| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSBrereton |
| Launched | 14 May 1953 |
| Commissioned | 9 July 1954 |
| Renamed | HMSSt David between 1954 and November 1961 |
| Identification | Pennant number M1113 |
| Fate | Broken up in 1992 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Ton-classminehunter |
| Displacement | 440 tons |
| Length | 152 ft (46.3 m) |
| Beam | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Draught | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
| Propulsion | OriginallyMirrlees diesel, laterNapier Deltic, producing 3,000 shp (2,200 kW) on each of two shafts |
| Speed | 15knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Armament | |
HMSBrereton (M1113)[1] was aTon-classminesweeper of theRoyal Navy.Brereton was built by theLowestoft shipbuilder Richard Ironworks, and was launched in 1953 and entered service in 1954.
Brereton was ordered on 9 September 1950 and was originally to be namedRed Beetle,[2] waslaid down atRichard Ironworks'Lowestoft yard on 25 September 1951.[3][4] The ship was renamedBrereton in March 1952.[5]Brereton waslaunched on 14 March 1953[6] and commissioned on 9 July 1954.[3][4]
She was 152 feet (46.33 m)long overall and 140 feet (42.67 m)between perpendiculars, with abeam of 28 feet 9 inches (8.76 m) and adraught of 8 feet 3 inches (2.51 m).Displacement was 360 long tons (370 t) normal and 425 long tons (432 t) deep load.[6]Brereton was initially powered by a pair of 12-cylinder Mirrleesdiesel engines, driving two shafts and giving a total of 2,500 shaft horsepower (1,900 kW), giving the ship a speed of 15 knots (17 mph; 28 km/h).[7] 45 tons of fuel were carried, giving a range of 3,000 nautical miles (3,500 mi; 5,600 km) at 8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h).[6][7]
Armament consisted of a singleBofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun forward and twoOerlikon 20 mm cannon aft.[6][7] Minesweeping equipment included wire sweeps for sweeping moored contact mines and acoustic or magnetic sweeps for dealing with influence mines.[8] The ship had a crew of 27 in peacetime and 39 in wartime.[7]
Brereton joined the South Wales division of theRoyal Navy Reserve in September 1954 and was renamed HMSSt David in May 1955.[9] She served as such until November 1961, when her name reverted toBrereton.[10] In 1965 she joined the Royal Navy's Fishery Protection Squadron.[11]
From July 1967 to December 1968Brereton was converted to aminehunter atPortsmouth.[9][11] Her magnetic sweep gear was removed and Type 193 Sonar was fitted to detect mines which could then be destroyed by divers[5] while active rotors incorporating electric motors were fitted to aid slow speed manoeuvrability,[12] and the ship's engines replaced by twoNapier Deltic diesel engines rated at 3,000 brake horsepower (2,200 kW).[9][13] Armament was changed to two Bofors guns,[12] although one was later removed.[13]
In 1969Brereton joined the 9th Mine Countermeasures Squadron based in thePersian Gulf, returning to British waters in December 1971.[11] In 1971, she rejoined the Fishery Protection Squadron.[11] On 12 February 1976 she collided with the Danish fishing VesselCyrano offHartlepool, and was holed below thewaterline, having to be taken under tow by the salvage vessel RMASKinloss.Brereton was under repair until August that year.[9][11] She suffered an engine room fire in June 1978, with repairs lasting two months,[9] and was refitted atGibraltar in 1979.[9][13] In 1980, she joined the Tyne Division of the Royal Navy Reserve, part of the 10th Mine Countermeasures Squadron, and in 1981, the Mersey Division. She remained based on the Mersey in 1984.[9][14] In 1986, she joined the 3rd Mine Countermeasures Squadron based atRosyth,[9] and in February 1987, while on exercise inScapa Flow with other members of the squadron, destroyed a German mine dating from theSecond World War.[15] While remaining part of the 3rd MCS, she was seconded to the Fishery Protection Squadron.[16] She was paid off on 30 April 1991 and wasbroken up inBruges from 1992.[9][10]
