September The Third - MERCHANT NAVY DAY

[Keith at Tregenna]

New Video Marks the Stoicism of Those at Sea in the First World War for Merchant Navy Day

UK – To mark this year's Merchant Navy Day (September 3rd) the maritime charity, the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, which has supported fishermen, mariners and their dependants since 1839, has released a video exploring the spirited determination and indomitable courage of the Mercantile Marine and Fishing Fleets during World War One.

https://www.handyshippingguide.com/s...-navy-day_9341

“Assessing the reasons for the Allied victory in the First World War, it is widely agreed that civilian food supply was the ultimate deciding factor. That the calorie intake at the end of the war was almost at pre-war levels despite the loss of merchant ships from enemy action, and the competition for carrying capacity from the imports of weapons, munitions and men to enable us to fight was due to the stoicism and heroism of our Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets.

“This is something not a lot of people know about these days and we are hopeful our film will go some way to raising awareness of the sacrifice of our merchant seamen and fishermen, without which the outcome of the war could have been very different.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WfI...ature=youtu.be

[Captain Kong]

The RED ENSIGN Is Flying from the top of the Town Hall in Bolton.
Brian

[eric fisher]

Doc, I wear my M.N. Veteran's Badge proudly every day, still tagging poppies in Nov., it's my payback to shipmates who didn't make it home.

Captain K. I have memories and many details of a fisherman who was lost on the trawler Goth about 1949. Know you frequent Fleetwood often. Think we could exchange some memories of that time. He was from Newton le Willows Cheers, Eric

[Captain Kong]

Hi Eric,
here is the crew list of all the men who were lost when the GOTH sank in December 1948,
the Wireless operator was Stanley Bowles age 19 of Newton-le-Willows

* Lost (all Fleetwood unless stated):
Skipper: Wilfred (Wink) Elliot aged 36, Warbreck Hill Rd, Blackpool
Mate: A. E. Plummer, aged 47, Preston
Bosun: John Edwards, aged 35, Hathaway Place, Fleetwood
Chief Engineer: G. H. Knight, aged 52, Garfield Rd Fleetwood
2nd Engineer: Alfred Patterson, aged 24, Dock St Fleetwood
Wireless Operator: Stanley Bowles, aged 19, Newton-le-Willows
Fireman: Thomas Dagger, aged 25, Springfield Terrace, Fleetwood
Fireman: Harvey Ramsden, aged 24, Layton Blackpool
Fireman: J. Beattie, aged 24, Liverpool
Cook: H. P. Blyth, aged 51, Bolton
Assistant Cook: Albert Silcock, aged 20, Preston
Deckhand: Ernest Parker (DSM) aged 28, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: John Tandy, aged 27, Victoria St. Fleetwood
Deckhand: Harry Buckley, aged 24, Carr Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: William Durbin, aged 26, Shakespeare Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Norman Grisenthwaite, aged 24, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Harry Smith, aged 23, Heathfield Rd Fleetwood
Deckhand: Richard Snasdell, aged 23, Oak St Fleetwood
Deckhand: Benjamin Redman, aged 27, Blackiston St Fleetwood
Deckhand: J. Davies, aged 60, Gordon Rd Fleetwood
Brassie: Robert Rhimes, aged 16, Broomfield Rd Fleetwood

this is from the ……………………THE BOSUNS WATCH, THE FLEETWOOD SAIL AND STEAM TRAWLER WEB SITE.
S.T. Goth FD52

Positional information courtesy of Captain Hilmar Snorrason
Goth crew information courtesy of the late Fred Hobbs
Additional information courtesy of Hull Trawlers

Technical

Official Number: 148478
Yard Number: 468
Completed: 1925
Gross Tonnage: 394
Net Tonnage: 174
Length: 147.5 ft
Breadth: 25.5 ft
Built: Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley
Engine: 700ihp T.3-cyl and boiler by Amos & Smith, Hull
Speed: 10.5 knots

History of the GOTH

8.6.1925: Launched by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd, Beverley (Yd.No.468) for Hellyer Bros Ltd, Hull as GOTH.
12.8.1925: Registered at Hull (H211).
20.8.1925: Completed (Frank O. Hellyer & Owen S. Hellyer, managers.
9.1925: Sailed for Greenland coast on an exploratory trip in an attempt to find new fishing grounds.
9.10.1925: At Hull landed 260kits mostly cod and codling and trip deemed successful.
1929: Fish carrier for halibut fishery in the Davis Strait, Greenland.
3.1.1930: Off Norway coast, stranded near Narvik, came afloat with engine but leaking and put into Lødingen. Divers plugged leaks.
5.2.1930: In collision Saltend with steam trawler MARCONI (H488). Both vessels taken in tow for Hull.
16.4.1931: Arrested in Icelandic water by Icelandic Coastguard ship AEGIR along with Hull trawlers CAPE DELGARDO (H47) and CAPE TRAFALGAR (H918) and escorted to Reykjavik. Each fined 10kroner for having fishing gear incorrectly stowed. Later fines rescinded and all three skippers admonished.
12.10.1933: On a Barents Sea trip (Sk. Herbert Brown). Fishing in company with steam trawlers KINGSTON PEARL (H296) (Sk. William Hornby) and LARWOOD (GY49) (Sk. S. Cantwell) at about 3.00pm. responded to distress message from Norwegian steamer HAUGLAND (3153grt/1896) disabled off the Murman coast with broken propeller shaft and drifting on a lee shore in a NE gale following loss of anchors. At about 6.30pm KINGSTON PEARL using DF was the first to reach casualty. In heavy sleet and and ground swell it was not until 10.00pm. that a attempt was made to connect via Schermuly rocket but line repeatedly parted. Closed vessel and managed to get a heaving line aboard and trawl warp made fast with difficulty as windlass damaged when anchors lost.
13.10.1933: Twice warps parted and it was not until 5.00am. that GOTH arrived on the scene and was able to connect by Schermuly rocket and between them hold the vessel off the shore. Again after about an hour the warps parted and by this time Larwood had arrived and succeeded in getting a line onboard and held the vessel for a further two hours. Shortly after 12.00 noon an attempt was made to tow the vessel away from the coast but the casualty was unmanageable, KINGSTON PEARL managed to get another line connected but shortly after both warps parted. KINGSTON PEARL and GOTH connected again but warps parted and GOTH was temporarily disabled with the wire round her propeller. With weather freshening and the vessel close to the shore the master requested that the crew be taken off. The trawlers closed the casualty, pumped oil on the water and Goth managed to pick up all twenty-nine crew and later landed them at Vardø, Norway. Haugland was subsequently refloated, repaired and returned to service.
25.7.1939: Insured value £13,700.
5.8.1939: Sailed Hull for White Sea last trip before requisition (Sk. J. W. Ellis).
29.8.1939: At Hull landed 1,461 kits grossed £1,664.
29.8.1939: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (P.No.FY.649) (Hire rate £152.13.6d/month).
11.1945: Returned to owner.
30.11.1945: Insured value £30,000; for 1946 proposed £33,000.
12.1945: Sold to Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood (Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd, managers).
1.1946: Hull registry closed.
1946: Registered at Fleetwood (FD52).
4.12.1948: Sailed Fleetwood for Icelandic grounds (Sk. Wilfred Elliott); twenty one crew.
10.12.1948: Trawling NW of Straumnaes, north west coast of Iceland in company with steam trawler St. MELANTE (GY80).
11.12.1948: Storm, hauled and ran for shelter to Adalvik Bay.
13.12.1948: Reliable evidence that vessel was communicating by radio with other trawlers.
Post 13.12.1948: Presume foundered NNW of Halo, 43 miles to NW of Straumnes, Iceland in position 66.59.8N 24.28.9W; all twenty-one crew lost*.
23.2.1949: Posted missing. Fleetwood registry closed.
14.4.1950: At BOT Formal Investigation (No. S.416), the Court found that the casualty was probably caused by heavy weather, but other possibilities, mine explosion, boiler explosion, bunker explosion, could not be excluded.
15.11.1997: Icelandic trawler HELGA (RE49) (Sk. Vidar Benediktsson) fishing on NW Iceland grounds, trawled up a funnel which was identified in Reykjavik as belonging to the GOTH. Returned to Fleetwood.
12.2006: After repainting, the Funnel is sited as a memorial to the lost trawlermen beside the Asda store at the corner of Dock Street and Station Road.

This is the true Price of fish
cheers
Brian

Photo of the GOTH and the funnel of the GOTH that was recovered from Iceland and now a memorial in Fleetwood.

[eric fisher]

Doc, Knew Stanley Bowles at the Radio College, Manchester before he signed on the Goth. There was a romantic tragedy with his loss, if you would like some details, I would gladly share them with you but don't wish to do that on this thread, it is both very sad and tragic. I would not like to hurt any of the family who may read the story I remember well. Eric

[dave moore]

Red Duster flying in Barnard Castle today ,also memorial service ,plus buffet supplied by council .last year was the first time the event took place and attendance was sparse,but the council made contact with many others not far away,three mayors from them attended plus over 100 others ,they were all impressed by the gathering and will most probably fly the flag after I had conversations with them .Really pleased to see many of the general public there too.The day has passed,with know mention of the MNs day on local tv a bloody disgrace in my opinion when the north east played a vital part not only manufacturing arms and ship building and coal for the war effort but 1000s of those brave seamen who lost their lives.To conclude they will be getting a phone call from me pointing out not on any news from an area so vital to the war effort during both wars. Dave

[Keith at Tregenna]

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[Keith at Tregenna]

Hoist the blood red ensign high !
And let us not forget
Those loyal crews who paid there dues,
In courage, blood and sweat !

[Captain Kong]

Keith, I suggest you direct all your MN Day Posts to the BBC and ITV and SKY News,
Not one mention of MN DAY or 3 September day.
As Dave says, "A Bloody Disgrace,"

not one member of the Public knows anything about it.

Brian

[Keith at Tregenna]

Not that I defend the news media in anyway but, regional reporting RE: MN is always better.

Meanwhile: Liverpool marks Merchant Navy Day with special service and wreath laying ceremony | Granada - ITV News