ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine
propulsion machinery ordered on 15th
November 1940 from Harland and Wolff,
Belfast. Laid down on 21st July 1941
this minesweeper was launched on 27th
May 1942. She was the
fifth RN ship to carry this name,
introduced in 1807 for a Brig-Sloop in
1808 and last borne by a Sloop built in
1903 and
sold at Hong Kong in 1921.Her build was
completed on 9th September 1942. This
warship was adopted by the civil
community of Clevedon, Somerset after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign held in January 1942.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
NORTH
SEA 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - SICILY
1943 - SALERNO 1943 - ANZIO 1944
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White, a Dragon sans wings
and legs, Red
bezante
impaled by a Spear erect also Red.
D
e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
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1
9 4 2
September
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service in 12th Minesweeping Flotilla.
9th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion took passage to Tobermory
for work-up and preparation for
operational
minesweeping duties.
After Work-up took
passage to Port Edgar to carry out
minesweeping training.
October
Deployed for minesweeping training based
at Port Edgar
Passage to Harwich to join HM
Minesweepers ALGERINE, ALARM and ACUTE
in new
Flotilla
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
Joined military convoy KMS1 in Clyde
with HM Minesweepers ALARM, ALBACORE,
and
ACUTE as part of escort during passage
to Gibraltar.
(Note: HMS
ALGERINE was delayed for repair
after sweep had fouled a propeller.)
November
Deployed at Gibraltar with Flotilla and prepared for service in TORCH.
6th
Joined military convoy KMF1 as part of
escort during passage to ABLE Beach
Head at Algiers,
8th
Carried out minesweep
with Flotilla in advance of assault
convoys to beach head.
9th
Carried out minesweep
off anchorage area off Algiers.
10th
Took passage to Bougie
to carry out minesweeping support for
planned landings
(Operation
PERPETUAL).
Involved in collision with HM Cruiser
SHEFFIELD and sustained some damage
11th
Deployed for minesweeping off Bougie
14th
Took part in rescue of survivors from
troop transport NARKUNDA which was
sinking
off Bougie.
(Note:
NARKUNDA had been
badly damaged in air attacks
whilst on return passage
to Gibraltar
after landing troops. She sank later.)
December
North African coast minesweeping, patrol
and convoy defence in continuation
4th
Carried out ramming attack on surfaced
submarine which was unsuccessful
1
9 4 3
January
Convoy escort and patrol off North
African coast in continuation with
Flotilla
29th
Assisted HM Auxiliary Anti-Aircraft Ship
POZARICA during passage into Bougie
after being
torpedoed in air attacks.
February
Joined by HM Minesweepers HUSSAR and
SPEEDWELL which had been added to 12th
Flotilla after loss of HMS ALGERINE and
HMS ALBACORE as well damage to HMS
ACUTE and HMS ALARM
which were under repair to damage at Gibraltar.
March
Deployed
with HM Minesweepers ACUTE, HUSSAR
and SPEEDWELL.
(Note: The only minesweepers operational
due to loss and damage since arrival
in the Mediterranean.)
April
North African coast deployment in
continuation.
HM Minesweepers FANTOME, CIRCE and
ESPIEGLE joined Flotilla .
(Note: HMS FANTOME replaced HMS ALGERINE
as Leader)
May
Flotilla nominated for joint operations
with 13th Minesweeping Flotilla for mine
clearance of passage through Galita and
Sicilian Channels.
(Operation ANTIDOTE).
9th
Deployed at Bizerta for ANTIDOTE with
the two minesweeping Flotillas.
20th
Took part in rescue operations after HMS
FANTOME sustained major damage when
mine exploded in sweep gear.
Detached to tow stricken ship to Bone.
Took HMS FANTOME in tow for passage to
Bone.
Resumed ANTIDOTE sweeping on arrival.
June
ANTIDOTE deployment with Flotilla in
continuation
7th
Mine clearance completed with
destruction of 126 mines by the 12th
Flotilla.
HM Minesweepers FLY and MUTINE Flotilla,
the former taking over duty as Leader.
Nominated for minesweeping and escort
duties during planned allied landings in
Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
July
Detached with HM Minesweeper FLY, MUTINE
and ESPIEGLE for service with 14th
Flotilla
during HUSKY.
For details of Operation HUSKY See above
references.)
10th
Passage to western sector of Assault
area as part of escort for military
convoy.
12th
Carried out minesweeping prior to
landings and remained in area for
anti-submarine patrol
and escort duties for traffic between
Malta, Bizerta and beachheads.
August
Central Mediterranean minesweeping and
escort duty with Flotilla in
continuation.
September
Resumed Flotilla deployment for
minesweeping support of planned landings
on Italian
mainland at Salerno
(Operation AVALANCHE – See above
references).
8th
Deployed with Flotilla to ensure
clearance of mines during passage to
Salerno.
Sustained slight damage from near miss
by shore fire during minesweeping off
beachhead.
16th
Released from AVALANCHE and deployed in
Bay of Naples for minesweeping with
Flotilla.
(Note: Flotilla dealt with 135 mines in
Salerno area.)
30th
Nominated
for transfer to Capri on completion of
service in Bay of Naples.
October
1st
Deployed for support of operations off
west coast of Sicily including mine
clearance of
positions to be used by allied warships
for bombardments prior to military
advances.
(Note: Minesweeping operations were
frequently target of heavy fire from
shore batteries
in the Gulf of Gaeta and often
restricted in their ability to rapidly
change because of
sweeping operation in progress.. Air
attacks were also frequent.)
November
West coast minesweeping duties and
support off west coast of Italy in
continuation.
to
December (Note:
At the end of 1943 the Flotilla had
swept 770 mines since arrival at
Gibraltar
in December 1942.)
Nominated for minesweeping in support of
planned landings at Anzio (Operation
SHINGLE).
Based at Naples to prepare for SHINGLE.
1
9 4 4
January
Passage to Anzio, 90 miles north of
Naples.
21st
Deployed with HM Minesweepers RINALDO
and WATERWITCH of 19th Flotilla to
provide
swept channel off Anzio for ships of the
assault force.
On release from SHINGLE took passage to
Naples.
February
Took part with ships of Flotilla and
19th Flotilla in minesweeping to ensure
clear channels
to
April
for ships and for areas selected for
naval gunfire support by cruisers.
May
West coast of Italy minesweeping in
continuation with part of Flotilla
(Note: Some ships of 12th Flotilla were
deployed off Malta for clearance of
minefields.)
11th
Deployed with HM Minesweepers FLY,
ACUTE, ALBACORE, ESPIEGLE of 12th
Flotilla
and HM Minesweepers ROSARIO and SPANKER
of 19th Flotilla for night sweep off
Gaeta
to ensure bombardment area for support
of offensive against Monte Cassino.
12th
Carried out sweep close inshore prior to
bombardment by HM Cruiser DIDO, US
Cruisers
BROOKLYN and PHILADELPHIA during which
the ships came under heavy fire from
shore batteries.
On completion of bombardment
requirements rejoined Flotilla in mine
clearance of channel
from Naples to Anzio. 89 mines were cut.
(Note: Air attacks were also a constant
hazard in this period.)
June
Carried out joint minesweeping
operations with ships of Flotilla, 13th
Flotilla and 28th
Motor Launch Flotilla .
4th
Cleared entrance to port of
Civitavecchia with joint minesweeping
force.
13th
Deployed for clearance of mines in
anchorage area off Civitavecchia.
July
Joint minesweeping operations in
continuation to ensure passage for ships
supporting
military advance .
14th
Took part in operation to clear a
channel to port of Leghorn with ships of
Flotilla, 19th and
13th Minesweeping Flotillas (Operation
LOBSTER)
25th
Port available for use by shipping.
(Note: 250 mines were swept during
clearance of channel between Anzio to
Leghorn and
ships engaged were subject to shore
fire.)
August
Deployed with Flotilla for clearance of
mines off west coast of Italy to ensure
safe passage.
to
September
(Note: Aircraft minelaying was a common
feature during this period )
October
Nominated for minesweeping service with
Flotilla, in support of allied military
operations
in Greece (Operation MANNA).
(Note:
The Flotilla had swept 1013 mines by
this date, an achievement recognised by
the Supreme Commander, Mediterranean in
a congratulatory signal)
22nd
Transferred to eastern Mediterranean
Passage to Greek waters with HM
Minesweepers ALBACORE, ESPIEGLE and
MUTINE.
(Note: 5th Minesweeping Flotilla
deployed for this work had recently
suffered two losses)
November
1st
Carried
out minesweeping operation to ensure
clear passages for ships deployed in
Aegean for
support of re-occupation of Greek
mainland and Aegean islands.
December
Aegean minesweeping in support of Greece
re-occupation in continuation.
1
9 4 5
January
Greek waters mine clearance in
continuation including Kinaros and Doro
Channels.
to
February
March
Deployed at Malta,
23rd
Took passage from Malta with HM
Minesweepers ALBACORE, ACUTE, CIRCE,
MUTINE and ESPIEGLE to resume minefield
clearance operations based at Naples.
April
Deployed with Flotilla for clearance
between Leghorn and Genoa.
May
Deployed off Genoa.
9th
Port Anchorage at Genoa cleared of
mines.
First major warship to enter Genoa.
June
Gulf of Genoa area mine clearance in
continuation.
to
August
P
o s t W a r N o
t e s
HMS
CADMUS remained in the Mediterranean
with the 12th Flotilla and continued
deployment for mine clearance operations
in Malta and off the Italian coast near
Genoa. She sailed with her sister ships
to UK in April 1946 and on arrival was
refitted at Plymouth for further
service. Between June and September she
carried mine clearance duties off the
east coast of UK and in the Channel. Her
final operations were off the Dutch
coast in September before Reducing to
Reserve status at Devonport. In 1949 she
was placed on the Sales list and
refitted at Chatham before joining the
Belgian Navy as GEORGES LECOINTE in
January 1950.
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm