Hunt Class Minesweeper (1916)

Twenty Hunt class minesweepers were ordered for the Royal Navy in 1917 to a design drawn up by Ailsa Shipbuilding. A larger order for a modified Admiralty design was placed the following year.

They were to be the first true fleet minesweepers.

They were twin screw vessels, in response to fears that paddle-sweepers might ensnare moored mines in their paddle wheels.

Overview of 114 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Template:US-Belvoir	Ailsa Shipbuilding		8 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Bicester	Ailsa Shipbuilding		8 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Blackmorevale	Ardrossan Shipbuilding		23 Mar, 1917	1917	Mined 1 May, 1918
Template:US-Cotswold	Bow McLachlan		28 Nov, 1916	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Cottesmore	Bow McLachlan		9 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Cattistock	Clyde Shipbuilding		21 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Croome	Clyde Shipbuilding		22 May, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Dartmoor	Dunlop Bremner		30 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Garth	Dunlop Bremner		9 May, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Hambledon	Fleming & Ferguson		9 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Heythrop	Fleming & Ferguson		4 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Holderness	Henderson		9 Nov, 1916	1917	Sold Aug, 1924
Template:US-Meynell	Henderson		7 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Muskerry	Lobnitz	Jun, 1916	28 Nov, 1916	Jan, 1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Oakley	Lobnitz		10 Jan, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Pytchley	Napier & Miller		24 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Quorn	Napier & Miller		4 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Template:US-Southdown	Simons		7 May, 1917	1917	Sold Dec, 1926
Template:US-Tedworth	Simons		20 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold Nov, 1946
Template:US-Zetland	Murdoch & Murray		1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Template:US-Aberdare	Ailsa Shipbuilding		29 Apr, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Abingdon	Ailsa Shipbuilding		11 Jun, 1918		Bombed 5 Apr, 1942
Template:US-Albury	Ailsa Shipbuilding		21 Nov, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Alresford	Ailsa Shipbuilding		17 Jan, 1919		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Beaufort	Ailsa Shipbuilding		21 Feb, 1919		Sold 30 Jun, 1938
Template:US-Collinson	Ailsa Shipbuilding		30 Apr, 1919		Sold 25 Oct, 1922
Template:US-Appledore	Ailsa Shipbuilding		15 Aug, 1919		Sold 16 Oct, 1920
Template:US-Badminton	Ardrossan Shipbuilding		18 Mar, 1918		Sold 12 Aug, 1928
Template:US-Bagshot	Ardrossan Shipbuilding		23 May, 1918		Sold 1949
Template:US-Barnstaple	Ardrossan Shipbuilding		20 Mar, 1919		Sold 12 Aug, 1928
Template:US-Swindon	Ardrossan Shipbuilding		25 Dec, 1918		Sold 1 Dec, 1921
Template:US-Banchory	Ayrshire		15 May, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Template:US-Bloxham	Ayrshire		11 Sep, 1919		Sold 23 Oct, 1923
Template:US-Bradfield	Ayrshire		14 May, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Template:US-Burslem	Ayrshire		5 Mar, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Template:US-Goole	Ayrshire		12 Aug, 1919		Broken up Nov, 1962
Template:US-Blackburn	Bow MacLachlan		13 Aug, 1918		Sold 17 Oct, 1922
Template:US-Bootle	Bow MacLachlan		11 Jun, 1918		Sold 21 Feb, 1923
Template:US-Caerleon	Bow MacLachlan		6 Dec, 1918		Sold Apr, 1922
Template:US-Camberley	Bow MacLachlan		28 Dec, 1918		Sold Jul, 1923
Template:US-Carstairs	Bow MacLachlan		18 Apr, 1919		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Template:US-Caterham	Bow MacLachlan		6 Mar, 1919		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Template:US-Battle	Dundee Shipbuilding		1919		Sold Mar, 1922
Template:US-Fermoy	Dundee Shipbuilding		5 Feb, 1919		Sunk 4 May, 1941
Template:US-Forfar	Dundee Shipbuilding		20 Nov, 1918		Sold Mar, 1922
Template:US-Bury	Eltringham		17 May, 1919		Sold 20 Jan, 1923
Template:US-Cheam	Eltringham		2 Jul, 1919		Sold 18 Mar, 1922
Template:US-Gretna	Eltringham		11 Apr, 1918		Sold 3 Oct, 1928
Template:US-Harrow	Eltringham		30 Jul, 1918		Sold 1947
Template:US-Havant	Eltringham		24 Mar, 1919		Sold Aug, 1922
Template:US-Huntley	Eltringham		18 Jan, 1919		Sunk 31 Jan, 1941
Template:US-Instow	Eltringham		15 Apr, 1919		Sold 15 Nov, 1920
Template:US-Gaddesdon	Eltringham		30 Nov, 1917		Sold 4 Nov, 1922
Template:US-Gainsborough	Eltringham		12 Feb, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Template:US-Northolt	Eltringham		21 Jun, 1918		Sold 29 Feb, 1928
Template:US-Clonmel	Simons		14 May, 1918		Sold Jul, 1922
Template:US-Elgin	Simons		3 Mar, 1919		Sold 20 Mar, 1945
Template:US-Sherborne	Simons		27 Jun, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Template:US-Tiverton	Simons		12 Feb, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Template:US-Tonbridge	Simons		5 Nov, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Template:US-Tralee	Simons		17 Dec, 1918		Sold 2 Jul, 1929
Template:US-Tring	Simons		23 Aug, 1918		Sold 7 Oct, 1927
Template:US-Truro	Simons		15 Apr, 1919		Sold 19 May, 1928
Template:US-Uppingham	Simons		31 May, 1919		Sold 20 Mar, 1945
Template:US-Verwood	Simons		12 Aug, 1919		Sold Oct, 1933
Template:US-Wem	Simons		12 Sep, 1919		Sold 22 Apr, 1921
Template:US-Wexford	Simons		10 Oct, 1919		Sold 1 Dec, 1921
Template:US-Craigie	Clyde Shipbuilding		29 May, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Template:US-Derby	Clyde Shipbuilding		9 Aug, 1918		Sold Jul, 1946
Template:US-Dorking	Clyde Shipbuilding		26 Sep, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Template:US-Dundalk	Clyde Shipbuilding		21 Mar, 1919		Sunk 17 Oct, 1940
Template:US-Dunoon	Clyde Shipbuilding		21 Mar, 1919		Mined 30 Apr, 1940
Template:US-Fairfield	Clyde Shipbuilding		30 May, 1919		Sold 3 Mar, 1920
Template:US-Forres	Clyde Shipbuilding		22 Nov, 1918		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Template:US-Cupar	McMillan		27 Mar, 1918		Mined 5 May, 1919
Template:US-Sutton	McMillan		8 May, 1918		Sold 1947
Template:US-Fareham	Dunlop Bremner		7 Jun, 1918		Sold 24 Aug, 1948
Template:US-Faversham	Dunlop Bremner		19 Jul, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Template:US-1Ford	Dunlop Bremner		19 Oct, 1918		Sold Oct, 1928
Template:US-Rugby	Dunlop Bremner		6 Sep, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Template:US-Irvine	Fairfield		8 Dec, 1917		Sold 21 Feb, 1923
Template:US-Kendal	Fairfield		9 Feb, 1918		Sold 3 Oct, 1928
Template:US-Kinross	Fairfield		4 Jul, 1918		in Aegean 16 Jun, 1919
Template:US-Lydd	Fairfield		4 Dec, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Longford	Harkess		15 Mar, 1919		Sold 18 Jan, 1923
Template:US-Marlow	Harkess		7 Aug, 1918		Sold 21 Apr, 1928
Template:US-Mistley	Harkess		19 Oct, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Monaghan	Harkess		29 May, 1919		Sold 15 Nov, 1920
Template:US-Mallaig	Fleming & Ferguson		10 Oct, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Template:US-Malvern	Fleming & Ferguson		19 Feb, 1919		Sold 26 Jun, 1928
Template:US-Marazion	Fleming & Ferguson		15 Apr, 1919		Sold Mar, 1933
Template:US-Munlochy	Fleming & Ferguson		12 Jun, 1918		Sold 23 Nov, 1922
Template:US-Nailsea	Inglis		7 Aug, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Newark	Inglis		19 Jun, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Template:US-Repton	Inglis		29 May, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Template:US-Weybourne	Inglis		21 Feb, 1919		Sold 4 Oct, 1928
Template:US-Pangbourne	Lobnitz		26 Mar, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Penarth	Lobnitz		21 May, 1918		Mined 4 Feb, 1919
Template:US-Petersfield	Lobnitz		3 Mar, 1919		Wrecked 11 Nov, 1931
Template:US-Pinner	Lobnitz		15 Apr, 1919		Mined 27 May, 1942
Template:US-Pontypool	Lobnitz		25 Jun, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Template:US-Prestatyn	Lobnitz		6 Nov, 1918		Sold 22 Jan, 1923
Template:US-Radley	Lobnitz		26 Aug, 1919		Sold Aug, 1945
Template:US-Ross	Lobnitz		12 Jun, 1919		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Salford	Murdoch & Murray		3 Apr, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Template:US-Saltash	Murdoch & Murray		25 Jul, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Template:US-Saltburn	Murdoch & Murray		9 Oct, 1918		Sold 23 Oct, 1946
Template:US-Selkirk	Murdoch & Murray		2 Dec, 1918		Broken up Oct, 1948
Template:US-Shrewsbury	Napier & Miller		12 Feb, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Template:US-Sligo	Napier & Miller		23 Mar, 1918		Sold 4 Nov, 1922
Template:US-Widnes	Napier & Miller		28 Jun, 1918		Sunk 17 Oct, 1943
Template:US-Yeovil	Napier & Miller		27 Aug, 1918		Sold 4 Oct, 1928
Template:US-Stafford	C. Rennoldson		20 Sep, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Template:US-Stoke	C. Rennoldson		8 Jul, 1918		Sunk 7 May, 1941

Armament

1916 Order, Ailsa Design

These ships generally conformed to two armament patterns, one being twice the power of the second.

Some mounted:

• two 12-pdr
• two 6-pdr

Others had:

• one 12-pdr
• one 6-pdr

1917 Order, Admiralty Design

• one 4-in Q.F. gun
• one 12-pdr H.A. gun

Service

Upon completion, most of these joined the Second and Third Minesweeping Flotillas operating out of Granton.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• Gray, Randal (editor) (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
• Silverstone, Paul H. (2006). The U.S. Navy Warship Series: The New Navy 1883-1922. New York: Routledge.
• Silverstone, Paul H. (2008). The U.S. Navy Warship Series: The Navy of World War II, 1922-1947. New York: Routledge.