Technical

Official Number: 136893
Yard Number: 582
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 304
Net Tonnage: 122
Length: 130.4 ft
Breadth: 24.0 ft
Depth: 13.4 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesborough
Engine: 69rhp T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Speed 10.5 knots

History

10.6.1914: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.582) for The “Wyre” Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Magnus B. J. Wedum, manager) as ARLEY.
18.7.1914: Registered at Fleetwood (FD44).
7.1914: Completed.
10.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-6pdr, 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer) (Ad.No.591). Based Malta.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
7.3.1921: In thick fog in the Western Approaches, approx 80 miles off Lands End, steam trawler SWAN (FD116) was run down by Seattle registered steamer EDGEMONT (6865grt/1919), struck amidships and foundered. Six men lost and five picked up by ARLEY and returned to Fleetwood.
10.1928: Fitted with W/T.
26.11.1936: Sailed Fleetwood for Iceland after fitting out as a fish carrier for Icelandic vessels bringing catches back to Fleetwood.
31.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out for minesweeping duties (P.No.FY.620) (Hire rate £81.1.4d/month).
20-26.5.1940: Evacuation from Boulogne, Calais & Dunkirk.
25.5.1940: Sailed Dover for Calais in company with the trawlers BOTANIC (P.No.FY.707) (H463), BROCK (P.No.FY621) (FD47), CALVI (GY269), FYLDEA (P.No.666) (FD72), MARETTA (P.No.FY.665) (FD45), POLLY JOHNSON (H322) and drifters PLAYMATES (P.No.FY.738) (YH141) and WILLING BOYS (P.No.FY.947) (LT737) with several river launches in tow.
26.5.1940: At 1.40am. arrived off the French coast. No evacuation order was given, but Belgian river launch SEMOIS embarked wounded and transferred to ARLEY; sailed for Folkestone with 110 French soldiers.
26.5.1940: At 6.57pm. ‘Operation Dynamo’ (Dunkirk evacuation) put into effect.
29.5.1940: At 1330 entered Dunkirk harbour in company with FYLDEA to pull the fully laden passenger steamer LOCHGARRY (1280grt/1898) away from the east pier; occupied the vacant berth. BROCK, CALVI, JOHN CATTLING and POLLY JOHNSON berthed, triple banked. At 1530 attacked by German aircraft (Junkers Ju87, Stuka dive bombers), CALVI sunk alongside and POLLY JOHNSON badly damaged. Having embarked troops on leaving, POLLY JOHNSON started to founder. Ordered to take off her troops and sink her by gunfire.
30.5.1940: Returned to Dover at 0730. landed 45 troops.
4.6.1940: ‘Operation Dynamo’ terminated.
1944: Sold to Milford Fisheries Ltd, Milford Haven (Owen W. Limbrick, manager).
3.2.1945: Mined in the North Sea and foundered when under tow (Sk. W. Limb DSC RNR). Engineman David Petrie was the only casualty.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
26/05/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
14/05/2015: Updated history for this vessel.
10/07/2019: Updated information.
29/08/2022: Added an image.