Name Pickle Launched 3 August 1943 Name Parakrama Draft 3.89 m | Laid down 11 January 1943 Completed 15 October 1943 Acquired 1958 Builder Harland and Wolff | |
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HMCyS Parakrama, was an Algerine-class minesweeper of the Royal Ceylon Navy, originally built as HMS Pickle (J293) for the Royal Navy during World War II, and transferred to Ceylon by the United Kingdom in 1958. She was scrapped in 1964.
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Design and description
The reciprocating group displaced 1,010–1,030 long tons (1,030–1,050 t) at standard load and 1,305–1,325 long tons (1,326–1,346 t) at deep load The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). They had a draught of 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.
The reciprocating ships had two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).
The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V anti-aircraft gun 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 mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.
Royal Navy service
During construction Pickle was adopted by the civil community of Lunedale in Lancashire during Warship Week in 1942. On commissioning she was based at Tobermory.
In January 1944 she joined the 7th Minesweeping Flotilla and was allocated for minesweeping suties as part of Operation Neptune, the naval component of the Normandy Landings in June 1944.
In 1945 she travelled to the Far East to undertake minesweeping duties to support landings at Rangoon. She returned to the UK in September 1945 for paying off. She did attend the Coronation Review at Spithead in 1953. She was placed in reserve and remained there until earmarked for disposal in 1957.
Ceylon Navy service
In 1958 she was transferred to Ceylon with a formal transfer taking place in Devonport on 6 April 1959.
She remained in service until 1964, after which she was scrapped.