Additional information courtesy of Birgir Þórisson
Technical
Official Number: 165339
Yard Number: 549
Completed: 1936
Gross Tonnage: 620
Net Tonnage: 254
Length: 188.1 ft
Breadth: 28.1 ft
Depth: 15.5 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl & LP turbine with DR gearing & hydraulic coupling by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde.
Built: 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.
8.1936: Completed by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde (Yd.No.549) for MacLine Ltd, London (Leverhulme Ltd) as NORTHERN SPRAY.
26.8.1936: Registered at London (LO140). Operating out of Fleetwood (Edward D. W. Lawford, manager).
26.8.1936: Arrived Fleetwood from Germany.
14.9.1936: First landing at Fleetwood from Iceland, 800 kits, 40 baskets – 726 boxes £500 gross.
8.11.1936: On West of Iceland grounds preparing to shoot the trawl, deckhand Harold Daniels caught his foot in fore-quarter rope and dragged overboard. Deckhand Ernest Hill, jumped overboard in full kit and swam to Daniels supporting him and by means of the head rope both were pulled back onboard with great difficulty after 20 minutes in the water. Ernest Hill awarded the Stanhope Gold Medal for bravest deed of the year and a silver medal from the Royal Humane Society.
4.10.1937: Last landing at Fleetwood, 830 boxes £726 gross
9.10.1937: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London (William A. Bennett, manager). Transferred to Grimsby.
4.11.1937: In position 63.30N 4.15E 30 miles offshore stood by Swedish steamer TRITON (1869grt/1908), Manchester for Fincidet, disabled with propeller trouble and driving inshore before SW gale.
9.1939: Sold to The Admiralty (£33,213) and fitted out as an anti-submarine trawler (1-4”, 2×1-LG, 2-20mm (1×2))(P.No.FY.129).
11.3.1940: London registry closed.
4/5.1940: Norwegian Campaign. Also NORTHERN DAWN (P.No.FY.146), NORTHERN GEM (P.No.FY.194) and NORTHERN WAVE (FY.153).
8.1942: Russian convoys.
1943: Iceland & Atlantic convoys.
1944: Assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
23.5.1944: Convoy escort duties in British waters and across the Channel in support of landings.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
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.
2.1946: Sold to Hull Ice Co Ltd, Hull (Northern Trawlers Ltd, London, manager). Registered at Grimsby (GY190).
2.1946: Remeasured 620g 254n.
16.11.1946: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London (H. Markham Cooke, manager) for £1.
8.1947: On a Bear Island/Spitsbergen trip (Sk. Martin Peterson).
10.8.1947: Picked up from lifeboats twenty crew and two Norwegian gutters, crew of Fleetwood trawler RED GAUNTLET (LO33) (Sk.William Henry Hicks) stranded on a reef off Sorkapp, Spitsbergen. Survivors landed at Grimsby.
2.1950: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
2.1950: Remeasured 620g 239n.
9.12.1950: On an Icelandic trip (Sk. Sveri Ebenezersson) seeking shelter in a fierce storm in Isafjördur town outer harbour, dragged anchors and grounded at 3.00pm but came afloat about 6.30 pm. only to drift ashore again off the township of Isafjördur; crew taken off.
10-12.12.1950: Crew returned but attempt to refloat with the aid of DERBY COUNTY (GY514) and FROBISHER (H502) and Icelandic gunboat ÆGIR (507grt/1929) unsuccessful due to falling tide. 750 kits of fish transferred to another trawler and 60 tons of oil pumped ashore. 25.12.1950: Refloated by Icelandic gunboat ÆGIR and taken to Reykjavik where survey revealed extensive bottom damage. Temporary repairs carried for single voyage to Grimsby for repair and return to fishing.
1953: Made seven trips to Greenland fishery.
Pre 1959: John Bennett appointed manager.
Pre 1963: John A. Butt appointed manager.
16.5.1956: In collision alongside the pier in Neskaupstadur harbour with Icelandic Government motor vessel HERDUBREID (366grt/1947); the coaster suffered damage to stern.
23.10.1963: Fishing off west coast of Iceland (Sk. Peter S. Fenty). In storm conditions ran for shelter in Isafjördur but stranded at Graenahlid 3 miles inside the tip of Ritur Huk; crew saved by Icelandic gunboat ODINN (882grt/1960).
24.10.1963: Attempts to refloat with ODINN connected failed when cables parted. Abandoned after three attempts.
25.10.1963: ODINN landed the crew at Isafjördur.
11.8.1964: Declared a total loss. Grimsby registry closed.
PDF Document The Perils Of U-boat Alley
Click to enlarge images
S.T. Northern Spray GY190
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection
S.T. Northern Spray LO140 ashore at Isafjördur Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection
S.T. Northern Spray LO140 Ashore at Isafjördur
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection
S.T. Northern Spray GY190
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection
S.T. Northern Spray LO140
Picture From the Internet
S.T. Northern Spray LO140
Picture From the Internet
S.T. Northern Spray LO140
Picture From the Internet
Changelog
01/10/2009: Page published. 10 updates since then.
14/11/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from images.
01/07/2021: Updated history.
07/03/2022: Added images.