BYMS 2233, with its American number P233.
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 2233, Flotilla, 165.
Built by: Frank L. Sample, Jr., Boothbay Harbour, Maine, USA.
Laid down: 27 February 1943.
Launched: 22 July 1943.
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 8 October 1943.
Reclassified: HMS J-1033 later HMS BYMS-2233.
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla 165.
Took part in the D-day landings.
MOVEMENTS.
8 Oct 43, Completed.
29 Oct 43 Boston.
21 Nov 43, New York.
27 Nov 43, Bermuda. Crossed Atlantic Ocean by the more southerly route from Bermuda to Horta in the Azores (Island group) and on to Southern England.
5 to 7 Dec 43, Horta,
13 to 18 Dec 43, Falmouth.
24 Dec 43 Portsmouth.
28 Dec 43, Ipswich (TIH).
23 March 44, Harwich.
6 May 44, Portsmouth.
7 to 23 May 44, Harwich.
June 6th, D-Day BYMS 20 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.
12 July 44, Harwich.
12 July 44, Portsmouth.
13 July to 5 Sep, 44 Harwich.
10 Oct 44, Sheerness.
26 Oct to 1 Nov 44 Harwich.
12 Nov to 10 Dec 44, Harwich.
16 Jan 45, Ostend.
17 Jan to 9 May 45, Harwich.
10 May to 24 June 45, Ostend. The winter of 1944–1945 was very harsh for the people of Holland. Food was cut off by the Germans and 18,000 people starved to death. Relief came at the beginning of May 1945 when minesweepers cleared Dutch ports of mines and ships carrying humanitarian aid arrived. Minesweepers, the first vessels to arrive in Dutch ports gave their food to Dutch children.
25 June to 9 July 45, Harwich.
9 July to 27 July 45 Ostend.
3 Sep 45, Harwich.
1946, at Sheerness.
Jan 1948, returned to USA, sold to Greece.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944
Temp. Lieut, R. N. R., M. C. Rogers, 9 Oct 43 (In Command)
Temp. Sub-Lieut, R. N. V. R., D. Main 9 Oct 43.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Temp. Lieut, R. N. V. R., C. J. Green, In Command, 3 Feb 45
Temp. Sub-Lieut, R. N. V. R., D. Main 9 Oct 43
BYMS 2233
British Yard Mine Sweeper 2233.
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
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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5 June 1945. D-day. Landing Craft heading towards the Beach. The sea having been cleared of mines by BYMS (British Yard Mine Sweepers) and MMS's (Motor Mine Sweepers) from Minesweeping Base Wildfire III, Queenborough.