Technical
Admiralty Number: 3697
Official Number: 144573
Yard Number: 164
Completed: 1919
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Gross Tonnage: 290
Net Tonnage: 127
Length: 125.4 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Built: Cox & Co (Engineers) Ltd, Falmouth
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Cox & Co (Engineers) Ltd, Falmouth
History
Note Name to be GEORGE CORTON.
1918: Launched by Cox & Co (Engineers) Ltd, Falmouth (Yd.No.164) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as GEORGE CORTEN (Ad.No.3697).
6.2.1919: Completed and delivered.
22.05.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) O.N.144573. Engaged in commercial trawling.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
09.1920: Allocated to the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
25.09.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part IV) as GEORGE CORTEN (LO467).
12.1920: At Wivenhoe fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Wivenhoe.
1921: Laid up at Brightlingsea.
31.10.1921: After inspection at Brightlingsea by Capt. William John Lown & Lawrence Spring (directors), purchased by Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull. Purchased at asking price £7250 (Others inspected and purchased were DANIEL DICK, ISAAC ARTHAN, JOHN BROOKER, JOHN GRAHAM & THOMAS BOUDIGE).
3.12.1921: London registry closed.
12.1921: Remeasured 277g 108n.
21.12.1921: Registered at Hull as GEORGE CORTEN (H329). Walter Scott designated manager.
30.1.1922: Registered at Hull as ZENCON (H329).
13.11.1922: Registered at Hull as ZIRCON (H329).
27.5.1935: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £3,800. Crewed and operated from Hull by The City Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Geoffrey Edwards Marr, Cleveleys designated manager.
12.11.1935: Registered at Hull as NORTHCOATES (H329). Edward Towne designated manager.
1935: Insured value £4,500.
1937: Transferred to fish out of Fleetwood.
24.8.1937: First landing at Fleetwood from Faroes, 235kits.
28.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (magnetic) (P.No.FY.548) (Hire rate £83.2.0d/month).
9.1939: Fitting out at Sheerness.
23.5.1944: Assigned as magnetic minesweeper to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
29.5.1944: Ordered to Plymouth
5.6.1944: Sailed Plymouth for beachhead approaches with minesweeping flotillas.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
2.12.1944: Foundered in the English Channel off Littlehampton in heavy weather while under tow after machinery failure. Wreck lies in position 50.39.68N 0.35.32W in 26 m.
(George Corton (aka Corten, Carten), Landsman (volunteer), age 32, b. Oxford, Oxfordshire – VICTORY (SB112))
Click to enlarge image
HMT Northcoates
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence
Changelog
01/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
03/11/2016: Information updated.
07/04/2019: Information updated.
28/06/2021: Updated history and technical details.