MARGUERITE O.154
Official No: 149172 Port and Year: Ostend, 1915 (O.154)
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Aberdeen, 1928 (A362)
Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning.
Crew: 10 men (1928)
Built: 1915, by Hall Russell & Co., Aberdeen. (Yard no. 560)
Tonnage: 193 grt 82 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 115.4 / 22.1 / 11.9
Engine: T-3 Cyl., 76 rhp; by builders.
Owners:
As MARGUERITE O.154
Mar 1915: Soc. Anon. Pêcheries du Nord, Ostend.
1919-28: See note below.
As ARONA A362
1 Aug 1928: Andrew Robertson, North Esplanade West, Aberdeen.
Managing owner.
As MISTEN BRAES A362
6 Aug 1935: Robert Allan, 'Tullochmoss', Polworth Rd., Aberdeen.
Managing owner.
Landed at Milford: 20 May 1915 - 25 Nov 1919
Skippers:
Notes:
1919-1928: Confusion after the name and port before Aberdeen. Lloyd's 1930 records ARONA ex MARGUERITE and ZELOS (ON 149172, 193 grt), and Granton as port of Registry up to 1944, whereas the Aberdeen Register confirms A362 in 1928.
MNL records no ZELOS (ON 149172), but ZELOS (ON 141954) was sunk in 19 Dec 1939.
25 Jan 1944: Ran ashore at Funnding Fjord, Faeroes; total loss.
Accidents and Incidents.
From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 8th November 1916:
£25 FINE AT MILFORD.
BELGIAN SKlPPERS OFFENCE.
At the Milford Petty Sessions on Wednesday Charles Verduiyn, the Belgian skipper of the "Marguerite," was summoned for not obeying the signals whilst approaching Milford Docks contrary to the regulations of the Defence of the Realm Act.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
D.C.C. James in his opening remarks said he had received instructions to prosecute from the Admiralty of the Naval Base. The offence was a very serious one and he was liable to a fine of £100 and six months imprisonment. He could have been tried by a court martial but the Admiral had decided to leave the matter to be decided by the magistrates.
Mr. William Gill, the deputy harbour master said that he noticed the "Marguerite'' in the harbour about 4.15 and saw it approach the Dock Gates. The flag had been down about half an hour. He sent a man to the Pier Head to signal to the ship to go astern but it increased its speed. Witness seeing the ship approach opened the Dock Gate and the vessel got safely through. There was a fresh wind blowing at the time.
Albert Halley said he waved with both hands the signal to go astern. The mate gave the signal to the skipper but he refused to take any notice.
Defendant through an interpreter said he misunderstood the signal. He thought it was for him to come in.
D.C.C. James said it was a very serious offence to risk any accident, with the Milford Docks at the present time especially. The Bench retired and upon their return the Chairman said the offence committed was a very serious one — especially at this time. The defendant would be fined £25 and the bench hoped that that would be a warning to other skippers in the port.
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From ADM137 - Senior Naval Officer, Swansea: Patrol Reports (Dec 1917), supplied by Gil Mayes:
ARMED BELGIAN FISHING TRAWLERS. - The following is a copy of a report from the Gunner of the "PRINCESS MARIE JOSE" relative to an engagement with an enemy submarine at 11.15 a.m. on the 22nd December. The C.O. of the "MARGUERITE" and the Skipper of the "PRINCESS MARIE JOSE" believe that the submarine was sunk. -
" Submarine sighted about thirty to thirtyfive miles S W from the Smalls. We cut away our trawl and engaged him at 11.15 a.m. on the 22/12/17 at 5,000 yards range, as he was firing on the "MARGUERITE" - a Belgian Armed Trawler. We fired thirtyfour rounds at the submarine, and was engaged with him for fortyfive minutes. We think we hit him with the last two shots I fired, as he ceased firing and went down. We patrolled till dark along with four other armed trawlers but saw nothing more of him. All my guns crew carried out their work splendidly, and the Skipper tried to close on him, but we could not get close enough to him to see what effective damage we did to him before he went down. "MARGUERITE" also engaged him, and he thinks we sunk him between us.
There were three armed trawlers in the vicinity - "MARGUERITE" "MARTHE" and the "PRINCESS MARIE JOSE". We reported the matter to trawlers fishing ten to fifteen miles closer in to the Smalls.
We have returned to Swansea for trawl wires and trawl; also to report.
"MARGUERITE" returned to Milford Haven.
(sgd.) WM. MASSON
The Skipper and crew of the "PRINCESS MARIE JOSE" appear to have behaved in every way with valour and firmness.
(sgd.) W. L. Down
Captain R.N.
Senior Naval Officer
The MARGUERITE landed at Milford on 23rd December 1917. According to the U-boat Net (http://www.uboat.net/wwi/fates/losses.html) no U-boat was lost on 22nd December 1917, and none were reported lost in unknown circumstances around that date.
According to Gil Mayes, all three trawlers were requisitioned into the Fishery Reserve and flew the white ensign. They had been fitted with a single 6-pdr gun in Swansea by shore gangs employed by the Castle Steam Trawlers, as agents for The Admiralty.
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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 13th March 1918:
More fishing records
All records for the Milford port were broken yesterday. Only three steam trawlers arrived, but their gross sales realised a total of £9,500. They were as follows: Raymond. £3,700; Marguerite, £3,200; Marie Louise, £2,600. The first and second were far and away a record for anything in Wales.
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