Date of Arrival

Place

Date of Departure

Remarks

18.4.35

Cowes

Laid down J Samuel White, Cowes

24.3.36

Launched

18.7.36

Completed. Pennant Number N86 (J86)

"MINESWEEPER LAUNCHED AT COWES, ENGLAND -- The HMS SALAMANDER, a minesweeper sloop of the Halcyon class, was launched at the Cowes Yard recently by Mrs. Alexander Barclay, daughter of Sir Archibald Mitchelion, Chairman of the shipbuilding company that built the vessel. Photo shows HMS SALAMANDER sliding down the ways."

SALAMANDER had two shafts, triple expansion engines and two 3‑drum boilers. With an ihp of 2000, her designed speed was 17 knots (she reached 17.4 kts on trials). Her bunker capacity was 243 tons of oil fuel. 

SALAMANDER (the 13^th ship of the name) was originally armed with two 4" low angle guns and a quadruple 0.5" MG mounting. In 1938 her low angle 4" were replaced by 4" high angle guns and she was later given another quad 0.5" MG mounting. As the war progressed one of her 4" was removed and two single 20mm cannon were added. Then both her quad. 0.5" MG mountings were removed and replaced by two more single Oerlikons. Her final gun armament was one 4" HA and two twin 20mm. Ships of her class were also armed with two depth charge chutes, each carrying two depth charges. When employed on escort duties, however, the depth charge chutes were augmented by two depth charge throwers. About 16 depth charges were then carried. In 1943 when escorting convoys SALAMANDER probably had two double depth charge chutes carrying two depth charges each, two single chutes with one depth charge each and two depth charge throwers with 40 more depth charges. Her Asdic was probably Type 123 and in 1941 or 1942 she acquired RDF Type 271.

THE WAR OF THE HALCYONS 1939‑1945  R A Ruegg World Ship Society 

A Devonport‑manned ship, intended to relieve SELKIRK in the 1st M/S Flotilla, SALAMANDER commissioned at Devonport on 18 July 1936. She exercises briefly off Plymouth and then returned to the dockyard to be taken in hand for attention to a gun mounting. Wt. Eng. A. W. Fairhead had been appointed to the ship on 15 Jan.1936 and Lt.Cdr. M.J.Toole was appointed in command on 30 September. SALAMANDER sailed to Portland in October and was back at Plymouth in December for minor repairs.

Ruegg

1937

CLICK HERE for Annual Report  of Minesweeping 1st November 1936 - 31st October 1937

CLICK HERE for Annual Report  of Minesweeping 1st November 1937 - 31st October 1938

14.1.38

Portland

17.3.38

Salamander will remain under the administration of the Capt F P & M during the reduction to two-fifths complement whilst rearming

17.3.38

Torbay

18.3.38

18.3.38

Plymouth

19.8.38

Salamander will reduce to two-fifths complement at Devonport 30/4 until completion of refit mid-July when she will complete to full complement and rejoin 1^st MSF.

20/4 Taken in hand for refit and rearming. Completes mid-July 38

27/6 Completes 15/7 ex trials and tilt test

5/7 Completed to four-fifths complement at Devonport

18/7 Complete ex depth charge communications, gear not available

20.8.38

Portland

26.8.38

For rendezvous with MS1 at Copenhagen

30.8.38

Copenhagen

4.9.38

7.9.38

Invergordon

20.9.38

9/9 to be brought up to full complement

20.9.38

Nairn

23.9.39

23.9.38

Inverness

23.9.39

24.9.38

Scapa

8.10.38

8.10.38

Invergordon

17.10.38

18.10.38

Rosyth

19.10.38

21.10.38

Portland

9.12.38

9.12.38

Plymouth

14.1.39

Maintenance. On relief in 1^st MSF by Britomart, will join 6^th MSF