November 1939 The Vernal was Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper.
22 June 1941, Naval Vessel in the Nore Command (Battle of the East Coast) Queenborough, (Wildfire III)
M/S Drifters, Arcady, Boy Philip, Devon County, Egeria, Forerunner, Gilt Edge, Girl Nancy, Monarda, Renascent, Solstice, Tilly Duff, Vernal, Welcome Home.
January 1942, ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
LL Drifters - BOY PHILLIP, EGERIA, EUNICE & NELLIE, FORERUNNER under repair, INTERNOS, JACK EVE, SOLSTICE, TILLY DUFF, VERNAL, WELCOME HOME, all at Sheerness.
(Date unknown) Converted to a torpedo recovery vessel.
To find out more of the Vernal’s movements go to DRIFTERS AND TRAWLERS.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL. A DSM was awarded to Skipper, R.N.R., J. P. Cunningham.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST Dec 39
Not on List.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST July 40
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., J Main, 31 Jan 40.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 41
Skipper, R.N.R., E. G. Gibbs, 31 March 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 42
Skipper, R.N.R., E. G. Gibbs, 31 March 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 43
On List but no Officers listed.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June, 44
Temp Skipper R.N.R., A. E. Rudd, (In Command) July 43.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 45
Skipper, R.N.R., J. P. Cunningham, DSM, (In Command), 14 Apr 45
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
Watch these short minesweeping videos.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
A Bad Day in December 1940: https://youtu.be/Lw2pW31qH4s
Type of Vessel: Fishing Drifter converted to Minesweeper, later Torpedo Recovery Vessel.
Other Names: Clearing.
Year Constructed: 14 November 1919 (Delivered)
Built by: Ailsa Shipbuilding Company.
Built at: Troon, Scotland.
Engine: TE 270 ihp.
Speed: 9 knots.
Gross Tons: 199 tons.
Length: 86 feet.
Beam: 18 feet.
Depth: 9 feet.
Fate: Survived the War and scrapped January 1946.
HMD Vernal
Minesweeper and Torpedo Recovery Vessel.
Wildfire III, Queenborough.
The Vernal, formally a fishing Drifter was requisitioned by the Admiralty in November 1939 and converted into a Minesweeper. Later in the war she would become a TRV (Torpedo Recovery Vessel.)
Torpedo Recovery Vessel were auxiliary vessels which recovered practice torpedoes and mines fired and laid by surface vessels and aircraft.
On the 30 August 1941, Wildfire III, Queenborough, minesweepers Monarda, Internos, Forerunner and Vernal blew eleven acoustic and three magnetic mines in just over an hour on the North Thames foreshore, off Southend. Tragically both Forerunner and Monarda were sunk within the next ten weeks.
HMD Vernal would have looked like these minesweepers, sweeping in the North Sea.