HMS Ledsham was one of 93 ships of the Ham class of inshore minesweepers.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Ledsham |
| Builder | J. Bolson, Poole |
| Launched | 30 June 1954 |
| Completed | 22 March 1955 |
| Fate | Sold April 1971 and renamed Nipatina. After being moored at Deptford Creek, London since 2007 the ship caught fire in January 2017. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Ham-class minesweeper |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 106 ft 6 in (32.46 m) |
| Beam | 22 ft (6.7 m) |
| Draught | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 shaft Paxman 12YHAXM diesels, 1,100 bhp (820 kW) |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Complement | 2 officers, 13 ratings |
| Armament | 1 × Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun / 20 mm Oerlikon gun |
| Notes | Pennant number(s): M2706 / IMS43 |
Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ham. The minesweeper was named after Ledsham, Cheshire or Ledsham, West Yorkshire.
HMS Ledsham is now moored in Deptford Creek, London where it is the centre of the Minesweeper Collective, an artist's cooperative. The minesweeper houses a printing studio, and is a venue for art and music events. After many years moored in Deptford Creek on the night of 5 January 2017 an explosion near the former minesweeper led to the ship catching fire whilst the London Fire Brigade deployed a dozen fire engines to the scene of the fire.[1]
References
edit- ^ Tooth, John-Paul (6 January 2017). "Retired Royal Navy Minesweeper HMS Ledsham Gutted By Boat Fire". forces.tv. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017.
- Blackman, R.V.B. ed. Jane's Fighting Ships (1953)
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