View source for HMS Ready (J223)

{{short description|Algerine-class minesweeper}}
{{Other ships|HMS Ready}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:M902 36.jpg
|Ship caption=  ''A. F. Dufour'' (M902)
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Ready''
|Ship namesake= [[Wikt:ready|Ready]]
|Ship ordered= 15 November 1940
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Harland & Wolff]], [[Belfast]]
|Ship laid down=14 April 1942
|Ship launched=11 January 1943
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=21 May 1943
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 1948
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=M223, 1949
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Sold to the [[Belgium]], 1951
|Ship homeport=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship identification=
[[Pennant number]]: J223
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Belgium
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Belgium|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Van Haverbeke''
|Ship namesake= [[J.F. Van Haverbeke]]<ref name=":0"/>
|Ship acquired=1951
|Ship commissioned=4 July 1951
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=June 1960
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: ORJC
*{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Charlie}}
*[[Pennant number]]: M902
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=June 1960
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=[[Ship breaking|Scrapped]], 1961
|Ship motto=*''Semper Paratus''
*(Always Prepared)
|Ship homeport=
|Ship badge=[[File:Van ha10.jpg|150px]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class={{sclass|Algerine|minesweeper}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|850|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (standard)
*{{convert|1125|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (deep)
|Ship length={{convert|225|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|11|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship power=*2 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{convert|2000|ihp|abbr=on|lk=in}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts
*2 × [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
|Ship complement=85
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF {{Convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} Mk V anti-aircraft gun]]
*4 × twin [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Ready'' (J226)''' was a [[steam turbine]]-powered {{sclass|Algerine|minesweeper}} during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1951 as '''''Van Haverbeke'' (M902)'''.

==Design and description==
{{Main|Algerine-class minesweeper}}
[[File:HMS Ready FL14233.jpg|left|thumb|''Ready'' in the 1940s]]
The turbine-powered ships displaced {{convert|850|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1125|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ships measured {{convert|225|ft|m|1}} [[length overall|long overall]] with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|35|ft|6|in|m|1}}. The turbine group had a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|11|ft|m|1}}. The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]].<ref name=l3>Lenton, p. 261</ref>

The ships had two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The engines produced a total of {{convert|2000|ihp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}. They carried a maximum of {{convert|660|LT|t|0}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave them a range of {{convert|5000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}.<ref name=l3/>

The ''Algerine'' class was armed with a [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF {{Convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} Mk V]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]<ref name=c1>Chesneau, p. 65</ref> and four twin-gun mounts for [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm]] mounts began replacing the twin 20&nbsp;mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for [[depth charge]]s.<ref name=l3/>

==Construction and career==

=== Service in the Royal Navy ===
The ship was ordered on 15 November 1940 at the [[Harland & Wolff]] at [[Belfast]], [[Ireland]]. She was [[laid down]] on 14 April 1942 and [[Launched (ship)|launched]] on 11 January 1943. She was [[Commissioned (ship)|commissioned]] on 21 May 1943.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HMS Ready (J 223) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Algerine class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net|url=https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3773.html|access-date=2021-09-06|website=uboat.net}}</ref>

On 29  December 1944 she captured the miniature submarine [[Biber (submarine)|Biber]] 90 which was found with its sole crew-member dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.<ref name=Bullen /> It was towed to Dover although sunk in the harbour before being recovered.<ref name=Bullen>{{cite journal |last1=Bullen |first1=John |date=1989 |title=The German Biber submarine |journal=Imperial War Museum Review |volume=4 |pages=79–86}}</ref>

''Ready'' was [[Decommissioned (ship)|decommissioned]] in 1948.

She was then sold to Belgium in 1951.

=== Service in the Belgian Navy ===
''Ready'' was renamed ''Van Haverbeke'' and was commissioned on 4 July 1951.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Van Haverbeke|url=http://www.marinebelge.be/van%20haverbeke.html|access-date=2021-09-07|website=www.marinebelge.be}}</ref>

Left [[Ostend]] on 5 August 1955 and made a stopover in [[Leith]] ([[Scotland]]) from 22 to 24 and joined Ostend on the 29th, after having patrolled the fishing grounds of the [[Fladen Ground]]s, [[Long Forties]], Old Devil-Hole and Gut.<ref name=":0" />

In 1956, [[Princess Grace]] and [[Prince Rainier of Monaco]], as well as [[Princess Paola de Frankopan|Princess Paola]] and [[Albert II, Prince of Monaco|Prince Albert]] were visiting on board during the Belgian Centenary Days in [[Monte Carlo|Monte-Carlo]].

Surveillance campaign of fishing grounds, joined the port of Ostend on 26 July 1957. On 28 July, she escorted the Tna Kamina to [[Harwich]] ([[Great Britain]]). Set sail from Ostend on 15 August, during which she took part in the Blessing of the Sea ceremonies at Heist-sur-Mer, and made a stopover on 22 to 25 August in [[Aberdeen|Aberdem]] (Scotland), and return to Ostend on 31 August. She returned to her home port on 23 September.<ref name=":0" />

She again left Ostend on 7 October 1957 to begin her 7th and final trip of the year. She made a stopover in [[Hamburg]] from 10 to 13 of the same month and reached Ostend on 15 October. Took part in the communal festivals of [[Vilvoorde]] and visited the port of [[Brussels]] from 18 to 21 October.<ref name=":0" />

The ship was decommissioned in June 1960 and sold for to Mr. Bakker P.V.B.A, [[Bruges]] for scrap on 7 March 1961.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book |last=Elliott |first=Peter |title=Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey |year=1977 |publisher=Macdonald and Jane's|location=London |isbn=0-356-08401-9 }}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|authorlink=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}

==External links==
* [https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3773.html HMS Ready at uboat.net]

{{Algerine class minesweepers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ready (J223)}}
[[Category:Algerine-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Belfast]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]
[[Category:World War II minesweepers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Algerine-class minesweepers of the Belgian Navy]]