BARRAGE BALLOON VESSELS
During the war the military decided that not only was it a good idea to have balloons that were mobile on the land with a mobile winch vehicle but it was well known that waterborne balloons on rafts had been successful in Italy prior to World War one when the Austrians and the Italians were at war. So the concept was created of using various boats that were powered (unlike the rafts / pontoons of WWI days).
The military classed these as auxiliary fighting vessels and were made up of two distinct groups:
1. Sea-going vessels that accompanied convoys usually comprising of small mercantile vessels and tugs
2. Those that tended to fly the balloons in harbours and estuaries and were generally made up of drifters and barges and trawlers. These vessels would then sail to a particular spot in an estuary, anchor and then let the balloon up to deter enemy aircraft from perhaps attacking a docks area. Trawlers and Drifters were often commandeered by the military to be adapted to fly barrage balloons.
All of them needed a flat deck area big enough to bed a balloon down and a winch that could be operated with relative ease for hauling down and letting up the balloon.
The vessels used were manned by a naval crew who dealt with all the nautical aspects and a small group of RAF men who dealt with the flying and maintenance of the balloon. Some aspects were overlapping and it seems the crews worked very well together as a team. Food was brought out to them by small boats and if the weather was very rough then they might not get fed for many hours.
German aircraft would try and drop sea-mines into the ocean in an attempt to sink shipping. In order for the mines to be most effective it was necessary for the German aircraft to fly very low. Using balloons as a defence was very effective as German aircraft found the targets they wanted to drop the mines in were well protected by balloons and they could not fly low enough to hit the target that they wanted to.
So estuaries and river mouths were often prime locations for the balloon vessels.
This is an interesting scale model of a balloon vessel being serviced by a tug. The tug is named "Cavalier" but I have failed to identify her. The balloon barrage vessel is
named "BELLA" ?or "ELLA"?. Certainly the writing of the side of the vessel indicates: "BRAITHWAITE XXX Ltd" and the number 34.
I cannot identify her either. This lovely model was sold at auction some years ago and to date no one knows what happened to it.
If anybody can help with the naming or history please contact me. The detail on the model is very good indeed, the winch for the balloon on the deck looks like it was
the same as the winches used on the winch lorries. I would love to know more about these ships and the existence of the model.
UPDATE AUGUST 2018!! This model has been found in the Docklands Museum, Isle of Dogs!!
https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands
These are two images taken recently at the Docklands Museum by artist Michael Daley MBE AGAvA EAGMA who kindly agreed that we could use them.
The Naval Commands
There were four basic naval commands that controlled the ports and harbours around the British coast:
Going clockwise and starting at Hull, the ports and harbours went as follows Grimsby,
NORE COMMAND:
Hull, Grimsby, Wells next the sea, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Brightlingsea,Burnham. Southend,, Tilbury. London. Greenhithe, Cliffe, Chatham, Sheerness, Herne Bay.
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
DRIFTERS:
CREAGH MHOR, EBOR JEWEL, GENERA, STUDENT PRINCE, WENGEN, Dutch CLEON, LIBERTY, TALONA,
THORA.
BELGIAN MOTOR FISHING VESSELS:
ALEX GABRIELLE, JORDEANS.
BRITISH DUMB BARGES:
LEEDS LUMINARY, LEEDS METEOR, LEEDS POLAR, based at Humber.
KITE BALLOON SERVICING VESSEL:
KILLINGHOLM
at
Kite Balloon Vessels:
JOCKETTE II, PAPAKURA, WANDA, based at Felixstowe.
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS: AT Felixstowe:
ABLETTE,
CAROLE, CHARLES HUTSON, COSMIC, EDITH, EILEEN, ELECTION, ELSIE, ESTER, FELIX,
HOOK, LESLIE WEST, ORWELL,
LONDON:
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
TUG GROVE PLACE at Barking Reach,
DUMB BARGES A.3, A.4, A.5, G.2, G.3, G.4, AT BARKING REACH.
MARJORIE at West India Dock
SHEERNESS:
CHANNEL MOBILE BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS, BASED AT SHEERNESS, CONTROLLLED BY C IN C NORE:
BUNGAY, DEAL, HASLEMERE, ROEBUCK, SAMBUR.
BELGIAN ASTRAL.
FRENCH FRATTON, MAMMOUTH, PINGOUIN, PINTADE, BASED AT SHEERNESS.
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
BOY SCOUT, BYNG, CITRON, COMELY BANK, CONSTANT HOPE, ELSIE AND NELLIE, EX FORTIS, GEORGE AND ALBERT, INVERUGIE,
J T HENDRY, KIDDAW, MARINUS, OUR KATE, ROSE EMMA, TRIUMPH, YOUNG ALFRED, all at Sheerness,
BALLOON BARRAGE YACHT: MEDEA at Sheerness
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS: (Thames Estuary):
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
ARROW, BETTY HUDSON, DOROTHEA, EILEENA, HELEN OF TROY, INNISSHANNON, JAMES M, KATHERINA, MARY III.
DUCH: RIAN, SAXON, SPARTON, BASED AT SHEERNESS, DUMB BARGES: SCOTT, WESTERN, BASED AT SHEERNESS.
SERVICING VESSELS: BRITISH QUEEN, DENTON, SEATOW, THE MILLER, WILFRED, all at Sheerness
MARK VI BALLLOON MAINTENANCE VESSELS: “A” Barge, “A2” Barge, both at Sheerness, CRETEACRE at Southend.
DAPHNE, GOODWIN, HELEN BIRCH, all at Sheerness, PIPER II at Southend, SCROBY, VERA, both at Sheerness
DOVER COMMAND:
Ramsgate, Dover,Folkestone.
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
BARGES ALPHEUS, HALCYON II, DUMB BARGES COUNT, LOODSMAN, MARQUIS, PREMIER.
SERVICING VESSEL: LILLY OF LAGUNA all at Dover
PORTSMOUTH COMMAND:
Newhaven, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Portsmouth, Hamble and Warsash, Southampton, Lymington, Poole, Weymouth, Portland, Bridport.
On the Isle of Wight there was Cowes and Yarmouth, Yarmouth was home to the Balloon Vessel - OMEGA at
Yarmouth.
Kite Balloon Vessels :
ALICE
HAWTHORNE, BUCKLER, both at
BELGIAN:
ANNA LEOPOLD at
BALLOON
BARRAGE VESSELS:
ANETTE, BASTELLE, COLLETTE, HUNT, KANTARRAH, PAM, SALADIN, YC.4, YC.396, all at
TENDERS
LORETTE, French PETREL IV, OWEN, REDSTART, VERONY II, all at
KITE
BALLOON
VESSELS:
ALICE HAWTHORNE, BUCKLER, both at
BELGIAN}
ANNA LEOPOLD at
BALLOON
BARRAGE VESSELS:
ANETTE, BASTELLE, COLLETTE, HUNT, KANTARRAH, PAM, SALADIN, YC.4, YC.396, all at
French
PETREL IV, OWEN, REDSTART, VERONY II, all at
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS:
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS (MOBILE): ALITA, CARMENITA, DORITA, POLITA.
DUMB BARRAGES: ELING, FW.14, FW.15, TOTTON, WEATHERLAND, French HOPPER 26, HOPPER 63, servicing Craft BLACK BESS, GELYCE,
GONDOLIER PRINCE, SKYLARK, French STIFF, all at Southampton
Balloon
Vessels - MARGO III at
Plymouth Command
Exmouth, Teignmouth, Brixham, Dartmouth, Salcombe, Devonport, PLymouth, Fowey, Falmouth, Penzance, St. Ives, Padstow, Appledore and the Scilly Isles.
BALLOON
BARRAGE VESSELS:
Trawlers - ALESSIE, BLACK JOKE, FORSETTI, MURIEL STEVENS, PAS DE LOUPE II,
REVIVE, SNOWFINCH, VIGILANT, all at
(For more information on A Y Allssie follow the link :
Balloon Barrage Vessel A Y Alessie a short history
BALLOON
BARRAGE TENDERS: J N R, LAZYBONES, both at
KITE
BALLOON VESSELS - EBLANA II, ELRAYDA, MANON II, ONWARD
II, all at
BALLOON
SUPPLY SHIP:YOLANDE at
KITE BALLOON TRAWER: Belgian JEANNE D’ARC at Fowey
BALLOON BARRAGE VESSELS: DONALD & DORIS, EARL O’CAIRNS, EMILY BARRATT, KETCH, M A JAMES, MARGARET HOBLEY, PENRYN, PROGRESS, WELCOME.
BELGIAN: GENERAL LEMAN, all at Falmouth, British tenders BLYTHESWOOD, MABEL, SHEERNESS, TOP GALLANT, VITANAVIUS, WINIFRED, all at Falmouth.
BALLOON
TENDER AND EXAMINATION SERVICE:
miscellaneous ships
This a Balloon Vessel, carefully examination of the picture gives her name as "HELEN BIRCH" based at Sheerness. If you look carefully at the flag, you will see some odd looking dots on the picture. These dots are in fact where the censor has attempted to mask out the superstructure of a large naval ship in the background.!! Presumably a destroyer? The sea-going vessels were formed in July 1940 and were based around the Sheerness area until 1943 until disbanded. You can see the flat area on deck where she would be close-hauled to the deck. From the picture I suspect that the balloon is undergoing gas topping up as the small top up pipe seems to be in use.
When flying, the balloon cable would be connected to an explosive link on the cable at the masthead.
Balloon Floating over the water on 26th February 1940.
Balloon Floating over the water December 19th 1939.
The following ships were listed as ocean-going balloon vessels: This gives name, tonnage and when built along with fate in 1943 and thereafter.
In the National Archives is a document titled ADM208/3-The Red List (Minor War Vessels in Home Waters as of 4pm 15/09/1940)
This names the following vessels as being part of the barrage balloon vessels compliment at that point in the war..
Balloon
Barrage Drifters (Sheerness)
Boy Scout, Carry on, Citron, Comely Bank, Constant Hope, Else and Nellie,
Ex Fortis, George and Albert, Inverugie, JT Hendry, Kiddaw, Lavina L, Marinus,
Newspray, Our Kate, Rose Emma, Triumph and Young Alfred
Drifter Attending Balloon Barrage
Byng
Balloon
Barrage Drifters
Creagh Mhor, Ebor Jewel, Geneva, Wengam, Student Prince, Thora, Laeso, Herdis,
Johanne, E.Laudland, Karen Marie and Johanne Margrethe
Channel
Rene de Besnarais, Gatinis, Élan, Astral, Mamouth, Fratton and Pintade. All are
French vessels.
She was requisitioned by the Admiralty in August 1940 as a sea going Barrage Balloon Vessel, and was based at Sheerness.
Later transferred to the Examination Service as an Armed Boarding Vessel in 1943.
She was lost during the war as she was blown up by a manned torpedo off Normandy 18th August 1944.
Boom Defence Vessels
Buckingham, Caliban, Sarba, Thomas Connolly, Bownet
Other
vessels have been named as time has gone on:
NAME
Tonnage Date Built
Fate after 1943
ASTRAL (Ex-pilote 14) 451 tons and built 1930 1943 she was returned as a wreck locating vessel
BOREALIS (Ex-pilote 15) 451 tons and built 1930 Lost 10th August 1940
BUNGAY (Ex- Maidstone) 688 tons and built 1926 Returned 1943
DEAL 691tons and built 1928 Returned 1943
ELAN II Tug Target service 1941
B16. FRATTON 757 tons and built 1925 Examination service (1943) lost 18th August 1944
HASLEMERE 756 tons and built 1925 Laid up 1943 returned 1945
MAMMOUTH 954 tons and built 1918 Rescue Tug (1943)
PINGOUIN 700 tons and built 1917 Tug - Target service 1943
PINTARD 700 tons and built 1917 Tug - Target service 1943
RAMIER 685 tons and built 1917 Tug - Salvage vessel 1943
RENE LE BESNERAIS 246 tons and built 1931 Tug - fate not known
ROEBUCK 769 tons and built 1925 ROEBUCK II (1943)
SAMBUR 769 tons and built 1925 TOREADOR (1942)
Other vessels would have been trawlers and drifters.
In June 1940 there were a vast number of ships in the various naval commands that were involved in Barrage Balloon work, below are a number of listings from Don Kindel and his Royal Naval Ships site.
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4006-15RNHome3.htm#wac
Home Fleet - Northern Patrol - Orkneys & Shetland Command - Rosyth Command
Barrage balloon trawlers - ten at Scapa Flow
Barrage balloon drifters - two at Rosyth
Balloon barrage drifters - five at Loch Alsh, three at Buckie fitting out, two at Peterhead fitting out, two at Fraserburgh fitting out
Barrage balloon drifters - three at Tyne
Nore Command
Grimsby and Humber area
Balloon barrage drifters - eleven at Grimsby, one at Humber
Thames and Medway
Balloon barrage drifters - 18 at Sheerness, one under repair
- Dover Command - Portsmouth Command - Plymouth Command
Balloon Barrage Vessels - drifters CREAGH MHOR, EBOR JEWEL, GENERA, STUDENT PRINCE, WENGEN, Dutch CLEON, LIBERTY, TALONA, THORA,
Belgian motor fishing vessels ALEX GABRIELLE, JORDEANS, British dumb barges LEEDS LUMINARY, LEEDS METEOR, LEEDS POLAR, all at Humber
Kite Balloon Servicing Vessel -
KILLINGHOLM at
Balloon Vessel - OMEGA at
Kite Balloon Vessels - JOCKETTE II, PAPAKURA, WANDA, all at Felixstowe
Based at Ipswich
Balloon Barrage
Vessels
- ABLETTE, CAROLE, CHARLES HUTSON, COSMIC, EDITH, EILEEN, ELECTION, ELSIE,
ESTER, FELIX, HOOK, LESLIE WEST, ORWELL,
It should remembered that on D- Day 6th June 1944 vast numbers of vessels were equipped with balloons to reduce any threat of an air attack. They were sent on the channel crossing and had to wait offshore getting ready to unload their precious cargo on the Normandy shore still flying the balloon for protection. However a number of stories have surfaced where the captains decide to discard the balloon. This was because although it might have detered the Luftwaffe from bombing the ship, the balloon may have been a great target for the German rangefinders to locate and shell with accuracy. A number of ships were hit in this way. The captains obviously decided that they might fare better with no balloon and use every weapon they had to give the ship alternate air defence in the event of a Luftwaffe attack.