HMS Walkerton

Ship: HMS WALKERTON
Pennant No: M1188
Laid Down: 4th July 1955
Built by: J I Thornycroft, Southampton. Yard Number 4161
Completed: 10th January 1958
Time to Build: 30 months
Commissioned: 24th February 1958 as Senior Officer 104th Minesweeping Squadron (MSS) based Malta
Years Fully Operational: 26

Outline of Operational Career:

• 3-27 Mar 58 Passage to Malta. Joined 104th MSS as SO
• 30 Apr –11 Jun 58 First Cyprus Patrol (40 days)
• 13 Aug to 8 Oct 58 Deployment to Aqaba and Aden
• 19 Dec 58-27 Jan 58 Second Cyprus Patrol (40 days)
• 20 Apr-23 May 59 Third Cyprus Patrol (34 days)
• 1-21 Aug 59 Fourth Cyprus Patrol (22 days)
• 6-13 Oct 59 Fifth Cyprus Patrol (8 days), then both engines unserviceable.
• Oct 59 Transferred to 108th MSS as SO
• 2 Nov-3 Dec 59 Sixth Cyprus Patrol (31 days)
• 1960 Exercises and Visits in Mediterranean
• 3 Jul-1 Sep 61 Deployment to Aden, Bahrain and Kuwait
• 1 Oct 62 108th MSS renumbered 7th MSS
• 28 May–15 Jun 67 Deployed to Cyprus during Six Day War
• 31 Mar 69 7th MCMS left Malta. Last RN ships to leave.
• 4 Apr 69 Paid off to Reserve at Gibraltar
• 1 Jul 70 Commissioned Devonport as Dartmouth Training Ship
• 1970-79 Day running from Dartmouth for BRNC training
• 26 Jun 77 Attended Silver Jubilee Review at Spithead
• 27 Mar 79 Transferred to RNR Squadron, North West Group
• 11 Jun 79-3 Oct 80 Major Refit at Rosyth
• 11 Oct 80 Commissioned at Rosyth for FP Squadron

Significant Events:

• 28-29 Jan 59 Encountered severe gale north of Crete. 50º Roll. Both Main Engines out of action on arrival at Malta
• 26 Apr 60 Escorted HRH Prince Philip during visit to Malta
• 22-27 Jul 61 First visit of Ton Class to Bahrain (Later 9th MSS base)
• 26 Aug 61 Hit huge shark in Red Sea – underwater damage.
• 16-20 Jan 68 Rendered assistance after earthquake in W. Sicily
• 11 Nov 80 Collision with BRERETON during RAS -Stern damage
• 17 Dec 81 Collision with LEEDS CASTLE. Damage to bow.
• 13 Apr 82 Salvage of French FV ‘Le Croise’ off Isle of Man
• 24 Nov 83 Salvage of German MV ‘Jans Peter’ off Humber

Paid Off: 11th July 1985
Disposal: 20th December 1990. Sold to Ogdens of Middlesbrough for break-up