The Hunt-class minesweeper was a class of minesweeping sloop built between 1916 and 1919 for the Royal Navy. They were built in two discrete groups, the earlier Belvoir group designed by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company 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 fox hunts. 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 in a day. The ships had a shallow draught []. Armament was one QF gun forward and a QF 12-pounder aft, plus two twin 0.303 inch machine guns. Their counter-mine equipment consisted of Oropesa floats to cut the cables of moored mines.
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. Thirty-five were cancelled after the armistice. Interwar, eight 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 II there were still 27 available for service, to which a further two were added by requisition from mercantile service.
The 5th Minesweeping Flotilla, comprising Pangourne, Ross, Lydd, Kellet and Albury as well as the newer Halcyon-class Gossamer and Leda sailed from North Shields for Harwich late on 26 May 1940, reaching Harwich nearly 24 hours later. After coaling, the flotilla sailed for Dunkirk in the afternoon of 28 May, and was off the beach by about 21:30 hours the same day. At least two ships from the Flotilla (Ross and Lydd) were detailed to collect troops from the harbour mole. Ross alone took on board 353 men and one dog on this first night. The ships of the flotilla made a further three trips to Dunkirk in the following days, working at battle-stations virtually round the clock and returning to Margate 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 in May 1941 after being bombed by German 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 .
Ships The first group of twenty ships were ordered in 1916 and were part of the Belvoir group. One hundred and twenty-nine further ships were ordered to this Admiralty design between 1916 and November 1918 as the Aberdare group. Six of this group were completed as survey ships, while thirty-four of them were cancelled at the end of World War I. Among the cancelled ships, Battle and Bloxham had already been launched. Two more were projected to be ordered from Fleming & Ferguson, but these two were never actually ordered.
Many ships were originally assigned different names which were changed while building to avoid use of coastal locations as ship names.
Original Royal Navy service
Name Pennant Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Disposed Status Ref Belvoir group (20 ships ordered in 1916)Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for scrapAilsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for scrapArdrossan Dry Dock, ArdrossanSunk by a mine off Montrose, AngusClyde Shipbuilding Company, Port GlasgowSold for scrapBow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleyBow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySold for scrapClyde Shipbuilding Company, Port GlasgowDunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold for scrapDunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold for scrapFleming & Ferguson, PaisleySold for scrapFleming & Ferguson, PaisleyD. & W. Henderson and Company, GlasgowSold for scrapD. & W. Henderson and Company, GlasgowSold for scrapLobnitz and Company, RenfrewSold for scrapLobnitz and Company, RenfrewSold for scrapNapier and Miller, Old KilpatrickSold for scrapNapier and Miller, Old KilpatrickSold for scrapWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewSold for scrapWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewBecame a diving tender in August 1923; Sold for scrapMurdoch and Murray, Port GlasgowSold for scrap Aberdare group (129 ships ordered between 1916 and 1918)Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for mercantile useuboat.net HMS AberdareJ23 / N23Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonBeached after bombing; broken upJ41Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for mercantile useJ06 / N06Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for scrapAilsa Shipbuilding Company, TroonSold for civilian use as KamlawtiArdrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding, ArdrossanSold for scrapJ57 / N57Ardrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding, ArdrossanConverted to depot ship Medway II; sold 1947Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company, IrvineSoldArdrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding, ArdrossanSold for mercantile use as Lady CynthiaDundee Shipbuilding Company, DundeeNot taken upSold incomplete (ex-Burnham)Bow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySold (ex-Brixham)Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company, IrvineNot taken upSold incomplete (ex-Buckie)Bow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySold for scrapAyrshire Shipbuilding Company, IrvineSold for use as Champavati (ex-Blakeney)Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company, IrvineSoldJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSoldBow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySoldBow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySold (ex-Cawsand, Dryad)Bow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySoldBow, McLachlan and Company, PaisleySoldJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSold (ex-Stranraer)William Simons and CompanySoldClyde ShipbuildingSold (ex-Rosslare)A. McMillan & Son, DumbartonSunk by mineAdmiralty Estimates for 1919 (appendix) accessed 25 October 2016 (ex-Dawlish)J90 / N90Clyde ShipbuildingSold for scrapBroken upJ60Clyde ShipbuildingFoundered under tow after minedJ52Clyde ShipbuildingSunk by mineJ39William Simons & Company, RenfrewSold for scrapClyde ShipbuildingSold for civilian use in BrazilJ89 / N89Dunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold for scrapJ40 / N40Dundee Shipbuilding CompanyDamaged beyond repair by air attack; broken upDunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold for scrap (ex-Fleetwood)Dunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold and renamed FordeDundee ShipbuildingSold (ex-Fowey)Clyde ShipbuildingSoldSold (ex-Gorleston)Joseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSold (ex-Bridlington)Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company, IrvineBroken upJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSold for scrapJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSold for scrapJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSold to Royal Thai Navy as Chao Phraya (ex-Helmsdale)Joseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsSunk by German aircraft off Mersa Matruh (ex-Ilfracombe)Joseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsInter-warFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, GovanInter-warFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, GovanInter-warFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, GovanSunk by mineAdmiralty Estimates for 1919 (appendix) accessed 25 October 2016 (ex-Aldborough)Ardrossan Dry Dock, ArdrossanSold for scrap (ex-Minehead)John Harkness and Sons, MiddlesbroughInter-war (ex-Lydney)Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, GovanSold for scrapFleming & Ferguson, PaisleyInter-warFleming & Ferguson, PaisleyInter-warFleming & Ferguson, PaisleySold in Hong KongHarknessInter-war (ex-Maryport)HarknessInter-war (ex-Mullion)HarknessInter-war (ex-Macduff)Fleming & Ferguson, PaisleyInter-warA and J Inglis, PointhouseInter-war (ex-Newlyn)InglisInter-warJoseph R. Eltringham, South ShieldsInter-war (ex-Padstow)Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewSold for scrapLobnitz and Company, RenfrewLost (ex-Portmadoc)T8 / T21Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewWrecked (ex-Polperro)Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewInter-war (ex-Porlock)Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewInter-war (ex-Wicklow)InglisInter-war (ex-Ramsey)J45Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewSold for scrap (ex-Filey)Dunlop Bremner & Company, Port GlasgowSold (ex-Shoreham)Murdoch and Murray, Port GlasgowMurdoch and Murray, Port GlasgowSold for scrapMurdoch and Murray, Port GlasgowSold for scrap and wreckedJ18Murdoch and Murray, Port GlasgowSold for scrap (ex-Tarbert)William Simons and Company, RenfrewInter-warNapier and MillerInter-warNapier and MillerInter-war (ex-Staithes)Charles Rennoldson, South ShieldsInter-war (ex-Southwold)Charles Rennoldson, South ShieldsSunk by German aircraft off Tobruk (ex-Salcombe)Archibald McMillan and Son, DumbartonSoldArdrossan Dry Dock, ArdrossanSold for civilian use as Lady CecilleWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewInter-warWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewSoldWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewSold (ex-Teignmouth)William Simons and Company, RenfrewInter-warWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewSold (ex-Walmer)William Simons and Company, RenfrewSold for civilian use as DeshalpurWexfordWilliam Simons and Company, RenfrewSold for mercatile use as DoombaInglisInter-war (ex-Withernsea)Napier and MillerBombed by German aircraft in Suda Bay, beached, captured as Uj.2109Napier and MillerInter-war Aberdare group completed as survey ships (ex-Ambleside)Inter-war (ex-Amersham)Ailsa Shipbuilding CompanyInter-war (ex-Verwood, ex-Ventnor)William Simons and Company, RenfrewTransferred to South Africa as HMSAS Protea (ex-Pinner, ex-Portreath)Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewSunk by mine off Great Yarmouth (ex-Radley)Lobnitz and Company, RenfrewConverted to accommodation ship 1940; Sold for scrap (ex-Uppingham)Sold for scrap
Follow-on service Several examples passed on from Royal Navy service for use by other civil and military operators.
Name Previous name Operator In service Disposed Status Ref Champavati ex- Chao Phraya ex- Royal Thai Navy Deshalpur ex- The Cutch SN Company Scrapped ex-Wexford Royal Australian Navy Converted to an oil lighter; scuttled Doomba ex-Wexford Doomba Shipping Company Requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy Forde ex- Townsend Brothers Scrapped Kamlawti ex- Civilian Lady Cecile ex- Union Steamship Company, British Columbia Scrapped Lady Cynthia ex- Merchant Lieutenant Captain Remigio Verdia ex-Queen of the Bay Spanish Republican Navy Grounded, captured by Spanish Nationalist forces as Medway II ex- Depot ship Sold ex-Crozier Royal Navy Sold for merchant service as Queen of the Bay ex-Crozier South African Naval Service Returned to Royal Navy as HMS Protea ex-Protea Blackpool Steam Navigation Company Sold to Spanish Republican Navy as Lieutenant Captain Remigio Verdia Uj.2109 ex- Kriegsmarine Sunk by destroyers Virgen de la Caridad ex-Lieutenant Captain Remigio Verdia Spanish Nationalist forces
Citations
References
British and Empire Warships of the Second World War, H T Lenton, 1998, Greenhill Books, Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I, Janes Publishing, 1919 The Grand Fleet, Warship Design and Development 1906-1922, D. K. Brown, Chatham Publishing, 1999, Out Sweeps! The Story of the Minesweepers in World War II Paul Lund & Harry Ludlam, W Foulsham & Co, 1978,
External links