Motor Mine Sweeper MMS 110 foot type

For minesweeping in coastal and inshore waters Admiralty had a simple minesweeper of wooden construction projected in 1940. The vessels were to be uncomplicated to be manned by Royal navy Reserve-personnel.

The class was known as Motor Mine Sweepers 110 foot and had the following main specifications:

 

Hull                 105pp/114oa/23/9.5 ft

Displacement 165 tons

Engine            500 bhk diesel engine of various makes

Speed             11 knots

Armament      2x0.5” machine guns

Manning         20 officers and men

 

The vessels were to be of simple construction in order to be built by yards for fishing vessels and leisure craft. Building commenced in the autumn of 1940, and completions followed throughout 1941.

In total 308 MMS 110-footers were built. In addition to Great Britain and Canada, vessels were also built in India. Ceylon, Burma, Jamaica, Beirut and Tel Aviv.

 

The type was said to have poor towing ability for paravanes, but better for LL-sweeping for magnetic mines that German submarine began laying off the British coast. Against acoustic mines Kango-hammers were later fitted on the bows.

 

At the end of the war most were laid up for disposal through the Director of Small Craft Disposal in Cobham, Surrey.

Diesel-driven MMSs appeared quite attractive to Norwegian fishermen and coaster owners, and the first purchased were reported in March 1946. A total of 74 MMS 110 footers were imported to Scandinavia.

Some buyers bought an MMS together with an escort trawler and had the diesel engine fitted in the trawler hull.

 

Following conversion in 1946-50, the MMSs had a useful service life of 10-15 years. In time the hulls proved rather lightly built for heavy cargoes, and the loss rate was extensive. Some kept on into the 1970s, and the last remaining in Norway is the MMS173, still being used as a charter day-trip yacht in Oslo as Lady Mack.

 

MMS 76 2 Kidd 2

MMS 76 as mv KIDD. NSS Jenssen Collection

MMS 2 se MMS 72
MMS 6 Øyland
MMS 9
MMS 12 Simba
MMS 16 Tuvian, Tass, Føyma
MMS 17
MMS 18 Fjellheim, Bringen
MMS 23 Thoreli, Notøy
MMS 24 Dan, Gunn
MMS 25
MMS 26 Skansen
MMS 27
MMS 28 Hordabø
MMS 37 Stensund
MMS 41 Væran
MMS 42 Alvald
MMS 43 Bekkjarvik, Videng, Anko
MMS 44 Flatholm, Talaria
MMS 45 Eiholm
MMS 49
MMS 62 Styrfjell
MMS 71 Hepo, Vepo
MMS 72 Vartdal
MMS 74 Klungsholm
MMS 75 Everi
MMS 76 Kidd
MMS 77 Alcor
MMS 87
MMS 92 Kimmo
MMS 111 Santo
MMS 133 Måsen
MMS 136 Vestfold III, Rambla, Risøy
MMS 137 Brattås
MMS 141 Burin
MMS 149 Solbris
MMS 173 Skuløy, Taftøy, Lady Mack
MMS 175 Rosenberg II, Iselekteren
MMS 176 Buland
MMS 177 Perodd
MMS 192
MMS 206 Alø, Kru
MMS 207 Lucky, Vestfart, Herring, Torvåg
MMS 214 Pax, Ice-Fish
MMS 215 Skudefjord, Møgsterfjord
MMS 216 Rystrøm, Norulf
MMS 218 Alva 4, Spjerøy
MMS 219 Dovre
MMS 221
MMS 225 Bellrock, Standard II
MMS 230 Sjøbris
MMS 232 Forsvoll
MMS 241 Soløy
MMS 249
MMS 250 Harstad
MMS 253
MMS 255 Fremtiden, Hertha
MMS 260 Røfjell, Fjellør, African Queen
MMS 265
MMS 267 Franklin, Teistholm, Nesøybuen
MMS 268
MMS 269 Vigdar
MMS 270 Boknafjell
MMS 277 Ternan, Dugvan
MMS 279 Frydenlund
MMS 280 Lahela III. Lahela, Borgholm
MMS 281
MMS 282 Bømmeløy, Svemann
MMS 284
MMS 287 Gamel, Glomfjor
MMS 298 Produsent
MMS 302 Osland,  Steinvåg
MMS 305 Reidun
MMS 308 Ryøy
MMS ukj 1 Peskot
MMS ukj 2 MMS 374
MMS ukj 3 Silver Darling
MMD ukj 4 Notbøteren