ALTMARK  M78

Official No:   300163  Port Number and Year: 2nd in Milford, 1959

Description: Inshore wooden MFV employing trawling nets and lines.

Crew:  2 men.

Registered at Milford: 9 Jan 1959.

Built: J.W. & A. Upham Shipyard, Berry Head, Brixham,1945

Tonnage: 67.94 grt  30.57 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 70.5 / 19.8 / 8.9

Engine: Lister diesel motor. 160 bhp = 8.5 kts.

Owners:   As MFV.1203 Oct 1945: Admiralty.   As ALTMARK 9 Jan 1959: Thomas Hutton Norquay Sinclair, Wellington Rd., Hakin.   1 Jun 1961: Joan Maria Sinclair, Wellington Rd., Hakin.          ( Joint Wm. Jabez Davies, Starbuck Rd., Milford.  Ships' rigger.         (owners.   9 Jun 1961: Ronald Edward Downs, Kenfig Hill, Glamorgan.

Landed at Milford:  30 Jan - 16 Aug 1959.

Skippers: Thomas Sinclair.  Jack Sinclair.

Notes:  Altmark is a region of Germany between Hamburg and Magdeburg; also a German oil tanker holding 299 merchant seamen, released by HMS COSSACK in 16 Feb 1940. 1945: As HMS MFV 1203: Complement 9 men; 1x20mm AA MG. 12 Jun 1961: Vessel went ashore at Sker Bay, Mumbles.   Mumbles lifeboat "William Gammon" stood by and rescued the crew of one with rocket apparatus.  [See below.]

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 27 Jul 1961. Vessel a total constructive loss.

Accidents and Incidents:

 

The Times, Monday, Jun 13, 1960; pg. 6; Issue 54796; col C 

     Lone Sailor's "Nightmare" 

Aground In Gale 

    The owner of the 100-ton fishing vessel Altmark spent over six hours mostly in darkness alone on board after she had gone aground in high wind off Sker Point, near Porthcawl, South Wales, early yesterday.  He was rescued by breeches buoy.

    The owner, Mr. R. Down, of Kenfig Hill, near Porthcawl, said after being rescued: "Both my engines packed up. I dropped anchor and went below to strip the motors, but before I could get the engines going again the vessel started shipping water and drifted.

    "At 1.34 a.m. the vessel went aground.  There were heavy seas, and although I had every confidence in my ship she took a tremendous pounding.  The night turned into a nightmare.  The breakers were coming over the wheelhouse, which meant that they were 15ft. to 16ft. high."

    The grounded Altmark was sighted by Port Talbot coastguards at 7 a.m. and the Mumbles lifeboat was called out and stood by.  Mr. Peter Clare, aged 19, and Mr. John Cousins, age 20, eventually swam out to the vessel and got a line on board.

........

 

 

Back to Trawlers 1940-1988

J