Ham-class minesweeper

The Ham class was a class of inshore minesweepers (IMS), known as the Type 1, of the British Royal Navy. The class was designed to operate in the shallow water of rivers and estuaries. All of the ships in the class are named for British place names that end with -"ham". The parent firm that was responsible for supervising construction was Samuel White of Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Description
The class consisted of 93 ships, launched between 1954 and 1959. HMS Inglesham (M2601) was the first. They were built in three slightly different sub-groups, the first sub-group, the 26-group, is distinguished by pennant numbers 26xx, and the second and third sub-groups, the 27-group, are distinguished by pennant numbers 27xx. The 26-group was of wood and non-ferrous metal composite construction and the 27-group was of all-wood construction. The third sub-group is distinguished by a prominent rubbing strake around the hull and slightly larger dimensions.

Unlike traditional minesweepers, they were not equipped for sweeping moored or magnetic mines. Their work was to locate individual mines and neutralise them. This was a then-new role, and the class was configured for working in the shallow water of rivers, estuaries and shipping channels.

The vessels displaced 164 LT fully laden and were armed with one 40 mm Bofors or 20 mm Oerlikon gun. They were 32.5 m long overall with a 6.4 m beam. The construction was of wood to minimise the magnetic signature. The crew complement was 15, rising to 22 in wartime.

The engines of this class were Paxman diesels, some of which were built under licence by Ruston and Hornsby of Lincoln. Each vessel had: two 12YHAXM (intercooled) for main propulsion, rated at 550 bhp at 1,000 rpm, plus one 12YHAZ for pulse generation. Maximum speed was 14 kn dropping to 9 kn when mine hunting.

The class shared the same basic hull as the Ley-class minehunter and the Echo-class survey ship (1957) inshore survey craft.

Ships

 * HMS Abbotsham (IMS87)
 * HMS Altham (IMS02)
 * HMS Arlingham (IMS03)
 * HMS Asheldham (IMS04)
 * HMS Bassingham (IMS05)
 * HMS Bedham (IMS06)
 * HMS Birdham (IMS85)
 * HMS Bisham (IMS07)
 * HMS Blunham (IMS08)
 * HMS Bodenham (IMS09)
 * HMS Boreham (IMS10)
 * HMS Bottisham (IMS11)
 * HMS Brantingham (IMS12) (later HMMS Temasek)
 * HMS Brigham (IMS13)
 * HMS Bucklesham (IMS14)
 * HMS Cardinham (IMS15)
 * HMS Chelsham (IMS16)
 * HMS Chillingham (IMS17)
 * HMS Cobham (IMS18)
 * HMS Cranham (IMS19)
 * HMS Damerham (IMS31)
 * HMS Darsham (IMS21)
 * HMS Davenham (IMS22)
 * HMS Dittisham (IMS23)
 * HMS Downham (IMS24)
 * HMS Edlingham (IMS25)
 * HMS Elsenham (IMS26)
 * HMS Etchingham (IMS27)
 * HMS Everingham (IMS28)
 * HMS Felmersham (IMS29)
 * HMS Flintham (IMS30)
 * HMS Fordham (IMS54)
 * HMS Frettenham (IMS20)
 * HMS Fritham (IMS32)
 * HMS Georgeham (IMS88)
 * HMS Glentham (IMS33)
 * HMS Greetham (IMS34)
 * HMS Halsham (IMS35)
 * HMS Harpham (IMS36)
 * HMS Haversham (IMS37)
 * HMS Hildersham (IMS42)
 * HMS Hovingham (IMS39)
 * HMS Inglesham (IMS01)
 * HMS Isham (IMS40)
 * HMS Kingham (IMS41)
 * HMS Lasham (IMS38)
 * HMS Ledsham (IMS43) (burnt to hull, London 2017)
 * HMS Littleham (IMS44)
 * HMS Ludham (IMS45)
 * HMS Malham (IMS89)
 * HMS Mersham (IMS46)
 * HMS Mickleham (IMS47)
 * HMS Mileham (IMS48)
 * HMS Neasham (IMS49)
 * HMS Nettleham (IMS50)
 * HMS Ockham (IMS51)
 * HMS Odiham (IMS83)
 * HMS Ottringham (IMS52)
 * HMS Pagham (IMS53)
 * HMS Petersham (IMS55)
 * HMS Pineham (IMS56)
 * HMS Polsham (IMS92)
 * HMS Popham (IMS82)
 * HMS Portisham (IMS81)
 * HMS Powderham (IMS57) (later HMS Waterwitch)
 * HMS Pulham (IMS58)
 * HMS Puttenham (IMS84)
 * HMS Rackham (IMS59)
 * HMS Rampisham (IMS86)
 * HMS Reedham (IMS60)
 * HMS Rendlesham (IMS61)
 * HMS Riplingham (IMS62)
 * HMS Sandringham (M2791) (IMS91)
 * HMS Saxlingham (IMS64)
 * HMS Shipham (IMS63)
 * HMS Shrivenham (IMS65)
 * HMS Sidlesham (IMS66) (beached and abandoned, Battersea London 2017)
 * HMS Sparham (IMS68)
 * HMS Stedham (IMS67)
 * HMS Sulham (IMS69)
 * HMS Thakeham (IMS70)
 * HMS Thatcham (IMS90)
 * HMS Thornham
 * HMS Tibenham (IMS71)
 * HMS Tongham (IMS72)
 * HMS Tresham (IMS73)
 * HMS Warmingham (IMS74)
 * HMS Wexham (IMS75)
 * HMS Whippingham (IMS76)
 * HMS Wintringham (IMS77)
 * HMS Woldingham (IMS78)
 * HMS Wrentham (IMS79)
 * HMS Yaxham (IMS80) (later HMS Woodlark)

In 1964 Ten of the vessels were allocated to the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service