Additional information courtesy of Bill Blow and Mike Thompson

Technical

Official Number: 166657
Yard Number: 1239
Completed: 1942
Gross Tonnage: 380
Net Tonnage: 142
Length: 147.8 ft
Breadth: 25.1 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: 650ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History
10.1.1941: Ordered. A/S trawler based on commercial GULFOSS.
11.7.1941: Keel laid.
8.10.1941: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1239) (“Fish” class) for The Admiralty as BONITO (P.No.T231).
3.4.1942: Completed as a A/S trawler (1-12pdr HA/LA, 4-MG, ASDIC, DC).
09.04.1942: Commissioned. Mediterranean station.
1943: Armament increased by 3-20mm.
1946: Laid up at Rosyth on Disposal List (SORF, Rosyth).
20.5.1946: Sold to Consolidated Fisheries Ltd (64/64), Grimsby for the sum of £18,857. Converted to steam trawler at a cost of £29,725. (Total £48,582).
4.2.1947: Registered at Grimsby as BLAEFELL (GY456). O.N.166657. 650ihp.
4.2.1947: Thomas Rowan Ronald appointed manager.
11.3.1947: Sir John Denton Marsden, Bart appointed manager.
22.4.1947: First trip.
31.12.1954: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd (64/64), Fleetwood.
5.1.1955: Grimsby registry closed.
5.1.1955: John ? Channock, Cleveleys appointed manager.
6.1.1955: Registered at Fleetwood (FD40).
28.6.1956: Company taken over by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
5.9.1956: Sold to B. Gelcer & Co (Proprietary) Ltd, Cape Town.
1956: Fleetwood registry closed.
1956: Registered at Cape Town (CTA387).
12.1956: Registered at Cape Town as BENJAMIN GELCER (CTA387).
Pre 1966: Company sold to Irvin & Johnson Ltd, Cape Town, who became managers.
2.1967: Stripped of all usable parts and non-ferrous metal and scuttled off Cape Town. Cape Town registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

HMT Bonito
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence

S.T. Blaefell GY456
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

Changelog
18/05/2012: Page published. 9 updates since then.
15/10/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
24/08/2019: Updated information.