HMS Vestal (J215)

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Vestal
Ordered: 15 November 1940[1]
Builder: Harland and Wolff, Belfast[2]
Yard number: 1147[3]
Laid down: 11 January 1943
Launched: 19 June 1943
Completed: 10 September 1943[3]
Commissioned: 11 February 1944
Identification: Pennant number: J299
Fate: Hit by a Japanese kamikaze pilot on 26 July 1945 and subsequently scuttled.
Badge: A sacred flame which was brought to Rome by Aeneas, and was then tended to by Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth. The patch is blue; with a gold altar with a flame.[4]
General characteristics
Class and type: Algerine-class minesweeper
Length: 255 ft (78 m)
Beam: 35.5 ft (10.8 m)
Draft: 3.50
Propulsion: Steam Turbine[5]
Speed: 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h)
Crew: 104–135
Armament:

HMS Vestal[7] was an Algerine-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1943 and saw service in the Pacific War against the Empire of Japan. She was critically damaged by Japanese kamikaze aircraft in 1945 and was subsequently scuttled in waters close to Thailand.

Vestal was the only British ship to be taken out of action by kamikaze pilots in the Indian Ocean and the last Royal Navy ship to be lost in the Second World War.[8] She was sunk whilst partaking in Operation Livery. Vestal was commanded by Lt. Charles William Porter, DSC, from 26 July 1943 until 26 July 1945, when the ship was sunk.[9] Her engine was provided by Paxman.[10]

Operations

1944

Vestal underwent trials until October 1944. She took part in a minesweeping exercise around Harwich with a flotilla, which was working in the Scheldt estuary. This was with the ships Pincher, Recruit, Rifleman, Plucky, Fancy, Squirrel, and Chameleon, all of which were Algerine-class minesweepers.[11]

1945

Vestal was deployed as a part of the East Indies Fleet, along with Pincher, Plucky, Recruit, Pickle, Rifleman, and Chameleon.[11] On 24 July, Squirrel hit a mine, which killed seven men. The ship was scuttled by Rotherham, and the survivors were rescued by Vestal, and taken to the battleship Nelson.[12]

Vestal was sunk on 26 July 1945 whilst participating in Operation Livery. At around 18:25, an alarm was sounded as three unidentified planes had been spotted coming over Phuket Island, and were soon followed by several more.[13] Vestal was hit by a kamikaze, sustaining critical damage and killing twenty men. She was the last Royal Navy ship to be sunk in the Second World War.[8] As the ship was hit close to Thailand, which was a Japanese ally, the crew were taken off and the ship was scuttled.[8]

Wreck

The wreck of Vestal currently lies off Phuket at 72 metres (236 ft) below sea level.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "HMS Vestal: Miinesweepers: United Kingdom". Valka.cz. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "HMS Vestal-World Naval Ships Directory". World Naval Ships. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 McCluskie, Tom (2013). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. Stroud: The History Press. p. 151. ISBN 9780752488615.
  4. ↑ "The 110 Ships, Their Fate & Their Badges RN(6)". Minesweepers.org. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "HMS Vestal (J-215)". Wreck Site. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "HMS Vestal (J215)". Warships of World War II. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "HMS Vestal (FL 21022)". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "HMS Vestal". thaiwreckdiver.com. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "HMS Vestal (J 215) of the Royal Navy". uboat.net. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Paxman and the Royal Navy-Surface Ships". Paxman History. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  11. 1 2 "HMS Chameleon (J 387) – Algerine-class Fleet Minesweeper". Naval History. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Mason, Geoffrey B., LCDR. "HMS Nelson – Nelson-class 16in gun Battleship". Naval History Homepage. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Donate, Andreas, "The Discovery of the HMS Vestal (Pdf)" (PDF), Happy Divers, retrieved 24 June 2013

Coordinates: 07°05′N 97°50′E / 7.083°N 97.833°E / 7.083; 97.833

Publications

  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
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