The Dance class of World War II were armed trawlers of the Royal Navy. They were used for anti-submarine (A/S) and minesweeping work and were nearly identical to the Isles class, of which they are usually considered a subclass.

HMT Foxtrot in December 1942
Class overview
NameDance class
Operators
Built1940–1941
In service1940–1946
Completed20
General characteristics
TypeArmed trawler
Displacement545 tons
Length164 ft (50 m)
Beam27 ft 8 in (8.43 m)
Draught11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) (mean)
PropulsionOne triple expansion reciprocating engine, 850 ihp (630 kW)
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement40
Armament

One Dance-class trawler (Sword Dance) was a war loss, and one (Saltarelo) was transferred to Portugal in 1945. Four were transferred to Italy in 1946: Gavotte, Hornpipe, Minuet and Two Step. None remained in service with the Royal Navy by the end of 1946.

Ships in class

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  • Built by the Ardrossan Dockyard Company, Ardrossan, UK
  • Built by Cochrane & Sons, Ltd. Selby, UK
  • Built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, UK
    • Gavotte – Launched 1940, transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 312
    • Hornpipe – Launched 1940, transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 316
  • Built by Ferguson Brothers (Port Glasgow) Ltd., Port Glasgow, UK
    • Mazurka – Launched 1940, sold 1946
    • Minuet – Launched 1941, transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 307
  • Built by Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Company, Goole, UK
  • Built by Hall, Russell & Company, Ltd., Aberdeen, UK
    • Polka – Launched 1941, sold 1946
    • Quadrille – Launched 1941, sold 1946
  • Built by A. & J. Inglis, Ltd., Glasgow, UK (part of Harland and Wolff)
    • Rumba – Launched 1940, sold 1946
    • Sarabande – Launched 1940, sold 1946
  • Built by Henry Robb, Ltd., Leith, UK
    • Saltarelo – Launched 6 August 1940, transferred to Portugal 1945 as Salvador Correia
    • Sword Dance – Launched 1940, war loss 5 July 1942
  • Built by Smith's Dock Company, Ltd., South Bank-on-Tees, UK
    • Tango – Launched 1940, sold 1946
    • Two Step, ex-Tarantella – Launched 1941, transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 308
    • Valse – Launched 1941, sold 1946
    • Veleta – Launched 1941, sold 1946

See also

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References

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  • Robert Gardiner (ed. dir.), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, p. 66. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980.
  • Francis E. McMurtrie and Raymond V.B. Blackman (eds.), Jane's Fighting Ships 1949–50, pp. 217, 258. New York: The McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1949