Tag Archives: War Loss

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
Picture courtesy of The Bob Dawson Collection

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

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

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

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. 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>br />Picture from the Internet

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.

S.T. Wyoming GY483

Technical

Official Number: 137027
Yard Number: 628
Completed: 1915
Gross Tonnage: 302
Net Tonnage: 157
Length: 135 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.3 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by C.D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

1915: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.628) for The Atlas Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (Letten Bros, managers) as VERESIS.
14.4.1915: Registered at Grimsby (GY483).
4.1915: Completed (George S. Letten, manager). Requisitioned from the builders for war service (1-6pdr) (Ad.No.1616).
11.1915: Registered at Grimsby (GY483).
1920: Returned to owner at Grimsby.
8.6.1931: Stood by steam trawler GAMBRI (GY99) 100 miles NW of Hoy Head with bunkers on fire and proceeding to Stromness.
16.1.1932: Left Icelandic grounds for Grimsby.
16.1.1932: In hurricane swept clean by seas and lost wheelhouse and two compasses.
19.1.1932: Made radio contact and monitored by MERISIA (FD153) requested any vessel to give bearing and supply a compass,. Dodging for 36 hours, believed in vicinity of Faroe Islands and then steering by wind.
20.1.1932: Contact made with LUNE (FD59) which supplied bearing and confirmed crew safe and no assistance required.
20.1.1932: Arrived Scrabster at 1.20 pm. Took compass and food and sailed 4.10pm. for Grimsby.
22.1.1932: Arrived Grimsby.
22.11.1933: Reported stranded at Hoholmen, south Sandnessjoeen, Norway. Salvage steamer PARAT (135g/1905) in attendance.
25.11.1933: Refloated with assistance of PARAT. Checked, tight and proceeded.
9.1936: Sold to Earl Steam Fishing Co, Grimsby (Sir Alec Black Bart, manager).
20.4.1937: Registered at Grimsby as WYOMING (GY483).
Pre 4.1940: Employed on Fishery Protection.
2.6.1940: Requisitioned for war service and employed on auxiliary patrol duties (Hire rate £83.1.0d/month). Based North Shields (Ty/Sk. P. Coull RNR).
12.1940: Sold to Sir Alec Black Bart, Grimsby.
6.1941: Fitted out for minesweeping duties (P.No.FY.1862).
22.4.1942: Sold to Active Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Geoffrey Edwards Marr, manager) for £8100.
20.5.1944: Mined near 54 Buoy, 20 miles ENE of Harwich. Five crew MPK.

(MPK – Alexander Mitchell, 2nd Hand; Bernard McQue Humble, Engineman; John Jordan, stoker; George Sutherland, Ldg Cook; Joseph S. Tester, seaman)

Changelog

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

S.T. Willoughby GY161

Additional information courtesy of Birgir Þórisson

Technical

Admiralty Number: 3740
Official Number: 143918
Yard Number: 232
Completed: 1918
Gross Tonnage: 329.04
Net Tonnage: 126.67
Length: 138.9 ft
Breadth: 23.7 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built; Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow
Engine: 650ihp T.3-cyl by Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow
Boiler: The Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Port Glasgow

History

11.3.1918: Launched by Ferguson Bros (Port Glasgow) Ltd, Port Glasgow (Yd.No.232) (“Mersey” class) for The Admiralty as NICHOLAS DEAN (Ad.No.3740).
27.4.1918: Completed as an A/S trawler (1-12pdr, hydrophone and W/T); sailed for Fleetwood.
4.12.1919: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part I) as NICHOLAS DEAN O.N.143918.
01.1920: Engaged in commercial trawling.
1920: Fitted out for fishing under Special Survey of Lloyd’s Register and classed 100 A1 Stm Trawler.
03.02.1920: Registered by The Admiralty at London (Part IV) (LO297).
By 18.6.1920: Allocated to Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, London.
13.08.1920: Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London registered.
1920: Allocated to the Minesweepers’ Cooperative Trawling Society Ltd, London.
1.1922: Scheme abandoned, the necessary working capital of £100,000 having not been subscribed. Laid up.
16.2.1922: Advertised for sale, along with JOHN YULE (LO305), laid up in St. Andrew’s Dock, Hull.
3.1922: Sold en bloc to Gourney-Delpierre & Co, Boulogne.
9.1922: Sold to Gournay-Delpierre & Cie, Boulogne sur Mer.
28.9.1922: London registry closed.
9.1922: Registered at Boulogne as NOTRE DAME de FRANCE (B939).
12.1924: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby.
2.1925: Boulogne registry closed.
6.2.1925: Registered at Grimsby as WILLOUGHBY (GY161) (BoT Minute M/RS.1040/1925).
6.2.1925: Fred Parkes, Wyberton, Boston designated manager. Fishing from Grimsby.
6.1926: Company registered office transferred to Fleetwood.
25.11.1926: Arrived Halifax, NS and to fish out of the port.
3.1927: Returned to Fleetwood and fishing out of that port.
2.1928: Sold to Fiskveidahlutafelagid Svidi (The “Svidi” Fishing Co Ltd), Hafnarfjördur, Iceland.
24.2.1928: Grimsby registry closed.
2.1928: Registered at Hafnarfjördur as SVIDI (GK7). Thorarinn Egilsson & Sf Akurgerdi designated managers.
Pre 1930: Thorarinn Egilssoni appointed manager.
6.2.1932: In Grimsby for dry-docking, sank alongside whilst coaling.
11.2.1932: Salved and bunkers discharged prior to slipping.
2.12.1941: Disappeared off Snaefellsnes, SW of Iceland probably because of weather and overloading, but some speculation that she was mined. Crew of twenty-five lost.

(Nicholas Dean, Private, Marine, age 26 b. Bucker, Honiton, Devon – VICTORY (ML86)

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 5 revisions since then.
23/08/2014: Information added.
08/04/2015: Information updated.
16/08/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. William Humphries LO533

Additional information courtesy of Gary Hicks Plymouth Merchant Ships, Christine Simm and David Buckley

Technical

Admiralty Number: 4205
Official Number: 144592
Yard Number: 447
Completed: 1918
As built: 360disp
Gross Tonnage: 276
Net Tonnage: 106
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Bellis & Morcom Ltd, Birmingham

History

10.1918: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.447) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM HUMPHRIES (Ad.No.4205).
24.12.1918: Completed.
11.5.1920: Sold by auction at London (Baltic Exchange) to James Ritchie, Milford Haven.
8.6.1920: Registered at London (Part I) as WILLIAM HUMPHRIES O.N.1343592.
1921: Sold to Ivey Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Milford Haven. David G. Jones designated manager.
17.10.1921: Registered at London (Part IV) (LO533).
1923: Sold to James Ritchie, Milford Haven. James Ritchie designated managing owner.
7.4.1926: Sold to James Ritchie & William T. Davies, Hakin, Milford Haven. James Ritchie & William T. Davies designated managing owners.
21.8.1926: In collision with steam trawler CHARLES BOYES (LO334) whilst proceeding to lock out at Milford; sustained damage to stem.
12.10.1931: Outwards from Milford in dense fog, at about 6.00am. in collision with French crabber THEMSIS, 31grt; of Camaret anchored in the Haven about 400yds from the dock entrance; crabber foundered, all six crew picked up and returned to Milford.
15.1.1938: Returning from West Coast of Ireland grounds (Sk. James T. H. McDonald), in WNW gale and heavy seas, at about 12.45 a.m. in position 180 miles WSW from St. Ann’s Head lost propeller. Shipped very heavy seas and sent out distress, trawler WILLIAM DOWNES (LO530) responded but could not locate. Also in response to distress, at about 9.50 a.m. NEATH CASTLE (SA65) arrived and with difficulty, connected and set course for Milford.
17.1.1938: Delivered Milford Haven.
7.10.1938: Fishing in Dingle Bay (Sk. Albert Saunders) in squally weather with WNW winds and a heavy ground swell. At about 10.00am. responded to a request to stand by Milford trawler AVOLA (M249) disabled with rudder problem. Later asked to connect, two warps passed and tow commenced. Shortly after 10.00pm. informed that rudder was now working, warps recovered and stood by for nearly an hour as AVOLA skipper was satisfied all was well. Returned to grounds and continued to fish. Later awarded £525 salvage and £53.7.8d for damages.
27.5.1939: Reported disabled, picked up by Milford trawler MICHAEL GRIFFITH (LO529) and delivered Milford Haven.
4.8.1939: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Basil Arthur Parkes, Thornton-le-Fylde designated manager. Fishing from Fleetwood. 11.10.1939: In the early hours in very thick fog, inwards in the river Wyre (Sk. Charles Bridge), struck the loaded steam hopper LYTHAM (292grt/1894), berthed alongside the North Wall; backed off and proceeded to Wyre Dock. The LYTHAM, manned by watchman William Cass, who was unscathed, damaged and making water finally settled alongside the quay only to be struck again by another inbound trawler.
12.10.1929: Surveyed and no leakage found. LYTHAM discharged by crane and refloated.
14.11.1939: Sailed Fleetwood for West of Scotland grounds (Sk. Charles Horace Bridge); thirteen crew all told.
21.11.1939: Fishing 35m NW of Rathlin Island in company with steam trawlers CUIRASS (GY436) and SULBY (FD87). Between 8.30 – 9.30am. stopped by U-boat (U-33); crew abandoned in boat. Sunk by gunfire, five rounds from deck gun, in approx position 55.27N – 08.01W. Lifeboat believed last seen by a lifeboat from SULBY also sunk by U-33. Presumed boat foundered or men died of hyperthermia.
27.11.1939: Posted missing.
29.11.1939: Sk. Charles Bridge body washed up below Compass Hill, Canna. Buried on Canna.
1.12.1939: Body of William Jewell washed ashore at Loch Scavaig, near Portree, Skye and later that of Ernest Lee. Both buried in Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye.
8.12.1939: Reported by steam trawler WESTLYN (FD8) fishing off the Western Isles that over two days they had recovered from the trawl two bodies and taken to Castlebay, Barra for identification. Bodies identified as those of James Gordon and William Wright, both buried in Cuier Parish Church Cemetery, Isle of Barra.
9.12.1938. Body of Daniel Sturman washed ashore near Portree, Skye. Buried in Portree Cemetery, Isle of Skye.
27.1.1940: London registry closed “Vessel sunk by enemy action”. The twelfth steam trawler out of Fleetwood to be lost by enemy action since the start of the war and the sixth owned by BDSF&I Co Ltd, Fleetwood.

Crew: All Fleetwood unless noted. Sk. Charles Horace Bridge (38), Westgate; John Nolan (29), Balmoral Terrace, 2nd hand; James Arthur
Kaye (26), Poulton Road, 3rd hand; Ernest Elijah Lee Thurling, served as Ernest Elijah Lee (38), 47 Borrowdale Avenue, Ch. Eng; William Arnold Jewell (48), 45 Hamlet Road, 2nd Eng; deckhands, Arthur Edward Hardingham (33), Addison Road; M. Kuberski (18) (Polish national), Seamen’s Mission; George Buller Spillings (27), Back Poulton Street; Thomas Henry Wilson (24), Ormerod Street, Thornton; Daniel Sturman (36), 4 Ash Street; firemen/trimmers, James Gordon (18) Cambridge Road; William Wright (23), 35 St. Hellier’s Road, Blackpool; cook, William George Thacker (34), Milton Street.

(William Humphries, Landsman (prest), age 21, b. Carnarvon, North Wales – VICTORY (SB783))

Click to enlarge images

HMT William Humphries
Picture from the Internet

Gravestone on Canna
Picture from the Internet

William Jewell grave,
Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye.

Ernest Lee
Cill Chriosd Churchyard, Broadford, Isle of Skye

Daniel Sturman
Portree Cenetary

S.T. William Humphries LO533
Picture courtesy of The David Buckley Collection

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
04/09/2015: Information updated.
06/04/2020: Information updated.
04/08/2022: Added an image.
06/08/2022: Added an image.
07/08/2022: Updated history.
09/08/2022: Added images.

The Bosun's Watch

Fleetwood Steam and Sailing Trawlers

Tag Archives: War Loss

S.T. Sulby FD87

S.T. Crystal SH58

S.T. Wyoming GY483

S.T. Willoughby GY161

S.T. William Humphries LO533