Isles-class trawler


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,, and classes. Similar to the s of 1916–1918, though somewhat larger, they were mainly used on minesweeping and harbour defence duties. Most were armed with one 12-pounder gun and three or four 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns with 30 depth charges. In the Dance class a 4-inch AA gun 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, Dabchick, Stonechat and Whitethroat. A total of 23 of these trawlers were lost during the war. Six trawlers were loaned to Canada in 1942–1945 and five to Norway in 1943–1945.
Postwar, 17 of the trawlers were disarmed as wreck disposal vessels: Bardsey, Bern, Caldy ''Coll, Earraid, Fetlar, Flatholm, Graemsay, Lindisfarne, Lundy, Neave, Scalpay, Skomer, Steepholm, Switha, Tiree, and Trondra. At least five were employed as danlayers : Imersay, Sandray, Shillay, Sursay and Tocogay. After decommissioning, Switha and Coll were converted to oil tank cleaning vessels for dockyard service in 1949–1950.
By 1949, there were 31 trawlers and four controlled minelayers in Royal Navy service, one controlled minelayer in the Royal Canadian Navy and four trawlers in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Sixteen were in service in the Italian Navy and six in the Portuguese Navy. Most of the surviving Royal Navy examples were discarded in the 1950s but a few remained until the 1960s. Two acquired post-war by the Federal German Navy remained in service as training vessels well into the 1970s, with one, Trave'', resold to Turkey for further service in 1977.

Builders

Ships in class

Royal Navy

The following 21 trawlers may be described as comprising the Repeat Isles class:
ShipBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissioned/CompletedFate
Cook, Welton & Gemmell29 November 194316 February 1944Sold 1946
Cochrane & Sons18 November 19403 March 1941War loss 5 December 1942
Fleming & Ferguson3 March 19413 March 1941Sold 1946
Ardrossan Dockyard Co.7 April 194221 September 1942Later wreck disposal vessel ; converted to oil fuel tank cleaning vessel 1949–50
Cook, Welton & Gemmell15 December 1943war loss 1944
Cook, Welton & Gemmell9 March 1943converted 1943 to controlled minelayer ; still in service 1949
Cochrane & Sons1 January 1945still in service 1949
Cochrane & SonsFebruary 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell5 October 194427 December 1944Still in service 1949 as danlayer
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 October 194414 January 1945Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell1 April 194218 September 1942Sold 1946
Cook, Welton & Gemmell18 November 194430 January 1945Still in service 1949 as danlayer
Cook, Welton & Gemmell22 August 19441944 as controlled minelayer ; still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell16 December 194426 February 1945Still in service 1949 as danlayer
Cook, Welton & Gemmell31 December 194423 March 1945Still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell7 February 1945still in service 1949 as danlayer
Cook, Welton & Gemmell3 March 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell17 March 1945still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell10 April 1945still in service 1949
Welton & Gemmell6 September 194419441944 as controlled minelayer ; still in service 1949
Cook, Welton & Gemmell26 April 1944still in service 1949