Technical

Completed: 1917
As Built: 360disp 125.6 x 23.5 x 12.8 feet
Gross Tonnage: 275
Net Tonnage: 107
Length: 125.5 ft
Breadth: 23.4 ft
Depth: 12.8 ft
Built: Smith’s Dock Co, Southbank-on-Tees
Engine: 480ihp T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

History

12.6.1917: Laid down.
17.9.1917: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.713) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as WILLIAM BEATTY (Ad.No.3534).
13.10.1917: Completed (1 – 12pdr, 1 – 7.5” A/S Howitzer and W/T).
4.5.1920: Sold by auction at Milford Haven to David Pettit, Hakin for £8000.
25.5.1920: Registered at London (LO359).
28.7.1920: Registered at London as CRESSWELL (LO359).
31.7.1920: London registry closed.
9.8.1920: Registered at Milford (M129).
1920: Transferred to D. Pettit Ltd, Milford Haven (David Pettitt, manager).
30.10.1928: Fishing the Porcupine Bank in bad weather. Trawler CAWDOR (M249) fishing forty miles away sprung a leak and despite crew efforts, ingress could not be stemmed.
31.10.1928: Sent SOS. In very heavy seas CRESSWELL (Sk. M. A. Smith) responded and stood by but after an hour it was decided to abandon the CAWDOR and the crew transferred to CRESSWELL in their own boat.
1.11.1928: CAWDOR foundered. Sk. Smith awarded a piece of plate by the BOT in recognition of his service.
16.11.1928: Damaged in storm.
8.1934: Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Basil A. Parkes, Cleveleys, manager).
11.1939: On a trip to West of Scotland grounds (Sk. George Bull); thirteen crew (total).
12.11.1939: At 7.00am. stopped by shell fire from U-boat (U.41) while trawling 18 miles NW by N of Flannan Islands. Crew abandoned vessel on liferaft (10), smashed boat (2) and lifebelt (1) and later vessel sunk by gunfire (approx 58.39N 07.36W) (at least 20 rounds). After two hours submarine returned and took survivors, eight in number onboard but one man subsequently died; six men lost*. In late afternoon off St. Kilda, closed steam trawler PHYLLISIA (FD148) returning to Fleetwood and at 4.42pm. transferred the seven men ^.
14.11.1939: Survivors landed at Fleetwood.
13.12.1939: Milford registry closed “Sunk by enemy action”.
(*Lost – George Thomas Andrews (37), Third Hand; Phillip Killey, Ch Eng; Frederick Kirby (45) and James Larter (36), Deckhands; Thomas Gately (40) and Stanley Lazenby, Firemen/Trimmers.
^Survivors – Sk. George Bull; William Faussett, Mate; Frederick Lee (16) Deck Boy; plus four more)
(William Beatty, Surgeon, age 32, b. St. Andrews, Scotland – VICTORY (SB908))

Changelog
13/05/2012: Page published. 5 updates since then.
06/02/2020: Updated information.