HMS Ready (J223)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Ready.

HMS Ready (J226) was a steam turbine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1951 as Van Haverbeke (M902).

A. F. Dufour (M902)
History
United Kingdom
Name	Ready
Namesake	Ready
Ordered	15 November 1940
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Laid down	14 April 1942
Launched	11 January 1943
Commissioned	21 May 1943
Decommissioned	1948
Reclassified	M223, 1949
Identification	Pennant number: J223
Fate	Sold to the Belgium, 1951
Belgium
Name	Van Haverbeke
Namesake	J.F. Van Haverbeke[1]
Acquired	1951
Commissioned	4 July 1951
Decommissioned	June 1960
Stricken	June 1960
Identification	Callsign: ORJC Pennant number: M902
Motto	Semper Paratus (Always Prepared)
Fate	Scrapped, 1961
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Algerine-class minesweeper
Displacement	850 long tons (864 t) (standard) 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) (deep)
Length	225 ft (69 m) o/a
Beam	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Installed power	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers 2,000 ihp (1,500 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun 4 × twin Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

Design and description

Main article: Algerine-class minesweeper

Ready in the 1940s

The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.^[2]

The ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[2]

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun^[3] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.^[2]

Construction and career

Service in the Royal Navy

The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Ireland. She was laid down on 14 April 1942 and launched on 11 January 1943. She was commissioned on 21 May 1943.^[4]

On 29 December 1944 she captured the miniature submarine Biber 90 which was found with its sole crew-member dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.^[5] It was towed to Dover although sunk in the harbour before being recovered.^[5]

Ready was decommissioned in 1948.

She was then sold to Belgium in 1951.

Service in the Belgian Navy

Ready was renamed Van Haverbeke and was commissioned on 4 July 1951.^[1]

The ship was decommissioned in June 1960 and sold for to Mr. Bakker P.V.B.A, Bruges for scrap on 7 March 1961.^[1]