Isles-class trawler explained

The Isles-class trawlers were a class of naval trawler used by the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

The type comprised 197 vessels built between 1939 and 1945 in the nearly identical Isles,, and classes. Generally similar to the s of 1916–1918, though somewhat larger, they were mainly used on minesweeping and harbour defence duties. Most were armed with one 12-pounder gun (76 mm) and three or four 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns with 30 depth charges. In the Dance class a 4-inch AA gun (102 mm) was fitted in place of the 12 pdr, and there were six 20 mm Oerlikons in Annet, Bressay, Damsay, Fiaray, Foulness and Lindisfarne. Four of the trawlers were given "bird" names when converted to controlled minelayers in 1943–44: Blackbird (M15), Dabchick (M22), Stonechat (M25) and Whitethroat (M03). A total of 23 of these trawlers were lost during the war.[1] Six trawlers were loaned to Canada in 1942-45 and five to Norway in 1943–45.

Postwar, 17 of the trawlers were disarmed as wreck disposal vessels: Bardsey (DV13), Bern (DV4), Caldy (DV5) Coll (DV6), Earraid (DV7), Fetlar (DV8), Flatholm (DV9), Graemsay (DV10), Lindisfarne (DV11), Lundy (DV12), Neave (DV14), Scalpay (DV15), Skomer (DV16), Steepholm (DV17), Switha (DV18), Tiree (DV19), and Trondra (DV20). At least five were employed as danlayers (laying and retrieving dan buoys during minesweeping operations): Imersay (J422), Sandray (J424), Shillay (J426), Sursay (J427) and Tocogay (J451). After decommissioning, Switha and Coll were converted to oil tank cleaning vessels for dockyard service in 1949–50.

By 1949 there remained in service of this type 31 trawlers and four controlled minelayers in the Royal Navy, one controlled minelayer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and four trawlers in the Royal New Zealand Navy. An additional 16 were in service in the Italian Navy and six in the Portuguese Navy.[2] Most of the surviving Royal Navy examples were discarded in the 1950s, but a few remained until the 1960s. Two acquired postwar by the Federal German Navy remained in service as training vessels well into the 1970s, with one, Trave (ex-Dochet), resold to Turkey for further service in 1977.

Builders

Ships in class

Royal Navy

Construction data for Isles-class trawlers of the Royal Navy
ShipBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissioned/CompletedFate
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 October 194324 December 1943Sold 1946 and renamed Veslemoy. Renamed Toran in 1952. Lost 19 February 1955.
[3] Cook, Welton & Gemmell25 March 194319 June 1943Became a Wreck disposal vessel in 1946. Still in use as diving Vessel for clearance diving in 1953. Sold 1957. Became fishery protection vessel FPV Ulva for Fishery Board for Scotland in 1958. Withdrawn from use 1971 and scrapped 1972.[4]
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 November 19401 May 1941Sold 1946 and renamed Assan Reis. Renamed Professor Henking 1952.
Cook, Welton & Gemmell2 December 194019 May 1941Sold 1946
Fleming & Ferguson17 July 194315 September 1943Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV13)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell28 October 194313 January 1944Sold 1946, bought by HM Customs and Excise and served as HMRC Vigilant
Cook, Welton & Gemmell2 May 19429 October 1942Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV4)
Ferguson Bros.4 December 1944Sold 1946
(ex-Sheppey)Cook, Welton & Gemmell20 February 1943Converted to controlled minelayer (M15) 1943: still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell20 January 194210 May 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell18 December 194011 June 1941Grounded off Hebrides 6 September 1941
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 May 19421 December 1942Transferred to Portugal 1943 as Sam Miguel (P1)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell8 April 194320 July 1943Still in service 1949
Goole S.B. & R. Co.29 March 194118 July 1941Transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 301
Goole S.B. & R. Co.12 May 194115 September 1941Sold 1946
John Lewis & Sons31 August 194314 December 1943Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV5)
Collingwood Shipbuilding19 June 1942War loss 16 Mar 1943.
Cochrane & Sons12 April 194025 April 1941Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell15 November 194328 January 1944Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons20 December 194017 May 1941To Italy 1946 as DR 302
George Brown & Co.27 June 19423 September 1942Still in service 1949
G.T. Davie & Sons26 June 194213 November 1942Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Trave (A51) as a Type 139 patrol trawler; sold to Turkey in 1977
(ex-Gruna)John Crown & Sons18 December 194111 May 1942Later wreck disposal vessel (DV7); sold 1948
Cochrane & Sons26 June 194122 November 1941Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (i) 1943–44; sold into mercantile use 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell7 February 194228 May 1943To Italy 1946 as DR 306
Cook, Welton & Gemmell5 March 194215 June 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 314
Fleming & Ferguson28 August 194228 October 1942To Portugal 1943 as P8
Cochrane & Sons27 January 194128 June 1941Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 April 194331 August 1943Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons10 July 194113 December 1941Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV8)
Goole S.B. & R. Co.13 June 194227 September 1942Sold 1946
John Crown & Sons2 April 194228 August 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 305
Cook, Welton & Gemmell8 May 194320 August 1943Later wreck disposal vessel (DV9); sold 1948
G.T. Davie & Sons14 July 194213 November 1942Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Eider (A50) as a Type 139 patrol trawler
Cochrane & Sons13 February 19417 June 1941Grounded off East Scotland 6 Nov 1941.
Cochrane & Sons28 July 19413 January 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 313
John Lewis & Sons23 March 194230 June 1943Still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell1 January 194424 March 1944Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.28 May 19422 September 1943War loss 4 Aug 1944.
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 May 1943War loss 5 July 1944
G.T. Davie & Sons1 August 194211 May 1943Sold 1947
Cochrane & Sons19 July 194313 November 1943Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.30 December 194316 June 1944Still in service 1949
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.3 August 194216 June 1943Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV10)
Cochrane & Sons17 August 194316 November 1943To Italy 1946 as DR 309
John Lewis & Sons20 April 194317 August 1943Sold 1946
John Crown & Sons20 November 19431 March 1943To Portugal 1943 as P7
Cook, Welton & Gemmell30 April 19435 August 194330 October 1943Sold to mercantile use 1946; renamed Henken 1947 and Arab Trader 1949; wrecked north of Mombasa 13 April 1951. Boiler and wreckage still on reef.[5]
(ex-Boreray)Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 June 19433 November 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell12 February 19443 May 1944Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 January 194412 April 1944Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell28 March 194426 May 1944Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 August 1942To Portugal 1943 as Terceira (P3)
Cochrane & Sons27 March 194417 July 1944Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons11 April 194422 August 1944Sold 1947
G.T. Davie & Sons5 November 194229 May 1943Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 April 194130 September 1941Grounded on Diani reef south of Mombasa, Kenya on 21 Jun 1945. Broke up during the next three months. Boiler visible at low tide.
Cook, Welton & Gemmell15 January 194118 July 1941Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell1 February 194110 July 1941Sold 1946
Ferguson Bros.4 February 194231 March 1942Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons21 August 19448 December 1944Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J422)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell3 March 194125 July 1941Sold 1946
John Lewis & Sons25 August 194128 November 1941Loaned to Norway as Karmöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946
Smith's Dock Co.10 April 194117 June 1941Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.22 November 1941War loss 7 Jan 1943
Ferguson Bros.22 September 194131 October 1941Loaned to Norway as Oksöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.21 October 194124 April 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell28 August 194313 November 1943Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 June 194317 August 1943Still in service as wreck disposal vessel (DV11)
Cochrane & Sons6 September 19446 January 1945Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons15 October 194313 February 1944Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 August 194215 January 1943Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV12)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 September 194326 November 1943Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell3 July 194330 September 1943Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.28 March 194424 October 1944Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (ii) 1944–45, sold mercantile 1946
Goole S.B. & R. Co.1 June 194230 August 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 311
Cook, Welton & Gemmell27 March 194119 August 1941Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 July 194225 November 1942Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV14)
A. Hall & Co.17 March 1942War loss 22 October 1943
Cochrane & Sons30 October 194316 February 1944Still in service 1949
A. & J. Inglis26 January 194318 July 1943Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 April 194119 August 1941Sold 1946
Midland Shipyards26 May 194227 October 1942Sold 1946
Midland Shipyards16 June 19424 November 1942Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons14 February 194117 July 1941Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 July 194316 October 1943Sold 1946
Goole S.B. & R. Co.20 December 194117 April 1942Sold 1946
Goole S.B. & R. Co.4 February 194210 May 1942To Portugal 1945 as Baldaque da Silva
Cochrane & Sons15 March 19419 August 1941War loss 8 Dec 1943
Cook, Welton & Gemmell2 June 194220 October 1941Later wreck disposal vessel (DV15); sold 1948
Cochrane & Sons29 March 19415 September 1941Sold 1946
Goole S.B. & R. Co.9 August 194124 November 1941Loaned to Norway as Jelöy 1944–45; sold mercantile 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 September 194310 December 1943Sold 1946
John Lewis & Sons17 June 19434 November 1943Still in service 1949
Henry Robb17 March 194222 July 1942Still in service 1949
Cochrane & Sons14 April 194110 October 1941Sold 1946
John Lewis & Sons19 May 194321 September 1943Sold 1946
A. Hall & Co.29 May 194230 September 1942Sold 1946
Henry Robb15 June 194231 August 1942Sold 1946
John Lewis & Sons15 July 19431 December 1943Converted to wreck disposal vessel December 1945. Still in use as the last of 18 wreck disposal vessels in 1958.
Hall, Russell & Co.19 November 194122 January 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 315
A. & J. Inglis4 March 1942War loss 5 Feb 1943
A. & J. Inglis3 April 194215 June 1942Later wreck disposal vessel (DV18); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50
Midland Shipyards27 July 194217 November 1942Sold 1946
Goole S.B. & R. Co.6 September 194112 January 1942Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV19)
John Lewis & Sons4 October 194116 January 1942Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV20)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell30 July 194215 December 1942Sold 1946
Ferguson Bros.28 May 194231 July 1942To Italy 1946 as DR 303
Cochrane13 November 19439 March 1944Sold 1946
Henry Robb22 April 194326 July 1943War loss 6 Jan 1944.
John Lewis & Sons4 November 19412 March 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell4 April 194228 August 1942To Portugal 1943 as Santa Maria (P4)

The following 21 trawlers may be described as comprising the Repeat Isles class:

Construction data for Repeat Isles–class trawlers of the Royal Navy
ShipBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissioned/CompletedFate
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 November 194316 February 1944Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons18 November 19403 March 1941War loss 5 December 1942
Fleming & Ferguson3 March 19413 March 1941Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.7 April 194221 September 1942Later wreck disposal vessel (DV6); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50
Cook, Welton & Gemmell15 December 1943war loss 1944
(ex-Thorney)Cook, Welton & Gemmell9 March 1943converted 1943 to controlled minelayer (M22); still in service 1949
Cochrane & Sons1 January 1945still in service 1949
Cochrane & SonsFebruary 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell5 October 194427 December 1944Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J424)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 October 194414 January 1945Sold 1946
(ex-Raasay)Cook, Welton & Gemmell1 April 194218 September 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell18 November 194430 January 1945Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J426)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 August 19441944 as controlled minelayer (M25); still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 December 194426 February 1945Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J427)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell31 December 194423 March 1945Still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell7 February 1945still in service 1949 as danlayer (J451)
Cook, Welton & Gemmell3 March 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 March 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell10 April 1945still in service 1949
Welton & Gemmell6 September 194419441944 as controlled minelayer (M03); still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell26 April 1944still in service 1949

Royal Canadian Navy

Construction data for Isles–class trawlers of the Royal Canadian Navy
ShipBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedPaid offFate
Collingwood Shipbuilding1 April 19428 August 1942Sold 1946 to Norway as Guloy, to Sweden as Barbro and to Ethiopia as Giuseppina in 1968. Wrecked in Massawa in 1996.[6]
Collingwood Shipbuilding14 October 194113 April 194220 August 194220 Aug 1945Sold mercantile 1947; renamed Niedermehnen 1952, Broken up 1983.
Collingwood Shipbuilding30 April 194219 September 194210 June 1945Formerly HMS Cailiff (T276). Sold mercantile 1946; converted to Norwegian commercial trawler Borgenes. Laid up in 1990s, but proposals to restore her as a steam trawler [7] were unfulfilled. Sold for demolition in Oct 2012 [8] [9]
Kingston Shipyards14 January 19425 October 1942Sold 1946
Kingston Shipyards23 March 19423 September 1942Sold 1946
Midland Shipyards7 March 194219 August 1942Sold 1946
Midland Shipyards23 April 19428 September 1942Sold 1946
Collingwood Shipbuilding1 June 194220 October 1942Later HMS Campenia and HMS Bowell. Lent to RCN by RN. Sold to Bergen as Cleveland, 1946; to Nordlandslinjen and renamed Sigurd Hund, 1950; to Ålesund and renamed Vestfar, 1963; to Hans Hansen in 1971 to Faroe Islands. Broken up in 1974.

Royal New Zealand Navy

Construction data for Isles–class trawlers of the Royal New Zealand Navy
ShipBuilderLaid downLaunchedFate
John Lewis & Sons16 November 194010 July 194124 October 1941Still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell24 January 194127 May 194114 October 1941Still in service 1949
Goole S.B. & R. Co.23 December 194012 July 19413 November 1941Still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell6 March 194125 November 194125 June 1941Still in service 1949

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Robert Gardiner (ed. dir.), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 66. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980.
  2. Francis E. McMurtrie and Raymond V.B. Blackman (eds.), Jane's Fighting Ships 1949-50, pp. 62, 63, 92, 94, 217, 258. New York: The McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1949.
  3. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6623.html HMS Annet T341
  4. Web site: FISHERY PROTECTION VESSEL LIST: ULVA . 33 . 17 February 2019.
  5. Shipwrecks & Salvage on the East African Coast. 2006. Kevin Patience
  6. Web site: GIUSEPPINA - IMO 5131531 - ShipSpotting.com - Ship Photos and Ship Tracker.
  7. http://www.steamtraaleren-borgenes.com/22262998
  8. http://www.tk.no/meninger/leserbrev/article6274182.ece
  9. http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Cailiff.php

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