Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Temp. Lieutenant R. E. Hawker,
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944,
Temp. Lieut, R. N. R., G .Dodds 14 Aug 43 (In Command)
Temp. Sub-Lieut, R. N. V. R., C. D. Purnell, 14 Aug 43.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., R. E. Hawker, DSC 19 Aug 44 (In Command)
Temp. Sub-Lieut, R. N. V. R., A. E. B. Lloyd 19 Aug 44
BYMS 2058
British Yard Mine Sweeper 2058.
Nore Command, World War Two 1939 to 1945.
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.
22 July 43 Completed
2 Nov 43, Boston.
4 to 7 Nov 43, Halifax.
11 Nov 43 St John’s. Crossed the Atlantic to Horta in the Azores (Island group) and on to Southern England.
17 to 22 Nov 43, Horta. Azores.
23 Nov 43, Azores.
29 Nov 43, Falmouth.
6 Dec 43, Portsmouth.
7 Dec 43, Newhaven
7 and 8 Dec 43, Southend.
6 May 44, Portsmouth.
5 to 13 May, 44, Harwich.
23 May 44, Southend.
June 6th, D-Day BYMS 2058 was sweeping off Sword Beach.
D Day, 6 June 44. BYMS (British Yard Mine Sweepers) Nore Command Flotillas 150 and 165 were given the task of sweeping the inshore areas off the D-day landing beaches, especially the boat lanes between the transport areas and the beaches.
10 June 44, Captain of Minesweepers, France.
10 June to 29 June 44 Portsmouth.
12 July 44, Portsmouth.
26 July 44, Portsmouth.
4 Aug 44, France NSBS.
6 Aug to 5 Sep 44, Harwich.
10 Oct 44, Sheerness.
26 Oct to 1 Nov 44 Harwich.
In November 1944, BYMS 2058 helped in clearing the Scheldt of mines, the most crucial minesweeping event of WW2.
16 Jan 45, Ostend.
17 Jan to 9 May 45, Harwich.
10 May 45 Ostend.
6 July 45, Harwich.
16 July to 3 Sep 45, Ostend
3 Sep 45, Harwich.
Aug 47, Returned to USA, sold to Greece.
BYMS clearing the Scheldt of mines. Photograph taken from BYMS 2189 and includes 2058, all Nore Command minesweepers.
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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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 2058. Flotilla 165.
Built by: Westergard Boat Works, Inc., Biloxi, Mississippi, USA.
Laid down: 14 May 1942
Launched: 15 January 1943
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 22 July 43
Reclassified: HMS J-858 later HMS BYMS-2058,
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla 165
Took part in the D-day landings.