Category Archives: Lost Vessels

Vessels that have been lost

S.T. Arley FD44

Technical

Official Number: 136893
Yard Number: 582
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 304
Net Tonnage: 122
Length: 130.4 ft
Breadth: 24.0 ft
Depth: 13.4 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesborough
Engine: 69rhp T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Speed 10.5 knots

History

10.6.1914: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.582) for The “Wyre” Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Magnus B. J. Wedum, manager) as ARLEY.
18.7.1914: Registered at Fleetwood (FD44).
7.1914: Completed.
10.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-6pdr, 1-7.5” A/S Howitzer) (Ad.No.591). Based Malta.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
7.3.1921: In thick fog in the Western Approaches, approx 80 miles off Lands End, steam trawler SWAN (FD116) was run down by Seattle registered steamer EDGEMONT (6865grt/1919), struck amidships and foundered. Six men lost and five picked up by ARLEY and returned to Fleetwood.
10.1928: Fitted with W/T.
26.11.1936: Sailed Fleetwood for Iceland after fitting out as a fish carrier for Icelandic vessels bringing catches back to Fleetwood.
31.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out for minesweeping duties (P.No.FY.620) (Hire rate £81.1.4d/month).
20-26.5.1940: Evacuation from Boulogne, Calais & Dunkirk.
25.5.1940: Sailed Dover for Calais in company with the trawlers BOTANIC (P.No.FY.707) (H463), BROCK (P.No.FY621) (FD47), CALVI (GY269), FYLDEA (P.No.666) (FD72), MARETTA (P.No.FY.665) (FD45), POLLY JOHNSON (H322) and drifters PLAYMATES (P.No.FY.738) (YH141) and WILLING BOYS (P.No.FY.947) (LT737) with several river launches in tow.
26.5.1940: At 1.40am. arrived off the French coast. No evacuation order was given, but Belgian river launch SEMOIS embarked wounded and transferred to ARLEY; sailed for Folkestone with 110 French soldiers.
26.5.1940: At 6.57pm. ‘Operation Dynamo’ (Dunkirk evacuation) put into effect.
29.5.1940: At 1330 entered Dunkirk harbour in company with FYLDEA to pull the fully laden passenger steamer LOCHGARRY (1280grt/1898) away from the east pier; occupied the vacant berth. BROCK, CALVI, JOHN CATTLING and POLLY JOHNSON berthed, triple banked. At 1530 attacked by German aircraft (Junkers Ju87, Stuka dive bombers), CALVI sunk alongside and POLLY JOHNSON badly damaged. Having embarked troops on leaving, POLLY JOHNSON started to founder. Ordered to take off her troops and sink her by gunfire.
30.5.1940: Returned to Dover at 0730. landed 45 troops.
4.6.1940: ‘Operation Dynamo’ terminated.
1944: Sold to Milford Fisheries Ltd, Milford Haven (Owen W. Limbrick, manager).
3.2.1945: Mined in the North Sea and foundered when under tow (Sk. W. Limb DSC RNR). Engineman David Petrie was the only casualty.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Arley FD44

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture courtesy of The James Cullen Collection

S.T. Arley FD44

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

S.T. Arley FD44

S.T. Arley FD44
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
26/05/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.
14/05/2015: Updated history for this vessel.
10/07/2019: Updated information.
29/08/2022: Added an image.

S.T. Sulby FD87

Pictures and documents courtesy of Bob Dawson

Download witness statements in pdf format
Reg King’s Statement
Bernard Nolan’s Statement pt.1
Bernard Nolan’s Statement pt.2
Harold Blackburn’s Statement
Newspaper Report

Letter from Alexander Keay to Mrs. Dawson
Part 1 (PDF format)
Part 2 (PDF format)

Technical

Official Number: 127573
Yard Number: 401
Completed: 1909
Gross Tonnage: 287
Net Tonnage: 111
Length: 130.3 ft
Breadth: 23 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields, 1909

History

3.2.1909: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.401) for The “Wyre” Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood as SULBY.
9.3.1909: Registered at Fleetwood (FD87).
3.1909: Completed. Richard C. Ward & John N. Ward designated joint managers.
1910: John N. Ward designated manager.
7.2.1912: Stranded 3 miles N of Ramsey (Sk. Fairclough); ten crew.
19.2.1912: Attempts to refloat with tugs unsuccessful.
7.4.1912: Arrived Fleetwood in tow after successfully being refloated.
7.4.1912: Reported that John N. Ward who had gone over to the Isle of Man in connection with the salvage of SULBY, had died on the island.
4.1912: Magnus B. J. Wedum designated manager.
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.131).
1914: Based Portsmouth.
1918: Based Kirkwall.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
13.3.1926: Sold to George Hindle, Wilpshire, Lancs. Joseph A. Taylor, Albert V. Thompson & Harold Taylor, designated joint managers.
17.6.1930: Outward for fishing grounds in Fleetwood Channel. Carbide drum fell into engine crankpit smashing engine, gas generated exploded causing considerable damage; no casualties. Steam trawler VELIA (FD49) connected and beached vessel at Fleetwood.
18.6.1930: Not making any water, refloated by tugs and entered Wyre Dock for survey and repair.
16.2.1931: Sold to Islay Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood. Henry Melling designated manager.
10.3.1931: Sold to Cape Fisheries Ltd, London. Albert V. Thompson, Fleetwood designated manager.
5.7.1932: Sold to Alexander Keay, Fleetwood & Andrew Wilson, Buckie. Alexander Keay designated managing owner.
18.3.1933: Sold to Alexander Keay, Fleetwood. Alexander Keay designated managing owner.
25.4.1933: Homeward from West of Scotland grounds, stranded at Strongarve, 4 miles N of Mull of Kintyre. Glasgow steamer LOCHIEL (318g/1906) and Southend lifeboat standing by. At 3.00 pm. refloated and after checks, proceeded to Fleetwood.
15.11.1939: At Fleetwood landed 7,400 stone of herring, £438 gross, the seasons best landing.
5.8.1939: At Fleetwood landed first herring catch of the season – 330 boxes.
21.11.1939: On fishing grounds 35 miles NW of Rathlin Island (Sk. Clarence Hector Hudson), eleven crew, in company with CUIRASS (GY436) and WILLIAM HUMPHRIES (LO533). At 8.00 a.m. stopped by by U-boat (U.33) with warning shot, crew abandoned in two boats, but shelled while lowering port boat. Sunk by gunfire, five rounds from deck gun, in approx position 55.27N 08.01W. In gale force winds, boat with Skipper and four crew* never seen again.
23.11.1939: After 38 1/2 hours in open boat ** (H. Blackburn, bosun) made a landfall at Tobermory and picked up by Tobermory lifeboat.

*Lost presumed drowned – Sk.Clarence H. Hudson; J. Dawson, Mate; James Wood; R. A. Fisher and R. J. Randles

**Survivors – H. Blackburn, Bosun; J. Geddes; H.G. Hay; A. Lewis; J. Threlfall, S. Melhuish and F. Brunt.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Sulby FD87

S.T. Sulby FD87
Picture courtesy of The Bob Dawson Collection

S.T. Sulby FD85

S.T. Sulby FD85
Picture courtesy of The Bob Dawson Collection

S.T. Sulby FD87

S.T. Sulby FD87
Picture courtesy of The Brian Dodd Collection

S.T. Sulby FD87

S.T. Sulby FD87
Picture courtesy of The Brian Dodd Collection

S.T. Sulby FD87

S.T. Sulby FD87
Stranded at Strongarve
Image courtesy of David Buckley

Note incorrect spelling of the name of the lighthouse. This should be “Rubha nan Gall”

News Cutting Sulby Survivors

News Cutting Sulby Survivors

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
14/03/2014: Information updated, documents and image added.
29/08/2022: Added images.
21/12/2023: Added an image.

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

Technical

Official Number: 163990
Yard Number: 1139
Completed: 1935
Gross Tonnage: 448
Net Tonnage: 190
Length: 157.3 ft
Breadth: 26.1 ft
Depth: 14.1 ft
Built: Cochrane & Son Ltd, Selby
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

18.4.1935: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1139) for Pickering & Haldane’s Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as LORD STANHOPE.
3.6.1935: Registered at Hull (H199).
12.6.1935: Completed at a cost of £19,525 (Albert Turgoose & James Clark, joint managers).
17.6.1935: Sailed Hull for first trip to Iceland (Sk. C. Smith).
6.7.1935: At Hull landed 795 kits grossd £996.
5.1937: In collision with Norwegian fishing boat HILDUR near Baasfjord, northern Norway; boat cut in two and sank. Skipper and one man picked up but four lost.
25.7.1939: Insured value £21.800.
4.8.1939: Sailed Hull for White Sea (Sk. C. Smith).
25.8.1939: At Hull landed 1,881 kits £1,482 gross.
1939: To requisitioning, at Hull landed from White Sea/Iceland (Sks. C. Smith, G. Smith) 223 days 14,409 kits £14,586 gross.
25.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as an anti-submarine trawler (1-4”, AA weapons) (P.No.FY.163) (Hire rate £280.0.0d/month). Based Plymouth with 20th A/S Group.
5.1944: 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.
12.1944: Pickering & Haldane bought by J Bennett, London.
20.6.1945: Company restyled as Lord Line Ltd, Hull (Thomas W. Boyd, manager).
10.1945: Surveyed and restored at Hartlepool.
7.11.1945: Returned to owners.
30.11.1945: Insured value £40,000; for 1946 proposed £44,000.
10.1947: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
17.4.1950: Sold to Associated Fisheries Trawling Co Ltd, Hull for £22,000 (Lord Line in liquidation)
22.07.1953: Company restyled Lord Line Ltd, Hull.
12.10.1962: Sailed Hull for Iceland, last trip from port (Sk. Niels M. Pederson).
1.11.1962: At Hull landed 613 kits grossed £4,105.
8.3.1963: Sold to Wyre Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood for £28,358 (Leslie Wheildon, manager).
9.4.1963: First landing at Fleetwood.
26.10.1963: Sailed Fleetwood for Icelandic grounds (Sk. George Harrison); sixteen crew.
27.10.1963: Landed sick Bosun in Belfast.
5.11.1963: On west of Iceland grounds, in view of heavy weather, decided to change to east of Iceland grounds.
7.11.1963: At about 0220 in heavy swell, E by N Force 7 and moderate visibility stranded on the south coast of Iceland, 4 miles West of Ingolfshofdi Light, in position 63°48N/ 16°40W; all eighteen crew (including two Norwegian gutters) ferried ashore in liferaft with shore assistance. Fleetwood trawler KINGSTON DIAMOND (FD84) stoodby. Later declared a total loss.
6.1.1964: Hull registry closed. “Transferred to Port of Fleetwood”.
15/16.9.1964: BOT Inquiry (S.469) found Sk. George Harrison partly to blame and suspended his ticket for twelve months; acting Bosun John J. Larkin censured.

Note: Allocated FD50 but never used the PLN

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199
Picture courtesy of The Mark Stopper Collection

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199

S.T. Lord Stanhope H199
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Changelog
14/01/2009: Page published. 2 updates since then.
02/12/2017: Removed disputed image and FMHT watermarks.
04/11/2019: Added an image.
02/05/2021: Updated history.

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

Additional information courtesy of David Slinger
Technical

Official Number: 148223
Yard Number: 57
Completed: 1917
Gross Tonnage: 271
Net Tonnage: 123
Length: 125.7 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Built: Collingwood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Engine: T.3-cyl by Marine Iron Works, Chicago.
Boiler: 480ihp Canadian Allis Chalmers Ltd, Toronto

History

1.1917: Ordered.
1918: Launched by Collingwood Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada (Yd.No.57) (Canadian “Castle” – “T.R.” class) for The Admiralty (paid for and built under direction of RCN) as TR.11.
28.6.1918: Completed and commissioned in the Royal Canadian Navy (1-123pdr).
8.1919: Paid off and laid up.
1920: Accepted offer of Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd, Inverness (Captain D. J. Munro as agent) to bring drifters with trawlers as escorts to UK for lay-up in Muirtown Basin, Caledonian Canal, Inverness prior to sale and possible refit for classification as steam trawlers (The Rose Street Foundry & Engineering Co Ltd letter dated 12 April 1920).
1921: Brought over at The Admiralty’s expense.
1.1926: Still laid up.
2.1926: Rejected offer for all remaining trawlers at £2,000 each (B. Allenby, Aberdeen letter dated 10 Feb 1926).
8.1926: Sold “as is” to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Grimsby (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
17.9.1926: Renamed SAN SEBASTIAN (FD126).
04.1932: On three month charter to Sea Fisheries Association of Ireland, to fish out of Dublin, Galway and other ports. Charter to be exended if needed.
05.05.1932: Sailed for Ireland.
17.1.1933: At 6.58 am. stranded near White Beach Point, NE side of Galway Bay, propeller damaged (Sk. William McLennan). At 8.32 am. trawler MALAGA (GY393) (Sk. W. Kay) standing by and will connect and attempt to refloat. At 11.30 am. refloated and taken to anchorage to await tide to Galway. Due to dense fog unable to find the port for 24 hours.
18.01.1933: Spotted in fog by the pilot boat and guided into Galway.
5.6.7.1933: Chartered by Italian Government to provide support for a transAtlantic flight involving 20 to 30 aeroplanes.
9.5.1933: Sailed Fleetwood for NW Atlantic.
19.5.1933: Arrived St. John’s, Newfoundland.
9.1.1937: Sailed Fleetwood at 9.40 a.m. for West of Scotland grounds with a crew of thirteen (Sk. Richard W. Pook).
10.1.1937: At approx 2.5 a.m. ran into heavy rain and reduced visibility of about 2 miles. At approx 3.10 a.m. stranded on rocks off Iommalach Rock 2 miles off Ardbeg, Islay. Pounded heavily on rocks and rolled over to starboard. Crew abandoned and eight men landed on rocks, skipper on a separate rock; four crew lost.
11.1.1937: At about 9.00 a.m. eight men rescued from rock by PIBROCH (96grt/1923) on passage Glasgow-Port Ellen. At approx 2.0 p.m. skipper rescued.
2.2.1937: Fleetwood registry closed “Total loss”.
23.3.1937: At BOT Formal Investigation (No.S.382), it was concluded that the stranding and subsequent loss was caused by the wrongful act and defaults of Sk. Pook. His ticket was suspended for twelve months. It was also found that the stranding and total loss was caused by the defaults of the mate James A. Maunder. He was severely censured.

(Survivors (all Fleetwood unless stated)- Sk. Richard Pook; James Maunder, Mate; Harold Evans, Bosun; William Pye, Ch.Eng; James McLellan; Gilbert Pook; Robert Allen; James Meagher, deckhands; Frank Haugherty, Rochdale, fireman.
Lost – T. W. Archer, 2nd Eng; W. Sharp; Joseph Cox, Blackpool; Joseph Gledhill, Heywood, deckhands.)

Notes

It was a case of every man for himself when SAN SEBASTIAN hit rocks and the crew were thrown overboard.
Four men died and the rest of the shipmates spent hours clinging to rocks before being rescued. The Skipper – who had been seen in hanging in the rigging – was stranded on rocks for 10 hours!

She struck rocks off the coast of the island of Islay, Argyllshire, on her way to the fishing grounds.
A crew member revealed what happened as the ship foundered.

“We felt the ship strike and could see we were on a reef. We launched the lifeboat but it crashed against the rail of the ship. Eight of us were thrown into the sea. The SAN SEBASTIAN had a dangerous list and although we were hanging on we were swept overboard. The last time I saw the Skipper he was in the rigging.”

“I got on the rocks and others came up in the darkness. We counted ourselves and found only 8 present. None of us were fully clothed and we were on the rocks for 7 hours.”
They were picked up by the Glasgow Steamer, Pibroch, and three bodies were later recovered.
Skipper Pook said he realised that survival was going to be a life and death struggle. He had been flung into the sea as the trawler toppled over.

“I was going round in circles and have been swimming about a mile. Then I reached a fairly big rock and, almost exhausted, pulled myself up. It was bitterly cold. I lay down but had to try and keep warm so I waved my arms and stamped my feet.”
While sitting there marooned, one of the ship’s lifebelts was washed on the rocks.”

“Then dawn broke and I saw a boat rescue the crew who had managed to reach the rock that SAN SEBASTIAN had struck. I tried to attract their attention but they were half a mile away and didn’t notice me.
When I had been on the rock 10 hours I saw a boat in the distance. I signaled it and they took me off.”

download the PDF BOT report into the stranding.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

S.T. San Sebastian FD126
Picture courtesy of John Clarkson

S.T. San Sebastian FD126

S.T. San Sebastian FD126
Courtesy of Elizabeth Shaw

Changelog
27/04/14: Information updated.
16/02/2015: Added survivor account.
16/01/2017: Added BOT report.
10/09/2024: Information updated

S.T. Crystal SH58

Additional material courtesy of Mike Thompson

Technical

Official Number: 105079
Yard Number: 151
Completed: 1895
Gross Tonnage: 149
Net Tonnage: 57
Length: 100.0 ft
Breadth: 20.8 ft
Depth: 11.0 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Hull
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

History

20.11.1895: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Hull (Yd.No.151) for Kingston Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as CRYSTAL.
16.12.1895: Registered at Hull (H303).
16.12.1895: Completed trials and accepted (Lawrence Spring, manager).
1913: New boiler fitted.
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 62 net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
28.1.1916: Fitted with new propeller.
29.5.1917: Requisitioned for Fishery Reserve.
10.10.1917: Arthur Taylor appointed manager.
7.7.1918: Skipper had to resort to chopping gear to escape from a German submarine. Claim for £105.14s. made under War Risk Insurance Policy.
5.11.1918: In River Humber off Grimsby in collision with steam trawler LYRIC (GY434). Sustained slight damage, LYRIC suffered damage to stem and bow plating.
12.11.1918: Arrived at Hull to land and repair.
1919: Released.
6.3.1919: Sold to George Altoft & William Boyd Hull for £9,250 including fishing gear (through W. A. Massey & Sons Ltd, Hull, shipbrokers commission £150).
21.3.1919: Sold to The Trident Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (George A. Ledger, manager).
16.11.1929: Sold to George Henry Gibson & Charles Henry Mumby, Hull (George H. Gibson, manager).
31.1.1934: Sold to Joseph Catchpole & John Sheriff Ellis, Scarborough (Joseph Catchpole, manager).
30.1.1935: Sold to John S. Ellis & Co Ltd, Scarborough (Joseph Catchpole manager).
28.5.1935: Sold to Crystal Fishing Co Ltd Scarborough (Bob Robson & Fred Welch)(Joseph Catchpole manager).
31.5.1935: Hull registry closed.
13.6.1935: Registered at Scarborough (SH58).
22.7.1937: Sold to The Filey United Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Scarborough (Richard F. Cammish, manager).
22.2.1940: Fishing in North Sea (Sk.Thomas ‘Mickey” Scales), in company with AUCUBA (GY117), CARDEW (H157) and EMULATORr (SH83) attacked by German aircraft. Group returned fire and aircraft withdrew; no casualties.
14.10.1942: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, manager).
26.6.1943: On a North Sea trip (Hull crew). Foundered off Yorkshire Coast after detonating a German laid mine (position not confirmed at present*).
27.6.1943: Destroyer HMS VIVACIOUS (P.No. D36) on East Coast patrol and escort duties picked up all 10 crew and landed them at Immingham.
16.9.1943: Scarborough registry closed “destroyed by mine explosion”.

(* 27.6.1943: Message from HMS Vivacious. Reported lost 0.25°, 12miles from 18A buoy in position 54.1439N 00.0918W.
Minesweeping Summary No.193 – Reported lost in position 54.2330N 00.0030E
Trade Division List of Losses 1943 – Reported lost 12miles off Scarborough)
Click to enlarge image

S.T. Crystal H303

S.T. Crystal H303>br />Picture from the Internet

S.T. Crystal SH58

S.T. Crystal SH58
Picture from The Barry Banham Maritime Photo Collection courtesy of The George Scales Collection

Changelog
12/01/2009: Page published. 2 revisions since then.
19/07/2014: Picture added.
06/10/2017: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
13/02/2020: Updated information.