HMS Spanker (J226) was a steam turbine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1953 as De Brouwer (M904).
 De Brouwer (M904)
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Spanker |
| Namesake | Spanker |
| Ordered | 15 November 1940 |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Belfast |
| Laid down | 22 September 1942 |
| Launched | 20 April 1943 |
| Commissioned | 20 August 1943 |
| Decommissioned | December 1947 |
| Identification | Pennant number: J226 |
| Fate | Sold to Belgium, 1953 |
 Belgium | |
| Name | De Brouwer |
| Namesake | De Brouwer |
| Acquired | 1953 |
| Commissioned | 25 February 1953 |
| Decommissioned | 1966 |
| Stricken | 1966 |
| Identification | Pennant number: M904 |
| Fate | Scrapped, 1967 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Algerine-class minesweeper |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 225 ft (69 m) o/a |
| Beam | 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft 6 in (3.51 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 | |
Design and description
editThe turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ships 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.[1]
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 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They 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).[1]
The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun[2] 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.[1]
Construction and career
editService in the Royal Navy
edit
The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Ireland. She was laid down on 22 September 1942 and launched on 20 April 1943. She was commissioned on 20 August 1943.[3] She joined the 19th Minesweeper Flotilla.[4]
Service in the Belgian Navy
editSpanker was renamed De Brouwer and was commissioned on 25 February 1953.
On 3 May 1961, she visited Brest and later on the 14th, she left for Portsmouth.[5]
De Brouwer was decommissioned in 1963 and the ship was sold for scrap to Firma Heyghen, Ghent in 1967. Only until 1968, she was towed to the scrap yard.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c Lenton, p. 261
- ^ Chesneau, p. 65
- ^ "HMS Spanker (J 226) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII". uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ "HMS Spanker, minesweeper". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Mouvements du M/F 904 De Brouwer". www.belgian-navy.be (in French). Retrieved 6 September 2021.
Bibliography
edit- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.