HMS Welshman Mine Warfare ship

1940 HMS WELSHMAN. One of a class of six specially- constructed fast cruiser-mine-layers which were also used to transport ammunition to the island of Malta during the siege that took place in 1941-42.

PURPOSE-BUILT MINEIAYERS

During the First World War, a variety of ships were converted to lay mines, passenger liners; the battleship London; the heavy cruiser Courageous, before her conversion to carry aircraft, and some old large cruisers. Then, in 1924, the first purpose-built cruiser-minelayer, the Adventure, was launched. She proved to be a largely successful experiment, and in 1938 plans were laid for a class of six lighter, much faster ships, starting with the Abdiel, which was launched in April 1940. HMS Welshman was the third of the class to be completed. Built by Hawthorn Leslie, she was laid down on 8 June 1939, launched (one day before her sister-ship Manxman) on 4 September 1940 and commissioned on 20 June 1941.

THE FASTEST SHIPS IN THE FLEET

The tactical thinking behind the creation of a class of fast minelayers was to get them in and out of the target area between last and first light, and thus they were given enormously powerful machinery for their displacement twin turbines fed by four three-drum boilers, which gave them a top speed of very nearly 40 knots. They were the fastest ocean-going vessels in the fleet, and nothing save fast-attack craft could hope to catch them. This speed, combined with the carrying capacity they had on their spacious mine decks, made them equally well suited to their secondary and very hazardous task: supporting the garrisons of Malta and Tobruk, when they were cut off. Latona was lost off Tobruk during the siege, in October 1941 and Welshman was sunk nearby, torpedoed by the submarine U617on 1 February 1943.

TECHNICAL DATA

Type: Fast cruiser-minelayer
Machinery: 2-shaft Parsons geared turbines giving a total of 72,000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 127.4m (418ft); beam, 12.2m (40ft)
Displacement: 2650t standard, 4000t deep load
Draught: 4.5m (14.751t)
Complement: 242