Your Country Needs You

Your Country Needs You

On 8th August 1914, four days after war was declared, the Defence of the Realm Act was passed. This gave the British government wide-sweeping powers to support the war effort. It included the ability to requisition ships and smaller vessels for use by the Royal Navy. These vessels were pressed into service and took on very different roles to those they had played as merchant, civilian and fishing craft. Fishing boats became Q-ships -- decoy ships deliberately luring U-boats to attack them then unveiling their armaments. Others became minesweepers; and gentlemen’s pleasure launches became patrol boats.  However, not all vessels answered the call to duty -- some vessels were deliberately sunk to avoid requisitioning or use by the Germans in the event of an invasion.

Vessels in this theme

  • Discovery

    Discovery

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

  • Amazon

    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

  • Result

    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

  • Kerne

    Kerne

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

  • Pembeth of Clyde

    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

  • Marjorie

    Marjorie

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