ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine
propulsion machinery ordered on 15th
November 1940 from Harland and Wolff,
Belfast. Laid down on 14th April 1941
this minesweeper was to be called HMS
RATTLER but the
name
was changed to LOYALTY before launched
on 9th December 1942. She was the third
RN ship to carry this name,
introduced
in 1650 for a 34 Gun Ship and last used
for a
Stores Hulk purchase at Cadiz in
1694 and which foundered in 1701.Her
build was completed
on 22nd April 1943, and she had been
adopted by the civil community of Ripley
in Derbyshire after a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National
Savings campaign held in March 1942.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
NORMANDY
1944
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On
a Field barry wavy of six White and
Blue,
a
sprig of three oak
leaves, Gold
M
o t t o
“Fight
for the King”
D
e t a i l s
o f W a r S e
r v i c e
(for
more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
1
9 4 3
April
Contractors trials and
commissioned for service in 18th
Minesweeping
Flotilla.
(Note: This was the
second Minesweeping Flotilla comprised
of ALGERINE
Class
ships to be formed.)
22nd
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion took
passage to Tobermory for work-up and
preparation for
operational
minesweeping duties.
May After
Work-up took passage
to Port Edgar to carry out minesweeping
training.
Commenced
minesweeping training in Forth area.
June
Joined HM Minesweepers
HOUND, HYDRA and READY for service in
18th
Minesweeping
Flotilla.
Took part in
minesweeping operation in Lyme Bay
July
Deployed for mine clearance
in English Channel to ensure safe
passage of
coastal convoys.
August
Transferred for North Sea
minesweeping and convoy defence based at
Harwich with ships of
Flotilla.
(Note: HM
Minesweepers COCKATRICE, ORESTES and
ONYX joined
the
Flotilla at Harwich.)
Nominated for service
at Dover with Flotilla and took passage
to join ships
of 9th Flotilla.
25th
Deployed
for joint operation with 9th
Minesweeping Flotilla and cover
from RAF aircraft
which was intended to attract German
aircraft to unusual
minesweeping
operations near French coast (Operation
STARKEY)
(Note: During this
operation ships came under fire from
shore batteries and
some
damage was sustained by HMS HYDRA
causing casualties
and on
return to Dover came under further fire
from British coastal
defence
causing further damage which put the
ship out of operational
use for
some weeks.)
Little
enemy air activity
resulted and the operation was
abandoned.)
October
Resumed North Sea deployment with
Flotilla.
November
Transferred to Scapa Flow with
Flotilla for service with Home Fleet in
place
of
15th Minesweeping
Flotilla comprised of smaller BANGOR
Class.
15th
Remained
at Scapa Flow
when HMS READY, HOUND, HYDRA and
COCKATRICE were
detached for duty in Iceland.
Deployed at Scapa
flow to ensure clear passage for Home
Fleet ships.
December
Transferred to Orkney and Shetland
Command and based with rest of
Flotilla as
Seidisfjord for anti-submarine patrol
and local convoy escort.
(Note: Duties
included U-Boat search operations
between Iceland the
Faeroes
to intercept submarines in transit to
and from bases in
Norway.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
1
9 4 4
January
Iceland deployment in continuation.
to
(Note: Despite the fact that
this Class had been prepared for service
in
February
arctic conditions
they were found ill-suited but still
retained.
Some
of Flotilla took part in local escort of
convoys to and from
North
Russia and experienced much extreme
weather.)
March
Nominated for return to UK
30th
Took passage from Iceland to
Portsmouth with Flotilla.
April
Under refit and repair
prior to joining Force G for
minesweeping support
during planned
allied landings in Normandy
Nominated for
clearance of Channel 6 (Operation
NEPTUNE)
On completion
rejoined Flotilla and took part in
minesweeping exercises
in preparation for
NEPTUNE.
(Note: For details
of naval activities prior to and during
NEPTUNE see
LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY June 1944 (HMSO) and
OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards.)
May
Deployed for exercises
with HM Minesweepers HOUND, ONYX, HYDRA,
ORESTES and later
STORMCLOUD.
Took part in
Rehearsal exercises with Assault Forces
including FABIUS II
and minesweep of
Newhaven. See references.
Escorted
HMS STORMCLOUD
to Portsmouth after damage caused by
explosion of an
acoustic mine.
June
Harbour preparations for
operation.
(Note: Four ISLES
Class Danlayers and three Motor Launches
were
attached
to the Flotilla for NEPTUNE.)
4th
Operation delayed 24 hours.
5th
Sailed for clearance of Channel 6
prior to passage of first Assault
convoys.
6th
On completion of Channel 6 with
Flotilla deployed for minesweeping off
GOLD landing
Beaches.
Remained off
Beachhead for convoy defence and
protection of Assault
Area with periodic
return to Portsmouth.
July
Deployed for minesweeping
of anchorage areas after completion of
NEPTUNE.
(Note: During this
period enemy attacks using midget
submarine craft and
E-Boats
were a regular feature and included
minelaying. See references.)
August Support
of landings in
continuation.
22nd
During minesweeping on return
passage to Portsmouth with HM
Minesweepers READY,
HOUND, HYDRA and RATTLESNAKE sweep
wires parted and
detached with HM Trawler DOON to recover
sweep.
Under attack by U480
in position 50.09N 00.41 W about
27
miles south of
Nab Tower. Ship
capsized in less than seven minutes.
Captain and 18
ratings lost their lives.
(Casualty
List - note
on casualties)
(Note: Replaced in
Flotilla by HMS TANGANYIKA.)
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm
