During World War II, many regular fishing boats, called trawlers, were taken over by the Royal Navy to help with the war effort. These boats were known as "His Majesty's Trawlers," or HMTs. They were usually used for fishing, but the Navy needed them for important tasks like clearing dangerous mines from the sea, hunting enemy submarines, and protecting harbors.
These brave civilian boats played a vital role in keeping the seas safe for larger warships and supply convoys. They might not have been as big or powerful as battleships, but their smaller size and ability to operate in shallow waters made them perfect for these special jobs.
What is a Requisitioned Trawler?
A requisitioned trawler was a civilian fishing boat that the government temporarily took control of during the war. Instead of catching fish, these boats were given new jobs by the Royal Navy. This was a common practice during wartime when a country needed to quickly expand its naval fleet.
Different Jobs for Trawlers
Trawlers were very versatile and could be adapted for many different naval duties:
- Minesweepers: One of their most important jobs was clearing sea mines. Mines were hidden explosives that could sink ships, so trawlers would drag special equipment to find and destroy them.
- Anti-submarine vessels: They also hunted submarines, which were a major threat to Allied shipping. Trawlers were fitted with sonar (a system that uses sound waves to detect objects underwater) and depth charges (explosives dropped into the water to attack submarines).
- Boom defense vessels: These boats helped set up and maintain defensive barriers across harbors and important waterways. These booms, often made of nets or chains, stopped enemy submarines or ships from entering.
- Balloon barrage vessels: Some trawlers carried large balloons that floated high in the sky. These barrage balloons were attached to cables, making it difficult for enemy aircraft to fly low and attack ships or ports.
- Harbor service: Many trawlers stayed in harbors, helping with various tasks like moving supplies, assisting other ships, or acting as patrol boats.
- Examination service: These trawlers would check incoming ships to make sure they weren't carrying enemy spies or illegal goods.
- Dan layers: They would lay down "dans," which are buoys or markers, to show where mines had been cleared or where other naval operations were happening.
- Wreck dispersal vessels: After battles or attacks, these boats helped clear away the remains of sunken ships to keep shipping lanes open.
- Torpedo recovery vessels (TRV): Some trawlers were used to find and retrieve practice torpedoes after training exercises.
- Esso: This term often meant they were used as fuel or water carriers, providing supplies to other ships.
- Mobile wiping unit: These were ships equipped to "de-gauss" other vessels, which meant reducing their magnetic signature to make them less vulnerable to magnetic mines.
Many of these trawlers were returned to their owners after the war, but sadly, some were lost due to enemy action or accidents.
A-Z of Trawlers: Some Examples
Here are some examples of the many trawlers that served the Royal Navy during World War II, listed by their first letter:
Ships Starting with A
HMT Andre Monique in dry dock on a slipway near Victoria Bridge, Milford Haven
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Aberdour |
Apr 1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, returned 1946 |
| HMT Abiding Star |
May 1940 |
Mine recovery vessel, de-gaussing, returned 1946 |
| HMT Akranes |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed in Bridlington Bay 4 Jul 1941 |
| HMT Alberic |
1940 |
Minesweeper, sunk in collision with St. Albans off Scapa 3 May 1941 |
| HMT Alouette |
1939 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by U-552 off Portugal 19 Sep 1942 |
| HMT A.N. 2 |
Oct 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Mined off Falmouth 8 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Andre Monique |
Jul 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, returned 1945 |
| HMT Appletree |
1940 |
Aircraft observation, lost in collision at Oban 15 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Aragonite |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, Mined off Deal 22 Nov 1939 |
| HMT Arctic Pioneer |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, unknown cause off Portsmouth 27 May 1942 |
| HMT Argyllshire |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat off Dunkirk 1 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Arley |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, Mined North Sea 3 Feb 1945 |
| HMT Arsenal |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision with Burza off the Clyde 16 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Asama |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Plymouth 21 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Aston Villa |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Norway 3 May 1940 |
| HMT Avalon |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Adonis Jun 1941, lost 15 Apr 1943 |
| HMT Avanturine |
Oct 1939 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat off Beachy Head 1 Dec 1943 |
| HMT Aurora II |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Tobruk 25 May 1941 |
Ships Starting with B
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Bahram |
1940 |
Harbor defense patrol craft, mined off the Humber 3 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Bandolero |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision with Waterhen off Sollum 30 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Barbara Robertson |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, sunk by U-30 gunfire off the Hebrides 23 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Beaver |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, sunk by Japanese submarine off Ceylon 5 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Bedfordshire |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine with US Navy, sunk by German submarine U-558 off Cape Lookout 11 May 1942 |
| HMT Ben Ardna |
Aug 1939 |
Exam, lost in collision off the Tyne 12 May 1942 |
| HMT Ben Gairn |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Lowestoft 4 May 1941 |
| HMT Ben Glas |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost 4 May 1941 |
| HMT Bengali |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 5 Dec 1942 |
| HMT Benvolio |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 23 Feb 1940 |
| HMT Bervie Braes |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, Esso, returned Oct 1944 |
| HMT Bever |
Oct 1941 |
Minesweeper, mined off Piraeus 30 Nov 1944 |
| HMT Blackburn Rovers |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost probably by RN mine, North Sea 2 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Blia |
1941 |
Lost 11 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Bodo |
1940 |
Minesweeper; mined off east coast Scotland 4 Jan 1943 |
| HMT Bombay |
Oct 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, returned Jan 1940, lost 6 Aug 1942 |
| HMT Botanic |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed in the North Sea 18 Feb 1942 |
| HMT Boy Alan |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision, Thames Estuary 10 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Boy Andrew |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision, Firth of Forth 9 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Boy Roy |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, bombed at Dunkirk 28 May 1940 |
| HMT Braconburn |
1944 |
To be block ship, lost in collision with SS LeBaron Russell Briggs off Bell Rock 30 Jul 1944 |
| HMT Bradman |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Norway 25 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Brae Flett |
Jan 1942 |
Harbor service, lost (unknown cause?) 29 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Bras D'Or |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, foundered, Gulf of Saint Lawrence 19 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Broadland |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, foundered, North Atlantic 6 Jun 1945 |
| HMT Dromio |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Whitby 22 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Drummer |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Brightlingsea 4 Aug 1940 |
Ships Starting with C
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Caerphilly Castle |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, sold Jan 1940, lost 27 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Calverton |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 29 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Calvi |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Dunkirk 29 May 1940 |
| HMT Cambrian |
Sep 1939 |
Boom defense vessel, mined off Spithead 30 May 1940 |
| HMT Campina |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off Holyhead 22 Jul 1940 |
| HMT Cap D'Antifer |
1940 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat off the Humber 13 Feb 1944 |
| HMT Cape Chelyuskin |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed in Norway 29 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Cape Finisterre |
1940 |
Anti submarine, bombed out in North Sea 2 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Cape Passaro |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed in Norway 21 May 1940 |
| HMT Cape Siretoko |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed in Norway 29 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Cape Spartel |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed out in North Sea 2 Feb 1942 |
| HMT Capricornus |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, mined off Milford Haven 7 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Caroline |
1940 |
Minesweeper, lost 28 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Carry On |
Dec 1939 |
Balloon barrage vessel, mined off Sheerness 17 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Castleton |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, returned Jan 1940, lost 28 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Catherine |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, foundered off Scapa 8 Jun 1942 |
| HMT Caulonia |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, wrecked in Rye Bay 31 Mar 1943 |
| HMT Cayton Wyke |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat off Dover 8 Jul 1940 |
| HMT Charde |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Portsmouth 21 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Charles Boyes |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the east coast 25 May 1940 |
| HMT Choice |
1944 |
Esso, foundered off Normandy 25 Aug 1944 |
| HMT Chorley |
Jan 1940 |
Boom defense vessel, foundered off Start Point 25 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Christine Rose |
1940 |
Exam, wrecked, coast of Argyll 10 Sep 1941 |
| HMT Cloughton Wyke |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, bombed in the North Sea 2 Feb 1942 |
| HMT Cobbers |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed in the North Sea 3 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Cocker |
Sep 1940 |
Anti-submarine, lost 3 Jun 1942 |
| HMT Comet |
1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Falmouth 30 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Comfort |
1939 |
Dan layer, rammed in error by Lydd off Dover 29 May 1940 |
| HMT Computator |
1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Normandy 21 Jan 1945 |
| HMT Conquistador |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, lost in collision, Thames Estuary 25 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Cor Jesu |
1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, bombed off Alnmouth 8 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Cortina |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, lost in collision off the Humber 7 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Crammond Island |
Nov 1939 |
Boom defense vessel, bombed off St Abb's Head 2 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Crestflower |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Portsmouth 19 Jul 1940 |
Ships Starting with D
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Daisy |
Jan 1941 |
Harbor service, lost in a storm in the Clyde 25 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Daneman |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision with submerged ice, North Atlantic 8 May 1943 |
| HMT Darcy Cooper |
1940 |
Exam, bombed at Harwich 9 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Darogah |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Thames Estuary 27 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Dervish |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 9 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Desiree |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Thames Estuary 16 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Devon County |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Thames Estuary 1 Jul 1941 |
| HMT Dewy Eve |
Jan 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision at Scapa 9 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Donna Nook |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, lost in collision, North Sea 25 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Dungeness |
May 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off coast of Norfolk 15 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Duthies |
Aug 1939 |
Bombed at Montrose 25 Oct 1940 |
Ships Starting with E
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Ebor Wyke |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, sunk by U-979 off Iceland 2 May 1945 |
| HMT Edouard |
Jul 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost 22 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Vlaanderen |
Sep 1939 |
Lost by unknown cause off Iceland? |
| HMT Egeland |
Nov 1939 |
Dan layer, wrecked, coast of Palestine 29 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Eileen Duncan |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed at North Shields 30 Sep 1941 |
| HMT Elizabeth Angela |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed in The Downs 13 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Elizabeth Therese |
Oct 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost by unknown cause? 4 Jul 1945 |
| HMT Elk (1902) |
Dec 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, mined off Plymouth 27 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Embrace |
Nov 1939 |
HDPC, wrecked in Loch Alsh 2 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Emillion |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 24 Oct 1941 |
| HMT Erin |
1940 |
Anti-submarine, blown up by Italian frogmen at Gibraltar 18 Jan 1942 |
| HMT Ethel Taylor |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off the Tyne 22 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Evelina |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off the Tyne 16 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Eveline |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision, Milford Haven 27 Jan 1942 |
| HMT Evesham |
Dec 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost 27 May 1941, salved & scrapped Apr 1945 |
Ships Starting with F
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Fair Breeze |
Sep 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, wrecked off Dunkirk 1 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Fairhaven |
1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, foundered, N. Atlantic 5 Sep 1944 |
| HMT Fertile Vale |
Dec 1939 |
Exam, lost in collision off the Tay 19 Jul 1941 |
| HMT Fidget |
Nov 1939 |
Mine recovery vessel, Auxiliary patrol, air/sea rescue, sold Jan 1946 |
| HMT Fifeshire |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Copinsay 20 Feb 1940 |
| HMT Firmament |
May 1941 |
Minesweeper, wrecked near Alexandria 30 May 1944 |
| HMT Fisher Girl |
1940 |
Mobile wiping unit, bombed off Falmouth 25 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Fleming |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed, Thames Estuary 27 Jul 1940 |
| HMT Fontenoy |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed in the North Sea 19 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Force |
Feb 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed in the North Sea 27 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Forecast |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost by unknown cause in the Clyde 10 Apr 1944 |
| HMT Forerunner |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision, Thames Estuary 14 Oct 1941 |
| HMT Fort Royal |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Aberdeen 9 Feb 1940 |
| HMT Fortuna |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off St. Abbs Head 3 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Franc Tireur |
May 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat off Harwich 25 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Francolin |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off Cromer 12 Nov 1941 |
Ships Starting with G
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Gadra |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, returned Jan 1940, lost 6 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Gaul |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Norway 3 May 1940 |
| HMT Glen Albyn |
Dec 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined in Loch Ewe 23 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Go Ahead |
1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Sheerness 18 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Golden Dawn |
Feb 1940 |
Harbor service, lost by unknown cause in the Clyde? 4 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Golden Effort |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost by unknown cause in the Clyde? 23 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Golden Gift |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision off Oban 6 Apr 1943 |
| HMT Golden Sunbeam |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision of Dungeness 19 Aug 1943 |
| HMT Golden West |
Oct 1940 |
De-gaussing, lost 15 Jan 1945 |
| HMT Goorangai |
Oct 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision with SS Duntroon off Port Phillip 20 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Gowan Hill |
Aug 1939 |
Harbor service, bombed in the Clyde 7 May 1941 |
| HMT Gleam |
1941 |
Harbor service, lost in collision in the Clyde area 15 Jun 1944 |
| HMT Gulfoss |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Channel 9 Mar 1941 |
Ships Starting with H
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Hampshire |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 25 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Harmony |
1940 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Invergordon 15 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Harstad |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat in the Channel 27 Jul 1943 |
| HMT Harvest Gleaner |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off the eastcoast 28 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Harvest Moon |
Dec 1939 |
Expended as block ship, 9 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Hayburne Wyke |
May 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, sunk by U-boat off Ostend 2 Jan 1945 |
| HMT Henriette |
Jul 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 26 Dec 1941 |
| HMT Heron |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, returned Jan 1940, lost 12 Jul 1942 |
| HMT High Tide |
Aug 1940 |
Exam, foundered off the north coast of Wales 30 Mar 1945 |
| HMT Honjo |
1939 |
Minesweeper, blown up by Italian frogmen at Gibraltar 18 Jan 1942 |
Ships Starting with I
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Imbat |
1940 |
Harbor service, lost in collision at Scapa 4 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Inverclyde |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, foundered in tow off Beachy Head 16 Oct 1942 |
| HMT Irvana |
Feb 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Great Yarmouth 16 Jan 1942 |
Ships Starting with J
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Jardine |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Norway 30 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Jean Frederic |
Nov 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed off start point 1 May 1941 |
| HMT Jewel |
1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off Belfast Lough 18 May 1941 |
| HMT Joseph Button |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Aldburgh 22 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Justified |
1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off Malta 16 Jun 1942 |
Ships Starting with K
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Keryado |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Channel 6 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Kingston Agate |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 10 Jan 1940 |
| HMT Kingston Beryl |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined north of Ireland 18 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Kingston Cairngorm |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, United States Navy, mined in the Channel 15 Jun 1942 |
| HMT Kingston Chrysolite |
Aug 1939 |
Anti submarine, lost 5 Jan 1940 |
| HMT Kingston Crystal |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 27 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Kingston Cyanite |
Sep 1939 |
Armed boarding vessel, lost 12 Jan 1943 |
| HMT Kingston Jacinth |
Aug 1939 |
Armed boarding vessel, mined off Portsmouth 21 Jan 1943 |
| HMT Kingston Sapphire |
Sep 1939 |
Armed boarding vessel, sunk by the Italian submarine Nani off Gibraltar 5 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Kopanes |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off the Tyne 19 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Kos XVI |
Jul 1940 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision, North Sea 24 Aug 1941 |
| HMT Kos XXII |
Sep 1940 |
Anti-submarine, bombed in the Mediterranean 2 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Kos XXIII |
Sep 1940 |
Anti-submarine, scuttled in Souda Bay May 1941 |
| HMT Kurd |
1939 |
Minesweeper, Mined off the Lizard 10 Jul 1945 |
Ships Starting with L
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Lady Lillian |
1940 |
Anti-submarine, bombed west of Ireland 16 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Lady Shirley |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, sunk by U-374 near Gibraltar 11 Dec 1941 |
| HMT Larwood |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 25 Apr 1940, salved & German VPG 111 |
| HMT Lavinia L |
Dec 1939 |
Balloon barrage vessel, lost 5 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Leyland |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision off Gibraltar 25 Nov 1942 |
| HMT Lincoln City |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off the Faroes 21 Feb 1941 |
| HMT L'Istrac |
1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, sunk by gunfire in the Channel 11 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Loch Alsh |
Sep 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed off the Humber 30 Jan 1942 |
| HMT Loch Assater |
1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off east Scotland 22 Mar 1940 |
| HMT Loch Doon |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Blyth 25 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Loch Eribol |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision with SS Sidney Sharman off Start Point 12 Oct 1945 |
| HMT Loch Inver |
May 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off Harwich 24 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Loch Naver |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost 6 May 1940 |
| HMT Loch Shin |
Sep 1939 |
Boom defense vessel, bombed at Harstad, Norway 25 May 1940 |
| HMT L'Orage |
Nov 1940 |
Special service, MoWT Jul 1942 |
| HMT Lord Austin |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined off Normandy 26 Jun 1944 |
| HMT Lord Cavan |
Nov 1939 |
Mine recovery vessel, sunk by gunfire off Dunkirk 2 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Lord Hailsham |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat in the Channel 27 Feb 1943 |
| HMT Lord Howard |
Nov 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision off Dover 27 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Lord St. Vincent |
Sep 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, balloon barrage vessel, mined, Thames Estuary 7 Jul 1941 |
| HMT Lord Selborne |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined in the Humber 31 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Lord Snowden |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision off Falmouth 13 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Lord Stamp |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined in the Channel 14 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Lord Stonehaven |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat off the Eddystone 2 Oct 1942 |
| HMT Lord Wakefield |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Normandy 29 Jul 1944 |
| HMT Lorinda |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost by fire at Freetown 28 Aug 1941 |
| HMT Louis Botha |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, wrecked south of Reykjavík 7 Mar 1944 |
| HMT Lucien Goujy |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost, cause unknown? 21 Feb 1945 |
| HMT Lucienne Jeanne |
Apr 1941 |
Minesweeper, stranded & abandoned, Nore area 24 Oct 1941 |
| HMT Luda Lady |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the East Coast 22 Jan 1941 |
Ships Starting with M
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT M. A. West |
1940 |
Exam, lost 14 May 1941 |
| HMT Maaloy |
Apr 1940 |
Minesweeper, sunk by U-510 off Ceylon 27 Mar 1944 |
| HMT Maida |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the East Coast 16 Mar 1940 |
| HMT Manor |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat in the Channel 9 Jul 1942 |
| HMT Manx Prince |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 28 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Marconi |
Feb 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Harwich 20 Sep 1941 |
| HMT Marsona |
Oct 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Cromarty 4 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Melbourne |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Narvik 22 May 1940 |
| HMT Midas |
Feb 1940 |
Flare drifter, Balloon barrage vessel, lost in collision off Dungeness 3 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Milford Earl |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed East of Scotland 8 Dec 1941 |
| HMT Mirabelle |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Esso, lost in collision 17 Sep 1944 |
| HMT Monarda |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, foundered, Thames Estuary 8 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Moravia |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, auxiliary patrol, mined, North Sea 14 Mar 1943 |
| HMT Moray |
1940 |
Dan layer, store carrier, foundered off Milford Haven 13 Mar 1943 |
| HMT Murmansk |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, wrecked at Brest 17 Jun 1940 |
Ships Starting with N
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Nautilus |
1939 |
Dan layer, lost by unknown cause at Dunkirk 29 May 1940 |
| HMT New Spray |
1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, foundered off Sheerness 3 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Noble Nora |
1940 |
Minesweeper, RHN Spercheios Sep 1943, lost 3 Apr 1945 |
| HMT Nogi |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Norfolk 23 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Nordhav II |
Apr 1940 |
Minesweeper, sunk by U-714 off Dundee 10 Mar 1945 |
| HMT Northcoates |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, foundered in tow in the Channel 2 Dec 1944 |
| HMT Northern Princess |
Sep 1939 |
Armed boarding vessel, anti-submarine, sunk by U-94, North Atlantic 7 Mar 1942 |
| HMT Northern Rover |
Aug 1939 |
Armed boarding vessel, lost Nov 1939 |
| HMT Notts County |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by U-701 south of Iceland 8 Mar 1942 |
Ships Starting with O
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Ocean Lassie |
Aug 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off Harwich 4 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Ocean Retriever |
Apr 1940 |
Minesweeper, Auxiliary patrol, mined, Thames Estuary 22 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Ocean Reward |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Dover 28 May 1940 |
| HMT Ocean Sunlight |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Newhaven 13 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Oksoy |
Aug 1941 |
Minesweeper, Cyclone 1944, RHN Pinieos 1945, lost 24 Oct 1945 |
| HMT Ormonde |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed East of Scotland 16 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Oswaldian |
May 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined, Bristol Channel 4 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Othello |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, boom defense vessel, mined in the Humber 11 Apr 1941 |
Ships Starting with P
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Patricia Cam |
1941 |
Minesweeper, bombed by Japanese aircraft off Wessel Island 22 Jan 1943 |
| HMT Paxton |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, bombed at Dunkirk 28 May 1940 |
| HMT Pelton |
1939 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat off Gt. Yarmouth 24 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Pentland Firth |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine United States Navy 1942, lost in collision off New York 19 Sep 1942 |
| HMT Peridot |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined off Dover 15 Mar 1940 |
| HMT Pierre Desceliers |
Aug 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, boom defense vessel, bombed off Salcombe 13 Aug 1942 |
| HMT Polly Johnson |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Dunkirk 29 May 1940 |
| HMT Promotive |
Oct 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined in Loch Ewe 23 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Pyrope |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed, Thames Estuary 12 Aug 1940 |
Ships Starting with R
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Rahman |
1940 |
Minesweeper, lost by unknown cause at Batavia 1 Mar 1942 |
| HMT Ray Of Hope |
1939 |
Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 10 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Receptive |
Apr 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 3 Jul 1941 |
| HMT Recoil |
May 1940 |
Anti-submarine, mined in the Channel 28 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Red Gauntlet |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat, North Sea 5 Aug 1943 |
| HMT Reed |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 7 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Remillo |
Apr 1940 |
Dan layer, auxiliary patrol, mined in the Humber 27 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Resmilo |
Sep 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Peterhead 20 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Resolvo |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 12 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Resparko |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Falmouth 20 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Riant |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, foundered off west coast of Scotland 25 Jan 1940 |
| HMT Rifsnes |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Ostend 20 May 1940 |
| HMT Rinovia |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Falmouth 2 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Ristango |
Jun 1940 |
Boom gate vessel, lost in collision with boom at Sheerness 14 Nov 1940 |
| HMT River Clyde |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Aldeburgh 5 Aug 1940 |
| HMT Robert Bowen |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Aberdeen 9 Feb 1940 |
| HMT Roche Bonne |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed off the Lizard 7 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Rodino |
1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Dover 27 Jul 1940 |
| HMT Rosa |
Oct 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost by unknown cause in the Clyde 11 Sep 1943 |
| HMT Rosemonde |
Jul 1940 |
Minesweeper, sunk by U-203 off Cape Race 22 Jan 1942 |
| HMT Rose Valley |
Oct 1939 |
Contraband control, lost in collision off Scapa 16 Dec 1943 |
| HMT Rowan Tree |
Jan 1940 |
Minesweeper, wrecked off Lowestoft 21 Nov 1941 |
| HMT Royallieu |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost 1 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Roydur |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 13 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Rubens |
Aug 1940 |
Assigned to anti-submarine warfare on convoy protection duty.
Bombed and sunk in the Atlantic by a Fw 200 Condor of KG40, 13 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Runswick Bay |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 20 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Rutlandshire |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed at Namsos & beached 31 May 1940 |
Ships Starting with S
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT St. Achilleus |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, French La Cancalaise 1939 |
| HMT St. Amandus |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, French La Lorientalaise 1939, lost Jun 1944 |
| HMT St. Andronicus |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, lost 22 Nov 1941 |
| HMT St. Apollo |
Feb 1940 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision off the Hebrides 22 Nov 1941 |
| HMT St. Arcadius |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, ?French La Nantaise 1939, lost 8 Jul 1945 |
| HMT St. Attalus |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, French La Havraise 1939, lost 27 Nov 1942, salved & lost 9 Jun 1944 |
| HMT St. Cathan |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, United States Navy, lost in collision off South Carolina 11 Apr 1942 |
| HMT St. Donats |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off the Humber 1 Mar 1941 |
| HMT St. Goran |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Namsos 3 May 1940 |
| HMT Saint Pierre II |
Jul 1940 |
lost, probably Plymouth area? 29 Jul 1940 |
| HMT Sambhur |
Nov 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, wrecked off Colombo 5 May 1942 |
| HMT Santa |
Oct 1941 |
Minesweeper, mined off La Maddalena 23 Nov 1943 |
| HMT Sarna |
Mar 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined in the Suez Canal 25 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Saturnus |
1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, wrecked off the Isle of Man 1 May 1941 |
| HMT Sedgefly |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined off the Tyne 16 Dec 1919 |
| HMT Senateur Duhamel |
Jan 1941 |
Anti-submarine, United States Navy, lost in collision off Wilmington 6 May 1942 |
| HMT Shera |
Mar 1940 |
Minesweeper, Russian 1942, foundered in the Barents Sea 9 Mar 1942 |
| HMT Shipmates |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, bombed at Dover 14 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Shusa |
Mar 1940 |
Minesweeper, Russian 1942, lost on passage to North Russia 20 Nov 1942 |
| HMT Silicia |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 8 May 1941 |
| HMT Sindonis |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed at Tobruk 29 May 1941 |
| HMT Sisapon |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Harwich 12 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Skudd 3 |
Nov 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed at Tobruk 27.8341 |
| HMT Soizic |
Jul 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost 20 Mar 1941 |
| HMT Solomon |
Aug 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined north of Cromer 1 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Soubrette |
Aug 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost 29 Jan 1942 |
| HMT Southern Flower |
Mar 1940 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by U-1022 off Iceland 11 Feb 1941 |
| HMT Southern Foam |
Mar 1940 |
Anti-submarine, lost 3 Mar 1945 |
| HMT Southern Sea |
Mar 1940 |
Anti-submarine, lost in collision with SS Wahine in New Zealand waters 16 Jun 1944 |
| HMT Spectrum |
Sep 1939 |
Mooring vessel, lost 13 Mar 1942 |
| HMT Stella Capella |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by U-701 off Iceland 11 Mar 1942 |
| HMT Stella Dorado |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, torpedoed by E-boat off Dunkirk 1 Jun 1940 |
| HMT Stella Orion |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined, Thames Estuary 11 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Stella Sirius |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed by French aircraft at Gibraltar 25 Sep 1940 |
| HMT Strathborve |
Aug 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Humber 6 Sep 1941 |
| HMT Strijdt Voor Christus |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, to MoWT Apr 1942 |
| HMT Summer Rose |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined off Sunderland 13 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Supporter |
Dec 1939 |
Harbor service, wrecked near Newhaven 5 Nov 1944 |
| HMT Susarion |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off the Humber 7 May 1941 |
| HMT Svana |
Apr 1940 |
Minesweeper, bombed by Italian aircraft at Alexandria 8 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Sydoslandet |
1940 |
Anti-submarine, wrecked at the mouth of the Umgeni River 6 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Syvern |
Jan 1941 |
Anti-submarine, bombed between Crete & Alexandria 27 May 1941 |
Ships Starting with T
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Tervani |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, sunk by Acciaio off Algeria 7 Feb 1943 |
| HMT Texas |
1940 |
Minesweeper, Lost in collision off Jamaica 19 Jul 1944 |
| HMT The Boys |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, auxiliary patrol, foundered in the Downs 14 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Thistle |
Apr 1940 |
Exam, mined off Lowestoft 8 May 1941 |
| HMT Thomas Bartlett |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Calais 28 May 1940 |
| HMT Thomas Connolly |
Nov 1939 |
Boom defense vessel, mined off Sheerness 17 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Thora |
Jun 1940 |
Balloon barrage vessel, lost in collision with boom at Grimsby 26 Apr 1943 |
| HMT Thorbryn |
May 1941 |
Anti-submarine, bombed at Tobruk 19 Aug 1941 |
| HMT Thorgrim |
May 1941 |
Anti-submarine, bombed by Italian aircraft at Alexandria 8 Apr 1942 |
| HMT Thuringia |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, mined, North Sea 28 May 1940 |
| HMT Tilbury Ness |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed, Thames Estuary 1 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Token |
1940 |
Minesweeper, wrecked in Skerry Sound 23 Dec 1941 |
| HMT Torbay II |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed off Dover 1 Jan 1940 |
| HMT Trang |
1940 |
Minesweeper, abandoned at Singapore 14 Feb 1942 |
| HMT Tranio |
Oct 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed, North Sea 26 Jun 1941 |
| HMT Tranquil |
Feb 1940 |
Minesweeper, lost in collision off Deal 16 Jun 1942 |
| HMT Transvaal |
1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Minesweeper, Esso, foundered in the Channel 18 Nov 1944 |
| HMT Treern |
1941 |
Minesweeper, mined in Greek waters 12 Jan 1945 |
| HMT True Accord |
Dec 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision off Gt. Yarmouth 26 Dec 1940 |
| HMT Trusty Star |
1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off Malta 10 Jun 1942 |
| HMT Tunisian |
Oct 1939 |
Boom defense vessel, mined off Harwich 9 Jul 1942 |
| HMT William Hallet |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off the Tyne 13 Dec 1939 |
| HMT William Stephens |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, torpedoed by E-boat off Cromer 25 Oct 1943 |
| HMT William Wesney |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Orfordness 7 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Wyoming |
Jun 1940 |
Minesweeper, mined off Harwich 20 May 1944 |
Ships Starting with U
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Uberty |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweepers, bombed off Lowestoft 8 May 1941 |
| HMT Uberous |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, wrecked in Lough Foyle 11 Jan 1941 |
| HMT Unicity |
Dec 1939 |
Minesweeper, scrapped Oct 1943 |
| HMT Ut Prosim |
Nov 1939 |
Flare drifter, auxiliary patrol, sunk by gunfire in Dover harbor 2 Mar 1943 |
Ships Starting with V
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Valdora |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, bombed off Cromer 12 Jan 1940 |
| HMT Van Orley |
Mar 1941 |
Anti-submarine, bombed at Liverpool, salved & scrapped 4 May 1941 |
| HMT Velia |
May 1940 |
mined off Harwich 19 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Vercheres |
1939 |
Minesweeper, lost by fire at Sorel, Quebec 9 May 1943 |
| HMT Vidonia |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, Esso, lost by unknown cause in the Channel 6 Oct 1944 |
| HMT Vikings |
1940 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by U-542 on the coast of Syria 17 Apr 1942 |
Ships Starting with W
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Warland |
Apr 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, bombed, North Sea 18 Feb 1942 |
| HMT Warwick Deeping |
Sep 1939 |
Anti-submarine, sunk by gunfire in the Channel 12 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Warwickshire |
Aug 1939 |
Anti-submarine, bombed off Trondheim 30 Apr 1940 |
| HMT Washington |
Nov 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined, North Sea 6 Dec 1939 |
| HMT Waterfly |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, mined off Dunkirk 17 Sep 1942 |
| HMT Waveflower |
Sep 1939 |
Minesweeper, lost 21 Oct 1940 |
| HMT Weazel |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost Oct 1941 |
| HMT Westella |
Sep 1939 |
anti-submarine, mined off Dunkirk 2 Jun 1940 |
| HMT White Daisy |
Apr 1941 |
Harbor service, lost in Scottish waters 25 Sep 1940 |
Ships Starting with X
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Xmas Rose |
Nov 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, mined, Thames Estuary 21 Nov 1940 |
Ships Starting with Y
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Young Ernie |
Dec 1939 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision off the Tyne 18 Apr 1941 |
| HMT Young Fisherman |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, wrecked at Oban 29 Nov 1940 |
| HMT Young Sid |
May 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision in the Moray Firth 10 Aug 1940 |
Ships Starting with Z
| Ship designation |
Requisitioned |
Fate |
| HMT Zeemeeuw |
Jun 1940 |
Auxiliary patrol, lost in collision off Gravesend, later salved 21 Sep 1943 |
