HMS Cubitt (K512)

HMS Cubitt (K512) was a Captain-class frigate of the British Royal Navy that served during World War II. The ship was laid down as a Buckley-class destroyer escort at the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard at Hingham, Massachusetts on 9 June 1943, with the hull number DE-83, and launched on 11 September 1943. The ship was transferred to the UK under Lend-Lease on 17 November 1943,[3] and named after Captain J. Cubitt, a Navy officer who commanded the frigate Mary Rose in 1661.[4]

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Cubitt
Builder: Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts
Laid down: 9 June 1943
Launched: 11 September 1943
Commissioned: 17 November 1943
Decommissioned: 4 March 1946
Stricken: 12 April 1946
Honours and
awards:
  • Atlantic
  • North Foreland
  • North Sea[1]
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 7 March 1947
General characteristics
Class and type: Captain-class frigate
Displacement:
  • 1,400 long tons (1,422 t) standard
  • 1,740 long tons (1,768 t) full
Length:
  • 306 ft (93 m) o/a
  • 300 ft (91 m) w/l
Beam: 36 ft 9 in (11.20 m)
Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Foster Wheeler Express "D"-type water-tube boilers
  • GE 13,500 shp (10,067 kW) steam turbines and generators (9,200 kW)
  • Electric motors 12,000 shp (8,948 kW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
Range: 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 186
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • SA & SL type radars
  • Type 144 series Asdic
  • MF Direction Finding antenna
  • HF Direction Finding Type FH 4 antenna
Armament:
Service record
Part of: 21st Escort Group
Commanders: Lt. George Denys Gregory, RN[2]

Service history

Cubitt was assigned to Nore Command, serving in the 21st Escort Group based at Harwich. She did not take part in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, but was afterwards deployed escorting convoys to and from the landing beaches. Towards the end of 1944 Cubitt became a Coastal Forces Control Frigate (CFCF), controlling a flotilla of Motor Torpedo Boats operating in the Channel and North Sea to counter the threat of enemy E-Boats.[5]

In February 1945 Cubitt was refitted at Tilbury. Her 2-pounder "pom pom" bow chaser was removed, the two 20 mm Oerlikons mounted in front of the bridge were replaced with two single 40 mm Bofors, and splinter shields were fitted to her 3-inch (76 mm) guns.[5]

On the night of 7/8 April 1945 Cubitt and Rutherford were on patrol with their MTB's when Cubitt encountered a large group of E-Boats. She opened fire, and two were severely damaged and a third was hit before they could move out of range, but a patrolling aircraft then attacked and drove them towards the MTBs, resulting in a fierce close-quarter action. A Motor Gun Boat and an E-Boat collided, and Cubitt picked up casualties from another MGB that was on fire. The following night Rutherford and Cubitt were on patrol off Ostend, when an aircraft directed Rutherford towards a formation of E-Boats, and in five minutes two E-boats were sunk and several others damaged. Cubitt managed to fire a few shots as the E-boats fled under cover of a smoke screen.[5]

Cubitt visited several Dutch ports immediately after they were liberated, and after VE Day escorted ships to Oslo and Brunsbüttel. Cubitt was then assigned to "Operation Deadlight", towing surrendered U-boats from Loch Ryan out into the North Atlantic where they were sunk.[5]

Cubitt was returned to the U.S. Navy on 4 March 1946, struck from the Navy List on 12 April 1946, and sold for scrapping on 7 March 1947.[3]

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References
  1. Tynan, Roy (2006). "Captain Class Frigate - Battle Honours". captainclassfrigates.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur (2011). "Allied Warships of WWII - HMS Cubitt". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  3. Smolinski, Mike (2010). "Destroyer Escort Photo Index - HMS Cubitt (K512)". navsource.org. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  4. Tynan, Roy (2003). "Captain Class Frigates - HMS Cubitt (K512)". captainclassfrigates.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  5. Tynan, Roy (2003). "Operations of the Nore Command Frigates". captainclassfrigates.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2011.


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