H.M.S. WALLASEA

H.M.S.WALLASEA (Under way)

Ship No 339

Isle Class armed trawler.

An order for an armed trawler of the “Isle Class”

Primarily used for “Minesweeping” duties.

She was 463 tons, with an overall length of 150 feet, with a beam of 27 feet and 6 inches, and a draught of 14 feet and 6 inches.

She was launched from the yard on 22nd of April 1943.

H.M.S. Wallasea was to have a short war service as she was sunk by an E-Boat attack off the coast of Cornwall while on escort duty the 6th Jan 1944.

H.M.S. Hazel

Ship No 299

Was an order for an Armed Trawler of the Tree Class, to also undertake minesweeping duty?
She was 150 feet length overall with a beam of 27 feet and 6 inches and draught of 14 feet and 6 inches; she was laid down on 16th August 1939 and launched from the shipyard 5 months later on 27th December 1939.

“The strength and endurance of the Tree Class Anti-Submarine Trawlers were exemplified by H.M.S. “Hazel” during her eleven months service in northern waters.


She was unlucky during this commission – unlucky in two ways. Whatever convoy she escorted on any route, she ran into no enemy, but plenty of bad weather. Even on her way home she ran into gales and one of her boats was stove in. But she with-stood everything and always returned safely to her base.

Once the ship was kept pinned to a quay by a gale for three days, and on another occasion, when a big merchant ship alongside was blown out of harbour, the crew of “Hazel” stayed up all night in a successful effort to hold the ship to her buoy.

The gale blew a house down and broke windows all over the town.

The ship’s Commanding Officer was the lieut.-Commander R. Dwyer, R.N.R. and he frequently drove the ship through 30 feet seas “It was like being on a gigantic scenic railway” he said”. (For more on Leith Built Ships on War Service)

H.M.S. RINGDOVE

Ship No 264

Was the second ship in the order from the Admiralty for an Indicator loop Mine Layer, to be the same size as her sister ship “Ringdove” with a length overall of 145 feet and beam of 17 feet with the same draft at 14 feet.
She was launched from the yard 16th of June 1938.
“Ringdove” was sunk in December 1940 and I have been unable to track down any more info on this vessel.
We have since been informed that HMS RINGDOVE was in fact sold to Pakistan in 1950 and used as a pilot vessel.

H.M.S. “BASSET”

HMS BASSET Ship No 214

H.M.S. “Basset” was an order from the Admiralty for a first of class armed trawler of the “Dog Class” She was designed and built by Henry Robb Shipbuilders with an obvious eye to the coming hostilities that developed into World War II.
Her keel was laid down on the 6th March 1935 and she was launched on 28th September 1935.

Then being commissioned into the Royal Navy on 29th November 1935.
She had a displacement of 461 tons with a length overall of 150 feet and beam of 27 feet and 6 inches. She had a top speed of 12 knots and a crew compliment of around 35. Being armed initially with a 4 inch gun for’d and assorted machine guns.


Amongst her many exploits during World War II she managed to rescue a Hurricane pilot during the battle of Britain.
S/L Harold Fenton of No 238 Squadron was injured when he ditched his Hurricane I (P2947) into the Channel off the Isle of Wight on the 8th August 1940 at 13:40hrs near a German observation plane. He was looking for two of his pilots who had been reported missing in the Channel. He was rescued by H.M.S Basset.

H.M.S. "Basset"

H.M.S. “Basset” – an armed trawler, the pioneer of all subsequent trawlers – was the second ship to be built at Leith for the Royal Navy.

Completed before the war, her service was uneventful until April 1942 when she was attacked by four Messerschmitt 110’s. “Basset” returned such spirited fire that one of the aircraft exploded in mid air. The second was so badly damaged that the machine turned half a loop before the pilot could recover control. Pieces fell off and the aeroplane began to lose height. The polio tried to make the English coast, but crashed into the sea. There were no casualties among the crew and the ship sustained no damage. Her Commander reported that she stood up very well to the bombing attacks.

(Taken from the story, “Leith Built Ships on War Service”.)

H.M.S. Basset