The Bosun's Watch

Technical

Official Number: 128748
Yard Number: 400
Completed: 1909
Gross Tonnage: 219
Net Tonnage: 85
Length: 117.4 ft
Breadth: 21.6 ft
Depth: 11.8 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Shields Engineering Co Ltd, North Shields
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields

History

7.1.1909: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, North Shields (Yd.No.400 ) for Thomas G. Hancock, Hakin & John D. Harries, Milford Haven as SOLVA.
2.1909: Completed (Thomas G. Hancock managing owner).
23.2.1909: Registered at Milford (M22).
24.12.1912: Off St. Ann’s Head (Sk.Robert M. Limbrick) in gale force winds shipped heavy sea and carried away boat.
4.10.1913: At Castletown, Berehaven, Co Cork landed Ch. Eng Albert Mathias who had sustained a fractured skull and broken jaw when caught by the main engine.
3.1914: Sold to Hudson Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Charles Hudson, manager).
23.5.1914: Milford registry closed.
25.5.1914: Registered at Fleetwood (FD32).
25.6.1914: Registered at Fleetwood as AGNES WICKFIELD (FD32).
8.1914: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-3pdr and W/T) (Ad.No.125). Based Devonport.
13.4.1918: Sold to New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
1919: Returned to owner.
1924: William W. Brierley appointed manager.
1938: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (William Brierley, manager).
11.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.727) (Hire rate £54.15.0d/month).
12.1945: Returned to owner.
11.1953: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up.
2.12.1952: Arrived at Preston.
1953: Fleetwood registry closed.

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Technical

Official Number: 166657
Yard Number: 1239
Completed: 1942
Gross Tonnage: 380
Net Tonnage: 142
Length: 147.8 ft
Breadth: 25.1 ft
Depth: 13.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Charles D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

10.1.1941: Ordered. A/S trawler based on commercial GULLFOSS.
11.7.1941: Keel laid.
8.10.1941: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1239) (“Fish” class) for The Admiralty as BONITO (P.No. T.231).
3.4.1942: Completed as a minesweeper (1-4”, 3-20mm).
27.2.1947: Sold to Consolidated Fisheries Ltd, Grimsby. Registered at Grimsby as BLAEFELL (GY456).
6.1.1955: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
1.1955: Grimsby registry closed.
1.1955: Registered at Fleetwood (FD40).
28.6.1956: Company taken over by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood. (Fred Parkes, Blackpool, manager).
5.9.1956: Sold to B. Gelcer & Co (Proprietary) Ltd, Cape Town.
1956: Fleetwood registry closed.
1956: Registered at Cape Town (CTA387).
12.1956: Renamed BENJAMIN GELCER (CTA387).
Pre 1966: Company sold to Irvin & Johnson Ltd, Cape Town, who became managers.
2.1967: Stripped of all useable parts and non-ferrous metal and scuttled off Cape Town.

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Technical

Admiralty Number: 3790
Official Number: 136152
Yard number: 115
Completed: 1919
Gross Tonnage: 280
Net Tonnage: 113
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.5 ft
Depth: 12.7 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by McKie & Baxter, Glasgow
Built: G. Brown & Co, Greenock

History

21.2.1919: Launched by G. Brown & Co, Greenock (Yd.No.115) (“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as GEORGE GREAVES.
1919: Sold to Izaak Walton Fishing Co Ltd, Swansea (Crawford Heron, manager).
12.5.1919: Completed. Registered at Swansea (SA6).
1920: Sold to Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Grimsby (John D. Marsden, manager).
30.4.1923: Renamed RAGLAN CASTLE (SA6).
9.1927: Owners restyled Consolidated Fisheries Ltd (Sir John D Marsden, Bart, manager).
30.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.631) Mediterranean Command (Hire rate £87.10.0d/month).
21.1.1944: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
31.5.1944: Completed MOWT service.
1.6.1944: Chartered to Government of Ceylon, Colombo.
20.9.1947: Swansea registry closed.
1948: Sold to Government of Ceylon, Colombo.

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Technical

Official Number: 145723
Yard Number: 776
Completed: 1923
Gross Tonnage: 299
Net Tonnage: 114
Length: 130.3 ft
Breadth: 24 ft
Depth: 12.9 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

History

18.1.1923: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.776) for Neale & West Ltd, Cardiff as OYAMA.
3.1923: Completed. Registered at Cardiff (CF10).
1930: Sold to Saxon Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, managers).
11.1930: Cardiff registration closed.
12.11.1930: Registered at Fleetwood (FD122).
13.12.1930: Renamed DOROTHY LAMBERT (FD122).
Pre1935: Sold to The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
2.1940: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No. FY.558)(Hire rate £108.7.9d/month).
3.1944: Fitted out for dan laying and assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings.
23.5.1944: Attached to the15th Minesweeping Flotilla as a dan layer.
3.7.1944: Operation Neptune ended.
2.1946: Returned to owner after restoration and survey at Fleetwood .
10.1954: Stranded off west coast of Scotland for 6 hours but refloated (Sk. Arthur Peak).
30.3.1955: At MoT formal inquiry at Fleetwood the court found Sk. Arthur Peak had failed to make sure a competent officer was in charge of the bridge during a potentially dangerous passage through enclosed water. Sk. Peak had been cautioned three times since 1946 for stranding ships; his ticket was suspended for twelve months.
10.1955: Sold to Van Heyghen Freres S.A., Ghent for breaking up.
25.11.1955: Delivered Ghent.

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Technical

Official Number: 141959
Yard Number: 579
Completed: 1920
Gross Tonnage: 257
Net Tonnage: 100
Length: 125.6 ft
Breadth: 23.1 ft
Depth: 12.6 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

17.8.1920: Launched by A. Hall & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.579) for The New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood as GAVA.
12.10.1920: Registered at Fleetwood (FD380).
10.1920: Completed (Joseph A. Taylor, manager).
1924: William W. Brierley appointed manager.
16.7.1932: Laid up for 36 hours NEbyW of St. Kilda with leaking boiler tubes and water in the stokehold. Effected temporary repair and returned to Fleetwood. SEA SWEEPER (FD171) in radio contact.
20.10.1935: Off Barra, assistance rendered by Barra Island lifeboat LLOYD’S.
17.2.1939: Sold the The Clifton Steam Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood.
27.11.1939: Requisitioned for war service and appointed for boom defence duties.
30.11.1939: Returned.
Pre 4.1940: Employed on Fishery Protection (WA/Fort William/Fleetwood).
27.5.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an anti submarine trawler (P.No. 4.14 ) (Hire rate £83.10.6d/month).
4.6.1940: At Dunkirk evacuation (Operation Dynamo)(Sk. F. Day) transported 502 troops.
2.1942: Fitted out as a minesweeper.
9.1942: Engaged in target towing.
6.1946: Reclassed at Liverpool and returned to owner.
24.8.1946: Re-measured 256g 99n.
22.2.1949: Took WILLIAM MANNELL (LO370) in tow after refloating from stranding at Glengad Head, Co. Donegal. WILLIAM MANNELL sank under tow 21/2 miles E of Dunmore Head off Portaleen, Co. Donegal; crew saved.
1.11.1950: Sold to Stroud’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (George D. W. Stroud, manager).
29.3.1951: Fleetwood registry closed.
4.1951: Registered at Aberdeen (A676).
1954: Horace E. Stroud appointed manager.
1956: Went ashore on the Pentland Skerries; part crew rescued by ENTERPRISE (WK229). Refloated and towed to Lyness.
1959: Sold to B. J. Nijkerk S.A., Antwerp for breaking up.
31.12.1959: Delivered Boom.

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