stringtranslate.com

Castle-class trawler

The Castle-class minesweeper was a highly seaworthy naval trawler adapted for patrol, anti-submarine warfare and minesweeping duties and built to Admiralty specifications. Altogether 197 were built in the United Kingdom between 1916 and 1919, with others built in Canada, India and later New Zealand. Many saw service in the Second World War.

First World War

The Castle class originated with the commercial trawler Raglan Castle of 1915,[1][3][4][5] taken up for Royal Navy service. The design was adapted by Smith's Dock Company Ltd to Admiralty requirements for building in quantity.

During World War I, 145 were built in the United Kingdom for the Admiralty. The names of the vessels were derived from the official crew rosters of ships at the Battle of Trafalgar.[5] Non-standard ships included in the class varied between 236 GRT and 276 GRT, with dimensions varying between 35.8 and 38.3 m (117 and 126 ft) length and 6.71 and 7.17 m (22.0 and 23.5 ft) beam. The first standard vessel, Nathaniel Cole, was delivered in May 1917. After the war 52 further ships on order were completed as fishing vessels and many of the minesweepers were converted for commercial use. 20 ships were also cancelled, but many were completed by the shipbuilders for commercial owners.

The Admiralty also ordered 60 Castle-class trawlers from Canadian shipyards, the TR series, which were loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy for seaward defence of the east coast of Canada. Some entered service with the United States Navy. Nine ships were also built in India with teak planking on steel frames.[1]

Second World War

HMT Thomas Alexander as HMT Ben Dearg during World War II

Many Castle-class trawlers were among the civilian trawlers requisitioned by the Royal Navy for use in World War II. The majority were employed as minesweepers, with others serving as auxiliary patrol vessels, boom defense vessels, danlayers, Essos (fuel carriers), torpedo recovery vessels and water carriers. Many had multiple roles over the course of the war. After the end of the war, most of those that had survived were either sold or returned to their owners.[6]

German captured

Early in World War II, ten Canadian-built trawlers that had been sold into commercial service after World War I with a number of European countries were captured by the Germans when they overran France, Belgium and Norway and put in Kriegsmarine service.

New Zealand additions

In 1940, the New Zealand Government, facing a requirement for minesweepers to operate in home waters, directed the building of 13 Castle-class naval trawlers in New Zealand to add to the two vessels, James Cosgrove and Wakakura, they had previously purchased. The Castle-class design was chosen over more modern alternatives because it was simple enough to be built with the country's limited ship construction facilities.[7][8]

Ships in class

Non-standard

Standard

Cancelled

Canadian-built

See TR series minesweeping trawler.

Indian-built

New Zealand-built

See Castle class trawlers of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Auxiliary Patrol Vessels, Part 1, Yachts to Trawlers". Naval-history.net. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Wildfire III Queenborough and Wildfire Sheerness Ship Database". Wildfire III. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  3. ^ Vaughan, Roy (11 September 2015). The Last of a Salty Breed. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency LLC. p. 291. ISBN 978-1-68181-168-0.
  4. ^ Lawson, Siri. "Re: British trawlers Raglan Castle, Hene Castle and Harfat Castle". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b "The Great War 1914–1918". Hull Trawler. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Naval Trawlers". Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk. Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  7. ^ "HMNZS Waiho (Castle-class Minesweeper)". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  8. ^ McDougall, R J (1989). New Zealand Naval Vessels. Government Printing Office. pp. 62–69. ISBN 978-0-477-01399-4.
  9. ^ "Daniel Henley". Tees Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  10. ^ "FV Festing Grindall". Wrecksite. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  11. ^ "John Gillman GY 273". Deep Sea Trawlers. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Benjamin Cooke". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Kenneth McRae M 52/Milford Countess M 52". Milford Trawlers. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Daniel Dick". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Daniel Leary". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  16. ^ "David Dillon". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  17. ^ "David Ogilvie". Tees Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Denis Casey". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Domque Gentile". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Ebor Downs". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Emmanuel Camelaire". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Giovanni Guinti". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Caliban H76/M277". Milford Trawlers. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  24. ^ "James Burgess". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  25. ^ a b c Pérez, José Luis Infiesta (2002). "Una nueva lista de los buques menores que combatieron como patrulleros o rastreadores durante nuestra guerra civil" (PDF). Revista de Historia Naval (in Spanish). XX (78). Instituto de Historia y Cultural Naval Armada Española: 47–77. ISSN 0212-467X.
  26. ^ http://www.fleetwood-trawlers.info/index.php/2014/02/s-t-kelby-gy205/ [dead link]
  27. ^ "James Robertson". Tees Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  28. ^ "John Bullock". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  29. ^ "Screw Steamer John Campbell built by George Brown & Co in 1918". Scottish Shipbuilding Database.
  30. ^ "John Casewell". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  31. ^ Pino, Josė (17 April 2023). "De "Uad Martin" a "Chas Número Dos", el último patrullero de la guerra de Marruecos convertido en bou". Industrias Pesqueras (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  32. ^ "D/S Denis". Sjohistorie.no. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  33. ^ "John Dormand". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  34. ^ "John Lyons". Tees Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  35. ^ "Joseph Gordon". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  36. ^ "Joseph Hodgkins". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  37. ^ "Inverdon". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  38. ^ http://www.fleetwood-trawlers.info/index.php/2008/12/st-morgan-jones-fd129/ [dead link]
  39. ^ "FV Saint Simon (+1934)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  40. ^ "Richard Roberts". Wrecksite. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  41. ^ a b "Samuel Green". Scottish Built Ships. Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  42. ^ "Samuel Spencer". Tees Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  43. ^ "Thomas Chambers". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  44. ^ "Thomas Crofton". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  45. ^ "Thomas Daniels". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  46. ^ "BR. Lothe (ex. norw.)" (in German). Historisches Marinearchiv. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  47. ^ "Les Barges II". Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  48. ^ http://www.fleetwood-trawlers.info/index.php/2015/05/s-t-gonerby-bn5/ [dead link]
  49. ^ "William Bell". Clyde Maritime. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  50. ^ "William Carberry". Tyne Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  51. ^ "William Cowling". Scottish Built Ships. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  52. ^ "Carew Castle". Coflein. Retrieved 27 August 2024.

Sources