Royal Naval Patrol Service
Encyclopedia
The Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) was a branch of the Royal Navy
active during the Second World War. The RNPS operated many small auxiliary vessels such as naval trawler
s for anti-submarine and minesweeping operations to protect coastal Britain
and convoys during WWII.
Trawler Section in the period leading up to the war. When the Royal Naval Reserves were mobilised in August 1939, HMS Europa
, usually known as Sparrow's Nest, became the Central Depot of the RNPS. Sparrow's Nest was located at Lowestoft
, the most easterly point of Great Britain
, and then the closest British military establishment to the enemy.
Sparrow's Nest was decommissioned in 1946.
The advantages of using small ships for minesweeping and other duties had been recognised during the First World War and many of the crews of the peacetime fishing fleets had been encouraged to join the Royal Naval Reserve. Because the majority were Reservists the RNPS became a "Navy within a Navy".
Because it used out-dated and poorly armed vessels, such as requisitioned trawlers crewed by ex-fishermen, the RNPS came to bear a number of unofficial titles that poked fun at it, such as "Harry Tate's
Navy", "Churchill's pirates
" and "Sparrows".
Because the peacetime crews become Naval seamen together they developed a special camaraderie. This camaraderie continued in the Service throughout WWII, even though by the end most RNPS members were "hostilities only" who had had little connection with the sea before the war.
to the Mediterranean, from the Atlantic to the Far East
, involved in convoy duty, minesweeping and anti-submarine work. Most particularly they kept the British Coast clear of the mines that were wreaking havoc with merchant ships.
One RNPS member, Lieutenant Richard Stannard
won the Victoria Cross
while in command of the Hull
trawler Arab
during the Namsos campaign
.
s, drifter
s, paddle steamer
s, yacht
s, tug
s and the like, "Minor War Vessels" as the Admiralty called them.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
active during the Second World War. The RNPS operated many small auxiliary vessels such as naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
s for anti-submarine and minesweeping operations to protect coastal Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and convoys during WWII.
History
The Royal Naval Patrol Service had its origins in the trawlermen and fisherman who belonged to the Royal Naval ReserveRoyal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
Trawler Section in the period leading up to the war. When the Royal Naval Reserves were mobilised in August 1939, HMS Europa
HMS Europa
Six ships and a shore establishment of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Europa, after the Greek mythological character Europa. was a hulk, a former Dutch ship captured in 1673. She was burnt by accident in 1675. was a 64-gun third rate launched in 1765. She was renamed HMS Europe in 1778 and was...
, usually known as Sparrow's Nest, became the Central Depot of the RNPS. Sparrow's Nest was located at Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, the most easterly point of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and then the closest British military establishment to the enemy.
Sparrow's Nest was decommissioned in 1946.
Harry Tate's Navy
]The advantages of using small ships for minesweeping and other duties had been recognised during the First World War and many of the crews of the peacetime fishing fleets had been encouraged to join the Royal Naval Reserve. Because the majority were Reservists the RNPS became a "Navy within a Navy".
Because it used out-dated and poorly armed vessels, such as requisitioned trawlers crewed by ex-fishermen, the RNPS came to bear a number of unofficial titles that poked fun at it, such as "Harry Tate's
Harry Tate
Harry Tate was an English comedian who performed both in the music halls and in films. Born in 1872 as Ronald Macdonald Hutchinson, he worked for Henry Tate & Sons, Sugar Refiners before going on the stage, and took his stage name from them.-Career:Tate made his debut at the Oxford Music Hall in...
Navy", "Churchill's pirates
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
" and "Sparrows".
Because the peacetime crews become Naval seamen together they developed a special camaraderie. This camaraderie continued in the Service throughout WWII, even though by the end most RNPS members were "hostilities only" who had had little connection with the sea before the war.
Operations
The RNPS fought in all theatres of the war, from the ArcticArctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
to the Mediterranean, from the Atlantic to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, involved in convoy duty, minesweeping and anti-submarine work. Most particularly they kept the British Coast clear of the mines that were wreaking havoc with merchant ships.
One RNPS member, Lieutenant Richard Stannard
Richard Been Stannard
Captain Richard Been Stannard VC DSO RD was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
while in command of the Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
trawler Arab
HMT Arab
HM Trawler Arab was a trawler launched in 1936. At the outbreak of World War II, she became a naval trawler serving in the Royal Naval Patrol Service during World War II. Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard won the Victoria Cross while serving as her commander during the Namsos campaign in 1940...
during the Namsos campaign
Namsos campaign
In April and early May, 1940 Namsos and its surrounding area were the scene of heavy fighting between Anglo-French, Polish and Norwegian naval and military forces on the one hand, and German military, naval and air forces on the other...
.
Boats of the RNPS
Its fighting fleet consisted of hundreds of requisitioned fishing trawlers, whalerWhaler
A whaler is a specialized ship, designed for whaling, the catching and/or processing of whales. The former included the whale catcher, a steam or diesel-driven vessel with a harpoon gun mounted at its bows. The latter included such vessels as the sail or steam-driven whaleship of the 16th to early...
s, drifter
Drifter (fishing boat)
A drifter is a type of fishing boat. They were designed to catch herrings in a long drift net. Herring fishing using drifters has a long history in the Netherlands and in many British fishing ports, particularly in East Scottish ports....
s, paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
s, yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s, tug
Tug
Tuğ is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
s and the like, "Minor War Vessels" as the Admiralty called them.
See also
- Auxiliary PatrolAuxiliary PatrolThe Auxiliary Patrol was an antisubmarine initiative by the British to help combat German submarine operations in the early stages of World War I...
- Royal Naval Reserve
- History of the Royal Naval Reserve
- Trawlers of the Royal Navy
- Coastal Forces of the Royal Navy