BYMS 2257
British Yard Mine Sweeper
BRITISH YARD MINE SWEEPERS
BYMS’s were built in the United States and transferred the Royal Navy under the Lend-lease Programme. “British Yard Mine Sweepers” are so called because they were built to the same design as the US Navy’s “Yard Mine Sweepers”.
Little is known about BYMS 2257 other than she was based at Trinidad with her sister minesweeper BYMS 2258. It is thought she was manned by men of the Trinidad Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.
MINE SWEEPING FLOTILLA: WEST INDIES. 2257, 2258. Both at Trinidad.
Built by: Weaver Shipyard, Orange, Texas, USA.
Laid down: 15 October 1942.
Launched: 30 September 1943.
Handed over to Royal Navy: 20 January 1944.
Returned to USA: 29 August 1947. Transferred to Poland and re-named T-32, later ORP Foka.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Wooden hull. Length, 130 feet. Beam, 25 feet 6 inches. Depth, 12 feet I inch. Draft, 8 foot 10.5 inches. Displacement 207-215 tons.
Engine: Two 800 bhp General Motors diesel engines.
Speed: 14.6 knots. 10 knots while sweeping. (Eight knots with double Oropesa sweeps)
Range: 2,500 at ten knots.
Compliment: 3 officers and 27 men.
Armament: One 3-inch HA/LA gun and two Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.
BYMS’s were fitted with a drum on the stern with LL (double L) cables for sweeping magnetic mines, an acustic hammer on the bow for sweeping acustic mines and Oropesa floats for sweeping tethered mines.
All YMS and BYMS were built to the same design, the only variation was in the number of exhaust stacks. Minesweepers 1 to 134 had two sacks, 135 to 480 had one stack, 466 to 479 had no stacks.
BYMS 2257
MOVEMENTS.
20 January 1944, completed.
Sailed from Orange in Texas USA, to New Orleans, Charleston, Miami (April 1944), Guantanamo,
(Santiago Bay), Bridgetown Barbados and Port of Spain Trinidad.
29 August 1947, returned to USA.
BYMS 2257.
Jenner, Hirst, Smith, 20th April 1944, taken on way from Miami to Charlstown.
The Wheelhouse of BYMS 2257, Verge on the wheel.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943.
Not on Navy Lists.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Tempy. Lieut., R. K. Todd, 20 Jan 44. (In Command)
Lieutenant W A. Simpkins, 21 Mar 45. T.R.N.V.R.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
No on Navy List.
If you, your father or your grandfather have any additional information about this ship, crew lists, stories, photographs, please send copies of them to be added to our records and this website.
Thank you.
Contact: johntenthousand@yahoo.co.uk
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Harold Jenner in the Gyro Room where he has his studio.
BYMS 2257 crew, Paynter, Verge, Saunders, Taylor, Innes, Hoddinot, Smith and Johnson.
Frank Oldfield, wireless operator, BYMS 2257, in Tropical rig, Port of Spain.
Mac Donald, Signalman, on the Bridge.
The Wireless Cabin, Frank's home for 13 months.
FRANK OLDFIELD
Thank you to Sheila Rowe for the information and photographs of her dad Frank Oldfield who was the wireless operator on BYMS 2257.
In September 1943 Frank crossed the Atlantic to New York on the Liner Queen Mary.
The Queen Mary, because of its speed would travel unescorted across the Atlantic.
Frank reported to Royal Navy Base, HMS Asbury in New York. He spent Xmas 43/44 in Katona N.Y.
From there he travelled south to Princeton and from Cape Charles to Norfolk, Virginia, by ferry.
From Norfolk he travelled by train to Orange Texas, where he boarded the BYMS 2257. Frank spent 13 months as the wireless operator on BYMS 2257.
With its British Crew BYMS 2257 travelled to New Orleans, Charleston, Miami (April 1944), Guantanamo,
(Santiago Bay), Bridgetown Barbados and Port of Spain Trinidad.
Frank was paid off at Port of Spain, Trinidad. He then traveled back to the UK on the Brazilian merchant ship, Cantuaria, to New York. From there on HMS Fame Oct '45 to Londonderry.
Franks shipmates were Harold Jenner, Smith, McDonald (signalman) and Hirst.