Isles-class trawler

Isles class
Class overview
HMT Ailsa Craig in 1944
Operators:	Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy Royal New Zealand Navy Portuguese Navy Marina Militare
Subclasses:	German Navy: Type 139 patrol trawler
Built:	1939–1945
Completed:	197 in four subclasses: Isles (145) Dance (20) Shakespearian (12) Tree (20)
Lost:	23
General characteristics
Type:	Naval trawler
Displacement:	545 long tons (554 t)
Length:	164 ft (50 m)
Beam:	27 ft 8 in (8.43 m)
Draught:	11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) (mean)
Propulsion:	1 triple expansion reciprocating engine, 1 shaft, 850 ihp (634 kW)
Speed:	12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement:	40
Armament:	See text

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.

The type comprised 197 vessels built between 1939 and 1945 in the nearly identical Isles, Dance, Tree and Shakespearian classes. Generally similar to the Castle class naval trawlers of 1916-18, though somewhat larger, they were mainly used on minesweeping and harbour defence duties. Most were armed with one 12-pounder gun (76mm) and three or four 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns with 30 depth charges. In the Dance class a 4-inch AA gun (102 mm) was fitted in place of the 12-pdr, and there were six 20 mm 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, 17 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), Skomer (DV16), 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.

Builders

Ardrossan Dockyard Company, Ardrossan, UK
George Brown & Company (Marine) Ltd., Greenock, UK
Cochrane & Sons, Ltd., Selby, UK
Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, UK
John Crown & Sons Ltd., Sunderland, UK
G.T. Davie & Sons, Lauzon, Quebec, Canada
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, Ontario
John Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen, UK
Midland Shipyards, Midland, Ontario, Canada
Henry Robb Ltd., Leith, UK
Smiths Dock Company Ltd., South Bank-on-Tees, UK

Ships in class

Royal Navy

Ship	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Fate
Ailsa Craig	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Annet^[3]	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		25 March 1943		Still in service 1951 as Diving Vessel for clearance diving - believed to be the last coal-burner to fly the White Ensign
Anticosti	Collingwood Shipyards		1942		Transferred to RCN as Anticosti.
Arran	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1940		Sold 1946
Baffin	Collingwood Shipyards		1942		Transferred to RCN as Baffin
Balta	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1940		Sold 1946
Bardsey	Fleming & Ferguson		17 July 1943		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV13)
Benbecula	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946, bought by HM Customs and Excise and served as HMRC Vigilant
Bern	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		2 May 1942		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV4)
Biggal	Ferguson Bros.		1944		Sold 1946
Blackbird (ex-Sheppey)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		20 February 1943		Converted to controlled minelayer (M15) 1943: still in service 1949
Bressay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1942		Sold 1946
Brora	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1940		Grounded off Hebrides 6 September 1941
Bruray	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1942		Transferred to Portugal 1943 as Sam Miguel (P1)
Bryher	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		8 April 1943		Still in service 1949
Burra	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1941		Transferred to Italy 1946 as DR 301
Bute	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1941		Sold 1946
Cailiff	Collingwood Shipyards		1942		Transferred to RCN as Cailiff.
Caldy	John Lewis & Sons		1943		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV5)
Campobello	Collingwood Shipyards		1942		War loss 16 Mar 1943.
Copinsay	Cochrane & Sons		1940		Sold 1946
Crowlin	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Cumbrae	Cochrane & Sons		1940		To Italy 1946 as DR 302
Damsay	George Brown & Co.		27 June 1942		Still in service 1949
Dochet	G.T. Davie & Sons		1942		Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Trave (A51) as a Type 139 patrol trawler; sold to Turkey in 1977
Earraid (ex-Gruna)	John Crown & Sons		18 Dec 1941		Later wreck disposal vessel (DV7); sold 1948
Eday	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (i) 1943-44; sold into mercantile use 1946
Egilsay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1942		To Italy 1946 as DR 306
Ensay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1942		To Italy 1946 as DR 314
Eriskay	Fleming & Ferguson		1942		To Portugal 1943 as P8
Fara	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Sold 1946
Farne	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Fetlar	Cochrane & Sons		July 1941		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV8)
Fiaray	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1942		Sold 1946
Filla	John Crown & Sons		1942		To Italy 1946 as DR 305
Flatholm	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		8 May 1943		Later wreck disposal vessel (DV9); sold 1948
Flint	G.T. Davie & Sons		1942		Acquired by Federal German Navy postwar and renamed Eider (A50) as a Type 139 patrol trawler
Flotta	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Grounded off East Scotland 6 Nov 1941.
Foula	Cochrane & Sons		1941		To Italy 1946 as DR 313
Foulness	John Lewis & Sons		23 March 1942		Still in service 1949
Fuday	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1944		Sold 1946
Gairsay	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		1942		War loss 4 Aug 1944.
Ganilly	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		War loss 5 July 1944
Gateshead	G.T. Davie & Sons		1942		Sold 1947
Gillstone	Cochrane & Sons		1943		Sold 1946
Gorregan	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		30 December 1943		Still in service 1949
Graemsay	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		3 August 1942		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV10)
Grain	Cochrane & Sons		1943		To Italy 1946 as DR 309
Grassholm	John Lewis & Sons		1943		Sold 1946
Gruinard	John Crown & Sons		1943		To Portugal 1943 as P7
Gulland	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	30 April 1943	5 August 1943	30 October 1943	Sold to mercantile use 1946; renamed Henken 1947 and Arab Trader 1949; wrecked north of Mombasa 13 April 1951. Boiler and wreckage still on reef.^[4]
Gweal (ex-Boreray)	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Hanneray	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1944		Sold 1946
Harris	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1944		Sold 1946
Hascosay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1944		Sold 1946
Hayling	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		17 August 1942		To Portugal 1943 as Terceira (P3)
Hellisay	Cochrane & Sons		1944		Sold 1946
Hermetray	Cochrane & Sons		April 1944		Sold 1947
Herschell	G.T. Davie & Sons		1942		Sold 1946
Hildasay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Grounded on Diani reef south of Mombasa, Kenya on 21 Jun 1945. Broke up during the next three months. Boiler visible at low tide. ^[5]
Hoxa	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Sold 1946
Hoy	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Sold 1946
Hunda	Ferguson Bros.		1942		Sold 1946
Imersay	Cochrane & Sons		August 1944		Still in service 1949 as danlayer (J422)
Inchcolm	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Sold 1946
Inchmarnock	John Lewis & Sons		1941		Loaned to Norway as Karmöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
Ironbound	Kingston Shipyards		1942		Transferred to RCN as Ironbound.
Islay	Smith's Dock Co.		1941		Sold 1946
Jura	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		1941		War loss 7 Jan 1943
Kerrera	Ferguson Bros.		1941		Loaned to Norway as Oksöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
Kintyre	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		1941		Sold 1946
Kittern	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Lindisfarne	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		17 June 1943		Still in service as wreck disposal vessel (DV11)
Lingay	Cochrane & Sons		1944		Sold 1946
Liscomb	Kingston		1942		Transferred to RCN as Liscomb.
Longa	Cochrane & Sons		1943		Sold 1946
Lundy	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		29 August 1942		Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV12)
Magdalen	Midland Shipyards		1942		Transferred to RCN as Magdalen.
Mewstone	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Minalto	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Mincarlo	Ardrossan Dockyard Co.		1944		Loaned to Norway as Tromöy (ii) 1944-45, sold mercantile 1946
Mousa	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1942		To Italy 1946 as DR 311
Mull	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Sold 1946
Neave	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		16 July 1942		Still in service in 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV14)
Orfasy	A. Hall & Co.		1942		War loss 22 October 1943
Oronsay	Cochrane & Sons		30 October 1943		Still in service 1949
Oxna	A. & J. Inglis		1943		Sold 1946
Pladda	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1941		Sold 1946
Porcher	Midland Shipyards		1942		Sold 1946
Prospect	Midland Shipyards		1942		Sold 1946
Ronaldsay	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Sold 1946
Rosevean	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Rousay	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1941		Sold 1946
Ruskholm	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		February 1942		To Portugal 1945 as Baldaque da Silva
Rysa	Cochrane & Sons		1941		War loss 8 Dec 1943
Scalpay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		2 June 1942		Later wreck disposal vessel (DV15); sold 1948
Shapinsay	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Sold 1946
Shiant	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		1941		Loaned to Norway as Jelöy 1944-45; sold mercantile 1946
Skokholm	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1943		Sold 1946
Skomer	John Lewis & Sons		17 June 1943		Still in service 1949
Skye	Henry Robb		17 March 1943		Still in service 1949
Sluna	Cochrane & Sons		1941		Sold 1946
St. Agnes	John Lewis & Sons		1943		Sold 1946
St. Kilda	A. Hall & Co.		1942		Sold 1946
Staffa	Henry Robb		1942		Sold 1946
Steepholm	John Lewis & Sons		15 July 1943		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV17)
Stroma	Hall, Russell & Co.		1941		To Italy 1946 as DR 315
Stronsay	A. & J. Inglis		1942		War loss 5 Feb 1943
Switha	A. & J. Inglis		3 April 1942		Later wreck disposal vessel (DV18); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50
Texada	Midland Shipyards		1942		Sold 1946
Tiree	Goole S.B. & R. Co.		6 September 1941		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV19)
Trondra	John Lewis & Sons		4 October 1941		Still in service 1949 as wreck disposal vessel (DV20)
Ulva	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		1942		Sold 1946
Unst	Ferguson Bros.		1942		To Italy 1946 as DR 303
Vatersay	Cochrane		1943		Sold 1946
Wallasea	Henry Robb		1943		War loss 6 Jan 1944.
Westray	John Lewis & Sons		1941		Sold 1946
Whalsay	Cook, Welton & Gemmell		15 February 1940		To Portugal 1943 as Santa Maria (P4)

The following 21 trawlers may be described as comprising the Repeat Isles class:
- Calvay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 1943; sold 1946
- Canna, built by Cochrane & Sons; launched 1940; war loss 1942
- Cava, built by Fleming & Ferguson; launched 1941; sold 1946
- Coll, built by Ardrossan Dockyard Co.; launched 7 April 1942; later wreck disposal vessel (DV6); converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949-50
- Colsay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 1943; war loss 1944
- Dabchick (ex-Thorney), built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 9 March 1943; converted 1943 to controlled minelayer (M22); still in service 1949
- Orsay, built by Cochrane & Sons; launched January 1945; still in service 1949
- Rona, built by Cochrane & Sons; launched February 1945; still in service 1949
- Sandray, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 5 October 1944; still in service 1949 as danlayer (J424)
- Scaravay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 1944; sold 1946
- Sheppey (ex-Raasay), built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 1943; sold 1946
- Shillay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 18 November 1944; still in service 1949 as danlayer (J426)
- Stonechat, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; completed 1944 as controlled minelayer (M25); still in service 1949
- Sursay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, launched 16 December 1944; still in service 1949 as danlayer (J427)
- Tahay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 31 December 1944; still in service 1949
- Tocogay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 7 February 1945; still in service 1949 as danlayer (J451)
- Trodday, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 3 March 1945; still in service 1949
- Vaceasay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 17 March 1945; still in service 1949
- Vallay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 10 April 1945; still in service 1949
- Whitethroat, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 6 September 1944; completed in 1944 as controlled minelayer (M03); still in service 1949
- Wiay, built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell; launched 26 April 1944; still in service 1949

Royal Canadian Navy

Ship	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Paid Off	Fate
Anticosti	Collingwood Shipyards		1942	Formerly HMS Anticosti (T274)		Sold 1946
Baffin	Collingwood Shipyards	14 October 1941	13 April 1942	Formerly HMS Baffin (T275)	20 Aug 1945	Sold mercantile 1947; renamed Niedermehnen 1952
Cailiff	Collingwood Shipyards		1942	Formerly HMS Cailiff (T276)	10 June 1945	Sold mercantile 1946; converted to Norwegian commercial trawler Borgenes. Laid up in 1990s, but proposals to restore her as a steam trawler ^[6] were unfulfilled. Sold for demolition in Oct 2012 ^[7]^[8]
Ironbound	Kingston Shipyards		1942	Formerly HMS Ironbound		Sold 1946
Liscomb	Kingston Shipyards		1942	Formerly HMS Liscomb		Sold 1946
Magdalen	Midland Shipyards		1942	Formerly HMS Magdalen		Sold 1946
Manitoulin	Midland Shipyards		1942			Sold 1946
Miscou	Collingwood Shipyards		1942			Sold 1946

Royal New Zealand Navy

Ship	Builder	Launched	Fate
Inchkeith	John Lewis & Sons	10 July 1941	Still in service 1949
Killegray	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	25 May 1941	Still in service 1949
Sanda	Goole S.B. & R. Co.	12 July 1941	Still in service 1949
Scarba	Cook, Welton & Gemmell	26 June 1941	Still in service 1949

References

↑ Robert Gardiner (ed. dir.), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 66. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980.
↑ 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.
↑ HMS Annet T341 uboat.net
↑ Shipwrecks & Salvage on the East African Coast. 2006. Kevin Patience
↑ Shipwrecks & Salvage on the East African Coast. 2006. Kevin Patience
↑ Steamtrawler Borgenes
↑ (Norwegian) Tidens Krav, Kristiansund
↑ nauticapedia.ca

British naval ship classes of the Second World War

Aircraft carriers	Courageous Argus Hermes Eagle Ark Royal Illustrious Unicorn Implacable Colossus Majestic^C Audacious^C Malta^X 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 Emerald Leander Arethusa Town Dido Crown Colony Minotaur

Minelayers	Adventure Abdiel Plover Linnet Agamemnon^V Menestheus^V Port Napier^V Port Quebec^V Southern Prince^V Teviot Bank^V

Destroyer leaders	Shakespeare 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

Minesweepers	Hunt Halcyon Bangor Auk^A Algerine Cybele

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

Other	Trawlers Isles Portuguese Tree Monitors Erebus Roberts Seaplane carriers Pegasus Albatross 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

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