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MMS-class minesweeper

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105 ft motor minesweeper
Class overview
Operators
SubclassesLlewellyn class
Built1940–1945
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement240–250 long tons (244–254 t)
Length
  • 105 ft (32 m) p/p
  • 119 ft (36 m) o/a
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
Draught9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
PropulsionDiesel engine, 375–425 bhp (280–317 kW)
Speed12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement20
Armament
  • 2 × 20 mm AA guns
  • 2 × machine guns

The British Royal Navy operated large numbers of small Motor Minesweepers (MMS) during the Second World War, in two major classes: the first with 105 ft (32 m) hulls (of which 294 were built) and the second with 126 ft (38 m) hulls (of which 102 were built). Intended to counter magnetic influence mines in coastal waters, they had wooden hulls.

105 ft MMS

In the early months of the Second World War, Germany made extensive use of magnetic mines, which led to a requirement for a wooden minesweeper, less vulnerable than steel trawlers.[1] The resultant design, the 105 ft-class[2] (also known as the MMS 1 series[3] and later the Type 1501 series[4]) was built between 1940 and 1944.[2]

They were 105 ft (32.0 m) long between perpendiculars,[2] with an overall length of 119 ft 4 in (36.37 m), a beam of 23 ft 5 in (7.14 m) and a draught of 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m).[5] Displacement was 240–255 long tons (244–259 t).[3][4] They were powered by a 500 bhp (370 kW) diesel engine, giving a speed of 11 kn (13 mph; 20 km/h).[2][6] Their major minesweeping equipment was the LL sweep,[1] where two minesweepers operating side-by-side each trailed two buoyant cables with electrodes at the end of the cables. Pulsing a high current through the cables generated a magnetic field sufficient to set off mines over an area of about 1 acre (0.40 ha).[7] They were later fitted with an SA sweep to deal with acoustic mines, which consisted of a hammer box mounted on an A-frame on the ship's bow, which could be lowered into the water when required.[1] The ships did not have enough towing power to use conventional contact sweeps for dealing with moored contact mines.[1] Defensive armament consisted of two 0.5 inch machine guns and/or one or two Oerlikon 20mm cannons. The ships had a complement of 20 men.[5]

The coastal minesweepers had pennant numbers MMS-1 to MMS-118, MMS-123 to MMS-313 and MMS-1001 to MMS-1090, the last group measuring 126 feet between perpendiculars. They were nicknamed "Mickey Mouse" from their initials.

Although the motor minesweepers lacked the power to tow sweeps for contact mines they were suitable for handling equipment for combating magnetic mines and some later models were fitted with an acoustic hammer on a retractable "A" frame over the bow for countering acoustic mines.

The motor minesweepers had limited use post-war and were quickly disposed of. By 1949, only four remained in service in the Royal Navy: St. David (MMS-1733, ex-MMS-233), Venturer (MMS-1761, ex-MMS-261), MMS-1717 (ex-MMS-217) and MMS-1736 (ex-MMS-236).[8]

Ten had been built for the Royal Canadian Navy, Coquitlam, Crankbrook, Daerwood, Kalamalka, La Vallée, Llewellyn, Lloyd George, Revelstoke, Rossland and St. Joseph. By 1946 only Llewellyn, Lloyd George and Revelstoke were still in service.[9][10]

Five were built for the Royal Indian Navy, MMS-129, 130, 131, 132 (renamed Barq) and 154; MMS-151 was transferred later. Four remained in service in 1949: Barq and MMS-130, 151 and 154[11][12] During the war, MMS-43, 45, 75, 79, 112, 182, 187, 188, 189 and 193 were manned by Belgian personnel. As late as 1949, MMS-182, 187, 188, 189, 191, 193 and 266 were on loan to the Belgian Navy.[13][14]

Seventeen were loaned to the Italian Navy: MMS-10, 32, 34, 35, 48, 50, 99, 100, 102-106, 135, 167, 172 and 185. The first to be returned to the Royal Navy were MMS-34 and 35, in August 1949.[15]

Eight were transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy in 1946: Andros (ex HMS MMS-310, J810), Argyrokastron (ex-HMS MMS-58, J558), Chimarra (ex-HMS MMS-1 J501), Korytsa (ex-HMS MMS-53, J553), Mikonos (ex-HMS MMS-5, J505), Syros (ex-HMS MMS-313, J813), Tepeleni (ex-HMS MMS-46, J546), and Tinos (ex-HMS MMS-144, J644).[16]

Three were transferred by Lend-Lease to the Soviet Navy, T108, T109 and T110

126 ft MMS

This type comprised 90 vessels for the Royal Navy, numbered MMS-1001-1090, and 16 laid down for the Royal Canadian Navy but never delivered to that Service.

By 1949, only 12 vessels of the type remained in RN service. Of these, MMS-1060 and 1061 were in use as minesweepers, while 1003, 1004 and 1011 were described in Jane's Fighting Ships as "mobile wiping deperming units." Seven were in use as tenders to RNVR divisions: Bernicia (ex-MMS-1090), Curzon (ex-MMS-1017), Graham (ex-MMS-1045), hUMBER (EX-mms-1030), Kilmorey (ex-MMS-1034), Mersey (ex-MMS-1075) and Montrose (ex-MMS-1077").[17]

MMS-1085 and 1086 were transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy, where they were named Orka and Vefsna, respectively.[18]

Of the 16 laid down for the RCN, Ash Lake, Birch Lake, Cherry Lake, Fir Lake, Maple Lake and Oak Lake, were cancelled. The remaining ten - Alder Lake, Beech Lake, Cedar Lake, Elm Lake, Hickory Lake, Larch Lake, Pine Lake, Poplar Lake, Spruce Lake and Willow Lake - were transferred to the Soviet Navy as T-193-202.[19][20]

MMS-1020 was loaned postwar to the Belgian Navy for use as a fishery protection vessel[21].

References

  1. ^ a b c d Brown 2000, p. 141
  2. ^ a b c d Worth 1984, p. 56
  3. ^ a b Preston 1989, p. 76
  4. ^ a b Blackman 1953, p. 67
  5. ^ a b Gardiner & Chesneau 1980, p. 72
  6. ^ Lenton & Colledge 1973, p. 583
  7. ^ Cowie 1949, pp. 128–129
  8. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 61
  9. ^ Preston, p. 92.
  10. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 92.
  11. ^ Preston, p. 98
  12. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 98
  13. ^ Gardiner & Chesneau 1980, pp. 72, 385
  14. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 115
  15. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 217
  16. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p.202
  17. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 61
  18. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 243
  19. ^ Preston, p. 239
  20. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 293
  21. ^ McMurtrie and Blackman 1949, p. 115

Bibliography

  • Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1953). Jane's Fighting Ships 1953–54. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc.
  • Brown, David K. (2000). Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923–1945. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-149-6.
  • Cowie, J. S. (1949). Mines, Minelayers and Minelaying. London: Oxford University Press.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Preston, Antony (1989). Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II. London: Studio Publishing. ISBN 1-85170-194-X.
  • Lenton, H. T.; Colledge, J. J. (1973). Warships of World War II (2nd ed.). London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
  • McMurtrie, Francis E., and Blackman, Raymond V.B. (1949). Jane's Fighting Ships 1949-50. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.
  • Melvin, Michael J. (1992). Minesweeper, The Role of the Motor Minesweepers in World War II. Worcester, UK: Square One Publishing. ISBN 1-872017-57-6.
  • Worth, Jack (1984). British Warships Since 1945: Part 4: Minesweepers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 0-907771-12-2.
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