HMS Fenton is one of two minesweepers re-commissioned for passage to England after five years in reserve at Aden. The object of the exercise was to prove that such vessels could be brought out of long-term storage and made operational within seven days.

Establishing shot of the gateway to HMS Sheba, the Royal Naval Base Aden. HMS Fenton (M.1135) lies alongside in arked condition - some of the wooden panels have already been stripped off. CUs of a local work gang unshipping the wooden framework from the focsle - they are not very adroit. The plastic cocooning around the focsle 40mm Bofors is cut open with a knife and the felt lagging removed. The barrel is undressed and the lagged muzzle unwrapped. The crew, flown in from England, arrive on the jetty still dressed in their civvies. They are briefed and their baggage unloaded from a lorry. Men receive bedding issue. Unpacking begins in the ratings' mess. Cut to focsle for the commissioning ceremony - Reverend Gibbon officiates. The Captain Naval Staff briefs the men - now all turned out in white dress. MS to the jetty as stern line is slipped. White Ensign is broken out. Arab slips spring and Fenton makes away from the jetty - in the background is HMS Walkerton (M.1188). HA of ship's port bow wave. A float is put over the side in the hoist and streamed astern. CU of hawser being played out through a wire rope measurer.

Notes

Summary: further material on arked minesweepers is in ADM 3502