ABSTRACT
Initially, few precautionary measures were taken onboard ships during boardings, apart from a general state of preparedness, including manning a proportion of the armament, in case of emergencies and also to impress the immigrant vessel. Later, ships were fitted with special wire netting and fendering and methods of grappling using kedge anchors fired from depth-charge throwers were devised. Things had moved on far from the days of sending a boarding party in the seaboat to a specialised form of the first degree of readiness with every man onboard taking an active part. In a destroyer, about 88 ratings were directly involved and allocated Boarding Stations, 28 being in the Boarding Party and the remainder being given such tasks as a Counter-Boarding and Securing Party, countering snipers and manning short range weapons. The load on communications also necessitated destroyers, other than Flotilla Leaders, each employing five seaman on duties normally undertaken by communications ratings. Boy Seamen were not sent as Boarders and were carefully placed so that they were always under the supervision of an officer or a leading rate.Further Arrests
