HMS Hildersham (M2705)

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

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Hildersham
Namesake	Hildersham
Builder	Vosper
Launched	5 February 1954
Completed	9 November 1954
Fate	transferred to India, 1955
India
Name	INS Bimlipatan
Namesake	Bimlipatan
Acquired	1955
Stricken	1994
General characteristics
Class & 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): M2705 / IMS42

Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ham. The minesweeper was named after Hildersham in Cambridgeshire.

References

• Blackman, R.V.B. ed. Jane's Fighting Ships (1953)