The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. They were intended to meet the threat of seabed mines laid in shallow coastal waters, rivers, ports and harbours, a task for which the existing ocean-going minesweepers of the Algerine class were not suited.
Description
The design of the class drew on lessons learnt in the Second World War when it became apparent that minelaying in coastal waters was more effective than in the deep sea; the existing fleet minesweepers were not well suited to deal with this threat. Design started at the Naval Construction Department in Bath in 1947 and the first ship was ordered in September 1950; the class eventually numbered 119 vessels. The lead constructor was John I. Thornycroft & Company, although Ton class vessels were also built at fifteen other yards.[1] They were diesel powered vessels of 440 tons displacement fully laden, largely constructed from aluminium and other non-ferromagnetic materials, with a hull composed of a double layer of mahogany planking. Their small displacement and shallow draft gave them some protection against pressure and contact mines and allowed them to navigate in shallow inshore waters. Primary armament was one Bofors 40 mm gun, although the South African variants also had an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon behind the funnel. RN vessels also had the same but they were gradually removed and an M2 Browning machine gun mounted midships. Sweeping equipment was provided for moored mines and magnetic mines.
History
It was originally planned to name the ships after insects, with names like Red Ant, Green Cockchafer and so on, but this plan was abandoned in 1952 and the Royal Navy ships of the class were given names of British towns and villages ending in "-ton", hence the name of the class. The contemporary but smaller inshore minesweepers were originally to be named after birds, but became the Ham class, after towns and villages ending in "-ham".[1]
Sixteen of the class were converted to minehunters[1] by the incorporation of active rudders and the installation of the Type 193 minehunting sonar and associated equipment, including a very welcome enclosed bridge, the exception being HMS Highburton which retained her open bridge until decommissioned in the 1970s, this actually becoming a source of pride for her crew when meeting other Ton crews. These vessels only retained mechanical "Oropesa" sweep capability.
With the rundown of the Royal Navy fleet in the 1960s, many were sent to become base ships for the Royal Naval Reserve allowing reserve crews to get to sea for short periods without a lot of effort to organise a crew of significant size. Some of these had their names changed to reflect the RNR Division they were attached to. Five of the class in Royal Navy service were permanently converted to patrol craft for service policing of Hong Kong's territorial waters in 1971. These vessels, comprising HM Ships Beachampton, Monkton, Wasperton, Wolverton and Yarnton had their minesweeping gear removed and were fitted with a second Bofors 40 mm gun aft of the funnel. They also received new pennant numbers: Beachampton P1007, Monkton P1055, Wasperton P1089, Wolverton P1093 and Yarnton P1096.[2] Two vessels were converted into survey ships, one an air sea rescue vessel and one a diving tender.[1]
At the start of the Falklands War in 1982, the elderly Ton-class vessels were deemed to be unsuited to the long voyage to the South Atlantic, so five deep-sea trawlers were hired and hastily converted into minesweepers, although the crews were largely taken from the Ton-class mine countermeasures flotilla based at Rosyth.[3]
HMS Kedleston decommissioning at Portsmouth in 1991
The RNR vessels lasted until the introduction of the River-class minesweepers in 1984. The remainder of the regular RN ships began to be retired with the introduction of the Hunt-class MCM vessels from 1980. The last RN Ton-class ship to be withdrawn was also the last to have been built; HMS Wilton had been built in 1971 - 1972 with a hull made of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) instead of wood. She was the first major warship in the world using this technology, which was used for all of the succeeding Hunt-class ships. Decommissioned in 1994, Wilton became a floating clubhouse for the Essex Yacht Club at Leigh-on-Sea.[4]
Ships
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom received 115 Ton-class minesweepers during the 1950s. Several were later sold or transferred to other countries.
sold to South Africa in 1958 and renamed SAS East London
Clarbeston
M1123
18 February 1954
broken up in 1987
Coniston
M1101
9 July 1952
broken up in 1970
Crichton
M1124
17 March 1953
broken up in 1987
Crofton
M1216
7 March 1958
broken up in 1987
Cuxton
M1125
9 November 1953
broken up in 1992
Dalswinton
M1126
24 September 1953
broken up in 1973
Darlaston
M1127
29 September 1953
sold to Malaysia 1960 and renamed KD Mahamiru
Derriton
M1128
22 December 1953
broken up in 1970. The machinery and fittings were reconditioned and installed in the prototype Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) minehunter HMS Wilton, launched on 18 January 1972 and commissioned on 14 July 1970; Preserved 2001
Dilston
M1168
15 November 1954
sold to Malaysia in 1964 and renamed KD Jerai
Dufton
M1145
13 November 1954
broken up in 1977
Dumbleton
M1212
8 November 1957
sold to South Africa in 1958, renamed SAS Port Elizabeth, broken up in 1989
Dunkerton
M1144
8 March 1954
sold to South Africa in 1955 and renamed SAS Pretoria; broken up in 2010
Durweston
M1201
18 August 1955
sold to India in 1956 and renamed Kakinada
Edderton
M1111
1 November 1953
converted to a survey vessel in 1964 and renamed Myrmidon, sold to Malaysia in 1969 and renamed Perantau
converted to a survey vessel in 1965 and renamed Mermaid; broken up in 1970
Swanston
M1185
10 September 1954
sold to Australia in 1961 and renamed HMAS Gull
Tarlton
M1186
18 November 1955
sold to Argentina in 1967 and renamed Río Negro
Thankerton
M1172
4 September 1955
sold to Malaysia in 1966 and renamed Brinchang
Upton
M1187
15 March 1956
broken up in 1991
Walkerton
M1188
21 November 1956
used as Dartmouth Training Ship (Britannia Royal Naval College) in the 1970s; reversed onto the Plymouth breakwater in 1977;[9] broken up in 1990.
Wasperton
M1189
28 February 1956
converted to Hong Kong Patrol craft 1971 and pennant number changed to P1089; sold in 1986
Wennington
M1190
6 April 1955
sold to India in 1956 and renamed Cuddalore
Whitton
M1191
30 January 1956
sold to India in 1956 and renamed Cannanore
Wiston
M1205
3 June 1958
broken up in 1982
Wlkieston
M1192
26 June 1956
broken up in 1976
Wolverton
M1193
22 October 1956
converted to Hong Kong Patrol craft 1971 and pennant number changed to P1093. Sold 1980s and renamed as Wolverton Club. Destroyed in fire 1991.
Woolaston
M1194
6 March 1958
broken up in 1980
Wotton
M1195
24 April 1956
broken up in 1992
Yarnton
M1196
26 March 1956
converted to Hong Kong Patrol craft 1971 and pennant number changed to P1096
Argentine Navy
Ship name
Pennant
Acquired
Fate
Chaco
ex-HMS Rennington purchased in 1967
broken up in 2004
Chubut
M3
ex-HMNZS Santon acquired in 1967
broken up in 2004
Formosa
ex-HMS Ilmington
broken up in 2004
Neuquén
M1
ex-HMNZS Hickleton acquired in 1967
purchased in 1971 and broken up in 1996
Río Negro
ex-HMS Tarlton purchased in 1967
Tierra del Fuego
ex-HMS Bevington purchased in 1968
broken up in 1995
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy bought six ex-Royal Navy minesweepers of the Ton class in 1961, and all were in service by 1962. Individual ships were decommissioned over the years until the final ship in service, Curlew, was decommissioned and repurposed as a civilian fishing vessel. Curlew had been updated as a mine hunter in 1967-1968 while the same treatment was given to Snipe in 1969–1970.[10]
^ abcd"Ton History". tca2000.co.uk. The Ton Class Association. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
^Critchley, Mike (1978). British Warships & Auxiliaries. Maritime Books. ISBN0-9506323-0-9.
^Hoole, Rob (June 2007). "The Forgotten Few of the Falklands". mcdoa.org.uk. Mine Warfare & Clearance Diving Officers' Association. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^"Wilton M1116". tca2000.co.uk. The Ton Class Association. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
^"HMS Alfriston". Ton Class Association. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
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