Deep sea rescue tugs of ww2

[Charlotte Colmans]

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

Hello,

My grandpa was Captain of HMT Stormking (amongst other rescue tugs) during WW2 and your post piqued my interest at the mention of Samsonia. I wanted to share a section of his autobiography, if it would be of any interest. I’ve included the limited timeline of his service that I managed to compile based on his booklet, the National Archives and his paperwork.

“I left "Dexterous" and proceeded to Campbeltown where I was appointed to "Eminent", a new arrival from the USA to relieve Lieut. "Tim" Phillips R.N.R. This was a different type of rescue tug to the British design. Twin diesel engines to a single shaft, 1,875 b.h.p., towing winch and the usual extra fittings and fixtures for comfort and ease of work. The engines were remote controlled from the bridge. We went to Greenock to swing compasses. check deguassing and a visit by Commander Parker R.N.R. from Glasgow.
She was a very easy craft to handle, immediate response ahead/astern, excellent towing gear. We left the Clyde and proceeded to Fairlie to pick up a dummy submarine target and tow it to Campbeltown. The following day, we sailed from Campbeltown with "Samsonia" in command of Lieut. Commander O.Jones. R.N.R., to Moville and await further orders. Anchored of Moville, Lough Foyle and received instructions to proceed to a position about five hundred miles west of us to the assistance of H.M.S. "Harvester" which had been torpedoed. We had two Flower Class Corvettes as escort. Off we went, full ahead into a heavy sea/swell and it was not too long after sailing that our escorts were left astern on the horizon, we were asked to slow down and complied. When fairly near to the position given, we were informed that "Harvester" had sunk and to proceed to another position where "Six" vessels were reported sinking. We found one at dusk, an abandoned vessel and s/s "Coulmore" lying beam on to sea and swell, propeller out of the water, bow deep down forward and with each roll, water spurted out of the No. 1 hatch. We all lay-to for the night and a party from one of the corvettes boarded the vessel and we both, "Samsonia" and I, connected our towing gear and commenced towing. I know that, in a short sentence it sounds easy, but it did require a considerable amount of skill and cooperation from both the tug crews and the boarding party. The vessel was yawing a bit but settled down after awhile and it was not too bad. I parted my towline once and had to re-connect which was quite a job with "Samsonia's" gear in the way, but we soon got underway again. We had a distance of some 500 miles to go and when near to our destination "Samsonia" left and on a shortened towline, I took her to a buoy off Rothesay and then took off to Gourock. On arrival, I had to report to Commdr. Parker at Glasgow.
Having spent a considerable amount of time on the bridge, I was looking to a nice 'night in' but that was not to be. I was ordered to proceed forthwith to Hull to commission a new tug.“

21/02/1941 - entered as sub lieutenant
06/03/1941 - HMS Salvonia
12/08/1941 - Campbeltown > Reykjavik
Jan 1942 - HMS St Mellons
8/9 Nov. 1942 - Operation Torch - Algiers
Nov 1942 - HMT Dexterous W111
1943 - HMT Eminent W116
29 March 1943 - HMT Stormking
North Atlantic convoys
Gibraltar
Sept 1943 - 40th escort force
February 1944 - HMS Woodpecker tow
Feb - May 1944 - Tilbury - Mulberry Harbour towing
June 1944 - Italy - HMT Frisky
October 1944 - towed HMS Loyal to Ancona
October 1944 - Naples - declared unfit (Influenza)

The booklet is a letter to a colleague of his named Bill who he wrote to after the war. My grandfather was great friends with a fellow merchant officer named Stanley ‘Johnny’ Potter who perished on Adherent.

I would be grateful for any of your thoughts and equally happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thanks

Charlotte

[Des Jenkins]

Hi Charlotte
My brother was on the tanker Athel Chief during the invasion of Italy, he spent around five months in the Med in 44. ships that pass in the night.
Des