Additional information courtesy of Mike Thompson
Technical
Official Number: 113639
Yard Number: 308
Completed: 1902
Gross Tonnage: 172.42
Net Tonnage: 64.29
Length: 108.4 ft
Breadth: 21.3 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley
Engine: 240ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith, Hull
History
27.2.1902: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley (Yd.No.308) for The Hull Steam Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Hull as GOZO.
18.4.1902: Registered at Hull (H545).
18.4.1902: Henry Toozes appointed manager
19.4.1902: Completed.
2.10.1905: In heavy weather in North Sea, Henry Boys, Bosun, was drowned.
30.10.1905: Joseph Vivian appointed manager.
13.3.1913: Sk. Charles Deyes received a letter of thanks from the German Ambassador for attempting to rescue the crew of the German barque Hermann in a severe gale in the North Sea. Boat overturned but a boat from steam trawler POONAH (H737) rescued the crew before the vessel foundered.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 67.94net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
10.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.644). Based Portland.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
13.5.1920: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to The London County, Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd, London (A).
11.11.1920: Outward for North Sea grounds on afternoon tide, fell in with a small boat at mouth of Humber which had onboard the crew of a Yarmouth herring drifter which had foundered; took onboard.
12.11.1920: Returned to Hull to land survivors.
16.1.1922: In blizzard conditions off the Humber driven onto Haile Sands. Spurn lifeboat in attendance and anchors run out. Subsequently refloated and proceeded.
10.3.1923: Mortgagee restyled Westminster Bank Ltd, London.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to William Augustus Hayward, Eastbourne.
14.10.1927: Mortgage (A) transferred to Mercantile Marine Finance Corporation Ltd, London.
22.10.1928: Robert Burton appointed manager.
19.11.1930: Mortgage (A) discharged.
19.11.1920: Sold to Colin Henry Brand (64/64), Milford Haven.
24.11.1930: Colin Henry Brand designated managing owner.
27.12.1930: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) To Barclays Bank Ltd, London (B).
30.12.1935: In heavy weather off the Smalls (Sk. Chris Masterton Jnr). At about 3.00 pm. went to assistance of steam drifter FEASIBLE (LT122) which had been battling to keep afloat for thirteen hours with wheelhouse, compass and lifeboat washed away, flooded below deck. and having lost deckhand Edward Halliday (27) of Lowestoft washed overboard. With difficulty connected and after a rough passage delivered Milford.
14.12.1937: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Robert Parcell Lewis, Fishguard for the sum of £312 with interest at 4.5% (C).
4.1938: With ALONSO (H887) converted for Spanish pareja trawling method.
4.1938: Newspaper clipping: “J. F. Gwyther has been favoured with instructions to offer for sale at the Conservative Club, on Friday 15th September, the steam trawlers ALONSO, CAIRO and GOZO. These ships are of the ex-fleeter type, strongly built, and the class suitable for pareja (pair fishing, Spanish style).”
3.8.1938: Mortgage (B) discharged.
3.12.1938: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Ruth Brand, Johnston and Lilian Gertrude Brand, Burton (joint mortgagees) for the sum of £667 with interest at 5% (D).
13.3.1939: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Albert Charles Hooper and Edward Reuben Cyprian Hooper, Cardiff (joint mortgagees) (E).
30.6.1939: Last landing at Milford. Laid up.
7.7.1939: Colin H. Brand filed for bankruptcy.
7.10.1939: Mortgages (D) & (E) discharged.
12.10.1939: Sold by order of the mortgagee under mortgage (C) to Fred Parkes and Charles Lucas Wilbraham (64/64 joint owners) both Blackpool.
30.10-.1939: Fred Parkes designated managing owner.
8.11.1939: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
18.11.1939: Basil Arthur Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde appointed manager.
1940: Fitted with Lewis gun.
12.3.1941: Sold to The Yolland Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Milford Haven.
15.4.1941: John Charles Llewellin appointed manager.
9.4.1941: Sailed Milford for Irish grounds (Sk. E. G. Paul); ten crew all told, in company with steam trawler FORT RONA (M56).
19.4.1941: Fishing in company with FORT RONA NWbyN from Bull Rock and SEbyE from Fastnets in calm seas, good visibility and NE wind force 2. Steering a northeasterly course and making good about 11 knots, sighted two aircraft approaching from the south at about 40ft about the surface at a distance of 3 to 5 miles. Crews of both ships ordered to take cover and Bosun manned the Lewis gun but withheld fire when it was thought that smaller aircraft, painted green aft, was Irish; larger aircraft identified as a Fokker Condor. Both aircraft circled the two ships and when to windward started to emit a a thick dirty yellow vapour which swept by the breeze engulfed the two trawlers. Crew told to hold their breath as the ship altered course to clear the cloud but several affected in eyes and mouth. The two aircraft pulled away and the Condor released five bombs which landed close but three failed to explode, while a torpedo was also released passing under the ship. The FORT RONA was also bombed but these exploded on her starboard side without damage. The aircraft then departed. Stowed gear and with about 50 kits of fish left for home arriving Milford before midnight. FORT RONA put into Berehaven, Co. Cork.
16.5.1941: John Charles Llewellin, Hakin appointed manager.
17.2.1945: Sold to Milford Fisheries Ltd (64/64), Milford Haven.
12 3.1945: Owen Willie Limbrick appointed manager.
16.7.1945: Last landing at Milford.
24.7.1945: On South West Irish grounds (Sk. W. Corney). Lost after striking a mine 25 miles S by SW of Old Head of Kinsale; all crew picked up by Milford trawler PHOEBE (H881) and landed at Kinsale, Co. Cork.
27.7.1945: Crew returned to Milford.
27.11.1945: Milford registry closed. “Ship sunk on 24th July 1945 as a result of an explosion Ministry of Transport reference M15111/1945.”
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Gozo H545
Picture courtesy of The Alan Hirst Collection
Changelog
22/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
05/08/2016: Significant information update.
22/03/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
14/12/2020: Updated history.