The Bosun's Watch

Positional information courtesy of Captain Hilmar Snorrason
Goth crew information courtesy of the late Fred Hobbs

Technical

Official Number 148478
Yard Number 468
Pennant Number FY649
Launched June 08 1925
Registered August 20 1925
Gross Tonnage 394
Length 147.5 ft
Breadth 25.1 ft
Engine Amos & Smith
Speed 10.5 ft
Armament (WWII) 1 x 12 pdr
Built by Cook Welton & Gemmell, Beverley

History

8.6.1925: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.468) for Hellyer Bros Ltd, Hull as GOTH.
12.8.1925: Registered at Hull (H211).
20.8.1925: Completed.
1929: Fish carrier for halibut fishery in the Davis Strait, Greenland.
29.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out for minesweeping duties (P.No.FY.649) (Hire rate £152.13.6d/month).
11.1945: Returned.
12.1945: Sold to Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd, managers).
1946: Registered at Fleetwood (FD52).
4.12.1948: Sailed Fleetwood for Icelandis grounds with a crew of twenty one (Sk. Wilfred (Wink) Elliott).
10.12.1948: Trawling NW of Straumnaes, north west coast of Iceland in company with St. MELANTE (GY80).
11.12.1948: Storm, hauled and ran for shelter to Adalvik Bay.
13.12.1948: Reliable evidence that vessel was communicating by radio with other trawlers.
post13.12.1948: Presumed foundered NNW of Halo, 43 miles to NW of Straumnes, Iceland in position 66°59.8 N/24°28.9 W; all twenty-one crew lost.
23.2.1949: Posted missing.
14.4.1950: At BOT Formal Investigation (No. S.416), the Court found that the casualty was probably caused by heavy weather, but other possibilities, mine explosion, boiler explosion, bunker explosion, could not be excluded.

A wireless message from the GOTH stating her intention to seek shelter was picked up by the Grimsby vessel LINCOLN CITY.
Note: Goth was due to be renamed WYRE GALANT on her return.
On 15/11/1997 the Icelandic trawler HELGA (RE 49) picked up a funnel in her nets while fishing NNW of Halo. It was taken to Reykjavic and identified as part of the GOTH. The funnel has now been returned to Fleetwood where relatives of those who were lost intend to preserve it as a memorial

Skipper Wilfred (Wink) Elliot
Mate A. Plummer
Bosun W. Edwards
Chief Engineer G. Knight
Second Engineer A (Alf) Patterson
Wireless Operator S. Bowles
Fireman J. Beattie
Fireman T. Dagger
Cook H. Blyth
Assistant cook ??
Deckhand H. Buckley
Deckhand J. Davies
Deckhand W. Durbin
Deckhand N. Grisenthwaite
Deckhand E. Parker
Deckhand B. Redman
Deckhand H. Smith
Deckhand R. Snasdell
Deckhand J. Tandy
Deckhand R. Rhimes
Deckhand Albert Silcock

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Goth FD52
Picture courtesy of Peter Brady

S.T. Goth H211
Picture courtesy of Jonleif (TPF)

Goth memorial and funnel
Picture courtesy of Alan Duggan