Technical
Official Number: 164712
Yard Number: 547
Completed: 1936
Gross Tonnage: 655
Net Tonnage: 243
Length: 188.1 ft
Breadth: 28.1 ft
Depth: 15.5 ft
Built: Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde
Engine: T.3-cyl & LP turbine with DR gearing & hydraulic coupling by 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.
7.1936: Completed by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Seebeck, Wesermünde (Yd.No.547) for MacLine Ltd, London (Leverhulme Ltd) as NORTHERN WAVE.
23.7.1936: Registered at London (LO120). Operating out of Fleetwood Edward D. W. Lawford designated manager.
19.8.1936: First landing at Fleetwood from Iceland, 800 kits 40 baskets 940 boxes £638 gross.
26.10.1936: In gale force winds and heavy weather, off Skerryvore Lighthouse, repairing steering chains, deckhand Charles Brown was washed overboard and drowned.
28.10.1936: At Fleetwood, landed 1,500 boxes £2,240 gross from a Bear Island trip. Record for a MacLine ship.
16.9.1937: Last landing at Fleetwood, 1525 boxes grossed £1,711.
9.10.1937: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London. William A. Bennett designated manager.
9.1939: Sold to The Admiralty (£33,088) and fitted out as an anti-submarine trawler (P.No.FY.153).
27.9.1939: Sk. William Richard Alward Hicks DSC RNR appointed CO.
9.1.1940: Ty/Lieut. Louis Clifford Head RNVR appointed CO.
11.3.1940: London registry closed.
25.3.1940: In company with HMS BRONTES (P.No.FY.118) (Cdr. Trevor St. Vincent Frederick Tyler (rtd) RN) picked up 25 survivors from Common Bros tanker DAGHESTAN (5742grt/1921) torpedoed by U-boat (U57) 9nm E of Copinsay (58.47N 02.46W) and landed at Lyness.
4/5.1940: Norwegian Campaign. Also NORTHERN DAWN (P.No.FY.146), NORTHERN GEM (P.No.FY194) and NORTHERN SPRAY (P.No.FY.146).
4.12.1940: Ty/Lieut. Christopher Morison-Payne RNVR appointed CO.
14.2.1941: Ty/Lieut. William Godfrey Pardoe-Matthews RNR appointed CO.
3.1941-1.1944: Convoy escort duties.
8.4.1942: Sailed Oban escorting convoy PQ-14 – Oban – Murmansk.
16.4.1942: In company with LORD MIDDLETON (P.No.FY219) (Ty/Lieut. Robert Hudson Jameson RNR) who picked up 9 survivors including Master (Capt. John McDonald), picked up 28 survivors from MoWT steamer EMPIRE HOWARD (6985grt/1941) torpedoed by U-boat (U403) NW of North Cape (73.48 21.50E) Landed survivors at Polarnoe near Murmansk.
29.1.1943: Sailed Kola Inlet escorting convoy RA-52 – Kola Inlet – Loch Ewe (- New York).
3.2.1943: With LADY MADELEINE (P.No.FY.283), picked up 4 survivors from American steamer GREYLOCK (7460grt/1921) torpedoed and damaged by U-boat (U255) in Norwegian Sea (70.52N 00.21W); sunk by gunfire from escort. Survivors landed at Gourock.
8.3.1943: Ty/Lieut. John Percival Kilbee RNR appointed CO.
8.5.1943: Escorting convoy ONS-7 – Liverpool – Halifax,NS.
17.5.1943: Picked up survivors from Bank Line steamer AYMERIC (5196grt/1919) (Capt Sidney Morris) torpedoed by U-boat (U657) 145 miles SWbyW of Cape Farewell (59.42N 41.39W).
25.5.1943: Survivors landed at Halifax, NS.
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.
1.8.1944: Ty/Lieut. Frederick John Robb Storey RNVR appointed CO.
1944: Operating as an ocean rescue vessel with Escort Group C5. 30.8.1944: Escorting convoy HX-305 – New York – Liverpool.
8.9.1944: Picked up 51 survivors from MOWT steamer EMPIRE HERITAGE (15702grt/1930) (Capt James Jamieson OBE) and 41 survivors from MacAndrews motor vessel, rescue ship PINTO (1346grt/1928) (Capt. Lawrence Stanley Boggs MBE) both torpedoed by U-boat (U482) NNE of Tory Island (55.27 08.01W). Survivors landed at
Londonderry *.
11.9.1944: In his Report of Proceedings 0400Z to 1730Z Friday 8 Sept, Lt. Storey records ‘struck object with port bow” at the same time one of his crew reports a periscope passing.
01.11.1944: On passage to Falmouth. At 13.55 Asdic detected the presence of a U-boat (U978) in 38 fathoms, as a convoy approached from the opposite direction. Carried out 4 depth charge attacks without result.
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.
9.1945: Sold to Hull Ice Co Ltd, Hull. H. Markham Cook, Grimsby designated manager.
2.1946: Remeasured 620g 254n.
2.1946: Registered at Grimsby (GY184).
11.1947: Remeasured 620g 238n.
11.1947: Converted for burning oil fuel, F.P. above 150° F.
8.1955: Chartered by the White Fish Authority (WFA) to carry out the first shipboard trials of quick freezing fish at sea in conventional trawlers in this century. In St. Andrew’s Dock, Hull fitted with a J. & T. Hall Ltd, Dartford, Torry Plate Freezer. Costs estimated at £105,000 were shared between WFA, HM Treasury and the Distant Water Fishing Vessel Owners’ Development Committee. The idea behind these experimental trips was to avoid the situation were large landings would hit the market and and good fish being consigned for fish meal. With frozen fish it could be put on the market when the situation demanded providing a balance and securing better prices.
31.12.1955: Sailed Grimsby for Norwegian Coast grounds.
23.1.1956: Landed at Grimsby 23,000 stone of which 5,000 stone was quick frozen. Frozen catch was distributed to companies that had taken part in the scheme, thawed and passed to inland customers for their comments on quality, etc. The experiment was deemed a success. Laid up prior to being restored to a conventional trawler.
16.11.1956: Sold to Northern Trawlers Ltd, London H. Markham Cook, Grimsby designated manager.
8.3.1957: Stranded on west side of Dunnet Head. Refloated with help of Thurso lifeboat.
8.4.1957: Stranded at Murkle. Thurso lifeboat stood by while she refloated and took crew and ship to Scrabster.
Pre 1959: John Bennett designated manager.
Pre 1963: John A. Butt designated manager.
10.1963: Sold to Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston-on-Tyne for breaking up.
30.10.1963: Arrived Tyne from Grimsby in tow of tug ERIMUS CROSS (192grt/1960).
Note * – Lieutenant Storey was recommended for Mention in Despatches (his rank given as Temporary Lieutenant) ‘for coolness and resourcefulness in handling NORTHERN WAVE in wind force 6 and rescuing 88 survivors’ Also, two of the crew, Seaman Harry Holman Pashby of Scarborough and Telegraphist Jack Ashe of Leeds. Both these men volunteered to go into the water to retrieve survivors. The recommendation is signed by Admiral Max Horton and addressed to The Secretary of the Admiralty.
Click to enlarge images
S.T. Northern Wave LO120
Picture from the Internet
S.T. Northern Wave GY184
Picture from the Internet
S.T. Northern Wave GY184
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection
S.T. Northern Wave LO120
Picture from the Internet
S.T. Northern Wave GY184
Picture from the Internet
S.T. Northern Wave LO120
Picture from the Internet
S.T. Northern Wave GY184
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection
S.T. Northern Wave GY184
Picture courtesy of the JJ collection
HMT Northern Wave
Picture reproduced under IWM Non-Commercial Licence
Charles Brown
Picture courtesy of
The Lorraine Stigant Collection
Changelog
02/05/2014: Picture added. 7 revisions since then.
05/07/2014: Information updated.
21/02/2020: Information updated.
24/09/2022: Added an image.
