View source for HMAS Snipe

{{EngvarB|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{Shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Alcaston''
|Ship builder=[[John I. Thornycroft and Company]]
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=4 September 1952
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Sold to Australia
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Australia
|Ship flag={{Shipboxflag|Australia|naval}}
|Ship name=''Snipe''
|Ship acquired=1961
|Ship commissioned=11 September 1962
|Ship decommissioned=3 June 1983
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=*'''Battle honours:'''
*Malaysia 1964–66
|Ship fate=Decommissioned
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship class={{sclass2|Ton|minesweeper}}
|Ship displacement=440 tons
|Ship length={{Convert|152|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{Convert|28|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{Convert|8|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=Originally [[MAN B&W Diesel|Mirrlees diesel]], later [[Napier Deltic]], producing {{Convert|3000|shp|kW|abbr=on}} on each of two shafts
|Ship speed=  {{Convert|15|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship complement=33
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 × [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun]]
*1 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]
*1 × [[M2 Browning machine gun]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMAS ''Snipe'' (M1102)''' (formerly '''HMS ''Alcaston''''') was a {{sclass2|Ton|minesweeper}} which served in the [[Royal Navy]] (RN) and [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN).

==Construction==
The ship was constructed by [[John I. Thornycroft and Company]] at [[Southampton]] and [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 4 September 1952.

==Operational history==

===United Kingdom===
The ship was completed on 16 December 1952, and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] in the Royal Navy as HMS ''Alcaston'', being allocated the pennant number M.1102.<ref name="worth p76">Worth 1986, p. 76.</ref> ''Alcaston'' served with the 104th Mine Sweeping Squadron, and in November 1956 took part in [[Operation Musketeer (1956)|Operation Musketeer]], the Anglo-French attack on the [[Suez Canal]].<ref name="Worth p79">Worth 1986, p. 79.</ref> In 1961 she was sold to Australia along with five other Ton-class minesweepers.<ref name="jfs71 p23"/>

===Australia===
Following her sale, the ship was refitted with her engines replaced by [[Napier Deltic]] diesel engines, stabilisers being fitted and air conditioning added to better suit the ship for Australian service.<ref name="Worth p79"/><ref name="jfs71 p23"/> The ship recommissioned as HMAS ''Snipe'' on 11 September 1962.<ref name="jfs71 p23">Blackman 1971, p. 23.</ref>

In September 1963, ''Snipe'' took part in Operation ''Gardening'', a large scale operation by Australian minesweepers to clear magnetic mines laid during the Second World War in the approaches to Tonolei harbour, [[Autonomous Region of Bougainville|Bouganville]].<ref name="hmas snipe">{{cite web|title=HMAS Snipe| publisher=Royal Australian Navy|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-snipe|accessdate=10 July 2016}}</ref> On 10 February 1964, the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|2}} and destroyer {{HMAS|Voyager|D04|2}} [[Melbourne–Voyager collision|collided]], sinking ''Voyager''. ''Snipe'' took part in search for survivors from ''Voyager''.<ref name="hmas snipe"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Naval Ships Collide: Voyager Sunk|work=[[The Canberra Times]]|date=11 February 1964|page=1|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131743204}}</ref> During the mid-1960s, ''Snipe'' was one of several ships operating in support of the Malaysian government during the [[Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation]]. This service was later recognised with the [[battle honour]] "Malaysia 1964–66".<ref name=newhonours>{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |title=Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |archivedate=13 June 2011 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=honourslist>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |title=Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064156/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Units_entitlement_list.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 |accessdate=23 December 2012}}</ref> Her first tour took place between May 1964 and January 1965,<ref name="hmas snipe"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Minesweepers return home|work=The Canberra Times|date=29 January 1965|page=7|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105826114}}</ref> with a second tour lasting from September 1965 to August 1966. On 16 December that year, ''Snipe'' was [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|paid off]] into reserve.<ref name="hmas snipe"/>

''Snipe'' remained in RAN service until her [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioning]] on 3 June 1983.

==References==

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72|year=1971|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd|location=London|isbn=0-354-00096-9}}
*{{cite book|last=Worth|first=Jack|title=British Warships Since 1945: Part 4: Minesweepers|year=1986|publisher=Maritime Books|location=Liskeard, UK|isbn=0-907771-12-2}}
{{Ton class minesweeper}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Snipe}}
[[Category:Ton-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Southampton]]
[[Category:1952 ships]]
[[Category:Cold War minesweepers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ton-class minesweepers of the Royal Australian Navy]]
[[Category:Cold War minesweepers of Australia]]
[[Category:Ships built by John I. Thornycroft & Company]]