S.T. Cyelse FD67 | The Bosun's Watch

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger

Technical

Official Number: 128762
Yard Number: 523
Completed: 1912
Gross Tonnage: 237
Net Tonnage: 93
Length: 120 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 58ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

3.4.1912: Launched by Cochrane & Sons, Selby (Yd.No.523) for David Pettit, Hakin as CYELSE.
20.5.1912: Registered at Milford (M138).
6.6.1912: Completed (David Pettit, managing owner).
24.6.1912: Arrived Milford.
1912: Transferred to David Pettit Ltd, Milford Haven (David Pettit, Hakin, manager).
11.12.1912: Leaving Milford at 5.30pm for fishing grounds in thick rain and blowing hard (Sk. Edward Gibbs). When between Thorne Island and Stack Rock Fort, collided with steam liner EAGLE (M64) inbound which sank with the loss of five crewmen.
19.2.1913: At BoT formal investigation at Milford, the Court found Sk. Gibbs guilty of failing to keep a proper look out and suspended his ticket for nine months. The Second Hand, William Blockwell was found guilty of unsatisfactory conduct in attempting to save life and his ticket suspended for three months.
9.2.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer & W/T) (Ad.No.975). Fitted as Leader. Based Kirkwall.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Milford Haven.
21.3.1929: Stranded on rocks off Lonehort Point, Bere Island, Co. Cork; making water. Destroyer HMS SCYTHE (P.No.H22) standing by. At 10.00am. refloated under own power and proceeded.
20.8.1931: Stranded on rocks off Irish Coast for six hours but refloated; boat lost.
25.2.1934: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
30.2.1934: Sold to Mason Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (Thomas Cardwell, manager).
30.10.1934: Milford registry closed
11.12.1934: Registered at Fleetwood (FD67) (Richard W. Mason, manager).
1939: R. H. Bagshaw appointed manager.
22.8.1940: Requisitioned for war service and appointed for minesweeping duties.
23.8.1940: Returned to owner.
1943: Forecastle head added.
12.3.1943: Requisitioned for war service and fitted with water tank (33ton tank for boiler feed) (P.No. Y.7.8) (Hire rate £59.5.0d/month).
1944: Employed as a fuelling trawler (for refuelling diesel landing craft) (P.No.Y.7.16).
5.1944: Assigned Operation Neptune-Normandy Landings.
23.5.1944: Assigned as a fuelling trawler to Force G.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
1944: Reverted to water tank duties.
19.3.1946: Returned after restoration and re-classification at Belfast.
11.3.1949: On West of Scotland grounds (Sk. J.C.Smith); fourteen crew all told. In response to radio message attended Fleetwood trawler BEN BHEULA (A422) (Sk. W. Cowell) off Barra in heavy weather and hail storms taking in water in boiler room. Connected and towed into Castlebay for shelter.
13.3.1949: Still connected, in hail and sleet, swept by high seas on to reef. All crew abandoned in boat and taken onboard BEN BHEULA, later taken by Barra lifeboat to Castlebay.
15.3.1949: Liverpool & Glasgow Salvage Association attended but wreck declared a total loss.
1949: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Cyelse FD67
Picture courtesy of The Osta collection

S.T. Cyelse FD67
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

S.T. Cyelse FD67
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
23/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
16/01/2017: Image added.
16/02/2020: Updated information.