HMS Zedwhale

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HMS Zedwhale

HMS  Zedwwale was an admiralty whaler built in 1915 by Smith's Dock Company, weighing 336 tons she had a 12 pounder a six pounder and a three pounder gun. She was coal driven and held a complement of 26. She was used for anti submarine work experiments and training .

She's been classified as "something of a mystery amongst mystery ships".   

Zedwhale was originally built as a submarine chaser, Z1  she was taken up 2nd of August 1915 and renamed Meg and as such was under French command with a French crew and flying the tricolor but under the orders of the British Admiralty 

Her first commanding officer was Lieutenant de Vaisseau Auxillaire Jean Charlot(sic).   our auxiliary Jean Charlotte make was transferred back to the Royal Navy after paying off 13th January 1916 then renamed Zwale and recommissioned at Granton with a British crew tended to HMS attentive six destroyer for the Tiller leader Dover she was transferred back within days to Granton as tender to HMS Columbine Base ship and by 1917 she was partnering the steamroller koot H897 employed with the fourth down the East Coast Fisheries and for a time she partners partnered HMS submarine C7 on anti U boat patrols 

She was sold in February 1920 

Lt Ronald Douglas commanded HMS Zedwhale at the close of World War 1 when he was involved, with his brother William, below, in the surrender of the German Fleet

Lieutenant William Douglas is credited with sinking a German submarine in or near the Firth or 4th there is some clue to this in the description of Z whale(1) anti submarine work and experiments I believe that he may have been involved in the operation of Q ships which appear to have operated out of Granton the clue is in a letter from Admiral James Startin to my grandfather in which he refers to quote our little jaunt together see if I can make sense of that 

Granton

The harbour at Granton was a naval base from 14 August 1914 to 15 July 1919. The base initially held 29 trawlers and three yachts, employed in patrol work and minesweeping, and grew through the war to 300 ships, serviced by 400 officers, 8000 men and 300 Wren officers and ratings. From 1915 Granton became a base for the fitting out and operation of "Q" Ships, merchantmen and trawlers fitted with hidden weapons, to lure in and then attack German submarines.

Granton Harbour naval base was named HMS Gunner, after the largest trawler in its flotilla, and used for minesweeping, decoy vessels (‘Q-ships’), anti-submarine patrols and the maintenance of the outer boom defences. The first members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, the WRNS, arrived during 1918. The command at Granton was divided into two parts. The northern area had a large complement of 24 motor launches and eighteen paddle minesweepers, as well as 30 boom defence vessels amongst its flotilla of 103 craft. The southern area was smaller, with a total of 47 yachts and fishing boats./p>

From 1916 onwards more German mines were placed on the east coast and the role of the Granton minesweepers became more important. The Granton boats were also responsible for the maintenance and operation of the permanent anti-submarine booms and for temporary, mobile nets that were deployed to protect the Grand Fleet when training in the lower part of the estuary. After the Armistice the base was engaged in mine clearance.

The harbour was used again during the Second World War.

Z-boats