Watch these short videos about the Wildfire III Minesweepers.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
D-day minesweepers: https://youtu.be/ZjlA5LxCAsg
Clearing the Scheldt: https://youtu.be/8ELsc9T3Lbw
The Relief of Holland: https://youtu.be/GghYEFHmOfY
BYMS 2016
British Yard Mine Sweeper 2016.
Nore Command, World War Two 1939 to 1945.
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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”.
Crews for the BYMS’s would sail to the United States, often on the Queen Mary, which could sail unescorted because of her greater speed, to collect their vessel. They would then have the formidable task of sailing their small vessel back across the Atlantic Ocean, often in winter.
BYMS 2016. Flotilla 150.
Built by: Dachel-Carter Shipbuilding Corp., Benton Harbour, Michigan (Lake Michigan) USA.
Laid down: 31 July 1941.
Launched: 24 February 1942
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 9 June 1942.
Reclassified: HMS J-816 later HMS BYMS-2016.
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla 150.
Took part in the D-day landings, Gold Beach.
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MOVEMENTS.
21 July 1942, completed
5 Nov 42, New York.
7th to 10th Nov 42, Halifax.
26 Nov 42, St John’s.
15 Jan 43, St John’s.
17 and 18 Jan 43, Halifax
(2 Jan 43?) to 18 Feb 43. Boston
8 March 43, Halifax.
13 March to 25 March 43 St John’s. Crossed Atlantic Ocean from Canada to the U.K.
2 April to 10 April 43, Londonderry.
11 April 43 Milford Haven.
5 Aug 43, Portsmouth
June 6th, D-Day BYMS 2016 was sweeping off Gold Beach.
D Day, 6 June 44. BYMS (British Yard Mine Sweepers) Nore Command Flotillas 150 and 165 were given the task of sweeping the inshore areas off the D-day landing beaches, especially the boat lanes between the transport areas and the beaches.
27 June 44 Captain Mine Sweepers. Preceding "Follow up" convoys from the Thames Estuary to the D-day landing beaches.
28 June 44, Southend.
3 July 44. Portsmouth
17 July to 28 Aug 44, Portsmouth.
6 Sep 44, Dieppe. As the army advance overland taking the ports, the minesweepers cleared the mines from them.
8 Sep 44 Newhaven.
11 Sep 44 Portsmouth
19 Sep 44 Dieppe
25 Sep 44, Portsmouth
30 Sep to 4 Oct 44, Portsmouth.
9 Oct 44 Dover
16 Oct 44 Captain of Minesweepers.
18 Oct to 3 Dec, Portsmouth.
6 Dec 44 Great Yarmouth.
1945 No movements listed
Feb to Sep 46, Dover.
Sep 46 to 12 Feb 48. Queenborough, then sold to Greece. Laid up at Queenborough Pier, Wildfire III, Queenborough after WW2 waiting to be returned to the United States Navy or sold.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943,
Temp. Lieut, R. N. R., G. F. Pozac, Nov 42.
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., J. Stirling, June 42.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., D. Shore, 23 Oct 43.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945,
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., R. A. Jones 15 Jan 45 (In Command)
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., C. F. Jeffrey 2 July 44