| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Powderham |
| Builder | J. Samuel White, Cowes |
| Launched | 27 November 1958 |
| Completed | 22 May 1960 |
| Decommissioned | March 1995 |
| Reclassified | survey vessel, 1964 |
| Fate | Sold 1986 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Ham-class minesweeper |
| Notes | Pennant number: M2720 |
HMS Powderham was one of 93 ships of the Ham class of inshore minesweepers named after villages ending in -ham, in this case Powderham in Devon. She was launched on 27 November 1958 by J. Samuel White & Company Ltd, Cowes and commissioned in 1959.[1] She was allocated pennant number M 2720.[2][3]
Commissioned as a minesweeper in 1959, she was allocated to the Special Trials Unit, Portsmouth Dockyard and the Forth Division Royal Naval Reserve, based at Rosyth.[2][3] In 1964 she was converted at Chatham Dockyard to an inshore survey vessel and renamed HMS Waterwitch.[2] Operating in the South Coast Survey Unit with civilian Port Auxiliary Service crew until 1974, she then had a refit before participation in the 1977 Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead.[2] Thereafter, Waterwitch was attached to the Liverpool University Royal Navy Unit until she was paid off at Portsmouth in March 1995.[2]
