The BYMS class was a class of wooden

motor An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...

minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

s, part of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

YMS-1 class minesweepers. One hundred fifty ships destined for the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

were launched from 1941 to 1943.

Ships

The initial 80 ships were ordered by the U.S. Navy specifically for transfer to the United Kingdom under the

Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and other Allied nations with food, oil, ...

Programme. On transfer to Britain, BYMS-1 through BYMS-80 were assigned the British

pennant number In the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations, ships are identified by pennant number (an internationalisation of ''pendant number'', which it was called before 1948). Historically, naval ships flew a flag that iden ...

s BYMS-2001 through BYMS-2080. Names were not assigned to the class members. A further 53 BYMS vessels bore

hull number Hull number is a serial identification number given to a boat or ship. For the military, a lower number implies an older vessel. For civilian use, the HIN is used to trace the boat's history. The precise usage varies by country and type. United S ...

s from 137 to 284. These were originally built for the U.S. Navy as part of the YMS-1 class and transferred to Britain on, or shortly after, completion. On the

Navy List A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval autho ...

they were designated BYMS, with their original U.S. Navy numbers. The remaining 17 BYMS vessels were delivered in a final batch. By 1949, only 18 remained in service with the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

: ''BYMS-2031'', ''2039'', ''2044'', ''2047'', ''2049'', ''2052'', ''2055'', ''2063'', ''2070'', ''2079'', ''2157'', ''2167'', ''2173'', ''2213'', ''2214'', ''2234'', ''2253'' and ''2279''. Twenty-five were transferred to the

Royal Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy (HN; el, Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, War Navy, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of var ...

between December 1943 and September 1948: ''Afroessa'' (ex-''BYMS-2185'', ex-''YMS-185''), ''Andromeda'' (ex-''BYMS-2261'', ex-''YMS-261''), ''Ariadne'' (ex-''BYMS-2058'', ex-''BYMS-58''), ''Aura'' (ex-''BYMS-2054'', ex-''BYMS-54''), ''Ithiki'' (ex-''BYMS-2240'', ex-''YMS-240''), ''Kalymnos'' (ex-''BYMS-2033'', ex-''BYMS-33''), ''Karteria'' (ex-''BYMS-2065'', ex-''BYMS-65''), ''Kassos'' (ex-''BYMS-2074'', ex-''BYMS-74''; mined 15 October 1944), ''Kefallinia'' (ex-''BYMS-2171'', ex-''YMS-171''), ''Kerkyra'' (ex-''BYMS-2172'', ex-''YMS-172''), ''Klio'' (ex-''BYMS-2152'', ex-''BYMS-152''), ''Kos'' (ex-''BYMS-2191'', ex-''YMS-191''; mined 15 October 1944), ''Lambadias'' (ex-''BYMS-2182'', ex-''YMS-182''), ''Lefkas'' (ex-''BYMS-2068'', ex-''BYMS-68''), ''Leros'' (ex-''BYMS-2186'', ex''YMS-186''), ''Paralos'' (ex-''BYMS-2066'', ex-''BYMS-66''), ''Patmos'' (ex-''BYMS-2229'', ex-''YMS-229''), ''Paxi'' (ex-''BYMS-2056'', ex-''BYMS-56''), ''Pigassos'' (ex-''BYMS-2221'', ex-''YMS-221''), ''Prokyon'' (ex-''BYMS-2076'', ex-''BYMS-76''), ''Salaminia'' (ex-''BYMS-2067'', ex-''BYMS-67''), ''Symi'' (ex-''BYMS-2190'', ex-''YMS-190''), ''Thalia'' (ex-''BYMS-2252'', ex-''YMS-252''), ''Vegas'' (ex-''BYMS-2078'', ex-''BYMS-78'') and ''Zakynthos'' (ex-''BYMS-2209'', ex-''YMS-209'') Ten were transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy between March 1946 and April 1947: ''Borndiep'' (ex-''BYMS-2210'', ex-''YMS-210''), ''Deurloo'' (ex-''BYMS-2254'', ex-''YMS-254''), ''Hollandsch Diep'' (ex-''BYMS-2050'', ex-''BYMS-50''), ''Marsdiep'' (ex-''BYMS-2038'', ex-''BYMS-38''), ''Oosterschelde'' (ex-''BYMS-2230'', ex-''YMS230''), ''Texelstroom'' (ex-''BYMS2156'', ex-''YMS-156''), ''Vliestroom'' (ex-''BYMS-2155'', ex-''YMS-155''), ''Volkerak'' (ex-BYMS-2188'', ex-''YMS-188"), ''Westerschelde'' (ex-''BYMS-2046'', ex-''BYMS-46'') and ''Zuiderdiep'' (ex-''BYMS-2048'', ex-''BYMS-48'').McMurtrie and Blackman, p. 234 Dutch BYMS-class minesweepers in 1948

Calypso

Jacques Cousteau Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (, also , ; 11 June 191025 June 1997) was a French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker and author. He co-invented the first successful Aqua-Lung, open-circuit SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus). Th ...

's well-known

research ship A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...

''Calypso'' was originally built by the

Ballard Marine Railway Company Ballard may refer to: People *Ballard (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia *Ballard, Queensland, a locality in the Lockyer Valley Region Ireland * Ballard, Ardnurcher, a townland in Ardnurche ...

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, Washington, United States. She was a BYMS Mark 1-class motor minesweeper,

laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one ...

on 12 August 1941 with the yard designation BYMS-26, and launched on 21 March 1942. She was commissioned into the

in February 1943 as HMS ''J-826'' and assigned to active service in the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

, redesignated as ''BYMS-2026'' in 1944,

laid up A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed; they are partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; a ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

and finally struck from the

Naval Register A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval autho ...

in 1947.

References

External links

YMS/BYMS class ships
{{DEFAULTSORT:Byms Class Minesweeper Mine warfare vessel classes Ship classes of the Royal Navy

Ships

Calypso

See also

References

External links