MERIT BM28
Official No: 109301 Port and Year: Dartmouth, 1898 (DH457)
Brixham, 1902 (BM28)
Description: Wooden smack. Ketch rigged
Crew: 2 men and a boy.
Built: 1898; by J. W. & A. Upham
Tonnage: 47 grt 39 net.
Length / breadth / depth (feet):
Engine:
Owners:
1898: G. W. Wilson, Brixham
May 1902:- G. W. Williamson
2 Apr 1906: Thomas Jenkerson, Milford.
Landed at Milford: 12 Jun 1907 - 21 Jan 1917.
Skippers: Giles Taylor (1917); Jack McLean (1917)
Notes: 8 May 1910: Saved the crew of the sinking IVERNA 2 BM279and landed them at Milford.
23 Jan 1917: Captured and sunk by U-55 (Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm Werner), 25 miles off Trevose Head. [See below.]
[Information from Brixham Heritage Sailing Trawler Archive.]
Accidents and Incidents
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th March 1917:
On Thursday of last week the body of Skipper Giles Taylor, of the fishing smack "Merit", owned by Thomas Jenkerson, was brought in and conveyed to his home in Priory Road. Skipper Taylor was a Brixham man who had settled in Milford, where he was highly respected, and much sympathy is felt for his widow and family.
The inquest was held on Saturday. Mr Jenkerson identified the body, and said he had known deceased for twenty years. He had left Milford for a fishing trip on the previous Wednesday. An apprentice, Arthur J.Brooker, gave evidence, and said he went down to the cabin, and while he was there he heard a wave splash over the smack. When he went on deck he saw the skipper in the water. He and the rest of of the crew succeeded in getting him back inboard. He was then still alive but succumbed later. A verdict of death by drowning was recorded.
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Skipper's statement, 1917:
Whilst we were fishing aboard the fishing smack "Merit" we were attacked by a enemy submarine ( German). Our position was about twenty five miles off Trevose Head, in the Bristol Channel. The submarine attacked without any warning. The first we knew about it was when he open fired on us. Altogether the German fired twelve rounds at the smack. We were obliged to leave and take to the smack's small life boat. The weather at the time was gale force winds with heavy snow storms. Our crew consisted of three men. My Mate was a Belgie, and the third hand an apprentice.
We were in the small boat twenty four hours before being picked up. The young third hand apprentice a week later was lost on another fishing vessel with all hands
Mr Jack McLean, St. David's Road.
Skipper
[ January 1917: Merit (smack). 39 tons. Date: 30th January. Position: 20 miles N. by E. from Trevose Head. Cause: Submarine. How attacked: Captured. How sunk: Gunfire. Lives lost: Nil. Merchant Shipping (Losses) HMSO 1919.]
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