Argentine Navy: Minehunter Bathurst and Bouchard

Minehunters "Bathurst" and "Bouchard" Class

Introduction

Given the effectiveness and development of mine warfare during the Russo-Japanese War, at the beginning of World War I, the Hochseeflotte ordered the construction of minesweepers and minelayers, given their lack of means to develop this type of warfare. In principle, the Allied commanders made use of the lack of German units to counteract the mines, blocking trade lines and ports in the North Sea.

By 1914, certain light ships were ordered to take on the role of minehunters, although they proved not to have sufficient conditions to be subjected to the exhausting task of tracking. It was thus that the construction of small, fast units began, with a certain firepower to face possible encounters with allied destroyers, and with mine-sweeping capacity. Its name: Minensuchboot 1914. The construction of some 176 units is ordered, which not all manage to be finished, given the development of the war, as well as the capacity that these would demonstrate.

Of these minelayers, 3 more classes are developed, the 1915, the 1916 and the Flachgehendes. Added to these classes are more armor, more firepower to deal with DD's and a power plant with better features.

This class of ships played a fundamental role in the war, acting as screen ships, patrolling tasks, and demining areas. Many ended up sinking given the rigor of their tasks.

The Argentinian Experience

Given our Country's need to have units capable of lending themselves to patrolling and mining tasks in the southern corners or coasts, by 1920 10 units were acquired from Germany. Of these ships, 4 were "1915" Class, and 6 "1916" Class, all called "Bathurst" Class. These arrive in 1922.

Of the 10 acquired, 6 continued to serve as Notices during the period 1939-1945. These were:

* Golondrina (1922-1955)
* Pinedo (1922-1969)
* Segui (1922-1950)
* Bathurst (1922-1951)
* Thorne (1922-1947)
* Jorge (1922-1940)

Features: 

Minensuchboot 1915 
Displacement: 507-513 tons
Length: 58.20 meters
Beam: 7.30 meters
Draft: 2.25 meters.
Armament: 3 75mm cannons and 30 mines
Engine: 2 3-cylinder triple expansion, 1800-1890 shp.
Speed: 16.3-16.5 knots
Autonomy: 2000 nautical miles at 14 n.

Minensuchboot 1916 
Displacement: 535-630 tons
Length: 59.30 meters
Draft: 2.15 meters.
Engine: 2 3-cylinder triple expansion, 1600-1850 shp.

All other data is the same.

In 1935, and given the experience with this type of units, the construction of 9 more units is projected, but in national shipyards. The task is entrusted to ARS (Astilleros Río Santiago), who in 1936 laid the keel of what would be the first tracker built entirely with Argentine capacity, the Bouchard. This entered service in 1937, and the last one built, in 1940. The units built were the following:

* Drummond (1937-1964) 
* Bouchard (1936-1964) 
* Robinson (1938-1967) 
* Fournier (1940-1949) 
* Granville (1937-1967) 
* Py (1937-1968) 
* Spiro (1938-1962) 
* Parker (1937-1963) 
* Seaver (1939-1968) 

Features: 

Avisos Bathurst Class

Displacement: 450-520 tons
Length: 59.35 meters
Beam: 7.30 meters
Draft: 2.60 meters.
Armament: 2 100mm cannons, 2 20mm AA machine guns, 2 7.65 machine guns and 30 mines
Engine: 2 MAN diesel engines, 2,000 CVE,
Speed: 15 knots
Range: 3000 nautical miles


Minehunter ARA "Granville"


Minehunter ARA "Seguí"


Minehunter ARA "Pinedo"

Sources: Translation from German Navy, Bubble Watcher, among others.