Dates: 1954 - 1987
H.M.S. Clarbeston M1123
Displacement: 360 Tons
Built by: Richards Ironworks
Launched: 18 February 1954
Fate: Broken up in 1987
TUSKAR AIR CRASH: RELATIVES & CELTIC LEAGUE’S QUESTIONS
DDA7. Why are so many log-books related to 24th March 68 no longer available?
This is not the case.
Only the logs of two of the seven white ensign (RN) vessels involved in Op Tuskar cannot be located today (31 years after the event) for the period covering 24 March 1968, namely those of H.M.S. Hardy and H.M.S. Clarbeston. The others are open to inspection in the Public Record Office at Kew (or will be shortly under the 30 years rule).
After supporting the humanitarian search for the crashed Aer Lingus Viscount, HMS Hardy went into a long refit period in Gibraltar in May 1968 (which completed in June 1969). During her refit the ship’s company was reduced to a small long refit party and, as in accordance with normal practise, no log was maintained. H.M.S. Clarbeston went out of service in December 1968.
The logs of both ships should have been dispatched for archiving during the refit and on paying off respectively. It seems that the correct procedure was not followed in these cases resulting in the loss of both logs.
Another possibility is that the logs were used for enquiries into the SAR and salvage operations at the time and not subsequently returned to their ships. This is unfortunate but not unprecedented, and in these instances almost certainly the result of administrative error.
Source; http://www.irlgov.ie/tec/aaiu/1968%20Tuskar/viscount%20V803%20Review%20temp/review%20annex_o.htm
Sole named ship. Sold to Vickers for breaking up 22 June 1970
Notes on Ton Class Minesweepers
The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. They were intended to meet the threat of seabed mines laid in shallow coastal waters, rivers, ports and harbours, a task for which the existing ocean-going minesweepers of the Algerine class were not suited.
The design of the class was led by the shipyard John I. Thornycroft & Company, and drew on lessons learnt in the Korean War, and numbered 119 vessels. They were diesel powered vessels of 440 tons displacement fully laden, constructed of wood and other non-ferromagnetic materials. Their small displacement and shallow draft gave them some protection against pressure and contact mines, and allowed them to navigate in shallow inshore waters. Primary armament was one Bofors 40 mm gun, although the South African variants also had an Oerlikon 20 mm cannon behind the funnel and a M2 Browning machine gun mounted midships. Sweeping equipment was provided for moored mines and magnetic mines. Thornycroft & Co of Southampton was the lead shipyard for the class.
It was originally planned to name the ships after insects, with names like Red Ant, Green Cockchafer and so on, but this plan was abandoned and the Royal Navy ships of the class were given names of British towns and villages ending in "-ton", hence the name of the class.
With the rundown of the Royal Navy fleet in the 1960s, many were sent to become base ships for the Royal Naval Reserve allowing reserve crews to get to sea for short periods without a lot of effort to organise a crew of significant size. Some of these had their names changed to reflect the RNR Division they were attached to.
The RNR vessels lasted until the introduction of the River class minesweepers in 1984. The remainder of the RN ships paid off in the 1990s.
Other Royal Navy Ton Class Minesweepers listed below:
H.M.S. Alcaston, launched 5 January 1953; sold to Australia in 1961 and renamed Snipe; broken up in 1985.
H.M.S. Aldington, launched 15 September 1955; sold to Ghana in 1964 and renamed Ejura; broken up in 1979.
H.M.S. Alfriston, launched 29 April 1953; broken up in 1988.
H.M.S. Alverton, launched 18 November 1953; sold to Ireland in 1971 and re
