Naval trawlers were purpose-built or requisitioned and operated by the Royal Navy (RN), mainly during World Wars I and II. Vessels built to Admiralty specifications for RN use were known as Admiralty trawlers. All trawlers operated by the RN, regardless of origin, were typically given the prefix HMT, for "His Majesty's Trawler".
Summary
First World War Class Builders Dates Built Lost Dspl(tons) Length(feet) Power(ihp) Speed(kts) Crew Armament Admiralty trawler Cochrane Lobnitz Ferguson Goole Shipbuilders 1917–1919 112 438 148 600 11 up to 20 usually one QF 12 pdr 12 cwt gun Smith's Dock and others 145 360 18 Strath Hall Russell 167 311 18 The trawler , built in 1906 at Hull and requisitioned September 1914 is the oldest surviving steam trawler in the world. She is beached at Grytviken in South Georgia, though there are plans to return her to Hull.
Second World War Class Builder Dates Built Lost Dspl(tons) Length(feet) Power(ihp) Speed(kts) Crew Armament * 18 - 460 12 33 3 in gun 20 6 530 164 850 11.5 35 12 pdr gun, 2 × .5 in, 2 × twin MG 20 1 530 161 850 11.5 35 4 in gun, 3 × 20 mm 12 3 545 164 950 12 35 12 pdr gun, 3 × 20 mm 112 12 545 164 850 12 40 12 pdr gun, 3 × 20 mm CUF (Lisbon)Arsenal do Alfeite (Lisbon)Mónica (Aveiro) 12 550 11 30 12 pdr gun Brazilian 680 12.5 40 Castle 625 10 32 8 2 750 181 970 11 35 (40?) 12 pdr gun, 3 × 20 mm 10 1 670 167 700 11 35 4 in gun, 3 × 20 mm 8 - 440 137 600 12 35 12 pdr gun, 1 × 20 mm, 2 × MG 9 - 750 193 1000 11 40 4 in gun, 4 × 20 mm Requisitioned These were ships taken over by the Admiralty 215 72
Requisitioned trawlers
There were also 215 trawlers of no specific class These were commercial trawlers that the Admiralty requisitioned. The Royal Navy classified requisitioned trawlers by manufacturer, although such classes were more diverse than traditional naval classifications. Seventy-two requisitioned trawlers were lost.
See also Anti-submarine warfare Auxiliary Patrol List of mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy Minesweepers of the Royal New Zealand Navy Royal Naval Patrol Service Vorpostenboot, the German equivalent to the trawlers of the Royal Navy
Footnotes
References
Cocker, M P (1993) Mine Warfare Vessels of the Royal Navy – 1908 to date. Airlife Publishing.
Lund, Paul and Ludlam, Harry (1971) The Trawlers go to War Lund, Paul and Ludlam, Harry (1978) Out Sweeps! - The Story of the Minesweepers in World War II. New English Library Ltd McKee, Alexander (1973) The Coal-Scuttle Brigade : The splendid, dramatic story of the Channel convoys. New English Library ASIN B000RTAX2Y RNPS Book list Royal Naval Patrol Service Booklist Books about the RNPS
External links A/S Trawlers (uboat.net)> The Trawlers go to War The Battle of Mesco Point The Dover Convoys The 'Art' of Minesweeping Naval Trawlers Trawlers lost in the Namsen Fjord The Loss of HMT Cap d'Antifer The Loss of the Rutlandshire HM Trawler Orfasy List of all trawlers lost during WW2 Memorial site to a trawler skipper HMS Almond Memorial Site