ALGERINE-Class
Fleet Minesweeper fitted with
Reciprocating propulsion machinery
ordered for
the Royal Canadian Navy on 25th November
1942 from Redfern
at Toronto. The ship was intended
to be named HMCS HUMBERSTONE but was
transferred to
the Royal Navy before completion of
build. Laid down on 25th October 1943
this minesweeper was launched as HMS
GOLDEN FLEECE on 29th February 1943. She
was the
first major RN ship to carry this name
which had been used in 1653 for hired
vessel which
later took part in the action against
Dutch warships known as the Battle of Gabbard.
Build was completed on 29th 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
GABBARD
1653
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Gold
a Fountain charged with a Fleece, Gold.
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
July
Contractors trials and
commissioned for service in 10th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
29th
Build
completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
September
Carried out Acceptance trials locally
On completion of local
trials took passage to Newfoundland to
complete sea trials.
Deployed at Halifax and St
Johns to complete storing and shakedown
for Atlantic
crossing
October
Passage to UK.
Commenced work-up for
operational service
(Note: HMS COURIER, HMS
FELICITY and HMS SERENE all of this
Class and
built in Canada
would have a similar routine and may
have taken passage
to the Clyde
either as an independent unit or as part
of the escort of a
routine convoy
from St Johns. Work-up was normally
carried out at Tobermory
before taking
passage to Forth for minesweeping
trials.)
November
Commenced minesweeping work-up in Forth
area
based at Port Edgar with same
ships prior to joining
Flotilla for service in Home Fleet.
(Note:
These trials included practice in
working as a Flotilla carrying
out minesweeping
against
magnetic, acoustic moored mines.)
December
Deployed at Port Edgar for minesweeping
trials.
(Note: HMS HARE and HMS
WAVE of this Class which were completed
in British
shipyards in November went to Tobermory
on completion of build
and joined the
Canadian built ships at Port Edgar for
minesweeping trials.)
1
9 4 5
January
HMS JEWEL, completed in December joined
the other five ships at Port Edgar and
all ships prepared for
operational duties as the 10th
Minesweeping Flotilla.
(Note: HMS LIBERTY which
completed build in a British shipyard on
18th
January joined
the Flotilla later.)
February
Passage to Scapa Flow with the seven
minesweepers of 10th Flotilla and HM Danlayer
SHILLAY to commence Home
Fleet service.
Nominated for minesweeping
support of planned operation off Norway.
(Operation SHRED).
21st
Sailed
from Scapa Flow with Flotilla and
designated Force 3 to carry out
minesweeping
operation ahead of ships of
Force 4.
(Note: A new shorter route
was required to allow passage of Home
Fleet ships to
Norwegian
coastal waters. The new cleared passage
was to be marked with
WINNER
buoys to assist in
navigation of Force 4 ships to Egersund
area
for an air
minelaying operation. Mines were to be
laid by aircraft from the
two Escort
Carriers.)
22nd
On
completion joined ships of Force 4 which
comprised HM Cruiser DIDO,
HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers PUNCHER
and PREMIER, screened by HM Destroyers
MYNGS,
SCORPION and CAVALIER
during aircraft minelaying,
(Note: Strikes on coastal
shipping and shore targets were also
carried out by the
carrier
aircraft.)
23rd
Returned
to Scapa Flow with ships of Forces 3 and
4.
24th
Passage to Port Edgar with ships of Flotilla.
March
Deployed with Flotilla at Port Edgar.
HMS SERENE joined Flotilla
on completion of minesweeping trials
Nominated for mine
clearance duties based at
Harwich with Flotilla.
Passage to Harwich with
Flotilla.
24th
Commenced
mine clearance
to ensure safe passage
of East coast convoys
in North Sea between Thames
and Forth.
April
Harwich deployment in continuation.
May
Minesweeping duties based at
Harwich in continuation,
After VE Day transferred to
11th Minesweeping Flotilla.
Deployed for mine clearance
duties off Norway to ensure safe passage
of
coastal shipping.
(Note:
Extensive allied and enemy
minelaying was carried out between 1940
1945
and this area was
considered of great importance since
Norwegian
economy and
movement of freight and passengers was
primarily
carried out by
use of sea routes.)
June
Norwegian coast deployment in
continuation.
July
Future deployment under
consideration.
August
Nominated for mine clearance duties in
Far East.
September
Under refit.
October
On completion of post Refit trials
prepared for foreign service based at
Singapore.
November
Passage to Singapore.
December
Deployed for mine clearance on Far East
Station.
1
9 4 6
January
Mine clearance in Far East in
continuation
to
August
September
Nominated for reduction to Reserve
status
and took passage to UK to pay-off.
October
Paid off on arrival and destored.
to
Reduced to reserve and
laid-up.
December
P
o s t W a r N o
t e s
HMS
GOLDEN
FLEECE remained in Reserve until placed
on the Disposal List in 1959.
She was sold to BISCO for breaking-up by
E Rees at Llanelli. The ship arrived
in tow at the breaker's yard on 8th June
1960 for demolition.
For more about Algerine-class
Minesweepers, see
http://www.minesweepers.org.uk/index.htm