Technical

Admitalty Number: 3669.
Official Number: 144279
Yard Number: 349
Completed: 1917
As built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Gross Tonnage: 276
Net Tonnage: 105
LengthL 125.7 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built: Bow, McLachlan & Co Ltd, Paisley
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Bow, McLachlan & Co Ltd, Paisley

History

17.11.1917: Launched by Bow, McLachlan & Co Ltd, Paisley (Yd.No.349) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM CUMMINS(Ad.No.3669).
29.11.1917: Completed as a minesweeper (1-12pdr).
1920: Allocated to the National Fishery Scheme for the setting up of the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
13.8.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
24.8.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I & IV) O.N.144279 (LO454).
11.1920: At HM Dockyard, Portsmouth fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler at Portsmouth.
01.1922: Scheme abandoned, the necessary working capital of £100,000 having not been subscribed. Laid up.
10.1922: Advertised for sale.
11.1924: Sold to Société Anonyme Armement Ostendais, Ostend.
5.11.1924: London registry closed.
11.1924: Registered at Ostend as ERNEST SOLVAY (O160).
11.1929: Landing at Fleetwood.
1939: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys, manager).
21.4.1939: Registered at Hull as NIBLICK (H80).
1940: Fishing from Fleetwood.
3.6.1940: At Hull last landing before requisitioning. Faroe trip, 16 days – 431kits £880 gross.
5.6.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an auxiliary patrol vessel (Hire rate £80.10.0d/month).
10.1941: Fitted out as a minesweeper.
4.1944: Fitted out as a dan layer and assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
23.5.1944: Attached to the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla as a dan layer.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
8.1945: Returned after survey and restoration at Liverpool.
7.1945: Sold to The Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd, managers).
26.7.1945: Registered at Fleetwood (FD77).
4.12.1948: Registered at Fleetwood as WYRE COLONEL (FD77).
02.1952: On his first trip as skipper (Sk. Alan Day) Propeller fouled by warp. Wyre Corsair (Sk. Jack Kelly) connected, despite gale warnings, for the 300 mile tow back to Fleetwood, arriving on 15.02.1952.
1954: Transferred to Wyre Trawlers Ltd (Leslie Wheildon, manager) on purchase of Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd by Associated Fisheries Group.
1956: Sold to Hammond Lane Foundry Ltd, Dublin for breaking up.
11.12.1956: Arrived Dublin from Fleetwood under own power.
25.1.1957: Fleetwood registry closed.
(William Cummins, Private, Marine, age ?, b. ? – VICTORY (ML108))

Click to enlarge images

HMT Niblick
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Wyre Colonel FD77
Picture courtesy of The David Slinger Collection

S,T. Wyre Colonel FD77
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

S.T. Wyre Colonel FD77
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
24/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
28/10/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
25/06/2021: Updated history and technical details.
15/05/2023: Added an image.
18/08/2024: Added information.