Halcyon Class Minesweepers
 
Thanks to Bruce T. Swain for so much groundwork :-)

These were the first fleet minesweepers built for the Royal Navy since World War I, and perpetuated the names of the navy’s first ’sweepers; the gunboats converted for trials before the Great War.
The first 5 vessels had the unusual machinery feature of a compound reciprocating engine; Niger and Salamander had the more straightforward vertical triple expansion, with geared turbines in the others. Seagull was the first all welded ship in the R.N.
Franklin, Gleaner, Jason and Scott were completed as surveying vessels with 2 x 4" guns "on deposit" so that they could, if required, be readily converted into minesweepers. In fact all but Franklin were converted to anti-submarine vessels in 1939, Gleaner becoming a minesweeper in 1942 and Jason in 1943, whilst Scott reverted to the surveying service.
Seagull and Sharpshooter became survey ships in 1945.
The first 5 ships were completed with 1 x 4" high-angle gun forward and 1 x 4" low-angle gun aft; but, by the outbreak of WW2 they had been fitted with 2 x 4" AA QF Mk.V guns on Mk.IV mountings.

 
(1) First Group
 
Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Completed
Halcyon J42 John Brown 27 Mar. 1933 20 Dec. 1933 18 Apr. 1934
Harrier J71 Thornycroft 11 Jul 1933 17 Apr. 1933 9 Nov. 1934
Hussar J82 Thornycroft 10 Aug. 1933 27 Aug. 1934 16 Jan. 1935
Skipjack J38 John Brown 4 Apr. 1933 18 Jan. 1934 3 May 1934
Speedwell J87 Hamilton 20 Jun. 1934 21 Mar. 1935 30 Sep. 1935

 

Dimensions
Standard Displacement 815 tons Length 245’9"
Full Displacement 1370 tons Beam 33’6"
Load 555 tons Draught 9’

 

Performance & Propulsion
Endurance 7000nm @ 10 knots, 4200 nm@ 15 knots Speed 17 knots
Propulsion 2 x Admiralty 3drum boilers, 2 x compound reciprotating engines driving 2 shafts @ 2000 hp

 

Armament & Complement
Complement 80
Armaments
As completed
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" HA
    • 1 x 1 x 4" LA
    • 1 x 1 x 2pdr pompom
    • 8 x 1 x .303" machineguns
  •  
1939
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 1 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 4 x 1 x .303" machine guns
April 1942
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 2 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 2 x 1 x .303" machine guns
April 1943
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 2 x 1 or 2 x 20mm AA
    • 2 x 1 x .303" machine guns
October 1944
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 4 x 2 x 20mm AA
    • 4 x 1 x 20mm AA Speedwell
    • 2 x 1 x .303" machine guns
All
  • Anti Submarine
    • 4 x depth-charge throwers
    • 2 x depth-charge rails
 
(2) Second Group
 
Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Completed
Niger J73 White, Cowes 1 Apr. 1935 29 Jan. 1936 4 Jun. 1936
Salamander J86 White, Cowes 18 Apr. 1935 24 Mar. 1936 18 Jul. 1936

 

Dimensions
Standard Displacement 815 tons Length 241’6"
Full Displacement 1330 tons Beam 33’6"
Load 515 tons Draught 9’

 

Performance & Propulsion
Endurance 7000nm @ 10 knots, 4200 nm@ 15 knots Speed 17 knots
Propulsion 2 x Admiralty 3drum boilers, 2 x triple-expansion reciprotating engines driving 2 shafts @ 2000 hp

 

Armament & Complement
Complement 80
Armament
As completed
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" LA
    • 1 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 8 x 1 x .303" machine guns
1939
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 1 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 4 x 1 x .303" machine guns
April 1942
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 4 x 1 x 20mm
    • 2 x 1 x .303" machine guns
All
  • Anti Submarine
    • 4 x depthcharge throwers
    • 2 x depthcharge rails
 
(3) Third Group
 
Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Completed
Gleaner J83 Gray 17 Jun. 1936 10 Jun. 1937 30 Mar. 1938
Hazard J02 Gray 27 May 1936 26 Feb. 1937 24 Nov. 1937
Hebe J24 Devonport RDY 27 Apr. 1936 28 Oct. 1936 23 Oct. 1937
Sharpshooter J68 Devonport RDY 8 Jun. 1936 10 Dec. 1936 17 Dec. 1937
Franklin J84 Ailsa 17 Dec. 1936 22 Dec. 1937 17 Aug. 1938
Jason J99 Ailsa 12 Dec. 1936 6 Oct. 1937 9 Jun. 1938
Gossamer J63 Hamilton 2 Nov. 1936 5 Oct. 1937 31 Mar. 1938
Leda J93 Devonport RDY 16 Nov. 1936 8 Jun. 1937 19 May 1938
Seagull J85 Devonport RDY 15 Feb. 1937 28 Oct. 1937 30 May 1938
Bramble J11 Devonport RDY 22 Nov. 1937 12 Jul. 1938 22 Jun. 1939
Britomart J22 Devonport RDY 1 Jan. 1938 23 Aug. 1938 24 Aug. 1939
Scott J79 Robb Caledon 30 Aug. 1937 23 Aug. 1938 23 Feb. 1939
Speedy J17 Hamilton 1 Dec. 1937 24 Nov. 1938 7 Apr. 1939
Sphinx J69 Hamilton 17 Jan. 1938 7 Feb. 1939 27 Jul. 1939

 

Dimensions
Standard Displacement 875 tons Length 245’9"
Full Displacement 1350 tons Beam 33’6"
Load 475 tons Draught 9’

 

Performance & Propulsion
Endurance 6000nm @ 10 knots, 4800 nm@ 15 knots Speed 17 knots
Propulsion 2 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 x geared turbines driving 2 shafts @ 2000 hp

 

Armament & Complement
Complement 80
Armament
As completed
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 1 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 4 x 1 x .303" machine guns
1941
  • Gun
    • 2 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 2 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
    • 4 x 1 x .303" machine guns
April 1943
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 4 x 1 x 20 mm AA
    • 2 x 1 x .303" machine guns
April 1945
  • Gun
    • 1 x 1 x 4" AA
    • 2 x 2 x 20mm AA
    • 2 x 1 x 20mm AA
All
  • Anti Submarine
    • 4 x depthcharge throwers
    • 2 x depthcharge rails

 

Service Histories
Halcyon
  • Minesweeping duties until Aug. 1941
  • escort for Russian convoys Sep. 1941-Apr. 1944
  • took part in raid on Lofoten islands Dec. 1941
  • conducted sweeping operations prior to Normandy landings Jun. 1944
  • continued sweeping operations until 1946
  • sold 19 April 1950 and broken up at Milford Haven
Harrier
  • 5th Minesweeping Flotilla Aug. 1939
  • 6th M/S Flotilla Apr. 1940
  • hit by 500lb bomb 25 May 1940 which passed through bridge structure and out through ship’s side without exploding
  • based at Scapa Flow Feb. 1941
  • part of escort of first convoy to Russia Aug. 1941
  • took part in raid on Lofoten Islands Dec. 1941
  • helped take survivors off cruiser Edinburgh 2 May 1942
  • continued escort Russian convoys until Jan. 1944
  • joined 1st M/S Flotilla Mar. 1944
  • conducted sweeping operations prior to Normandy landings
  • continued sweeping operations until end of hostilities
  • paid off into reserve at Harwich Aug. 1946
  • scrapped at Greenwich from 6 June 1950
Hussar
  • Minesweeping duties Sep. 1939-Sep. 1941
  • escort for Russian convoys Oct. 1941-Apr. 1944 helped take survivors off Edinburgh 2 May 1942
  • supported Normandy landings Jun. 1944
  • bombed in error and sunk by RAF aircraft off Normandy 27 August 1944
Skipjack
  • Bombed and sunk by German aircraft off Dunkirk 1 June 1940
Speedwell
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • escort for Atlantic and Russian convoys 1940-44
  • assisted in sinking of German submarine U.651 on 29 Jun. 1941
  • sold in mercantile service 1946 and wrecked en route to Dutch shipbreakers
Niger
  • Minesweeping and escort duties 1939-42
  • sunk by mine off Iceland 5 July 1942
Salamander
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • convoy escort 194044
  • supported Normandy landings Jun. 1944
  • constructive total loss 27 Aug. 1944 after being bombed in error by RAF aircraft
  • broken up at Blyth from 7 May 1947
Gleaner
  • Sank German submarine U.33 on 12 February 1940
  • convoy escort duties 1940-44
  • minesweeping operations from Jun. 1944 until 1946
  • scrapped from May 1940
Hazard
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • convoy escort duties 194044
  • minesweeping operations from Jun. 1944 until 1946
  • scrapped at Grays from May 1949
Hebe
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • to Mediterranean mid-1940 for minesweeping operations
  • sunk by mine off Bari 22 November 1943
Sharpshooter
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-41
  • escort for Russian convoys 1941-44 sank German submarine U.655 on 24 March 1942
  • minesweeping operations 1944-46
  • paid off into reserve 1947
  • converted to survey vessel, renamed Shackleton and recommissioned 1953
  • broken up at Troon from November 1965.
Franklin
  • Converted from survey vessel to anti-submarine escort 1939
  • escort duties for North Atlantic and Russian convoys 1940-44
  • reconverted to survey vessel 1945
  • broken up at Dunston 1956.
Jason
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 1941-44
  • minesweeping operations 1944-46
  • sold into mercantile service 1946.
Gossamer
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 1941-42
  • bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Kola Inlet 24 June 1942
Leda
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 1941-42
  • torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U.435 in Greenland Sea 20 September 1942.
Seagull
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 1941-44
  • minesweeping operations 1944-46
  • paid off 1947
  • converted for surveying duties 1948
  • RNVR drillship at Leith 1955
  • scrapped at Plymouth from May 1956
Bramble
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 1941-42
  • sunk by German destroyers during Battle of Barents Sea 31 December 1942.
Britomart
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • North Atlantic and Russian convoy escort 194144; minesweeping operations Jun.Aug. 1944; bombed and sunk in error by RAF aircraft off Normandy 27 August 1944.
Scott
  • Converted from survey vessel to antisubmarine escort Oct.-Nov. 1939
  • reverted to survey vessel May 1940
  • based on the Clyde Jun. 1940-Nov. 1943
  • based at Chatham Jun. 1944-1964
  • scrapped at Troon from July 1965.
Speedy
  • Minesweeping duties in Home waters 1939-40
  • Mediterranean 1940-41
  • escort for Atlantic and Russian convoys 1941-44
  • minesweeping operations Jun. 1944-1946
  • paid off 1946 and sold into mercantile service.
Sphinx
  • Minesweeping duties 1939-40
  • bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Moray Firth 3 February 1940.
 
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