The "Ebeneser" was a base for missionary work in India and Sri Lanka 1955 - 1971. At the request of Indonesian churches it sailed between the Indonesian islands from 1971 to 1978. During the years 1978 - 83 it was stationed at Kuala Kapuas, Borneo on the Kapuas river.
All BYMS (British Yard Minesweepers) were transferred from the US to Britain under the “Lend Lease” programme. At the end of World War Two they were returned to the United States. This usually meant being held in British ports until sold to Allied navies or for commercial use. BYMS 2173 had perhaps the most unusual use, following the war.
BYMS 2173 converted to missionary ship “Ebeneser”
BYMS 2173
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: Henry C. Grebe and Co., Chicago, Illinois, United States (On Lake Michigan).
Laid down: 28 May 1942.
Launched: 7 December 1942.
Handed over to Royal Navy: 13 May 1943.
Returned to USA: Sold 5 April 1948 to Finland.
Sold to religious group on 15 June 1954 and re-named Ebeneser. With thirty-three people on board, including children, she sailed to Singapore. On the 20 September 1983 a typhon hit Indonesian and the Ebeneser sunk. All crew including three children survived by taking the ships boat.
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.
1954 Sailing on Gulf of Finland
Donations from individuals and various companies helped pay for the complete project which cost 320 000 € (2025 rates). All the work was done by volunteers.
The twin main engines were six-cylinder 60/70 hp Wickström (Lister) diesels which gave a hull speed of 6,5 knots. The ship was fitted with sails (twin mast schooner rig). With a 30m/s following wind the speed reached 11 knots. Electricity was provided by a 10 hp Wickström and a 20 hp Deutz aggregate.When the ship left Finland 10.08.1955 two fully qualified merchant marine captains were in command. “Ebeneser” reached Colombo 29.10.1955 and both captains returned to their ships. Toimi Yrjölä captained the ship 1956 – 1983. I was in charge of the engines 1958 – 1971 ja my younger brother assisted our father on the deck 1961 – 1983. The crew consisted of mainly "unqualified" local men.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943.
Not on Navy Lists.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Tempy. Lieut., A. L. Mulcare, DSC. 9 Oct 43 (In Command)
Tempy. Sub-Lieut., N. C. C. Hamill, 19 Dec 43
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Tempy. Lieut.-Com., A. L. Mulcare, DSC, 9 Oct 43. ( In Command)
Tempy. Sub-Lieut., N. C. C. Hamll, 19 Dec 43.
Tempy. Sub-Lieut., J. G. Pearson, 2 Oct 44.
If you, your father or your grandfather have any additional information about this ship, crew lists, stories, photographs, please send copies of them to be added to our records and this website.
Thank you.
Contact: johntenthousand@yahoo.co.uk
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1983 Kapuas river Borneo
BYMS 2173 as she was in 1954.
MOVEMENTS.
13 May 1943, completed.
6 Aug 1943, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
9 to 10 Aug 1943, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
13 to 18 Aug 1943, St John’s Newfoundland, Canada.
25 and 26 Aug 1943, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
27 Aug 1943, Fort William.
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.
22 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. (A major anchorage for convoys)
25 and 26 June 1944, Portland.
8 July to 3 Aug 1944, Plymouth.
4 Aug 1944, Milford Haven.
9 Aug to 12 Sep 1944, Humber.
18 Sep 1944, Portsmouth.
11 Oct 1944, Humber.
11 Oct to 1 Nov 1944, Harwich.
13 Nov 1944, Ostend, Belgium.
6 Jan 1945, Dover.
5 April 1948, returned to USA.
AWARDS FOR MINESWEEPING
DSC: Distinguished Service Cross. DSM: Distinguished Service Medal. MID: Mention in Dispatches.
Percy James CHILVERS, Leading Wireman, BYMS 2173, 16 Jan 45 DSM awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France. Cherbourg Approaches.
Robert COLQUHOUN, LT/JX201830, Signalman, BYMS 2173, 16 Jan 45, MID awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France. Cherbourg approaches and harbour.
Arthur Leonard MULCARE, Lieutenant, HMT Remexo (M/S), BYMS 2173, 1 Jan 44 and 16 Jan 45 DSC and MID. MID awarded for gallantry and skill in minesweeping operations off the coast of France. Cherbourg harbour and approaches. DSC awarded New Year Honours 1944.
1954 Refitting at Holming shipyard Rauma
Samuel Yrjölä tells us about his father and BYMS 2173.
A brief resume: My father, Toimi Yrjölä (1909 – 1989), son of mariner and harbour pilot Edvard Yrjölä went to China as a missionary in 1928 where he served up to 1950. From 1950 – 1983 he served in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia. He married a Finnish lady missionary in Shanghai in 1936. During the Finnish - Soviet war (1939 – 44) five children were born in Finland. The family of seven travelled to China in 1946, but had to leave on 5.12.1949 for Sri Lanka (Ceylon at that time).
While on furlough in Finland (June 1953 - August 1955) Toimi Yrjölä purchased and refitted the empty hull of BYMS 2173.