September 1939. Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper.
June 1940. ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command, Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping Group 3 - minesweeping trawlers BERNARD SHAW (Sk Lt J H Brown Rtd RNR), EDWARDIAN (Ty Sk F A Cunningham RNR), MILFORD PRINCE (Ty Sk C V Eddom RNR, TILBURYNESS (Ty Sk J V Earl RNR), all at Sheerness.
Aug 11 1940. Bombed by the Luftwaffe with the loss of three crew killed and three wounded. Run aground on North Foreland to avoid sinking. After extensive repairs was returned to service.
15th September 1940, Nore Command, Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
M/S Trawlers Group 3: Milford Prince, (Bernard Shaw, undergoing repairs), (Edwardian undergoing large repairs. Date uncertain) and Tilburyness.
January 1941, ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command. Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping Group 3 - minesweeping trawlers BERNARD SHAW (Sk W H Thorpe RNR) at Sheerness, EDWARDIAN (Ty Sk J McCann RNR) at Ramsgate, MILFORD PRINCE (Act. Ty Sk E W Goldspink RNR) at Sheerness.
January 1942. ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command, Harwich.
Minesweeping and Patrol Group 5 - minesweeping trawlers EDWARDIAN at Grimsby, FIREFLY at Harwich, LORD MELCHETT at London refitting to comp end of Jan, RED GAUNTLET at Harwich
EDWARDIAN, Crew loss Aug 11 1940.
BOON, Roy W, Seaman Steward, RNPS, LT/JX 180269, killed
HONEYWOOD, Seften E, Engineman, RNR (PS), LT/X 337 EG, killed
PERKINS, William, Stoker, RNPS, LT/KX 104844, killed
GAMMEE P., Chief Engineman, wounded.
NURSEY S. B., Sig, wounded.
VAN HEE, E. Stoker, wounded.
To find out more of the Edwardian’s movements go to DRIFTERS AND TRAWLERS.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST Dec, 39
Ch. Skipper, G. Watt 27 Oct 39
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST July 40
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., F. A. Cunningham, 1 Mar 40.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 41
Skipper, R.N.R., W. Boyle, DSC 12 Mar 41
Skipper, R.N.R., C. J. Andrews, 12 Mar 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 42
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., J. R. Everett, 1 July 41.
Temp. Skipper R.N.R., J. R. Goodinson, Sept 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 43
Skipper, R.N.R., J. McLeman, 18 Aug 42.
Temp. Skipper R.N.R., J. R. Goodinson, Sept 41
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June, 44
Chief Skipper, R.N.R., J. McLeman, (Act.) 18 Aug 42.
Skipper, Peter Miller. 30 Nov 43.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 45
Chief Skipper, R.N.R., J. McLeman, (Act.) 18 Aug 42.
Skipper, Peter Miller. 30 Nov 43.
If you, your father or your grandfather have any additional information about this ship, crew lists, stories, photographs, please send copies of them to be added to our records and this website.
Thank you.
Contact: johntenthousand@yahoo.co.uk
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A pen & ink drawing of the Edwardian by Skipper James Ramshaw Goodinson 1940/41. The stern of the trawler in the foreground is H.M.T Firefly. James Goodinson drew the pen and ink picture of the Edwardian whilst he was serving in her...It was done on the back of an old chart. James ended the war in Malta in command of FT25. After the war he returned to fishing.
The picture of the Edwardian hung on his living room wall until he passed away in 1997. When it was passed down to his son, Phil Goodinson.
HMT Edwardian, Minesweeper Trawler.
Skipper James Ramshaw Goodinson
Skipper Peter Miller.
(Photo taken before his promotion to skipper)
EDWARDIAN
Minesweeping Trawler
Wildfire III, Queenborough.
M/S Trawlers Group 3
One of the fiercest convoy battles took place on the 11 August 1941 off the Naze. Convoy FN 49 (FN249) comprising of over fifty merchant ships plus escorts were attacked by the Luftwaffe during a north westerly gale.
Royal Air Force 17 and 85 Squadrons of Hurricane fighter planes and 74 squadron of Spitfires engaged twice their number of German fighter planes. Four German Me110’s and two Ju 87 Stucka Dive-bombers were destroyed for the loss of two spitfires and two Hurricanes.
The bombers got through and attacked the convoy. The 5,500-ton tanker Oiltrader was bombed and badly damaged. The SS Kirkwood was hit by two bombs but stayed afloat.
At the same time shipping in the Thames Estuary was also attacked. The Edwardian was bombed with the loss of three killed and three wounded and only managed to save herself from sinking by running herself aground.
Both the Edwardian and her sister minesweeper the Peter Carey fought back savagely and are credited with shooting down four German Aircraft.
When the Edwardian was attacked a near miss ruptured her hull and she began to take in water. In the engine-room and in complete darkness first Engineman William Gray, struggled to fillethe holes with canvas and the wood from a Dan Staff. This was done by touch and with no engine-room plates left in position he felt his way across the flooring supports. His actions gave the Edwardian the time it needed to reach the shore to beach itself.
On the following day the Luftwaffe attacked Minesweeper Group 2 (Sheerness) from Wildfire III, Queenborough sinking the Pyrope and Tamarisk killing thirteen. The survivors were rescued by the Margate Lifeboat.
Skipper Peter Miller.
Peter was promoted to the rank of Skipper and appointed to the Edwardian 30th November 1943.
He would serve on the Edwardian until his discharge in October 1945.
Prior to this Peter served on the minesweepers HMT Fontenoy as a 2nd hand, HMT Nadine, MMS 31 and MMS 268 which was based at Wildfire III.
Following the war, Peter was a successful businessman in Edinburgh. He styled himself ‘Scotland’s Lino King’.
Type of Vessel: Steam Trawler converted to Minesweeper.
Pennant: FY691.
Other Names: Ophelia in 1948.
Year Constructed: 6 December 1930, launched. 12th January 1931 completed.
Built by: Cook Welton and Gemmell.
Built at: Beverley.
Owner: Loyal Steam Fishing Company.
Engine: T 3 cylinder 96RHP by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull.
Speed: 12 knots.
Gross Tons: 348 gross tons, 149 net tons.
Length: 140.3 feet.
Beam: 23 feet.
Depth: 12.7
Armament: 1 x 12 pounder AA gun.
Fate: Bombed and run herself aground to avoid sinking. Repaired and survived WW2. Scrapped on 8 January 1955 at Gateshead.
Watch these short minesweeping videos.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
A Bad Day in December 1940: https://youtu.be/Lw2pW31qH4s