HMS Birdham

HMS Birdham was one of 93 ships of the Ham-class of inshore minesweepers.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Birdham
Namesake	Birdham
Builder	Jason Taylor
Launched	19 September 1955
Completed	5 March 1957
Fate	Sold 1980
General characteristics
Class and type	Ham class minesweeper
Displacement	120 tons standard 164 tons full
Length	106 ft 6 in (32.46 m)
Beam	22 ft (6.7 m)
Draught	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Propulsion	2 shaft Paxman 12YHAXM diesels, 1,100 bhp (820 kW)
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	2 officers, 13 ratings
Armament	1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun / 20 mm Oerlikon gun
Notes	Pennant number(s): M2785 / IMS85

Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ham. The minesweeper was named after Birdham in West Sussex.

References

• Blackman, Raymond V.B., ed. Jane's Fighting Ships 1952–1953. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1953.