HMS Postillion (J296)

HMS Postillion was a reciprocating engine-powered Algerine-class minesweeper during the Second World War. She was ordered for the United States Navy as USS AM 335, but was transferred on completion under Lend-Lease to the Royal Navy as Postillion. She survived the war and was returned to the USN, being sold to the Greek Navy in 1947.

Design and description
The reciprocating group displaced 1010 - 1030 LT at standard load and 1305 - 1325 LT at deep load The ships measured 225 ft long overall with a beam of 35 ft. They had a draught of 12 ft. The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.

The reciprocating ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2400 ihp and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 kn. They carried a maximum of 660 LT of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5000 nmi at 10 kn.

The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in Mk V anti-aircraft gun and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.

Construction and career
The ship was put on order for the United States Navy in December 1941 at the Toronto Shipbuilding Company. She was laid down on 17 November 1942 as AM 335, launched on 18 March 1943 and completed 25 November the same year. At that point the USN had little need for her, and she was transferred to the Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease arrangement, being commissioned into the Royal Navy on 25 November 1943 as HMS Postillion.

After war service she was returned to the USN in December 1946, and was sold to the Greek Navy in 1947 as Machitis. She was finally used as a target and sunk off Crete in 1984.

War Service

 * HX-276 (Departed New York City, 22 January 1944, arrived Liverpool, 7 February 1944 - ESCORT 27/01 - 06/02)
 * OS-120/ KMS-94 (Depart Clyde & Downs, 1 April 1945, Convoy Split 7 April 1945 - ESCORT 03/04 - 05/04)