Tag Archives: War Loss

s.v. Sunrise FD147

Technical

Official Number: 97926
Completed: 1891
Gross tonnage : 56
Net Tonnage: 56n
Length: 69.3 ft
Breadth: 18.7 ft
Depth: 9.05 ft
Rig: Ketch – trawling
Built: ??, Galhampton

History

1891: Completed by ??, Galhampton for Edward J. Wren, 77 Bevan St, Lowestoft, as SUNRISE.
16.9.1891: Registered at Lowestoft (LT432).
1911: Sold to Thomas Fairclough, 107 Mount Street, Fleetwood (The Sunrise Fishing Co Ltd, Fleetwood) (John N. Ward, manager).
5.5.1911: Lowestoft registry closed.
18.5.1911: Registered at Fleetwood (FD147).
1912: Magnus B.J. Wedum appointed manager.
3.10.1913: Tonnage altered to 24.46net. New Fishing Certificate issued.
10.3.1918: Fishing 18 miles SE from Maughold Head, stopped by U-boat (UC75) and sunk by bombs. Crew took to boat.
13.3.1918: Fleetwood registry closed.

Additional information courtesy of Adrian Corkill (Dictionary of Shipwrecks off the Isle of Man)

The Manx fishing smack Marguerite, under Skipper Tommy Lee, was bound from Bangor for Douglas. At 5 pm on 9th March 1918, she encountered a German submarine when she was about midway between Anglesey and the Isle of Man. On seeing Marguerite the submarine began shelling her, taking her to be a decoy, as at the time the smack had no registration number and was carrying all her sail. After a couple of shots Marguerite stayed and made towards the submarine, but still the shelling continued. One of the crewmen, Dicky Lee, held up a truce signal, but was dismayed to find that the German’s fired a bullet clean through it.
Tommy Lee, meanwhile, ordered all the canvas to be lowered, and as the submarine came closer, he held up his hand and the shelling stopped. When the submarine was alongside the smack two German officers boarded her and stripped off some of the sails taking it to the submarine. This was intended to be makeshift bedding for the prisoners. They then placed a bomb on the smack and took off her three crew. Marguerite foundered 25 miles N 1/4 E of Beaumaris.
The submarine submerged and lay on the seabed for several hours before cruising off in search of its next victim. The submarine commander then asked to see Tommy Lee and proceeded to conduct a lengthy interrogation through the use of an interpreter. When the commander discovered the smack was not being used for military purposes and was from the Isle of Man (home to many thousands of German prisoners of war), he was much more sympathetic to the crew.
When again the submarine surfaced the fishing smack Sunrise, of Fleetwood, was halted and went the same way as Marguerite, by use of a bomb 18 miles southeast of Maughold Head. This was twenty three hours after the Marguerite had been sunk. Together, the crews of Sunrise and Marguerite, seven in number, were bundled into Sunrise’s small boat, and were set off in the direction of St Bee’s Head, 14 miles distant. The Germans had given the seamen some food and a compass to ease the journey and the unfortunate seamen eventually landed at Whitehaven.

Changelog
07/01/2009: Page published. 3 updates since then.

S.T. Strathgairn A251

Technical

Official Number: 137164
Yard Number: 565
Completed: 1915
Gross Tonnage: 211
Net Tonnage: 93
Length: 115.6 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 12.1 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen
Built: Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen

History

1915: Launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen (Yd.No.565) for Aberdeen Steam Trawling & Fishing Co Ltd, Aberdeen (John Brown, manager) as STRATHGAIRN.
3.1915: Completed. Requisitioned by The Admiralty from the builders.
23.3.1915: Commissioned as a minesweeper (1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.1366).
24.3.1915: Registered at Aberdeen (A251). Based Dover.
By 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Aberdeen.
1938: W. Rhind appointed manager.
1940: Fishing from Fleetwood.
14.7.1941: Mined about 20 miles SW of Barra Head. Five crew MPK*. Six crew picked up and landed at Stornoway.
19.7.1941: Aberdeen registry closed “ Vessel sunk 14.7.1941”.

(MPK* – H. Ashton; H. J. Brown; E. W. Curtis; F. C. Dawkins; T. Reid)

Changelog

07/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.

S.T. Stoic GY1015

Technical

Official Number: 109845
Yard Number: 445
Completed: 1899
Gross Tonnage: 200
Net Tonnage: 69
Length: 115.1 ft
Breadth: 21.5 ft
Depth: 11.2 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull (engine made 1894 fitted 1899)
Built: Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull

History

19.12.1898: Launched by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Hull (Yd.No.445) for The Grimsby Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby as STOIC.
20.1.1899: Registered at Grimsby (GY1015).
1.1899: Completed (George E. J. Moody, manager).
1907: Fishing from Fleetwood.
1915: Defensively armed.
10.7.1917: Stopped by U-boat (U.53) 55 miles S by W of south point of the island of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands and sunk by gunfire. Crew abandoned in boat and later taken to Suðuroy.
14.8.1917: Grimsby registry closed “Sunk by a Submarine”.

Changelog
07/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
06/08/2021: Amended position for loss.

S.T. Sola FD369

Technical

Official Number: 141954
Yard Number: 454
Completed: 1920
Gross Tonnage: 226.84
Net Tonnage: 92
Length: 123.3 ft
Breadth: 22.1 ft
Depth: 11.6 ft
Engine: T.3-cyl by W. Beardmore & Co Ltd, Coatbridge
Built: J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen

History

4.2.1920: Launched by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen (Yd.No.454) for New Docks Steam Trawling Co (Fleetwood) Ltd, Fleetwood as SOLA.
20.4.1920: Registered at Fleetwood (Part I & Part IV) O.N.141954 (FD369).
4.1920: Completed. Joseph A. Taylor designated manager.
1924: William W. Brierley appointed manager.
12.1924: Arrived Torshavn, Faroe from Fleetwood (Sk. Benjamin D. Holt) with replacement propeller for GLADYS (FD423) which has lost her propeller on 13.12.1924 when fouled by trawl warp. Picked up by Norwegian steamer NOREFJORD (3082grt/1920), delivered Torshavn and beached. With only a small tidal difference at low water it was not possible to fit propeller. Decided to tow back to Fleetwood. In bad weather and with very limited food supplies the tow took five and a half days with the hawser parting twice.
13.7.1926: Sold to Harley & Miller Ltd, Liverpool.
23.7.1926: Fleetwood registry closed.
28.7.1926: Registered at Liverpool (LL45). Richard H. Jones, Wallasey designated manager.
1935: Sold to William Carnie Jnr, Glasgow.
31.12.1935: Liverpool registry closed. Registered at Granton as ZELOS (GN45). William Carnie Jnr, Glasgow designated managing owner.
1936: About 29 miles SW x W from Cape Wrath picked up boat with crew of steam trawler CHANCELLOR (A206) which had foundered. Survivors landed at Granton as Aberdeen closed due to severe weather.
18.12.1939: Foundered 112 miles E by N of May Island, Firth of Forth after being bombed and damaged by German air attack. Granton registry closed.

Changelog
07/01/2009: Page published. 4 updates since then.
04/08/2021: Updated history and technical details.

S.T. Sea Ranger FD426

Technical

Official Number: 136214
Yard Number: 609
Completed: 1914
Gross Tonnage: 263
Net Tonnage: 103
Length: 125.2 ft
Breadth: 22.5 ft
Depth: 12.2 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith Ltd, Hull

History

25.7.1914: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.609) for Humber Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as SEA RANGER.
6.11.1914: Registered at Hull (H188).
11.11.1914: Completed (Richard H. Hobbs, manager).
2.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-6pdr HA) (Ad.No.1219). Fitted as Leader. Based Peterhead. Leader Unit 42.
16.7.1915: Unit 42, at 0830 am. in position 57.20N 0.40E patrolling in a rough line to the NW in the following order SEA RANGER(Lieut. H. J. Bray RNR), EASTWARD HO (Ad.No.1217)(H415) and CAMEO (Ad.No.1216) (H394) (Sk. Albert Sayer RNR) approximately 2 miles apart. Observed a steamer steering erratically and detached to close her to investigate. Found Norwegian steamer VAAGEN picking up lumber lost from her deck cargo. At the same time CAMEO turned southwards to examine a boat that had passed and sighted a surfaced submarine to the SW steaming towards him, turned towards submarine which fired a shot at him falling short followed by at least four other shots that also fell short. At 2000yds submarine opened fire with two guns, returned fire but hit three times in fore part of wheelhouse, smashing wheel and wounding Sk. Sayer on right side and eye by splinters. Second shot hit starboard quarter while the third shot exploded in the galley. Believed that submarine was hit two or three times at the fore end, in all 11 rounds fired by CAMEO. EASTWARD HO becoming aware of the action steered towards them and submarine ceased firing and headed away to the westward on the surface. Sighted the submarine 4 to 5 miles to the southwestwards and gave chase trying to cut her off with EASTWARD HO also in pursuit but due to superior speed the submarine escaped (* See Note 1).
1916: Based Peterhead.
27.5.1916: With HMTrawlers OKU (Ad.No.1355)(CF25), RODINO (Ad.No.1230)(GY836) and KIMBERLEY (Ad.No.11)(GY167) patrolling Area B between Lat 57.10 and 57.39. At 12.30 pm. GMT observed a sail and smoke to the Northward steering Eastward; proceeded to investigate. Identified as a submarine, as per orders Unit proceeded to encircle submarine. At 12.45 pm. in position 57.10N 1.20E with OKU and RODINO , opened fire at 4000 yds, range found and one shot observed to strike submarine aft; fire returned directing shots at each trawler alternatively. Submarine after gun ceased firing engaged by forward gun but shots failing short, with periscope and part conning tower shot away and listing to port, appeared to be attempting to submerge. With OKU intended to ram but submarine headed for KIMBERLEY which made ramming impossible as submarine was was approaching within 8 ft of KIMBERLEY, broadside on with very little way on. As KIMBERLEY passed she fired three shots into the submarine at point blank range, submarine at the time being heeled over heavily to port sinking stern first. Submarine sank at once after last shot fired with a large quantity of oil on the surface. Time 1.30 pm. Unit fired 58 shots in all and submarine about 20. (** See Note 2). Northern Patrol.
Post 12.3.1919: Returned to owner at Hull.
4.12.1919: Sold to Fresh Fish Supplies Ltd, Hull (Thomas Nightingale, manager).
4.1923: Sold to Henry Elliott, Fleetwood (managing owner).
13.4.1923: Hull registry closed.
18.4.1923: Registered at Fleetwood (FD426).
08.07.1923: Sold to The Sun Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (James W. Armitage, manager).
4.6.1926: Fishing near Clachaig Point, Arran. Arrested by Scottish Fishery Board cruiser VIGILANT (Capt Simpson) after a 15 mile chase having refused to stop and having name and number of vessel obscured.
10.8.1926: At Rothesay Sheriff Court, Sk. George Hughes pleaded guilty to both charges and in view of previous convictions was fined £20 on the first charge, £50 on the second with the alternative of 40 days/three months imprisonment.
4.1928: Sold to The Trident Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull (G. A. Ledger, manager).
18.4.1928: Fleetwood registry closed.
20.4.1928: Registered at Hull as DUNGENESS (H418).
25.7.1939: Insured value £4,800.
5.1940: Requisitioned for war service as an anti-submarine trawler (P.No.NI) (Hire rate £70.2.8d/month).
15.11.1940: Damaged by German air attack off Hammonds Knoll, stayed afloat and beached on Haisborough Sands, Norfolk; Ty/Prob Skipper C. W. Needham RNR and crew saved. Subsequently declared a total loss.
16.1.1947: Hull registry closed.

*Note 1: Research by Peter Bell and Michael Lowery has identified the submarine as U19. In her KTB she claimed two hits on CAMEO and accurate firing from CAMEO’s 3-pdr. Sk. Sayer was awarded DSC and gunner the DSM.

**Note 2 : Despite this encounter being well recorded in the Patrol Reports, and the description of the submarine fitting a U-series torpedo attack boat, we have failed to identify the submarine. Michael Lowery has investigated with the following comment. “May 27 incident involving SEA RANGER, OKU, RODINO, and KIMBERLEY: checked the KTBs of U 24, U 32, U 43, U 44, U 46, U 47, U 51, U 52, U 63, U 66, U 67, U 70 — no luck. These are, I think, all the U-series torpedo attack boats that were at sea at that time.” Subsequently in U66 KTB is a report of intercepting a British radio message “… proceeding to fifty seven twenty seven — to assist SEA RANGER engaging submarine.”

Click to enlarge image

S.T. Dungeness H418

S.T. Dungeness H418
Picture from the Internet

Changelog
04/01/2009: Page published. 5 updates since then.
16/09/2015: Picture added.
30/07/2017: Removed FMHT watermark.
31/07/2021: Updated history.