Commissioned as a minesweeper in 1959, she was allocated to the Special Trials Unit, Portsmouth Dockyard and the Forth Division Royal Naval Reserve, based at Rosyth.[2][3] In 1964 she was converted at Chatham Dockyard to an inshore survey vessel and renamed HMS Waterwitch.[2] Operating in the South Coast Survey Unit with civilian Port Auxiliary Service crew until 1974, she then had a refit before participation in the 1977 Silver Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead.[2] Thereafter, Waterwitch was attached to the Liverpool UniversityRoyal Navy Unit until she was paid off at Portsmouth in March 1995.[2]
Post-naval service
After decommissioning in 1995, Waterwitch was sold to Pounds Shipowners & Shipbreakers Ltd, Portchester and laid up in Portsmouth Harbour.[2] In 1997 she was acquired by "Project M2720", a voluntary non-profit-making group of ex-Royal Navy and Merchant Navy personnel and berthed in North Shields with a view to offering a shipboard training facility for disadvantaged young people.[4]
References
^Colledge, J J. Ships of the Royal Navy: An historical index, Vol 1. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 433.
^ abcdef"Waterwitch". Greenwich: National Historic Ships UK. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
