HMS Squirrel (J301)

HMS Squirrel underway in Belfast Lough on completion.
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Squirrel
Ordered: 30 April 1942
Builder: Harland and Wolff, Belfast[1]
Yard number: 1206[2]
Laid down: 20 August 1943
Launched: 20 April 1944
Completed: 16 August 1944[2]
Commissioned: 16 August 1944
Fate: Hit a mine and subsequently scuttled, 24 July 1945[3]
General characteristics
Class and type: Algerine-class minesweeper
Displacement:
  • 850 long tons (864 t) (standard)
  • 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) (deep)
Length: 225 ft (69 m) o/a
Beam: 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught: 11 ft (3.4 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 85
Armament:

HMS Squirrel was a turbine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She was scuttled after striking a mine in 1945.

Design and description

The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ship measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.[4]

The ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4]

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun[5] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.[4]

Construction and career

She was launched in 1944. Squirrel took part in minesweeping operations off the west coast of the Malay peninsula on 24 July 1945.[6] The operations were supported by the British East Indies Fleet, which defeated a Japanese kamikaze attack on HMS Ameer at the time.[6] Squirrel hit a mine off Phuket Island during the attack, and was scuttled by Royal Naval gunfire two and a half hours later.[3] Seven men were lost in the attack.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "NMM, vessel ID 376280" (PDF). Warship Histories, vol x. National Maritime Museum. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  2. 1 2 McCluskie, Tom (2013). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. Stroud: The History Press. p. 153. ISBN 9780752488615.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, David (1995). Warship Losses of World War Two. London: Arms and Armour. p. 155. ISBN 1854092782.
  4. 1 2 3 Lenton, p. 261
  5. ↑ Chesneau, p. 65
  6. 1 2 "Suicide Plane Attack Fails". The Southeast Missourian. Associated Press. 30 July 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 1 August 2011.

Bibliography

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