In 1942 as part of the government’s Bonds and National Savings Certificates the people of Ilminster adopted a Royal Navy minesweeper, HMS Ready.
As part of Warship Week the people of the town were challenged to raise £136,500 to fund the minesweeper. The town managed to raise £74,011 and was allowed to officially adopt the vessel.
There are several plaques (pictured below) and a painting of HMS Ready in the Town Council offices on North Street.
HMS Ready was decommissioned as a Royal Navy vessel in 1948 and was sold to the Belgian Navy in 1951.
She was eventually decommissioned by the Belgians in 1960 and sold for scrap in 1961.
You can read more about HMS Ready on Wikipedia.