H.M.S. SIDMOUTH

Ship No 310

Bangor Class, Twin Screw Minesweeper.

With reciprocating engine, along with being rather slow, they were not really known for there good, sea keeping abilities and were more like a cork in a bath tube, which makes the story of the men who served on them through all kinds of rough weather all the more remarkable.

She was laid down on 11th June 1940 and launched on the 15th March 1941, after sea trials she was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 4th August 1941 as a Minesweeper.

She was 171 feet and 6 inches length overall, with a beam of 28 feet and 6 inches, she drew a draught of 15 feet and 6 inches.

“A sister ship of H.M.S. “Stornoway” She saw a great deal of service as leader of a minesweeper flotilla. In August 1942 she was one of the minesweepers which swept the channel ahead of the raiding force which attacked Dieppe. On one occasion she made a record by sweeping a distance of 600 miles in seventy two hours.

Another of her more exiting exploits was the invasion exercises in 1943 when she led her flotilla to within three miles of the French coast without being observed.”

H.M.S. Sidmouth survived the war and she was sold by the navy in January 1950.