Trafford

In early August 1944, HMS Kite was detached from her sister ships after
having engine repairs and was sent north to Loch Ewes to form part of the
escort to convoy JW59.  Operation Victual was the largest convoy ever sent
to Russia.  The convoy consisted of 28 Freighters, 14 of which loaded with
explosives; 2 tankers; 2 Escort Oilers; a Rescue Ship and a special crane
ship.  Also, going to Russia, in the convoy, were 12 Motor Torpedo Boats or
MTB's.  At 1500 hrs the 20th Escort Group was steaming through the gate
followed by the first freighter.  The last ship passed through at 1700 hrs
15 August. HMS Kite and HMS Keppel took up their position as Advanced
Starboard Attack Party.  HMS Keppel, although an ageing destroyer, was a
veteran of convoys.  At 2045 hrs on Sunday 20th August, HMS Keppel got a
contact on her starboard quarter.  Kite joined her and a Fairey Swordfish,
'a Stringbag' from HMS Vindex, watched as HMS Keppel and HMS Kite blasted
away with hedgehogs and depth charges.  They hunted throughout the night,
anti-gnat foxers streamed.  At 0400 hrs, 21st august, the convoy altered
course which it had been holding since 17th August, where the heavy escort
had joined up, to a heading of 050 degrees in the direction of Spitzbergen,
from which it would alter course again, later to round Bear Island and run
down to Kola Inlet. At 0644 hrs HMS Kite, after a long and fruitless hunt
had slowed to 6 knots and was clearing her foxers (see below) which had
become twisted around one another.  She was hit on the starboard side by 2
torpedoes from U344.  The ship heeled over at once to starboard.  Men on
the deck and a lookout on Keppel's bridge saw the U Boat surface briefly,
to assess his attack.  HMS Kite's stern broke off, floated for a few
seconds, then sank.  Her bow floated for a minute and then sank at a steep
angle.