Later
HUNT-Class coal burning minesweeper ordered from Clyde Shipbuilders at Port
Glasgow in June 1917 and laid down on 26th August 1918. She was launched on 21st March 1919 and was the first RN
ship to bear this name. Her
build was completed on 19th
June 1919 and she took part in the extensive mine clearance
operations which were carried out after the end of WW1. In 1938 this ship was
laid up in Malta
B a t t l e
H o n o u r s
None is recorded in the Official List.
Heraldic
Data
Badge; On a Field Blue,. a
castle Gold on a mount Silver.
M o t t
o
“Forward”.
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 3 9
August Laid-up in Malta
with sister ship HMS DUNDALK.
(Note: Other ships of this Class in Malta
and at Alexandria were brought
forward in 1939 for
patrol duty in Eastern
Mediterranean to prevent illegal immigrants from entering Palestine.
The
deployment as the 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla for this purpose was cancelled and
the
ships were used for
the interception of mercantiles for Contraband Control.)
Commissioned for service.
September Deployed in Mediterranean
to
October
November Nominated for return to UK for minesweeping in Home
Waters
Passage to Portland
(Note: Significant losses of merchant
ships and warships due to enemy mining off the East Coast
including first use of magnetic mines had made necessary an
increase in minesweepers
in that area. See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett and the
Naval Staff History.)
December On
arrival at Portland ships officers given briefing on new tasks.
Took passage to
Great Yarmouth to join HM Minesweepers FITZROY, KELLETT and SELKIRK
with HMS DUNDALK.
Deployed at Great Yarmouth for minesweeping to ensure safe passage
of East Cost convoys.
(Note: HMS FITZROY
and HMS KELLETT had been used for Hydrographic duties and reverted
to a minesweeping
role after outbreak of war. HMS SELKIRK had been laid-up in Reserve
in UK.
1 9 4 0
January East
Coast minesweeping duties in continuation.
to Joined 4th Minesweeping
Flotilla on formation.
March (Note:
Flotilla also included HM Minesweepers FITZROY, KELLETT, DUNDALK, SELKIRK,
ELGIN and
SUTTON.
The other ships had been transferred from the Mediterranean to
reinforce minesweepers available to deal with the increase
in enemy minelaying off the
East Coast of UK.)
April
Deployment with Flotilla based at Yarmouth in
continuation.
30th During an attempt to recover
a parted Sweep detonated a mine which resulted in further explosion
of the 4in magazine. Ship sank after 20 minutes in position 52.45N 02.23E. off Great Yarmouth.
(Casualty
List -
note on casualties)