Castle-class trawler

	HMT Edward Gallagher as HMT Cardiff Castle during WWII
Class overview
Name	Castle class
Operators	Royal Navy ; Royal Canadian Navy ; Royal New Zealand Navy ; Kriegsmarine ;
Completed	about 280
General characteristics (standard ships)
Type	Minesweeper/naval trawler
Tonnage	285 GRT
Displacement	360 tons standard; 547 tons fully loaded;
Length	134 ft (41 m) LOA ; 125.5 ft (38.3 m);
Beam	23.5 ft (7.2 m)
Draught	12.7 ft (3.9 m)
Propulsion	1 vertical triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 boiler, 1 shaft, 480 ihp (360 kW)
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)
Complement	15, up to 18 with wireless
Armament	Most armed with 76 mm (3 in) 12-pounder gun ; George Harris, Thomas Bartlett, John Bomkworth 57 mm 6-pounder gun ; Giovonni Guinti QF 4 in (102 mm) naval gun ;

Last updated December 29, 2023

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

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

Ship	Builder	Launched	Completed	Fate	Second World War	WWII Loss
Daniel Harrington (FY3505)	Smiths Dock	8 February 1917	April 1917	Sold 1920	Lucienne Jeanne (FY1769)	Mined 24 October 1941 in the Thames estuary
Daniel Henley (FY3503)	Smiths Dock	24 January 1917	March 1917	Sold 4 May 1920
Festing Grindall (FY3501)	Smiths Dock	9 January 1917	March 1917	Sold 11 May 1920
George Aunger (FY3611)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	20 September 1917	January 1918	Sold 1922
Hugh Black (FY3602)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	10 May 1917	August 1917	Sold 1923	Ogano (FY803)
James Berry (FY3603)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	10 May 1917	August 1917	Sold 1922	Montamo (4.171)
James Hunniford (FY3504)	Smiths Dock	24 January 1917	March 1917	Sold 1920	Ethel Taylor	Mined 22 November 1940 off the Tyne
James Johnson (FY3506)	Smiths Dock	8 February 1917	April 1917	Sold 1922
John Anderson (FY3610)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	20 September 1917	December 1917	Sold 1922	Charles Doran (FY597)
John Brennan (FY3609)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	4 September 1917	January 1918	Sold 1922	Osako (FY580)
John Brice (FY3608)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	22 August 1917	January 1918	Sold 1924	Beaulne Verneuil
John Brooker (FY3605)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	9 June 1917	December 1917	Sold 1921	Loch Park (FY1835)
John Burlingham (FY3600)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	21 April 1917	July 1917	Sold 1920	Rehearo (FY1794)
John Gillman (FY3502)	Smiths Dock	9 January 1917	March 1917	Sold 1920
Richard Bagley (FY3604)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	9 June 1917	September 1917	Sold 1921	Malacolite (FY796)
Robert Betson (FY3601)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	21 April 1917	July 1917	Sold 1920	Remillo	Mined 27 February 1941 in the Humber
Thomas Blackthorn (FY3606)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	7 July 1917	December 1917	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1922
Thomas Buckley (FY3607)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	7 July 1917	December 1917	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1922	Ceylonite (FY1853)

Standard

Ship	Builder	Launched	Completed	Fate	Second World War	WWII Loss
Alexander Palmer (FY3517)	Smiths Dock	21 May 1917	June 1917	Sold 1922 to Spain. Shelled and sunk at Málaga by Almirante Cervera ( Spanish Navy) 9 October 1936.
Alexander Scott (FY3530)	Smiths Dock	3 August 1917	September 1917	Sold 4 May 1920	Alexander Scott (FY515)
Andrew Anderson (FY4405)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	15 August 1919	April 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 13 February 1922
Andrew Apsley (FY4298)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 June 1919	December 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 13 October 1919	Milford Earl	Bombed 8 December 1941 off east coast of Scotland
Andrew Sack (FY3523)	Smiths Dock	5 July 1917	August 1917	Sold 1924	North Ness (4.100)
Arthur Cavanagh (FY3677)	Bow McLachlan	8 May 1918	28 May 1918	Sold 1925	Arthur Cavenagh (FY566)
Arthur Lessimore (FY3510)	Smiths Dock	9 March 1917	May 1917	Sold 1924	Irvana (FY663)	Bombed 16 January 1942 off Great Yarmouth
Benjamin Cooke (FY3667)	Bow McLachlan	October 2017	1 November 1917	Sold 1922	Namur
Benjamin Stevenson (FY3522)	Smiths Dock	19 June 1917	July 1917	Sunk 18 August 1917 by S/M gunfire 40 miles E. of Fetlar, Shetlands
Charles Antram (FY4401)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 June 1919	February 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1922	Flanders (FY600)
Charles Boyes (FY3593)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	1 October 1917	June 1918	Sold 1921	Charles Boyes (FY3677)	Mined 25 May 1940 in the North Sea
Charles Chappell (FY3662)	Bow McLachlan	19 June 1917	July 1917	Sold 1922
Charles Donelly (FY3679)	Bow McLachlan	28 June 1918	12 July 1918	Sold 4 May 1920	Pelagos (4.103)
Charles Legg (FY4213)	J P Rennoldson	19 November 1918	20 January 1919	Sold 1923	Milford Countess (FY564)
Daniel Clowden (FY4446)	George Brown	13 November 1919	13 November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 8 August 1919	Daniel Clowden (FY531)
Daniel Dick (FY4488)	J P Rennoldson	17 May 1920	25 August 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1921	Clyth Ness (FY1596)
Daniel Leary (FY4221)	C Rennoldson	30 July 1919	9 July 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1923
David Dillon (FY4484)	J P Rennoldson	May 2019	28 July 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 28 July 1919	Edward Walmsley (FY624)
David Ogilvie (FY3514)	Smiths Dock	7 May 1917	June 1917	Sold 1919	David Ogilvie (FY720)
Denis Casey (FY3711)	Ailsa	13 December 1917	19/03/1918	Sold July 1920
Dominick Addison (FY4296)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 April 1919	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Gadfly (FY517)
Dominick Dubine (FY3726)	J P Rennoldson	14 March 1918	15 May 1918	Sold 4 May 1920	Fructidor (AD52) - French
Domque Gentile (FY3793)	Ailsa	5 August 1918	October 1918	Sold 1921
Edward Cattelly (FY4459)	Ailsa	17 March 1919	May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Loch Naver	Lost 6 May 1940 in collision off Hartlepool
Edward Collingwood (FY3675)	Bow McLachlan	9 April 1918	26 April 1918	Sold 1922	T.R. Ferrens (FY532)
Edward Gallagher (FY4216)	C Rennoldson	14 February 1919	August 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Cardiff Castle (FY512)
Egilias Akerman (FY4294)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 March 1919	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Computator (FY635)	Sunk 21 January 1945 in collision with HMS Vanoc off Normandy
Emmanuel Camelaire (FY3717)	Ailsa	25 April 1918	May 1918	Sold 1921	Brabant (FY586)
Francis Conlin (FY4458)	Ailsa	21 January 1919	March 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Frederick Bush (FY3594)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	14 March 1918	June 1918	Sold 1922
George Adgell (FY4402)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 June 1919	January 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	George Adgell (FY1926)
George Aiken (FY4291)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	19 December 1918	August 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
George Clarke (FY3714)	J P Rennoldson	2 October 1917	December 1917	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1923	Lady Stanley (4.233)
George Cochran (FY3721)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	28 June 1918	December 1918	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1920
George Corten (FY3697)	Cox & Co	1918	6 February 1919	Sold 1921	Northcoates (FY548)	Sank 2 December 1944 during a storm while under tow off Littlehampton
George Cousins (FY4461)	Ailsa	13 June 1919	August 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	George Cousins (FY627)
George Darby (FY3681)	Bow McLachlan	24 September 1918	21 October 1918	Sold 1923
George Greaves (FY3790)	George Brown	1919	12 May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Raglan Castle (FY631)
George Greenfield (FY3787)	George Brown	11 September 1918	15 October 1918	Sold 1921
George Harris (FY3854)	Hepple & Co	20 September 1918	12 December 1918	Sold 11 May 1920	Laxmii (RIN)
Giovanni Guinti (FY3792)	Ailsa	31 May 1918	July 1918	Sold 1920
Griffith Griffith (FY3780)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	27 August 1918	March 1919	Sold 11 May 1920
Henry Chevallier (FY3673)	Bow McLachlan	13 March 1918	3 April 1918	Sold 1922	Ligny (FY1765)
Henry Cory (FY3698)	Cox & Co	1919	28 May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Caliban (FY803)
Isaac Arthan (FY4297)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	1 May 1919	January 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1921	Loch Buie (FY688)
Isaac Heath (FY3829)	J P Rennoldson	9 July 1918	21 August 1918	Sold 1920	Teroma (FY527)
James Burgess (FY3653)	C Rennoldson	31 August 1917	October 1917	Sold 1920	Beaumaris Castle (FY993)
James Cepell (FY3718)	George Brown	29 March 1918	May 1918	Sold 1925	Antioche II (AD285) - French
James Chapman (FY3694)	George Brown	8 September 1917	November 1917	Sold 1923
James Christopher (FY3715)	J P Rennoldson	14 January 1918	27 March 1918	Sold 1923	Marsona (FY714)	Mined 4 August 1940 off Cromarty
James Connor (FY3700)	Harkness	19 July 1917	October 1917	Sold 1922 to Spain. Shelled and sunk at Málaga by Almirante Cervera ( Spanish Navy) 9 October 1936.
James Cosgrove (FY3716)	Ailsa	5 March 1918	April 1918	Sold 1919	James Cosgrove (RNZN)
James Dinton (FY3678)	Bow McLachlan	10 May 1918	29 May 1918	Sold 1922	Milford Duke (Z125)
James Gill (FY4217)	C Rennoldson	17 February 1919	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Milford Duchess (FY613)
James Green (FY3537)	Smiths Dock	3 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1922	Laverock
James Laveney (FY4215)	Chambers	1919	30 October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1925	La Blanche II (AD186) - French
James Lay (FY4222)	Fletcher & Fearnall	1918	4 November 1918	Sold 1920	James Lay (FY667)
James Peake (FY3540)	Smiths Dock	17 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1923
James Pond (FY3515)	Smiths Dock	21 May 1917	June 1917	Sunk 15 February 1918 by German destroyers in the Dover Straits
James Robertson (FY3159)	Smiths Dock	6 June 1917	July 1917	Sold 1922	Capstone (FY1555)
James Seckar (FY3526)	Smiths Dock	20 July 1917	August 1917	Foundered 25 September 1917 in the Atlantic, last seen at 46°30′N12°00′W / 46.500°N 12.000°W / 46.500; -12.000
James Sibbald (FY3525)	Smiths Dock	20 July 1917	August 1917	Sold 1919	Our Bairns (FY1566)
John Aikenhead (FY4292)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	19 December 1918	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Polly Johnson	Bombed 29 May 1940 off Dunkirk
John Ashley (FY4293)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 March 1919	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
John Baptish (FY3596)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	29 April 1918	July 1918	Sold 1921	John Baptish
John Bateman (FY3599)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	29 April 1918	August 1918	Sold 1922
John Bomkworth (FY3597)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	29 May 1918	July 1918	Sold 1922 to Spain. Wrecked 24 December 1930.
John Bullock (FY3651)	C Rennoldson	9 July 1917	September 1917	Sold 1921	Flying Admiral
John Campbell (FY3695)	George Brown	1 November 1917	December 1917	Sold 1923
John Casewell (FY3713)	Ailsa	3 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 4 May 1920
John Cattling (FY3676)	Bow McLachlan	12 April 1918	29 April 1918	Sold 4 May 1920	John Cattling (FY536)
John Chivers (FY3671)	Bow McLachlan	17 December 1917	December 1917	Sold 1922 to Spain
John Church (FY3668)	Bow McLachlan	16 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1920
John Clavell (FY4480)	Hepple & Co	14 August 1919	18 October 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1921
John Collins (FY3712)	Ailsa	19 November 1917	December 1917	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1920
John Cooper (FY3699)	Harkness	5 July 1917	September 1917	Sold 1922
John Davis (FY3682)	Bow McLachlan	25 September 1918	22 October 1918	Sold 1922
John Dormond (FY4485)	J P Rennoldson	August 1919	15 October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1922
John Gauntlet (FY3779)	C Rennoldson	12 August 1918	March 1919	Sold 11 May 1920
John Geoghan (FY3794)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	9 October 1918	November 1918	Sold 1921	Congre (AD92) - French
John Graham (FY3778)	Ailsa	27 July 1918	January 1919	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1921	Eastcoates (FY1771)
John Gregory (FY3789)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	14 February 1919	2 May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Nadine (AD57) - French
John Gulipster (FY3782)	George Brown	24 September 1918	April 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Comitatus (FY633)
John Kidd (FY3508)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	20 February 1917	May 1917	Sold 11 May 1920	Rotherslade (FY1822)
John Lewis (FY4219)	Smiths Dock	1919	30 March 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1921	Harry Melling (FY538)
John Lyons (FY3511)	Smiths Dock	23 March 1917	May 1917	Sold 1922
John Pollard (FY3516)	Smiths Dock	21 May 1917	June 1917	Sold 4 May 1920	Grosmont Castle
John Thorling (FY3527)	Smiths Dock	20 July 1917	September 1917	Sold 1925	Concertator (FY637)
Joseph Barratt (FY3586)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 November 1917	March 1918	Sold 1920	Tilbury Ness	Bombed 1 November 1940 in the Thames estuary
Joseph Button (FY3584)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	17 December 1917	April 1918	Sold 1920	Joseph Button	Mined 22 Oct 1940 off Aldeburgh
Joseph Connell (FY3696)	George Brown	20 December 1917	February 1918	Sold 1922
Joseph Giddice (FY3786)	George Brown	24 October 1918	12 December 1918	Sold 1922
Joseph Gordon (FY3785)	George Brown	29 June 1918	August 1918	Sold 1922	Grouin Du Cou (AD276)- French
Joseph Hodgkins (FY3855)	Hepple & Co	18 December 1918	20 June 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Joshua Arabin (FY4299)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	1 May 1919	October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	De La Pole (FY558)
Matthew Cassady (FY4457)	Ailsa	18 December 1918	February 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Matthew Flynn (FY3745)	Hepple & Co	17 October 1917	23 February 1918	Sold 1921	Commiles (FY636)
Michael Ging (FY3784)	George Brown	11 May 1918	June 1918	Sold 1922
Michael Griffith (FY3781)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	5 September 1918	April 1919	Sold 1921	Michael Griffith (FY567)
Michael Maloney (FY3513)	Smiths Dock	7 May 1917	June 1917	Stranded 19 February 1920 at Egersundl, Norway
Morgan Jones (FY3845)	Fletcher & Fearnall	10 March 1918	March 1918	Sold 1920	Morgan Jones (4.114)
Nathaniel Cole (FY3507)	Smiths Dock	20 February 1917	May 1917	Foundered 6 February 1918 off Buncrana, Lough Swilly
Neil Smith (FY3524)	Smiths Dock	5 July 1917	August 1917	Sold 1921	Neil Smith (FY529)
Oliver Pickin (FY3518)	Smiths Dock	21 May 1917	July 1917	Sold 1922	Damito (FY521)
Patrick Bowe (FY3591)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	17 January 1918	May 1918	Sold 1922 to Spain. Wrecked 1 September 1931.
Patrick Cullen (FY4460)	Ailsa	31 March 1919	June 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Patrick Donovan (FY4487)	J P Rennoldson	20 February 1920	20 June 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1922
Peter Blumberry (FY3583)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 October 1917	February 1918	Sold 1921
Peter Carey (FY4445)	George Brown	25 June 1919	October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Peter Carey (FY537)
Peter Hall (FY3795)	Ailsa	6 November 1918	December 1918	Sold 1922	Alvis (FY4118)
Peter Killen (FY4207)	Duthie Torry	1919	31 March 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Sir John Lister (FY622)
Peter Lovett (FY3509)	Smiths Dock	9 March 1917	May 1917	Sold 1922
Philip Godby (FY3783)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	24 September 1918	May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Phineas Beard (FY3588)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	17 November 1917	March 1918	Sold 1920	Phineas Beard	Bombed 8 December 1941 off Lunan Bay
Richard Bacon (FY3587)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 November 1917	March 1918	Sold 1922	Commodator (FY634)
Richard Crofts (FY3720)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	13 June 1918	December 1918	Sold 1921	Richard Crofts (FY530)
Richard Cundy (FY4462)	Ailsa	12 August 1919	October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	River Clyde	Mined 5 August 1940 off Aldeburgh
Richard Roberts (FY3520)	Smiths Dock	6 June 1917	July 1917	Sold 11 May 1920
Robert Bowen (FY3595)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	14 March 1918	July 1918	Sold 1920	Robert Bowen	Bombed 9 February 1940 off Aberdeen
Robert Cloughton (FY3672)	Bow McLachlan	18 December 1917	December 1917	Boom defence vessel Coronet 1933
Robert Davidson (FY3725)	C Rennoldson	30 November 1917	January 1918	Sold 1921
Samuel Dawson (FY4486)	J P Rennoldson	24 November 1919	5 February 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1922
Samuel Drake (FY3683)	Bow McLachlan	5 November 1918	26 November 1918	Sold 1924	Southcoates (4.140)
Samuel Green (FY3791)	George Brown	30 April 1919	July 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919 and converted to yacht; used as floating restaurant Cruz at Leith.^[9] Was "abandoned" from 2007 to 2018, restored into a 1920s style Luxury Hotel and renamed to Ocean Mist, permanently docked at 14 The Shore, Leith.^[9]	Ocean Rover
Samuel Spencer (FY3533)	Smiths Dock	17 September 1917	October 1917	Sold 1921
Siam Duffy (FY3684)	Bow McLachlan	6 November 1918	27 November 1918	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 1922	Fontenoy	Bombed 19 Nov 1940 off Lowestoft
Thomas Adney (FY4295)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 April 1919	November 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
Thomas Alexander (FY4404)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 July 1919	June 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	Ben Dearg (FY690)
Thomas Allen (FY4403)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 July 1919	March 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1922	Milford Prince (FY614)
Thomas Altoft (FY4300)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	2 June 1919	January 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	Thomas Altoft (FY552)
Thomas Bartlett (FY3598)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	29 May 1918	August 1918	Sold 11 May 1920	Thomas Bartlett (FY553)	Mined 28 May 1940 off Calais
Thomas Booth (FY3592)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	14 February 1918	June 1918	Sold 1920
Thomas Boudige (FY4406)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	15 August 1919	August 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1921	Darnett Ness (FY542)
Thomas Chambers (FY3670)	Bow McLachlan	1 December 1917	December 1917	Sold 1922	Lorraine (4.170)
Thomas Connolly (FY3589)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	29 November 1917	April 1918	Sold 1920	Thomas Connolly (Z141)	Mined 17 December 1940 off Sheerness
Thomas Crofton (FY3661)	Bow McLachlan	18 June 1917	July 1917	Sold 4 May 1920	Gwmaho (Z135)
Thomas Daniels (FY3680)	Bow McLachlan	10 July 1918	12 August 1918	Sold 1922
Thomas Dowding (FY3724)	C Rennoldson	16 November 1917	December 1917	Sold 1923	Ben Bheulah (FY1681)
Thomas Goble (FY3539)	Smiths Dock	17 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1922	Cotsmuir (FY550)
Thomas Green (FY4218)	C Rennoldson	28 May 1919	January 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1920	Caerphilly Castle
Thomas Hankins (FY3828)	J P Rennoldson	10 May 1918	19/06/1918	Sold 11 May 1920
Thomas Laundry (FY4212)	J P Rennoldson	21 October 1918	27 November 1918	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 11 May 1920
Thomas Lawrie (FY4214)	Chambers	1919	1 October 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1925
Thomas Leeds (FY4210)	Duthie Torry	June 1919	12 September 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Thomas Leeds (FY520)
Thomas Robins (FY3531)	Smiths Dock	3 September 1917	September 1917	Sold 4 May 1920
Thomas Twiney (FY3528)	Smiths Dock	20 July 1917	September 1917	Sold 1922
Timothy Crawley (FY3710)	Ailsa	4 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 11 May 1920	Loch Long
Valentine Bower (FY3654)	C Rennoldson	1 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1923	Milford King (FY1573)
Walter Burke (FY3532)	Smiths Dock	3 September 1917	September 1917	Sold 1922
William Beatty (FY3534)	Smiths Dock	17 September 1917	October 1917	Sold 4 May 1920
William Beeton (FY3652)	C Rennoldson	20 July 1917	September 1917	To Maltese Government 1921
William Bell (FY3590)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	17 January 1918	May 1918	Sold 1920	William Bell (FY1727)
William Brady (FY3585)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	17 December 1917	May 1918	Sold 1920	William Brady (4.112)
William Browis (FY3582)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	18 October 1917	January 1918	Sold 1922	Milford Queen (FY615)
William Bunce (FY3538)	Smiths Dock	3 October 1917	November 1917	Sold 1920	William Bunce
William Caldwell (FY3719)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	12 June 1918	November 1918	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 11 May 1920	William Caldwell (Z142)
William Cale (FY3666)	Bow McLachlan	19 September 1917	October 1917	Sold 1922	William Cale (FY535)
William Carberry (FY4479)	Hepple & Co	28 June 1919	13 December 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
William Carr (FY3674)	Bow McLachlan	15 March 1918	4 April 1918	Sold 1921	Nazareth (FY1815)
William Carrick (FY3665)	Bow McLachlan	18 September 1917	October 1917	To Indian Government 1920
William Chaseman (FY3529)	Smiths Dock	3 August 1917	September 1917	Sold 4 May 1920	Radnor Castle (FY511)
William Coburne (FY3664)	Bow McLachlan	24 July 1917	August 1917	Sold 1920
William Cowling (FY3663)	Bow McLachlan	23 July 1917	August 1917	Sold 1922	Notre Dame De Lourdes
William Cummins (FY3669)	Bow McLachlan	17 November 1917	November 1917	Sold 1925	Niblick
William Darnold (FY3722)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	11 July 1918	December 1918	Loaned to USN 1919, sold 11 May 1920
William Downes (FY3723)	C Rennoldson	5 November 1917	December 1917	Sold 1921
William Drake (FY4483)	J P Rennoldson	1919	19 May 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
William Flemming (FY3746)	Hepple & Co	12 February 1918	18 May 1918	Sold 4 May 1920	Tranio (FY3526)	Bombed 26 Jun 1941 while under tow off Smith's Knoll
William Griffths (FY3788)	George Brown	19 November 1918	21 February 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
William Hannam (FY4206)	Duthie Torry	November 1918	20 February 1919	Sold 1920	William Hannam (Z129)
William Humphries (FY4205)	Duthie Torry	October 1918	24 December 1918	Sold 1921
William Knight (FY4208)	Duthie Torry	April 1919	19 June 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919	Cobbers	Bombed 3 March 1941 in the North Sea
William Lambkin (FY4209)	Duthie Torry	May 1919	16 July 1919	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1919
William Leek (FY4211)	J P Rennoldson	August 1918	10 October 1918	Sold 11 May 1920	Hildina (FY541)
William Loft (FY4220)	C Rennoldson	30 August 1919	May 1920	Completed as fishing vessel, sold 1923	Tamora (FY643)
William Mannell (FY3512)	Smiths Dock	23 March 1917	June 1917	Sold 11 May 1920	William Mannel (FY1665)
William Spencer (FY3521)	Smiths Dock	19 June 1917	July 1917	Sold 1924	Astros (Z130)
William Symons (FY3535)	Smiths Dock	1 October 1917	October 1917	Sold 1922	Lephreto (FY519)
William Wilmot (FY3536)	Smiths Dock	1 October 1917	November 1917	Sunk September 1920 in collision with SS Meissonier in the Irish Sea

Cancelled

Ship	Builder	Fate	Second World War
Alexander Colville (FY4455)	George Brown
Alexander Dunbar (FY4493)	Hepple & Co
Collin Craig (FY4451)	George Brown
Ephraim Bright (FY4407)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel
James Baird (FY4411)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel	Ijuin (FY612)
James Boyle (FY4414)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell
James Coile (FY4454)	George Brown
John Benson (FY4409)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel
John Chatway (FY4447)	George Brown
John Coombe (FY4453)	George Brown
John Creighton (FY4449)	George Brown
Joseph Crowell (FY4448)	George Brown
Joseph Doe (FY4494)	Hepple & Co
Matthew Berryman (FY4412)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel	Righto (FY604)
Richard Bane (FY4410)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel	Rudilais (FY528)
Walter Cane (FY4456)	George Brown
William Bennett (FY4408)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel
William Burte (FY4413)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	Completed as fishing vessel	Reboundo (FY602)
William Cable (FY4450)	George Brown
William Coran (FY4452)	George Brown

Canadian-built

See TR series minesweeping trawler.

Indian-built

Ship	Builder	Launched	Completed	Fate
Bombay	Bombay Dockyard	21 September 1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Calcutta	Burn & Co	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Colombo	Burn & Co	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Jubbulpore	Bombay Dockyard			Cancelled 1919
Kennery	Bombay Dockyard	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Kidderpore	Bombay Dockyard	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Madras	Burn & Co	1919	1920	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Salsette	Bombay Dockyard	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel
Sealdah	Bombay Dockyard	1919	1919	Completed as unarmed minesweeper or fishing vessel

New Zealand-built

See Castle class trawlers of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Related Research Articles

A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.

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.

HMCS Armentières was one of twelve Battle-class naval trawlers used by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Armentières entered service in 1918 near the end of the First World War on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Following the war, the ship was transferred to the Department of Marine and Fisheries for a short period before reverting to RCN service in 1923 on the Pacific coast of Canada. The ship sank in 1925, was raised and re-entered service, remaining with the fleet through the Second World War as an examination vessel at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. After the end of the war, the vessel entered mercantile service becoming A.G. Garrish in 1947, later renamed Arctic Rover in 1958, Laforce in 1962 and Polaris in 1973. The ship's registry was deleted in 1991.

The TR series were minesweeping naval trawlers built during World War I. Ordered by the Royal Navy, they were loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy for seaward defence of the East Coast of Canada. The total number of vessels that entered service is unknown with 60 hulls constructed by eight Canadian shipyards. Based on the British Castle class, some entered service with the United States Navy during the war. Following World War I, they were sold for commercial use to replace the fishing vessels lost during the war. In World War II many of them were taken over by the Royal Navy as auxiliary minesweepers and two of them returned to the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMNZS Wakakura (T00) was originally a First World War Castle-class naval trawler built in Canada. Ordered by the Admiralty, the vessel, named TR 1, was loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy for use on the East Coast of Canada. She was purchased by New Zealand in 1926 and transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy when it was established in 1941.

The Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) was a branch of the Royal Navy active during both the First and Second World Wars. The RNPS operated many small auxiliary vessels such as naval trawlers for anti-submarine and minesweeping operations to protect coastal Britain and convoys.

A danlayer was a type of vessel assigned to minesweeping flotillas during and immediately after World War II. They were usually small trawlers, fitted for the purpose of laying dans. A dan is a marker buoy which consists of a long pole moored to the seabed and fitted to float vertically, usually with a coded flag at the top.

HMNZS Tui (T234) was a Bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was commissioned in 1941 for minesweeping and anti-submarine roles. Tui was the first of two ships with this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and was named after a native bird from New Zealand.

Commissioned minesweepers and danlayers of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present. The RNZN was created two years into World War II. For coherence this article covers the war years from the start, and thus includes also the New Zealand minesweepers operating from the beginning of the war.

Naval trawlers are vessels built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes; they were widely used during the First and Second World Wars. Some—known in the Royal Navy as "Admiralty trawlers"— were purpose-built to naval specifications, others adapted from civilian use. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust vessels designed to work heavy trawls in all types of weather, and had large clear working decks. A minesweeper could be created by replacing the trawl with a mine sweep. Adding depth charge racks on the deck, ASDIC sonar below, and a 3-inch (76 mm) or 4-inch (102 mm) gun in the bow equipped the trawler for anti-submarine duties.

Naval trawlers were purpose-built or requisitioned and operated by the Royal Navy (RN), mainly during World Wars I and II. Vessels built to Admiralty specifications for RN use were known as Admiralty trawlers. All trawlers operated by the RN, regardless of origin, were typically given the prefix HMT, for "His Majesty's Trawler".

A naval drifter is a boat built along the lines of a commercial fishing drifter but fitted out for naval purposes. The use of naval drifters is paralleled by the use of naval trawlers.

HMAS Durraween (F93) was an auxiliary minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during World War II. The ship was built as a trawler by Collingwood Shipbuilding Company at Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, and launched in 1918 as Seville. The ship served briefly in the Royal Canadian Navy during the last months of World War I, before being laid up and sold to a British company. In 1928, she was sold to Sydney-based fishing company and operated in Australian waters until she was requisitioned by the RAN in mid-1940 for use as an auxiliary minesweeper during World War II. Durraween operated in the Bass Strait as part of Minesweeping Group 54, and was responsible for clearing mines laid by German merchant raiders, and then later operated around the Torres Strait. She was returned to civilian service after paying off in late 1945, and was broken up in 1952.

HMCS Canso was a Bangor-class minesweeper initially constructed for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942, the minesweeper saw service on both the West and East Coasts of Canada as a convoy escort and patrol vessel. The vessel participated in the invasion of Normandy and spent the final years of the war in European waters. Canso was returned to the Royal Navy following the war and was broken up for scrap in 1948.

HMCS Caraquet was a Bangor-class minesweeper initially constructed for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942, the vessel served on both coasts of Canada and took part in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort and the invasion of Normandy. Following the war, the minesweeper was returned to the United Kingdom who then sold the ship to the Portuguese Navy in 1946. Renamed Almirante Lacerda, the vessel was used as a survey ship until 1975 when it was discarded.

HMCS Kenora was a Bangor-class minesweeper that served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Entering service in 1942, the minesweeper took part in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort and in the invasion of Normandy. Following the war, the vessel was laid up until reacquired in 1952 during the Korean War. Never re-entering service with the Royal Canadian Navy, Kenora was sold to the Turkish Navy in 1957. Renamed Bandirma by the Turkish Navy, the vessel was discarded in 1972.

USS Richard Bulkeley was a minesweeping trawler leased from the British Royal Navy. Built as HMT Richard Bulkeley, the ship was a Mersey class trawler, purpose-built for service with the Auxiliary Patrol. On 12 July 1919, it was sunk by a mine while removing minefields in the North Sea.

HMNZS Manuka was one of three composite New Zealand-built Castle-class ships commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

HMNZS Maimai was one of eight steel New Zealand-built Castle-class ships built and commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

References

1 2 3 "Auxiliary Patrol Vessels, Part 1, Yachts to Trawlers". Naval-history.net. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
↑ "Wildfire III Queenborough and Wildfire Sheerness Ship Database". Wildfire III. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
↑ Vaughan, Roy (11 September 2015). The Last of a Salty Breed. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency LLC. p. 291. ISBN 9781681811680.
↑ Lawson, Siri. "Re: British trawlers Raglan Castle, Hene Castle and Harfat Castle". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
1 2 "The Great War 1914 - 1918". Hull Trawler. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
↑ "Naval Trawlers". Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk. Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
↑ "HMNZS Waiho (Castle-class Minesweeper)". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
↑ McDougall, R J (1989). New Zealand Naval Vessels. Government Printing Office. pp. 62–69. ISBN 978-0-477-01399-4.
1 2 "Samuel Green". Scottish Built Ships. Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 19 December 2019.

Sources

"Auxiliary Patrol Vessels, Part 1, Yachts to Trawlers". Naval-history.net. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
"Naval Trawlers". Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk. Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "Allied Warships in World War Two". uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Wreck Site" . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Fleetwood Motor Trawlers". The Bosun's Watch. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Milford Trawlers" . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"ClydeMaritime" . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Hull Trawler". Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Trawlers – World War 2". Harwich & Dovercourt - A time gone by. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
"Wildfire III Queenborough and Wildfire Sheerness Ship Database". Wildfire III. Retrieved 13 December 2017.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[NH-1] 1 2 3 "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 9781681811680.

[4] Lawson, Siri. "Re: British trawlers Raglan Castle, Hene Castle and Harfat Castle". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 7 December 2017.

[HT-5] 1 2 "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.

[:0-9] 1 2 "Samuel Green". Scottish Built Ships. Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 19 December 2019.

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v t e British naval ship classes of the Second World War
Aircraft carriers	Courageous Eagle Ark Royal Illustrious Implacable Audacious ^C Malta ^X
Light aircraft carriers	Argus Hermes Unicorn Colossus Majestic ^C Centaur ^C
Escort carriers	Archer ^AV Audacity ^V Avenger ^AV Attacker ^A Ruler ^A Activity ^V Pretoria Castle ^V Nairana ^V
Battleships	Queen Elizabeth Revenge Nelson King George V Lion ^X Vanguard ^C
Battlecruisers	Renown Hood
Heavy cruisers	Hawkins County York
Light cruisers	C Danae Hawkins Emerald Leander Arethusa Town Dido Fiji Minotaur Neptune ^X Minotaur (1947)^X
Destroyer leaders	Thornycroft type (Shakespeare) Admiralty type (Scott)
Destroyers	R S V & W Town ^A Ambuscade Amazon A & B C & D E & F G & H I Tribal J, K & N Hunt L & M O & P Q & R S & T U & V W & Z C Battle Weapon ^C G ^X Daring ^C,P
Frigates	River Captain ^A Colony ^A Loch Bay
Corvettes	Flower Castle
Sloops	24 Bridgewater Hastings Banff ^A Shoreham Grimsby Kingfisher Bittern Egret Black Swan
Minelayers	Adventure Abdiel Plover Linnet M Agamemnon ^V Menestheus ^V Port Napier ^V Port Quebec ^V Southern Prince ^V Teviot Bank ^V
Minesweepers	Hunt Halcyon Bangor MMS Auk ^A Algerine Cybele
Netlayers	Guardian Protector Bar Net
Submarines	H L Odin Parthian Rainbow S River Grampus T U P611 V Amphion X XE
Coastal	Harbour Defence Motor Launch Fairmile B motor launch Motor Torpedo Boat Motor Gun Boat Steam Gun Boat Insect-class gunboat Dragonfly-class river gunboat Type Two 63 ft HSL
Other	Trawlers Castle Basset Isles Portuguese Tree Dance Shakespearian Round Table Monitors Erebus Roberts Seaplane carriers Pegasus Albatross Submarine depot ship Adamant Bonaventure Forth Maidstone Titania Merchant aircraft carriers Fighter catapult ships Armed merchant cruisers Ocean boarding vessels
A American built X Cancelled C Completed after the war C,P Laid down and completed after the war V Conversions

Class overview
HMT Edward Gallagher as HMT Cardiff Castle during WWII
Name	Castle class
Operators	Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy Royal New Zealand Navy Kriegsmarine
Completed	about 280
General characteristics (standard ships)^[1]^[2]
Type	Minesweeper/naval trawler
Tonnage	285 GRT
Displacement	360 tons standard 547 tons fully loaded
Length	134 ft (41 m) LOA 125.5 ft (38.3 m)
Beam	23.5 ft (7.2 m)
Draught	12.7 ft (3.9 m)
Propulsion	1 vertical triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 boiler, 1 shaft, 480 ihp (360 kW)
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)
Complement	15, up to 18 with wireless
Armament	Most armed with 76 mm (3 in) 12-pounder gun George Harris, Thomas Bartlett, John Bomkworth 57 mm 6-pounder gun Giovonni Guinti QF 4 in (102 mm) naval gun