served duringWorld War II.The ship was named afterMatthew Aylmer,commander ofHMSRoyal Katherineat theBattle of Barfleurin 1692 during theWar of the Grand Alliance.
Originally destined for theUS Navyas aturbo-electric(TE) typeBuckley-classdestroyer escort,HMSAylmerwas provisionally given the name USSHarmon(later this name was reassigned toUSSHarmon(DE-678),though the delivery was diverted to the Royal Navy before the launch. Itscommanding officerswere Lt Cdr A.D.P. Campbell RN and Cdr B.W. Taylor RN (Senior Officer5th Escort Group) on 30 August 1944 and Lt Cdr W.L. Smith RNR in February 1945.
HMSAylmerwas adopted by theBoy's Own Paper.The May 1945 issue had pictures of HMSAylmerin thegraving dockinLiverpoolafter she had rammed and sunkU-1051offAnglesey.In the May 1946 issue, C.J. Olivant (the author of the article) described the war service of HMSAylmer.
She was stationed inBelfastfor the duration of her wartime service with the 5th Escort Group.
Actions
[edit]HMSAylmerserved exclusively with the5th Escort Group,taking part in operations in theNorth Atlanticin May 1944, offNormandy(Operation Neptune) in June 1944, and in theBarents SeainOperation Goodwoodin August 1944. It also served in theMediterranean,escorting a convoy toNaplesin September 1944.
On 6 May 1944 thesubmarineU-765was sunk in the North Atlantic, at position52°30′N28°28′W/ 52.500°N 28.467°W,bydepth chargesfrom HMSAylmer,operating alongside twoSwordfish aircraft(Sqdn. 825) of the Britishescort carrierHMSVindexand the British frigatesHMSBlighandHMSBickerton.As a result of this action, 37 ofU-765's crew died and 11 were rescued and taken prisoner byBickerton.
During Operation Goodwood, on 22 August 1944, the escort carriersHMSTrumpeterandHMSNabobsailed to the Barents Sea to attack theGerman battleshipTirpitz.During this operation HMSNabobwas torpedoed and ten minutes later the destroyer escortHMSBickerton(commanded by Cdr Donald MacIntyre, senior officer of the 5th Escort Group) was also hit by anacoustic torpedo (Gnat);both attacks were by the submarineU-354.HMSNabobwas able to raise steam and was escorted back (at an average 10 knots (19 km/h)) toRosythwhere she was considered a constructive total loss and used as spare parts. HMSBickertonwas sunk byHMSVigilantas any salvage was considered too risky.Vigilanthad to fire three torpedoes to sinkBickerton.As a result of this action, Cdr Donald MacIntyre transferred his command to HMSAylmer.
On 26 January 1945, the submarineU-1051was sunk in theIrish Seasouth of theIsle of Man,at position53°39′N05°23′W/ 53.650°N 5.383°Wby the frigates HMSAylmer,HMSBentinck,HMSCalderandHMSManners.U-1051was forced to the surface by the use of depth charges, then a gun battle ensued withU-1051finally sinking after it had been rammed by HMSAylmer.This action resulted in the loss of all hands (47) from the crew ofU-1051.It is entirely clear that the ramming ofU-1051by HMSAylmerwas intentional and that Cdr B.W.Taylor was not removed from command, as has been suggested, shortly after this incident. A reading of the after-action report makes it clear that theU-1051was still a belligerent submarine (during the attack by the escorts,U-1051fired another torpedo at HMSAylmer). When she surfaced,U-1051was fired on by HMSAylmer,HMSCalder,HMSBlighand HMSBentinck.It is known that the3-inch/50 calibermain gun of the Captain class had trouble penetrating the hull plating of German submarines (their shells would bounce off the submarines they fired on), so it is possible Commander Taylor thought that discretion was the better option and rammed the submarine as the ship's "Elephant Guns" had little effect; however in doing this he would have been acting againstAdmiraltyorders that ships were not to ram submarines except in dire circumstances.
The 46-page report in ADM 217/752 held inThe National Archivescompletely vindicates Commander Taylor. At paragraph 8 of the Staff minute written by Captain J.T. Borrett, Captain (D) Belfast and attached to the proceedings of HMSGrindallsays:
It is noted that on surfacing no immediate attempt to evacuate the U-boat was observed. The only damage to be seen was to the conning tower, which if resulting from theHedgehogattack, could not have been considered lethal. It is thought quite possible that the U-boat surfaced through faulty trim resulting from confusion in the boat caused by theHedgehogexplosion. From experience decisive results from 3-inch gunfire against the U-boat's hull could not be expected and the U-boat might well have regained control and dived again with a possibility of escape. Added to this HMSCalderwas in imminent danger from torpedo attack. Having regard to these circumstances, it is considered that the decision made by the commanding officer of HMSAylmerto ram was entirely correct and its execution was faultless.[citation needed]
The Staff Minute is initialled J.T.B. and dated 16/2 (1945) and it was approved by a more senior officer as App Excellent on 17/2.
After the action, Commander Taylor went toHolyheadwith the damaged HMSAylmer.HMSBlighandHMSTylerwere her escorts. On arrival at 11:30 that evening, HMSTylerwas sent back to sea to continue operations and Commander Taylor transferred his flag to HMSBlighbefore also going back into the Irish Sea to continue operations with the 5EG. On 27 January 1945,U-1172was sunk byHMSKeats.In the space of three days, the 5th Escort Group had sunk two U-boats.
Commander Taylor was subsequently Gazetted with the award of theDistinguished Service Crosson 29 May 1945, as was Commander Playne from HMSCalder.
Another theory that has been put forward is that in the noise and confusion of the gun battle thecoxswainmisheard orders and put the helm over the wrong way. However, published inThe Battle of the Irish Sea,Sir David Gibson has included a picture of HMSAylmersteaming in to ram the U-boat. She still has plenty of sea room and it looks as if the U-boat is underway. The photo was taken by one ofAylmer's officers, Sub Lieutenant G.I. Davis R.N.V.R.
As Holyhead was too small to repair the damage toAylmer's bows, she made her way to Liverpool where she was repaired. In early April 1945, HMSAylmerresumed her role as Senior Officer of the 5th Escort Group and on 15 April 1945 the group, by ships,HMSGrindalland HMSKeatssankU-285125 nautical miles (232 km) south west of Ireland.
On 8 May 1945,VE day,HMSAylmerwas inBelfast,her home port. On 10 May 1945, she was dispatched toLoch Alshto assist in taking German U-boat crews into captivity. On 5 November 1945, she was returned to theUS Navyat New York.
General information
[edit]- Pennant (UK):K 463
- Pennant (US):DE 72
References
[edit]
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.
- The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World Warby Donald Collingwood. published by Leo Cooper (1998),ISBN0-85052-615-9.
- The Buckley-Class Destroyer Escortsby Bruce Hampton Franklin, published by Chatham Publishing (1999),ISBN1-86176-118-X.
- Niestle, Axel (1998).German U-Boat Losses During World War II.United States Naval Institute.ISBN1-55750-641-8.
- Battle in the Irish Seaby Sir David Gibson Bt. published by Maritime Books, Liskeard Cornwall (1993),ISBN0-9521432-0-8.
- ADM 217/752 H.M.S. Grindall.Report of Proceedings, 18th/30 January 1945. Held at National Archives of United Kingdom.
- The London Gazetteof Friday 25 May 1945, Third Supplement published 29 May 1945, number 37098.
External links
[edit]- uboat.net page for HMS Aylmer
- uboat.net page forU-765
- uboat.net page forU-1051
- captainclassfrigates.co.uk
- Photo galleryat Navsource.org
