The ''Cybele'' class was a class of
trimaran
A trimaran (or double-outrigger) is a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (or "floats") which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams. Most modern trimarans are sailing yachts designed for recreati ...
ships, constructed by the
Royal Navy during
World War II for the purpose of clearing
minefield
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
s. Referred to as Mine Destructor Vessels, two ships of the class, and were built in 1944; one was lost following
D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
, while the other survived the war only to be scrapped shortly thereafter.
Design and development
Officially designated as mine destructor vessels,
the ''Cybele'' class was a large
trimaran
A trimaran (or double-outrigger) is a multihull boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (or "floats") which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams. Most modern trimarans are sailing yachts designed for recreati ...
vessel,
[Preston 1987, p.139.] constructed using a
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
lattice truss
A lattice bridge is a form of truss bridge that uses many small, closely spaced diagonal elements forming a lattice. The lattice Truss Bridge was patented in 1820 by architect Ithiel Town.
Originally a design to allow a substantial bridge to be ma ...
framework.
They were intended to be towed through minefields that used
pressure mines, creating a
pressure wave that would detonate the mines; the open lattice construction of the ships would, according to the design, allow the blast to pass through the vessel without causing damage to it.
The ships were constructed under conditions of the utmost secrecy; they were originally referred to as 'Sterling craft',
[Keegan 1977, p.174.] then later designated as being part of the
''Algerine'' class of fleet minesweepers; their design was still
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
*The Classified, a 1980s American roc ...
as late as the late 1960s.
[Colledge 1969, p.18.]
Operational history
Two ships of the class were ordered by the Admiralty, in September 1943. HMS ''Cybele'' was constructed by
William Denny and Brothers
William Denny and Brothers Limited, often referred to simply as Denny, was a Scottish shipbuilding company.
History
The shipbuilding interests of the Denny family date back to William Denny (born 1779), for whom ships are recorded being built ...
on the
River Clyde
The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
, while HMS ''Cyrus'' was built at the
Swan Hunter shipyards in
Wallsend.
Both ships were launched in January 1944; transferred to
Scott Lithgow, located on the lower Clyde, for completion and
fitting out, the two vessels were commissioned in May of that year.
[Chesneau 1980, p.85.]
Both ships of the class saw use during
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...
, the
D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
invasion of northern France; although the two vessels proved successful in operational service, when damaged they were difficult to control, being "as difficult to handle as a battleship".
[Preston 1976, p.194.] ''Cyrus'' was wrecked in the
Seine Estuary in December 1944;
''Cybele'' survived the war, being scrapped in October 1946.
[Colledge and Warlow 2010, pp.98-99.]
References
Citations
Bibliography
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{{WWII British ships
Mine warfare vessel classes
Minesweepers of the Royal Navy
Ship classes of the Royal Navy
World War II minesweepers of the United Kingdom