LÉ Banba (CM11)

Silhouette of LÉ Banba (CM11)
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Alverton
Namesake	Alverton
Builder	Thornycroft
Launched	24 March 1954
Identification	M1104
Fate	Sold to Ireland, February 1971
Republic of Ireland
Name	LÉ Banba
Namesake	Banba
Acquired	21 February 1971
Commissioned	23 February 1971
Decommissioned	1984
Identification	CM11
Fate	Sold to Spanish interests for breaking
General characteristics
Class and type	Ton-class minesweeper
Displacement	425 tonnes (max)
Length	42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall
Beam	8.4 m (28 ft)
Draught	2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) maximum
Complement	30
Armament	40 mm/60 Bofors 2 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA[1]

LÉ Banba (CM11) was a Ton-class minesweeper in the Irish Naval Service (INS) and was one of three purchased by the Irish government in light of changing politics in Northern Ireland that was creating more gunrunning, and, the beginning of the drugs trade. The other two were Grainne and Fola.^[2]

LÉ Banba was named after Banba, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and also a poetic name for Ireland. The ship was the former Royal Navy vessel HMS Alverton.

Handover[]

The name Banba was originally allocated to be borne by one of the six Flower-class corvettes ordered in 1946, but only three were delivered and the name was not used. On 22 February 1971, the former Alverton was handed over to the INS, and commissioned on 23 February by Lt. Cdr. Deasy at Gibraltar.^[1]

Following her commissioning, Banba, in company with Fola, worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in Lisbon.^[1] The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971.

In 1984 Banba was decommissioned and sold on to Spanish interests for breaking.

References[]