Armed trawler Nelson
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Nelson |
| Launched | 1905 |
| In service | 1915–1917 |
| Fate | Sunk 15 August 1917 |
| Notes | Converted to armed merchantman at Lowestoft |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Armed smack |
| Tonnage | 61 GRT[1] |
| Propulsion | sail |
| Armament | 1 × 3 pounder naval gun |
Armed trawler Nelson was a British auxiliary warship which served during World War I. She was built in 1905 as the fishing smack G&E, operating from Lowestoft and registered as LT 649. In 1915 she was armed for defence against U-boat attack, and fought several actions against them. She was sunk in action on 15 August 1917. This action was fought between a German U-boat (believed to be SM UC-63) and two trawlers, Nelson and Ethel & Millie, off the English coast.
Background
G&E was a
In 1915, as part of the
Service history
G&E's first action came on 11 August 1915, just three days after entering service as an auxiliary. While engaged in fishing off the
With the end of the first period of unrestricted submarine warfare, in September 1915, G&E returned to civilian duty. However, in February 1917, with its reintroduction, G&E, now under the name I'll Try, and under the command of skipper Tom Crisp, was taken up again as an auxiliary.
On 1 February 1917, in company with another armed smack,
Fate
On 15 August I'll Try, now sailing under the name Nelson but still commanded by Crisp, was trawling off the Humber.[6] She was again in the company of Boy Alfred, now named Ethel & Millie and under command of "Johnsey" Manning. In the afternoon of the 15th Nelson was attacked by a U-boat, believed to be SM UC-63,[7] which fired on her at long range. Nelson attempted to close, but was crippled by gunfire and left sinking. Crisp was mortally wounded and gave the order to abandon ship, remaining on board as the crew did so, and going down with her as she sank. Ethel & Millie was also sunk in this action and her crew lost. Nelson's crew survived, spending two days in their lifeboat before they were picked up by HMS Dryad. Crisp was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his "seamanlike and brave manner".[8][9]
Notes
- ^ Ritchie p. 183
- ^ a b Mercantile Navy List. London: Spottiswoode for the Committee of Lloyd's. 1907. p. 636. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ The Mariner' Almanac 1913. Aberdeen: Free Press. December 1912. p. 470. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Chatterton p. 20
- ^ Masters
- ^ Ritchie p. 121
- ^ "G & E". uboat.net. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ Ritchie p. 124
- ^ Snelling p. 178
References
- Chatterton, E Keble : Q-Ships and Their Story. (1922) ISBN 978-1539704058(reprint)
- Masters, D : “I.D": New Tales in the Submarine War (Eyre & Spottiswoode 1935) ISBN (none)
- Ritchie, Carson : Q-Ships. (1985) ISBN 0-86138-011-8
- Snelling, Stephen : VCs of the First World War – The Naval VCs (2002) ISBN 0-7509-1395-9