HMS Abingdon (J23)

History
United Kingdom
Builder:	Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Troon
Laid down:	30 November 1917
Launched:	11 June 1918
Completed:	6 November 1918
Fate:	Sold 1947; broken up 1950
Notes:	Pennant number: J23 / N23
General characteristics
Class and type:	Hunt-class minesweeper, Aberdare sub-class
Displacement:	800 long tons (813 t)
Length:	213 ft (65 m) o/a
Beam:	28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Draught:	7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Installed power:	2 × Yarrow boilers 2,200 ihp (1,600 kW)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 vertical triple-expansion steam engines
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement:	74
Armament:	1 × QF 4-inch (102 mm) gun 1 × QF 12-pounder (76.2 mm) anti-aircraft gun

HMS Abingdon was a Hunt-class minesweeper of the Aberdare sub-class built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

Design and description

The Aberdare sub-class were enlarged versions of the original Hunt-class ships with a more powerful armament. The ships displaced 800 long tons (810 t) at normal load. They measured 231 feet (70.4 m) long overall with a beam of 26 feet 6 inches (8.1 m). They had a draught of 7 feet 6 inches (2.3 m). The ships' complement consisted of 74 officers and ratings.^[1]

The ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Yarrow boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,200 indicated horsepower (1,600 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). They carried a maximum of 185 long tons (188 t) of coal^[1] which gave them a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).^[2]

The Aberdare sub-class was armed with a quick-firing (QF) four-inch (102 mm) gun forward of the bridge and a QF twelve-pounder (76.2 mm) anti-aircraft gun aft.^[1] Some ships were fitted with six- or three-pounder guns in lieu of the twelve-pounder.^[2]

Construction and career

Initially she served with the Aegean Squadron. From 1919-1935 she was held in reserve at Malta, then joined the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla in Malta and Hong Kong. Following a successful Warship Week National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.^[3] Returning to Malta at the start of World War II, Abingdon was damaged by a mine in 1941. She was bombed and severely damaged by Italian aircraft 5 April 1942 at Kalkara Creek, Malta and was beached with a broken back at Bighi. She was broken up there in 1950.

See also

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
• RAF Abingdon
• USS Abingdon (PC-1237)

Notes

1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 98
2. Cocker, p. 76
3. Naval-History.net HMS Abingdon

References

• Cocker, M. P. (1993). Mine Warfare Vessels of the Royal Navy: 1908 to Date. Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-328-4.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.