Author: Trevor Hallifax

Blackburn Rovers Built 08/08/1934 by Smiths dock Co Ltd South Bank Middlesbrough for Consolidated Fisheries Ltd for a cost of £19850.00
18/09/1934 Documents handed over to Consolidated Fisheries Ltd
Anchor and Cable Certs, Boiler Test Cert, Lights and sound Signal Certs
Steam Superheater Header Cert, Steam Superheater Elements Certs

11/1934 First Skipper Alfred Camburn
25/08/1939 Requisitioned and converted to an A/S Based at Dover
26/11/1939 whilst on patrol off Goodwin sands in Heavy weather a cable was washed off her Fore deck and wrapped around the screw.
After dropping anchor she was dragged into a mine field. The Dover Lifeboat coming to her aid managed to take off all the crew and secret equipment in the midst of the mine field.
The coxswain was awarded the Silver medal for Gallantry.
The trawler was scuttled as she was well into the mine field But it went wrong and she was found 30 miles off the Kentish Sands.
02/06/1940 She took part to the Dunkirk evacuation with a crew of 17, during which she was either mined or torpedoed 24 miles E by S of North Foreland
During WW2 the ARCTIC PIONEER (yet to be ARCTIC VIKING) was an asdic trawler and patrolled the waters during the Dunkirk evacuations. 02/06/1940 nearing the last day of the Dunkirk withdrawal Arctic Pioneer heard the distress signal from the Blackburn Rovers in thick fog but could not assist.
Blackburn Rovers another asdic trawler was leading the Hull trawler Westella and the Trawler Saon on patrol of the channel,
Blackburn Rovers picked up a asdic sounding which it believed to be a U-boat.
On going to investigate Blackburn Rovers entered a British minefield and subsequently exploded, her depth charges also exploding.
The trawler Westella had also followed Blackburn Rovers into the minefield and as she was picking up the survivors from Blackburn Rovers she hit a mine blowing off her bow.
The trawler Saon picked up survivors from both the Westella and the Blackburn Rovers

Her Details are

• Official Number 162890
• Yard Number 976
• Admiralty Number FY 116
• Call Sign GYCL
• GT 422 NT 161
• Foc’sle 27
• Dimensions 157 x 26.7 x 12.3 
• Engines 99 HP 12 Knots

Official records state by U-boat action or mine on or about 02/06/1940
in the North Sea whilst in Admiralty Service

Bittern built 1903 G. Cooper Hull for T. Baskcomb Grimsby
10/1914 Registered to T. W. Baskcomb, Grimsby 
12/1914 Requisitioned as a mine sweeper
02/1915 Renamed Bittern II
11/1915 Registered to Thomas Baskcomb Ltd Grimsby 
1919 Returned to owners
04/1919 Sold to J. Holland & W. H. Johnstone 
12/1922 Bought by W. Would
12/1924 Went to Thomas Charles & Fred Moss Ltd Fish Dock Road Grimsby 
01/1925 Renamed Carlton 

Her Details are

• Official Number 118912
• Call Sign VGBK
• Admiralty number FY 432
• Armament 1-6pdr
• GT 207 NT 84
• Quarter Deck 59 Foc’sle 19
• Dimensions 114.5 x 21.5 x 11.2
• Engines 55 HP

Sank by mine about 3 miles off Spurn on the 25/10/1940

Birch built 23/01/1912 by Cook Welton & Gemmell for W Grant and D. Robinson Grimsby
02/1915 Requisitioned as minesweeper
23/08/1916 North Sea – Skipper Edward Yallop RNR With group of minesweepers sweeping War Channel approaches to Lowestoft she was Mined at 1600, laid by UC.1 Kurt Ramien 3 days before, She broke up and sank off Yarmouth 52.35N 01.54E 3 ratings lost 

Her details are

• Official Number 132125
• Yard Number 236
• Admiralty number 1129
• GT 215 NT 84
• Quarter Deck 67
• Dimensions 118.9 x 21.5 x 11.4
• Engines Amos & Smith 67 HP 10.5 Knots

23/08/1916 Mined off Yarmouth whilst in Admiralty Service

Bianca Built 16/10/1905 Cook Welton & Gemmell Beverley for Hellyer Steam Fishing Co Ltd Hull registered as H 845
09/1914 Requisitioned as a minesweeper 
04/07/1917 Sold to C. Dobson Grimsby and registered as GY 686 
1919 Returned to commercial fishing 
1920 To the Dobson Steam Fishing Co Grimsby 
14/12/1923 Sold to Kelsall Bros & Beeching Ltd Hull registered as H 907
06/03/1936 Bought by the Crescent Trawler Co Ltd Milford Haven
20/03/1941 Sank in the Irish Sea by explosion after trawling up a mine or bomb
The vessel was fishing about 14 miles off Holyhead at the time of the explosion
Five of her crew were lost and four were rescued

Her Details are 

• Official Number 121093
• Yard Number 91 
• Admiralty Number 600
• GT 174 NT 55 
• Dimensions 108.5 x 21.6 x 11.5 
• Engines Amos & Smith 45 NHP 9½ knots 

Sank in the Irish Sea by explosion after trawling up a mine or bomb on the 20/03/1941