HMS Cadmus (J230)
 HMS Cadmus (J230)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Cadmus |
| Namesake | Cadmus |
| Ordered | 15 November 1940 |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Laid down | 21 July 1941 |
| Launched | 27 May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 9 September 1942 |
| Decommissioned | July 1946 |
| Reclassified | M230, 1949 |
| Identification | Pennant number: J230 |
| Fate | Sold to the Belgium, 1950 |
 Belgium | |
| Name | Georges Lecointe |
| Namesake | Georges Lecointe |
| Acquired | 1950 |
| Commissioned | 31 January 1950 |
| Decommissioned | 1959 |
| Stricken | 24 April 1960 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped, April 1960 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Algerine-class minesweeper |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 225 ft (69 m) o/a |
| Beam | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Draught | 12.25 ft 6 in (3.89 m) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
| Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 85 |
| Armament |
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HMS Cadmus (J230) was a turbine engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1942 as Georges Lecointe (M901).
Design and description[]
The reciprocating group displaced 1,010–1,030 long tons (1,030–1,050 t) at standard load and 1,305–1,325 long tons (1,326–1,346 t) at deep load The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). They had a draught of 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.[1]
The reciprocating ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]
The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun[2] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.[1]
Construction and career[]
[]
The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Ireland. She was laid down on 21 July 1941 and launched on 27 May 1942. She was commissioned on 9 September 1942.[3] She joined the 12th Minesweeper Flotilla.[4]
In October 1942, she was deployed for minesweeping training based at Port Edgar. Passage to Harwich to join HMS Algerine, and in her flotilla. Her flotilla was sent for minesweeping duties in Mediterranean and support of planned allied landings in North Africa code named Operation Torch.[4]
In November 1942, she was deployed at Gibraltar with her flotilla and prepared for service in Operation Torch. On the 6th, she Joined military convoy KMF1 as part of escort during passage to Able Beach. On the 10th, she took passage to Bougie to carry out minesweeping support for planned landings code named Operation Pperpetual and was Involved in a collision with HMS Sheffield and sustained some damage. On the 14th, the ship took part in the rescue of survivors from troop transport which was sinking off Bougie.[4] On 15th, the Italian submarine Ascianghi torpedoed and sank HMS Algerine 5 nautical miles north of Cap Carbon. HMS Cadmus picked up 32 survivors and land them at Bougie, Algeria.[3]
On 29 January 1943, she participated in convoy escort and patrol off North African coast in continuation with flotilla and assisted during passage into Bougie after being torpedoed in air attacks. In May, she was deployed at Bizerta together with her recently joined 13th Minesweeper Flotilla to participate in Operation Antidote. On the 20th, she took part in rescue operations after sustained major damage when a mine exploded in her minesweeping equipments. Cadmus detached from the flotilla to tow the stricken ship to Bone. On 7 June, she conducted mine clearance completed with destruction of 126 mines by the 12th Minesweeper Flotilla. In July, she detached with HMS Fly, HMS Mutine and HMS Espiegle for service with 14th Minesweeper Flotilla during Operation Husky. In September 1943, she conducted minesweeping support of planned landings on Italian mainland at Salerno code named Operation Avalanche. From November to December, she was sent to support of planned landings at Anzio code named Operation Shingle.[4]
On 14 July 1945, she took part in operation to clear a channel to port of Leghorn with ships of 19th Minesweeper Flotilla and 13th Minesweeping Flotilla, code named Operation Lobster. In October, she was sent for minesweeping service with her flotilla, in support of allied military operations in Greece code named Operation Manna.
In 1946, she was put into the 12th Minesweeper Flotilla together with HMS Fly, HMS Acute, HMS Circe, and HMS Mutine. The flotilla was dispatched to sweep the mine fields off the French, Dutch coast and islands.[4]
She 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 being put in the reserve fleet at Devonport.[4]
In September 1949, her pennant number was changed to M230 and was then sold to Belgium in January 1950.[4]
[]
Cadmus was renamed Georges Lecointe and was commissioned on 31 January 1950.[5]
After a refit, she reached Ostend on 17 August 1955 and set out to sea in September of the same year for a cruise.[5]
In 1959, she was decommissioned by the Navy and on 24 April 1960, she was sold to J. Desmedt Burcht Belgium. Her scrapping process started on 19 May.[5]
References[]
- ^ a b c Lenton, p. 261
- ^ Chesneau, p. 65
- ^ a b "HMS Cadmus (J 230) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "HMS Liberty, minesweeper". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Lecointe". www.marinebelge.be. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
Bibliography[]
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Peter Elliott (1977) Allied Escort Ships of World War II. MacDonald & Janes, ISBN 0 356 08401 9
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
External links[]
 Royal Navy |
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 Royal Canadian Navy |
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- Algerine-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy
- Ships built in Belfast
- 1942 ships
- World War II minesweepers of the United Kingdom
- Algerine-class minesweepers of the Belgian Navy