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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 explodes acoustic mines. 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 detonates magnetic mines.
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 70
MMS 70. Pennant J 570, Built by, Richards Ironworks Ltd. (Lowestoft, England, U.K.) Launched, 6 Jan 1942, Sunk in Gulf of Taranto, Italy. 24 September 1943. Commander, Lionel Claude Evans from 4 May 1942 to 24 September 1943 (The date it was mined)
MID. (Mentioned in Despatches)
Edward Ernest SMITH, LT/X18949A, CPO. 5 Oct 43. MID. Minesweeping - MID awarded for courage and skill in many successful minesweeping operations in Mediterranean waters.
MMS 70 DETONATES A MINE AND SINKS.
24 September 1943. MMS.70, motor minesweeper, lost.
The follow crew were lost.
BRIGDEN, Jack W, Stoker 1c, RNPS, LT/KX 152795, MPK. (Missing Presumed Killed)
BUCHAN, John W D, Engineman, RNPS, LT/KX 125479, MPK
CAMBURN, Ernest, Leading Seaman, RNPS, LT/JX 241575, killed
COOPER, Gerald J, Ordinary Signalman, RNPS, LT/JX 247192, MPK
DAVIS, Leslie E, Ty/Lieutenant, RNVR, MPK
DEANS, Charles S I, Stoker 2c, RNPS, LT/KX 137326, MPK
DUTHIE, Balfour D, Leading Cook, RNPS, LT/MX 87859, MPK
MARTIN, Wynford, Seaman, RNPS, LT/JX 197038, MPK
PEARCE, Charles R, Leading Seaman, RNPS, LT/JX 242878, MPK
WALPOLE, Bernard F, Able Seaman, P/SSX 24477, MPK.
OFFICERS from Navy List August 1942.
Temp. Lieut., R.N.V.R., Lionel Claude Evans, 4 May 42.
Temp. Lieut., R.N.V.R., A. N. Tosswill. 4 May 42.
OFFICERS from Navy List June 1943.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, Lionel Claude Evans, 4 May 42.
Temp. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, N. R. Searls. 10 Aug 42.
Watch this short video about the Wildfire III Minesweepers.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
Motor Minesweeper MMS 25 would have looked the same as her sister ship, MMS 192. Note, the Acoustic “hammer” on the bow in the up position used to sweep for acoustic mines and the drum on the stern for the LL cables used to detonate magnetic mines.