- Auxiliary Patrol
The Auxiliary Patrol was an antisubmarine initiative by the British to help combat German
submarine operations in the early stages ofWorld War I . It was the pioneer ofanti-submarine warfare .The majority of British trawlers were commandeered by the
Admiralty , and those left were obliged to fish in groups of 20 with additional protection.The Auxiliary Patrol was crewed by fishermen and led mainly by Merchant Navy men commissioned into the
Royal Naval Reserve . They were a hardy bunch who operated as trawlers do, in all weathers. Their trawlers wereretrofit ted with armaments, typically 3,6 or 12-pounder guns as well as 7.5" Bomb Throwers (Anti Submarinehowitzers ). Specialist crew such assignaller s and gunners were also put on board.Later in the war the Admiralty built 3 classes of larger trawlers as well as developing a new special class of Minesweeper.
By the Second World War, the Royal Navy had formed a specialist minesweeping capability, and the
Royal Naval Patrol Service was formed, known to many as "Harry Tate s Navy".ee also
*
Naval trawler
*Royal Naval Patrol Service
*Trawlers of the Royal Navy External links
* [http://www.rnps.lowestoft.org.uk/ Royal Naval Patrol Service Association]
* [http://www.harry-tates.org.uk/ Harry Tate's Navy]
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