Anyone know much about Trawlers between 1939 and 1945? I've been contacted by a chap who owns the Trawler Rely, which will be 100 years old next year. He has been researching its history and has been able to find out very little about its activities during the war. He believes that it served during the war and may have taken part in D-Day. It sounds like quite a special little ship. As far as I know Trawlers served the RN in two roles - as patrol craft and as minesweepers. I'm having a look through TNA catalogue to see what records I can find, as I'm sure there must be a paperwork trail if she was requisitioned. My local library has a copy of the Colledge book that lists RN Trawlers, so I'm going to have a look at that too. I'm told there are some photos of her online, but I am having trouble finding them. In the meantime, I wonder if anyone else has any thoughts or suggestions?
James, I've had a look through 'Warships of WWII' - Lenton/Colledge for the Rely but with no result, I might be looking too hard. If you have no luck, I have a contact who is/was (Some time since I contacted him) an expert on trawlers. If you wish I'll pm you with his contact details. Regards Peter
There's quite a lot mentioned in detail in The Evacuation from Dunkirk: The Evacuation from Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo 26 May-4 June 1940 Whitehall History Publishing: Amazon.co.uk: The First Sea Lord, W.J.R. Gardner: Books Off to get ready for work so if you have any specific boats to check regarding Dunkirk let me know and I'll check them tonight.
I'm no expert by any means but my wifes grandfather was in the Royal Naval Patrol Service (kia 1941) and I think you are correct that trawlers served in coastal escort (esp western approaches) and minesweeping, for which they were very suited to. The crews were often the trawlermen themselves and come from the usual fishing ports and usually enlisted in the RNPS. A good starting point for research on theses vessels is here Royal Naval Patrol Service Links. Also Cally here on WW2 has an extensive collection of photos of warships who is quite excellent at finding ship images see http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-sea/16640-warship-pictures.html. Best of luck with this
Thanks for the tips guys. I'm corresponding with the chap at the moment, he has forwarded me a potted history of the boat. I will post it up when I get home. I'm wondering whether the name may have changed at some point, I know its thought to be bad luck but it does happen from time to time. Of course there's also a possibility that the story has been embelished through the passage of time, such are the vagaries of oral history!
Hi, The name of the ship could have changed several times, it will have a board of trade number which stays the same. That old it could have served in WWI as well. regards Charles
Hello, Are you interested in British craft exclusively ? If Norwegian trawlers / fishing vessels are of any use, I could probably provide some information regarding the shuttle service run between the Norwegian west coast and the Shetland Isles. Popular name The Shetland Bus.
James, whatever else you do, try and find a copy of Paul Lund and Harry Ludlam's Trawlers go to War from 1971; you'll see it on the RNPS site, and at the head of most booklists on trawlers at war and the Patrol Service. Apart from being remarkably detailed for a short paperback, it's VERY readable, and very funny in places too! It hasn't been republished lately, probably best look on ebay...I got my copy for 25p at a car bootie!
Hello James, It would be worth making a post on Ships Nostalgia as there are very knowledgeable folk on there. Regarding changing names it was very common for trawlers to change name and I will bet that one had many. Regards Hugh
Heres the potted history of the boat that the owner has emailed me: Rely was built in 1911 in Fraserburgh, we have yet to find out her actual launch date. She was used as a pilot boat, as in her 1915 register for fishing when she is purchased by three ladies in Aberdeen she is detailed as a pilot boat. It was about this time that her first engine was put in. This was a kelvin parafin. This was taken out finally in the late 70's and is in the science museum in London. She fished in and around Lerwick until 1939, when she disappears from fishing records. She doesn't come back to registered fishing until 1945. She then fished until she became Part 1 registered in 1957, where she is in the Lloyds registry. I have managed to speak to all of her owners since about 1959. She has been owned for approximately 10 years with each person. She was owned in 1959, by a guy called Commander Ru Ru Mclaron O Brien, he might be dsc and he was on a ship i think called Frittillary in WW2. I spoke to him when we purchased the boat in 1998 and he was 91 and blind but very switched on and quite a laugh. In the next two years I had two more kids so in three years I had three kids and so subsequently when I tried to contact him again I could get on contact by phone or letter. She lived in Heybridge basin for a number of years and was well known as a kindly motorboat. When we found her she was on the South coast in a poor state. The fact that she has survived this long for a working boat means that we think she is a bit special. We have found her sister ship. She lives in New England US. However the guy who owns her I think was a little put out that his boat wasn't the only 1/2 zulu around and wasn't particulary helpful. The fact that she went back to where she had fished prior to the war is intereseting as my grandparents never got their boat back, so I feel that Rely has been quite lucky in her life. The fact that nearly every owner since 1957 I have managed to speak to and all of them spoke very fondly of her suggests she is a little bit special. Rely is about 40ft long with her zulu stern rounded off for easier fishing, she draws approx 5ft and can be beached with the use of her legs, we don't have them and they appear to have been lost in 1980's.
