Ley-class minehunter
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= File:HMS Isis Bofors gun, Tobermory, 1978.jpg |Ship caption= Bofors gun on HMS Isis (1978) |Ship image size=200px }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Ley class |Builders= |Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}} |Class before= |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range=1952–1955 |In service range= |In commission range= |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=11 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Minehunter |Ship displacement=*{{convert|123|LT|t|0|lk=in}} standard
|Ship length={{convert|100|ft|m|abbr=on}} p/p |Ship beam= {{convert|21|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= {{convert|5|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship propulsion=2 shaft Paxman diesels, {{convert|700|bhp|0|abbr=on}} |Ship speed= {{convert|13|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}} |Ship range= |Ship complement=2 officers, 13 ratings |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=1 × Bofors 40 mm gun or Oerlikon 20 mm cannon |Ship armour= |Ship notes= }} |
The Ley class was a class of inshore minehunter built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1950s. They had pennant numbers in the series M2001. Eleven ships were built in the early 1950s, most of which were subsequently disarmed and used as training vessels, RNXS tenders, URNU vessels etc.
Description
They were of composite construction, that is, wood and non-ferrous metals, to give a low magnetic signature, important in a vessel that may be dealing with magnetically detonated mines. They displaced 164 tons fully laden, were armed with a Bofors 40 mm gun or an Oerlikon 20 mm gun and were powered by a pair of Paxman diesel engines.{{Cite book |last=Worth |first=Jack |url=https://archive.org/details/britishwarshipss0000wort/mode/1up |title=British warships since 1945 |publisher=Maritime |year=1992 |pages=141|isbn=9780907771128 }}
The class shared the same basic hull as their inshore minesweeper counterpart the {{sclass2|Ham|minesweeper|4}} and the {{sclass|Echo|survey ship (1957)|0}} inshore survey craft.
Role
Unlike traditional minesweepers, they were not equipped for sweeping moored or magnetic mines. Their work was to locate individual mines and neutralise them. This was a new role at that point, and the class was configured for working in the shallow water of rivers, estuaries and shipping channels.
Ships
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Hull No. !Completed !Out of service !Notes |
| {{HMS|Aveley}}
|M2002 |3 February 1954 |1982 |To Woolworth Sea Cadet Corps |
| {{HMS|Brearley}}
|M2003 |15 April 1954 |1969 |Scrapped |
| {{HMS|Brenchley}}
|M2004 |22 September 1954 |1966 |Sold |
| {{HMS|Brinkley}}
|M2005 |3 November 1954 |1965 |Sold |
| {{HMS|Broadley}}
|M2006 |12 September 1954 |1959 |Scrapped |
| {{HMS|Broomley}}
|M2007 |5 August 1954 |1966 |Scrapped |
| {{HMS|Burley}}
|M2008 |29 June 1954 |1966 |Scrapped |
| {{HMS|Chailey}}
|M2009 |7 January 1955 |1969 |Sold for scrap |
| {{HMS|Cradley}}
|M2010 |5 May 1955 |1982 |Sold |
| {{HMS|Dingley}}
|M2001 |22 August 1955 |1967 |Sold for scrap |
References
{{Reflist}}
- Jane's Fighting Ships 1953–54, R. V. B. Blackman (ed), Jane's Publishing, 1953
- Warships of the Royal Navy, Captain John. E. Moore RN, Jane's Publishing, 1979
- [http://www.withamstaple.com/GArchive/CArchiveHistory.htm#HMS%20Bassingham Bassingham web site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050508164507/http://www.withamstaple.com/GArchive/CArchiveHistory.htm#HMS%20Bassingham |date=8 May 2005 }}