ALGERINE-Class Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine propulsion machinery ordered on 30th April 1942 from Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Laid down on 27th November 1943 at the same time as sister ships JEWEL and LIBERTY this ship was  launched on 20th June 1944. The eighth RN ship to carry this name, introduced in 1545 for a 10 gun vessel which was rebuilt at Bucklers Hard in 1558 and sold in 1578. The name was last used in 1709 for a Sloop captured by HMS SPEEDWELL and sold in 1712. The build of this minesweeper was completed on 10th November 1944. She had not been adopted by any civil community in UK following a successful WARSHIP WEEK campaign during for National Savings during 1941-42 as her build had not been started.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

VELEZ MALAGA 1704

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green a Plate charged with a Hare sejant proper.

 

 

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

 

November       Contractors trials and commissioned for service with 10th Minesweeping Flotilla.

                        (Note: The ships in this Flotilla were HM Miner sweepers COURIER, FELICITY,

                                     GOLDEN FLEECE, and SERENE which had been built in Canada.

      10th           Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                        On completion of Acceptance Trials and took passage to commence work-up for

                        operational service at Tobermory

 

December       Deployed at Tobermory.

                         Passage to Granton for minesweeping training and work-up.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January           Carried out minesweeping training in Firth of Forth area with HMS Minesweepers JEWEL

                        and WAVE.

                        On completion took passage to join Flotilla.

 

February          Took passage to Scapa Flow with Flotilla which then also included HMS JEWEL and

                        HMS WAVE. Senior Officer’s ship was HMS COURIER.

                        Nominated with ships of Flotilla and HM Danlayer SHILLAY for special Home Fleet

                        operation to clear passage through British minefield to give shorter route for departure of

                        warships from Scapa Flow

          21st       Took passage from Scapa Flow with Flotilla as Force 3 for minesweeping

                        (Operation SHRED)

                        (Note: This operation included lay of WINNER marker buoys to mark the ends of the

                                     swept channel and navigation was assisted by German Beacon at Stavanger.

          23rd       Returned to Scapa Flow on completion.

                         (Note: Clear passage was then available for HM Escort Aircraft Carriers PUNCHER and

                                     PREMIER, HM Cruiser DIDO and screen of Home Fleet destroyers ,HMS

                                     MYNGS, HMS SCORPION and HMS CAVALIER to carry out aircraft minelay

                                     off Norwegian coast (Operation GROUNDSHEET)

                          Passage from Scapa Flow to Granton

 

March                Deployed at Granton and joined in Flotilla by HM Minesweeper LIBERTY.

          22nd         Passage to Harwich with ships of Flotilla for minesweeping operations in

                            Nore Command.

 

April                    Deployed with Flotilla for minesweeping in southern North Sea to ensure safe passage

                             of convoys in Nore Command including military convoys to Antwerp as well as in the

                            Thames estuary for traffic in North Sea.

                             (Note: During this period extensive minelaying was being carried out by enemy aircraft,

                                         surface craft. Attacks on convoys were also being carried out by midget

                                         submarines and E Boat Boats. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith,

                                         BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by JP Foynes and ENGAGE THE ENEMY

                                         MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)

 

May                     Detached with HMS FELICITY and HMS SERENE for temporary service in 18th

                             Minesweeping Flotilla for minesweeping in approaches to port of Rotterdam.

                             (Operation FIREBALL)

 

June                     Resumed Flotilla duties and deployed for mine clearance based at Cuxhaven until

to August             taken in hand for refit prior to foreign service.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS HARE took passage with the Flotilla in October 1945 for duty based initially at Singapore with the 10th Flotilla. The ship was first deployed for mine clearance in areas near Singapore including ports in Indonesia. Later she was based at Hong Kong for this duty, She returned to UK in September 1946 and arrived at Harwich to Pay-off and reduce to Reserve status. Whilst laid-up at Harwich she was placed on the Sales List in 1959 and sold to Nigeria. Renamed NIGERIA on 21st July that year she served as Flagship in the Royal Nigerian Navy until 1962 when she returned to UK. On arrival she was placed on the Disposal List and sold to BISCO for breaking-up by Metal Industries at Faslane where she arrived in tow for demolition on 6th November that year.

 

---

 

For more about Algerine-class Minesweepers, see http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm