HMS Cadmus (J230)
History
United Kingdom
Name	Cadmus
Namesake	Cadmus
Ordered	15 November 1940
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast
Laid down	21 July 1941
Launched	27 May 1942
Commissioned	9 September 1942
Decommissioned	July 1946
Reclassified	M230, 1949
Identification	Pennant number: J230
Fate	Sold to the Belgium, 1950
Belgium
Name	Georges Lecointe
Namesake	Georges Lecointe
Acquired	1950
Commissioned	31 January 1950
Decommissioned	1959
Stricken	24 April 1960
Identification	Callsign: ORJB Pennant number: M901
Fate	Scrapped, April 1960
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 Cadmus (J230) was a turbine engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. Launched in 1942 the ship survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1950 as Georges Lecointe (M901).

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

Service in the Royal Navy

The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Ireland. She was laid down on 21 July 1941 and launched on 27 May 1942. She was commissioned on 9 September 1942.^[3]

Service in the Belgian Navy

Cadmus was renamed Georges Lecointe (after Belgian polar explorer Georges Lecointe) and was commissioned on 31 January 1950.^[4]

In 1959, she was decommissioned by the Navy and on 24 April 1960, she was sold to J. Desmedt Burcht Belgium. Her scrapping process started on 19 May.^[4]