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, British Yard Mine Sweeper were all built to the same design. The only variation was one of appearance in the number of exhaust stacks. Note, the Acoustic “hammer” on the bow in the up position used to sweep for acoustic mines and the drum on the stern for the LL cables used to detonate magnetic 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
RETURN TO SHIP DATABASE.
Click here.
RETURN TO FRONT PAGE.
Click here.
MOVEMENTS.
20 Dec 43, Completed.
22 Feb 44 Charleston.
26 Feb 44 Bermuda. Crossed the Atlantic from the United States to the island of Bermuda on to the Azores island group and on to South England.
12 to 13 May 44 Horta, the Azores.
21 and 22 May 44 Falmouth.
23 and 24 May 44 Swansea.
25 May 44 Plymouth.
8 to 19 May 44 Liverpool.
21 May 44 Portland.
23 May 44 Plymouth.
13 to 16 June 44 Portland. Keeping the sea lanes between England and France clear of mines for the D-day Invasion and “Follow Up” Convoys.
8 July to 23 Aug 44 Portland.
25 Aug to 20 Sep 44 Liverpool.
22 Sep to 29 Nov 44 Dover.
29 Nov 44 to 15 Dec 44 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.
15 Dec 44 Dover.
17 Dec 44 Dover.
7 June 45 Ostend.
9 and 10 June 45 Harwich.
12 June 45 Humber.
13 to 16 June 45 Aberdeen.
16 June 45 Invergordon.
1946 at Sheerness.
1947 at Sheerness.
Jan 1948, sold.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, June 1944.
Not Listed.
OFFICERS ON THE NAVY LIST, July 1945.
Not Listed.
BYMS 2256
British Yard Mine Sweeper 2256.
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 2256, Flotilla 170 in 1944(known to be in 170 in June 44) also 167 in 1944, 167 in 1945.
Built by: Weaver Shipyard, Orange, Texas, USA.
Laid down: 3 June 1942
Launched: 28 August 1943
Completed and transferred to Royal Navy: 20 December 1943,
Reclassified: HMS J-1056, later HMS BYMS-2256
Assigned to the Nore Command, Flotilla Flotilla 170 in 1944.