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Hunt class minesweeper (1916)
Encyclopedia
The Hunt class minesweeper was a class
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of minesweeping sloop
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
built between 1916 and 1919 for the Royal Navy
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...
. They were built in two discrete groups, the earlier Belvoir group designed by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company
Ailsa Shipbuilding Company
-History:The company was founded in 1885 by the 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.In 1902 the Ailsa yard fitted out the polar exploration ship Scotia for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902-04...
and the subsequent (and slightly larger) Aberdare group designed by the Admiralty. They were classed as Fleet Minesweeping Sloops, that is ships intended to clear open water. The Belvoir group were named after British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
fox hunts
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
. Those of the Aberdare group were originally named after coastal towns, watering places and fishing ports, some of which happened to be hunts by coincidence. However, all were soon renamed after inland locations to prevent confusion caused by the misunderstanding of signals and orders.
Design
These ships had twin screws and had forced-draught coal burning boilers, that is they burned pulverised coal in an artificially augmented airstream. One consequence of this was that they produced a lot of smoke, so much so that they were more usually referred to as Smokey Joes. Another was that if they were fed anything other than the Welsh Steam Coal they were designed for then the fuel consumption was enormous - one ship was bunkered with soft brown Natal coal and burnt 20 tons in a single day.They had a shallow draught (8 feet, 2.43 metres). Armament was one QF 4 in (101.6 mm) gun forward and a QF 12 pounder
12-pounder gun
12-pounder gun or 12-pdr, usually denotes a gun which fired a projectile of approximately 12 pounds.Guns of this type include:* A cannon sized for a 12 pound ball, see Naval artillery in the Age of Sail*Canon de 12 de Vallière French canon of 1732...
aft, plus two twin 0.303 inch machine guns. They were equipped for sweeping with Oropesa floats only, that is to cut the cables of moored mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
.
Service
Six ships were completed as survey vessels, and the majority of the Aberdare group arrived too late to see service during the First World War. 35 were cancelled after the armistice. Interwar, 8 were sold out of service, one was sold to Siam, one was converted to an RNVR drillship and 52 were scrapped. The majority of the remainder spent the period from 1919 to 1939 in reserve around the world, with Malta and Singapore having most of them, so that on the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
there were still 27 available for service, to which a further two were requisitioned from mercantile service.
The 5th Minesweeping Flotilla, comprising Pangourne, Ross, Lydd, Kellet and Albury as well as the newer Halcyon-class
Halcyon class minesweeper
The Halcyon class was a class of 21 oil-fired minesweepers built for the British Royal Navy between 1933 and 1939...
Gossamer and Leda sailed from North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
for Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
late on 26 May 1940, reaching Harwich nearly 24 hours later. After coaling, the flotilla sailed for Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
in the afternoon of 28 May, and was off the beach by about 21:30 hours the same day. At least 2 ships from the Flotilla (Ross and Lydd) were detailed to collect troops from the harbour mole. Ross alone took on board 353 men and 1 dog on this first night. The ships of the flotilla made a further 3 trips to Dunkirk in the following days, working at battle-stations virtually round the clock and returning to 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....
for the last time from Dunkirk on Saturday, 1 June 1940. Sutton was also present at Dunkirk.
Five ships were lost during the war, and a further vessel, Widnes was beached in Suda Bay, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
in May 1941 after being bombed by German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
aircraft. The Germans recovered and repaired the hull, pressing her into service as 12.V4. In October 1943, now known as Uj.2109, she was sunk by the destroyers , and the Greek Queen Olga
Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga (D 15)
Vasilissa Olga was a Greek destroyer of the Vasilefs Georgios class, which served with the Royal Hellenic Navy during the Second World War, becoming its most distinguished and successful ship until her loss in 1943...
.
Belvoir group
Twenty ships ordered in 1916: — built by Ailsa Shipbuilding CompanyAilsa Shipbuilding Company
-History:The company was founded in 1885 by the 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.In 1902 the Ailsa yard fitted out the polar exploration ship Scotia for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902-04...
, Troon
Troon
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services...
, launched 8 March 1917. Sold for breaking up in July 1922. — built by Ailsa, launched 8 June 1917. Sold for breaking up 8 January 1923. — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock Company, Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, launched 23 March 1917. Sunk by mine off Montrose 1 May 1918. — built by Clyde Shipbuilding Company, 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...
, launched 21 February 1917. Sold for breaking up 22 February 1923. — built by Bow, McLachlan and Company
Bow, McLachlan and Company
Bow, McLachlan and Company was a Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding company that traded between 1872 and 1932.-1872-1914:In 1872 William Bow and John McLachlan founded the company at Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, where it made steering gear and light marine steam engines. In 1900 the company...
, Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, launched 28 November 1916. Sold for breaking up 18 January 1923. — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched 9 February 1917. Sold for breaking up 18 January 1923. — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched 22 May 1917. Sold for breaking up in July 1922. — built by Dunlop Bremner & Company
Dunlop Bremner & Company
Dunlop, Bremner & Company was a shipyard at Port Glasgow on the River Clyde, in Scotland, which was purchased by Lithgows in 1919 but continued to trade under its own name until 1926....
, Port Glasgow, launched 30 March 1917. Sold for breaking up 21 February 1923. — built by Dunlop Bremner, launched 9 May 1917. Sold for breaking up 21 February 1923. — built by Fleming & Ferguson
Fleming & Ferguson
Fleming and Ferguson was a Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding company that traded between 1877 and 1969.-1877–1914:W.Y. Fleming and P. Ferguson founded the company in Paisley, Scotland in 1877, making marine steam engines. In 1885 they expanded into shipbuilding by taking over the...
, Paisley, launched 9 March 1917. Sold for breaking up in July 1922. — built by Fleming & Ferguson, launched 4 June 1917. Sold for breaking up in July 1922. — built by D. & W. Henderson and Company, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, launched 9 November 1916. Sold for breaking up in August 1924. — built by Henderson, launched 7 February 1917. Sold for breaking up 4 November 1922. — built Lobnitz and Company, Renfrew
Renfrew
-Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated....
, launched 28 November 1916. Sold for breaking up 22 January 1923. — built by Lobnitz, launched 10 January 1917. Sold for breaking up 18 January 1923. — built by Napier and Miller, Old Kilpatrick
Old Kilpatrick
Old Kilpatrick is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.The village is on the north bank of the River Clyde immediately to the north of the Forth and Clyde Canal, three miles from Clydebank on the road to Dumbarton. The Great Western Road runs through Old Kilpatrick, and the next village to...
, launched 24 March 1917. Sold for breaking up in July 1922. — built by Napier and Miller
Napier and Miller
Napier and Miller are Scottish shipbuilders at Old Kilpatrick, Glasgow, Scotland.The company built two large, double-ended steam passenger ferries for the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company Limited in Sydney, Australia, launched in 1927 and 1928. They were named "Dee Why" and "Curl Curl" and...
, launched 4 June 1917. Sold for breaking up 18 September 1922. — built by William Simons and Company, Renfrew, launched 7 July 1917. Sold for breaking up 16 December 1926. — built by Simons, launched 20 June 1917. Became a diving tender in August 1923. Sold for breaking up November 1946 — built by Murdoch and Murray, Port Glasgow, launched 1917. Sold for salvage 18 January 1923.
Aberdare group
One hundred and twenty-nine ships were ordered to this Admiralty design between 1916 and November 1918, of which thirty-four were cancelled (among these, two - Battle and Bloxham - had been launched). Two more (unnamed) were projected to be ordered from Fleming & Ferguson, but these two were never actually ordered:— built by Ailsa, launched April 1918, sold for scrapping 1946 — built by Ailsa, launched June 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Ailsa, launched November 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Ailsa, launched January 1919, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Ailsa, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock, launched March 1918, disposed of 1928 — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock, launched May 1918, paid off 1945, mined in tow off Corfu 1951 — built by Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company, Irvine
Irvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
, launched May 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock, launched May 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Dundee Shipbuilding Company, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, launched 1919, but cancelled October 1919 and sold (incomplete) for breaking up in March 1922. (ex-Burnham) — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched August 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Brixham) — built by Ayrshire Shipbuilding, launched 1919, but cancelled October 1919 and sold (incomplete) for breaking up 23 October 1923. (ex-Buckie) — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched June 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Ayrshire Shipbuilding, launched May 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Blakeney) — built by Ayrshire Shipbuilding, launched March 1918,disposed of inter-war — built by Joseph R. Eltringham, South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, launched May 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched December 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched December 1918, completed as tender to navigation school, (ex-Cawsand) — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Bow, McLachlan, launched March 1919, completed as tender to navigation school — built by Eltringham, launched July 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Stranraer) — built by Simons, launched May 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched May 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Rosslare) — built by McMillan, lost 1919 (ex-Dawlish) — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched August 1918, sold for scrapping 1946 — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched September 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched January 1919, mined off Harwich 16 October 1940, foundered under tow following day — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched March 1919, mined and sunk off Great Yarmouth 30 April 1940 (ex-Troon) — built by Simons, launched March 1919, mined and scrapped in 1945 — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Dunlop Bremner, launched June 1918, sold for scrapping 1948, disposed of inter-war — built by Dundee Shipbuilding, launched 1919, bombed by Italian
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
aircraft off Valletta 30 April 1941, then 4 May 1941, written off as constructive total loss — built by Dunlop Bremner, launched July 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Fleetwood) — built by Dunlop Bremner, launched October 1918, to mercantile service interwar, requisitioned September 1939 as salvage vessel HMS Forde, returned 1947 — built by Dundee Shipbuilding, launched November 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Fowey) — built by Clyde Shipbuilding, launched November 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Eltringham, launched November 1917, sold 4 November 1922. (ex-Gorleston) — built by Eltringham, launched February 1918, sold in June 1928 to Alloa Ship Breaking Company. (ex-Bridlington) — built by Ayrshire Shipbuilding, launched 1919, later hulked as RNVR drillship Irwell, scrapped 1962 — built by Eltringham, launched April 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Eltringham, launched July 1918, sold for scrapping 1947, disposed of inter-war — built by Eltringham, launched November 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Helmsdale) — built by Eltringham, launched January 1919, bombed and sunk by German aircraft off Mersa Matruh 31 January 1941 (ex-Ilfracombe) — built by Eltringham, launched April 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...
, Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, launched December 1917, disposed of inter-war — built by Fairfield, launched February 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Fairfield, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-) — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock, launched March 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Minehead) — built by John Harkness and Sons, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, launched March 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Lydney) built by Fairfield, launched December 1918, sold for scrapping 1947, disposed of inter-war — built by Fleming & Ferguson, launched October 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Fleming & Ferguson, launched February 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Fleming & Ferguson, launched 1919, completed as submarine depot ship, disposed of inter-war — built by Harkness, launched August 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Maryport) — built by Harkness, launched October 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Mullion) — built by Harkness, launched May 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Macduff) — built by Fleming & Ferguson, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by A and J Inglis, Pointhouse, launched August 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Newlyn) — built by Inglis, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Eltringham, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Padstow) — built by Lobnitz, launched March 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Lobnitz, lost 1919 (ex-Portmadoc) — built by Lobnitz, launched March 1919, completed as Admiral's yacht; wrecked 11 November 1931 off Tung Yung Island, with C-in-C China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
(Admiral Sir Howard Kelly
Howard Kelly (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral Sir Howard Kelly GBE KCB CMG MVO was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station.-Naval career:Kelly joined the Royal Navy in 1886...
) embarked (ex-Polperro) — built by Lobnitz, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Porlock) — built by Lobnitz, launched November 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Wicklow) — built by Inglis, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Ramsey) — built by Lobnitz, launched 1919, sold for scrapping 1947 (ex-Filey) — built by Dunlop Bremner, launched September 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Shoreham) — built by Murdoch and Murray, launched April 1919, completed as tender to navigation school, — built by Murdoch and Murray, launched July 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Murdoch and Murray, launched October 1918, wrecked off Horse Sand Fort 26 October 1945 and written off as constructive total loss, sold for salvage and wrecked under tow 1946 — built by Murdoch and Murray, launched December 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 (ex-Tarbert) — built by Simons, launched June 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Napier and Miller, launched February 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Napier and Miller, launched March 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Staithes) — built by Charles Rennoldson, South Shields, launched February 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Southwold) — built by Charles Rennoldson, launched June 1918, bombed and sunk by German aircraft off Tobruk 7 May 1941 (ex-Salcombe) — built by Archibald McMillan and Son, Dumbarton, launched March 1918, sold for scrapping 1947 — built by Ardrossan Dry Dock, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Simons, launched September 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Simons, launched November 1918, disposed of inter-war — built by Simons, launched December 1918, disposed of inter-war (ex-Teignmouth) — built by Simons, launched August 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Simons, launched April 1919, disposed of inter-war (ex-Walmer) — built by Simons, launched 1919, disposed of inter-war — built by Simons, launched 1919, to mercantile service inter-war, requisitioned September 1939, to Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
as , to oil hulk 1947, scuttled 1976 — built by Inglis, launched February 1919, disposed of inter-war — (ex-Withernsea) built by Napier and Miller, launched June 1918, bombed by German aircraft in Suda Bay May 1941, beached and abandoned, salvaged as German escort Uj.2109 and sunk by destroyers 17 October 1943 — built by Napier and Miller, launched August 1918, disposed of inter-war