River Class Fleet Minesweepers (MSF)

Although sophisticated, the Hunt Class had been to complex and expensive to build and operate in large numbers. Hence a cheaper alternative was needed to counteract the threat posed by the Warsaw Pact. In 1978 two trawlers were chartered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to operate with the Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) as deep sea minesweepers. When HM Ships St. David and Venturer were withdrawn from service, a new class of fleet minesweepers, based on a commercial trawler design was developed.

Unlike the Hunt and Sandown classes of mine warfare vessels, the River Class were not built with Glass Re-enforced Plastic (GRP) but with a traditional steel hull. Displacing 850 tonnes they measured 47 metres in length, 10 metres in breadth and 13 metres in draught. Powered by two Ruston diesel engines they had a maximum speed of 14 knots. A complement of approximately 30 personnel included seven officers. They were armed with a single 40mm gun and two GPMG’s. The minesweepers used towed wires to cut the mooring wires of buoyant mines, which could then be destroyed on the surface with gunfire

A total of twelve vessels, all named after rivers, were constructed by Richards at Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth. Unlike the Hunt Class, which is designed principally for coastal work, the River Class was intended to operate in deep water and ocean environments, if necessary for long periods of time without support. Upon entering service they joined the 10th Mine Countermeasures Squadron based at Rosyth and eleven were assigned to various Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) divisions around the United Kingdom. A twelfth vessel, Blackwater, entered service with the Royal Navy. Following defence cuts, Helmsdale and Ribble paid off in 1991 and were laid up at Portsmouth. Further cuts were to follow when the future of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) was reviewed in 1993 and as a result the entire class was withdrawn from RNR service. Blackwater, Spey, Arun and Itchen were subsequently assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron where they replaced the Ton Class vessels patrolling the province's waterways and participating in counter terrorist operations in support of the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). Orwell joined the Inshore Training Squadron and was attached to Britannia Royal Naval College (replacing HMS Wilton) in order to provide young officers with navigational, seamanship, firefighting and damage control training. The remaining vessels were sold to Bangladesh and Brazil. It was thought the Brazilian vessels would be used a buoy tenders, but they are now used as patrol craft.

The four vessels operating in Ulster were withdrawn from service in 1998 and replaced by Hunt Class ships, Cottesmore, Brecon and Dulverton. Orwell remained at Dartmouth until 2000 when she was decommissioned as the last River Class minesweeper in service.

For a personal account of service with the ships of the RNR see Mark Pendleton's Naval Memories.

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© Written and researched by Jeremy Olver. First uploaded 21st October 2000. Updated 10th November 2000. Disclaimer.