Name: HMS RYE
Builder: Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Troon, Scotland, Laid down: 27 November 1939, Launched: 19 August 1940, Commissioned: 20 November 1941, Fate: Sold on 24 August 1948, Scrapped at Purfleet in September 1948.
General characteristics:
Class and type: Bangor-class minesweeper, Displacement: 656 tons, Length: 174 ft (53.0 m), Beam: 28.5 ft (8.7 m), Draught: 8.25 ft (2.5 m), Propulsion: Two Admiralty 3-drum water tube boilers, two shafts coupled to steam turbines, 2,000 shp (1,500 kW), Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h), Complement: 60, Armament: One x QF 12-pdr 3 in (76.2 mm) gun, One x quadruple 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Vickers machine gun / single QF 2 pdr Mark VIII
RYE saw service in the Mediterranean Sea based in Malta as part of the 14th/17th Minesweeper Flotilla. She served in the Malta Convoys, notably Operation Harpoon during which she rescued 84 survivors from the SS Chant, and in Operation Pedestal during which she was one of the ships that rescued the SS OHIO. The RYE's captain, Iain Pearson, was awarded a bar to his DSC for service during the Malta Convoys.
After service in the Mediterranean, RYE returned to Home waters and served with the 14th M/S Flotilla based in Plymouth. She took part in Operation Neptune, the naval component of Operation Overlord (D-Day). The flotilla took part in minesweeping operations from 5-30 June, initially clearing paths through the German minefields to the invasion beaches, and subsequently clearing wider areas to allow transport and supply vessels to operate in safety.
January to April 1945 - Deployed for Patrol, convoy defence and mine clearance deployment in Channel and Nore Command area in continuation.
May - Transferred to 9th Minesweeping Flotilla after VE Day. Deployed in Norwegian waters for mine clearance with HM Minesweepers SIDMOUTH, TENBY, BLACKPOOL, BANGOR and ROMNEY. Based at Stavanger during sweeping operations which frequently lasted several days of continuous sweeping.
June to September - Norwegian coast operations in continuation. On completion returned to Rosyth.
HMS RYE continued minesweeping duties after VJ Day and in January 1946 was deployed in the Bristol Channel and off coast of South Wales for clearance of minefields. On completion the ship was Paid-off and had been placed in Reserve by the end of the year. She was put on the Disposal List in 1947 and sold to BISCO for demolition by Chicks at Purfleet where she arrived in tow on 24th August 1948. Her ensign is laid up in St Mary's parish church in the town of Rye, East Sussex.
Sources: Wikipedia. http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono ... or-Rye.htm.
Information Mr P Crichton.