105ft-class wooden minesweepers

105 feet class - minesweepers

At the start of the war, the immediate need for a large number of minesweepers was remedied by requisitioning a large number of fishing trawlers and drifters. They were suitable for use against moored mines, but not against influence mines. The most widely used variant of the latter was the magnetic mine, which detonated when a (steel) ship of sufficient size passed over it. The Motor Mine Sweepers were made of wood, which caused no magnetic field to begin with. These ships were equipped with LL-sweeps against magnetic mines and Hammerblocks against acoustic mines. Cheap, quick to build and using limited resources, a total of 278 were built during the war.

The Netherlands Navy acquired a number of these ships, and named them after Dutch islands. The new ships were manned largely by the former trawler crews, composed mainly of militarized fishermen. They performed well, operating from Great Yarmouth and Harwich in the 139th Minesweeper Flotilla, and later off mainland Europe. After the war, these ships spent some years clearing the North Sea of mines.

Hr. Ms. Rozenburg

Construction details

Name (former RN name) Dockyard Commissioned Pennants

Ameland (ex-MMS 231) Buckham, Brixham December 21, 1942 FY-231
MV-5
M-861

Beveland (ex-MMS 237) Wivenhoe Shipyard Ltd (Yard no. 29) April 12, 1943 FY-237
MV-6
M-862

Marken (I) (ex-MMS 227) F. Curtis, Looe October 19, 1942 FY-227

Marken (II) (ex-MMS 54) Herald & McKenzie, Buckie August 23, 1944 FY-54
MV-7
M-863

Putten (ex-MMS 138) Buckham, Brixhham May 10, 1943 FY-138
MV-8
M-864

Rozenburg (ex-MMS 292) F. Curtis, Charleston April 5, 1943 FY-292
MV-9
M-863

Terschelling (I) (ex-MMS 174) Buckham, Brixham July 6, 1942 FY-174

Terschelling (II) (ex-MMS 234) J.L. Bolson & Sons, Poole June 21, 1943 FY-234
MV-10
M-866

Texel (I) (ex-MMS 173) Herald & McKenzie, Buckie May 4, 1942 FY-173

Texel (II) (ex-MMS 73) East Anglian Constructors, Oulton Broad November 12, 1942 FY-73
MV-11
M-867

Vlieland (ex-MMS 226) Herald & McKenzie, Buckie October 5, 1942 FY-226
MV-12
M-868

Specifications

Displacement 165 tons / 219 tons (full load)

Crew 18-21

Dimensions 36,4 (oa) 32 (pp) x 7,2 x 2,5 m

Armament 1 x 20 mm Oerlikon
2 x 12.7 mm machine guns

ASW -

Radar -

Propulsion details

Machinery 1 x 8 cylinder 2-stroke Crossley diesel engine

Shafts 1

Range 2000 nautical miles @ 10 knots

Bunkerage 26 tons oil

Performance 500 bhp

Max Speed 10 knots

Histories

Ameland Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Nederland.

Beveland Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1956 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Groningen in December 1957. Decommissioned and sold May 1963.

Marken (I) Mined on the Thames near the lightship "Sunk", May 20 1944. Of the crew, 16 were killed in action, 1 survived.

Marken (II) Commissioned as a replacement for the Marken (I). She swept mines in the British homewaters and later in Holland. Stricken in 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps.

Putten Swept mines in the British and Dutch homewaters. She was the first Dutch warships to moore in a liberated Dutch port. She was awarded by the Admiralty with a "Mention in Dispatches". Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Haarlem, where she served between 1963 and 1979.

Rozenburg Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Nederland March 1958. Decommissioned October, 1967 and sold. Converted to the sailing ship White Lady of Vaduz. Fate unknown.

Terschelling (I) Damaged and sunk by a German air attack on July 12, 1942 during her trials in the Bay of Brixham. Six of the crew were wounded. The wreck was salvaged in September 1942 and transferred to the Royal Navy in October that year. Fate unknown.

Terschelling (II) Commissioned as a replacement for the bombed Terschelling (I). Swept mines in the British and Dutch homewaters until stricken in 1957. Transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps.

Texel (I) Ordered September 2, 1941. Launched December 21, 1941. In service until returned to the Royal Navy in November 1942. The reason the minesweeper was returned, was because she was fitted with a 500 hp Newbury diesel engine, whereas her sister ships all had Crossley diesels. Served with 136th and 140th Minesweeping flotillas. Placed on sale list November, 1945. May still be in existence today in Oslo.

Texel (II) Ordered September 5, 1940. Launched June 13, 1942. Served with the 139th flotilla in Harwich 1943-1944. In Dutch homewaters post war. Stricken 1957, transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Texel. Later converted to the sailing ship Elisabeth Smit. Fate unknown.

Vlieland Conducted minesweepingoperations in British and Dutch homewaters. She left to the NEI on March 20, 1947 to replace the Walcheren. Sunk in November, 1951 near Hollandia, New Guinea. Stricken 1952.

Sources and related links

Sources
F. Bertijn "Voor een veilige zee" (1982)
F. Bertijn "60 jaar mijnendienst" (1966)
W.H.E. van Amstel "De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945" (1991)
D.K. Brown "The design and construction of British warships 1939-1945: Submarines, Escorts and Coastal Forces (1996)
A.J. Vermeulen "De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962 (1962)
Ph.M. Bosscher "De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, volume 3 (1990)
E. van den Pol "Dieselmotoren bij de Koninklijke Marine", Marineblad (May 2001)

Acknowledgements
Thanks to Trygve and David Hepper for service details of Texel (I) and (II)

Related links (please report any broken links)
The Wivenhoe Encyclopedia - minesweeper Beveland

February 2, 2008 All categories updated

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Construction details
Name (former RN name)	Dockyard	Commissioned	Pennants
Ameland (ex-MMS 231)	Buckham, Brixham	December 21, 1942	FY-231 MV-5 M-861
Beveland (ex-MMS 237)	Wivenhoe Shipyard Ltd (Yard no. 29)	April 12, 1943	FY-237 MV-6 M-862
Marken (I) (ex-MMS 227)	F. Curtis, Looe	October 19, 1942	FY-227
Marken (II) (ex-MMS 54)	Herald & McKenzie, Buckie	August 23, 1944	FY-54 MV-7 M-863
Putten (ex-MMS 138)	Buckham, Brixhham	May 10, 1943	FY-138 MV-8 M-864
Rozenburg (ex-MMS 292)	F. Curtis, Charleston	April 5, 1943	FY-292 MV-9 M-863
Terschelling (I) (ex-MMS 174)	Buckham, Brixham	July 6, 1942	FY-174
Terschelling (II) (ex-MMS 234)	J.L. Bolson & Sons, Poole	June 21, 1943	FY-234 MV-10 M-866
Texel (I) (ex-MMS 173)	Herald & McKenzie, Buckie	May 4, 1942	FY-173
Texel (II) (ex-MMS 73)	East Anglian Constructors, Oulton Broad	November 12, 1942	FY-73 MV-11 M-867
Vlieland (ex-MMS 226)	Herald & McKenzie, Buckie	October 5, 1942	FY-226 MV-12 M-868

Specifications
Displacement	165 tons / 219 tons (full load)
Crew	18-21
Dimensions	36,4 (oa) 32 (pp) x 7,2 x 2,5 m
Armament	1 x 20 mm Oerlikon 2 x 12.7 mm machine guns
ASW	-
Radar	-

Propulsion details
Machinery	1 x 8 cylinder 2-stroke Crossley diesel engine
Shafts	1
Range	2000 nautical miles @ 10 knots
Bunkerage	26 tons oil
Performance	500 bhp
Max Speed	10 knots

Histories
Ameland	Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Nederland.
Beveland	Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1956 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Groningen in December 1957. Decommissioned and sold May 1963.
Marken (I)	Mined on the Thames near the lightship "Sunk", May 20 1944. Of the crew, 16 were killed in action, 1 survived.
Marken (II)	Commissioned as a replacement for the Marken (I). She swept mines in the British homewaters and later in Holland. Stricken in 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps.
Putten	Swept mines in the British and Dutch homewaters. She was the first Dutch warships to moore in a liberated Dutch port. She was awarded by the Admiralty with a "Mention in Dispatches". Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Haarlem, where she served between 1963 and 1979.
Rozenburg	Swept mines in the British homewaters and returned to Holland postwar, where she conducted similar operations. Stricken 1957 and transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Nederland March 1958. Decommissioned October, 1967 and sold. Converted to the sailing ship White Lady of Vaduz. Fate unknown.
Terschelling (I)	Damaged and sunk by a German air attack on July 12, 1942 during her trials in the Bay of Brixham. Six of the crew were wounded. The wreck was salvaged in September 1942 and transferred to the Royal Navy in October that year. Fate unknown.
Terschelling (II)	Commissioned as a replacement for the bombed Terschelling (I). Swept mines in the British and Dutch homewaters until stricken in 1957. Transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps.
Texel (I)	Ordered September 2, 1941. Launched December 21, 1941. In service until returned to the Royal Navy in November 1942. The reason the minesweeper was returned, was because she was fitted with a 500 hp Newbury diesel engine, whereas her sister ships all had Crossley diesels. Served with 136th and 140th Minesweeping flotillas. Placed on sale list November, 1945. May still be in existence today in Oslo.
Texel (II)	Ordered September 5, 1940. Launched June 13, 1942. Served with the 139th flotilla in Harwich 1943-1944. In Dutch homewaters post war. Stricken 1957, transferred to the Zeekadettenkorps Texel. Later converted to the sailing ship Elisabeth Smit. Fate unknown.
Vlieland	Conducted minesweepingoperations in British and Dutch homewaters. She left to the NEI on March 20, 1947 to replace the Walcheren. Sunk in November, 1951 near Hollandia, New Guinea. Stricken 1952.