大象传媒

Do you know much about The Royal Naval Patrol Services during WWll? This was part of the Royal Navy - and in fact lost more ships than other parts of the Royal Navy - well over 750 I believe. These were mostly pre-war trawlers that were quickly converted at the start of WWII to minesweepers anti-submarine and escort vessells etc. Many of the trawler crews were on the R.N. reserves pre-war and thus were supberbly suited for the task. Others from civilian life when joining like myself, were quickly trained as wireless operators/signalmen and asdic operators, but the majority of the crew including the skipper were ex pre-war fishermen. This was necessary for these converted trawlers operating all over the world in WWII in very hostile weather. The base was a . holiday camp at Lowestoft and became "HMS Europa" Volunteering for the Royal Navy, after my training as a wirless telegraphist, just 18 years of age, I was sent to HMS Europa and immediately posted to a ship in Northern Ireland working onanti-uboat patrols in n Irish Sea and the North Atlantic and quickly learned what real sea-sickness was!!! After about 18 months I was recalled to Lowestoft and drafted to an anti-submarine trawler in Iceland, in the most inhospitable seas and weather possible, working into the notorious Russian convey routes (although we did not go all the way there - being coalfired - we would not be able to make it).

You may think the RNPS is worth a mention - we never seem to - not being one of "The Glory Services".

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.