POST WAR HISTORY. Serving firstly as a Minesweeper then as a passenger ferry.
7/1941: The Royal Navy,London,U.K.(Minesweeper)
1946: Armement Ostendais S.A.,Antwerpen,Belgia.
5/1947: Kronborg & Fløystad,Kristiansand S.
9/1947: Otto Mocody Lund & Tore Stensager, Bergen.
10/1947: A/S Saltens Dampskibsselskap, Bodø.
7/1949: Levert ombygd av Kvernenes Skibsbyggeri i
Brandasund til passasjerskip. BRT: 239 t. NET: 97 t.
Dim:116.0'- 22.4'- 11.3'-omdøpt " VÆRAN"
innsatt ny motor: Ruston BHK 480 Fart.11 knop
2/1964: N.Vikene Johnsen, Bodø. "VÆRAN"
10/1964: Marine Salvage & Survey Service Ltd(W.J.Sutton) U.K.
1968: Slettet i Lloyds register, Further information unknown.
OFFICERS from Navy List August 1942.
NOT ON NAVY LIST.
OFFICERS from Navy List June 1943.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, E. T. Garside. 9 June 42.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, E. R. Savidge. 12 Mar 43
OFFICERS from Navy List Dec. 1943.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, B. F. W. Besemer. (In Command) 28 July 43.
Temp. Act. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, R. Derbyshire. 27 July 43.
OFFICERS from Navy List June. 1944.
NOT ON NAVY LIST.
OFFICERS from Navy List January 1945.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, B. F. W. Besemer. (In Command) 28 July 43.
Temp. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, R. Derbyshire. 27 July 43.
OFFICERS from Navy List July 1945.
Temp. Lieut. RNVR, B. F. W. Besemer. (In Command) 28 July 43.
Temp. Sub-Lieut. RNVR, R. Derbyshire. 27 July 43.
MMS 41
MMS 41 following her converted for commercial use as the M/S Væra.
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MMS 41, Built by Richards Ironworks, Lowerstoft. Launched 14th May 1941. Sold 1949.
5 June 1944, (and rest of June) MMS 41 swept inshore off the Normandy (D-day) beaches.
Like many of the Wildfire III, Queenborough MMS 41 took part in “Operation Calendar Two”. Clearing the vital water way of the Scheldt Estuary of mines and opening up the port of Antwerp to resupply Allied troops with over stretched supply lines.
Motor Minesweeper's were purpose built, wooden, shallow draft, minesweepers with both SA and LL sweeping capabilities. SA is Sweep Acoustic, a device similar to a Kanga Hammer which makes a loud thumping noise which exploded the acoustic mine. LL (double L) is a pair of electric cables which are towed parallel to each other on floats and emit a strong electric pulse which generates a magnetic field which detonated the magnetic mine.
Four Hundred and two Motor Minesweeper were built for the Royal Navy between 1940 and 1945.
Admiralty type; 1 to 118 and 123 to 313
Displacement 165 Tons
Length: 105 Feet (32 metres)
Beam: 23 Feet (7 metres)
Draft: 9 feet 6 inches. (2.9 Metres)
Engine: Diesel. 500 BHP.
Speed: 12.65 Miles per hour. (11 knots)
Complement: 20 Officers and men.
Armament: Two 20 mm Anti-aircraft guns
Two machine guns.
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