S.T. Northern Dawn LO136

Additional information and picture courtesy of Mrs Diana McPetrie and Bill Swift

Technical

Official Number: 164717
Yard Number: 548
Completed; 1936
Gross Tonnage: 655 (620g)
Net Tonnage: 43
Length: 188.1 ft (57.3m)
Breadth: 28.1 ft (8.6m)
Depth: 15.5 ft 94.7m)
Built: Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Weser, Bremen
Engine: 1150ihp T.3-cyl & LP turbine with DR gearing & hydraulic coupling by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde.

History

1936: Ordered by Leverhulme Ltd, London to absorb frozen credits in Germany.
1936: Launched by Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau AG Weser, Bremen.
7.1936: Completed by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde (Yd.No.548) for MacLine Ltd, London (Leverhulme Ltd) as NORTHERN DAWN.
23.7.1936: Registered at London (LO136). Operating out of Fleetwood (Edward D. W. Lawford, manager).
17.8.1936: First landing at Fleetwood, 927 boxes grossed £575.
12.11.1936: Landed four men picked up off Isle of Man in waterlogged boat. They had left Spanish steamer MARI (3830grt/1907)on passage Workington to Barry, ostensibly for supplies but could not find steamer on return.
13.9.1937: Last landing at Fleetwood, 1540 boxes grossed £1,513.
9.10.1937: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London (H. Markham Cook, Grimsby, manager).
8.1939: Sold to The Admiralty (£33,088) and fitted out as an anti-submarine trawler (P.No.FY.146).
8.1939: London registry closed.
1.1940: Based Aberdeen (Lieut. G. P. S. Lowe RNVR) with A/S Strike Force 12.
11.3.1940: London registry closed.
26.3.1940: With A/S trawler BRONTES (P.No.FY118) (H236) (Ch Sk. J. R. Coultas RNR) escorting tanker DAGHESTAN (5742grt/1921) from Scapa Floe to Sullom Voe, at about 9 miles 212° from Copinsay, tanker torpedoed by U-boat (U57) and sunk. HM Destroyers ICARUS (P.No.D03). IMPULSIVE(P.No.D11) and FIREDRAKE (P.No.H79) sent to search for the submarine. Tugs BUCCANEER (840dw/1937) (P.No.W49) and KROOMAN (230grt/1938) sent to assist the tanker. Picked up nineteen survivors and BRONTES took onboard six; two crew and one gunner lost.
4/5.1940: Norwegian Campaign.
12.4.1940: Sailed Aberdeen for Norway with NORTHERN GEM (P.No.FY.194), NORTHERN PRIDE (P.No.FY.105), NORTHERN SPRAY (P.No.FY.146) and NORTHERN WAVE (P.No.FY.153).
17.4.1940: At Vaags Fjord.
7.5.1940: Sailed Norway for Scapa Flow with NORTHERN SPRAY and NORTHERN WAVE.
26.7.1940: Sailed Belfast with NORTHERN GEM to operate off Irish Coast.
29.9.1940: Off coast of Devon in collision with trawler NOTTS COUNTY (P.No.FY.250).
10.12.1940: Based Londonderry.
26.2.1941: Reported wire round propeller which cannot be removed by divers.
1.3.1941: Docked by Harland & Wolff, Liverpool for removal.
8.3.1941: Sailed Liverpool for Londonderry.
1.5.1941: Sailed Londonderry for Rothesay escorting submarine H.34. Patrol.
14.6.1941: Sailed Rothesay for Londonderry escorting submarine H.28.
1941: Fitted with radar.
1941: Escort (Convoys HG.59, HX130, HX.133, HX.143, HX147, HX.149, HX.153, HX.160, OB.330, OB.336, OB.338, OB.343, OB.349, ON.5, ON.6, ON.11, ON.15, ON.16, ON.37, SC.39, SC.41,etc) and patrol duties.
17.8.1941: Picked up thirteen survivors, including master presumed from Greek steamer PEGASUS (5762grt/1920) abandoned waterlogged.
3.1942: Transferred on loan to US Navy.
10.1942: Returned to Royal Navy and operated in South Atlantic based at Cape Town and other South African ports.
13.8.1945: Sailed Cape Town for UK.
30.9.1945: Arrived Plymouth.
20.10.1945: A Control Committee was formed to manage Hull and Grimsby trawlers which had been bought by the Admiralty pre-war and were being offered for sale back to their original owners. The owners who bought back these vessels and wanted to take part in the scheme agreed to register the trawlers under the Hull Ice Co. Ltd and profits were shared. Management of the trawlers was given to the companies which had bought them.
17.11.1945: Sailed Plymouth for Liverpool to be laid up at Birkenhead for disposal.
2.1946: Sold to The Hull Ice Co Ltd, Hull (Northern Trawlers Ltd, London, manager).
6.1946: Surveyed at Birkenhead.
6.1946: Remeasured 620g 265n.
7.1946: Registered at Grimsby (GY289).
1.11.1946: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London (H. Markham Cook, Grimsby, manager).
1953: Made one trip to Greenland fishery.
28.10.1958: On a Norway Coast trip had fire in bunkers. Put in to Hammerfest and fire extinguished by local fire brigade; some minor damage.
Pre 1959: John Bennett appointed manager.
01.1960: Outward from Grimsby for Icelandic grounds, stranded off the north wall shortly after leaving dock. Refloated by tugs and berthed for winch rectification. Sailed following day.
31.1.1960: Responded to distress call from Faroese trawler HARALDUR disabled with engine trouble. Connected and delivered Skaalefjord. Pre 1963: John A. Butt appointed manager.
3.1963: Sold to Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston-on-Tyne for breaking up.
27.3.1963: Delivered Tyne.
9.1964: Grimsby registry closed.

Click to enlarge pictures

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136
Picture courtesy of The JJ collection

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

HMT Northern Dawn

HMT Northern Dawn
Picture courtesy of Mrs Diana McPetrie

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136

S.T. Northern Dawn LO136
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Northern Dawn GY289

S.T. Northern Dawn GY289
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Northern Dawn GY289

S.T. Northern Dawn GY289
Picture courtesy of Sinistra Levsha

Changelog
14.01.2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
17/01/2015: Added information.
20/01/2017: Added image.
16/10/2017: Significant information update, removed FMHT watermarks and added an image.