Hunt Class Minesweeper (1916)

Twenty Hunt class minesweepers were ordered for the Royal Navy in 1917 to a design drawn up by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company. 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 115 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Completed	Fate
Belvoir	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		8 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Bicester	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		8 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Blackmorevale	Ardrossan Dry Dock Company		23 Mar, 1917	1917	Mined 1 May, 1918
Cotswold	Bow, McLachlan & Company		28 Nov, 1916	1917	Sold early 1923
Cottesmore	Bow, McLachlan & Company		9 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Cattistock	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		21 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Croome	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		22 May, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Dartmoor	Dunlop Bremner & Company		30 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Garth	Dunlop Bremner & Company		9 May, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Hambledon	Fleming & Ferguson		9 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Heythrop	Fleming & Ferguson		4 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Holderness	D. & W. Henderson & Company		9 Nov, 1916	1917	Sold Aug, 1924
Meynell	D. & W. Henderson & Company		7 Feb, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Muskerry	Lobnitz & Company	Jun, 1916	28 Nov, 1916	Jan, 1917	Sold early 1923
Oakley	Lobnitz & Company		10 Jan, 1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Pytchley	Napier & Miller		24 Mar, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Quorn	Napier & Miller		4 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold 1922
Southdown	William Simons & Company		7 May, 1917	1917	Sold Dec, 1926
Tedworth	William Simons & Company		20 Jun, 1917	1917	Sold Nov, 1946
Zetland	Murdoch & Murray		1917	1917	Sold early 1923
Aberdare	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		29 Apr, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Abingdon	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		11 Jun, 1918		Bombed 5 Apr, 1942
Albury	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		21 Nov, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Alresford	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		17 Jan, 1919		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Beaufort	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		21 Feb, 1919		Sold 30 Jun, 1938
Collinson	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		30 Apr, 1919		Sold 25 Oct, 1922
Appledore	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		15 Aug, 1919		Sold 16 Oct, 1920
Leamington	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company		26 Aug, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Badminton	Ardrossan Dry Dock Company		18 Mar, 1918		Sold 12 Aug, 1928
Bagshot	Ardrossan Dry Dock Company		23 May, 1918		Sold 1949
Barnstaple	Ardrossan Dry Dock Company		20 Mar, 1919		Sold 12 Aug, 1928
Swindon	Ardrossan Dry Dock Company		25 Dec, 1918		Sold 1 Dec, 1921
Banchory	Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company		15 May, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Bloxham	Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company		11 Sep, 1919		Sold 23 Oct, 1923
Bradfield	Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company		14 May, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Burslem	Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company		5 Mar, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Goole	Ayrshire Shipbuilding Company		12 Aug, 1919		Broken up Nov, 1962
Blackburn	Bow, McLachlan & Company		13 Aug, 1918		Sold 17 Oct, 1922
Bootle	Bow, McLachlan & Company		11 Jun, 1918		Sold 21 Feb, 1923
Caerleon	Bow, McLachlan & Company		6 Dec, 1918		Sold Apr, 1922
Camberley	Bow, McLachlan & Company		28 Dec, 1918		Sold Jul, 1923
Carstairs	Bow, McLachlan & Company		18 Apr, 1919		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Caterham	Bow, McLachlan & Company		6 Mar, 1919		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Battle	Dundee Shipbuilding Company		1919		Sold Mar, 1922
Fermoy	Dundee Shipbuilding Company		5 Feb, 1919		Sunk 4 May, 1941
Forfar	Dundee Shipbuilding Company		20 Nov, 1918		Sold Mar, 1922
Bury	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		17 May, 1919		Sold 20 Jan, 1923
Cheam	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		2 Jul, 1919		Sold 18 Mar, 1922
Gretna	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		11 Apr, 1918		Sold 3 Oct, 1928
Harrow	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		30 Jul, 1918		Sold 1947
Havant	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		24 Mar, 1919		Sold Aug, 1922
Huntley	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		18 Jan, 1919		Sunk 31 Jan, 1941
Instow	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		15 Apr, 1919		Sold 15 Nov, 1920
Gaddesden	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		30 Nov, 1917		Sold 4 Nov, 1922
Gainsborough	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		12 Feb, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Northolt	Joseph T. Eltringham & Company		21 Jun, 1918		Sold 29 Feb, 1928
Clonmel	William Simons & Company		14 May, 1918		Sold Jul, 1922
Elgin	William Simons & Company		3 Mar, 1919		Sold 20 Mar, 1945
Sherborne	William Simons & Company		27 Jun, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Tiverton	William Simons & Company		12 Feb, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Tonbridge	William Simons & Company		5 Nov, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Tralee	William Simons & Company		17 Dec, 1918		Sold 2 Jul, 1929
Tring	William Simons & Company		23 Aug, 1918		Sold 7 Oct, 1927
Truro	William Simons & Company		15 Apr, 1919		Sold 19 May, 1928
Kellett	William Simons & Company		31 May, 1919		Sold 20 Mar, 1945
Verwood	William Simons & Company		12 Aug, 1919		Sold Oct, 1933
Wem	William Simons & Company		12 Sep, 1919		Sold 22 Apr, 1921
Wexford	William Simons & Company		10 Oct, 1919		Sold 1 Dec, 1921
Craigie	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		29 May, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Derby	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		9 Aug, 1918		Sold Jul, 1946
Dorking	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		26 Sep, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Dundalk	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		21 Mar, 1919		Sunk 17 Oct, 1940
Dunoon	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		21 Mar, 1919		Mined 30 Apr, 1940
Fairfield	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		30 May, 1919		Sold 3 Mar, 1920
Forres	Clyde Shipbuilding Company		22 Nov, 1918		Sold 26 Apr, 1935
Cupar	Archibald McMillan & Son		27 Mar, 1918		Mined 5 May, 1919
Sutton	Archibald McMillan & Son		8 May, 1918		Sold 1947
Fareham	Dunlop Bremner & Company		7 Jun, 1918		Sold 24 Aug, 1948
Faversham	Dunlop Bremner & Company		19 Jul, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Ford	Dunlop Bremner & Company		19 Oct, 1918		Sold Oct, 1928
Rugby	Dunlop Bremner & Company		6 Sep, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Irvine	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		8 Dec, 1917		Sold 21 Feb, 1923
Kendal	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		9 Feb, 1918		Sold 3 Oct, 1928
Kinross	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		4 Jul, 1918		Mined 16 Jun, 1919
Lydd	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company		4 Dec, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Longford	W. Harkess & Sons		15 Mar, 1919		Sold 18 Jan, 1923
Marlow	W. Harkess & Sons		7 Aug, 1918		Sold 21 Apr, 1928
Mistley	W. Harkess & Sons		19 Oct, 1918		Sold 19 May, 1928
Monaghan	W. Harkess & Sons		29 May, 1919		Sold 15 Nov, 1920
Mallaig	Fleming & Ferguson		10 Oct, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Malvern	Fleming & Ferguson		19 Feb, 1919		Sold 26 Jun, 1928
Marazion	Fleming & Ferguson		15 Apr, 1919		Sold Mar, 1933
Munlochy	Fleming & Ferguson		12 Jun, 1918		Sold 23 Nov, 1922
Nailsea	A. & J. Inglis		7 Aug, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Newark	A. & J. Inglis		19 Jun, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Repton	A. & J. Inglis		29 May, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Weybourne	A. & J. Inglis		21 Feb, 1919		Sold 4 Oct, 1928
Pangbourne	Lobnitz & Company		26 Mar, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Penarth	Lobnitz & Company		21 May, 1918		Mined 4 Feb, 1919
Petersfield	Lobnitz & Company		3 Mar, 1919		Wrecked 11 Nov, 1931
Pinner	Lobnitz & Company		15 Apr, 1919		Mined 27 May, 1942
Pontypool	Lobnitz & Company		25 Jun, 1918		Sold 18 May, 1922
Prestatyn	Lobnitz & Company		6 Nov, 1918		Sold 22 Jan, 1923
Radley	Lobnitz & Company		26 Aug, 1919		Sold Aug, 1945
Ross	Lobnitz & Company		12 Jun, 1919		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Salford	Murdoch & Murray		3 Apr, 1919		Sold Oct, 1920
Saltash	Murdoch & Murray		25 Jul, 1918		Sold 13 Mar, 1947
Saltburn	Murdoch & Murray		9 Oct, 1918		Sold 23 Oct, 1946
Selkirk	Murdoch & Murray		2 Dec, 1918		Broken up Oct, 1948
Shrewsbury	Napier & Miller		12 Feb, 1918		Sold 25 Nov, 1927
Sligo	Napier & Miller		23 Mar, 1918		Sold 4 Nov, 1922
Widnes	Napier & Miller		28 Jun, 1918		Sunk 17 Oct, 1943
Yeovil	Napier & Miller		27 Aug, 1918		Sold 4 Oct, 1928
Stafford	Charles Rennoldson & Company		20 Sep, 1918		Sold Jun, 1928
Stoke	Charles Rennoldson & Company		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.

By 1928, many of the remaining units were the Central Reserve of Minesweepers at Sheerness. Recognized as obsolete, they were being added to lists for sale in groups of nine or ten at a time. Even so, thirty-three of the vessels were still in service into the 1930s, with twenty-six seeing service in World War II.

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.