Ley-class minehunter

The Ley class was a class of inshore minehunter built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1950s. They had pennant numbers in the series M2001. Eleven ships were built in the early 1950s, most of which were subsequently disarmed and used as training vessels, RNXS tenders, URNU vessels etc.

Bofors gun on HMS Isis (1978)
Class overview
NameLey class
Operators Royal Navy
Built1952–1955
Completed11
General characteristics
TypeMinehunter
Displacement
  • 123 long tons (125 t) standard
  • 164 long tons (167 t) full load
Length100 ft (30 m) p/p
Beam21 ft 4 in (6.50 m)
Draught5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Propulsion2 shaft Paxman diesels, 700 bhp (522 kW)
Speed13 knots (15 mph; 24 km/h)
Complement2 officers, 13 ratings
Armament1 × Bofors 40 mm gun or Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

Description

They were of composite construction, that is, wood and non-ferrous metals, to give a low magnetic signature, important in a vessel that may be dealing with magnetically detonated mines. They displaced 164 tons fully laden, were armed with a Bofors 40 mm gun or an Oerlikon 20 mm gun and were powered by a pair of Paxman diesel engines.[1]

The class shared the same basic hull as their inshore minesweeper counterpart the Ham class and the Echo-class inshore survey craft.

Role

Unlike traditional minesweepers, they were not equipped for sweeping moored or magnetic mines. Their work was to locate individual mines and neutralise them. This was a new role at that point, and the class was configured for working in the shallow water of rivers, estuaries and shipping channels.[1]

Ships

Name Hull No. Completed Out of service Notes
HMS Aveley M2002 3 February 1954 1982 To Woolworth Sea Cadet Corps
HMS Brearley M2003 15 April 1954 1969 Scrapped
HMS Brenchley M2004 22 September 1954 1966 Sold
HMS Brinkley M2005 3 November 1954 1965 Sold
HMS Broadley M2006 12 September 1954 1959 Scrapped
HMS Broomley M2007 5 August 1954 1966 Scrapped
HMS Burley M2008 29 June 1954 1966 Scrapped
HMS Chailey M2009 7 January 1955 1969 Sold for scrap
HMS Cradley M2010 5 May 1955 1982 Sold
HMS Dingley M2001 22 August 1955 1967 Sold for scrap

References

  1. Worth, Jack (1992). British warships since 1945. Maritime. p. 141.
  • Jane's Fighting Ships 1953–54, R. V. B. Blackman (ed), Jane's Publishing, 1953
  • Warships of the Royal Navy, Captain John. E. Moore RN, Jane's Publishing, 1979
  • Bassingham web site Archived 8 May 2005 at the Wayback Machine
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