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MMS.53, J 553. Built by Herd & McKenzie Ltd. Buckie, Scotland. Commissioned 10 Oct 1941. Completed October 1941. Sold to Greece in 1946.
Joined 102nd Motor Minesweeper Flotilla, Nore Command.
MMS 53 took part in Operation Calendar Two, clearing mines from the Scheldt Estuary.
June 1943. Navy List. Officers.
(Rank. Name, Date joined ship.)
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, R. G. Cooper. 7 Sept 42.
Temp. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, D. W. Edwards. 7 Sept 42.
Dec. 1943. Navy List. Officers.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, R. G. Cooper. 7 Sept 42.
Temp. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, D. W. Edwards. 7 Sept 42.
June. 1944. Navy List. Officers.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, R. G. Cooper. 7 Sept 42.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, D. W. Edwards. (Act) 7 Sept 42.
January 1945. Navy List. Officers.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR. A. J. F. Shiner. (In Command) Dec 44.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, D. W. Edwards. (Act) 7 Sept 42.
July 1945. Navy List. Officers.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, R. Colling (In Command) Jan 45.
Temp. sub-Lieut. RNVR, A. G. Bostock. Jan 45.
MMS 53
Motor Minesweeper's were purpose built, wooden, shallow draft, minesweepers with both SA and LL sweeping capabilities. SA is Sweep Acoustic, a device similar to a Kanga Hammer which makes a loud thumping noise which exploded the acoustic mine. LL (double L) is a pair of electric cables which are towed parallel to each other on floats and emit a strong electric pulse which generates a magnetic field which detonated the magnetic mine.
Four Hundred and two Motor Minesweeper were built for the Royal Navy between 1940 and 1945.
Admiralty type; 1 to 118 and 123 to 313
Displacement 165 Tons
Length: 105 Feet (32 metres)
Beam: 23 Feet (7 metres)
Draft: 9 feet 6 inches. (2.9 Metres)
Engine: Diesel. 500 BHP.
Speed: 12.65 Miles per hour. (11 knots)
Complement: 20 Officers and men.
Armament: Two 20 mm Anti-aircraft guns
Two machine guns.
MMS 53, possibly in Malta Harbour.
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