Algerine-class minesweeper
The Algerine-class minesweeper was a large group of minesweepers built for the Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during the Second World War. 110 ships of the class were launched between 1942 and 1944.
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Algerine class |
| Builders: |
|
| Operators: | |
| Preceded by: | Bangor class |
| Succeeded by: | Ton class |
| In service: | 1942 |
| Completed: | 110 |
| Active: | 1? |
| Lost: | 6 |
| Retired: | 109 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Minesweeper |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 225 ft (69 m) o/a |
| Beam: | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Draught: | 11 ft (3.4 m)–12 ft 3 in (3.73 m) |
| Installed power: | |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
| Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement: | 85 |
| Armament: |
|
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Design and description
By 1940 the Royal Navy had realized that the Bangor-class minesweepers were too small to carry the equipment needed to handle magnetic mines. A bigger ship was designed, ironically about the same size as the older Halcyon class that the Royal Navy had rejected earlier as too large and expensive for mass production. The size of the new ship made them suitable for use as ocean-going escort ships and many were used in that role to fill a critical shortage of escorts. In fact most of the ships built for the RCN were solely employed as such and were fitted with more dedicated anti-submarine weapons than the RN ships. To maximise production, alternate designs were made to use either steam turbines or reciprocating steam engines.[1] The construction contracts were awarded to shipbuilders in both the United Kingdom and Canada.
- United Kingdom
- Blyth Dry Docks & Shipbuilding Co., Blyth
- Fleming & Ferguson, Port Glasgow
- Harland & Wolff, Belfast
- Lobnitz & Co., Paisley
- William Simons & Co., Paisley
- Canada
- Collingwood Shipbuilding Co., Collingwood
- Port Arthur Shipbuilding Co., Thunder Bay
- Redfern Construction Co., Toronto
The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load while the reciprocating group displaced 1,010–1,030 long tons (1,030–1,050 t) at standard load and 1,305–1,325 long tons (1,326–1,346 t) at deep load. The hull's dimensions were the same for both groups and the ship measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m) while the reciprocating ships sat 1 foot 3 inches (0.4 m) deeper in the water. The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.[2]
The turbine-powered ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). The reciprocating ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines totalling 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) and reached the same speed. They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[2]
The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun[3] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges. Many Canadian ships omitted their sweeping gear in exchange for a 24-barrel Hedgehog spigot mortar and a stowage capacity for 90+ depth charges.[2]
Ships
| Name | Builder | Turbine or Reciprocating |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canadian Navy | |||
| Border Cities (J344) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1948 sold for demolition |
| Fort Frances (J396) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1948 transferred to Department of Mines and Technical Surveys 1974 broken up |
| Kapuskasing (J326) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1949-1972 loaned to Department of Mines and Technical Surveys 1978 sunk as a target |
| Middlesex (J328) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 2 December 1946 aground near Halifax and became a total loss |
| New Liskeard (J397) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1969 broken up |
| Oshawa (J330) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1958 sold as civilian survey vessel 1966 broken up |
| Portage (J331) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1961 broken up |
| Rockcliffe (J335) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1960 broken up |
| Sault Ste. Marie (J334) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1960 broken up |
| St. Boniface (J332) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1948 sold mercantile as Bess Barry M. |
| Wallaceburg (J336) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1959 sold to Belgian Navy as Georges Lecointe 1970 broken up |
| Winnipeg (J337) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1959 sold to Belgian Navy as A.F. Dufour 1966 broken up |
| Royal Navy | |||
| Acute (J106) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1964 destroyed as a target |
| Alarm (J140) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 2 January 1943 badly damaged by mine near Bône December 1943 sold for demolition |
| Albacore (J101) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1963 broken up |
| Algerine (J213) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 15 November 1942 sunk by Italian submarine off Bougie |
| Antares (J282) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1947 returned to USA after lend-lease |
| Arcturus (J283) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1946 sold to Hellenic Navy as Pyrpolitis 1984 sunk as a target |
| Aries (J284) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1947 sold to Hellenic Navy as Armatolos 1977 sunk as a target |
| Bramble | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1961 broken up |
| Brave (J305) | Blyth Dry Docks | Turbine | 1951 RNVR drillship Satellite 1958 broken up |
| Cadmus (J230) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1950 sold to Belgian Navy as Georges Lecointe 1960 broken up |
| Chameleon (J387) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1966 broken up |
| Cheerful (J388) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1963 broken up |
| Circe (J214) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1967 broken up |
| Clinton (J286) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1947 returned to USA after lend-lease |
| Cockatrice (J229) | Fleming & Ferguson | Reciprocating | 1963 broken up |
| Coquette (J350) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Courier (J349) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Espiegle (J216) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1967 broken up |
| Fancy (J308) | Blyth Dry Docks | Turbine | 1950 sold to Belgian Navy as A. F. Dufour 1959 renamed Nzadi 1960 broken up |
| Fantome (J224) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1947 broken up |
| Felicity (J369) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1947 sold mercantile as Fairfree 1957 broken up |
| Fierce (J453) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Fly (J306) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1949 sold to Imperial Iranian Navy as Palang 1972 broken up |
| Flying Fish (J370) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1949 gifted to Royal Ceylon Navy as HMCyS Vijaya 1972 Sri Lanka Navy 1975 broken up |
| Friendship (J398) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1947 returned to USA after lend-lease |
| Golden Fleece (J376) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1960 broken up |
| Gozo (J287) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1947 sold to Hellenic Navy as Polemistis 1977 deleted |
| Hare (J389) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 21 July 1959 sold to Nigerian Navy as HMNS Nigeria 1962 broken up |
| Hound (J307) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1962 broken up |
| Hydra (J275) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 10 November 1944 damaged by mine and not repaired 1947 broken up |
| Jaseur (J428) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Jewel (J390) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1967 broken up |
| Laertes (J433) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Larne (J274) | Lobnitz & Co (transferred from William Simons) |
Reciprocating | 1947 sold to Italian Navy as Eritrea |
| Lennox (J276) | Lobnitz & Co (transferred from William Simons) |
Reciprocating | 1961 broken up |
| Liberty (J391) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1949 sold to Belgian Navy as Adrien de Gerlache 1969 sold for demolition |
| Lightfoot (J288) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1947 sold to Hellenic Navy as Navmachos 1976 withdrawn |
| Lioness (J377) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Loyalty ex-Rattler(1943) |
Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 22 August 1944 sunk by German submarine in the English Channel |
| Lysander HMS Cornflower 1950-1951 |
Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Maenad (J335) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Magicienne (J436) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Mameluke (J437) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1950 broken up |
| Mandate (J438) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Mariner (J380) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1958 sold to Burmese Navy as Yan Myo Aung 1982 withdrawn and laid up |
| Marmion (J381) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Marvel (J443) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Mary Rose (J360) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Melita (J289) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Michael (J444) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Minstrel (J445) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1947 sold to Royal Thai Navy as Phosampton 2012 withdrawn from service |
| Moon (J329) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Mutine (J227) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1967 broken up |
| Myrmidon (J454) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Mystic (J455) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Nerissa (J456) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1960 broken up |
| Niger (J442) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1966 broken up |
| Octavia (J290) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1950 broken up |
| Onyx (J221) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1967 broken up |
| Orcadia (J462) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Orestes (J277) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1963 broken up |
| Ossory (J463) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Pelorus (J291) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1947 sold to South African Navy as HMSAS Pietermaritzburg)[4] 1976 stricken 19 November 1994 scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay, South Africa |
| Persian (J347) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1948 transferred to State Department |
| Pickle (J293) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1959 sold to Royal Ceylon Navy as HMCyS Parakrama 1964 broken up |
| Pincher (J294) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1962 broken up |
| Plucky (J295) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1962 broken up |
| Pluto (J446) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1973 broken up |
| Polaris (J447) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Postillion (J296) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1946 returned to USA after lend-lease 1947 sold to Hellenic Navy as Machitis 1976 withdrawn |
| Prompt (J378) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 8 May 1945 damaged by mine (CTL) 1947 broken up |
| Providence (J325) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Pyrrhus (J448) | Port Arthur Shipbuilding | Reciprocating | 1956 broken up |
| Rattler see Loyalty |
Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 22 August 1944 sunk by submarine in the English Channel |
| Rattlesnake (J297) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Ready (J223) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1951 sold to Belgian Navy as Jan van Haverbeke 1961 broken up |
| Recruit (J298) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1965 broken up |
| Regulus (J327) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 12 January 1945 sunk by mine in Corfu Channel |
| Rifleman (J299) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1972 broken up |
| Rinaldo (J225) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1961 broken up |
| Romola (J449) | Collingwood Shipbuilding (tranferred from Port Arthur Shipbuilding) |
Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Rosamund (J439) | Collingwood Shipbuilding (tranferred from Port Arthur Shipbuilding) |
Reciprocating | 1947 sold to South African Navy as HMSAS Bloemfontein[4] 5 June 1967 sunk as a target off Simonstown |
| Rosario (J219) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 1951 sold to Belgian Navy as De Moor 1969 broken up |
| Rowena (J384) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Seabear (J333) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Serene (J354) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Skipjack (J300) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up |
| Spanker (J226) | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | Turbine | 1953 sold to Belgian Navy as De Brouwer 1963 broken up |
| Squirrel (J301) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 24 July 1945 scuttled off Phuket, Thailand after mine damage |
| Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1959 broken up | |
| Sylvia (J382) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1958 broken up |
| Tanganyika (J383) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1963 broken up |
| Thisbe (J302) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Truelove (J303) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Vestal (J215) | Harland & Wolff | Turbine | 26 July 1945 sunk by Japanese aircraft off Phuket, Thailand |
| Waterwitch (J304) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1963 broken up |
| Wave (J385) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1962 broken up |
| Welcome (J386) | Lobnitz & Co | Reciprocating | 1962 broken up |
| Welfare (J356) | Redfern Construction | Reciprocating | 1957 broken up |
| Cancelled | |||
| Fireball (J464) | Lobnitz & Co | ||
| Gabriel (J465) | Lobnitz & Co | ||
| Happy Return (J466) | Lobnitz & Co | ||
| Marmion | Harland & Wolff | ||
| Moon | Harland & Wolff | ||
| Nicator (J457) | Redfern Construction | ||
| Niger | Redfern Construction | ||
| Nonpareil (J459) | Redfern Construction | ||
| Nox (J459) | Redfern Construction | ||
| Odin (J460) | Redfern Construction | ||
| Styx (J440) | Collingwood Shipbuilding (tranferred from Port Arthur Shipbuilding) |
||
| Belgian Navy | |||
| M900 Adrien de Gerlache | ex HMS Liberty, acquired 1949 - stricken 1969 | ||
| M901 Georges Lecointe (i) | ex HMS Cadmus, acquired 1950 - stricken 1959 | ||
| M901 Georges Lecointe (ii) | ex HMCS Wallaceburg, acquired 1959 - stricken 1969 | ||
| M902 Jan Van Haverbeke | ex HMS Ready - acquired 1951 - stricken 1960 | ||
| M903 A. F. Dufour (i) | ex HMS Fancy - acquired 1951 - stricken 1959 | ||
| M903 A. F. Dufour (ii) | ex HMCS Winnipeg - acquired 1959 - stricken 1966 | ||
| M904 De Brouwer | ex HMS Spanker - acquired 1953 - stricken 1966 | ||
| M905 De Moor | ex HMS Rosario - acquired 1953 - stricken 1966 | ||
| Italian Navy | |||
| Alabarda | ex Larne | ||
Post-war service
After the war, a number continued in service as patrol boats, survey ships, and training ships. On 11 March 1959 HMS Acute and HMS Jewel, training ships at Dartmouth, rescued the burning German coaster Vorman Rass, off Start Point, Devon.[5] Some were sold to other navies or into merchant service. At least one, HMS Pickle was still engaged in minesweeping duties in British waters as late as 1955. At least one Algerine is still in service with the Royal Thai Navy: HTMS Phosampton (ex-HMS Minstrel).
Algerines sunk in action
- Algerine was torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ascianghi off Bougie, Algeria on 15 November 1942.
- Alarm was damaged beyond repair by air attack off Bône, Algeria on 2 January 1943.
- Loyalty (ex-Rattler) was sunk by the German submarine U-480 in the English Channel on 22 August 1944.
- Regulus was sunk by a mine off Corfu on 12 January 1945.
- Squirrel was sunk by a mine off Phuket, Thailand on 24 July 1945.
- Vestal was sunk by a Japanese kamikaze plane off Phuket, Thailand on 26 July 1945.
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References
- Lenton, pp. 260–61
- Lenton, p. 261
- Chesneau, p. 65
- "History of the SA Navy". South African Navy. Archived from the original on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
- "NAVY AIDS BURNING GERMAN SHIP. 11 MARCH 1959, AT SEA OFF START POINT, DEVON. THE 999 TON GERMAN COASTER VORMANN RASS ABLAZE AT SEA. EIGHT OF THE COASTERS CREW WERE TAKEN OFF BY THE FRENCH TRAWLER NOTRE DAME DE AGNES. HM MINESWEEPERS ACUTE AND JEWEL WENT TO THE ASSISTANCE OF THE STRICKEN COASTER AND HELICOPTERS FROM CULDROSE WERE ALSO USED". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
Bibliography
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
External links
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