HMT Almond

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMT Almond
Builder: Ardrossan Dockyard
Launched: 22 May 1940
Fate: Sunk 2 February 1941
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Tree-class trawler
Displacement: 530 long tons (540 t)
Length:
  • 164 ft (50.0 m) o/a
  • 150 ft (45.7 m) pp
Beam: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Draught: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Complement: 35
Armament: 1 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun

HMT Almond was a Tree-class naval trawler of the British Royal Navy. Almond was launched in 1940 and served in World War II, being sunk by a mine on 2 February 1941.

Construction

Almond was laid down on 18 August 1939[2] at Ardrossan Dockyard, on the south west coast of Scotland. She was launched on 22 May 1940,[1] and commissioned on 20 August that year.[2] At this latter time some crew members were posted to Ardrossan. They were billeted in civilian accommodation, some were joined by their family.

Service

She sailed to Tynemouth in order to have her armament fitted, then to Milford Haven, Wales, to commence minesweeping duties. She had a crew complement of 20, 19 of whom were killed when she was sunk by a mine on 2 February 1941, at about 2:00 pm, when returning to Falmouth, Cornwall after sweeping duties accompanied by another sweeper, which is currently unknown.[3]

Missing, presumed killed, the crew members who died that day were:
Serial No 67 – OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE – The Board of Admiralty regrets to announce the following casualties sustained:

  • Temporary Skipper: J.C.CUTTER, R.N.R.
  • Temporary Skipper: A.E. JOHNSON, R.N.R.
  • ALEXANDER, John W. Ordinary Telegraphist. P/JX.174856.
  • BRADBURY, John. Stoker, 2nd Class, LT/KX, 107433.
  • BURNETT, Alfrad Stoker. LT/KX. 109743.
  • BURNETT, David H, Stoker. LT/KX. 111489.
  • CLARK, John T Seaman. LT/JX. 185294.
  • EVES, William. Seaman. LT/JX. 198767.
  • HOLT, William G. Second Hand, R.N.R. LT/X. 20089 A.
  • HOPE, Albert. Engineman. LT/KX. 111443.
  • KREBS, Emmanuel. Ordinary Seaman. LT/JX. 185294.
  • McCANN, William. Ordinary Seaman. LT/JX. 210652.
  • PARKER, George E. Ordinary Seaman. LT/JX. 198891.
  • RAINSLEY, Frank T. Ordinary Seaman. LT/JX. 193915.
  • REYNOLDS, Reginald J. Ordinary Signalman. D/JX. 191114.
  • ROSS, Peter A. Seaman LT/JX. 205401.
  • SCOTT, William. Stoker, 1st Class, R.F.R C/SS. 125877.
  • WALLACE, James B. Ordinary Seaman. LT/JX. 210659.
  • WARLOW, Thomas G.J. Stoker. LT/KX. 109957.

WOUNDED.

  • FOSTER, Leo A. Engineman, R.N.R. LT/X. 5931. E.S.

Information of the actual incident has been provided by Leo Foster, the only survivor. Photographs of the crew members are available that were taken by the crew members themselves.

A dedication to HMT Almond can be seen at the RNPS Museum, Sparrows Nest, Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. This being the wartime headquarters of the RNPS. There is also a memorial in the adjacent park, Bell View.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Lenton and Colledge 1973, p. 447.
  2. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Almond (T 14)". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Official Admiralty document

References

  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Lenton, H. T.; Colledge, J. J. (1973). Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allen. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
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