ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with
Reciprocating propulsion machinery
ordered for the Royal
Canadian
Navy in July 1942 from Toronto Dry
Dock.
The ship was to be named HMCS
LONGBRANCH but
was
transferred to the Royal Navy before
completion of
build. Laid down on 15th April 1943
this minesweeper was
launched as HMS REGULUS on 18th
September
1943. She was the fourth RN
ship to carry this name, introduced
in 1785 for a 5th Rate and last
borne by a submarine
built in 1930 and lost in the
Adriatic in December 1940. Build was
completed on 30th May 1944. This
warship was not adopted by a UK
civil community after a
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
EGYPT
1802
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On
a Blue field a demi-lion gold
holding a star silver.
M
o t t o
In
Primus Pro Patria:
“For the Fatherland first.”
D
e t a i l s
o f W a r
S e r v i c e
(for
more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
1
9 4 4
May
Contractors trials and
commissioned for service in 8th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
30th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
June
Completed
trials and storing and
prepared for Atlantic passage.
July
Passage to UK for
work-up
Nominated for
service as Senior Officer’s Ship 8th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
(Note:
Flotilla was to comprise in
addition HM Minesweepers COQUETTE,
THISBE,
MARY
ROSE, MOON, PROVIDENCE, SEABEAR and
ROWENA. All these
were
built in Canada except HMS ROWENA
which was built on the Clyde. )
Deployed for
Minesweeping work-up in Forth area
based at Port Edgar.
August On
completion of
minesweeping trials prepared for
foreign service
September
Passage
to Gibraltar with sister ship
HMS PROVIDENCE.
Deployed at
Gibraltar for local minesweeping
with HMS SKIPJACK, HMS TRUELOVE
(5th
Minesweeping Flotilla) and HMS
PROVIDENCE.
October
Took passage to Malta with
HMS COQUETTE, HMS ROWENA and HMS
PROVIDENCE.
(Note: HMS
COQUETTE and HMS ROWENA of 8th
Flotilla had joined at Gibraltar
after
passage
from UK.
November
Deployed
at Malta for local minesweeping
until arrival of HMS THISBE.
HMS MARY ROSE
and HMS MOON from UK to join
Flotilla..
(Note: HMS
SEABEAR had been delayed by repairs
in UK. The Flotilla w as then able
to
carry
out minesweeping operations as a
unit.)
December
Nominated
for duties with ships of Flotilla
for minesweeping off
Taranto, Italy and took
passage
to carry
out mine clearance in Adriatic.
Deployed at
Taranto.
(Note: 36 mines
were swept during first day of
operations.)
1
9 4 5
January
4th
Transferred
with Flotilla for minesweeping off
Corfu and took passage
from Taranto
with HMS THISBE, HMS ROWENA, HMS
MARY ROSE and HM Trawler
FLUELLEN
for Danlaying
duty.
The other ships
of the 8th Flotilla returned to
Malta for repair.
5th
Commenced
Flotilla operations to clear
entrance to harbour at Corfu.
After
successful sweep
during which 30 mines were dealt
with during clearance of entry to
harbour at
Corfu.
7th
Resumed
minesweeping off Corfu.
10th
Operations delayed by weather
conditions.
12th
Resumed operations and carried
out series of successful sweeps.
Detonated mine
in southern Corfu Channel (Position
39.24N
20.10E) which caused major
damage
to after structure
with serious flooding.
Ship was
disabled due to propeller and shaft
damage with a significant list and
stern
structure
partially
submerged. One rating working in the
Tiller Flat was killed with several
others
injured. Ship
was abandoned and survivors rescued
by BYMS and MLs working with the
Flotilla.
Although taken in tow the ship sank
46 minutes after the explosion.
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm