HMS Fancy (J308) was a steam turbine-powered Algerine-classminesweeper during the Second World War. She survived the war and was sold to Belgium in 1951 as A.F. Dufour (M903).
The turbine-powered ships displaced 850 long tons (860 t) at standard load and 1,125 long tons (1,143 t) at deep load. The ships measured 225 feet (68.6 m) long overall with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches (10.8 m). The turbine group had a draught of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ships' complement consisted of 85 officers and ratings.[2]
The ships had two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,000 indicated horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). They carried a maximum of 660 long tons (671 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[2]
The Algerine class was armed with a QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk Vanti-aircraft gun[3] and four twin-gun mounts for Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The latter guns were in short supply when the first ships were being completed and they often got a proportion of single mounts. By 1944, single-barrel Bofors 40 mm mounts began replacing the twin 20 mm mounts on a one for one basis. All of the ships were fitted for four throwers and two rails for depth charges.[2]
In March 1944, she conducted her first minesweeping operation off Yarmouth. Then in May, she sweeper the south coast in preparation of the upcoming Invasion of Normandy code named D-Day. Moreover, in June, she cleared ten channels for the invasion force to safely cross.
In April 1945, she was sent to sweep the Adriatic, clearing Venice and Trieste at the same time.
The ship supervised German minesweepers as they swept the waters off Norway in July 1946.
