126ft-class wooden minesweepers

126 Feet-class minesweepers

The 126-feet minesweepers were an enlarged version of the 105-feet-class. They were intended to be more seaworthy and had better accommodation for the crew. They were capable of sweeping acoustic mines using their SA-gear and magnetic mines using their LL-sweep. In May 1945, these ships were fitted with captured German gear against anchor mines. The Dutch Navy acquired 8, and named them after Dutch islands.

After commissioning, these ships became part of teh 203rd Minesweeper Flotilla. Divisions were stationed at Yarmouth and Harwich. As the allied armies advanced across Europe's mainland, former German-occupied ports had to be cleared of mines before convoys could enter. In September 1944, the flotilla was active off Oostende (Belgium). Starting May 1945, these ships were active in clearing the North sea off the Dutch coast. In October 1945, the flotilla left with the Jan van Brakel for the Netherlands East Indies, where they arrived in January, 1946. With intervals, these ships continued operations until 1950, with the Walcheren as their only loss. The remainder were either transferred to the newly-established Indonesian Navy or continued operations off New Guinea.

Duiveland in the Netherlands East Indies

Construction details

Name (former RN name) Dockyard Commissioned Pennants

Duiveland
(ex-MMS 1074)* Wivenhoe Shipyard Ltd
(Yard no. 35) ** April 3, 1944 FY-1074
MV-13 (1946)
M-821 (1950)

Overflakkee
(ex-MMS 1046) Richard Crowns Iron Works, Lowestoft March 4, 1944 FY-1046
MV-14
M-822

Schokland
(ex-MMS 1082) J.S. Doig, Grimsby January 10, 1944 FY-1082
MV-15

Tholen
(ex-MMS 1014) P.K. Harris, Appledore June 20, 1943 FY-1014
MV-16
M-823

Voorne
(ex-MMS 1043) Humphrey & Smith, Grimsby August 12, 1943 FY-1043
MV-17
M-824

Walcheren
(ex-MMS 1042) J.S. Doig, Grimsby December 22, 1943 FY-1042
MV-18

Wieringen
(ex-MMS 1025) Humphrey & Smith, Grimsby May 14, 1943 FY-1025
MV-18

IJsselmonde
(ex-MMS 1026)
J.S. Doig, Grimsby
June 7, 1943 FY-1026
MV-20
M-825

* More recent information shows that Duiveland was ex-MMS 1074 rather than MMS 1044, as reported in Dutch sources and H.T. Lenton "Navies of the Second World War II: the Royal Netherlands Navy". The source for this new info is M.J. Melvin "'Minesweeper, the Role of the Motor Minesweeper' in World War II" and H.T. Lenton's own "British and Empire Warships".
** Dutch sources often mention Richard Crowns Iron Works as the builder.

Specifications

Displacement 255 t / 350 t

Crew 24-26

Dimensions 38.4 (pp) 42.6 (oa) x 7.7 x 3.1 / 3.8 m

Armament 2 x 20 mm
2 x .50
2 x .30

ASW N/A

Radar N/A

Propulsion details

Machinery 1 x 8-cylinder Mirrlees diesel engine

Shafts 1

Range 4000 nautical miles @ 10 knots *

Bunkerage 54 tons of diesel oil

Performance 540 hp

Max Speed 9,5 knots

* Gallandat Huet (see sources) mentions a range of 6400 nautical miles, but not at which speed.

Histories

Duiveland Launched December 30, 1943. This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken on February 23, 1952, transferred to the Indonesian Navy. Fate unknown.

Overflakkee This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in Nieuw Guinea in 1954*.

Schokland This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Decommissioned April 9, 1949 and stricken October 27, 1949.**

Tholen This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken June 21, 1953.

Voorne This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in Nieuw Guinea on March 21, 1952.

Walcheren This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Sunk by a Japanese mine on November 19, 1946 near Balikpapan with the loss of three crew.

Wieringen This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in the N.E.I. on March 29, 1949.***

IJsselmonde This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Transferred to the Indonesian Navy on February 23, 1952. New name and fate unknown.

* I also found scrapped in 1952
** I also found November 8, 1949
*** I also found April 9, 1949

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)
R.E. van Holst Pellekaan/I.C. de Regt "Operaties in de Oost" (2003)
E. van den Pol "Dieselmotoren bij de Koninklijke Marine", Marineblad (may 2001)
G. Gallandat Huet "Verrichtingen van het derde Nederlandse mijnenveeg flottielje", Marineblad (1947)

February 3, 2008 All categories updated

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Construction details
Name (former RN name)	Dockyard	Commissioned	Pennants
Duiveland (ex-MMS 1074)*	Wivenhoe Shipyard Ltd (Yard no. 35) **	April 3, 1944	FY-1074 MV-13 (1946) M-821 (1950)
Overflakkee (ex-MMS 1046)	Richard Crowns Iron Works, Lowestoft	March 4, 1944	FY-1046 MV-14 M-822
Schokland (ex-MMS 1082)	J.S. Doig, Grimsby	January 10, 1944	FY-1082 MV-15
Tholen (ex-MMS 1014)	P.K. Harris, Appledore	June 20, 1943	FY-1014 MV-16 M-823
Voorne (ex-MMS 1043)	Humphrey & Smith, Grimsby	August 12, 1943	FY-1043 MV-17 M-824
Walcheren (ex-MMS 1042)	J.S. Doig, Grimsby	December 22, 1943	FY-1042 MV-18
Wieringen (ex-MMS 1025)	Humphrey & Smith, Grimsby	May 14, 1943	FY-1025 MV-18
IJsselmonde (ex-MMS 1026)	J.S. Doig, Grimsby	June 7, 1943	FY-1026 MV-20 M-825
* More recent information shows that Duiveland was ex-MMS 1074 rather than MMS 1044, as reported in Dutch sources and H.T. Lenton "Navies of the Second World War II: the Royal Netherlands Navy". The source for this new info is M.J. Melvin "'Minesweeper, the Role of the Motor Minesweeper' in World War II" and H.T. Lenton's own "British and Empire Warships". ** Dutch sources often mention Richard Crowns Iron Works as the builder.

Specifications
Displacement	255 t / 350 t
Crew	24-26
Dimensions	38.4 (pp) 42.6 (oa) x 7.7 x 3.1 / 3.8 m
Armament	2 x 20 mm 2 x .50 2 x .30
ASW	N/A
Radar	N/A

Propulsion details
Machinery	1 x 8-cylinder Mirrlees diesel engine
Shafts	1
Range	4000 nautical miles @ 10 knots *
Bunkerage	54 tons of diesel oil
Performance	540 hp
Max Speed	9,5 knots
* Gallandat Huet (see sources) mentions a range of 6400 nautical miles, but not at which speed.

Histories
Duiveland	Launched December 30, 1943. This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken on February 23, 1952, transferred to the Indonesian Navy. Fate unknown.
Overflakkee	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in Nieuw Guinea in 1954*.
Schokland	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Decommissioned April 9, 1949 and stricken October 27, 1949.**
Tholen	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken June 21, 1953.
Voorne	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in Nieuw Guinea on March 21, 1952.
Walcheren	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Sunk by a Japanese mine on November 19, 1946 near Balikpapan with the loss of three crew.
Wieringen	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Stricken in the N.E.I. on March 29, 1949.***
IJsselmonde	This minesweeper conducted operations in the British and Dutch coastal waters. She left with her sisterships to the NEI on October 3, 1945 for the NEI to continue operations there. Transferred to the Indonesian Navy on February 23, 1952. New name and fate unknown.
* I also found scrapped in 1952 I also found November 8, 1949 * I also found April 9, 1949