Milford trawlers taken up by the Admiralty in the Great War
(Based on Dittmarr & Colledge [1972] and Toghill [2003 and 2004])
During the first eighteen months of the Great War, the Admiralty drew heavily on the fishing fleets for the Auxiliary Patrol of minesweepers, minelayers, patrol boats, anti-submarine and other duties. Out of a total of 1,900 trawlers on the British registry, over 1,400 were chartered by the Admiralty. However, these requisitions naturally had a serious effect on the fishing industry, as did enemy action, resulting in a sharp decline in landed fish and a corresponding rise in prices.
Two measures were taken by the Admiralty: in November 1916, they began to build and commission their own trawlers, using three standard designs – the ‘Strath’, ‘Castle’ and ‘Mersey’ classes; in May 1917, all the remaining trawlers still engaged in fishing were requisitioned by the Admiralty, to ensure that they continued to fish in greater safety from enemy attack. These trawlers remained under the control of their civilian owners, but had RNR status; they were to fish in fleets of twenty vessels, protected by the guns installed in a proportion of each fleet. The five Milford ‘Fishery Trawlers’ in this category are listed after those taken up for the Royal Navy, but in addition to these were several vessels transferred from the more dangerous waters of the East Coast, and twenty-four Belgian trawlers, most of them from Ostend, together with about seven hundred Belgian refugees, mainly trawler crews and their families.
Trawlers taken up for the RN retained their port numbers but were also allotted Admiralty numbers; they were crewed by RNR fishermen, with additional crew specialists. One hundred and sixty Milford fishermen were called up into the Trawler Section of the RNR immediately the War began, to be followed by many others. The 1918 Armistice did not mark an end to the work of those trawlers engaged in minesweeping, but 1919 saw their gradual return to their owners. Moreover, the Admiralty-built trawlers of 1917 became available for purchase, and many of the “Castle” Class in particular found their way on to the Milford Register.
In 1914, the number of Milford trawlers taken up by the Admiralty was 57, compared to a total of 77 vessels (67 trawlers and 10 liners) which sailed from the port during the year ended 31st July 1914.
Key:
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= renamed > became +WW2 taken up in WW2 AA anti-aircraft (high angle guns) A/P armed patrol A/S anti-submarine BDV boom defence vessel BT bomb thrower (A/S howitzer)
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HS harbour service Hydro equipped with listening hydrophones icw in company with in inch M/L minelayer M/S minesweeper pdr pounder
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Milford Registered Trawlers Taken Up
|
Name |
Port No. |
Admy. No. |
Period |
Armament / Role / Remarks |
|
ABELARD |
M 17 |
151 |
8.14-12.16 |
1-6pdr M/S Wrecked 24.12.16 off Plymouth breakwater |
|
ALBION |
M 219 |
139 |
8.14-1.16 |
M/S Mined 13.01.16 off St.Catherine’s Pt. |
|
ANGLE |
M 225 |
1367 |
4.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S |
|
APLEY |
M 226 |
143 |
8.14-12.17 |
1-3 pdr M/S. Mined 6.12.17 off Worthing |
|
ARDENT |
M 222 |
1798 |
6.15-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S =ARDENT II in 3.17 |
|
ARFON |
M 223 |
134 |
8.14-4.17 |
1-6pdrAA Mined 30.4.17 off St.Alban’s Hd. |
| AVONMOUTH | M 54 | 963 | 1917-1919 | Fishery reserve |
|
BEATRICE |
M 212 |
362 |
8.14-1919 |
1-3pdr M/S +WW2 =BEATRICE II |
|
BUSH |
M 227 |
2667 |
5.15-1920 |
1-12pdr + WW2 |
|
CALDY |
M 228 |
1372 |
4.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S + WW2 |
|
CALIPH |
M 197 |
133 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA; 1-3.5 in BT M/S Hydro. 1917: Claimed unconfirmed U-boat kill, English Channel, icw MARISTO |
|
CALLIOPE |
M 214 |
367 |
8.14-3.16 |
1-3pdr M/S =CALLIOPE II 6.15. Sunk 5.3.16 in collision off Butt of Lewis |
|
CAMBRIA |
M 92 |
154 |
9.14-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S |
|
CARYSFORT II |
M 32 |
1533 |
6.15-1919 |
1-6pdr, 1-7.5in BT M/S |
|
CLEOPATRA |
M 213 |
140 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S =CLEOPATRA II 12.14; +WW2 =TEAZER |
|
COTSMUIR |
M 15 |
1537 |
6.15-2.17 |
1-6pdr AA M/S Disappeared 2.2.17 between Tyne and Humber |
|
CYELSE |
M 138 |
975 |
2.15-1919 |
1-12pdr, 1-7.5in BT M/S + WW2 |
|
DEWSLAND |
M 220 |
2664 |
5.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S |
|
DINAS |
M 19 |
155 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S |
|
EDWARD VII |
M 196 |
22 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S; 1917: Cable Repairs |
|
ESSEX |
M 193 |
142 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA, 1-7.5in BT M/S =ESSEX II 2.15 |
|
G.M. |
M 47 |
308 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S |
|
GLORIA |
M 215 |
2673 |
6.15-1919 |
1-6pdr |
|
GWENLLIAN |
M 70 |
354 |
8.14-1919 |
1-3pdr M/S +WW2 |
|
HERO |
M 218 |
156 |
8.14-1920 |
1-6pdr AA M/L M/S |
|
KALMIA |
M 142 |
791 |
1.15-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S =KALMIA II 8.15 |
|
KOORAH |
M 120 |
324 |
8.14-1919 |
1-3pdr M/S |
|
LOBELIA |
M 147 |
974 |
4.15-4.17 |
1-3pdr Mined 10.9.17 off Fanad Pt, Lough Swilly |
|
LYDIAN |
M 232 |
162 |
8.14-9.15 |
A/P Mined 18.9.15 off S.Foreland |
|
MACAW |
M 18 |
145 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S +WW2 |
|
MAGNOLIA |
M 146 |
790 |
7.15-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S =MAGNOLIA III 8.15 |
|
MARISTO |
M 14 |
1978 |
12.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S. icw CALISTO claimed unconfirmed U-boat kill, Eng.Channel. |
|
MARLOES |
M 76 |
15 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S |
|
NAIRANA |
M 238 |
2513 |
11.15-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S =NAIRANA II 3.17 |
|
NOOGANA |
M 9 |
2663 |
5.15-1919 |
1-3pdr +WW2 =ST.OLIVE SN 47 |
|
OTHONNA |
M 24 |
940 |
1.15-4.17 |
1-12pdr, 1-6pdr AA M/S Mined 20.4.17 off Fife Ness |
|
PETUNIA |
M 23 |
941 |
1.15-1919 |
1-6pdr AA, 1-7.5in BT M/S =PETUNIA II 12.15 |
| PORTSMOUTH | M 61? | 800 | 1.15-1919 | 1-12pdr M/S (BL10?) |
|
ROSA |
M 16 |
973 |
1.15-1919 |
1-3pdr M/S |
|
SALOME |
M 230 |
2670 |
5.15-1919 |
1-12pdr |
|
SLEBECH |
M 229 |
1758 |
5.15-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S +WW2 |
|
SOUTH TYNE |
M 60 |
2721 |
12.15-1919 |
1-3pdr Net [Drifter] |
|
SYRINGA |
M 21 |
269 |
8.14-1919 |
1-13pdr M/S =SYRINGA II 3.17 |
|
TACSONIA |
M 36 |
783 |
1.15-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S |
|
TENBY |
M 161 |
2579 |
6.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S Hydro +WW2 =EWALD |
|
UHDEA |
M 200 |
124 |
8.14-1919 |
M/S =BDV 9.15 |
|
VAL |
M 72 |
2720 |
1.16-1919 |
1-3pdr AA Net, HS [Drifter] |
|
VICTORIA |
M 117 |
1752 |
4.15-1920 |
1-6pdr M/S =VICTORIA II 6.15 |
|
W.H.PODD |
M 1 |
154 |
2.15-1919 |
1-6pdr AA M/S |
|
WEIGELIA |
M 96 |
153 |
8.14-2.16 |
1-3pdr M/S Mined 28.02.16 off Dover. |
| XYLOPIA | (M 102) | 17 | 7.14-1919 | 1-12pdr AA M/S. Purchased, not hired. |
|
YUCCA |
M 159 |
307 |
8.14-5.18 |
M/S Mined 24.5.18 off Lowestoft |
Trawlers Registered in Other Ports Taken Up from Milford
|
Name |
Port No. |
Admy.No. |
Period |
Armament / Role / Remarks |
|
ALNMOUTH |
|
12 |
7.14-1919 |
M/S. 1919: FD 335 |
|
CHARMOUTH |
BL 14 |
366 |
8.14-1919 |
M/S |
|
EXMOUTH |
BL 16 |
146 |
8.14-1919 |
1-3pdr M/S 2.15: =EXMOUTH II > M/S Training Ship |
|
FALMOUTH |
BL 12 |
152 |
8.14-11.15 |
M/S. 4.15 =FALMOUTH III. 19.11.15: Mined off Deal |
|
FISHERGATE |
LO 209 |
969 |
2.15-1919 |
1-6 pdr M/S |
|
GILLYGATE |
LO 231 |
968 |
2.15-1919 |
1-12 pdr M/S |
|
HIBERNIA |
LO 266 |
141 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6 pdr AA M/S 5.15: = HIBERNIA II |
|
KIRKLAND |
LO 282 |
360 |
8.14-8.17 |
M/S 20.8.17: Mined off Fugla Skerry, Shetlands |
|
LOUISE |
SA 50 |
144 & 965 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6 pdr M/S |
|
LYNMOUTH |
BL 5 |
964 |
1.15-1919 |
1-12 pdr |
|
MARY |
FD 84 |
361 |
8.14-11.14 |
M/S 5.11.14: Mined off Yarmouth |
|
PORTSMOUTH |
BL 10 |
800 |
1.15-1919 |
1-12pdr M/S |
|
SIDMOUTH |
BL 1 |
123 |
8.14-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S |
|
WEYMOUTH |
BL 11 |
939 |
2.15-1919 |
1-6pdr M/S =WEYMOUTH II |
|
YARMOUTH |
BL 9 |
281 |
8.14-1919 |
1-3pdr, 1-7.5in BT M/S 2.15: = YARMOUTH II |
Fishery Trawlers
ALERT CF 22
AVONMOUTH M 54
CALYPSO M 168
CELTIA M 216
CORNET M 46
CUCKOO LT 689
CYGNET YH 127
DARTMOUTH M 80
MARION LO 235
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