HMS Spanker

19th MSF Rosyth Training Squadron “ALGERINE” Class Fleet Minesweeper fitted with Turbine propulsion machinery ordered on 15th November 1940 from Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Laid down on 22nd September 1042 at the same time as sister ships RINALDO, and ROSARIO. The ship was launched on 30th April 1943 as the fourth RN ship to carry this name, introduced in 1794 for a Floating Battery built at Deptford which was sold in 1810. A Torpedo Gunboat built by HM Dockyard, Devonport in 1889 and converted for use as a minesweeper in 1909 was the last ship to bear this name and was sold in 1920. This minesweeper was completed on 20th August 1943.and had been “adopted” by the civil community of Stalybridge, Cheshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign held in March 1942.