The Bosuns Watch! The Fleetwood Trawler Ben Bheula

The Bosun's Watch

Picture courtesy of Peter Brady

Technical

Official Number	146616
Admiralty number	374
Yard number	311
Launched	November 16 1917
Gross Tonnage	275
Net Tonnage	108
Pennant number (WWII)	FY 1681
Engine	T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields
Built by	J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, North Shields, 1917
Owner	J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood

History

November 16 1917	Launched by J. P. Rennoldson & Sons Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.311) ("Castle" class) for The Admiralty as THOMAS DOWDING.
December 22 1917	Completed.
August 16 1922	Registered by The Admiralty as a fishing vessel at London (LO550).
November 1923	Sold to Hellyer Bros Ltd, Hull.
November 23 1923	London registry closed.
November 26 1923	Registered at Hull (H861).
December 1923	Renamed LEONATO (H861).
Pre 1927	Sold to Hull Northern Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (W. R. Nowell, manager).
Pre 1930	Hellyer Bros Ltd became managers.
October 1936	Sold to R. Irvin & Sons Ltd, Aberdeen.
October 08 1936	Hull registry closed.
October 09 1936	Renamed BEN BHEULA (A422).
August 1939	Requisitioned for war service and converted for minesweeping duties (P.No. FY.1681).
January 13 1942	Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £8200.
October 1945	Returned and re-classed at Glasgow.
1945	Sold to Pegasus Trawling Co Ltd, St. Anne's-on-the-Sea (William Stevenson, St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, manager) for £20000.
March 1949	Stranded at Caolila, Sound of Islay. Refloated and returned to service.
1952	Managers became J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood.
July 16 1953	Sold for demolition.
Note	(Thomas Dowding, Quartergunner (prest), age 38, b. Dorset - VICTORY (SB458)).