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Remembered Today:

Boom Defence Vessels and Barrage Vessels


hen190782

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Good Evening

As part of a book on the Workman Clark shipyard in the Great War, I would like to include some basic details about Boom Defence Vessels and Barrage Vessels and any internet searches that I undertake produce results for the Second World War.

I have extracted some very basic information from www.naval-history.net but I would be grateful to any of the members who could supply a brief description on these vessels and how they were utilised.

I look for to reading the response.

Thanks

Nigel

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The following description is WW2, but perhaps the same WW1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/22/a5967822.shtml

"I then volunteered to serve on smaller ships. I was posted to a ship at Sheerness that was part of the "BOOM DEFENCE". The Boom Defence consisted of 3 ships; one on the left-hand (LH) side, one in the middle and one on the right-hand (RH) side. Incoming ships sailed between the LH ship and the middle ship, outgoing ships sailed between the middle ship and the RH ship. Nets were laid either side of the ships to provide further protection. The only way in or out was through the "Boom Defence". I served on the "Pallisade" which was on the RH side. Horlicken guns were fitted on the Boom ships; every 5th shell was a tracer - they lit up the area - so we could see to shoot down the doodle-bugs".

 

For general information, the following US publication Net and Boom Defenses 1944 , includes Chapter 1 " Nets and Booms" before 1939 which includes the British WW1 situation.

https://maritime.org/doc/netsandbooms/index.htm

 

Cheers

Maureen

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Can't help directly but lots of material on Boom Defence at TNA in Kew:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=Boom defence&_dss=range&_sd=1914&_ed=1919&_ro=any&_st=adv.

 

You can also refine the search by adding AND vessels in the search box.

 

While there is a certain amount on Barrage Defence, the addition of vessels to the search term results in a nil response.

 

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9 hours ago, Maureene said:

The following description is WW2, but perhaps the same WW1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/22/a5967822.shtml

"I then volunteered to serve on smaller ships. I was posted to a ship at Sheerness that was part of the "BOOM DEFENCE". The Boom Defence consisted of 3 ships; one on the left-hand (LH) side, one in the middle and one on the right-hand (RH) side. Incoming ships sailed between the LH ship and the middle ship, outgoing ships sailed between the middle ship and the RH ship. Nets were laid either side of the ships to provide further protection. The only way in or out was through the "Boom Defence". I served on the "Pallisade" which was on the RH side. Horlicken guns were fitted on the Boom ships; every 5th shell was a tracer - they lit up the area - so we could see to shoot down the doodle-bugs".

 

For general information, the following US publication Net and Boom Defenses 1944 , includes Chapter 1 " Nets and Booms" before 1939 which includes the British WW1 situation.

https://maritime.org/doc/netsandbooms/index.htm

 

Cheers

Maureen

Thanks, Maureen

2 hours ago, seaJane said:

Can't help directly but lots of material on Boom Defence at TNA in Kew:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=Boom defence&_dss=range&_sd=1914&_ed=1919&_ro=any&_st=adv.

 

You can also refine the search by adding AND vessels in the search box.

 

While there is a certain amount on Barrage Defence, the addition of vessels to the search term results in a nil response.

 

Thanks, seaJane

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