Built as a mine-sweeper under yard No 4240 by Vosper Thornycroft at Woolston for the Royal Navy.
15 September 1975 keel laid down.
21 June 1978 launched as the HMS BRECON (M29), christened by the Duchess of Kent.
Displacement 615 ton standard, 725 ton full load. Dim. 60 x 9.85 x 2.2m. (draught)
Powered by two Ruston-Paxman 9-59k Deltic diesel engines, 1,900 bhp, twin screws, speed 15 knots.
Range by a speed of 12 knots, 1,500 mile.
Armament 1 – 30mm/75 Oerlikon, 2 – 20mm, 2 – 7.62mm MG.
Crew 45.
21 March 1980 commissioned.
She is the first of the Hunt class mine-sweepers, and built of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) hull.
After commissioned joined the First Mine Countermeasures Squadron based at Portsmouth.
Shortly after becoming fully operational she was deployed on the South Atlantic in company with her sister ship the HMS LEDBURY
In the South Atlantic she was supported by RMS ST HELENA for mine clearance and bomb disposal operations around the Falkland Islands after the ceasefire.
Was used in the Gulf War of 1991.
1998 Assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron.
She was the guardship to the Tall Ship Race which left Greenock on 02 August 1999.
January 2004 she was the first British navy vessel commanded by a woman, Lieutenant Charlotte Atkinson took over command.
19 July 2005 decommissioned.
February 2008 in use as a static training vessel at Jupiter Point, near Plymouth.
2010 In service still based at Jupiter Point.
St Helena 1992 20p sg613, scott576. 1992 20 + 4p sgMs616, scott579b. 2012 £1 sg?, scott?
Source: Marine News. Jane’s. Wikipedia.