HMS Plumpton

HMS Plumpton was a Racecourse-class minesweeper of the British Royal Navy. She served in the First World War and was of a paddle wheel design. She struggled in heavy seas. Plumpton was mined on 19 October 1918 off Ostend. The ship was beached on the Belgian coast and was broken up where she lay.

HMS Plumpton circa 1916–1918
History
United Kingdom
Name: Plumpton
Namesake: Plumpton Racecourse
Ordered: September 1915
Builder: McMillan, Dumbarton, Scotland
Launched: 20 March 1916
Commissioned: June 1916
Fate: Broken up after being mined
General characteristics
Class and type: Racecourse-class minesweeper
Displacement: 810 long tons (820 t)
Length: 245 ft 9 in (74.9 m) oa
Beam:
  • 29 ft 0 in (8.8 m)
  • 58 ft 0 in (17.7 m) (including paddles)
Draught: 7 ft 0 in (2.1 m)
Propulsion:
  • Paddle wheel diagonal compound steam engine
  • Cylindrical boilers
  • 1,500 ihp (1,119 kW)
Speed: 14 1⁄2 knots (26.9 km/h)
Endurance: 156 long tons (159 t) coal
Armament:

Description

The Racecourse-class minesweeper design was developed during the First World War after the earlier success of converted paddle wheel ships. The vessel was propelled by a paddle wheel powered by diagonal compound engine fed steam by cylindrical boilers rated at 1,500 indicated horsepower (1,119 kW). A Racecourse-class minesweeper was capable of storing 156 long tons (159 t) of coal to use as fuel. The Racecourse-class minesweepers were 245 ft 9 in (74.9 m) long overall with a standard beam of 29 ft 0 in (8.8 m) and was 58 ft 0 in (17.7 m) including paddles. The vessel had a draught of 7 ft 0 in (2.1 m) and had a standard displacement of 810 long tons (820 t). Racecourse-class minesweepers were armed with two 6-pounder (57 mm, 2.2 in) guns and two 2-pounder (40 mm, 1.6 in) guns.[1]

Service history

Plumpton was ordered as part of the first group of Racecourse-class minesweepers in September 1915.[1] The ship was constructed by McMillan at their shipyard in Dumbarton, Scotland with the yard number 465 and launched on 20 March 1916. In keeping with the class, the ship was named for the racecourse in Plumpton, East Sussex and construction was completed in June 1916.[2]

The minesweeper struck a naval mine off the coast of Ostend, Belgium on 19 October 1918. Plumpton was beached on the coast to prevent the ship from sinking. Plumpton was broken up for scrap at the site where she was beached.[1][2]

Citations
  1. Gardiner & Gray 1986, p. 97.
  2. Miramar Ship Index.

Sources
  • Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1986). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Plumpton (6105675)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
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