ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine
propulsion machinery ordered on 15th
November 1940 from
Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Laid down on
15th March 1941 this minesweeper was
launched on 22nd December 1941 as the
eighth RN ship to carry this name,
introduced in 1810 for a 10 gun cutter
built at Upnor and wrecked in the
West Indies during 1813. It was last
borne by a Sloop built at Devonport in
1895 and sold as a salvage vessel in
1919. Trials Build of this ship was
completed on 24th March 1942 and she was
adopted by the civil community of
Sittingbourne, Kent in February 1942 following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign..
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
CHINA
1841-42 - CHINA
1900 - CHINA 1956-60 - NORTH
AFRICA 1942-43
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, an Algerian sword erect
in front of
two
pistols in Saltire, proper.
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 2
March
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service in 12th Minesweeping Flotilla on
formation.
12th
Build completion and commenced First
of Class Acceptance Trials.
24th
On completion took passage to Tobermory
for work-up and preparation for
operational
minesweeping duties.
April
After Work-up took passage to Port
Edgar to carry out minesweeping
training.
Commenced
minesweeping training in Forth area.
May
Passage to Harwich to join 9th
Minesweeping Flotilla, temporarily
pending formation
of new Flotilla. Deployed
with 9th Flotilla for minesweeping off
the East coast to ensure
safe passage of convoys to
and from Thames estuary. Carried out
escort duty
and patrol as required.
June
North Sea deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
to
Nominated for foreign
service as Leader on formation of 12th
Flotilla.
September
Joined by sister ships HMS
ALARM and HMS ALBACORE in 9th Flotilla.
October
Joined 12th Minesweeping Flotilla for
duty as Leader on formation with HM
Minesweepers
ACUTE, ALARM, ALBACORE and CADMUS.
Nominated for minesweeping duties in
Mediterranean and support of planned
allied landings in North Africa
(Operation TORCH – See Naval Staff
History
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
22nd
Remained in UK for repair after sweep
fouled in propeller and did not join
other four ships
which sailed for Clyde for escort of
military convoy during passage to
Gibraltar.
26th
On completion of repair joined escort
for military convoy KMF1 in Clyde
and took passage to Oran for provision
of minesweeping support during landings.
November
8th
Carried out mine sweep with Flotilla in
advance of assault convoys to Algiers.
(Note: HM Minesweepers HUSSAR and
SPEEDWELL were attached to
Flotilla
for TORCH.
9th
Towed damaged destroyer HMS COWDRAY and
beached stricken ship.
(Note: HMS COWDRAY had been damaged by
air attack off Algiers and later
recovered.)
10th
Deployed with Flotilla for
anti-submarine patrol off Algiers.
13th
Carried out minesweeeping off Bougie
during Operation PERPETUAL)
15th
During deployment off Bougie with HMS
ALARM came under attack by the Italian
submarine ASCIANGHI and sank after
torpedo hit. Survivors were rescued
by
HM Auxiliary AA Ship POZARICA.
in company but all officers and 80 of
the ship’s company lost their lives.
(Casualty
List - note
on casualties)
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm