HMS Fermoy (J40)

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Fermoy
Namesake	Fermoy
Builder	Dundee Shipbuilding Company
Launched	3 February 1919
Commissioned	July 1919
Identification	Pennant number: J40 / N40
Fate	Damaged beyond repair 30 April 1941 by air attack in Malta and broken up
General characteristics
Class and type	Hunt-class minesweeper, Aberdare sub-class
Displacement	800 long tons (813 t)
Length	213 ft (65 m) o/a
Beam	28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Draught	7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Installed power	2 × Yarrow boilers 2,200 ihp (1,600 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 vertical triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range	1,500 nmi (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	74
Armament	1 × QF 4-inch (102 mm) gun 1 × 76 mm (3.0 in) anti-aircraft gun

HMS Fermoy was a Hunt-class minesweeper of the Aberdare sub-class built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was not finished in time to participate in the First World War, and was crippled by German bombers in 1941 and later scrapped.

Design and description[edit]

The Aberdare sub-class were enlarged versions of the original Hunt-class ships with a more powerful armament. The ships displaced 800 long tons (810 t) at normal load. They had a length between perpendiculars of 220 feet (67.1 m)^[1] and measured 231 feet (70.4 m) long overall. The Aberdares had a beam of 26 feet 6 inches (8.1 m) and a draught of 7 feet 6 inches (2.3 m). The ships' complement consisted of 74 officers and ratings.^[2]

The ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Yarrow boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,200 indicated horsepower (1,600 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). They carried a maximum of 185 long tons (188 t) of coal^[2] which gave them a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).^[1]

The Aberdare sub-class was armed with a quick-firing (QF) four-inch (102 mm) gun forward of the bridge and a QF twelve-pounder (76.2 mm) anti-aircraft gun aft.^[2] Some ships were fitted with six- or three-pounder guns in lieu of the twelve-pounder.^[1]

Construction and career[edit]

HMS Fermoy was built by the Dundee Shipbuilding Company. By 1923 she had become the depot ship for the Submarine Periscope School at Portland and on 14 April Hugh Marrack was appointed in command.^[3]

She was bombed by Italian aircraft off Valletta, Malta, on 30 April 1941, then on 4 May 1941, and was written off as constructive total loss. She was eventually raised and sold for scrap.

See also[edit]

• Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Cocker, M. P. (1993). Mine Warfare Vessels of the Royal Navy: 1908 to Date. Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-328-4.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.