HMS Byard

HMS Byard was a Captain-class frigate of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was named for Sir Thomas Byard, who commanded HMS Bedford at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars.

HMS Byard sliding down the slipway on 6 March 1943 at Bethlehem-Hingham shipyard
History
United Kingdom
Laid down15 October 1942
Launched6 March 1943
Commissioned18 June 1943
DecommissionedReturned to US Navy on 12 December 1945
FateSold for scrap in 1946
General characteristics
Class and typeCaptain-class frigate
Displacement1,800 long tons (1,829 t) 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 (10,200 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
ComplementTypically between 170 & 180

Originally destined for the US Navy as a turbo-electric (TE) type Buckley-class destroyer escort, HMS Byard was provisionally given the name USS Donaldson (this name was reassigned to DE 44). However the ship was diverted to the Royal Navy before her launch.

Actions

HMS Byard served exclusively with the 4th Escort Group earning battle honours for service in the North Atlantic.

In 1943, HMS Byard's ship's company paraded in Boston, MA, in the American Day parade.

On 17 October 1943, HMS Byard was escorting Atlantic convoy ONS 20 which was attacked by a wolf pack of 16 U-boats east of Cape Farewell, Greenland. During the ensuing battle HMS Byard sank the submarine U-841 at position 59°57′N 31°06′W, by the use of depth charges resulting in 27 dead and 27 survivors from U-841's crew. This action made HMS Byard the first Captain-class frigate to destroy a Kriegsmarine submarine.

General information
  • Pennant (UK): K 315
  • Pennant (US): DE 55

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.
  • Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. United States Naval Institute. ISBN 1-55750-641-8.

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

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