HMS Asheldham

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Asheldham
Namesake	Asheldham
Builder	Philip and Son
Launched	9 September 1953
Completed	9 September 1954
Fate	Transferred to Malaysia, 1 April 1959
Notes	Pennant number(s): M2604 / IMS04
Malaysia
Name	KD Sri Perlis
Acquired	1 April 1959
Fate	broken up 1967
General characteristics
Class and type	Ham-class minesweeper
Displacement	120 long tons (122 t) standard; 159 long tons (162 t) full load;
Length	100 ft (30 m) p/p; 106 ft 6 in (32.46 m) o/a;
Beam	21 ft (6.4 m)
Draught	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Propulsion	2 shaft Paxman diesels; 1,100 bhp (820 kW);
Speed	14 knots (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Complement	15
Armament	1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun

HMS Asheldham was one of 93 ships of the Ham class of inshore minesweepers.

Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ham. The minesweeper was named after Asheldham in Essex.

HMS Asheldham (Pennant number M2604) was a member of the first series of Ham-class minesweepers, with composite wood and aluminium construction. It was built by Philip and Son of Dartmouth, Devon and was completed on 9 September 1953.^[2]^[3]

Asheldham served as part of the 232nd Mine Sweeper Squadron at Harwich in Essex from 1954 to 1956, after which it was placed into reserve.^[4] The Ham class had proved too small to carry modern minesweeping equipment and most of the class were withdrawn from use or transferred to secondary roles.^[2]

The ship was transferred to the Royal Malayan Navy on 1 April 1958, being renamed Sri Perlis.^[5] Following transfer, Sri Perlis' 40mm Bofors gun and minesweeping gear was removed and replaced by three 20 mm Oerlikon cannon,^[6] although the minesweeping gear was later re-fitted, with the ship retaining a single Oerlikon gun.^[7]

References[edit]

^ "Ham Class Minesweepers". www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gardiner and Chumbley, 1995, p. 541.
^ Worth 1986, p. 123.
^ Worth 1986, pp. 2, 125.
^ Worth 1986, p. 125.
^ Blackman 1960, p. 82.
^ Blackman 1962, p. 162.

Sources[edit]

Blackman, Raymond V.B., ed. Jane's Fighting Ships 1952–1953. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1953.
Blackman, Raymond V. B. (1960). Jane's Fighting Ships 1960–61. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
Blackman, Raymond V. B. (1962). Jane's Fighting Ships 1962–63. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
Worth, Jack (1986). British Warships Since 1945: Part 4: Minesweepers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 0-907771-12-2.