HMS Onyx (J221)

	HMS Onyx
History
United Kingdom
Name	Onyx
Namesake	Onyx
Ordered	15 November 1940
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Laid down	24 November 1941
Launched	27 October 1942
Commissioned	26 March 1943
Identification	Pennant number: J221
Fate	Scrapped, 1967
General characteristics
Class and type	Algerine-class minesweeper
Displacement	850 long tons (864 t) (standard); 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) (deep);
Length	225 ft (69 m) o/a
Beam	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Installed power	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers; 2,000 ihp (1,500 kW);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines;
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	85
Armament	1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun; 4 × twin Oerlikon 20 mm cannon;

HMS Onyx (J221) was a turbine engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War.

Design and description

The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.^[1]

The ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[1]

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun^[2] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.^[1]

Construction and career

The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was laid down on 24 November 1941 and launched on 27 October 1942. The ship was commissioned on 26 March 1943.^[3]

On 5 April 1967, she was put on the disposal list and sold to BISCO for scrap.

References

1 2 3 Lenton, p. 261
↑ Chesneau, p. 65
↑ "HMS Niger (iii) (J 442) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

Bibliography

Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
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.
Elliott, Peter (1977). Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-356-08401-9.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.

External links

"HMS Onyx (J 221) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

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[l3-1] 1 2 3 Lenton, p. 261

[c1-2] Chesneau, p. 65

[3] "HMS Niger (iii) (J 442) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

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