HMS Bronington (M1115)
{{Short description|Former British Royal Navy minesweeper, currently laid up in Birkenhead, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMS Bronington (M1115), West Float, Birkenhead (geograph 4520417).jpg | Ship caption = HMS Bronington laid up at Birkenhead in June 2015 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United Kingdom | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} | Ship name = HMS Bronington | Ship namesake = Bronington, Wales | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = 30 May 1951 | Ship launched = 19 March 1953 | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = 4 June 1954 | Ship recommissioned = | Ship decommissioned = 30 June 1988 | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = Pennant number: M1115 | Ship motto = | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = | Ship fate = Sunk at her moorings in March 2016. Still partially sunk. | Ship notes = | Ship badge = 125px }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship class = {{sclass2|Ton|minesweeper}} | Ship displacement = {{Ton class minesweeper displacement}} | Ship length = {{Ton class minesweeper length}} | Ship beam = {{Ton class minesweeper beam}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{Ton class minesweeper draught}} | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = {{Ton class minesweeper propulsion}} | Ship speed = {{Ton class minesweeper speed}} | Ship range = {{Ton class minesweeper range}} | Ship endurance = | Ship complement = {{Ton class minesweeper complement}} | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = {{Ton class minesweeper armament}} | Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship notes = }} |
HMS Bronington is a former {{sclass2|Ton|minesweeper}} of the Royal Navy, named HMS Humber between 1954 and 1958. This mahogany-hulled minesweeper was one of the last of the wooden-hulled naval vessels. Decommissioned in 1988, she was subsequently a museum ship, but sank at Birkenhead in 2016.
History
Bronington was laid down on 30 May 1951 by Cook, Welton & Gemmell at Beverley, Yorkshire. Built on the River Hull, she was launched on 19 March 1953 and was commissioned as HMS Humber on 4 June 1954. Humber spent four years in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, serving as part of the 101st Minesweeping Squadron.{{cite book|first1=J. J.|last1=Colledge|first2=Ben|last2=Warlow|title=Ships of the Royal Navy: A Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy From the 15th Century to the Present|publisher=Chatham Publishing|place=London|year=2006|isbn=1612000274|page=56}}{{cite web |title=About the ship |url=https://hmsbronington.org/about-the-ship/ |website=HMS Bronington |access-date=6 August 2022 |date=27 April 2016}}
Reverting to her original name in 1958, the vessel was converted into a minehunter at Rosyth Dockyard between 1963 and 1965, and was commissioned to, initially, the 5th Minesweeper Squadron, and then the 1st Mine Countermeasures Squadron on 5 January 1967.{{cite book|first=Paul|last=Brown|title=Historic Ships: The Survivors|place=Stroud|publisher=Amberley Publishing|year=2010|isbn=978-1-84868-994-7}}
Charles, Prince of Wales commanded the vessel between 9 February and 15 December 1976.{{Cite book| last=Brandreth| first=Gyles| author-link=Gyles Brandreth| title=Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair| location=UK| publisher=Random House| year=2007| isbn=978-0-09-949087-6| pages=170| url=https://archive.org/details/charlescamillapo00bran}} Subsequently, under the command of his successor, Lieutenant A B Gough, Bronnington ran aground in the River Avon while departing from Bristol.{{cite book|first=Michèle|last=Brown|title=Prince Charles|place=London|publisher=Artus|year=1980|isbn=0-51754-019-3|page=125}}
During the late 1980s, the vessel saw service in the Mediterranean Sea as part of 2nd Mine Counter Measures Squadron, with NATO as part of the Standing Naval Force Channel and also as a fishery protection vessel.
After being decommissioned from service, the ship was purchased in January 1989 by the Bronington Trust, a registered charity whose patron is the King. For some time, the ship was berthed in the Manchester Ship Canal at Trafford Park and was open to visitors for ten years. On 11 July 2002, she became part of the collection of the Warship Preservation Trust and was moored at Birkenhead, Merseyside. After the closure of the Warship Preservation Trust, she remained in storage, formerly alongside the {{sclass|Rothesay|frigate}} {{HMS|Plymouth|F126|6}} at Vittoria Dock, and latterly in the West Float of Birkenhead Docks.
On 17 March 2016, Bronington sank at her moorings.{{cite web |url=http://shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2427360 |title=HMS BRONINGTON M1115 |publisher=Shipspotting |first=Barry |last=Graham |date=19 March 2016 |access-date=21 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/news-in-brief-sad-demise-of-ship-the-prince-once-captained-3lhtncts3|title=News in brief: sad demise of ship the Prince once captained|date=26 April 2016|access-date=8 September 2022|work=The Times}}{{cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/pictures-show-sunken-state-prince-11236428|title=Pictures show sunken state of Prince Charles' former Royal Navy ship|first=Mary|last=Naylor|date=25 April 2016|access-date=8 September 2022|publisher=Liverpool Echo}}End for Bronington Ships Monthly August 2016 page 18
Preservation
In December 2021 the HMS Bronington Preservation Trust was formed with the aim of raising and preserving the vessel.{{cite web |url=https://hmsbronington.org/timeline/ |website=HMSBronington.org |access-date=6 August 2022|title=Timeline}}
As of 2023, the ship is still partially submerged. The preservation trust commissioned a dive survey in June 2022 to establish the state of the vessel.{{cite web |title=Dive Survey Friday 24th June 2022 {{!}} HMS Bronington |url=https://hmsbronington.org/dive-survey-friday-24th-june-2022/ |website=HMS Bronington Preservation Trust |access-date=7 August 2022 |date=25 June 2022}} The survey revealed the vessel to be in good condition, with only two minor holes in the hull. Subject to fund raising, the trust hopes to move the vessel to a dry dock at Cammell Laird where she will be restored, either for sailing or for use as a static museum exhibit.{{cite news |title=Former crew on submerged warship fondly remember service amid restoration efforts |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/royal-navys-hms-bronington-former-crew-on-last-of-wooden-walls-warship-fondly-remember-service-as-restoration-efforts-set-to-step-up-3698233 |access-date=7 August 2022|first=Steve|last=Deeks |work=www.portsmouth.co.uk |date=18 May 2022 |language=en}} In June 2023, the National Museum of the Royal Navy said that there are potential locations in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which could be considered if the restoration effort is successful.{{cite news |last1=Deeks |first1=Steve |title=Royal Navy's HMS Bronington: 'Last of wooden walls' set for romantic return to Portsmouth after 35 years |url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/royal-navys-hms-bronington-last-of-wooden-walls-set-for-romantic-return-to-portsmouth-after-35-years-4169784 |access-date=22 July 2023 |work=The News|date=5 June 2023 |location=Portsmouth}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070115074755/http://users.breathe.com/g8hxe/hms_bronington.htm About HMS Bronington]
- [http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/130/hms-bronington HMS Bronington at National Historic Ships Register]
{{Ton class minesweeper}}
{{National Historic Ships}}
{{2016 shipwrecks}}
{{coord|53|24|11.4|N|3|02|46.7|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bronington}}
Category:Ton-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy
Category:Cold War minesweepers of the United Kingdom
Category:Museum ships in the United Kingdom
Category:Ships and vessels of the National Historic Fleet