SPY SHIPS

During the Cold War trawler were used in the very dangerous game of spy ships by the Ministry of Defence. Answering a question in the Houses of Parliament, the Minister of Defence stated that "no trawlers were being used for spying". During a television programme many years later this same person agreed that he had been grossly misinformed by the Secret Service.

It was common gossip in the strreets aound the Hull Fish Dock that these trawlers were engaging in spying and it was an oft-discussed topic in the public houses locally!

When the Gaul was being built at Lowestoft, the Ministry of Defence paid for several modifications to the ship, including extra Radar and Radio equipment.

The man responsible for running these trawlers was Lt-Cmdr Brooke, R.N., who supplied the Skippers with special cameras and film to photograph ships of the Russian Northern Fleet which had to pass through the fishing grounds when entering and leaving their home port. Books containing drawings of Russian warships were also supplied. The skippers would then give the exposed film to Brooke on return to Hull and report on any sightings of ships.

Trawlers were occasionally stopped and searched making it a dangerous pastime.