Technical
Admiralty Number: 3524
Official Number: 143878
Completed: 1917
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Yard Number: 703
Gross Tonnage: 275
Net Tonnage: 107
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Southbank on Tees, Middlesbrough
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough
Pennant (WWII) FY.529
History
19.3.1917: Laid down.
5.7.1917: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.703) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as Neil Smith (Ad.No.3524).
10.8.1917: Completed (1-12pdr and W/T).
25.11.1919: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as NEIL SMITH O.N.143878.
01.1920: Allocated to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London and engaged in commercial trawling.
02.1920: At HM Dockyard, Chatham fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at London.
13.02.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part IV) as NEIL SMITH (LO328).
1920: Allocated to the National Fishery Scheme for the setting up of the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
01.1922: Scheme abandoned, the necessary working capital of £100,000 having not been subscribed. Laid up.
4.10.1922: Sold to Pater Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven. John Grieve, Pembroke Dock designated manager.
9.4.1934: Rescued crew of HIROSE (M47) which foundered at 8.30am. 50 miles off Valentia, Co Kerry in position 52.5N 12.18W, having lost her propeller. Landed survivors at Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry.
8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (P.No.FY.529) (Hire rate £80.4.2d/month).
25.9.1939: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Basil Arthur Parkes, Cleveleys designated manager.
6.1941: Based Portland with M/S Group 49 (Ty/Sk. B. D. Barnet RNR).
3.1944: Fitted out for dan laying and assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
23.5.1944: Attached to the 4th Minesweeping Flotilla as a dan layer. At Omaha Beach landing.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
6.1945: Returned after survey and restoration at Liverpool.
1945: Sold to The Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood. London registry closed. Registered at Fleetwood (FD107). Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd designated managers.
1948: On a trip to the west coast of Scotland (Sk. Thomas Goodman). In the early hours a fire was discovered in the coal bunker. Unable to extinguish and returned to Fleetwood with thick fog hampering the passage. After 15 hours arrived Fleetwood.
21.12.1948: Renamed WYRE CITIZEN (FD107).
1954: Sold to Wyre Trawlers Ltd on purchase of Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd by Associated Fisheries Group. Leslie Wheildon designated manager).
1956: Sold to Hammond Lane Foundry Ltd, Dublin for breaking up.
4.5.1956: Arrived Dublin from Fleetwood under own power.
(Neil Smith, Surgeon’s 3rd Mate, b. ? – VICTORY (SB915))
Click to enlarge image
S.T. Wyre Citizen FD107
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection
Changelog
16/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
15/12/2016: Information added.
27/07/2017: Removed disputed image and added another image.
01/09/2019: Updated information.