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Castle class trawler

HMT Swansea Castle IWM FL 4393.jpg
HMT Swansea Castle
Class overview
Name: Castle class
Operators:
Completed: about 200
General characteristics
Type: Minesweeper/Naval trawler
Displacement:
  • 540 tons standard
  • 620 tons fully loaded
Length: 135 ft (41 m)/125 ft (38 m)
Beam: 23.5 ft (7.2 m)
Draught: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion: 550 ihp (410 kW)
Speed: 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 26 or 27
Armament: Most armed with 76 mm 12-pounder gun, George Harris, Thomas Bartlett, John Bomkworth: 57 mm 6-pounder gun, Giovonni Guinti QF 4 inch naval gun.

The Castle-class minesweeper was a highly sea worthy naval trawler adapted for minesweeping and built to Admiralty specifications. Altogether about 200 were built between 1916 and 1919.

The Castle class originated with the commercial trawler Raglan Castle of 1915, taken up for Royal Navy service. The design was adapted by Smith's Dock Company Ltd to Admiralty requirements for building in quantity.

During World War I, 145 were built for the Admiralty. After the war about 55 further ships were built as trawlers and many of the minesweepers were converted to trawlers

Early in World War II 10 Canadian built Trawlers that had been sold into commercial service after WWI with a number of European countries were captured by the Germans and put in Kriegsmarine service. 25 others were reacquired/requisitioned by the Royal Navy.

In 1940 the New Zealand Marine Department opted for this class in preference to the more modern Blomvlei design, also by Smith's Dock, 1935, and another 13 vessels of the class were built and put into service.

HMT Cardiff Castle

HMT Ben Dearg


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