HMS Plumpton

HMS Plumpton was a Racecourse-class minesweeper of the British Royal Navy. She served in the First World War and was of a paddle wheel design. She struggled in heavy seas. Plumpton was mined on 19 October 1918 off Ostend. The ship was beached on the Belgian coast and was broken up where she lay.

HMS Plumpton circa 1916–1918
History
United Kingdom
Name	Plumpton
Namesake	Plumpton Racecourse
Ordered	September 1915
Builder	McMillan, Dumbarton, Scotland
Launched	20 March 1916
Commissioned	June 1916
Fate	Broken up after being mined
General characteristics
Class and type	Racecourse-class minesweeper
Displacement	810 long tons (820 t)
Length	245 ft 9 in (74.9 m) oa
Beam	29 ft 0 in (8.8 m) 58 ft 0 in (17.7 m) (including paddles)
Draught	7 ft 0 in (2.1 m)
Propulsion	Paddle wheel diagonal compound steam engine Cylindrical boilers 1,500 ihp (1,119 kW)
Speed	14+1⁄2 knots (26.9 km/h)
Endurance	156 long tons (159 t) coal
Armament	2 × 6-pounder (57 mm, 2.2 in) guns 2 × 2-pounder (40 mm, 1.6 in) guns

Description

The Racecourse-class minesweeper design was developed during the First World War after the earlier success of converted paddle wheel ships. The vessel was propelled by a paddle wheel powered by diagonal compound engine fed steam by cylindrical boilers rated at 1,500 indicated horsepower (1,119 kW). A Racecourse-class minesweeper was capable of storing 156 long tons (159 t) of coal to use as fuel. The Racecourse-class minesweepers were 245 ft 9 in (74.9 m) long overall with a standard beam of 29 ft 0 in (8.8 m) and was 58 ft 0 in (17.7 m) including paddles. The vessel had a draught of 7 ft 0 in (2.1 m) and had a standard displacement of 810 long tons (820 t). Racecourse-class minesweepers were armed with two 6-pounder (57 mm, 2.2 in) guns and two 2-pounder (40 mm, 1.6 in) guns.^[1]

Service history

Plumpton was ordered as part of the first group of Racecourse-class minesweepers in September 1915.^[1] The ship was constructed by McMillan at their shipyard in Dumbarton, Scotland with the yard number 465 and launched on 20 March 1916. In keeping with the class, the ship was named for the racecourse in Plumpton, East Sussex and construction was completed in June 1916.^[2]

Plumpton was attached to the Grand Fleet on completion, being part of the 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla, which was equipped with Racecourse-class ships.^[3] The ship was still a member of the 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla in June 1917,^[4] but had transferred to the Dover Patrol the next month.^[5]

The minesweeper struck a naval mine off the coast of Ostend, Belgium on 19 October 1918. Plumpton was beached on the coast to prevent the ship from sinking. Plumpton was broken up for scrap at the site where she was beached.^[1][2]

Citations

1. Gardiner & Gray 1986, p. 97.
2. Miramar Ship Index.
3. "Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: Other Ships Attached to Grand Fleet: 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla". The Navy List. July 1916. p. 12. Retrieved 2 June 2024 – via National Library of Scotland.
4. "Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: Other Ships Attached to Grand Fleet: 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla". The Navy List. June 1917. p. 12. Retrieved 2 June 2024 – via National Library of Scotland.
5. "Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: V.—Dover Patrol: Paddle Minesweepers". The Navy List. July 1917. p. 15 – via National Library of Scotland.

Sources

• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1986). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• "Plumpton (6105675)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 6 April 2018.

External links

• World Naval Ships - HMS Plumpton
• "Plumpton HMS? (+1918)". The Wrecksite. Retrieved 24 April 2017.