WAR OX FISHING CRAFT 



When war broke out four steam fleets were fishing 

 in the North Sea — the Great Northern, the Red 

 Cross, the Gamecock, and Messrs. Hellyers'. The 

 Red Cross and Great Northern fleets had existed for 

 nearl}- forty years, but only during part of that time 

 exclusively as steam trawlers, and the other fleets 

 had been at work for long unbroken periods. These 

 fleets were quietly withdrawn, the immediate result 

 being that the principal fishing ports were crowded 

 with craft for which there was no work, and heavy 

 financial loss was suffered by owners and fishermen. 

 That state of things, however, was soon to be reme- 

 died, and the ships and men who might have suffered 

 severely through German attacks were absorbed for 

 naval work. Owing to this precaution the Germans 

 were not able to run amok in the fleets ; but there 

 were still many vessels single-boating at considerable 

 distances from land, and often enough working 

 close together. 



By wantonly attacking these fishing vessels the 

 Germans in a very short period inflicted heavy 

 losses, and in less than three months Grimsby alone 

 had lost a large number of vessels and men through 

 direct attack, in addition to losses caused by mines. 

 A list of known losses contained 27 steam trawlers, 

 with 83 men dead and 128 prisoners — a total of 211. 

 Between 80 and 90 of the prisoners were married 

 men. This list was composed of thirteen trawlers 

 destroyed, their crews of nine — in two cases ten — 

 being made prisoners ; one trawler captured and 

 destroyed, the crew being brought home; one cap- 



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