Ton class minesweeper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image:UKminesweeperoutline.png
Class overview
Name: Ton
Builders: John I. Thornycroft & Company, Southhampton
Operators: Naval flag of United Kingdom Royal Navy
Naval flag of South Africa South African Navy
Naval flag of Australia Royal Australian Navy
Naval flag of Argentina Argentine Navy
Naval flag of Ghana Ghana Navy
Naval flag of India Indian Navy
Naval flag of Republic of Ireland Irish Naval Service
Naval flag of Malaysia Royal Malaysian Navy
Preceded by: Algerine class minesweeper
Succeeded by: River class minesweeper
In service: 1951
Completed: 119
Retired: 1994 (Royal Navy)
General characteristics
Type: Minesweeper
Displacement: 440 tons
Length: 152 feet (46 m)
Beam: 28 feet (8.5 m)
Draught: 8 feet (2.4 m)
Propulsion: Originally Mirrlees diesel, later Napier Deltic, producing 3,000 shaft horsepower (2,200 kW) on each of two shafts
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 33
Armament: 1x Bofors 40 mm gun
1x Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
1x M2 Browning machine gun

The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. They were intended to meet the threat of seabed mines laid in shallow coastal waters, rivers, ports and harbours, a task for which the existing ocean-going minesweepers of the Algerine class were not suited.

Contents

[edit] Description

The design of the class was led by the shipyard John I. Thornycroft & Company, and drew on lessons learnt in the Korean War, and numbered 119 vessels. They were diesel powered vessels of 440 tons displacement fully laden, constructed of wood and other non-ferromagnetic materials. Their small displacement and shallow draft gave them some protection against pressure and contact mines, and allowed them to navigate in shallow inshore waters. Primary armament was one Bofors 40 mm gun, although the South African variants also had an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon behind the funnel and a M2 Browning machine gun mounted midships. Sweeping equipment was provided for moored mines and magnetic mines. Thornycroft & Co of Southampton was the lead shipyard for the class.

It was originally planned to name the ships after insects, with names like Red Ant, Green Cockchafer and so on, but this plan was abandoned and the Royal Navy ships of the class were given names of British towns and villages ending in "-ton", hence the name of the class.

With the rundown of the Royal Navy fleet in the 1960s, many were sent to become base ships for the Royal Naval Reserve allowing reserve crews to get to sea for short periods without a lot of effort to organise a crew of significant size. Some of these had their names changed to reflect the RNR Division they were attached to.

The RNR vessels lasted until the introduction of the River class minesweepers in 1984. The remainder of the RN ships paid off in the 1990s.

[edit] Ships

Royal Navy:

South African Navy:

  • SAS Durban, M1499
  • SAS East London, M1215 (ex HMS Chilton) - sold to Italian film company
  • SAS Johannesburg, M1207 (ex HMS Castleton)
  • SAS Kaapstad, P1557, M1210 (ex HMS Hazleton; ex HMS Blue Firefly)
  • SAS Kimberley, M1210 (ex HMS Stratton)
  • SAS Mosselbaai, M1213 (ex HMS Oakington)
  • SAS Port Elizabeth, M1212 (ex HMS Dumbleton)
  • SAS Pretoria, P1556, M1144 (ex HMS Dunkerton; ex HMS Golden Firefly) - museum ship in Hout Bay
  • SAS Walvisbaai, M1214 (ex HMS Packington) sold to The Walt Disney Company
  • SAS Windhoek, M1498

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links