ALGERINE-Class Fleet Minesweeper
fitted with Reciprocating propulsion
machinery and ordered from Lobnitz
on 9th June 1943 and laid down on 30th
June 1944. She was launched on 26th
January 1945 and was the 9th RN ship to
carry this name, introduced in 1656 for
a 4 gun Dutch Privateer which was later
expended as a fireship
in the Medway during a Dutch incursion.
The name was last used for a
HALCYON-Class Fleet Minesweeper lost in
December 1942 during the Battle of the
Barents Sea. Build of this minesweeper
was completed on 28th June 1945.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK
campaign for National Savings in March
1942 the 1938 built ship was adopted by
the civil community of Aireborough
in the West Riding of
Yorkshire and it is presumed continued their association with the new warship.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC
1941-43 (Bramble (i))
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field White, a sprig of Bramble
slipped and leaved 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 5
May
Contractors trials
June
Commissioned for service in 3rd
Minesweeping Flotilla as Senior
Officer’s ship.
28th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
July
On
completion took passage to Tobermory
to work-up.
Passage to Forth on completion of
work-up
August
Deployed in Forth for Minesweeping
Exercises prior to joining Flotilla
to
September
October
Joined Flotilla or formation and
deployed for mine clearance in Home
waters.
(Note:
Other ships in Flotilla were HM Fleet
Minesweepers MAMELUKE, MARVEL,
MYRMIDON,
MARINER and ROMOLA of this Class.)
November
Deployed with Flotilla for mine
clearance in Home waters.
to
(Note: Extensive British
and German minefields existed in May
1945 and Flotilla carried out
December
clearance in Home waters.
Some ships were based at Londonderry
for operations in
Irish
Sea and NW Approaches based at
Londonderry and others based in Forth
for
operations
off East Coast of Great Britain.
1
9 4 6
January
Home waters mine clearance in
continuation with Flotilla.
HM Fleet Minesweepers MANDATE, MYSTIC,
NERISSA, POLARIS joined MS3 and HMS
MARMION,
MARINER and ROMOLA
transferred to newly formed 4th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
February
Mine clearance in Home waters in
continuation.
to
Deployed
in SW Approaches based at Plymouth
October
November
Redesignated
1st Minesweeping Flotilla and
continued Home waters mine clearance
based at Plymouth.
to
HM
Fleet Minesweeper COCKATRICE joined
Flotilla.
December
1
9 4 7
January
Home waters mine clearance duties with
Flotilla in continuation in SW
Approaches and North
to
Sea.
December
HM
Fleet Minesweeper HOUND joined
Flotilla and in place of HMS MAMELUKE
which was
reduced to
Reserve status.
1
9 4 8
January
Nominated for reduction to Reserve
status and Flotilla disbanded.
February
Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status
at Harwich with HMS NERISSA and HMS
COCKATRICE.
March
Accepted into Reserve and Laid-up at
Harwich.
April
At Harwich
in Reserve Fleet.
to
(Note:
22 other ships of the Class were in
Reserve at Harwich.
December
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to Flag J Numerics
273 to
conform
with new system of identities used in
the RN.
1
9 4 9 t o 1950
Laid-up at Harwich
1
9 5 1
January
Nominated for service in 4th
Minesweeping Flotilla as Senior
Officer’s ship (MS4) on formation.
to
Brought
forward and re-commissioned at
Harwich.
April
(Note: This
was part of a programme to increase RN
capabilities following the outbreak of
war in
Korea.
Other ships in Flotilla, all brought
forward from Reserve were HM Fleet
Minesweepers
MANDATE,
PICKLE, PINCHER, RATTLESNAKE and
RINALDO.)
May
Passage to Portland to work-up with
Flotilla prior to operational
service.
Worked-up.
June
Passage to Harwich with Flotilla.
July
Deployed at Harwich for minesweeping
exercises and preparation for Fleet
duties as required.
to
(Note: HM
Depot Ship MULL OF GALLOWAY had also
been brought from Reserve and was
December
to be based at Harwich for the
support of the Flotilla.)
HMS
COCKATRICE and HMS CHEERFUL joined MS4
after delay.)
1
9 5 2
January
Harwich deployment in continuation.
HMS Fleet Minesweeper LAERTES
replaced HMS MANDATE which went into
Reserve.
February
Harwich training and Fleet duties in
continuation
to
(Note Ships of Flotilla were deployed
for NATO and other RN exercises during
this period
December
and visited ports in UK and NATO
countries during routine programme.
Designation of Flotilla changed to 4th
Minesweeping Squadron.)
1 9
5 3
January
Squadron duties based at Harwich in
continuation.
HMS
PINCHER detached for service in Fishery
Protection Squadron
March
Squadron deployment in Home waters
to April Nominated
for attendance at Royal Review with
ships of Flotilla.
May Prepared
for Review
June
Passage to Portsmouth
Attended Fleet Review
July
Resumed Squadron training and exercise
programme at Harwich.
to
December
1
9 5 4
January
Squadron
deployment in Home waters for
minesweeping training and Home Fleet
duties.
to
October
November HMS CHEERFUL
and HMS COCKATRICE left for transfer
to Reserve.
December Squadron
deployment in continuation
1
9 5 5
January
Home
waters deployment with Squadron in
continuation.
to
(Note:
These included NATO and Home Fleet
exercises
March
April
HMS PINCHER rejoined Squadron.
May
Squadron duties in continuation
June
Paid
operational visit to Cuxhaven and
Hamburg with ships of Squadron.
July
Made independent visit to Antwerp and
Brussels to take part in NATO
celebration of the opening
of canal
between Antwerp and Brussels.
On completion rejoined Squadron to
take part in exercises with Royal
Netherlands Navy.
August
Resumed Squadron deployment for
training and Fleet exercises.
to
September
October
Paid visit to London with HMS RINALDO,
RATTLESNAKE and PINCHER.
November Squadron
nominated for disbandment and
nominated for duty in Fishery
Protection Squadron
(MS5)
with HMS RATTLESNAKE.
December Carried out
final training exercises
1
9 5 6
January
Joined Squadron based in Humber and
deployed for patrols to ensure
regulations relating to
use of
Internationally agreed limits were
correctly observed, including fishing
in British Home
waters
and adherence to net sizes.
(Note:
Other ships in Squadron included HM
Fleet Minesweepers RATTLESNAKE,
COQUETTE, MARINER,
ORESTES, HOUND, TRUELOVE and LENNOX.)
1
9 5 7
February
Deployed for Fishery Protection
duties.
to
(Note: Patrols were carried out in
areas remote from the UK to follow the
long established
December
practices by fishermen of all nations.
These included the Arctic Sea off
North Russia
and Norway,
Icelandic waters as well as the North
Sea, Irish Sea and SW Approaches,
which
were determined in some cases by
the annual movement of types of fish.
Ships were also deployed for Home
Fleet service during NATO and other
exercises.)
1
9 5 4
January
Fishery Protection duties with MS5
in continuation.
to
(Note:
ALGERINE Class minesweepers to be
replaced in Squadron by new Type 14
October
A/S
Frigates during 1958-9
During this period opposition to use
of Icelandic waters was increasing and
the first
signs of
active opposition were evident. This
culminated in the 1st “Cod War” which
began in
1958.)
November Nominated for
reduction to Reserve with HMS WELCOME.
(Note: HMS
WELCOME had recently joined Squadron
after foreign service.)
December Paid-off and destored
prior to reduction of status.
1
9 5 8
January
Prepared for Reserve Fleet lay-up
(Note:
Ships going into Reserve had their
main armament and upper-deck equipment
preserved,
but this was not always carried out
prior to being laid-up and if so
deferred
until a routine period whilst in
Reserve.)
February Accepted
into Reserve
to
March
F i n a l P h a s
e
HMS BRAMBLE remained in Reserve until placed on the
Disposal List in 1961. Although
offered for sale to Dominica in
place of FLOWER Class Corvettes, this
was not taken-up and ship was sold to
BISCO for demolition by King’s at
Gateshead . The ship arrived in tow at
the breaker’s yard during August 1961.
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm