~ HMS Kildarton 1956 M1162 Ton Class Mine Sweeper Nameboard ~
The name board has heavy bronze letters screwed onto an oak backing board.
~ HMS Kildarton ~
The Ton class were coastal minesweepers built in the 1950s for the Royal Navy, but also used by other navies such as the South African Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. They were intended to meet the threat of seabed mines laid in shallow coastal waters, rivers, ports and harbours, a task for which the existing ocean-going minesweepers of the Algerine-class were not suited.
Ship: HMS KILDARTON
Pennant No: M1162
Laid Down: 30th July 1954
Built by: Harland & Wolff, Belfast. Yard Number 1523
Completed: 25th November 1955
Time to Build: 16 months
Commissioned: January 1956 for 108th Minesweeping Squadron (MSS) based Malta
Years Fully Operational: 4
Outline of Operational Career:
5 Jul–14 Jul 56 Passage to Malta to Join 108th MSS
Jul-Nov 56 Cyprus Patrols
6 Nov-12 Nov 56 Operation MUSKETEER. At Port Said
Dec 1956 Transferred to 104th MSS
1957-59 At Malta and Cyprus Patrols
16 Mar 59 Paid off to Reserve Malta
Oct 1960 Towed to Singapore for Reserve Fleet, Far East
17 May 65 Commissioned for 11th Minesweeping Squadron
1965-66 Singapore Straits and Borneo Patrols
12-31 May 66 Passage to Aden
22 Mar 67 Arrived Portsmouth to pay off
Significant Events:
05-06 Nov 56 Took part in Operation MUSKETEER – Wire then Influence Sweeper
Paid Off: April 1967
Disposal: September 1969. Sold for Conversion to Oil Rig Supply Ship.
~ Condition ~
The board and lettering are in general, good order. There are a few cracks to the wood.
~ Dimension ~
The name board is 137 cm (54 inches) wide and 23 cm (9 inches) tall.
The letters are 12.5 cm (5 inches) tall.
#11452
