#OTD 1943 Minesweeping Trawlers HMT EARL KITCHENER & LORD GREY (part of 170th Minesweeping Group) depart Colombo, Sri Lanka for Madras (Chennai) then Calcutta (Kolkata), which is assessed vulnerable to enemy mining. They are fitted with LL (magnetic) and SA (acoustic) sweeps & will arrive at their destination on the 28th. The pic shows a typical minesweeping trawler, with the SA sweep in the ‘stowed’ position above the bows. #Sweepers80 #RN #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory #Histodons

#OTD 1943 duties off Dover now completed, the 9th MSF Bangors are now performing a similar sweeping task off Portsmouth, clearing a channel to allow destroyers & coastal forces to safely transit our minefields to intercept a high value cargo vessel expected soon off the coast of N. France. Op VALUABLE #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #RN #NavalHistory #Histodons

#OTD 1943 Minesweeping trawler HMT CYPRESS is mined off Shoreham; she is beached to avoid sinking. Further North, a frustrated Senior Officer 16thMSF (HMS SHIPPIGAN) (pic © IWM A 19830) asks for more details of the sweeping task his flotilla have been given off Iona following the mining of SS OSTENDE #Sweepers80 #RN #SWW #WW2 #NavalHistory #Histodons

#OTD 1943 Belgian coaster OSTENDE reports being mined in the Sound of Iona. Pic shows her in an earlier incarnation. She is beached in an attempt to save her. ‘Bangors’ QUALICUM & SHIPPIGAN of the newly formed 16th MSF are sailed from Londonderry to start sweeping, supported by M/S Trawlers from Ardrossan #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory @histodons @globalmaritimehistory

#OTD 1943 Minesweeping trawlers HMT SARPEDON, PLAYMATES & WILLING BOYS are bombed & machine-gunned by enemy aircraft whilst sweeping off Dungeness. No damage, no casualties, and all 3 trawlers will survive the war. #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory #histodons

#OTD 1943 last night Fleet Air Arm Albacores & 4 Beauforts laid mines off Tunis to interdict Axis reinforcement of Tunisia. Fast minelayer HMS WELSHMAN (pic) is en route to lay mines on the Skerki Bank (Sicilian Channel) for the same purpose, whilst German E-Boats are preparing to lay mines off Bone (modern Annaba) to interrupt the Allies’ operations. #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory

#OTD 1943 Two coal-burning ‘Smokey Joes’ of the 4th Minesweeping Flotilla are sailed from Swansea to Plymouth to commence sweeping ops in the Channel. The class were built during the latter stages of #WW1, entering service shortly after its conclusion. At #WW2 ‘s onset, many were in the Reserve Fleet. #Sweepers80 (Pic source © IWM FL 7290) #NavalHistory #Histodons

#OTD 1943 ‘Halcyons’ HMS HARRIER & SEAGULL have joined convoy JW51B as local escort for the final leg into Murmansk. The port is vulnerable to air attack (& mining) but ice conditions in the White Sea render Arkhangelsk inaccessible #Sweepers80 #SWW #WW2 #NavalHistory #Histodons @globalmaritimehistory @histodons

#OTD 1942 weather prevents today’s sweeping ops by 9th MSF off Dover. During yesterday’s efforts to clear ingress/egress routes for destroyers/coastal forces transiting our defensive fields, a number of drifting German mines had also been encountered & destroyed. Most often this would be achieved by puncturing the mine casings with rifle fire, although occasionally a horn would be struck; causing a massive explosion. #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory #Histodons

#OTD 1942 At Malta, ‘Bangor’ HMS HYTHE sweeps HM Submarine P48 out, and s/ms RORQUAL & TURBULENT (pic) in via the main channel. In home waters, cargo vessel KNUT is mined & sunk in the Irish Sea, whilst Germany loses another Sperrbrecher (a form of mine destructor vessel); mined off Borkum #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory #Histodons

The island of Malta remains under siege with German E-Boats regularly laying minefields (as shown in 2nd pic) at night. #OTD 1942 HMS SPEEDY (pic) & RYE (17th Minesweeping Flotilla) conduct a check sweep of Q Route 288 off this vital location. Also, during December 42 an enemy minefield off Fifla (small isle to SW of Malta) has finally been cleared, with a further 9 moored mines swept. #Sweepers80 #SWW #WW2 #NavalHistory @histodons @globalmaritimehistory #histodons

#OTD 1942 In the Eastern Med, Rear Admiral Alexandria reports all channels & anchorages clear of mines. An enemy air raid on Benghazi near-misses Minesweeping Whalers HMS SEKSERN & HAILSTORM (pic shows a M/S Whaler). In Canadian waters (Gulf of St Lawrence) heavily iced #RCN ‘Bangor’ HMCS BURLINGTON is sheltering from high seas.
#NavalHistory #Sweepers80 #SWW #FWW

#OTD 1942 ‘Bangor’ HMS SEAHAM is under air attack & is near-missed whilst escorting a Med convoy. These attacks claim the corvette HMS SNAPDRAGON. Marauder bombers (pic) lay mines off Tunis, and RAF Wellingtons mine the waters off Tripoli #Sweepers80 #SWW #WW2 #NavalHistory #histodons @histodons @globalmaritimehistory

#OTD 1942 MTB 30 (pic) is mined and sunk off the Dutch coast whilst trying to intercept an enemy convoy. 5 crew members are killed. #WW2 #SWW #Sweepers80 #RN #histodons #NavalHistory

#OTD 1942 The Admiralty chops the 15th MSF ‘Bangors’ - operating off Iceland - from Rosyth Command to the Home Fleet. HMS PETERHEAD is joining from the Nore, but her speed is limited to 12kts & it is recommended that she be used solely as a danbuoy-layer; marking the swept channels for follow-on shipping and destroying any mines that have been cut. #Sweepers80 #WW2 #RN #SWW #histodons #NavalHistory @globalmaritimehistory @histodons

#OTD 1942 Convoy JW51A departs Loch Ewe for Murmansk. ‘Halcyon’ HMS SEAGULL (pic) has been modified for winter duties in the Arctic & is part of the Ocean Escort before starting another tour of duty in Russian waters. The ‘JW’ series replaced the previous ‘PQ’ convoys, with the returning QPs being re-designated ‘RA’. #Sweepers80 #RN #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory

#OTD 1942 the need to keep Malta open despite extensive mining continues; the main channels are swept daily & larger units are swept into port separately. Today ‘Bangor’ HMS HYTHE (pic) sweeps in sub HMS UNSEEN from patrol & ‘Halcyon’ HMS SPEEDY sweeps in convoy MW16 #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #RN #histodons @globalmaritimehistory @histodons

#OTD 1942 ACIC (Admiral Commanding the Iceland Command) advises CinC Home Fleet that the ‘Bangors’ of the 15thMSF have only managed 1 day’s sweeping off Reykjavik due to bad weather & are now sheltering. Although they were used as Fleet Sweepers, the class was designed for coastal waters & gave valiant service despite their small size which limited sweeping capabilities and performance in open waters. #Sweepers80 #RN #WW2 #SWW #histodons # #NavalHistory @globalmaritimehistory

#OTD 1942 ‘Algerine’ class Fleet Minesweeper HMS LOYALTY is launched at Belfast. Adopted by Ripley, Derbs, she served with the 18thMSF & would help sweep 50 Div onto GOLD Beach on D-Day. She was to have been called RATTLER, but this was changed due to possible confusion with Escort Carrier HMS BATTLER (!). Spot the difference…? #Sweepers80 #WW2 #SWW #RN #NavalHistory @globalmaritimehistory @histodons

#OTD 1942 last night RAF Bomber Command laid 118 mines in N. German & Baltic waters, whilst tonight Fleet Air Arm Fairey Swordfish (pic shows Swordfish being loaded with a mine) will lay mines off Le Havre #Sweepers80 #RN #WW2 #SWW #NavalHistory #MilitaryHistory @militaryhistory