HMS Rifleman
Ship Number
1205
Vessel Type
Algerine Class Minesweeper
Built
Belfast
Slip Number
1
Launch Date
November 25, 1943
Launched By
Mrs Pirie
Delivered
February 11, 1944
Owner
Admiralty
Weight
1084 grt
BP Length
212-6 feet
Breadth
35-5 feet
No. of Screws
Twin
Speed (approx)
16.5 knots
Propulsion
Parsons Single Reduction Geared Turbines 2000 SHP
Official No.
Registered
Fate
Scrapped
HMS Rifleman

Pennant No. J299
 
These were the largest minesweepers ever built for the Royal Navy, and were frequently used as escort vessels during World War II.
 
The reason was that they were designed to combat every single type of mine around. They were 40 feet longer and 7 feet beamier than the previous "Bangor class", the design was so successful, it continued right through the war until the cessation.
 
Rifleman spent some years during the early 1960\'s in the Vickers Shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness as an accommodation ship for Royal Navy crews attending the building of RN submarines especially the two Polaris Submarines Resolution and Repulse.
 
She was placed on the Disposal List in 1972 and sold to BISCO for breaking by W H Arnott Young at Dalmuir.