Minesweeping in WW2 was the main role of the Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) which at its peak had 1,637 craft of various kinds including converted trawlers in which at least 12 men from NI lost their lives including William Allen from LImavady, Archie Cairns from Ballycastle and William McCalla a well known competitor in the UGP motorcycle races. Beauchamp Butler from Fermanagh, commanding officer of the Faughs was killed in Italy along with four NI members of his regiment.
