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
MOVEMENTS.
14 Jan 43, Completed.
2 to 6 May 43 Trinidad.
15 May to 5 June 43 Belem. Crossed the Atlantic from South America to West Africa.
13 June 43 Takoradi, Ghana.
13 Oct 43 Lagos.
13 Jan to 23 April 44 Takoradi, Ghana.
29 April to 10 May 44 Freetown.
12 to 14 May 44, Dakar.
21 Mat 44 Casablanca.
23 May to 9 June 44 Gibraltar
20 and 21 June 44 Londonderry.
(No date) Cardiff.
28 Aug 44 Bristol.
11 Oct 44 Avonmouth.
13 Oct 44 Cardiff.
13 Oct 44, Swansea, for S. E. Asia, detained in the Mediterranean.
1946 at Hong Kong.
13 July 46 returned to United States Navy.
21 Oct 47, sold.
Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Skipper Lieutenant H. Crowe.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1943,
Skipper Lieut. R.N.R., H. Crowe, DSC (act) 9 July 42
Temp Skipper R.N.R., E. M. Charlton 17 Aug 42
Temp Skipper R.N.R., W. T. R. Holland 17 Aug 42.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Skipper Lieut. R.N.R., H. Crowe, DSC (act) 9 July 42
Temp Skipper R.N.R., E. M. Charlton 17 Aug 42
Temp Skipper R.N.R., W. T. R. Holland 17 Aug 42.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Temp Skipper Lieut. R.N.R., J. C. Hodge (act) (In Command) 28 Dec 44
Skipper R.N.R. J. C Huntley 28 Dec 44.
Skipper R. J. Salter 28 Dec 44
BYMS 2045
British Yard Mine Sweeper 20345
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.
BYMS 2045, Flotilla 170/152 in 1943, 170/180 in 1944 (known to be in 170 in June 44) 180 in 1945.
Built by: Gibbs Corp., Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Laid down: 10 April 1942.
Launched: 4 July 1942
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 14 Jan 43,
Reclassified: HMS J-845, later HMS BYMS-2045
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla 170 in 1943.
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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BYMS, British Yard Mine Sweeper were all built to the same design. The only variation was one of appearance in the number of exhaust stacks. They were fitted with an Acoustic “hammer” on the bow to sweep for acoustic mines and a drum on the stern for the LL cables to sweep magnetic mines.