Hunt Dons Different Patrol Role

The sixth of the Hunt class mine countermeasures vessels, HMS Dulverton shifted from her mine-clearance role to become a Northern Ireland Patrol Vessel.

The ship regularly conducts patrols in Northern Irish waters and has been converted to meet the requirements of the task.

Her hunting and sweeping gear has been replaced by a boat deck equipped with high-speed sea boats. These boats carry boarding parties to other ships.

The ship is affiliated to the Somerset town of Dulverton and values links with ‘Old Dulvertons’ who served in her predecessor.

The present HMS Dulverton is only the second to bear the name, with her forebear a Type II Hunt class escort destroyer that distinguished herself in World War II despite a brief two-year lifespan.

Her hull was laid down on July 16, 1940, and less than one year later, she was launched on April 1, 1941 and completed on September 27. Dulverton was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, and in early January 1942 she arrived at Suez to join the 5th Destroyer Flotilla.

In her time she took part in local escort and patrol duties, including Malta convoy operations and as close escort of the convoy during the Second Battle of Sirte in March 1942 when the light cruisers of the Mediterranean Fleet stopped the Italian Fleet. In December Dulverton escorted the first convoy to arrive at Malta since March, marking the end of the siege of the island.

She then moved on to Sicily, and from July 1942 was part of the Eastern Task Force. In October she was part of forces intended to seize and protect the islands of Leros and Kos. On November 12 she returned to Leros with two other destroyers to support the garrison when German aircraft attacked the three warships five miles off Kos with ‘glider bombs’.

One of these missiles struck Dulverton on the bridge, inflicting fatal damage. Three officers, including the Captain (D) of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla and 75 ratings were lost, but 120 men were safely taken aboard her consorts, and HMS Belvoir scuttled the wounded warship.

Libya...........................1942
Sirte............................1942
Mediterranean...........1942
Malta Convoys...........1942
Sicily...........................1943
Salerno.......................1943
Aegean.......................1943
Kuwait........................1991

Facts and Figures
Class:	Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessel
Pennant number:	M35
Builder:	Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston
Launched:	November 3, 1982
Accepted:	October 5, 1983
Commissioned:	November 4, 1983
Displacement:	675 tonnes
Length:	60.3 metres
Beam:	10.4 metres
Speed:	14 knots
Complement:	32
Propulsion:	Two Deltic diesel engines driving fixed pitch propellers through ahead and astern gearboxes
Weapons:	30mm gun, General purpose machine guns
Special:	Dulverton is one of three Hunts to be modified as Northern Ireland patrol ships. Minesweeping gear has been displaced by three Rigid Inflatable Boats