ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine
propulsion machinery ordered on 15th
November 1940 from Harland and Wolff,
Belfast. Laid down on 24th July 1941
with sister ship HMS ACUTE, she was
launched on 2nd April 1942 and eighth RN
ship to carry this name, introduced in
1781 for the captured US Privateer ROYAL
LOUIS And last borne by a Destroyer
built in 1906 and sold in 1919. Her
build was completed on 16th June 1942.
This warship was adopted by the civil
community of Ashford, Kent after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign held in February 1942.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - SICILY
1943 - SALERNO 1943 - ANZIO 1944
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, two albacore in Saltire
White.
(Note:
Albacore – a large fish of the Mackerel
family)
D
e t a i l s
o f W a r S
e r v i c e
(for
more ship information,
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to
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1
9 4 2
June
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service in 12th Minesweeping Flotilla.
16th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion took passage to Tobermory
for work-up and preparation for
operational minesweeping duties.
July
After Work-up took passage to Port Edgar
to carry out minesweeping training.
Commenced minesweeping training in Forth
area.
30th
First ship of the Class to raise a mine
during training in Firth of Forth
August
Passage to Harwich to join HM
Minesweeper ALGERINE and ACUTE serving
with
9th Minesweeping Flotilla, 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.
September
North Sea deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
Nominated for foreign service on
formation of 12th Flotilla.
October
Joined 12th Minesweeping Flotilla on
formation with HM Minesweepers
ACUTE, ALGERINE, 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
Joined military convoy KMS1 in Clyde as
part of escort during passage to
Gibraltar.
(Note: Departure from UK of HMS ALGERINE
which was leader of Flotilla was
delayed.
November
On arrival at Gibraltar with Flotilla
and prepared for service in TORCH.
HMS ALGERINE rejoined Flotilla and HM
Minesweeper HUSSAR and SPEEDWELL
detached from 5th Minesweeping Flotilla
also joined for this operation on
arrival from UK.
5th
Sailed from Gibraltar with ships of
Flotilla as part of escort for assault
Convoy KMS1A
during passage to Algiers.
8th
Carried out minesweep with Flotilla and
HM Minesweepers HUSSAR and in advance of
landings on BAKER Beach at Algiers.
10th
Deployed for anti-submarine patrol.
On release from patrol took passage to
Bougie to carry out minesweeping prior
to ,landings at Bougie (Operation
PERPETUAL)
11th
Deployed for minesweeping
13th
Sustained damage in air attack of
Bougie.
15th
During deployment off Bougie with HMS
ALGERINE, under attack by the Italian
submarine ASCIANGHI. After sinking of
HMS ALGERINE took part in rescue of
survivors.
(Note:
All officers from ALGERINE and 80 of the
ship’s company lost
their lives.)
December
North African coast minesweeping, patrol
and convoy defence in continuation
Sustained slight damage during air
attacks whilst escorting convoy off
North
1
9 4 3
January
Convoy escort and patrol off North
African coast in continuation with HM
Minesweeper
to
March
CADMUS, HUSSAR and SPEEDWELL.
(Note: These were the only ships of the
Flotilla which were operational due to
loss and
damage since arrival in the
Mediterranean.)
April
North African coast deployment in
continuation.
HM Minesweepers
FANTOME, CIRCE and ESPIEGLE joined
Flotilla .
(Note: HMS FANTOME replaced HMS ALGERINE
as Leader)
May
Flotilla nominated for joint operations
with 13th Minesweeping Flotilla for mine
clearance
of passage through Galita and Sicilian
Channels.
(Operation ANTIDOTE).
5th
Deployed at Bizerta for ANTIDOTE with
the two minesweeping Flotillas.
20th
Took part in rescue operations after HMS
FANTOME sustained major damage when
mine exploded in sweep gear. Remained
with Flotilla when HMS CADMUS
detached to tow stricken ship to Bone.
(Note: HMS ACUTE took over duty as
Leader)
June
ANTIDOTE deployment with Flotilla in
continuation
7th
Mine clearance completed with
destruction of 126 mines by the 12th
Flotilla.
HM Minesweepers FLY and MUTINE Flotilla,
the former taking over duty as Leader.
Nominated for minesweeping and escort
duties during planned allied landings in
Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
July
Detached with HM Minesweeper ACUTE and
CIRCE for service with 14th Flotilla
during
HUSKY.
10th
Passage to eastern sector of Assault
area as part of escort for military
convoy.
12th
Carried out minesweeping prior to
landings and remained in area for
anti-submarine patrol
and escort duties for traffic between
Malta, Bizerta and beachheads.
September
Nominated with Flotilla for minesweeping
support of planned landings on Italian
mainland at Salerno (Operation
AVALANCHE).
8th
Deployed with Flotilla to ensure
clearance of mines during passage to
Salerno.
9th
Under shore fire during minesweeping off
beachhead.
16th
Released from AVALANCHE and deployed in
Bay of Naples for minesweeping with
Flotilla.
(Note: Flotilla dealt with 135 mines in
Salerno area.)
30th
Nominated for transfer to Capri on
completion of service in Bay of Naples.
October
1st
Deployed for support of operations off
west coast of Sicily including mine
clearance of
positions to be used by allied warships
for bombardments prior to military
advances.
(Note: Minesweeping operations were
frequently target of heavy fire from
shore batteries
in the Gulf of Gaeta and often
restricted in their ability to rapidly
change because of
sweeping operation in progress.)
November
West coast minesweeping duties and
support off west coast of Italy in
continuation.
to
December (Note: At the
end of 1943 the Flotilla had swept 770
mines since arrival at Gibraltar
in
December 1942.)
Nominated for minesweeping in support of
planned landings at Anzio (Operation
SHINGLE).
Based at Naples to prepare for SHINGLE.
1
9 4 4
January
Passage to Anzio, 90 miles north of
Naples.
21st
Deployed with HM Minesweepers RINALDO
and WATERWITCH of 19th Flotilla to
provide swept channel off Anzio for
ships of the assault force.
On release from SHINGLE took passage to
Naples.
February Took
part with ships of Flotilla and 19th
Flotilla in minesweeping to ensure that
to
April clear
channels for passage ships supporting
military operations, including
clearance of areas selected for naval
gunfire support by cruisers.
May West
coast of Italy minesweeping in
continuation with part of Flotilla
(Note: Some ships of 12th Flotilla were
deployed off Malta for clearance of
minefields.)
11th
Deployed with HM Minesweepers FLY,
CADMUS, ACUTE, ESPIEGLE of 12th Flotilla
and HM Minesweepers ROSARIO and SPANKER
of 19th Flotilla for night sweep off
Gaeta
to ensure bombardment area for naval
gunfire support of offensive by allied
troops on
Monte Casino.
12th
Carried out sweep close inshore prior to
bombardment by HM Cruiser DIDO, US
Cruisers
BROOKLYN and PHILADELPHIA during which
the ships came under heavy fire from
shore batteries.
On completion of bombardment
requirements rejoined Flotilla in mine
clearance of channel
from Naples to Anzio. 89 mines were cut.
June
Carried out joint minesweeping
operations with ships of Flotilla, 13th
Flotilla and 28th
Motor Launch Flotilla .
4th
Cleared entrance to port of
Civitavecchia with joint minesweeping
force.
13th
Deployed for clearance of mines in
anchorage area off Civitavecchia.
July
Joint minesweeping operations in
continuation to ensure passage for ships
supporting
military advance .
14th
Took part in operation to clear a
channel to port of Leghorn with ships of
Flotilla, 19th and
13th Minesweeping Flotillas (Operation
LOBSTER)
25th
Port available for use by shipping.
(Note: 250 mines were swept during
clearance of channel between Anzio to
Leghorn and
ships engaged were subject to shore
fire.)
August
Deployed with Flotilla for clearance of
mines off west coast of Italy to ensure
safe passage.
to
September (Note:
Aircraft minelaying was a common feature
during this period )
October
Nominated for minesweeping
service with Flotilla, in support of
allied military operations
in Greece (Operation MANNA).
(Note: The Flotilla had swept 1013 mines
by this date, an achievement recognised
by
the Supreme Commander, Mediterranean in
a congratulatory signal)
22nd
Transferred to eastern Mediterranean
Passage to Greek waters with HM
Minesweepers ACUTE, ESPIEGLE and MUTINE.
(Note: 5th Minesweeping Flotilla
deployed for this work had recently
suffered two losses)
November
1st
Carried out minesweeping operation to
clear passage into Salonika from
Skiathos
(Note:
The four ships of 12th Flotilla were
joined by HM Minesweepers SKIPJACK
and TRUELOVE of 5th Flotilla
December
Aegean minesweeping in support of Greece
re-occupation in continuation.
Nominated
for special operation to ensure safe
passage through Dardanelles for
warships taking US President and British
Prime Minister to Yalta for meeting with
Russian leader, Joseph Stalin,
(Note: During Aegean mine sweeping new
type of German mine (OBOE) was
dealt with for the first time. These
exploded after time delay from the
instant of cutting and could caused
damage to following minesweeper.
17th
Commenced mine sweeping of Dardanelles
with HM Minesweepers FLY and MUTINE
.
of Flotilla which were being deployed
with ships of 5th Flotilla for this
operation.
25th
Spent Xmas at Mudros.
1
9 4 5
January
Resumed Dardanelles operations with HM
Minesweepers ACUTE, ESPIEGLE and ships
of
5th Flotilla.
(Note HMS FLY was later relieved by HMS
ACUTE and HMS ESPIEGLE by HMS
MUTINE.)
On completion resumed Flotilla duties
off Greek coast including clearance of
approach
channels near Doro and Thermia.
(Note: During Dardanelles operations 52
mines were swept an d HMS ACUTE went
aground on Turkish coast but was towed
clear .)
On completion took passage to Malta and
taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard.
February Under
refit
Resumed Flotilla duties.
March
Deployed
at Malta,
23rd
Took passage from Malta with HM
Minesweepers ACUTE, CADMUS, CIRCE,
MUTINE
ESPIEGLE to resume minefield clearance
operations based at Naples.
April
Deployed with Flotilla for clearance
between Leghorn and Genoa.
May
Deployed off Genoa.
9th
Port Anchorage at Genoa cleared of
mines.
(Note: HMS ACUTE of this Flotilla was
first major warship to enter Genoa.)
June
West coast minefield clearance in
continuation
to
August
P
o s t W a r N o
t e s
HMS
ALBACORE remained in the Mediterranean
with the 12th Flotilla after VJ Day and
was refitted in Malta during December
1945. On completion in February she
resumed mine clearance based at Genoa.
She sailed from Malta with the rest of
the Flotilla on 12th April that year and
had a further refit at Chatham in May.
In June the ship carried out mine
clearance in Home waters off the east
coast, in the Channel and off the coast
of Holland. The Flotilla was then
withdrawn from service, but this
minesweeper was retained for further
deployment after a refit at Portsmouth.
Her final duties were to take part in
the destruction of German fortifications
at Heligoland, Operation BIG BANG with
other RN ships in April 1947 and later
to carry out further mine clearance
based at Cuxhaven. She Paid-off in
October 1947 and was reduced to Reserve
status at Chatham, Placed on the
Disposal List in 1962 she was sold to
BISCO for breaking-up by Messrs Cordron
and arrived for demolition at Port
Glasgow in tow on 9th September 1963.
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm