sam boats

[Tony Frost]

Les memory playing tricks.PORT MACQUAIRIE was British built under War-Time restrictions(non-standard Port Boat)

[Gulliver]

Now 68 Years on........

MCA CG Survey Report(Sonar) HERE

[Tony Wilding]

WRECK OF SECTION OF MULBERRY HARBOUR.jpgre Sam Boat Richard Montgomery, she lies opposite Southend on Sea, where i live, less of her visible now, derricks all gone, used to fish around her in the mid fifties in my boat, about a 45 minute trip, bombs are still occasionally trawled up, another wartime relic is just east of Southend Pier, about one mile, virtually on the low tide mark a mile from the shore, a concrete section of Mulberry Harbour, broken in half, she broke away from the tug towing her to normandy,

[Les Woodard]

Les memory playing tricks.PORT MACQUAIRIE was British built under War-Time restrictions(non-standard Port Boat)

Thanks for clearing that up for me as I did say I did not think she was a sam ship but did have the ofset masts.

Tony used to live across the water from you on the Island and all my family still live there. Brother used to work on the fort U6 years ago when civilians where there to maintain them. See that they still remain standing minus all the walkways and such.

[Tony Wilding]

hi Les, the Red Sand and Shivering Sand Forts are still there, minus the walkways, a big wind farm there now, off Margate as well, Tongue Towers off Margate have fallen over and gone, they were a different design. good Bass fishing around the towers.

[Les Woodard]

Do not know if you have seen this before but it is a site about the forts.

The Maunsell Forts

Hope I have done it right.

[Tom Martin]

I too did my first trip as fifth engineer on a SAMBOAT in 1955 ( originally the SAMDEE ) was then owned and operated by T and J Brocklebank and named the S.S. Malabar she was a"happy" ship with several of the officers both deck and engine also sailling for first time on a WW2 American built vessel, took some getting used to the " ODD " sized nuts and bolts and finding the right spanners to fit same, however, after almost a year I sailed on her, many of the aforementioned fasteners had been changed out to UK sizes . Had a MAJOR stroke of luck prior to my second voyage to India all the foredeck American steam winches were replaced with Uk winches, this replacement for afterdeck machinery was repeated prior to voyage number three, being the deck engineer and part of my maintenance duties ( loved those " field " days ) I was delighted to say the least
tompaul70@comcast.net

[Don Rafferty]

Do not know if you have seen this before but it is a site about the forts.

The Maunsell Forts

Hope I have done it right.

A friend used to be an engineer on one of the forts during the pirate radio days. The only access was in a bosuns chair attached to a home made hoist - driven by a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine, these weren't the most reliable of engines on mowers in the summer, put them in the middle of the Thames Estuary in mid-winter and it was quite hairy!!

[Les Woodard]

Don when I went out there with the Bro's they where still in good nick so accessed them by the central ladder. As I was just a kid of about 13 it was like being in paradise being able to run around from tower to tower.

[Tony Wilding]

Les i believe the walkways were removed to stop the Pirate Radio Stations using them. we had 2 on the towers, radio 390, and radio London, further down river towards Clacton we had radio Caroline, that was an old ship ,the MI AMIGO eventually it sunk, then they got an ex Trawler and use that, ROSS REVENGE. was anchored close to the Shivering Sands. Mi_Amigo_.jpgradio caroline mv ross revenge.jpg