Category Archives: War Losses

Vessels lot due to war

S.T. Trinity N.B. FD324

Technical

Official Number: 131830
Yard Number: 555
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 203
Net Tonnage: 87
Length: 115.5 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

27.8.1914: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.555) for David Dow & W. Carnie, Newhaven, Edinburgh as TRINITY N.B.
9.1914: Completed (Thomas Y. Carnie, Leith, manager).
17.9.1914: Registered at Granton (GN24).
12.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.470). Based Granton.
1918: Sold to Ernest Taylor, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
1918: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
7.1919: Sold to Ernest Taylor & Noah Ashworth, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
15.7.1919: Granton registry closed.
18.7.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD324).
1919: Sold to Edward Ferry, Granton (managing owner).
1923: Sold to Archibald G. Brown, Granton.
1.3.1923: Fleetwood registry closed.
2.3.1923: Registered at Granton (GN95).
17.12.1939: Outward from Granton for Orkney fishing grounds (Sk. Daniel Young).
18.12.1939: When 17 miles NE of Rattray Head bombed and damaged by German air attack. Subsequently foundered; two crew lost, rest of crew picked up by Danish schooner START (131grt/1918) but one man died of exposure. Survivors landed in Egersund, Norway.
(Casualties. David Addison, Chief Engineer and William S. Murray, drowned. Robert Wright, cook, died of exposure.)

Changelog
08/12/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.

S.T. Good Luck FD425

Additional information courtesy of Christine Simm

Technical

Official Number: 133406
Yard Number: 249
Completed: 1912
Gross Tonnage: 294
Net Tonnage: 131
Length: 130 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Built: Cook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley
Engine: 87nhp T.3-cyl by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull
Speed: 10.5 knots
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr

History

18.7.1912: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.249) for The Humber Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as GOOD LUCK.
3.10.1912: Registered at Hull (H497). Richard H. Hobbs designated manager.
10.1912: Completed
4.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr) (Ad.No.1342).
1917: Employed as an escort. Based Milford Haven.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
1919: Sold to Fresh Fish Supplies Ltd, Hull. Thomas Nightingale designated manager.
5.1923: Sold to George Ashton, Wigan & James Welsh Ltd, Fleetwood.
11.5.1923: Hull registry closed.
17.5.1923: Registered at Fleetwood (FD425).
8.8.1923: Sold to Ashton & Welsh Ltd, Blackpool. James Welsh, Fleetwood designated manager.
1924: Registered at Fleetwood as TRANQUIL (FD425).
Pre 1927: Registered office transferred to Fleetwood.
24/11/1928: Arrived on the morning tide and reported lost gear due to severe weather off the Butt of Lewis, with the mate almost being washed over the side by a huge breaker that swept the deck, smashing the pound boards. He was only saved by clinging on to the winch but the strain was too much for the warps which snapped, losing the trawl. The vessel was buffeted for 48 hours before reaching home.
11.5.1931: Responded to rockets from steam trawler DAILY MAIL (FD100) stranded on rocks off Crammag Head, The Rinns of Galloway. With Portpatrick lifeboat stood by when she came afloat but grounded again on the north side of Portencorkie Bay, took off crew.
24.4.1935: Sold to John W. Welsh. Fleetwood.
23.7.1935: Sold to Endeavour Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood. John W. Welsh & James Welsh designated managers.
25.11.1937: Sold to The Cevic Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood. Charles H. Friswell, designated manager.
28.4.1940: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.920) (Hire rate £73.10.0d/month).
1942: Richard Neave designated manager.
16.6.1942: Towing a barrage balloon ex Thames (Ty/Lieut William Postlethwaite RNR). Involved in collision with s.s. DEAL (829grt/1928). Sank off The Downs, 5 miles SE of Goodwin Fork Buoy in position 51.13.08 N 01.27.51 E.
17.12.1945: Fleetwood registry closed.

* Note: Became known as “The Balloon Wreck” because she sank with the balloon deployed and this still floated above the wreck site.

S.T. Good Luck H497

S.T. Good Luck H497
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. Good Luck FD425

S.T. Tranquil FD425
Picture (as Good Luck) courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

S.T. Tranquil FD425

S.T. Tranquil FD425
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
16/06/2020: Updated information.
08/12/2020: Updated history.
31/01/2024: Updated history.

S.T. Thomas Hankins LO372

Additional information courtesy of Gary Hicks Plymouth Merchant Ships

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3828
Official Number: 144570
Yard Number: 308
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 274
Net Tonnage: 108
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields
Built: J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields

History

10.5.1918: Launched by J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields (Yd.No.308) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as THOMAS HANKINS (Ad.No.3828).
19.6.1918: Completed as a minesweeper (1 – 12pdr).
11.5.1920: Sold by auction at London (Baltic Exchange) to Edward Brand & John Henry Dove, Milford Haven.
19.6.1920: Registered at London (LO372).
5.3.1923: Sold to John Henry Dove, Milford Haven (managing owner).
24.9.1925: While fishing 50 miles W by S1/2 S from St. Ann’s Head and working round a dahn, in collision with JAMES LAY (LO333), sustaining damage to stem and shell plates.
23.4.1933: Off Lands End shipped very heavy sea and badly damaged, returning to Milford.
1934: Sold to Mrs Gertrude E. Dove, Milford Haven (managing owner).
29.10.1936: While fishing off the West coast of Ireland, deckhand Charles L. Phillips, Hakin was washed overboard and drowned.
23.4.1937: Sold to P. Hancock & Sons Ltd, Milford Haven.
19.11.1937: Sold to Pembroke Hake Fishing Co Ltd, Milford Haven (Reginald L. Hancock later E. V. Pennington, manager).
15.9.1939: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys, manager).
20.11.1939: On fishing grounds 14miles NW of Tory Island, Co. Donegal; twelve crew. At about 2.15 p.m. sighted U.boat (U.33) cut away trawl, warning shot, stopped and given 3 minutes to abandon, sunk by gunfire.
21.11.1939: After ten hours in open sea got to within 2 miles of Tory Island and picked up by steam trawler ESHER (LO193).
21.11.1939: At about 6.00 a.m. landed at Moville, Co. Donegal.
12.1939: London registry closed.

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Thomas Hankins LO372

S.T. Thomas Hankins LO372
Picture from the Internet

S.T. Thomas Hankins LO372

S.T. Thomas Hankins LO372
Picture courtesy of John Stevenson

Changelog
08/01/2005: Page published. 5 updates since then.
04/09/2015: Information updated.
21/01/2018: Removed FMHT watermark from image.
15/12/2018: Added an image.

S.T. Theresa Boyle FD338

Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson

Technical

Official Number: 137800
Yard Number: 570
Completed: 1915
Gross Tonnage: 224
Net Tonnage: 99
Length: 120.7 ft
Breadth: 22.7 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Engine: 83hp T.3-cyl by MacColl & Pollock Ltd, Sunderland
Built : Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

12.7.1915: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.570) for John S. Boyle Ltd, Glasgow as THERESA BOYLE.
8.1915: Completed (John S. Boyle managing owner). Registered at Glasgow (GW3).
9.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr) (Ad.No.1311). Based Moray Command.
1918: Sold to Port St. Mary Fishing & Curing Co Ltd, London (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Fleetwood.
7.1919: Glasgow registry closed.
1.8.1919: Registered at Fleetwood (FD338).
4.1924: Sold to James Lyle, Newhaven, Edinburgh (managing owner).
2.5.1924: Fleetwood registry closed.
6.5.1924: Registered at Granton (GN4).
29.5.1927: Reported landing at Oban, a sturgeon over 7ft long and weighing 2 cwts caught while on the Dhu Heartach grounds.
10.2.1940: Fishing 115 miles E x N of Aberdeen (Sk. Oliver Bell). At midday attacked by Heinkel bomber with machine gun fire. Fire returned with Lewis gun, aircraft withdrew. Aircraft returned and dropped three bombs in water portside amidships. One violent explosion and water entered engineroom through strained plates, carbide container caught fire. At 2.45 p.m. abandoned to boat and stood off, returned at 3.45 p.m. but vessel sinking fast. In rising Easterly wind and bitter cold, sailed to Westward.
12 .2.1940: At 4.30 p.m. RAF aircraft overflew boat, rocket fired. Aircraft communicated with HMTrawlers BRABANT (GY544) (P.No.FY.690) and ALMANDINE (H415) (P.No.FY.645), ‘sweeping 10 miles away. After 50 hours in open boat picked up by ALMANDINE and landed at ?? at 6.00 p.m. all crew suffering from exposure.

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 8 updates since then.
13/07/2017: Information added.

S.T. Tettenhall FD43

Technical

Official Number: 122934
Yard Number: 260
Completed: 1905
Gross Tonnage: 227
Net Tonnage: 72
Length: 125.7 ft
Breadth: 21.9 ft
Depth: 8.8 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. V. V. Lidgerwood, Coatbridge
Boiler: A. & W. Dalglish, Pollockshaws, Glasgow
Built: J Duthie, Sons & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

19.10.1905: Launched by J. Duthie,Sons & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.260) for Tettenhall Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood as TETTENHALL.
4.11.1905: Mortgaged to Williams Deacon’s Bank Ltd, London (A).
8.11.1905: Registered at Fleetwood (FD43), Louis Cohen, Norbreck appointed manager.
11.1905: Completed.
11.8.1909: Mortgaged to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (B). James H. Marr appointed manager.
9.10.1913: Mortgage (A) discharged.
10.10.1913: Mortgage (B) discharged.
10.10.1913: Mortgaged to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood (C).
1.1.1914: Tonnage altered to 91.85net under provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1907.
6.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (Ad.No.1538).
2.12.1916: James A. Robertson appointed manager.
23.5.1917: Mined 2.4 miles off Lowestoft.
2.11.1917: Mortgage (C) discharged.
8.11.1917: Fleetwood registry closed “Lost on Admiralty service”.

(Lost – Ty/Sk. Albert True; James Bensley, 2nd Hand; George E. Gladwell, Engineman; Henry J. Blowers, Augustus J. Boyce & George Sparrow, deckhands.)

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.