Deep sea rescue tugs of ww2

There is a lot to towing which a lot of people don’t understand and one has to keep a clear head and do this correctly , and suppose the best learning is experience. When towing on Ocean passages can be quite different than when towing in the likes of the North Sea . The wire and the depth of the North Sea which by ocean standards is quite shallow in parts . So one must be aware of the cantilever of the tow wire and the depth it is at , at all times in case snag the bottom . The depth of the wire will depend on the amount you have out , and is usual to have the tow as long as possible to save on wire damage and fuel consumption etc. Another one never ever steam on just the brake alone of the towing winch when I was mate I saw one master do this and the towline ran and the end disappeared over the tow bar , and we were sent home in disgrace . The wire itself should be Payed out or taken in a. Couple of feet every 4 hours or so to lessen the damage itself through a continuous rubbing on the tow bar., It’s a whole new siubject in seamanship..Might look easy on paper , in practice it is a skilled job.jS......

The steam powered. Assurance class rescue tugs were of 1350 Hp and the Envoy class with 2 boilers were1625 Hp.
The Bustler class were Diesel powered by 2 side by side 8 cyl British Polar engines coupled to one shaft and were 3,000 Hp.

:' Grey seas under' was written about the Foundation towing co. Halifax nova Scotia. author harley mouat. good reading!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arton

My father was on rescue tugs during ww2, based in campbeltown, Scotland and then Milford haven where his tug was involved in the PLUTO project.
I purchased "the Tatty Lads" book which is about the men of the merchant navy who served on these tugs, an interesting read.
What I have yet to discover is that did a rescue tug accompany each convoy. I have his medals, the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Africa stars, so he certainly got around. Did those rescue tugs escort convoys or just go out to rescue any ships that were nearing the end of their voyage?
All his salvage expertise was taught to him by Dutch salvage crews that had escaped from Holland with their tugs when Germany invaded.
Rgds
J.A.

---

Hi John,
I just found this site. My father Charles Kirk served as a liaison officer with another British seaman on a Dutch ocean going tug, in 1943. This vessel served the Western Approaches. Just as you describe also took part in operation Bambi which was the test run for operation Pluto.
Do you happen to know the name of this boat?
Dave

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Davidwpkirk

Hi John,
I just found this site. My father Charles Kirk served as a liaison officer with another British seaman on a Dutch ocean going tug, in 1943. This vessel served the Western Approaches. Just as you describe also took part in operation Bambi which was the test run for operation Pluto.
Do you happen to know the name of this boat?
Dave

---

David
I never had a chance to have any conversation with my father as he died when I was 10 years old, so the information regarding the Dutch tugs was given by my mother who lived in cambeltown when my father was on the tugs stationed there.
Rgds
J.A

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Arton

David
I never had a chance to have any conversation with my father as he died when I was 10 years old, so the information regarding the Dutch tugs was given by my mother who lived in cambeltown when my father was on the tugs stationed there.
Rgds
J.A

---

Dear John,
Thanks for responding. Yes, these details are starting to fade somewhat. I never thought about asking my father about such information when I had the chance. Probably my best option is to enquire with the MoD who have records of who served where and when. I will let you know what I find out.
Dave

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Davidwpkirk

Dear John,
Thanks for responding. Yes, these details are starting to fade somewhat. I never thought about asking my father about such information when I had the chance. Probably my best option is to enquire with the MoD who have records of who served where and when. I will let you know what I find out.
Dave

---

Hi
This may give you more insight into the issue. Not sure on the Tugs though, only one is mentioned in this Article the Tug Britannic.
Cheers
Hope this may help

Operation Pluto - Wikipedia

There seems to be a lot of information on all this at The National Archives in Kew. Many Packets of War Files and they are mostly all free to download, but you have to join the Archives first.
Not sure however if any would help, depends i guess on exactly what one is actually after.
Good Luck anyway
Cheers

The following may not open for you if you are not yet a Member ??
Search results: Operation Pluto | The National Archives

Does the follow up to the Admiralty tug Turmoil not go into any disclosures as to the past history of the tug service prior to 1952 , or was the Turmoil built after the war ? The ship she stood by in the western Approaches and the rapport between the mate off the tug and Captain Carlsen the master of the freighter before she sank in shallower water was well documented in the press at the time. The mate Dancy off the Turmoil was drowned at a much later date. There maybe other news connected with the Flying Enterprise story on Google just a thought. The story if found may go further into the RMAS and may find more knowledge there , unless you’ve already tried ?
JS

Was only a galley boy on the RFA Warden (a tug) and soon learnt how much a ship could move about in rough weather for sure. That book Grey Seas Under I have read it and near the end they charter a tug from the RFA called Samsonia. She was a sister tug to the Warden. Where old school ones especially for a poor bloody galley boy. No dish washers or spud cleaning gear. I was given an old tin with holes in it filled with soap cut offs to clean the pots and such like. A spud peeler plus having to pump up the oil for the stove lol. Did a few rescues in rough weather of course hence learning how to manage work making sandwiches for the crew along with the cook as to rough and dangerous to use the stove.

If as master on a freighter and in distress and requiring a tow and have no means of correspondence with the owners as regards payment for such service, it was the usual sequence of events that it was up to the master to arrange and the best option for this was to come to an agreement of a Lloyds Open form which was a no cure no pay agreement , and any salvage award if successful went to an Admiralty court for their recommendation on service payment. Otherwise a fixed amount of money decided between the master of the stricken vessel and the salvor the costs could be prohibitive but had to be paid as agreed. One must also remember that a vessel is under way when it is not at anchor , made fast to the shore or aground and during such time must always have someone on board e.g. the master otherwise the vessel becomes open to the first vessel who can get a line on her. Just come on this old post and a lot of unsaid information missing . JS
However this does not encompass wartime where most merchant vessels of various description come under government control who are then responsible for any losses.. JS