The Bosun's Watch

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Strath Class
Picture courtesy of John Lambert - Ships Monthly magazine (1983)

Strath Class GA

Strath Class GA

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Mersey Class
Picture courtesy of John Lambert - Ships Monthly magazine (1983)

Mersey Class GA

Mersey Class GA

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Castle Class
Picture courtesy of John Lambert - Ships Monthly magazine (1983)

Castle Class GA

Castle Class GA

Northern Reward

Article courtesy of Brian S. Lowe Formerly Lt.Cdr.R.N.V.R

As a member of the Navy Records Society I have recently received the latest book issued by the Society – The Defeat of the Enemy Attack on Shipping 1939-1945. From the Introduction to this book it appears that you would like to have any information which might be useful in supplementing your records. In 1941 I was involved in an incident which might be of interest to you.

On page 262 of the book there is reference to the sinking of U-47 by HMS Wolverine on 8 March 1941 but on Page xlix there is an amendment to this which shows that U-47 was sunk on 7 March 1941 in a probable accident north of Rockall. At that time I was serving in HMT Northern Reward on the Northern Patrol based on Kirkwall. We used to be on patrol for about ten days and then have four days rest in harbour, usually Kirkwall. In February 1941 we made two patrols off the south coast of Iceland during which we had remarkably fine weather. We were returning from the second of these patrols when the incident occurred. Regrettably I am not sure of the exact date when it happened but I believe that it was on 1 March 1941 or a day or so later.

On that day I had the afternoon watch and initially the weather was fine with little wind. During the course of the afternoon we passed an abandoned freighter with a name ending with ‘pool `which was listing badly and had probably been torpedoed which indicated that U-boats had been in the area. Towards the end of my watch the wind began to increase and the sea to get up. At four o’clock I was relieved and went below but shortly after the action station alarm bell went and I went to the bridge where I was told that a submarine’s periscope had been sighted and that the Asdic operator had reported a good echo which he was able to hold.

I was Asdic officer and took over the attack but by this time the wind was beginning to freshen fast and the sea was getting rough which made it progressively more difficult for the Asdic operator to keep in contact with his target. However we made four or five attacks dropping a pattern of five depth charges each time. After the last attack contact was lost with the target but on returning to the scene we ran through a large patch of oil on the water which smelt strongly . We did not see any wreckage but by then it was dark and getting very rough, so much so that we had to withdraw the depth charge thrower parties from the deck as large seas were coming aboard and threatening them.

We thought that our attack might well have been successful in at least damaging the U-boat but we were by no means certain. The trace on the Asdic recorder looked reasonably good and the patch of oil could have indicated that we had done some damage although we had been told that U-boats sometimes discharged oil to fool their attackers into thinking that they had been damaged.

On our return to Kirkwall the C.O. reported the incident to the Senior Officer Northern Trawlers but we heard no more so the powers-that-were obviously considered that our attack was unsuccessful. However I have always wondered if they were correct and when I saw that U-47 went missing in the area at about the same time I thought that maybe we were successful after all. I would add that, if we had damaged the U-boat to the extent that it had to surface it might have sunk because the storm that followed was the worst I experienced during my time at sea and lasted for 18 hours. We were told that when it hit the Orkneys the wind was recorded at over 100 knots.

After nearly 60 years I cannot remember the exact position where this incident took place but I think that we were about half way between our patrol position 20 miles or so south of Öraefrajökul in Iceland and Cape Wrath which we had to make for to avoid minefields. This would have put us some distance to the north of Rockall where it is thought that U-47 was sunk.

I do not know if Northern Reward’s log book is retained in the Admiralty’s archives but, if it is, the date and position of this incident would recorded in it. Another record which might still exist is the C.O.’s report on the attack made to the Senior Officer of Northern Trawlers.

On another matter, in November 1941 I was serving in H.M.S. Vidette based in Gibraltar and on 13 November we were sent out from Gibraltar to screen H.M.S.Ark Royal which had been torpedoed to the east of Gibraltar. It was a nasty shock to learn next morning that the Ark had just sunk.

Information courtesy of David Shuttleworth

Arthur Walker Shuttleworth was born in Scultcoates, Hull, Yorkshire, in 1887, to parents Samuel Shuttleworth and Rose Howell. The family moved to Fleetwood at the turn of the 19th century and most commenced work in the fledgling fishing industry.

Arthur married Jennette Wilson in 1910 and lived in Warwick Place and then Carr Road. They had 2 children John (the father of David who was good enough to provide this information in) in 1911 and Nora in 1916.

Arthur was called upon for active service at the outbreak of hostilities and remained in the RNR until the war’s end. However, one documented action occurred on March 9th, the sinking of SS Silverdale .
Arthur Shuttleworth was sailing as master of HMT Clementina II during the First World War. It was during this period that he was instrumental in rescuing the crew of the SS Silverdale in a position that would seem to put her off Corsica. I am quite happy to be corrected on this. In the picture below, Arthur is seated holding the fish.

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Arthur Shuttleworth

Captain Shuttleworth was subsequently presented with quite an ornate, medium sized, teapot with the inscription…

“Presented to Capt. A. Shuttleworth in recognition of gallant services rendered to Capt. McLeod and his crew, of the transport Silverdale, March 9th 1918″ .

After WW1 he fished out of Fleetwood until his death in 1947. He skippered many vessels for Boston and Clifton Steam Trawlers and delivered the steam trawler Bonthorpe to Australia in 1929

Two pictures of HMT Clementina II

The following items are three letters from Captain McLeod, master of the Silverdale.

D.V.T.O.

Dear Sir
On March 9th at 00:35am, a torpedo was seen approaching the SS Silverdale on the port side forward, by my second officer Mr. J. Jappy, which struck the vessel abreast the foremast on about No 1 bulkhead port side, causing her to sink down forward rapidly.
I immediately rung the telegraph to stop and rung her off, as a signal to the engineers to come on deck. The boats were then quickly lowered into the water, and manned by the crew, and finally myself, as vessel was rapidly sinking. She disappeared about 2 minutes after we got into the boats, sinking bows foremost in Lat.37.31N by 10.40E at about 00:44am.
Great praise is due to the master of HMT Clementina II, Mr A. Shuttleworth, for the promptness and seamanlike manner in which he steamed to the scene of the disaster. and picked us up from our lifeboats within 5 minutes of the sinking of SS Silverdale, and the kind treatment provided to us, with food and clothing.

Yours Faithfully Capt. W. Mcleod

Achany Rd.
Dingwall
RossShire
20/6/18

Dear Capt Shuttleworth
Your very kind letter, and photo of your good self and ship at last at hand, after tracking me from Shildon to Lockinver, Sunderlandshire, hence here, for which accept our united thanks dear boy.
You may be sure that they will be highly appreciated for many years to come, by us and co.
I do hope that they will at least leave you at home, for 6 months, after being on active duty for 2½ years.
I am gradually moving south to my Cardiff home, and when my little girl and I get our dials taken, we shall not forget another little home at 41 Carr Road, Fleetwood.
I shall now close with Kind Regards from my little wife and self, to each of you.

Norfolk Hotel
Paddington, London
19/4/18
Dear Madam

Herewith please fnd a small token of esteem, in recognition of a brave, unselfish action rendered by your husband in picking up myself and crew, a few minutes after being torpedoed, on March 9th, on this year, at midnight.
I have put this brave action, before the Admiralty, both at Bizerta, London and Cardiff, and my owners are putting the matter before the proper Authorities.
I am now on my honeymoon, and my wife, and self wish you to accept this small gift from ourselves.
Yours Sincerely Wm. Mcleod
Late Master SS Silverdale

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HMT Clementina

HMT Clementina