Welcome Home
HM Minesweeper Drifter
Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Very little is known about HMT Welcome Home. For months and years on end, almost anonymously, she sailed back and forth searching for mines. For the men on board it was an extremely dangerous job but their bravery and sacrifice would save many lived of British seamen and kept the sea lanes open so that the Allies could go on the win World War Two.
No person other than Winston Churchill could have put it better.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINSTER TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE MINE SWEEPING FLOTILLAS.
No work was more vital than yours. No work has been better done. The ports were kept open and Britain breathed. The nation is proud of you. Winston Churchill 1945
We do not have a photograph of the Welcome Home, but she would have looked like her sister Drifters and Trawlers seen here minesweeping in the North Sea.
15 Feb 1919. The Welcome Home served in WW1 as a net vessel.
29th February 1916. Joseph MUNNINGS, Deck Hand, Royal Navy Reserve, DA 4672, drowned.
17 February 1931. The Life Boat RNLB H. F. Baily (ON 694) from Cromer (Norfolk) was called out and saved one person from the Welcome Home (Then a fishing Vessel). The circumstances are not recorded but it is probable a deck hand was washed overboard.
June 1940. ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping drifters - BOY ALLEN (Sk E H Crowe RNR), DEVON COUNTY (Sk S S Wilson RNR), FORERUNNER (Sk S F Wilson RNR), GO AHEAD (Sk W N Hurn RNR), PLUMER (Sk L George RNR) repairing, WELCOME HOME (Sk W F Wilson RNR), all at Sheerness.
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, Nore Command 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.
To find out more of the Welcome Home’s general movements go to DRIFTERS AND TRAWLERS.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST Dec. 39
Not on List.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST July 40
Skipper R.N.R. W. F. Wilson, Dec. 39.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 41
Skipper R.N.R., C. H. Green., 12 Sep 40.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 42
Skipper, R.N.R., W. Thorpe, 1 July 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 43
Skipper, R.N.R., W. Thorpe, 1 July 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June, 44
On List but no officers.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 45
Not on list
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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Type of Vessel: Hired Drifter, converted to a minesweeper. (Steam screw Ketch, 1st class, 10 men, herring nets.)
Admiralty Number: No 1098.
Fishing Number: LT 402 Registered in Lowestoft.
Year Constructed: 1906
Owner: A E Beamish 1913. Lowerstoft.
Gross Tons: 77 tons
Armament: 1 x 3 pounder
Fate: Not known.
Watch these short minesweeping videos.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
A Bad Day in December 1940: https://youtu.be/Lw2pW31qH4s