Jump to content

HMS Balfour

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ktr101 (talk | contribs) at 01:56, 21 January 2016 (→External links: clean up, replaced: Category:Ships built in Massachusetts → Category:Ships built in Hingham, Massachusetts using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

History
Laid down19 April 1943
Launched10 July 1943
Commissioned17 October 1943
DecommissionedReturned to US Navy on 25 October 1945
FateSold for scrap 28 October 1946
General characteristics
Displacement1,800 tons (fully loaded)
Length306 ft (93 m) overall
Beam36.5 ft (11.1 m)
Draught11 ft (3.4 m) fully loaded
Speed24 knots (44 km/h)
Endurance5,500 nautical miles (10,190 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
ComplementTypically between 170 & 180

HMS Balfour was a Buckley class Captains class frigate during World War II.

General information

Naming

Named after George Balfour commander of HMS Conqueror at the Battle of the Saintes during the American Revolutionary War.

Originally destined for the US Navy HMS Balfour was provisionally given the name USS McAnn (later this name was reassigned to DE 179) however the delivery was diverted to the Royal Navy before the launch.

Commanding Officers

Commanding Officers were Lt Cdr C D B Coventry RN on commissioning with Cdr C Gwinner RN (Senior Officer 1st Escort Group) taking over after the loss of HMS Affleck on 26 December 1944 when HMS Balfour became the lead ship for the 1st Escort Group.

Actions

HMS Balfour served with both the 1st Escort Group and 18th Escort Group earning battle honours for service in the North Atlantic, off Normandy and in the English Channel.

On 25 June 1944 HMS Balfour with HMS Affleck attacked a submarine believed to be U-1191 by the use of depth charges, this resulted in the sinking of the submarine with the loss all hands. This action took place 25 nautical miles (46 km) south of Start Point. The Kriegsmarine had U-1191 listed as missing (no radio contact) since 12 June 1944.[1]

On 18 July 1944 HMS Balfour attacked the submarine U-672 by the use of depth charges, damaging U-672 so badly that it was forced to surface and the crew to abandon ship. U-672 sank before HMS Balfour could launch a sea boat (for a boarding party). All hands (52 crew and officers) were rescued and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war. This action took place in the English Channel north of Guernsey at position 50°03′N 02°30′W / 50.050°N 2.500°W / 50.050; -2.500.[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ *Innes McCartney (2002). Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel.
  2. ^ *Innes McCartney (2002). Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel.

References

  • The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War by Donald Collingwood. published by Leo Cooper (1998), ISBN 0-85052-615-9.
  • The Buckley-Class Destroyer Escorts by Bruce Hampton Franklin, published by Chatham Publishing (1999), ISBN 1-86176-118-X.
  • German U-Boat Losses During World War II by Axel Niestle, published by United States Naval Inst (1998), ISBN 1-55750-641-8.

Public Domain This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found here and here.


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Balfour&oldid=700859483"