First World War: Britain’s surviving vessels

Alfred Corry

During the First World War ALFRED CORRY was one of the busiest lifeboats, involved in 14 rescues off the Suffolk coast.

Amazon

8th August 1914 – Defence of the Realm Act -- AMAZON may have been one of the thousands of yachts requisitioned for war service by the Admiralty under this act

Atta Boy

The fast motor launch ATTA BOY was with H.M.S. ROYALIST at the Battle of Jutland.

Brandram

The motor landing craft BRANDRAM was built in 1915 as one of the 'X-lighters' to support the Gallipoli Campaign, although she was never to reach further than France.

Britannia

The fishing smack BRITANNIA had a friendly encounter with a German U-boat, with some of the crew coming aboard and exchanging food and drink

Cambria

During the First World War CAMBRIA sailed from London and the Medway across the North Sea and channel to Dunkirk, Calais and Le Treport with a cargo of coke, pitch and wheat.

Caretta

Caretta was a twin-funneled Naval steam pinnace launched in 1898 at Devonport. In 1915 she was sent to the Dardanelles to cover the landing of troops on the Gallipoli beaches.

Caroline

H.M.S. CAROLINE is the last remaining ship from the Battle of Jutland

Centaur

During the First World War CENTAUR was on a normal trading voyage in the English Channel when a Coastal Motor Boat shot out of the fog and landed on her deck.

CFH

During the First World War CFH was a fleet tender at Scapa Flow

Charles Henry Ashley

On 16 December 1914 the life boat CHARLES HENRY ASHLEY went to the assistance of the steam trawler ANGLIA of London.

Charmian

The Admiralty pinnace CHARMIAN is reputed to have been on Dreadnoughts during the First World War

Charmian of Poole

Built at the start of the war in 1914 as a gentleman's yacht

CMB 4

7th-8th April 1917 -- CMB 4 takes part in an attack sinking a German destroyer and damaging another off Zeebrugge

CMB9

CMB9 was in action at Zeebrugge, 1917

Cob

COB, under the informal name of MARY, was one of a number of tugs at Scapa Flow and was in the vicinity when H.M.S. VANGUARD exploded

Collie

During the First World War COLLIE carried out harbour duties for the Navy at Devonport

Concrete Canal Boat

CONCRETE CANAL BOAT was built in 1918 as a response to shortages of steel and fabrication skills during the War.

Count Dracula

COUNT DRACULA was an admiral's barge in the German fleet at Jutland 1916

Cutty Sark

3rd May 1916 – a combination of storm, conscription and fear of U-boats conspires to almost sink CUTTY SARK in the Indian Ocean.

Cyclops

CYCLOPS was a pinnace on HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN and was used for ferrying supplies during the First World War.

De Wadden

The schooner DE WADDEN was one of many Dutch vessels to take advantage of the country's neutrality, carrying cargoes for both the Allies and the Germans

Discovery

DISCOVERY commissioned by Admiralty to rescue Ernest Shackleton and his crew stranded on Elephant Island

Dorian

DORIAN was built in 1915 at the Royal Naval Dock Yard in Portsmouth as a pulling launch rowed by 38 men. During the First World War DORIAN operated as a harbour launch in Portsmouth Harbour.

Ena

During the First World War ENA and the other barges in the Paul fleet carried supplies to the armies on the continent of Europe.

Ethel Ada

At the start of the First World War ETHEL ADA continued to trade in coal around the Suffolk coast, despite having suffered a serious fire when loading coke in 1910, but switched to ballast work in 1915

Feasible

24 November 1917–FEASIBLE was involved in the destruction of U-BOAT 48 in the North Sea near the Goodwin Sands.

Flashing Stream

During the First World War, FLASHING STREAM served as a Naval pinnace to H.M.S. MARSHAL SOULT, which took part in the First Ostend Raid.

Francis Forbes Barton

FRANCIS FORBES BARTON was the reserve lifeboat at North Deal during the First World War

Fusil

During the First World War FUSIL was an ammunition launch, used to tow ammunition barges

Gannet

January 1915 — PRESIDENT (ex-GANNET) receives her first cadets as the dormitory for the Training Ship MERCURY

Garlandstone

GARLANDSTONE may have been one of the many sailing vessels that transported coal from South Wales to the allied forces in France

Glenlee

1 November 1914–GLENLEE laden with coal narrowly avoided being captured by the Germans near Coronel.

Glenway

During the First World War GLENWAY ferried cargoes from the East Coast into the port of London and sailed unscathed through the minefields.

Gondola

During the First World War GONDOLA was laid up at Coniston Water

Greta

GRETA's usual cargoes were grain, malt and building products, but she once carried spars for the German Kaiser’s racing schooner METEOR IV.

Halas 71 (Waterwitch)

HALAS was commandeered by the Admiralty, renamed WATERWITCH and dispatched to Lesbos for service as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ferry during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915.

Helen Smitton

5th September 1914–HELEN SMITTON was the St Abbs, Berwickshire, lifeboat which went to the rescue when HMS PATHFINDER was torpedoed and sunk.

HMS Warrior 1860

HMS WARRIOR 1860 served as the floating workshop and powerhouse for HMS VERNON, the Royal Navy’s floating Torpedo Training School, throughout the First World War.

Hospital Boat No. 67

HOSPITAL BOAT No.67 was used throughout the war to transfer casualties from hospital ships to hospitals on land.

James Stevens No. 14

In a famous incident in December 1917 she rescued 92 passengers and crew of the SS PEREGRINE of London after she ran aground off Walton on the Naze in a force nine gale.

John Constable

At the outbreak of the First World War JOHN CONSTABLE was scuttled on the River Stour for fear she would be used by the Germans in the event of an invasion

Kathleen and May

KATHLEEN & MAY was used in the coal trade between the Bristol Channel and Ireland throughout the First World War.

Kerne

Requisitioned by the Admiralty, the tug KERNE spent the First World War on dockyard duties at Chatham

Kitty

During the First World War KITTY transported coke and stores to Calais and Boulogne for the army.

Lady Charlotte

LADY CHARLOTTE was used to entertain soldiers wounded during the First World War who were cared for at the Duke of Westminster’s country house, Eaton Hall in Cheshire.

M33

Monitor M33 was built to support the landings at Gallipoli

Maidie

The racing yacht MAIDIE was laid up during the war, while her professional crew provided the Royal Navy with many experienced hands

Marjorie

The motor yacht MARJORIE was requisitioned and put to work as a River Thames pilot boat

Nomadic

NOMADIC was requisitioned by the French government and deployed as minesweeper. At the end of the war she transported American troops out to the liner LEVIATHAN

Pembeth of Clyde

During the First World War PEMBETH OF CLYDE was requisitioned to carry hay to the IV Brigade Royal Horse Artillery barracks in London

Pinmill

PINMILL operated as a ferry between the shore and vessels of the Harwich Force throughout the First World War

President

PRESIDENT was one of a group of vessels commonly known as ‘Q-ships’ -- submarine decoys

Prince Helig

In 1918 an order for a seaplane tender (PRINCE HELIG) was placed but cancelled when the war ended

Prince Otman

The luxury yacht PRINCE OTMAN towed barges on the River Mersey during the First World War under the name MAUNA LOA

Queen Mary's Shallop

At a peace pageant on the Thames, exactly five years after the War began, the King and Queen are carried in QUEEN MARY'S SHALLOP

Reaper

REAPER was a sailing herring drifter which continued fishing throughout the war, although she could only do so during daylight hours. She was based at Lerwick in the Shetlands Islands.

Result

In 1917, the topsail schooner RESULT was requisitioned by the Admiralty to fight the U-boat menace as a Q-ship, or decoy vessel

Seaplane Lighter H21

During the First World War, SEAPLANE LIGHTER H21 launched fighter aircraft to attack Zeppelins

Shamrock

SHAMROCK carried 18lb shells from Canadian supply ships anchored in Plymouth Sound to Oceans Quay in Plymouth.

Sharpness

During the First World War icebreaker-tug SHARPNESS worked on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towing lighters through the Wast Hills tunnel

Spithead

The motor landing craft SPITHEAD was built in 1915 as one of the 200 X-lighters to support the Gallipoli Campaign, although she never ventured further than France.

SS Great Britain

In 1914 SS GREAT BRITAIN was over 70 years old and in use as a coal storage hulk based at the Falkland Islands. She coaled the British fleet that defeated von Spee’s German fleet.

Steam Cutter No. 26

STEAM CUTTER NO. 26 was on board H.M.S. FALMOUTH at the Battle of Jutland

Steam Pinnace 199

PINNACE 199 is thought to have been on the 'super-dreadnought' H.M.S. MONARCH

Sundowner

During the First World War SUNDOWNER served as a steam pinnace for the Royal Navy

Thalatta

In the First World War THALATTA transported goods to the armies across the English Channel. In 1916 she ran between Shoreham and Dieppe deep loaded with pig iron.

Undine

In 1914 the auxiliary steam yacht MOLLY was requisitioned by the Admiralty for harbour patrol duties in the Solent and renamed UNDINE

Vere

VERE is believed to have been the admiral's steam barge assigned to H.M.S. DREADNOUGHT

Warrior

The naval pinnace WARRIOR probably served as a coastal defence vessel during the First World War

Wight Queen

The ferry WIGHT QUEEN continued to carry passengers between Gosport and Portsmouth throughout the war

William Riley of Birmingham and Leamington

This lifeboat WILLIAM RILEY OF BIRMINGHAM & LEAMINGTON was involved in attempting to rescue survivors from the ROHILLA

Worcester

WORCESTER was a motor tug which continued to operate on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal throughout the war although attempts were made by the Admiralty to requisition her.