HMS Bligh (K467)

History
United States
Name	USS Liddle
Builder	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard Inc., Hingham, Massachusetts
Laid down	10 May 1943
Identification	DE-76
Fate	Transferred to UK, returned 17 October 1945 and sold for scrap, 13 June 1946
United Kingdom
Name	Bligh
Namesake	William Bligh
Launched	31 July 1943
Commissioned	23 October 1943
Identification	K467
Fate	Returned to US Navy on 17 October 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Buckley-class destroyer escort/Captain-class frigate
Displacement	1,800 long tons (1,829 t) fully loaded
Length	306 ft (93 m) overall
Beam	36.5 ft (11.1 m)
Draught	11 ft (3.4 m) fully loaded
Speed	24 knots (44 km/h)
Endurance	5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement	Typically between 170 & 180

HMS Bligh was a Captain-class frigate active during World War II. She was named after William Bligh, commander of HMS Director at the Battle of Camperdown during the French Revolutionary War, and commander of HMS Bounty.

Originally destined for the US Navy as a turbo-electric (TE) type Buckley-class destroyer escort, HMS Bligh was provisionally given the name USS Liddle, a name that was later reassigned to another ship. However, the delivery was diverted to the Royal Navy before the launch.

Service history

HMS Bligh served exclusively with the 5th Escort Group taking part in operations in the Eastern Atlantic, the English Channel, and off Normandy.

On 6 May 1944, Bligh, together with HMS Bickerton, HMS Aylmer and two Swordfish aircraft (Sqdn. 825) of the British escort carrier HMS Vindex, attacked and sank the U-boat U-765 at position 52°30′N 28°28′W / 52.500°N 28.467°W / 52.500; -28.467 using depth charges, resulting in the loss of 37 hands.

On 7 November 1944, an accidental firing of an anti-aircraft gun while docked at Liverpool caused both death and injury on the troopship RMS Capetown Castle.

On 27 January 1945, Bligh, along with HMS Tyler and HMS Keats attacked and destroyed the submarine U-1172 with depth charges, causing the loss of all 52 hands at position 52°24′N 05°42′W / 52.400°N 5.700°W / 52.400; -5.700.

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.