Isles-class trawler

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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.

Class overview
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 Royal Navy,
Canada Royal Canadian Navy,
 Royal New Zealand Navy
Subclasses German Navy: Type 139 patrol trawler
Built1939 - 1945
Completed197 (of four subclasses - Isles (145), Dance (20), Shakespearian (12), and Tree (20))
Lost23
General characteristics
TypeNaval trawler
Displacement545 tons
Length164 feet
Beam27 feet 8 inches
Draught11 feet i inch (mean)
Propulsion1x triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 shaft, 850 ihp
Speed12 kn (22.2 km/h)
Complement40
ArmamentSee text

The class comprised 198 vessels built between 1939 and 1945 in the nearly identical Isles, Dance, Tree and Shakesperian classes. Generally similar to the Castle class trawlers of 1916-18, though somewhat larger, they were mainly used on minesweeping and habour defence duties. Most were armed with one 12pdr. gun and three or four 20mm Oerlikon AA guns with 30 depth charges. In the Dance class a 4-inch AA gun was fitted in place of the 12pdr., and there were six 20mm 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, 16 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), 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.

Ships in class

  • Builders
    • Ardrossan Dockyard Company, Ardrossa, UK
    • George Brown & Company (Marine) Ltd., Greenock, UK
    • Cochrane & Sons, Ltd., Selby, UK
    • Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, Ont.
    • Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, UK
    • John Crown & Sons, Ltd., Sunderland, UK
    • G.T. Davie & Sons, Lauzon, Quebec
    • Ferguson Bros. Ltd., Port Glasgow, UK
    • Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley, UK
    • Goole Shipbuilding & Repair Company, Goole, UK
    • Alexander Hall & Company, Aberdeen, UK
    • Hall, Russell & Company, Aberdeen, UK
    • A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, UK
    • Kingston Shipyards, Kingston, Ont.
    • John Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen, UK
    • Midland Shipyards, Midland, Ont.
    • Henry Robb, Ltd., Leith, UK
    • Smith's Dock Company, Ltd., South Bank-on-Tees, UK

Royal Navy

Royal Navy
Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Comm'd Paid Off Fate
HMS Ailsa Craig (T377) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Annet (T341) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 25 March 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Anticosti (T274) Collingwood Shipyards 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Anticosti (T274).
HMS Arran (T06) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1940 Sold 1946
HMS Baffin (T275) Collingwood Shipyards 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Baffin (T275)
HMS Balta (T50) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1940 Sold 1946
HMS Bardsey (T273) Fleming & Ferguson 17 July 1943 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV13)
HMS Benbecula (T379) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Bern (T294) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 2 May 1942 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV4)
HMS Biggal (T404) Ferguson Bros. 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Blackbird (T404) (ex-Sheppey) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 20 February 1943 Converted to controlled minelayer (M15) 1943: still in service 1949
HMS Bressay (T214) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Brora (T99) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1940 War loss 6 Sep 1941
HMS Bruray (T236) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1942 Transferred to Portugal 1943 as Sam Miguel (P1)
HMS Bryher (T350) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 8 April 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Burra (T158) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1941 Transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 301
HMS Bute (T168) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Cailiff (T276) Collingwood Shipyards 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Cailiff (T276).
HMS Caldy (T359) John Lewis & Sons 1943 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV5)
HMS Campobello (T378) Collingwood Shipyards 1942 War loss 16 Mar 1943.
HMS Copinsay (T147) Cochrane & Sons 1940 Sold 1946
HMS Crowlin (T380) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Cumbrae (T154) Cochrane & Sons 1940 To Italy 1946 as DR 302
HMS Damsay (T208) George Brown & Co. 27 June 1942 Still in service 1949
HMS Dochet (T286) G.T. Davie & Sons 1942 Transferred to Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Trave (A51) as a Type 139 patrol trawler; sold to Turkey in 1977
HMS Earraid (T297) (ex-Gruna) John Crown & Sons 18 Dec 1941 Later wreck disposal vessel (DV7); sold 1948
HMS Eday (T201) Cochrane & Sons 1941 Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (i) 1943-44; sold mercantile 1946
HMS Egilsay (T215) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1942 To Italy 1946 as DR 306
HMS Ensay (T216) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1942 To Italy 1946 as DR 314
HMS Eriskay (T217) Fleming & Ferguson 1942 To Portugal 1943 as P8
HMS Fara (T162) Cochrane & Sons 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Farne (T353) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Fetlar (T202) Cochrane & Sons July 1941 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV8)
HMS Fiaray (T238) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Filla (T212) John Crown & Sons 1942 To Italy 1946 as DR 305
HMS Flatholm (T354) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 8 May 1943 Later wreck disposal vessel (DV9); sold 1948
HMS Flint (T287) G.T. Davie & Sons 1942 Transferred to Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Eider (A50) as a Type 139 patrol trawler
HMS Flotta (T171) Cochrane & Sons 1941 War loss 6 Nov 1941.
HMS Foula (T203) Cochrane & Sons 1941 To Italy 1946 as DR 313
HMS Foulness (T342) John Lewis & Sons 23 March 1942 Still in service 1949
HMS Fuday (T385) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Gairsay (T290) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 1942 War loss 4 Aug 1944.
HMS Ganilly (T367) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 War loss 5 Jul 1944.
HMS Gateshead (T288) G.T. Davie & Sons 1942 Sold 1947
HMS Gillstone (T355) Cochrane & Sons 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Gorregan (T387) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 30 December 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Graemsay (T291) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 3 August 1942 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV10)
HMS Grain (T360) Cochrane & Sons 1943 To Italy 1946 as DR 309
HMS Grassholm (T344) John Lewis & Sons 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Gruinard (T239) John Crown & Sons 1943 To Portugal 1943 as P7
HMS Gulland (T239) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 30 April 1943 5 Aug 1943 30 Oct 1943 Sold mercantile 1946; renamed Henken 1947 and Arab Trader 1949; wrecked north of Mombasa 13 April 1951
HMS Gweal (T246) (ex-Broreray) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Hanneray (T389) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Harris (T386) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Hascosay (T390) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Hayling (T271) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 17 August 1942 To Portugal 1943 as Terceira (P3)
HMS Hellisay (T391) Cochrane & Sons 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Hermetray (T392) Cochrane & Sons April 1944 Sold 1947
HMS Herschell (T289) G.T. Davie & Sons 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Hildasay (T173) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 War loss 21 Jun 1945
HMS Hoxa (T16) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Hoy (T114) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Hunda (T298) Ferguson Bros. 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Imersay (T422) Cochrane & Sons August 1944 Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J422)
HMS Inchcolm (T18) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Inchmarnock (T166) John Lewis & Sons 1941 Loaned to Norway as Karmöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
HMS Ironbound (T284) Kingston Shipyards 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Ironbound (T284).
HMS Islay (T172) Smith's Dock Co. 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Jura (T169) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 1941 War loss 7 Jan 1943
HMS Kerrera (T200) Ferguson Bros. 1941 Loaned to Norway as Oksöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
HMS Kintyre (T165) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Kittern (T382) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Lindesfarne (T361) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 17 June 1943 Still in service as wreck disposal vessel (DV11)
HMS Lingay (T423) Cochrane & Sons 1944 Sold 1946
HMS Liscomb (T285) Kingston 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Liscomb (T285).
HMS Longa (T366) Cochrane 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Lundy (T272) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 29 August 1942 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV12)
HMS Magdalen (T279) Midland Shipyards 1942 Transferred to RCN as HMCS Magdalen (T279).
HMS Mewstone (T374) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 To Italy 1946 as DR307
HMS Minalto (T362) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Mincarlo (T388) Ardrossan Dockyard Co. 1944 Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (ii) 1944-45, sold mercantile 1946
HMS Mousa (T295) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1942 To Italy 1946 as DR 311
HMS Mull (T110) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Neave (T247) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 16 July 1942 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV14)
HMS Orfasy (T204) A. Hall & Co. 1942 War loss 22 Oct 1943.
HMS Oronsay (T375) Cochrane & Sons 30 October 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Oxna (T296) A. & J. Inglis 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Pladda (T144) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Porcher (T281) Midland Shipyards 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Prospect (T282) Midland Shipyards 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Ronaldsay (T149) Cochrane & Sons 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Rosevean (T363) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Rousay (T210) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Ruskholm (T211) Goole S.B. & R. Co. February 1942 To Portugal 1945 as Baldaque da Silva
HMS Rysa (T164) Cochrane & Sons 1941 War loss 8 Dec 1943
HMS Scalpay (T237) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 2 June 1942 Later wreck disposal vessel (DV15); sold 1948
HMS Shapinsay (T176) Cochrane & Sons 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Shiant (T170) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 1941 Loaned to Norway as Jelöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
HMS Skokholm (T376) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Skomer (T381) John Lewis & Sons 17 June 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Skye (T163) Henry Robb 17 March 1943 Still in service 1949
HMS Sluna (T177) Cochrane & Sons 1941 Sold 1946
HMS St. Agnes (T352) John Lewis & Sons 1943 Sold 1946
HMS St. Kilda (T209) A. Hall & Co. 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Staffa (T159) Henry Robb 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Steepholm (T356) John Lewis & Sons 15 July 1943 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV17)
HMS Stroma (T150) Hall, Russell & Co. 1941 To Italy 1946 as DR 315
HMS Stronsay (T178) A. & J. Inglis 1942 War loss 5 Feb 1943
HMS Switha (T179) A. & J. Inglis 3 April 1942 Later wreck disposal vessel (DV18); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50
HMS Texada (T283) Midland Shipyards 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Tiree (T180) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 6 Sept 1941 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV19)
HMS Trondra (T181) John Lewis & Sons 4 Oct 1941 Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV20)
HMS Ulva (T248) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 1942 Sold 1946
HMS Unst (T213) Ferguson Bros. 1942 To Italy 1946 as DR 303
HMS Vatersay (T378) Cochrane 1943 Sold 1946
HMS Wallasea (T345) Henry Robb 1943 War loss 6 Jan 1944.
HMS Westray (T182) John Lewis & Sons 1941 Sold 1946
HMS Whalsay (T293) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 15 February 1940 To Portugal 1943 as Santa Maria (P4)

Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy
Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Paid Off Fate
HMCS Anticosti (T274) Collingwood 1942 Formerly HMS Anticosti (T274) Sold 1946
HMCS Baffin (T275) Collingwood 14 Oct 1941 13 April 1942 Formerly HMS Baffin (T275) Sold mercantile 1947; renamed Niedermehnen 1952
HMCS Cailiff (T276) Collingwood 1942 Formerly HMS Cailiff (T276) Sold 1946
HMCS Ironbound (T284) Kingston 1942 Formerly HMS Ironbound Sold 1946
HMCS Liscomb (T285) Kingston 1942 Formerly HMS Liscomb Sold 1946
HMCS Magdalen (T279) Midland 1942 Formerly HMS Magdalen Sold 1946
HMCS Manitoulin (T280) Midland 1942 Sold 1946
HMCS Miscou (T277) Collingwood 1942 Sold 1946

Royal New Zealand Navy

Royal New Zealand Navy
Ship Builder Laid Down Launched Comm'ed Paid Off Fate
HMNZS Inchkeith (T155) John Lewis & Sons 10 July 1941 Still in service 1949
HMNZS Killegray (T174) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 25 May 1941 Still in service 1949
HMNZS Sanda (T160) Goole S.B. & R. Co. 12 July 1941 Still in service 1949
HMNZS Scarba (T175) Cook, Welton & Gemmell 26 June 1941 Still in service 1949

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.

See also