Convoy Rescue Ships

[Andy H]

Were these ships fitted out specially for this task, or just tasked as and when required?

Any other info on Convoy Rescue ships would be appreciated

Regards

Andy H

[subskipper]

Were these ships fitted out specially for this task, or just tasked as and when required?

Any other info on Convoy Rescue ships would be appreciated

Regards

Andy H

I don't know if this is true for the American merchant navy also, but the British had designated rescue vessels fitted with operating theatres and medical personnel. They also had to have a pretty low freeboard to allow for an easier rescue procedure. So yes, they were specially fitted for the task of picking up and treating torpedoed merchant sailors.


~Henric Edwards

[Andy H]

Thanks for that Henric, guess its time to start digging around

Regards

Andy H

[Andy H]

Well for anyone else interested, I found the following:-

These enormous losses would have been even higher were it not for the 29 Rescue Ships which became operational from January 1941, and served until April 1945.

These little vessels became the unsung heroes of the Battle of the Atlantic, and, in this context, I include the Russian Convoys to Murmansk, as being a patch stitched into the North Atlantic Quilt.

Rescue Ships were the brain child of the then Commander in Chief of Western Approaches, Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, VC. who, on the 22nd. of September 1940, wrote to the Admiralty, setting out his views on the unsatisfactory arrangements for rescuing Merchant Seamen after their ships had been sunk by Aircraft or U-Boat action. In part he wrote:

If convoy escorts are to feel free to carry out their proper offensive role, and the morale of the Merchant Navy is to be kept up, it is considered essential that there should be Picking Up Ships, following astern of convoys, and transferring from outward to inward convoys with the escort. It is requested that the necessary ships may be taken up and sent to convoy ports.

For once the Admiralty acted with some alacrity, and, the first Resue Ship, the 1,875 ton Houtestroom, was taken up in December 1940, to become operational on the 11th. of January 1941.

Description of Rescue Ships.
Basic requirements for these vessels were:-

( i ) A low freeboard, to enable survivors to be easily hauled over the side to safety.

( ii ) A speed of 11 to 12 knots, so they could regain the bosom of the convoy after fulfilling their rescue duties astern of a convoy.

( iii ) To be fitted with rescue boats, ( originally oared, but eventually powered.) Carley floats, booms, float nets, grab hooks, hoists, and scrambling nets.

These ships were fitted with a Sick Bay, an Operating Theatre, and carried a Medical Officer and a Sick Berth Attendant.

In wartime, Merchant Ships needed to carry a crew in excess of 100 men before they qualified to have a doctor on board.

In all, these little ships, were on average but 1,500 tons, and they sailed with 755 convoys, to rescue 4,194 survivors, who claimed 15 different Nationalities.

Amongst these survivors were 4 ex U-Boat sailors, who had good reason to be thankful to a Rescue Ship for saving them from a certain death in the freezing waters of a North Atlantic winter.

Out of the 29 Rescue Ships commissioned, 6 were sunk whilst carrying out their function ( including Zaafaran, which was lost on the 5th. of July 1942, when part of the infamous Convoy P.Q.17, and by a quirk of fate, she had been built in Germany destined for service in the Levant ) and a furher 2 were found to be unsuitable for their role, and were withdrawn from service.

These small ships, besides their life saving role, gave an immense boost to the morale of Merchant Seamen, and, as they were fitted with a heavy armament for their size, and carried high frequency direction finding equipment, they played an important part in the constant threat from and struggle against the menace of the U-Boats, and German Aircraft.

The Escort Commander was relieved from the anxiety of rescuing torpedoed survivors, and could concentrate on his main task: "The safe and timely arrival of the Convoy."

Conclusion.
The initiative of the Commander in Chief of Western Approaches leading to the introduction of Rescue Ships, provided the opportunity for these ships and their magnificent crews to write their selfless service into the history of British Maritime Warfare.

Winston Churchill could well have said:

"So much was achieved, by so few, for the benefit of so many!"

from http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/TheRoleof ... ipsin.html

[Michael Emrys]

Thanks again, Andy. They are indeed the unsung heroes of the ASW drama. I was going to inquire why they were not identified as hospital ships, given their humanitarian mission, and thus derive some measure of protection from the U-boats, but then I hit this sentence:

...they were fitted with a heavy armament for their size, and carried high frequency direction finding equipment...

Now I wonder why all that offensive gear was not put on some other hull, so that the rescue ships could claim an exemption. Not enough hulls to go around, I suppose.

Another thing in passing, I understand the desireability for low freeboard in their role, but it seems to me that must have made them awfully wet in the rough North Atlantic seas.

[Andy H]

I was going to inquire why they were not identified as hospital ships, given their humanitarian mission, and thus derive some measure of protection from the U-boats,

I suppose one issue would feasibility, especially at night. Hostpital ships were normally lit up like Christmas tree's so potential enemies could spot them. Well if they were sailing with a convoy it would be like a big I'M HERE signal to any U-Boats looking for a convoy in the inky darkness.

Though no doubt the propoganda machine would have rolled into high gear if such a ship was sunk, I imagine it was out-weighed by other factors.

Not sure why a rescue ship which could be lagging behind the convoy saving seamen was fitted with HF/DF gear?

Regards

Andy H

[Michael Emrys]

Not sure why a rescue ship which could be lagging behind the convoy saving seamen was fitted with HF/DF gear?

Since the radio signals it would trying to pick up would be long range, its position within the convoy would not be critical. All it would have to do is to indicate that the signals were coming from such and such a direction, and the commodore could order a change of course if required.

[sallyg]

I was going to inquire why they were not identified as hospital ships, given their humanitarian mission, and thus derive some measure of protection from the U-boats,

I suppose one issue would feasibility, especially at night. Hostpital ships were normally lit up like Christmas tree's so potential enemies could spot them. Well if they were sailing with a convoy it would be like a big I'M HERE signal to any U-Boats looking for a convoy in the inky darkness.

Though no doubt the propoganda machine would have rolled into high gear if such a ship was sunk, I imagine it was out-weighed by other factors.

Not sure why a rescue ship which could be lagging behind the convoy saving seamen was fitted with HF/DF gear?

Regards

Andy H

Old thread, but what the hey?

I would think that a ship separated from the convoy equipped with DF would be useful. In the same manner that longer rangefinders are more accurate than short ones the separation between the detectors makes for greater accuracy, trigonometrically speaking.

[redcoat]

. I was going to inquire why they were not identified as hospital ships, given their humanitarian mission, and thus derive some measure of protection from the U-boats,

Hospital ships are defined in international law as ships only used for the transport of the wounded and sick. Any ship engaged in the rescue of mainly unwounded sailors from warships and cargo vessels, does not qualify for this status, so is unprotected in international law.

[Michael Emrys]

Thanks, redcoat.

Michael

[Andy H]

. I was going to inquire why they were not identified as hospital ships, given their humanitarian mission, and thus derive some measure of protection from the U-boats,

Hospital ships are defined in international law as ships only used for the transport of the wounded and sick. Any ship engaged in the rescue of mainly unwounded sailors from warships and cargo vessels, does not qualify for this status, so is unprotected in international law.

Hi Redcoat

Yes this is similar to the actions undertaken during the BoB of attacking rescue launches retrieving downed pilots

Regards

Andy H