An unheralded ship

His Majesty’s Trawler Northern Wave was one of hundreds of ships that gained little mention from World War II service.

Built in September 1936, ironically in Germany, the Northern Wave spent six of its 27 years in the Royal Navy, escorting ships across the Atlantic and to Murmansk.

The Northern Wave was registered as a civilian trawler on 23 July 1936, but the fishing boat found itself a member of the Royal Navy in September, outfitted as an anti-submarine trawler. On 25 March 1940, in company with HMS Brontes, the Northern Wave picked up 25 survivors from the tanker Daghestan, which had been torpedoed by German submarine U57.

On 16 April 1942, the Northern Wave picked up 28 survivors of the steamer Empire Howard, torpedoed by U403. Survivors were landed at Polarmoe near Murmansk.

On 3 February 1943, the trawler picked up four survivors from the American steamer Greylock, torpedoed by U255.

Other rescues are here:

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1935674

After the war, the Northern Wave was sold to Hull Ice Co. In October 1963, the fishing trawler, anti-submarine RN ship and again a trawler, was sold to Clayton &Davie Ltd. for breaking up.