Ayrshire Built 17/01/1938 Smiths Dock Co Ltd South Bank Middlesbrough for Ayrshire Fishing Co Ltd, Markham Cook Grimsby
08/1939 To owners in Hull
09/1939 Requisitioned as an auxiliary patrol vessel Joined the 11th Anti-Submarine Striking Force based at Rosyth
20/02/1940 ICW sister ship Fifshire 70 miles East of Copinsay Orkney were attacked by 2 Heinkel 111’s. The Fifshire succumbed to a bombing attack, but the Ayreshire survived having managed to drive off the enemy aircraft with only her Secondary Armament of Lewis Guns
Her Main 4 inch had yet to be mounted
08/1941 Transferred to Iceland Command for Russian Convoys
1942 Took part in the ill fated PQ17, after the convoy was ordered to scatter she found several stragglers and shepherded them up to the ice.
The CO had the idea of painting them all white on the south facing sides and the decks to hide in the ice, they remained undiscovered and reached Russia in safely
10/1945 Returned to Owners
1946 Sold to Devon Steam Fishing Co Hull H 113
Her Details are
- Official Number 164438
- Yard Number 1034
- Admiralty Number FY 225
- Armament 1 4 inch
- GT 575 NT 215
- Quarter Deck 87 Foc’sle 33
- Dimensions 175.8 x 28.6 x 15
- Engines 99HP