HMS Vimiera detonated a mine. MMS 19 rescued 24 of her crew.
MMS 19
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.
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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
MMS 19, J519. Built by Richards Ironworks Ltd., Lowestoft, England. Commissioned Feb 1941.
9th January 1942. HMS Destroyer VIMIERA when escorting an FS Convoy hit a mine and blew up in the Thames Estuary within sight of Sheerness. The whole ship forward of the aft funnel disintegrated and over 70 died. Wildfire III vessels helped in the rescue of survivors. Motor Mine Sweeper MMS 19 rescued 24 men from the stricken vessel and MMS 79 took off three more. The minesweeping trawler HMT Soranus rescued eight badly wounded from the water
5 June 1944, (And rest of June) MMS 19 swept inshore off the Normandy (D-day) beaches.
DSM (Distinguished Service Medal)
George Scarlett. A/Leading Seaman, LT/JX 366331, HM MMS 19 was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal on the 01.01.1944
OFFICERS from Navy List December 1942
(Rank. Name, Date joined ship.)
Temp. Lieutenant RNVR. R. A. Snell. 17 Feb 41
Temp. Sub Lieutenant RNVR. G.E. Fox. 27 Aug 42.
OFFICERS from Navy List June 1943
Temp. Lieutenant RNVR. R. A. Snell. 17 Feb 41
Temp. Sub Lieutenant RNVR. G.E. Fox. 27 Aug 42.
OFFICERS from Navy List June 1944
Temp. Lieutenant RNVR. R. A. Snell. 17 Feb 41
Temp. Lieutenant. RNVR. C. Churchman (act) 1 Dec 43.