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