HMS Bossington

Ship: HMS BOSSINGTON
Pennant No: M1133
Laid Down: 1st September 1954
Completed: 11th December 1956
Built By: John I Thornycroft, Southampton.. Yard Number 4157
Time to Build: 27 months
Commissioned: 25th February 1958 for pitch stabilisation trials as part of Vernon Squadron
Years Fully Operational: 26

Outline of Operational Career:

• 27Jan59 Recommissioned for RNR training & duties with ACR & DNR based at VERNON
• Jan59-Jun64 RNR training, exercises & visits in North European waters
• 1 Oct 62 Vernon Squadron renamed 5th MSS
• 29 Jun 64 Paid Off for conversion to Minehunter
• 1 Oct Recommissioned at Chatham for 11th MSS
• 19 Feb-12 Apr 66 Passage to Singapore
• Apr-Jul 66 Carried out 4 periods Straits Patrol (32 days)
• 1 Oct 66 11th MCMS absorbed into 6th MCMS
• 1 Sept 69 6th MSS moved to Hong Kong as 6th PCS
• 1 Oct-13 Dec 71 Passage to UK round Africa with MAXTON& HUBBERSTON
• 1 Jan 72 Joined new 2nd MCMS based at Portsmouth
• 1972-1987 Minehunting, exercises & visits
• May-Dec 73 Attached to new STANAVFORCHAN
• Mar-Sept 74 Deployed to Mediterranean for Operation RHEOSTAT (Suez Canal Clearance)
• 1976,1978 &1984 Attached to STANAVFORCHAN for 4-6 months
• Jun-Nov 84 Deployed to Mediterranean then Gulf of Suez

Significant Events:

• 9 Oct 62 Collided with HMS Sheraton at Portsmouth.
• Sep-Oct 68 Visit to North Australia (Mackay, Cairns)
• 15 Feb 70 6th PCS changed funnel badge from Blackfoot to red Chinese Dragon
• 30 Nov 71 Towed HMS Zulu (defective main engine) from River Gambia to Dakar, West Africa
• 1 Nov 78 Grounded Loch Tarbert. Towed to Portsmouth for 12 month refit

Paid Off:2nd March 1987
Disposal: 25th January 1989 sold to Brugse Scheepssloperij for break up

VILLAGE

A quaint hamlet coastal on the Bristol Channel, close to Minehead, with many thatched cottages.

The village is part of the National Trust Holnicote Estate, part of Exmoor National Park.

Bossington Hall was built in 1922 by Allan Hughes, an independent ship owner, who made his fortune by importing refrigerated meat from Australia and New Zealand.

His company was eventually taken over by P&O.

No recorded history for the village but considerable tourist activity these days.