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The Royal Naval Mine Watching Service was a civilian organisation formed in 1952 as part of the auxiliary forces of the
The Royal Naval Mine watching Service, was designed as an integral part of British mine countermeasures.
The service was a civilian one, operated and administered by the Royal Navy under the overall direction of the Admiralty. Its members were volunteers of either sex of the age of 26 or more, normally British subjects, who are trained at centres near their homes and were willing to serve on a full-time or part-time basis in the event of emergency. They must live near the coast or the principal rivers or waterways.
They were provided with a free uniform, besides being repaid their fares to their training centres and an allowance for each exercise or instructional period. In the Port of London alone there are six such training centres, and for administrative purposes the United Kingdom is divided up into four main areas under the Naval Commanders-in-Chief at Portsmouth, Plymouth and the Nore, and the Flag Officer Scotland, each of whom has a Command Mine watching Service Officer. There are Port M.W.S.O.s in the various ports or areas with Section Officers, Chief Mine watchers, Leading Mine watchers and Mine watchers working under them.
The R.N.M.W.S. was responsible for manning posts, provided with equipment, all round the coasts of the United Kingdom and along every navigable river and waterway, to spot the mines as they drop, to record and report their positions, so that the traffic lanes may be kept open for the safe passage of the shipping upon which our very existence depends.
In 1962, it was transformed into the
The Royal Naval Mine Watching Service was a civilian organisation formed in 1952 as part of the auxiliary forces of the British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Naval Service Naval Service may refer to either:
* His Majesty's Naval Service, Britain's Royal Navy plus additional services
* Naval Service (Ireland), a branch of the Irish Defence Forces
* United States Department of the Navy, United States military department ...
.
Its intended wartime role was to man observation points overlooking ports and strategic waterways, in order to report mines dropped by aircraft.
The service came into existence early in 1952 when nearly 3,000 men and women enrolled for duty in an emergency.
In 1962 the service was amalgamated with the Admiralty Ferry Crews Association, to become the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
The Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) was a uniformed, unarmed, civilian volunteer service, administered and trained by the Royal Navy to operate in the ports and anchorages of the United Kingdom in an emergency. Although the abbreviated title w ...
(R.N.X.S). The flag inscription was altered from "RN MWS" to "RNXS" to reflect that name change.
Mine Watchers – The Navy's Home Guard
Mine watching was described as a task of vital national importance; in a debate on defence in theHouse of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...
in March 1952, Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
pointed out that the Royal Navy had three main threats to meet in the event of war: the mine, the U-boat, and the threat from the air.
Churchill also emphasised the threat of the aerially laid mine in coastal waters and much thought was being devoted to the problem in high places
High Places is a band originating from Brooklyn, New York, that subsequently relocated to Los Angeles, California. The band is a duo comprising multi-instrumentalist Rob Barber and vocalist Mary Pearson.
Pearson and Barber met while Mary was comp ...
. "It is therefore fitting that we should Salute the Mine watching Service as Her Majesty the Queen recently did by approving a uniform to be worn by members of the Service. This uniform, comprising a beret with specially designed badge, a greatcoat with shoulder flash bearing the initials "R.N.M.W.S." and battledress (with either skirt or trousers for women watchers) should do much to improve the standing of the Service and extend recruitment".
He welcomed the R.N.M.W.S. composed of men and women in civilian life and said it "might well be as valuable to the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
and to the life of the Island as our sailors afloat."
The Royal Naval Mine watching Service, was designed as an integral part of British mine countermeasures.
The service was a civilian one, operated and administered by the Royal Navy under the overall direction of the Admiralty. Its members were volunteers of either sex of the age of 26 or more, normally British subjects, who are trained at centres near their homes and were willing to serve on a full-time or part-time basis in the event of emergency. They must live near the coast or the principal rivers or waterways.
They were provided with a free uniform, besides being repaid their fares to their training centres and an allowance for each exercise or instructional period. In the Port of London alone there are six such training centres, and for administrative purposes the United Kingdom is divided up into four main areas under the Naval Commanders-in-Chief at Portsmouth, Plymouth and the Nore, and the Flag Officer Scotland, each of whom has a Command Mine watching Service Officer. There are Port M.W.S.O.s in the various ports or areas with Section Officers, Chief Mine watchers, Leading Mine watchers and Mine watchers working under them.
The R.N.M.W.S. was responsible for manning posts, provided with equipment, all round the coasts of the United Kingdom and along every navigable river and waterway, to spot the mines as they drop, to record and report their positions, so that the traffic lanes may be kept open for the safe passage of the shipping upon which our very existence depends.
In 1962, it was transformed into the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
The Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) was a uniformed, unarmed, civilian volunteer service, administered and trained by the Royal Navy to operate in the ports and anchorages of the United Kingdom in an emergency. Although the abbreviated title w ...
, intended as a short-notice response force to help disperse shipping in British ports in case of a nuclear strike.
Ensign
The ensign of the Royal Naval Mine Watching Service was granted in 1953 by royal warrant. Designs were submitted as watercolours and those which were approved were passed to theCollege of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sover ...
for a ’Sealed Pattern’ to be made for the Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
. A circular yellow cable surmounted by Naval Crown and panel inscribed RNMWS enclosing mine exploding in Heraldic Sea against a blue background, was selected.
References
Sources
*''Whitaker's Almanack: for the year 1958'', p. 470. J. Whitaker & Sons, London, 1957External links
{{Admiralty Department, state=collapsed History of the Royal Navy 1952 establishments in the United Kingdom 1962 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1952 Organizations disestablished in 1962