HMS Onyx (J221)

	HMS Onyx
History
United Kingdom
Name	Onyx
Namesake	Onyx
Ordered	15 November 1940
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Laid down	24 November 1941
Launched	27 October 1942
Commissioned	26 March 1943
Identification	Pennant number: J221
Fate	Scrapped, 1967
General characteristics
Class and type	Algerine-class minesweeper
Displacement	850 long tons (864 t) (standard); 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) (deep);
Length	225 ft (69 m) o/a
Beam	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Installed power	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers; 2,000 ihp (1,500 kW);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines;
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun; 4 × twin Oerlikon 20 mm cannon;

HMS Onyx (J221) was a turbine engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War.

Design and description

The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.[1]

The ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun[2] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.[1]

Construction and career

The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was laid down on 24 November 1941 and launched on 27 October 1942. The ship was commissioned on 26 March 1943.[3]

On 5 April 1967, she was put on the disposal list and sold to BISCO for scrap.

References

Lenton, p. 261
Chesneau, p. 65
"HMS Niger (iii) (J 442) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

Bibliography

Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.

External links

"HMS Onyx (J 221) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

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[l3-1] Lenton, p. 261

[c1-2] Chesneau, p. 65

[3] "HMS Niger (iii) (J 442) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.