Watch these short videos about the Wildfire III Minesweepers.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
D-day minesweepers: https://youtu.be/ZjlA5LxCAsg
Clearing the Scheldt: https://youtu.be/8ELsc9T3Lbw
The Relief of Holland: https://youtu.be/GghYEFHmOfY
BYMS-2002.
BYMS 2002 Flotilla 150 in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945.
Built by: The American Car and Foundry Co., Wilmington, Delaware, USA.
Laid down: 11 August 194.
Launched: 2 April 1942.
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 22 June 1942.
Reclassified: HMS J-802 later BYMS-2002.
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla 150 from 1942 to 1945.
Took part in the D-day landings, Gold Beach.
MOVEMENTS.
22 June 42. Completed.
28 Oct 42. Halifax Canada.
4 Feb 43. St John’s, Newfoundland. Crossed Atlantic Ocean from Canada to the U.K.
12 Feb to 16 Feb 43 Londonderry.
17 Feb 43. Holyhead.
18 Feb 43 Milford Haven.
3 July 43 Portsmouth.
June 6th, D-Day BYMS 2002 was sweeping off Gold Beach.
During the period from the 4 June 1944 (the day before D-day) to the end of July 1944 BYMS would have cleared pathways through the minefields to the Normandy Beachheads, cleared mines ahead of the Invasion Convoys, cleared mines from the ship assembly and disembarkation areas almost right up to the beaches, widened the cleared pathways and continuously swept for newly laid mines.
1 Sep to 8 Sep 1944 Newhaven.
During November 1944, clearing the Scheldt of mines, the most crucial minesweeping event of WW2.
7 Dec 1944 Portsmouth.
12 May 45 Great Yarmouth.
13 May 45 Rosyth.
Feb to Sep 46. Dover.
Sep 46 to June 47 Sheerness. Laid up at Queenborough Pier, Wildfire III, Queenborough after WW2 waiting to be returned to the United States Navy or sold.
27 June 47. Returned to USN.
A Distinguished Service Cross was awarded to Temp. Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, J. C. Clarke, DSC,
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943,
Temp. Lieut. R.N.R. J. O. Mathieson 1 Feb 42.
Temp Lieut., R.N.V.R. T. D. H. Cochrane 25 Mar 42.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Temp. Lieut. R.N.R. J. O. Mathieson 1 Feb 42.
Temp Lieut., R.N.V.R. T. D. H. Cochrane 25 Mar 42.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945,
Temp. Lieut.-Com., R.N.V.R. J. C. Clarke, DSC, May 45.
Temp. Lieut. R.N.V.R., H. H. L. Parsons, May 45.
BYMS 2002
British Yard Mine Sweeper 2002.
Nore Command, World War Two 1939 to 1945.
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.
At D-day, BYMS 2002 swept in the Destroyer HMS Grenville and continued sweeping to within half a mile of the shore by which time it became too shallow. Shells were falling all around with several exploding between her and her Oropesa floats. BYMS 2003 also experienced several near misses astern.
On the night of 6/7 June 1944 a shell hit BYMS 2002 and exploded in her ammunition locker. It was believed to be a shell fired from a British vessel. Fortunately, although damaged, there were no casualties.
After clearing the area off the Normandy landing beaches the BYMS worked night and day keeping the area clear of newly laid mines.
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