HMT Firefly
HMT Firefly was a minesweeping trawler that saw service during the Second World War. She was built as a trawler by Cook, Welton & Gemmill, of Beverley and launched on 23 August 1930. She was operated by the St Andrew's Steam Fishing Company Ltd, out of Hull. Royal Navy Service The Admiralty requisitioned Firefly at the outbreak of war, at a monthly hire of £215, and commissioned her in September 1939. On 2 December 1939, together with fishing trawler Cardew, they rescued six of the crew of the Swedish cargo ship Rudolf, which had been torpedoed by submarine . On 3 February 1940, Lt D B Johnstone and his crew endeavoured to defuse a loose British horned mine in the Firth of Forth. Most men were standing on the rail on one side of the ship watching those in the ship's boat trying to corral the mine and bring it alongside. As they did this, a British destroyer went by at high speed and its bow wave caused one of the oars on the boat to touch a detonator spike on the mine. The resulting explosion destroyed the boat and injured or killed most of those watching. Only three men