WILLIAM CALE M250 / LO79

 

As LO79

Courtesy of Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust and The Bosun's Watch

Official No:  145176   Port Number and Year:   139th in London, 1921 (LO510)

                                                                                5th in Milford, 1922

                                                                                  -  in  London, 1927 (LO79)

Description: Castle Class steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail and mizzen

Crew:  10 men

Registered at Milford: 21 Jun 1922

Built: 1917; by Bow McLachlan & Co., Paisley.  (Yard no. 346)

Tonnage: 276.06 grt  112.68 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  125.7  / 23.45 / 12.85

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 61 nhp. 10 kts.  Engine: by builders.

Owners:

 

As LO501

May 1922: John McRae Knight, 'Craiglyn', Wellington Rd., Hakin

Morgan Watkin Howells, 19 St Ann's Rd., Hakin

Manager J. M. Knight

21 Jun 1922:  As M250

 

As LO79

29 Jan 1927: Iago Steam Trawling Co., Docks, Milford

Manager: Edward Douglas Wyndham Lawford, Bunkers Hill, Milford

 

Landed at Milford: 12 May 1922 - 2 Mar 1930

Skippers:

Notes: 19 Sep1917: Launched for the Admiralty (Admy.No. 2666). 1 x 12 pdr.

1921: Sold to mercantile.

Mar 1930: Iago fishing fleet remained on London registry, but sailing out of Fleetwood, while company address remained in Milford.

Aug 1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to minesweeper (P.No. FY 535).

Jan 1941: Under Ty Sk C E Gornall RNR, and together with MILFORD EARL (Ty Lt J S Neate RNVR), PHINEAS BEARD (Sk W W McRuvie RNR), TEROMA (Ty Lt W M Morrison RNVR), formed Minesweeping Group 41 at Hartlepool.

 Jan 1942: Together with TEROMA, formed Minesweeping Group 41 at Grimsby

6 Dec 1942: In collision with WINHA (ex Finnish freighter, seized by  MoWT Dec 1941), which was badly damaged. (WINHA was later sunk as breakwater Gooseberry 3, Gold Beach.)

Jul 1945: Returned to Owners.

18 Oct 1955: Broken up at Troon.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 29 Jan 1927.

 Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 3rd July 1925:

 

    On Friday evening, when the steam trawler William Cale arrived in dock, the mate, Mr Fred Slade of Shakespeare Avenue, was brought ashore suffering from severe injuries as a result of a serious accident aboard the previous day.  During fishing operations he was caught by the warp against the bulwark, his head being jammed.  By the promptitude of skipper, W. Aldridge, in reversing his engines, it is probable that this action saved the mate's life. When he was released it was seen how serious his injuries were, his head, jaw and tongue being badly cut.  He remained unconscious for a considerable time.  On arrival at the dock wall he was taken home by a car and surgical [aid] summoned.  He is at the moment as well as can be expected.

 

   

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