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The Bosun's Watch

S.T. Red Falcon LO4


 	  	 

 	  	  

 	  	  	
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Picture courtesy of Peter Brady




 	  	 

 	  	  

 	  	  	
 	  	  	 

 	  	  	  

 	  	  	  	LO 4 Red Falcon
 	  	  	  	
 	  	  	  

 	  	  	 

			 		
 	  	  

 	  	 



		

		

    Technical
	

	




Official Number 164954


Yard Number 612


Admiralty Number FY 147


Launched July 08 1936


Registered August 20 1936


Gross Tonnage449


Net Tonnage171


Length161.3 ft


Breadth27.2 ft


Draught14.2 ft


Engine114 NHP T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull


Speed11.9 knots


Built byCook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, 1936


OwnerIago Steam Trawler Co Ltd, Fleetwood







		

    History
	



		

    July 08 1936
	Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.612) for F. & T. Ross Ltd, Hull as DAVY.


August 20 1936Registered at Hull (H332). 


August 20 1936Completed.


September 29 1938Attended ST. SEBASTIAN (H470) stranded on the coast of Bear Island.  Along with KINGSTON CAIRNGORM (H175) landed a party of ten but found the wreck pounded by heavy seas and no sign of life.


August 12 1939Sold to The Admiralty (£27,118) and converted to an anti-submarine trawler (P.No.FY.147).


1945Sold to F. & T. Ross Ltd, Hull.


February 1946After restoration and survey at London registered at Hull (H213).


November 17 1951Sold to Hudson Brothers Trawlers Ltd, Hull.


November 26 1951Renamed CAPE BARFLEUR (H213).


September 07 1954Sold to Iago Steam Trawler Co Ltd, Fleetwood (William J. Meazey, manager).


October 13 1954Renamed RED FALCON (LO4).


December 14 1959Homeward from Icelandic grounds (Sk. Alex Hardy) in WSW storm conditions gusting 90mph, when abreast Skerryvore Light, spoke to RED SABRE (LO71) (Sk.Tom McKernan), 50 miles ahead, and  agreed to make for lee of Irish coast.  Presumed later set course for Inishtrahull.


NotesOn the 14th of December 1959, RED FALCON, under the command of skipper Alexander Hardy,  was passing through the dangerous area of the South Minch of the west coast of Scotland, where seven tides in meet in a welter of raging waters. She was battling the 90 miles an hour winds of a WSW storm that generated 40 foot waves, as she returned from a trip to Iceland. 

Some 50 miles ahead of her was her sister ship RED SABRE under Tom McKernan while the
 RED KNIGHT under John Mecklenburgh was some 150 miles astern.  Tom Mckernan was the last person to have contact with the FALCON in a radio message. Alex Hardy called RED SABRE as the Falcon passed abeam of Skerryvore.
 
McKernan advised that he was heading for the lee of the Irish coast as he shaped his course from Skerryvore to Inistrahull and Alex Hardy agreed that it was the best thing to do. stating that he would do the same. That was the last time the ship or her crew was heard of. The skippers of RED SABRE and RED KNIGHT later formed the opinion that the FALCON had been overwhelmed by a huge wave.


RED FALCON never berthed in Fleetwood's Wyre Dock on the 15th as she was expected to.  
On the 16th of that month the villagers of Scarinish on Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, discovered wreckage including floorboards from the lifeboats, a rocket container box and lifejackets stamped with the missing vessel's name were washed up on the beach, RED FALCON was gone and nineteen men ( whose names are listed below) had lost their lives.


Ironically, Alex Hardy had not been in the best of health and was considering retiring. That trip, which he undertook as a favour to the vessel's owners, would have been his last. 

But there is a further twist to this tale. Benjamin (Benny) Thomas was a long serving Chief Engineer with Iago and was signed on RED FALCON. One day a fireman was lowering an ash bucket into the engine room and it became detached from the rope and struck Benjamin on the head. This meant a trip to the hospital when they docked. The following trip he was thrown from his bunk and injured his arm. "The vessel," he reckoned,  ".....was trying to tell me something." As a result he signed off and sailed with RED SABRE instead. The next time that  RED FALCON sailed she was lost with all hands.


The officers and crew of the protection vessel HMS ARMADA sent a cheque for £150.00 to the Mayor of Fleetwood for the relief fund, no small amount for naval personal in those days.






 	  	


The crew of the Red Falcon


Information courtesy of Fred W Hobbs and Denis Thomas





    Alex Hardy
    Skipper
    George Gloss
    Mate




    Jim Gorst
    Bosun
    J Carter
    Chief Engineer




    Jimmie Irvin
    Second Engineer
    J Mair
    Fireman




    J Smith
    Fireman
    G. McLoughlin
    Cook




    John Coultas
    Assistant Cook
    W Cooper
    Wireless Operator




    W. Deery
    Deckhand
    J McDaid
    Deckhand




    J Riches
    Deckhand
    J Blackburn
    Deckhand




    E Archer
    Deckhand
    G Harling
    Deckhand




    J Morely
    Deckhand
    J Preston
    Deckhand




    .
    J Read
    Deckhand
    .