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HMS Magpie (H130) is currently on deployment
Alongside
Plymouth
This unit is currently on deployment, find out how that might affect you.
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HMS Magpie is the newest addition to the RN’s hydrographic squadron, commissioned in June 2018 to replace veteran survey launch HMS Gleaner. She was named in recognition of the Duke of Edinburgh’s command of her namesake in the early 1950s, and the Duke personally endorsed HMS Magpie’s motto (Lux in tenebris lucet – shine light into darkness) shortly before his passing. She has a ship’s company of 9 personnel and due to her size can be operated at greater range and in more adverse conditions than her predecessor. Her core role is to conduct military data gathering in support of the Defence Hydrographic Programme but will also play a key role in development of future capability by testing a range of off-board, remote and autonomous systems. To conduct her core role she has an advanced sensor suite including a high-resolution multibeam echo sounder and side-scan sonar. HMS Magpie’s 2022 deployment is her most-extensive yet and will include prolonged operations in the north-east of England, and both east and west coasts of Scotland. She will depart Plymouth in early March and is unlikely to return until completion of her deployment in October.
Total length
Total displacement
Personnel
Alongside in her home port of Devonport Naval Base. Training our team and maintaining our equipment to make sure we are fighting fit for the challenge.
Putting our craft, kit and people through their paces so they perform to the highest standards.
HMNB Devonport
Plymouth PL2 2BG Telephone: +44 345 748 4950
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The first of numerous new small craft the RN is acquiring to replacing aging work/support boats, it is HMS Magpie’s task to survey the places other parts of the RN Hydrographic Squadron cannot reach thanks to her size and shallow draft.
That chiefly means updating charts of UK ports, harbours and waterways – in the final months of her life, for example, Gleaner was used extensively to survey the exit from Rosyth… allowing Britain’s biggest warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, to safely leave to begin her sea trials in the summer of 2017.
In addition, she acts as an extra pair of eyes in home waters for anything untoward happening.
Her built-in and towed sonar systems can scan every inch of the working part of a harbour to provide 3D imagery and an understanding of the seabed like never before.
The first HMS Magpie was a Cuckoo Class schooner that was armed with four 12 pounder carronades and carried a crew of 20. She was captured by the French navy in 1807 whom she served until 1828.
The second ship with the name Magpie was a 5 gun schooner and was launched in 1826. She was wrecked 2 months later off the coast of Cuba.
The next HMS Magpie was a 4 gun cutter and was in service until 1845 where she was renamed YC6 and used for dockyard service.
The fourth ship was a Dapper class screw gunboat. She was wrecked in 1864.
The next Magpie was a screw gunvessel. In 1878 she was used as a survey vessel until she was sold in 1885.
The sixth Magpie was a screw gunboat. In 1902 she was used as a boom defence vessel before reverting back to a gunboat in 1915. She was then transferred as a depot ship before being sold in 1921.
The seventh HMS Magpie was a Modified Black Swan class sloop. She took part in convoy duties in the North Atlantic. She was part of the 2nd Support Group (SG2). In 1944 she supported the Arctic Convoys to the Soviet Union. She was also one of the escorts of the D-Day landings to Normandy.
In 1947 the seventh HMS Magpie was reclassified as a Frigate and received a new pennant number F82. In 1950 - 1952 she was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander the Duke of Edinburgh in the Mediterranean. In 1953 she was apart of the Fleet Review that celebrated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. After a trip to South Africa she was broken up in 1959.
The next HMS Magpie was a trawler purchased in 1982 and was used until 1996 for training.
The current HMS Magpie is the ninth ship to bear the name. She replaced HMS Gleaner and was commissioned in 2018.
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