MOVEMENTS.
15 April 1943, completed.
6 Aug 1943, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
8 to 10 Aug 1943, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
18 Aug 1943, St John’s Newfoundland, Canada.
25 and 26 Aug 1943, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
27 Aug 1943, Fort William, Scotland.
29 Aug 1943, Inverness.
31 Aug 1943, Humber.
24 April 1944, Humber.
25 April 1944, Great Yarmouth.
26 April 1944, Harwich.
26 April 1944, Southend.
6 May 1944, Portsmouth.
21 May 1944,Humber.
BYMS 2157’s rapid movements at this time suggests she may have been escorting convoys in the build up to D-day.
22 May 1944, Southend.
17 June 1944, Portsmouth.
19 July 1944, Falmouth.
19 July Plymouth.
29 July Falmouth.
9 to 17 Aug 1944, Humber.
28 Aug 1944, Brixham.
13 Sep to 19 Oct 1944, Portsmouth.
3 Dec 1944, Humber.
4 Dec 1944, Dover.
6 and 7 Feb 1945, Dover.
1946, returned to USA.
AWARDS FOR MINESWEEPING
DSC: Distinguished Service Cross. DSM: Distinguished Service Medal. MID: Mention in Despatches.
Douglas Arthur COOMBS, C/MX65233, Leading Wireman, BYMS 2157, 16 Jan 45, MID awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France. Cherbourg approaches and harbour.
Desmond McGRATH, Lieutenant, BYMS 2157, 16 Jan 45, MID, 13 Jun 1946, MBE, (Member of the Order of the British Empire)awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France.
Alan WARDLEY, LT/JX247338, Signalman, BYMS 2157, 16 Jan 45 MID awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France.
BYMS 2157
British Yard Mine Sweeper
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.
MINE SWEEPING FLOTILLA: 159th MSF: 2032, 2052, 2055, 2070, 2071, 2157, 2173, 2211.
Based at Grimsby 1943. ANCXF 1944-45. Dover 1946.
Built by: Burger Boat Co., Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States, (On Lake Michigan)
Laid down: 18 July 1942.
Launched: 1 December 1942.
Handed over to Royal Navy: 28 April 1943.
Returned to USA: 1946
Sold for Commercial use 28 Aug 1947.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Wooden hull. Length, 130 feet. Beam, 25 feet 6 inches. Depth, 12 feet I inch. Draft, 8 foot 10.5 inches. Displacement 207-215 tons.
Engine: Two 800 bhp General Motors diesel engines.
Speed: 14.6 knots. 10 knots while sweeping. (Eight knots with double Oropesa sweeps)
Range: 2,500 at ten knots.
Compliment: 3 officers and 27 men.
Armament: One 3-inch HA/LA gun and two Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.
BYMS’s were fitted with a drum on the stern with LL (double L) cables for sweeping magnetic mines, an acustic hammer on the bow for sweeping acustic mines and Oropesa floats for sweeping tethered mines.
All YMS and BYMS were built to the same design, the only variation was in the number of exhaust stacks. Minesweepers 1 to 134 had two sacks, 135 to 480 had one stack, 466 to 479 had no stacks.
BYMS 2057.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943.
Not on Navy Lists.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Tempy. Lieut. D. McGrath, 9 Oct 43 (In Command)
Tempy. Sub-Lieut., J. R. Trow, 29 Apr 43.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Tempy. Lieut., D. McGrath, 9 Oct 43 (In Command)
Tempy. Lieut., J. R. Trow 29 Apr 43.
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