Royal Navy Reserve wartime roles

The Royal Navy Reserve was much smaller than the Army's reserve, but its wartime jobs were central to mobilization and maritime control. Mine countermeasures would keep approaches and ports usable, while naval control of shipping would organize merchant traffic in a crisis. Communications specialists supplied another capability that the regular force could not simply improvise after war began. Reservists formed part of the Navy's operating structure, with practical wartime assignments. The commentary suggests using River-class Batch 1 patrol ships for the regular reserve and contrasts their lack of ships with university naval units operating Archer-class patrol craft. Seagoing platforms would help reservists sustain the practical skills those assignments required.