About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 34. Chapters: Ham class minesweeper, HMS Abbotsham (M2787), HMS Altham (M2602), HMS Arlingham (M2603), HMS Asheldham (M2604), HMS Bassingham (M2605), HMS Bedham (M2606), HMS Birdham (M2785), HMS Bisham (M2607), HMS Blunham (M2608), HMS Bodenham (M2609), HMS Boreham (M2610), HMS Bottisham (M2611), HMS Brantingham (M2612), HMS Brigham (M2613), HMS Bucklesham (M2614), HMS Cardingham (M2615), HMS Chelsham (M2616), HMS Chillingham (M2617), HMS Cobham (M2618), HMS Cranham (M2701), HMS Damerham (M2629), HMS Darsham (M2619), HMS Davenham (M2620), HMS Dittisham (M2621), HMS Downham (M2622), HMS Edlingham (M2623), HMS Elsenham (M2624), HMS Etchingham (M2625), HMS Everingham (M2626), HMS Felmersham (M2627), HMS Flintham (M2629), HMS Fordham (M2717), HMS Frettenham (M2701), HMS Fritham (M2630), HMS Georgeham (M2788), HMS Glentham (M2631), HMS Greetham (M2632), HMS Halsham (M2633), HMS Harpham (M2634), HMS Haversham (M2635), HMS Hildersham (M2705), HMS Hovingham (M2637), HMS Inglesham (M2601), HMS Isham (M2703), HMS Kingham (M2704), HMS Lasham (M2636), HMS Ledsham (M2706), HMS Littleham (M2707), HMS Ludham (M2708), HMS Malham (M2789), HMS Mersham (M2709), HMS Mickleham (M2710), HMS Mileham (M2711), HMS Neasham (M2712), HMS Nettleham (M2713), HMS Ockham (M2714), HMS Odiham (M2783), HMS Ottringham (M2715), HMS Pagham (M2716), HMS Petersham (M2718), HMS Pineham (M2719), HMS Polsham (M2792), HMS Popham (M2782), HMS Portisham (M2781), HMS Powderham (M2720), HMS Pulham (M2721), HMS Puttenham (M2784), HMS Rackham (M2722), HMS Rampisham (M2786), HMS Reedham (M2723), HMS Rendlesham (M2724), HMS Riplingham (M2725), HMS Sandringham (M2791), HMS Saxlingham (M2727), HMS Shipham (M2726), HMS Shrivenham (M2728), HMS Sidlesham (M2729), HMS Sparham (M2731), HMS Stedham (M2730), HMS Sulham (M2732), HMS Thakeham (M2733), HMS Thatcham (M2790), HMS Thornham (M2793), HMS Tibenham (M2734), HMS Tongham (M2735), HMS Tresham (M2736), HMS Warmingham (M2737), HMS Wexham (M2738), HMS Whippingham (M2739), HMS Wintringham (M2777), HMS Woldingham (M2778), HMS Wrentham (M2779), HMS Yaxham (M2780). Excerpt: 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. The class consisted of 93 ships, launched between 1954 and 1959. HMS Inglesham 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. The vessels displaced 164tons fully laden and were armed with one 40 mm Bofors or 20 mm Oerlikon gun. They were 32.5 metres (107 ft) long overall with a 6.4-metre (21 ft) beam. The construction was of wood to minimise 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 (410 kW) at 1,000 rpm, plus one 12YHAZ for pulse generation. Maximum speed was 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) dropping to 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) when mine sweeping. The class shared the same basic hull as the Ley-class minehunter and the Echo-class inshore survey craft. HMS Birdham was one of 93 ships of the Ham-class of inshore...
