George Cochrane, one of a group of 20 trawlers chartered from British civilians to help clear the North Sea Mine Barrage, was acquired and commissioned 28 May 1919 at Grimsby Naval Base, Lt. (j.g.) R. C. Thompson, USNKF, in command.
Departing Falmouth 29 May, George Cochrane commenced her minesweeping duties with the North Sea Mine-sweeping Detachment, based in Kirkwall Bay. She and other. converted trawlers swept behind the main line, picking up stray mines and dropping buoys for 5 weeks. Since the hulls of the trawlers were not enough to withstand repeated underwater shocks from the exploding mines, most of them were returned to the Admiralty. After remaining at Kirkwall Bay towing during July 1919, George Cochrane departed for Brightlingsea, arriving 9 August, where she was decommissioned and returned to the British 11 August 1919.
