HMS Melton
Encyclopedia
HMS Melton was a of the Royal Navy
. The Racecourse class comprised 32 paddlewheel coastal minesweeping sloop
s.
in Port Glasgow
, Scotland
, she was launched in March 1916 with the pennant number 898. As built she was equipped to operate two seaplanes but never did so. For the rest of the war she served with the Auxiliary Patrol
. Post war she was transferred to the Mine Clearance Service.
and Thames. She was renamed Queen of Thanet. For the next twelve years she could be found working from Sheerness
and Southend. Regular excursions took her to Gravesend
, Margate
, Clacton and Dover
as well as cross-channel voyages to Calais
, Boulogne and Dunkirk.
for minesweeping duties once more and commissioned as HMS Queen of Thanet, pennant number J30.In March 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation rescuing 4000 men in four trips. Of that number, 2000 were transferred from the ex LNER steamer Prague, after the latter had been damaged by near misses from shells and dive bombers off Gravelines
. For Operation Overlord
in June 1944 she was stationed at Selsey
as the Mulberry
Despatch Control Ship. After the war she was returned in 1946 to her owners to recommence excursion work around the Thames Estuary.
and transferred to Southampton
. After refitting at Thorneycroft's yard at Northam she was commissioned in the spring as the company's second Solent Queen. For the next two years she operated excursions from Southampton in the summer. In June 1951 while she was slipped for survey and repair, she caught fire and was written off as a constructive loss. She was scrapped by Dover Industries Ltd at Dover
Eastern Docks in 1951.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The Racecourse class comprised 32 paddlewheel coastal minesweeping sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s.
Great War
Built by William Hamilton and CompanyWilliam Hamilton and Company
William Hamilton and Company was a British shipyard located in Port Glasgow, Scotland. The company was purchased by Lithgow Ltd., later to become Scott Lithgow which was nationalised into British Shipbuilders in 1977....
in Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, she was launched in March 1916 with the pennant number 898. As built she was equipped to operate two seaplanes but never did so. For the rest of the war she served with the Auxiliary Patrol
Auxiliary Patrol
The Auxiliary Patrol was an antisubmarine initiative by the British to help combat German submarine operations in the early stages of World War I...
. Post war she was transferred to the Mine Clearance Service.
Between the wars
She was sold to Hughes Bolckow Shipbreaking Co in 1927. She was bought by The New Medway Steam Packet Company in 1929 and converted for excursion work on the MedwayMedway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
and Thames. She was renamed Queen of Thanet. For the next twelve years she could be found working from Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
and Southend. Regular excursions took her to Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
, Clacton and Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
as well as cross-channel voyages to Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, Boulogne and Dunkirk.
World War 2
In September 1939 she was requisitioned by the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
for minesweeping duties once more and commissioned as HMS Queen of Thanet, pennant number J30.In March 1940 she took part in the Dunkirk evacuation rescuing 4000 men in four trips. Of that number, 2000 were transferred from the ex LNER steamer Prague, after the latter had been damaged by near misses from shells and dive bombers off Gravelines
Gravelines
Gravelines is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies at the mouth of the river Aa 15 miles southwest of Dunkirk. There is a market in the town square on Saturdays. The "Arsenal" approached from the town square is home to an extensive and carefully displayed art collection....
. For Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
in June 1944 she was stationed at Selsey
Selsey
Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about seven miles south of Chichester, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea...
as the Mulberry
Mulberry harbour
A Mulberry harbour was a British type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on the beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy....
Despatch Control Ship. After the war she was returned in 1946 to her owners to recommence excursion work around the Thames Estuary.
Post War
In January 1949 she was sold to Red FunnelRed Funnel
The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, which trades as Red Funnel, is a ferry company that carries passengers and vehicles on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight...
and transferred to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. After refitting at Thorneycroft's yard at Northam she was commissioned in the spring as the company's second Solent Queen. For the next two years she operated excursions from Southampton in the summer. In June 1951 while she was slipped for survey and repair, she caught fire and was written off as a constructive loss. She was scrapped by Dover Industries Ltd at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
Eastern Docks in 1951.