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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: GillSmith on Wednesday 27 October 04 07:36 BST (UK)
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Help Please!!
Does anyone know about the work of Trawlers in the RN Reserve during WW1. Would the crewmen be exempt from active service? Does anyone know the geographical range they would have covered? I need to know if they would have travelled as far south as the Isle of Wight?
Also would it have been possible for a crew member to take his wife to sea with him?
It's all asking alot but any help much apprciated
Gill
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Hi,
Have you tried "merchant-navy.net"? They ghave an excellent question posting section and I'm sure someone will help you there.
Let me know how you get on.
Good luck,
Grothenwell
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Hi Gill
The RN did have their own trawlers in WW1 - one of our rellies (RNR - a civvy fisherman) was killed on a HM trawler WW1 whilst carrying out minesweeping duties in the English Channel.
Royal Navy Reservists were called up. If the person was a fisherman then he would have been called up the same as everybody else if he we was in the age group and would have had to apply for exemption locally if he could give valid grounds for not serving.
Casalguidi
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Thanks for the information
Your poor old rellie
I'm trying to help someone who's Grandfather was German but from S Africa and ended up on Aberdeen Trawlers in WW1
Thanks for your help, I'll pass on the info
Gill
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Another excellent site for Information on WW1 is
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums
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Hi,
There is a huge amount of websites available about WW1 Trawlers.Both Hired and Admiralty trawlers. Its taken me a while to find out about my grandad "Pa" or 2nd Hand,Skipper and Chief Skipper as they were called in the RNR WW1. He was the Master of a tug "Waterloo" in Liverpool in dock in the 1911 census. Prior to WW2 he used to tell me how he loved the fine weather evenings and mornings at sea in good weather and watch she Sunrises and Sunsets off the Irish and English Channel Coasts while he was on a minesweeper. I f you like send me a PM and will give you as much help as I can. Best Regards Ken Berry
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Hi - can anybody supply information about HM Trawler 'Corientes' and itsactivities during World War I. A deck hand named Arthur Henry East (aged 39) was apparently killed in action on 23/6/1917 (body not found). Arthur was born and raised in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, but I have no information about the movements of the 'Corientes'.
His widow was Emily Maude (nee Baker).
Any further information gratefully received.
Cheers,
Graeme Easte
Auckland, New Zealand
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hi Graeme
welcome to rootschat :)
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1917-06Jun.htm
hired trawler , minesweeper mined and sunk off northern ireland
there is a list of the crew if you scroll down
ev
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Can anyone help find information on a fishing vessel that was requisitioned during WW1 and was sunk coming home through the mediterranean . The vessel was the Philorth and she was sunk on the 24th of February 1919. As far as I can find out it was the weather that sunk her. she had been at the Dardenelles and syria and looks like she sunk about Malta. Would the crew have been the owners of the vessel or would there have been another crew aboard her.
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hi :)
links here if you don't already have them -
http://www.trawlerphotos.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=56770
http://www.aberdeenships.com/single.asp?offset=2030&index=99730
since the loss took place after the ww1 was over would the deaths be registered with the CWGC ?
perhaps local newspapers would carry details of the crew
ev
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Hi Al,
All RNR or RNVR on Mine Sweeper Trawlers and crews,Name of Trawlers etc are held at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, Somerset. Also books of the different Trawlers hired, or Navy built etc. They are all in excellent condition and copies are easily readable. Roy Swales is the name of the Gentleman in charge and is a great help. It cost a wee bit but the information was incredible plus excerts from manuals. I thought I had found my Grandad Alfred Edward Berry,Chief Skipper unfortunately I didn't give his birthdate. All the papers I received were about an Alfred Edward Berry from Hull. Whose occupation was so similar to my grandad. The real guy from Hull his CV's was great reading. he had won 2 DSO''s,Gallipoli and the Dover patrol. I tried to trace him but had no luck.Sent them to the Hull Maritime Museum and haven't heard any more so I am going to ask for them back or at least a copy and try and find the mans family. For some reason he doesn't even appear in any WW1 deeds for his home town. best Regards Ken Berry
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Do you have contact details for the people at Yeovilton please? The man I am looking for is Frederick Mackerill (spellings vary) who was the owner of a trawler company at Grimsby in the WW1 era. Sometime after the war he had an incident with a revolver mistaking his daughter for an intruder. Luckily he missed, and the incident was kept quiet. I believe he probably acquired the gun, and possibly a naval rank as a result of his trawlers being "volunteered" for service durign the war.
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Thank you EV the photo in Trawler photos is our families and we knew of the bit on the Aberdeen site Very good of you to answer.
Thank you Kerothwell will check this out. Problem is family can't agree as to whether their Grandfather who had owned the vessel was aboard at the time or not.
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Hi All,
The Minesweeper Trawlers where at the Gallipoli Campaign to sweep the mine fields clear, which they did at huge cost. Only one out of 23 I think it was survived. Skipper at that time Alfred Edward Berry (not my g/dad) was awarded the first of his DSO's. He even helped in the evacuation. The mine were cleared OK but the Battleships ours and our allies went down the wrong Channel. And about 7 got hammered by the Turkish gunners and mines. The important thing here is there was no such thing as Combined Operations then.I'm sure if you get in touch with Roy Swales at the Fleet Air Arm Museum,
Yeovilton, Somerset, he will be only to pleased to help. Tjats were the firist foul up was made. The second was the troops were landed on the wrong beach. The Minesweeper Trawlers went almost every where. Chief Skipper A.E.B. was on the Dover Patrol when awarded his 2nd DSO.. The Trawler escorted about 5 - 10 Fishing Smacks. If a U-Boat had been spotted from land or sea in the Channel. They would drop their nets and try to catch or snag the U-boat and the Trawler would use her 4 Pounder to sink the sub. Unfortunately A.E.B. was mid Channel and 6 German Destroyers had come out of somewhere and sank the lot. A.E.B. managed to get his small lifeboat launched and saved some of his crew and some from the Fishing Smacks. he managed to get to France. He was wounded and won his 2nd DSO. I had all his CV's, Papers and he was lauded by the Admiral. I sent the papers all to the Hull Museum but am waiting to hear from them as they haven't done a lot of research. maybe its not fair to say that but I want to follow it up.Have you Googled Grimsby Trawlers WW1,also the other Trawler Ports. Hope this helps a bit more. Best Regards Ken Berry
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What I would like to know is do you have any contact details, email address etc. for the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, or do I just write?
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Hi All,
The email address for the RNVR Archives are at Fleet Air Arm Museum
Yeovilton is (*). Don't try TNA at Kew as the originals are at Yeovil and copy better. One can't read the ones from Kew. I was told this last year. I have just had a crew agreement from Kew and the Copying was nigh on perfect and they were a great help as well.I'm sorry if this email isn't allowed to go through so I will send it PM if thats OK. Apologies Mr Moderator if I have erred. The senior moments every now and again don't help. best regards Ken Berry
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Thanks for that Ken, Remember to err is human.
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Thanks Kerothwell haven't been on for awhile. I will send an email to Roy Swailes and see what I can find out
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Roy Swales was very prompt in replying to my enquiry; I sent him an email sunday, and got a reply back the same day!! Unfortunately it was negative, and my wife's relative seems to have not been either in the RNR or RNVR certainly as an officer. He may have enlisted as a rating in one of his own trawlers, but like Roy I think that unlikely even though he was noted for his eccentricities.
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Thanks for that redroger I will send an email this weekend and will let you all know how I get on. hate when there are loose ends that you can't find an answer to.
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Hi Redroger and Philorth,
If you want an extra hand having a look around, all the different web sites for your rellies and you don't mind letting me have what details in relation to those rellies. I will see if I can come up with anything. They will go no further from me and any info I find ,You will receive it post haste. I did find the :- Corientes GY 552 S.T. Mined off Malin Head whilst in Admiralty Service 24/06/1917. Did find this on a site but nothing else which you probably have.Roy Swales will keep every think in mind and if he by any chance comes across something. he will let you know even a year from now.
Best Rehards Ken B
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Hi kerothwell Thanks for that will email Roy Swales and if no success will get in touch. Will let you know how I get on.
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Thanks Ken; My wife's relative was Frederick MacKrill (various spellings) b 1869 in the Grimsby area. He is shown in the 1881 census as a fish merchant's clerk, his father was the owner of the business. My understanding is that during the 1914-18 war some of the family trawlers were comandeered by the Admiralty for use of war service, and that as a result he was commissioned as a reserve officer. (RNR or RNVR unknown) Roy was unable to find him. Afraid that's all I know, other than that prior to 1914 he married Gertrude Helen Smith Lightfoot and they had 1 daughter Eileen (1914-2005) and three sons.
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Hi Kerothwell. Had an email back from Mr Swales and he has managed to solve one of my queries straight off and for a small fee will do the research through Fleet Air Arm Museum to try and solve the other questions. Thank you for giving me the email address and will let you know how I get on.
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Roy Swales solved all my queries. He was so quick as well. Thanks all for all the help.
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I was impressed by Mr. Swales' committment (replied on sunday!), and his same day prompt attention. However, even the information is not there he can't make it appear.