HMS Kemerton

Ship: HMS Kemerton
Pennant No: M1156
Laid Down: 21st January 1953
Built by: Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast. Yard Number 1517
Completed: 21st May 1954
Time to Build: 16 Months
Commissioned: 8th June 1962 for 9th Minesweeping Squadron (MSS) based Aden
Years Fully Operational: 4

Outline of Operational Career:

• 27 Aug-10 Sep 62 Passage to Malta alone (delayed by defects)
• 11 to 28 Sep 62 Work up at Malta
• 29 Sep-8 Oct 62 Passage to Aden
• Jan-Mar 63 Preliminary deployment to Persian Gulf
• 1 May 63 9th MSS moved permanently to Bahrain
• 1963-66 Patrols, exercises and visits in Persian Gulf, change crew and recommission annually in Oct
• Oct-Nov 66 Passage to UK

Significant Events:

• 20 Feb 63 KEMERTON collided with FLOCKTON during Night Minesweeping Exercise. Both ships seaworthy.

Paid Off: 23rd November 1966
Disposal: 25th October 1971 Sold to Solent Power Boats, thence to Pounds Portsmouth for break up at Poole.

VILLAGE

Cotswold village in South Warwickshire. Kemerton Camp is an Iron Age hill fort on Bredon Hill.

No rcorded history, but Parson's Folly, a two-story stone tower, was built in 18th century by John Parsons, the local MP who wished to increase the height of the hill to 1000 feet, so it could be designated a mountain.