HMS Blankney

HMS Blankney in 1943
History
UK
Name	HMS Blankney
Ordered	4 September 1939
Builder	John Brown & Company
Yard number	569
Laid down	17 May 1940
Launched	19 December 1940
Commissioned	11 April 1941
Fate	Scrapped in 1958
General characteristics
Displacement	1,000 t standard 1,340 t full load
Length	280 ft (85 m)
Beam	29 ft (8.8 m)
Draught	10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Propulsion	Two x Admiralty 3 drum boilers Two shaft Parsons geared turbines 19,000 shp
Speed	27½ kts (26 knots full)
Range	3,500 nmi (6,480 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) / 1,000 nmi (2,000 km) at 29 knots (54 km/h)
Complement	146
Armament	4 x QF 4 in Mark XVI on twin mounts Mk. XIX 4 x QF 2 pdr Mk. VIII on quad mount MK.VII 2 x 20 mm Oerlikons on single mounts P Mk. III 110 depth charges, 2 throwers, 1 rack

HMS Blankney was a Hunt class destroyer of the Royal Navy and was the first RN warship to bear the Name . She was laid down on 17 May 1940 at John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland, launched on 19 December 1940 and commissioned on 11 April 1941.

She was one of 36 Type II Hunt Escort Destroyers. The hull had an extra section which, with the increased beam, gave stability for additional armament and more storage for depth charges (raised from 40 to 110).

In 1942 the Government introduced a National Savings campaign named "Warship Week" where British towns could "adopt" a Royal Navy's ship. HMS Blankney was adopted by Nantwich in Cheshire and the town still has a residential street named after her. 53°03′50″N 02°31′17″E

Service

12th escort group

From October 1941 HMS Blankney was a member of the 12th escort group based at Londonderry, Northern Ireland. In December she was dispatched to reinforce Commander Walkers U-boat killer group that was escorting a Convoy HG76 for passage to Gibraltar.

Sinking of U-131

U-131 was spotted on the surface by a Martlet of 802 NAS flying from the escort carrier HMS Audacity on 17 December 1942 and was sunk by depth charges and gunfire from the British escort destroyers HMS Exmoor (L61) and Blankney, the destroyer HMS Stanley (I 73), the Flower class corvette HMS Pentstemon and the sloop HMS Stork. While under this attack, U-131 shot down the Martlet aircraft, killing the pilot.

Sinking of U-434

On the 18 December, HMS Stanley spotted U-434 on the surface and gave chase. As the submarine dived, Blankney achieved firm ASDIC (sonar) contact and made three depth charge attacks. U-434 was severely damaged, but managed to surface and allow her crew escape before sinking. Blankney rescued the crew before returning to Gibraltar to refuel.

Arctic convoys.

At the start of 1942 Blankney under repair at Gibraltar, then part of the escort for Convoy WS16 during Arctic Convoys. Later in the same year she provided Distant Cover for Russian Convoy PQ17 and the return Convoy QP13 from Murmansk to Iceland.

Allied landings on Sicily 10 July 1943

Operation, Husky. Blankney was able to provide Air Defence and shore bombardment at the Bark East Landing area with the Escort Destroyer HMS Puckeridge.

Sinking of U-450

On 10 March 1944 U-450 was sunk in the western Mediterranean North of Ostia, at position 41°11′N 12°27′E, by depth charges from, HMS Blankney, HMS Blencathra, HMS Brecon, HMS Exmoor and the U.S. destroyer USS Madison.

Sinking of U-371

On the night of 2/3 May 1944 U-371 was spotted recharging her batteries on the surface off Djidjelli on the Algerian coast and was sunk by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Pride and USS Joseph E. Campbell the French destroyer escort Sénégalais and the British escort destroyer HMS Blankney.

D-Day, 6 June 1944

During Operation Neptune Blankney was a member of Force K Gunfire Support Bombarding, assigned to “Gold Beach” during operation the Allied landings in Normandy.

End of the War

"Blankney " was deployed in and around the Channel and the North Sea to guard against any attepts for E-Boats or U-Boats laying naval mines in the Thames estuary. Her war was completed when in August 1945, following VJ Day she returned to the UK where she was laid up in Sheerness as part of the Reserve Fleet.

Commanders

Name	From	To
Lt.Cdr. Philip Frederick Powlett, RN	27 Feb 1941	11 Mar 1943
Lt.Cdr. Douglas Henry Reid Bromley RN	11 Mar 1943	24 Apr 1944
Lt. Bernard Henry Brown, RN	24 Apr 1944	1 Apr 1946

Fate

Blankney was refited after VJ Day and returned to UK. In May 1946 she was Paid off and entered Reserve at Devonport. The ship had another refit in 1948 and was then laid up in Reserve Fleet at Sheerness. During 1952 she wa moved to Hartlepool and approval was given for her to be placed on the Disposal List on 22nd October 1958. She was sold to BISCO for scrapping by Hughes Bolcow at Blyth and was towed to the breaker’s yard 9th March the same year. Her badge can still be seen painted on the Selborne dry dock wall.

Rail Mail Stamp

On the 7th September 1989 a 22p srap fetiring the Ships Badge was issued (SG616)SG616 at shipstamps.co.uk/

External links

• The Hunt (Type II) class Escort destroyers
• Blankney at Sea Metheringham Area News
• HMS Blankney at Naval History.net
• HMS Blankney off the coast ofg Normandy at June 6th 1944 at flikr

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.