Additional information courtesy of Peter Bell and Andy Hall

Technical

Official Number: 117737
Yard Number: 357
Completed: 1907
Gross Tonnage: 235
Net Tonnage: 91
Length: 120.4 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.6 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge

History

8.8.1907: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.357) for The Western Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Bristol as YARMOUTH.
9.1907: Completed.
7.9.1907: Registered at Bristol (BL9). Sydney M. Price, Milford designated manager.
27.3.1911: Returned to Milford from a trip with damaged sustained in westerly gales during the previous week (Sk. J. W. Rumbold).
1.8.1914: Requisitioned for war service (Ad.No.128).
11.8.1914: Arrived Devonport for Special Trawler Reserve; when stored to sail for Lowestoft. Ad.No. cancelled.
13.11.1914: At Lowestoft as Ad.No.281, parent ship HALCYON.
1.1915: Arrived Devonport to fit out for Mediterranean as a minesweeper((1-3pdr, 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer) (Ad.No.281).
27.1.1915: Ordered to sail from Devonport to Mediterranean.
2.1915: Renamed YARMOUTH II.
1915: Dardanelles Campaign.
20.12.1915: Dardanelles (Gallipoli) evacuation completed. Redeployed.
4.1919: Returned to owner at Milford and reverted to YARMOUTH (BL9).
7.1919: Sold to The Saxon Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood
7.1919: Bristol registry closed.
25.7.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD334). Joseph H. Taylor designated manager.
1924: William W. Brierley designated manager.
12.3.1929: On morning tide outward for fishing grounds ran into LILY MELLING (FD222) aground on west side of Wyre channel. Grounded on groyne, stripping propeller. Refloated evening tide with tug assistance.
24.1.1934: Arrived Oban leaking badly after striking sunken rock at about 1.30 am off Gunna Sound, Tiree Passage. Beached to check.
25.1.1934: Revealed keel badly twisted, garboard strake sprung. Temporary repair to enable single voyage to Fleetwood for permanent repair.
7.9.1938: On Co. Donegal grounds (Sk. Ronald Read) had rudder damaged in heavy seas. Hove to and in a heavy swell crew attempted to rig jury rudder from the boat but with increasing movement had to return onboard before task was completed. Skipper was lowered on a bosun’s chair to complete the work, but two sharks were observed and he was in danger of being bitten. Brought back onboard, he was re-lowered at intervals to complete the job.
7.9.1938: Arrived safely at Fleetwood.
11.2.1939: Homeward from the fishing grounds in a severe westerly gale, when off Dubh Attach Light, propeller shaft broke. Steam trawler SARBA (FD177), also homeward, responded to signal of distress and in very rough weather connected using chain cable and set course for home. On passage the chain cable parted twice, before the heavier cable from SARBA was transferred and secured.
13.2.1939: Delivered Fleetwood.
17.2.1939: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
27.4.1943: Typical wartime landing – 318 kits – hake-150, cod/codling-7, whiting-2, flats-6, ling/coley-128, roker-3, dogs-22.
10.1948: Sold to Chantiers & Armement Seghers, Ostend. Ostend.
29.10.1948: Fleetwood registry closed.
1949: Sold to Charles & Victor Seghers, Ostend.
1949: Rebuilt by Chantiers & Armement Seghers, Ostend. Re-engined with 450bhp 8 cyl Uniporn oil engine by Porn & Dunwoody Ltd, London.
1949: Remeasured after conversion 242grt 97n.
10.10.1949: Registered at Ostend (O336).
4.12.1950: Homeward from an Icelandic trip (Sk.Arthur Verbeist), in heavy snow showers, stranded on Scroby Sands 3 – 4 miles off Gt. Yarmouth. Attended by Gorleston lifeboat and tug RICHARD LEE BARBER (122grt/1940).
5.12.1950: At high water 5.00 a.m. failed to refloat, crew taken off by Gorleston lifeboat. Further attempts to refloat, with tugs RICHARD LEE BARBER and GEORGE JEWSON (57grt/1908) in attendance, failed, despite having lightened her by removing the catch of 6,000st of fish, water and fuel.
1951: Attempts to refloat by the Hull tug KROOMAN (230grt/1938) also failed.
1951: Ostend registry closed.
1.1953: Engulfed by the sands in the “Great Storm”.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Yarmouth FD334
Picture courtesy of the Barry Banham Photo Collection

S.T. Yarmouth FD334 in wartime
Picture courtesy of the Barry Banham Photo Collection

M.T. Yarmouth O336. Picture courtesy of the Barry Banham Photo Collection.

Changelog
21/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
14/09/2105: Information updated.
23/11/2017: Information updated and removed FMHT watermarks from images.
17/08/2021: Updated history.