voilà pour ceux qui on connu le Van Haverbeek M902 ex HMS Ready
HMS Ready
mai 1947
ALGERINE-Class Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine propulsion machinery ordered on 15th November 1940 from Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Laid down on 14th April 1942 at the same time as sister ship RATTLER (Later LOYALTY) this ship was launched on 11th January 1943. She was the fifth RN ship to carry this name, introduced in 1797 for a 12 gun vessel purchased at Leith and last borne by a destroyer built in 1916 and sold in 1926. Build of this ship was completed on 21st May and she was adopted by the civil community of Ilminster, Somerset after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign held in February 1942.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC 1943 - NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a field Blue, two flintlock pistols in saltire proper, cocked.
1 9 4 3
May Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 18th Minesweeping Flotilla.
(Note: This was the second Minesweeping Flotilla comprised of ALGERINE
Class ships to be formed.)
21st Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion took passage to Tobermory for work-up and preparation for
operational minesweeping duties.
June After Work-up took passage to Port Edgar to carry out minesweeping training.
Commenced minesweeping training in Forth area.
July Deployed with HM Minesweepers HOUND, HYDRA and LOYALTY in Lyme Bay.
(Note: These ships were part of the 18th Flotilla and detached for this duty in English Channel.)
August Deployed with HM Minesweepers ONYX, HOUND, HYDRA, LOYALTY,
COCKATRICE and newly joined HMS RATTLESNAKE for special
minesweeping operation in English Channel (Operation STARKEY)
(Note: This operation also included 9th Minesweeping Flotilla and was intended to
draw attention of enemy aircraft which would then be vulnerable to attacks
by RAF aircraft who were providing air cover.)
September On release from STARKEY which proved unsuccessful returned to Harwich to resume
mine clearance in North Sea with Flotilla to ensure clear passage for East Coast convoys.
(Note: During Channel deployment the Flotilla came under shore fire from coastal
batteries at Cape Gris Nez which damaged HMS HYDRA causing casualties and
damage necessitating dockyard repair.)
October North Sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
Nominated for duty in Home Fleet with Flotilla.
November Passage from Harwich to Scapa Flow.
12th Sailed from Scapa Flow for detached service in Iceland with HM Minesweepers
HYDRA, HOUND and COCKATRICE.
15th Carried out patrol to intercept U-Boats on passage to and from Atlantic.
December Transferred from Home Fleet to Orkney and Shetland Command for Local Escort
of convoys in NW Approaches and anti-submarine patrol duties.
Took part in anti-submarine search operations and carried out patrol between Faeroes
and Iceland (Operation SF)
1 9 4 4
January NW Approaches deployment in continuation.
7th Deployed for Local Escort of Russian Convoy RA55B with HM Minesweeper
ORESTES of Flotilla, during final stage of passage from North Russia. HMS HYDRA
of Flotilla.
(Note: HM Destroyers WHITEHALL, WESTCOTT, HM Sloop CYGNET, HM
Corvette OXLIP and HM Minesweeper SEAGULL were also part of Local
Escort in NW Approaches.)
8th Detached from RA55B with Local Escort on arrival at Loch Ewe.
Joined Russian Convoy JW56A with HMS ORESTES, HM Corvettes BORAGE,
WALLFLOWER, POPPY, DIANELLA and HM Destroyer INCONSTANT as escort
for initial stage of passage from Loch Ewe to North Russia.
18th Arrived in Akureri, Iceland for shelter with JW56Aafter delay on passage due to
extreme weather conditions on 15th.
21st Took passage from Akureri with escort for JW56A
22nd Detached from JW56A escort with HMS ORESTES and returned to Iceland.
For details of all Russian Convoy operations with names of merchant ships and
escorts, see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B Schoefield, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman, CONVOY ! by P Kemp
and the Naval Staff History.)
Passage to Loch Ewe.
February Deployed in NW Approaches.
9th Deployed with HM Destroyer WRESTLER, HM Corvettes BORAGE,
HONEYSUCKLE, WALLFLOWER ,HM Minesweepers COCKATRICE, LOYALTY
and RATTLESNAKE as Western Local Escort for return Convoy RA56 for final part of
passage into Loch Ewe from North Russia.
11th Detached from RA56 with escort on arrival at Loch Ewe.
March
8th Joined return Convoy RA57 with HM Minesweepers HYDRA, LOYALTY, ONYX and
ORESTES as Local Escort for final part of passage into Loch Ewe from North Russia.
10th Detached from RA57 with Local Escort on arrival at Loch Ewe.
On release from duties in NW Approaches returned to rejoin ships of Flotilla at
Portsmouth
April Carried out essential repairs and routine maintenance following deployment away
from base, Leave granted to personnel.
Nominated for minesweeping support of planned allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE)
May On resuming Flotilla duties joined Force G of Eastern Task Force.
Participation in preparatory exercises with Flotilla and ships of Force G prior to
Operation to be confirmed.
(Note: These included Exercise FABIUS II and a Defence exercise including all
Forces C, G and J which were to be deployed for NEPTUNE
Deployed in Solent with Flotilla to prepare for assault phase minesweeping.
Allocated for clearance of Channel No 6 with HM Minesweepers READY (SO),
COCKATRICE, HOUND, HYDRA, LOYALTY, RATTLESNAKE and ORESTES of
Flotilla.
June Deployed in Solent.
4th Operation delayed by 24 hours.
5th Took passage for clearance of Channel 6.
(Note: Four Danlayers and two Motor Launches were also attached to the Flotilla
to assist in marking of the swept Channel.
6th On completion of the sweep of Channel 6 deployed off beachhead for minesweeping to
ensure safety of anchorage for unloading.
7th Remained in Assault area for minesweeping.
(For details of naval activities before and during Operation NEPTUNE see
OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June
1944 (HMSO).
In addition the Flotilla was deployed to provide a protective ring around the assault
area which included night patrols to intercept enemy interference.
20th Under defect repair.
On completion of NEPTUNE rejoined Flotilla for Channel minesweeping in
Normandy area following completion of NEPTUNE.
(Note: Extensive minelaying was being carried out by midget submarine as well by
other surface ships and aircraft. Mines laid included magnetic and acoustic.
July Flotilla Channel minesweeping and interception patrol duties in continuation.
(Note: During this period HM Minesweeper PYLADES on loan to Flotilla was
sunk by torpedo from a midget submarine.)
August Channel deployment in continuation.
22nd During passage in Channel carrying out minesweep continued operation with HM
Minesweepers HOUND, HYDRA and RATTLESNAKE when HMS LOYALTY
detached after sweep gear parted.
(Note: After recovering sweep gear HMS LOYALTY was torpedoed by U480 and
sank with the loss of 19 of her ship’s company including her captain.)
September Deployed with Flotilla for minesweeping operations of Le Havre.
October On release from Channel duties took passage to Harwich where ships of Flotilla
detached for various duties in Channel area were to re-assemble.
Prepared for minesweeping support of planned attack at Walcheren. Holland.
(Operation CINDERELLA)
(Note: HM Minesweeper TANGANYIKA had joined Flotilla after completion
of minesweeping trials and replaced HMS LOYALTY.
November
1st Deployed with Flotilla to provide clear area required for bombarding ships to
naval gunfire support during landings at Walcheren for CINDERELLA.
(Note: Bombarding ships were HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Monitors
EREBUS and ROBERTS.
10th Deployed off Ostend with HM Minesweepers ONYX, ORESTES, HYDRA,
TANGANYIKA, HYDRA and COCKATRICE of Flotilla.
(Note: HMS HYDRA detonated a mine during this operation and sustained
major damage. Although towed back to Sheerness the ship was
declared a Total Constructive Loss and never repaired.)
December Deployed with Flotilla for minesweeping of coast of Belgium and Holland.
(Note: Military convoys and other shipping were carrying out support of
the allied forces in Europe, using ports which were available..
Extensive minelaying was being carried out by submarines and surface
craft to interfere with this traffic. See Naval Staff History and
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.)
1 9 4 5
January Minesweeping duties with Flotilla to ensure clear passage for convoys to
to May. European ports in continuation. During this period operations were frequently
affected by adverse weather including fog.
(Note: Particular attention was paid to clearance of mines to ensure safe entry into
Hamburg and Cuxhaven.)
June Remained in Channel and southern North Sea for mine clearance.
to August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS READY remained with the Flotilla after the end of hostilities and deployed for mine clearance off the East Coast of UK before being sent to join Plymouth Command for similar duties in SW Approaches and the Bristol Channel. In March 1947 she was transferred to the 3rd Minesweeping Flotilla based at Port Edgar on the Forth and deployed for equipment trials until being Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at Chatham in 1948. Whilst in Reserve she was placed on the Sales List and sold in 1951 for service in the Belgian Navy. Refitted by JS White at Cowes she was renamed JAN VAN HAVERBEKE and served with remained on the Active List for 10 years and on 7th March that 1961 sold for breaking-up at Bruges and arrived at the breaker’s yard during August that year.
Accueil 
c'est vraiment de mon époque 
à bord Axel. 