H . M .
S . A L G E R I
N E ( J 2 1 3 )
“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 1956-60
CHINA 1900 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.
h r o n o l o g
y o f
W a r S e r v i c e
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
POZAERICA.
in company but all
officers and 80 of the ship’s company lost their lives.
(Casualty
List - note on casualties)
DRAFT