Trawlers in the Royal Navy - WWII
A number of trawlers were converted to HMT "His Majesty's Trawlers" and used by the Royal Navy for various escort, anti-subrarine and other duies during the second World War. Some were loaned to the United States.
The following examples are typical:
H.M. Trawler St Loman (pennant FY276) on the hard at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She was built by Cook, Welton & Gemmill (Beverley, U.K.) in 1936 and was requisitioned September 1939 as an ASW (anti-submarine warfare) vessel, loaned to the United Staes Navy from March to October 1942 and returned to her civilian owners in July 1946. She was later renamed Arctic Adventurer. [NMA Harland fonds]. Click for enlargement.
H.M. Trawler Northern Duke off Charleston, South Carolina, 1942. She was built by Deschimag (Bremerhaven, Germany) in 1936 and was requisitioned September 1939 as an armed boarding vessel, anti-submarine. She was loaned to the United States Navy from February to October 1942 and returned January 1946. Photograph by Leading Coder David Willing, Royal Navy, from H.M. Trawler Northern Dawn [NMA Harland fonds]. Click for enlargement.