HMS Woolaston

Ship: HMS WOOLASTON
Pennant No: M1194
Laid Down: 27th August 1954
Built by: Herd & MacKenzie Ltd, Buckie Yard Number 126
Completed: 10th October 1958
Time to Build: 49 months
Commissioned: 4th December 1958 for 104th Minesweeping Squadron (MSS) based Malta
Years Fully Operational: 15

Outline of Operational Career:

• 14-24 Dec 58 Passage to Malta. Joined 104th MSS
• Apr 59 First (and only) Cyprus Patrol
• 6 Nov –14 Dec 59 Passage from Malta to Singapore with MARYTON
• 1960-62 Exercises and Visits in South China Sea
• 20-27 Feb 62 First anti-piracy patrol off Taiwau, Borneo
• 5-10 Apr 62 Escorted Inshore MSS Hong Kong to Singapore
• Sep 62-Jan 63 2 North Borneo Patrols (48 days)
• 1963 5 periods of North Borneo Patrol (128 days)
• 1964 6 periods of North Borneo Patrol (138 days)One period of Singapore Straits Patrol (11 days)
• 1965 5 Periods of North Borneo Patrol (71 days)13 Periods of Singapore Straits Patrol (127 days)
• 1966 One period of North Borneo Patrol (22 days)
• 25 Jan 67 Transferred to 8th MCMS based Hong Kong
• 5 Oct 67 8th MCMS disbanded. Reverted to 6th MCMS
• 29 Jan-17 Apr 68 Passage to Gibraltar round Africa with FISKERTON
• 18 Apr 68 Paid off at Gibraltar for Long Refit
• 29 Apr 69 Commissioned for 10th MCMS as THAMES
• 1969-71 Training periods & 10th MCMS exercises at Gibraltar
• 1972-75 RNR training periods & visits based Southampton

Significant Events:

• Jun 58 Located UAR Landing Craft adrift south of Cyprus and towed it to Limassol
• 24 Oct-10 Nov 60 Visits to Burmese ports with 104th MSS
• 25 Jun 65 Booby-trapped sampan exploded alongside in Singapore Straits, killing Midshipman Michael Finch
• April-May 66 Suffered underwater damage from submerged log while on patrol. 11 weeks in Singapore Dockyard on return.

Paid Off: 10th November 1975
Disposal: 14th November 1980 Sold to Liguria Maritime, Sittingbourne – break-up.