 Algerine in profile, with her pennant number visible | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSAlgerine |
| Ordered | 15 November 1940 |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff,Belfast |
| Yard number | 1132[1] |
| Laid down | 15 March 1941 |
| Launched | 22 December 1941 |
| Completed | 24 March 1942[1] |
| Commissioned | 24 March 1942 |
| Identification | Pennant number: J213 |
| Fate | Sunk by a torpedo from theAscianghi on 15 November 1942 |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Algerine-classminesweeper |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 225 ft (68.6 m)o/a |
| Beam | 35 ft 6 in (10.8 m) |
| Draught | 11 ft (3.4 m) (deep load) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16.5knots (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 |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament |
|
HMSAlgerine was thelead ship of her namesake class ofminesweepers built for theRoyal Navy during World War II, theAlgerine-classminesweepers. Initially assigned to theNorth Sea, she was transferred to lead the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla. The Flotilla were posted to theMediterranean to assist withOperation Torch. In 1942, after a successful mine clearing operation offBougie, she was torpedoed by theAscianghi, causingAlgerine to sink, leaving only eight survivors.
Algerine displaced 850 long tons (864 t) atstandard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) atdeep load. The ship had anoverall length of 225 feet (68.6 m), abeam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m) and adraught of 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m). She was powered byParsons gearedsteam turbines, driving two shafts, which gave a maximum speed of 16.5knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).[2]
The ship mounted one single4-inch (102 mm) Mk V gun.Algerine had four single mounts for 20-millimetre (0.8 in)Oerlikon 20 mmautocannon, and she was fitted with twodepth charge rails, and four depth charge throwers.[2]
Algerine waslaid down on 15 March 1941,[3] byHarland & Wolff,Belfast, andlaunched on 22 December 1941. She was the eighth ship of the Royal Navy to be namedAlgerine.[4] After being completed, the ship wascommissioned on 24 March 1942, and adopted bySittingbourne due to aWarship Week campaign.[4]
Algerine joined the 9th Minesweeping Flotilla in May 1942 and began action inminesweeping, escorting, and patrolling duties on the east side of England.[4] She was proposed as leader for the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla, which would participate in action abroad.[4] Hersister ships from the 9th Flotilla,Alarm andAlbacore, joined her, as didAcute, andCadmus.[4] In October, she was put forward to go to the Mediterranean to assistOperation Torch, but her departure was delayed due to repair work. The other four ships in her flotilla left forGibraltar as escorts to a convoy.[4] Four days after the other ships left,Algerine escorted convoy KMF1 toOran.[4]
In early November, she helped recover the escortdestroyerCowdray offAlgiers afterCowdray was damaged by an aerial attack.[4] On 15 November,[3][4]Algerine andAlarm were positioned offBougie, clearing mines.[3] The mission had been successful, with 46 mines cleared;[3] but,Algerine was torpedoed by the ItalianAdua-classsubmarineAscianghi,[4] commanded byLieutenant commander Rino Erler.[5] The submarine had first fired two torpedoes at the middle ship in the trio, then fired another two torpedoes at the last ship,Algerine:[3]Algerine suffered heavy casualties and sank.[6] The auxiliary anti-aircraft shipPozarica rescued 32 men, of whom only 8 survived, internal wounds killing 24.[3] The survivors had been on aCarley raft.[3] The final death toll was 84.[7]
Algerine's wreck lies at 1,100 ft (340 m)[8] on the northern coast ofAlgeria.[3]
36°45′N05°11′E / 36.750°N 5.183°E /36.750; 5.183
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1942 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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