§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state the number of fishermen and trawler ratings killed while serving with the Royal Navy during the War?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo statistics are immediately available regarding this matter, and to obtain the desired information it would, I am advised, be necessary to examine the service records of over 20,000 men of the Royal Navy and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve; and, even if this were done, it would only be possible to furnish a very approximate figure, as the records would not show 1263W whether men giving their previous occupation as "seaman" or "Merchant Service" were actually serving in fishing vessels.
As regards the Royal Naval Reserve, however, if my hon. and gallant Friend wishes for this portion of the information, I am advised that the following casualties were sustained during the War by members of the Trawler Section:
This statement, however, does not show all the casualties to fishermen serving in the Royal Naval Reserve, as there were a number of these men serving in the Royal Naval Reserve proper and the Shetland Section of the Royal Naval Reserve who also lost their lives.
— Skippers. All ratings. Total. Killed in action, or as the result of enemy action 102 1,983 2,085 Died on service from various causes 40 1,213 1,253 Total 142 3,195 3,338