LÉ Fola (CM12)
| Career (United Kingdom) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Blaxton |
| Namesake: | Village of Blaxton, Doncaster |
| Launched: | 21 June 1955 |
| Fate: | Transferred to Irish Naval Service |
| Career (Republic of Ireland) |  |
| Name: | LÉ Fola (CM12) |
| Namesake: | Fóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann |
| Acquired: | 22 February 1971 |
| Commissioned: | 23 February 1971 |
| Decommissioned: | 1987 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Ton-class minesweeper |
| Displacement: | 360 tonnes |
| Length: | 42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall |
| Beam: | 8.4 m (28 ft) |
| Draught: | 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Speed: | 28 km/h (15 kn) maximum |
| Complement: | 30 |
| Armament: | 2 x 40/60 mm Bofors 2 x 20 mm Oerlikon AA |
LÉ Fola (CM12) was a Ton-class minesweeper of the Irish Naval Service.
Launched in 1955 as HMS Blaxton (M1131) for the Royal Navy (RN), the minesweeper was transferred to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971, and renamed after Fóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and a poetic name for Ireland.
The minehunter remained in service until 1987, when she was sold for breaking.
Construction
Blaxton was launched on 21 June 1955.
Operational history
Irish Naval Service
HMS Blaxton was handed over to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971 and commissioned as Fola by Lieutenant Commander Deasy at Gibraltar the next day.
Following her commissioning, Fola in company with Banba worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in Lisbon. The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971.
Decommissioning and fate
In 1987, Fola was decommissioned and sold to Spanish interests for breaking.
| ||||||||||||||||
