KERNEVEL M62
Official No: 145005 Port Number and Year: 2nd in Granton, 1925 (GN35)
6th in Sunderland, 1930 (SD26)
2nd in Milford, 1940.
Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: mainsail and mizzen
Crew: 10 men
Registered at Milford: 1 Mar 1940
Built: 1906, by Hall Russell & Co., Aberdeen. (Yard no.413)
Tonnage: 171.67 grt 65.31 net.
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 112.3 / 21.6 / 11.6
Engine: T 3-Cyl. 56.6 nhp. 10 kts. Engine by builders; boiler by Riley Bros., Stockton on Tees.
Owners:
As KER-NEVEL
1906: Soc. Anon. des Chalutiers de l'Ouest, St Nazaire
Post 1917: Dieppe owners.
Renamed KERNEVEL GN35
1925: George F Liston, 97 Lower Granton Rd., Newhaven, Edinburgh
As SD36
1930: Wear Steam Fishing Co., Fish Quay, Sunderland
Manager: J. Hall
1935: Sunderland Ice Co., Sunderland
Manager: C. Hall
As M62
1939: John Charles Llewellin, Fenton, Crundale, Haverfordwest (17/64)
Joseph Leslie Yolland. 'Trevose', Letterston, Haverfordwest (17/64)
John Yolland (Junior), 'Colby', Whiston, Haverfordwest (17/64)
Thomas Stewart Yolland, St. Annes, Sketty Green, Swansea (13/64)
Manager: J. C. Llewellin
10 Jan 1941 Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co., 238 Dock St., Fleetwood
Manager: F. Parkes
As A560
2 Feb 1943: Peter Alexander & J. Johnstone, 186 Market St., Aberdeen
1953: Scarborough Pure Ice & Cold Storage Co.
Landed at Milford: 9 Dec 1939 - 1 Jan 1941
Skippers: J. Cheyney.
Notes: 12 Aug 1940: Damaged by enemy aircraft 6 miles NW of Smalls Light House. [See below.]
Apr 1944: Requisitioned and converted to smoke making. Took part in Normandy landings; assigned to Mulberry A.
Nov 1944: Returned to owners.
1956: Broken up.
[Information kindly supplied by Gil Mayes.]
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 24 Jun 1953. Broken up at Ward's Yard, Castle Pill.
Accidents and Incidents
From an unknown local newspaper, dated c.15th August 1940:
On Tuesday morning three more Milford trawlers arrived in port bearing visible marks of contact with Nazi planes at sea. The vessels were fishing peacefully when the enemy appeared and dropped bombs, which fortunately missed their mark, though the effect of the explosions were felt.
Chagrined by their lack of bombing skill, the Nazis resorted to their usual cowardly methods by attacking the helpless fishermen, and relentlessly machine-gunned them. Evidence of this is to be seen on each side of the trawlers. Worse still, at least three men were severely wounded.
Skipper Walter Perry, of 16, Greville Road, received a nasty flesh wound, whilst his boatswain, Fred McKay, 23, Prioryville, was badly wounded in both legs. He was on watch in the wheelhouse at the time of the attack. He had to be taken to hospital. The other injured man was George Turrel, chief engineer on another trawler. He was wounded in the legs and arms.
The other trawler, belonging to the same firm, was the River Ythan.
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th August 1940:
For the third successive week, Milford trawlers have been attacked by Nazi bombers. Their names, owners and skippers were: s.t. "Ermine" (H.E. Rees and Company), Skipper Walter Perry, Greville Road, Milford; s.t. "Kernevel" and s.t. "River Ythan" (Yolland and Llewellin); Skippers J. Cheyney, Point Street, Hakin, and W. Davies, Picton Road, Hakin, respectively.
Only one of the bombs came dangerously close to a trawler ("River Ythan"). It hit and split the mizzen boom, then dropped onto the leading tackle rope and glanced off into the sea astern before exploding. The bombing having failed, the Nazis machine gunned the defenceless fishermen, and when the three trawlers docked at Milford bullet holes could be seen all over them.
The "Ermine" was bombed and machine gunned for twenty minutes, and the boatswain, Mr. Fred McKay, Prioryville, on watch on the bridge at the time, had a bullet through one knee, while the other leg was also injured. He was taken to the County Hospital.
Skipper Walter Perry and Mr. George Turrell, chief engineer on the "Kernevel", were also slightly wounded.
[ The three trawlers were all attacked by aircraft off the Smalls on 12th August.]
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