History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Blaxton
NamesakeVillage of Blaxton, Doncaster
Launched21 June 1955
FateTransferred to Irish Naval Service
Republic of Ireland
NameLÉ Fola
NamesakeFóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Acquired22 February 1971
Commissioned23 February 1971
Decommissioned1987
IdentificationCM12
FateSold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and typeTon-class minesweeper
Displacement360 tonnes
Length42.67 m (140.0 ft) overall
Beam8.4 m (28 ft)
Draught2.49 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed28 km/h (15 kn) maximum
Complement30
Armament

LÉ Fola (CM12) was a Ton-class minesweeper of the Irish Naval Service.

Launched in 1955 as HMS Blaxton (M1132) for the Royal Navy (RN),[1] the minesweeper was transferred to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971, and renamed after Fóla, a legendary queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann and a poetic name for Ireland.

The minehunter remained in service until 1987, when she was sold for breaking.[2]

Irish Naval Service

HMS Blaxton was handed over to the Irish Naval Service on 22 February 1971. Together with Banba (previously HMS Alverton), the newly acquired vessel was commissioned as Fola the next day.[2][3]

Following her commissioning, Fola in company with Banba, worked up in the Western Mediterranean so that they could complete Harbour Acceptance Trials and Sea Acceptance Trials. On 20 March both ships left the Mediterranean for home, however on the way a storm blew up forcing them to take refuge in Lisbon. The two newest additions to the Navy finally arrived on 29 March 1971, and were used for training and fisheries protection.[4]

Decommissioning and fate

In 1987, Fola was decommissioned and sold to Spanish interests for breaking.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Moore, John E., ed. (1978). Jane's Fighting Ships 1978–79. London: Macdonald and Jane's. p. 250. ISBN 0-354-00570 7.
  2. 1 2 3 "Naval Service - Fleet History". military.ie. Irish Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Éire". Warship International. International Naval Research Organization. 8: 232. 1971. Minesweepers recently acquired from RN have been named Banba (ex-Alverton), Fola (ex-Blaxton) & Grainne (ex-Oulston)
  4. ↑ "RTÉ Archives - Policing Irish Waters Against Poachers". RTÉ. 1971. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Three decommissioned 1950s minesweepers, all unused, were purchased from Britain to serve the Irish Navy's dual peacetime roles of defence training and fisheries protection. These minesweepers, LÉ Banba, LÉ Fola and LÉ Grainne [..] will be judged on their ability to protect Irish waters against poaching trawlers


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