Graham I have been doing some similar research in relation to HMS Campania II, which was requisitioned in WW1 for service as a 'Drifter' - it dragged drift nets seemingly as part of minesweeping duties!  It was crewed by about 12 Royal Naval Reservists until it sunk off St Abbs Head in March 1917, with the loss of all crew. So there are some similarities to HMS Bianca. Aside from finding a few references to the bodies of 3 of the crew washing ashore, and the details of the sinking, I have drawn a complete blank over many years. No photos were available for such a small HMS, and I could find no service records at The National Archives for my target crew member. But the drifter is definitely referred to as 'HMS'. So if you have any luck, please let me know! regards Dawn >________________________________ > From: Graham Read <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Thursday, 31 October 2013, 22:11 >Subject: [MAR] Fwd: HMT Bianca > > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >From: Graham Read <[email protected]> >Date: Thu, Oct 31, 2013 at 8:03 PM >Subject: HMT Bianca >To: [email protected] > > >My mother-in-law's father, Alfred J Kersey was a trawler skipper in >peacetime, and during WW1 was supposed to have command of 'HMS Bianca'. >Personally I think HMT more likely.  He was RNR. >I have some details of the civilian life of the Bianca as a Hull or Grimsby >trawler but nothing about her wartime [WW1] service beyond that she was >requisitioned as a minesweeper in 1914. >  It is clear that this was a wartime association between AJK and Bianca >since he was in Milford Haven before and after WW1. He died at sea in 1929 >so wasn't involved in the 1941 loss. > >If SKP has got any ideas on where to chase for details of the WW1 service, >or of a picture, I would be most grateful. > >Graham > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >