Our  Ships - Introducing The Minesweeping Fleet

HMAS Snipe
HMAS Snipe (M-1102) was a Ton class minesweeper built as HMS Alcaston for the Royal Navy by John I Thornycroft and Company at Southampton and launched 4th September  1952. The  ship was purchased by the RAN in 1961 and commisioned as the HMAS Snipe 11th september 1962, HMAS Snipe was paid off on 3rd June 1983. She was sold in 1985 to be broken up. 

HMAS Curlew
HMAS Curlew (M1121) was a Ton class minesweeper built by the Montrose Shipyard in England and commissioned as HMS Chediston. She was purchase by the RAN in 1961 and commissioned on 21st August 1962. HMAS Curlew was paid off on 30th April 1990 and was sold on 17th June 1991. Now in private hands in Tasmania, she was used as a set for the movies Paradise Road and The Thin Red Line. 

HMAS Hawk
HMAS Hawk (M-1139) was a Ton Class minesweeper build as HMS Somerleyeton  for the RN by Richards Ironworks , Lowerstoft, England. She waas purchaseed by Australia and commisioned into the RAN on 18th July, 1962. HMAS Hawk was paid off on 7th January 1972 and was sold in 1976 to be broken up. 

For more about the Hawk and her crew click here.

HMAS Ibis
HMAS Ibis (M-1183) was a Ton Class minesweeper built as HMS Singleton for the RN by the Montrose Shipyard in Scotland. She was purchased by Australia in 1961 and commissioned into the RAN on 7th of September 1962.
HMAS Ibis was paid off on 16th January 1968 and was sold off in 1985 to be broken up.

To find out more about the Ibis and her crew, click here. 

HMAS Teal
HMAS Teal  (M1-1152)
was a Ton class minesweeper built by Philip and Son in England for the Royal Navy as HMS Jackton and launched on 28 February 1955. The ship was purchased by the Royal Australian Navy and commissioned as HMAS Teal on 30 August 1962. HMS Teal paid off on 14 August 1970. Sold in October 1977 to I.B. & G.I.Baker of Margate, Tasmania.  A press report in February 1984 stated that  the ship had been bought at auction in Sydney in December 1983 by Messrs Max Murray of Dover, Tasmania, and John Buckpitt and Michael O'May, both of Huon, Tasmania.  It was reported that she was to be converted from a prawntrawler to an abalone catch and fish process vessel.  She is now believed  to be in service in Queensland waters with a tourist operator, and as far as  we  know she is still somewhere in Queensland. For more about the Teal and her crew, click here

HMAS Gull

HMAS Gull (M-1185) was a Ton class

minesweeper built by J. S. Doig

Limited at Grimsby in England as HMS

Swanston for the Royal Navy,

purchased by Australia in 1961 and

commissioned into the Royal

Australian Navy on 19 July 1962.

HMAS Gull paid off on 7 November

1969.Sold in June 1976 to and broken

up in 1987.

For more photos of the Gull and her

crew, click here