Paddle minesweepers and convoy escorts in both world wars

Large paddle boxes made these ships exceptionally wide for their hull length, limiting speed but increasing stability and usable deck area. Waverley-class examples carried forward the First World War minesweeping lineage, while the Glen-class vessels shown belonged to the Second World War. Second World War ships supported east-coast convoys and carried substantial defensive armament while continuing the mine-warfare role. Their broad platforms could support antiaircraft weapons around the paddle boxes. The same geometry that penalized speed therefore gave these coastal auxiliaries stable, well-armed working decks.