HMS BYMS-2203

A YMS-1-class minesweeper
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS BYMS-2203 (J1003)[1]
Laid down15 January 1942 as YMS-203[2]
Launched15 January 1943[2]
Completed31 August 1943[2]
CommissionedUnknown
DecommissionedUnknown
FateReturned to the U.S. Navy, 12 November 1946[2]
History
United States
NameUSS BYMS-203
Acquiredreturned from the Royal Navy, 12 November 1946
Stricken13 December 1946[2]
FateUnknown
NotesNever commissioned in U.S. Navy
General characteristics
Class and typeYMS-1-class auxiliary motor minesweeper
Displacement270 tons
Length136 ft (41 m)
Beam24 ft 6 in (7.47 m)
Draught8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsiontwo 880bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, two shafts
Speed15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement32
Armament

HMS BYMS-2203 (J 1003)[1] was a YMS-1-class auxiliary motor minesweeper originally built for the United States Navy during World War II. Upon completion she was transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease. She was returned to the U.S. Navy after conclusion of the war, and struck soon after. She was never commissioned in the U.S. Navy.

She was laid down 15 January 1942 as YMS-203 by the Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co. of Kingston, New York. She was launched on 15 January 1943 and delivered 31 August 1943 and transferred to the Royal Navy as BYMS-2203.[1]

Little is known of her war record. She sailed from the United Kingdom to Malta as a part of Convoy KMS 43 on 11 December 1943,[3] and, at least for a time, she served in the Pacific.[2] After USS Bangust (DE-739) had already attacked a submarine target 60 miles (97 km) of Roi in June 1944, BYMS-2203 assisted USS Greiner, USS SC-1364, and BYMS-2282 on in searching for Japanese submarine Ro-111, even though, unknown at the time, Bangust’s attack had already been successful.[4]

She was returned to U.S. custody on 12 November 1946 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register, 13 December 1946. Her final fate is unknown.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "HMS BYMS 2203 (J 1003)". Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Radigan, Joseph M. (2006). "BYMS-2203, ex-YMS-203". NavSource Online. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  3. ^ "KMS Convoys – 1942-1945, (U.K.-Mediterranean), Convoy KMS 31 through KMS 50". Retrieved 20 December 2007.
  4. ^ "Bangor" (sic). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy. Retrieved 20 December 2007.
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