The ship was laid down as a U.S. Navy destroyer escort designated "DE-87" by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., in Hingham, Massachusetts, on 5 July 1943 and launched on 2 October 1943. She was transferred to the United Kingdom upon completion on 29 November 1943.[1]
Service historyedit
Commissioned into service in the Royal Navy as the frigate HMS Ekins (K552) on 29 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer, the ship served on patrol and escort duty.
In September 1944, Ekins was transferred to the 16th Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich, where she served as a Coastal Forces Control Frigate, in order to prevent attacks by German E-boats against convoys. She normally operated in conjunction with Royal Navy Motor Torpedo boats, and other warships, using her radar to direct operations against German coastal forces. To assist in this role, she was fitted with additional communications equipment and the "Headache" COMINT equipment to intercept German radio transmissions.[9] She was also fitted with a 2-pounder (40 mm) gun as a bow chaser, mounted in the bow of the ship for close-in engagements against E-boats.[10]
On the night of 24/25 December 1944, Ekins, in conjunction with sister ship Thornborough, the frigate Caicos and the corvette Shearwater, disrupted an attempt by German E-boats of the 8th Schnellboot Flotilla to operate against the convoy route to Antwerp,[11] while on 1 January 1945, Ekins sank a German Seehundmidget submarine off Ostend.[12][13] On 11/12 April 1945 Ekins sank two German Linsen explosive motor boats.[14] On the night of 12/13 April Ekins and the Hunt-class destroyerHambledon encountered a force of 12 German E-boats laying mines in the approaches to the Scheldt estuary. Two E-boats were damaged.[15][16]
On 16 April 1945, Ekins set off two ground mines in the North Sea 13 nautical miles (24 km) northwest of Ostend, Belgium. The first mine caused flooding of the engine rooms and a loss of power while the second explosion holed the ship in her Asdic compartment. Although severely damaged, she managed to limp back to port. Damaged beyond economical repair, she was declared a constructive total loss and was decommissioned later in 1945.[1][3][17][18]
Disposaledit
The Royal Navy nominally returned Ekins to the U.S. Navy in June 1945.[2] The U.S. Navy struck her from its Naval Vessel Register on 25 June 1945. She was sold in March 1947 for scrapping in the Netherlands,[1] and she was scrapped at Dordrecht later that year.[2]
^ abcdColledge, J. J., Ships of the Royal Navy: he Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy From the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987, ISBN0-87021-652-X, p. 120.
^Per uboat.net HMS Ekins (K 552), Ekins was not carried on the Royal Navy's October 1945 list, strongly implying that she was decommissioned earlier in 1945.
^Captain Class Frigate Association: HMS Ekins K552 (DE 87)
Blair, Clay (2000). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters, 1942–1945. New York: Modern Library. ISBN0-679-64033-9.
Elliot, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Limited. ISBN0-356-08401-9.
(PDF). Admiralty. 1952. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN1-85367-117-7.
Roskill, S. W. (1961). The War at Sea 1939–1945: Volume III: The Offensive Part II. History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Captain Class Frigate Association HMS Ekins K552 (DE 87)
January 01, 1970
ekins, k552, british, captain, class, frigate, royal, navy, that, served, during, world, originally, constructed, united, states, navy, buckley, class, destroyer, escort, served, royal, navy, from, 1943, 1945, harwich, england, november, 1944, history, united,. HMS Ekins K552 was a British Captain class frigate of the Royal Navy that served during World War II Originally constructed as a United States Navy Buckley class destroyer escort she served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1945 HMS Ekins off Harwich England on 12 November 1944 History United States NameUnnamed DE 87 BuilderBethlehem Hingham Shipyard Hingham Massachusetts Laid down5 July 1943 1 Launched2 October 1943 1 Completed29 November 1943 1 CommissionedNever FateTransferred to United Kingdom 29 November 1943 1 Stricken25 June 1945 1 FateNominally returned by United Kingdom June 1945 2 Sold March 1947 for scrapping 1 United Kingdom NameHMS Ekins K552 NamesakeCaptain Sir Charles Ekins 1768 1855 British naval officer who was commanding officer of HMS Superb at the bombardment of Algiers in 1816 5 Acquired29 November 1943 1 Commissioned29 November 1943 3 Decommissioned1945 4 IdentificationPennant number K552 FateConstructive total loss after 16 April 1945 1 Nominally returned to United States June 1945 2 General characteristics Displacement1 400 long tons 1 422 t Length306 ft 93 m Beam36 75 ft 11 2 m Draught9 ft 2 7 m PropulsionTwo Foster Wheeler Express D type water tube boilers GE 13 500 shp 10 070 kW steam turbines and generators 9 200 kW Electric motors for 12 000 shp 8 900 kW Two shafts Speed24 knots 44 km h Range5 500 nautical miles 10 200 km at 15 knots 28 km h Complement186 Sensors and processing systemsSA amp SL type radars Type 144 series Asdic MF Direction Finding antenna HF Direction Finding Type FH 4 antenna Armament3 3 in 76 mm 50 Mk 22 guns 1 twin Bofors 40 mm mount Mk I 7 16 20 mm Oerlikon guns Mark 10 Hedgehog antisubmarine mortar Depth charges QF 2 pounder naval gun Contents 1 Construction and transfer 2 Service history 3 Disposal 4 Citations 5 References 6 External linksConstruction and transfer editThe ship was laid down as a U S Navy destroyer escort designated DE 87 by Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard Inc in Hingham Massachusetts on 5 July 1943 and launched on 2 October 1943 She was transferred to the United Kingdom upon completion on 29 November 1943 1 Service history editCommissioned into service in the Royal Navy as the frigate HMS Ekins K552 on 29 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer the ship served on patrol and escort duty After workup at Casco Bay Maine and Bermuda Ekins crossed the Atlantic She was then underwent modification at Belfast for North Atlantic convoy duty with additional depth charge racks and life rafts being fitted before joining the 3rd Escort Group operating in the North Atlantic 6 Ekins joined the 21st Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness in time for the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944 forming part of the escort of a convoy from the River Thames to the invasion beaches on 6 June and continuing to escort convoys to Normandy until September 7 On 21 July 1944 she joined the British frigate Curzon in sinking with depth charges and Hedgehog the German submarine U 212 in the English Channel south of Brighton England at 50 27 00 N 000 13 00 W 50 45000 N 0 21667 W 50 45000 0 21667 U 212 sunk 3 8 In September 1944 Ekins was transferred to the 16th Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich where she served as a Coastal Forces Control Frigate in order to prevent attacks by German E boats against convoys She normally operated in conjunction with Royal Navy Motor Torpedo boats and other warships using her radar to direct operations against German coastal forces To assist in this role she was fitted with additional communications equipment and the Headache COMINT equipment to intercept German radio transmissions 9 She was also fitted with a 2 pounder 40 mm gun as a bow chaser mounted in the bow of the ship for close in engagements against E boats 10 On the night of 24 25 December 1944 Ekins in conjunction with sister ship Thornborough the frigate Caicos and the corvette Shearwater disrupted an attempt by German E boats of the 8th Schnellboot Flotilla to operate against the convoy route to Antwerp 11 while on 1 January 1945 Ekins sank a German Seehund midget submarine off Ostend 12 13 On 11 12 April 1945 Ekins sank two German Linsen explosive motor boats 14 On the night of 12 13 April Ekins and the Hunt class destroyer Hambledon encountered a force of 12 German E boats laying mines in the approaches to the Scheldt estuary Two E boats were damaged 15 16 On 16 April 1945 Ekins set off two ground mines in the North Sea 13 nautical miles 24 km northwest of Ostend Belgium The first mine caused flooding of the engine rooms and a loss of power while the second explosion holed the ship in her Asdic compartment Although severely damaged she managed to limp back to port Damaged beyond economical repair she was declared a constructive total loss and was decommissioned later in 1945 1 3 17 18 Disposal editThe Royal Navy nominally returned Ekins to the U S Navy in June 1945 2 The U S Navy struck her from its Naval Vessel Register on 25 June 1945 She was sold in March 1947 for scrapping in the Netherlands 1 and she was scrapped at Dordrecht later that year 2 Citations edit a b c d e f g h i j k Navsource Online Destroyer Escort Photo Archive Ekins DE 87 HMS Eakins K 552 a b c d Colledge J J Ships of the Royal Navy he Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy From the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press 1987 ISBN 0 87021 652 X p 120 a b c uboat net HMS Ekins K 552 Per uboat net HMS Ekins K 552 Ekins was not carried on the Royal Navy s October 1945 list strongly implying that she was decommissioned earlier in 1945 Captain Class Frigate Association HMS Ekins K552 DE 87 Elliot 1977 p 254 Elliot 1977 pp 254 255 Blair 2000 p 602 Elliot 1977 pp 255 527 Elliot 1977 pp 261 263 Rohwer and Hummelchen 1992 p 321 Rohwer and Hummelchen 1992 p 325 Roskill 1961 p 271 Roskill 1961 p 279 Rohwer and Hummelchen 1992 p 347 Roskill 1962 p 277 H M Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action 1952 p 292 Elliot 1977 pp 255 256 References edit nbsp This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Blair Clay 2000 Hitler s U Boat War The Hunters 1942 1945 New York Modern Library ISBN 0 679 64033 9 Elliot Peter 1977 Allied Escort Ships of World War II A complete survey London Macdonald and Jane s Publishers Limited ISBN 0 356 08401 9 H M Ships Damaged or Sunk by Enemy Action 3rd SEPT 1939 to 2nd SEPT 1945 PDF Admiralty 1952 Archived from the original PDF on 10 June 2016 Retrieved 16 April 2016 Rohwer Jurgen Hummelchen Gerhard 1992 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 London Greenhill Books ISBN 1 85367 117 7 Roskill S W 1961 The War at Sea 1939 1945 Volume III The Offensive Part II History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series London Her Majesty s Stationery Office External links editNavsource Online Destroyer Escort Photo Archive Ekins DE 87 HMS Duff K 552 uboat net HMS Ekins K 552 Destroyer Escort Sailors Association DEs for UK Captain Class Frigate Association HMS Ekins K552 DE 87 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Ekins amp oldid 1198155519, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
