During the Second World War purpose built convoy rescue ships accompanied some Atlantic convoys to rescue survivors from ships which had been attacked.

Prior to their introduction this task normally fell to the escorting warships, or to the limited number of large, ocean-going tugboats. The use of warships would divert them from the task defending the rest of the convoy from the attacking U-boat or aircraft. The first vessel went into service in January 1941 and by the end of the war 30 rescue ships had been built or converted, taking part in 797 convoys and had rescued 4,194 survivors from 119 ships. Six rescue ships were sunk. As well as equipment for rescuing and treating survivors, they also carried Huff-Duff radio direction finding equipment to assist in the location of U-boats.

The resuce ships were:

• Aboyne
• Accrington
• Beachy
• Bury
• Copeland
• Dewsbury
• Dundee
• Eddystone
• Empire Comfort
• Empire Lifeguard
• Empire Peacemaker
• Empire Rest
• Empire Shelter
• Fastnet
• Goodwin
• Gothland
• Hontestroom
• Melrose Abbey
• Perth
• Pinto
• Rathlin
• St Clair
• St Sunniva
• Stockport
• Syrian Prince
• Tjaldur
• Toward
• Walmer Castle
• Zaafaran
• Zamalek