Abdiel class minelayer

The "Abdiel" class were a class of six fast minelayers commissioned into the Royal Navy and active during World War II. They were also known as the "Manxman" class and as "mine-laying cruisers".

Design

The Royal Navy ordered the first four ships in 1938, with a further 2 acquired as part of the War Emergency Programme. They were specifically designed for the rapid laying of minefields in enemy waters, close to harbours or sea lanes. As such they were required to be very fast and to possess sufficient anti-aircraft weaponry to defend themselves if discovered by enemy aircraft.

A large mineload of up to 150 mines was required to be carried under cover, therefore a long, flushdecked hull with high freeboard was required. The mines were laid through doors in her stern and she carried her own cranes for loading.In size they were almost as long as a cruiser, but laid out much like a large destroyer. However, the three straight funnels were an instant identifying feature. Top speed was specified as convert|40|kn|km/h|0. To achieve this they were given a full cruiser set of machinery and with an installed output of 72,000 shp on four shafts they made 39¾ knots light and convert|38|kn|km/h|0 deep load. To put this into perspective, the contemporary "Town" class cruisers had 80,000 shp and a full load displacement of 12,980 tons, just short of 4 times that of the "Abdiels".

The ships were initially to be armed much as destroyers, with three twin CP Mark XIX mounts for the QF 4.7 inch Mark XII gun (which had a maximum elevation of only 40°) in 'A', 'B' and 'X' positions, a quadruple "multiple pom-pom" mounting Mark VIII for the QF 2-pdr Mark VIII and a pair of quadruple 0.5 inch Vickers machine guns.

Wartime modifications involved adding Radar Type 279 at the masthead, a primitive metric wavelength air warning set, later replaced by Type 286 then Type 291 as they became available. Radar Type 285 was fitted to the rangefinder-director on the bridge, this was a metric set and could provide target ranging and bearing information. The centimetric Radar Type 272, a target indication set with plan position indicator (PPI), was fitted to the front leg of the foremast. Following the loss of "Latona" to air attack, the surviving ships were re-armed with three twin HA/LA Mark XIX mounts for the QF 4 inch L/45 Mark XIV gun with an elevation of 70° to remedy the shortcomings in anti-aircraft defence. Those on the stocks were armed with these mountings from new, but 'B' mount was suppressed and replaced (in "Ariadne" only) by a twin "Hazemeyer" mounting Mark IV for the 40 mm Bofors. Both "Ariadne" and "Apollo" had two such mountings sided amidships, replacing the pom-pom in 'Q' position, and these mounts carried their own Radar Type 282 for target ranging. Six single 20 mm Oerlikon guns were initially added on pedestal mountings P Mark III, although these were later replaced by powered twin mountings Mark V. In 1945 "Ariadne" was refitted in the United States in July 1945 for far eastern service, when the Bofors mounts were replaced by American pattern models (Mark I) with off-mounting "simple tachymetric directors" (STD) fitted with Radar Type 282 and the Oerlikon mounts regunned with Bofors guns (this combination was known as the "Boffin").

ervice

Although they were effective ships in their intended role, the combination of high internal capacity and exceptionally high speed meant that they were extremely valuable fast transports. As such for much of their service they were used for running supplies; particularly men and matériel to isolated garrisons such as during the siege of Tobruk and Malta in Operation "Harpoon". With three funnels and the outline of a destroyer, "Welshman" was camouflaged to appear like the Vichy French "contre torpilleurs" (large destroyer) "Le Tigre" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/88/a1985088.shtml BBC World War II; People's War, retrieved August 30, 2006] . For this, a false bow was fitted, funnel caps were added, the mine chutes were plated over and a false deckline was painted on to camouflage the high flush-deck. "Manxman" received a similar disguise to pass for the Vichy cruiser "Leopard" so it could pass Corsica and mine the approaches to Livorno.

"Latona" was hit by a 250 pound bomb in the engine room that caused a serious fire, which spread to the munitions she was carrying and caused her loss on October 25 1941. "Welshman" was torpedoed and sunk by "U617" in 1943. "Manxman" took a torpedo in her engine room but survived, although repairs took 2 years.

"Apollo", "Ariadne" and "Manxman" survived the war and saw post-war service, with pennant number flag superior changed from "M" to "N". "Apollo" served as a despatch vessel and "Manxman" as a mine warfare support ship.

A story - or legend - has grown that, during the Suez Crisis of 1956, "Manxman" overawed an American Carrier Group. "Manxman" reportedly shadowed them; the US Admiral increased speed, eventually to 'Devil take the hindmost' - over thirty knots - and then "Manxman" swept past - showing the signal "See you in Egypt". It is far from clear whether this episode happened, or is an attempt to gain some credibility for the British from their humiliation of the Suez Affair; 'knowledge' about it was common in the Merchant Navy of the 1970s.

hips

1938 group

*"Abdiel" (M39) — built by J. Samuel White & Company, Cowes, laid down 29 March 1939, launched April 23 1940, completed April 15 1941, sunk by mines 9 September 1943 in Taranto Bay
*"Latona" (M76) — built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston, laid down March 4 1939, launched August 20 1940, completed May 4 1941, bombed by Italian aircraft off Libya north of Bardia and foundered 25 October 1941
*"Manxman" (M70) — built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Linthouse, laid down March 24 1939, launched September 5 1940, completed June 20 1941, sold for scrapping 1972
*"Welshman" (M48) — built by Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn, laid down June 8 1939, launched September 4 1940, completed August 25 1941, torpedoed by "U617" off Crete 1 February 1943

War Emergency Programme (WEP) group

* "Ariadne" — built by A. Stephen & Sons Ltd, laid down October 10 1941, launched April 5 1943, commissioned February 12 1944, sold for scrapping June 1965
* "Apollo" — built by Stephens, laid down November 15 1941, launched February 2 1944, completed October 9 1943, sold for scrapping 1962

References

* "British and Empire Warships of the Second World War", H T Lenton, Greenhill Books, ISBN 1-85367-277-7
* "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946", Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8