The Ham class was a class of inshore minesweepers (IMS), known as the Type 1, of the British Royal Navy. The class was designed to operate in the shallow water of rivers and estuaries. All of the ships in the class are named for British place names that end with -"ham". The parent firm that was responsible for supervising construction was Samuel White of Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Description The class consisted of 93 ships, launched between 1954 and 1959. was the first. They were built in three slightly different sub-groups, the first sub-group, the 26-group, is distinguished by pennant numbers 26xx, and the second and third sub-groups, the 27-group, are distinguished by pennant numbers 27xx. The 26-group was of wood and non-ferrous metal composite construction and the 27-group was of all-wood construction. The third sub-group is distinguished by a prominent rubbing strake around the hull and slightly larger dimensions.
The vessels displaced fully laden and were armed with one 40 mm Bofors or 20 mm Oerlikon gun. They were long overall with a beam. The construction was of wood to minimise the magnetic signature. The crew complement was 15, rising to 22 in wartime.
The engines of this class were Paxman diesels, some of which were built under licence by Ruston and Hornsby of Lincoln. Each vessel had: two 12YHAXM (intercooled) for main propulsion, rated at at 1,000 rpm, plus one 12YHAZ for pulse generation. Maximum speed was dropping to when mine hunting.
The class shared the same basic hull as the and the inshore survey craft.
Ships
(IMS87) (IMS02) (IMS03) (IMS04) (IMS05) (IMS06) (IMS85) (IMS07) (IMS08) (IMS09) (IMS10) (IMS11) (IMS12) (later HMMS Temasek) (IMS13) (IMS14) (IMS15) (IMS16) (IMS17) (IMS18) (IMS19) (IMS31) (IMS21) (IMS22) (IMS23) (IMS24) (IMS25) (IMS26) (IMS27) (IMS28) (IMS29) (IMS30) (IMS54) (IMS20) (IMS32) (IMS88) (IMS33) (IMS34) (IMS35) (IMS36) (IMS37) (IMS42) (IMS39) (IMS01) (IMS40) (IMS41) (IMS38) (IMS43) (burnt to hull, London 2017) (IMS44) (IMS45) (IMS89) (IMS46) (IMS47) (IMS48) (IMS49) (IMS50) (IMS51) (IMS83) (IMS52) (IMS53) (IMS55) (IMS56) (IMS92) (IMS82) (IMS81) (IMS57) (later HMS Waterwitch) (IMS58) (IMS84) (IMS59) (IMS86) (IMS60) (IMS61) (IMS62) (IMS91) (IMS64) (IMS63) (IMS65) (IMS66) (beached and abandoned, Battersea London 2017) (IMS68) (IMS67) (IMS69) (IMS70) (IMS90)
(IMS71) (IMS72) (IMS73) (IMS74) (IMS75) (IMS76) (IMS77) (IMS78) (IMS79) (IMS80) (later HMS Woodlark)
In 1964 Ten of the vessels were allocated to the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
NameCall signPennant NoCompletedBuildersJoined RNXSDisposalBirdham M.27855-Mar-57J.Taylor1964May 1980 - Arrived Great Wakering, Essex for BreakingOdiham M.278327-Jul-56Vospers19641978 - on disposal list., May 1980 sold to Sutton & Smith, Great Wakering, EssexPagham M.271622-Mar-56Jones, Buckie1964to 1974.1982, RNR TenderPortishamGTDGM.278126-Mar-56Dorset Yacht1964to 1983 at HMS Vernon, PortsmouthPuttenham M.27849-May-58Thorneycroft1964to 1978 at PlymouthSaxlingham M.272729-Jan-57Berthon Boat1964to 1965. Approved to scrap 1966. 2 May 1968 sold to Ross & Cromarty CC for Lewis Sea SchoolShiphamMTMWM.27263-Feb-56Brooke Marine1964to 1983 at GillinghamShrivenham M.272811-Aug-56Bolson1964to 1965. For disposal in 1966. Sold to PLA, 21 Feb 1969. Approved to scrap 1966. 2 May 1968 sold to Ross & Cromarty CC for Lewis Sea SchoolThakehamGTJCM.273315-Nov-57Fairlee Yacht1964to 1978. 1979 for disposalTongham M.273518-Jun-57J.Miller1964to 1978, also PAS. 1979 for disposal
See also Equivalent minesweepers of the same era
References
Warships of the Royal Navy, Captain John. E. Moore RN, Jane's Publishing, 1979