ROBERT BOWEN LO254 / M269
Official No: 143810 Port Number and Year: 573rd in London, 1919 (LO254)
1st in Milford, 1938.
Description: Castle Class steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: mizzen sail.
Crew: 10 men
Registered at Milford: 23 May 1938
Built: 1918 by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley. (Yard no. 390)
Tonnage: 290.16 grt 126.58 net.
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.5 / 23.5 / 12.7
Engine: T 3-Cyl. 60.7 nhp.10 kts. Engine and boiler by Amos & Smith Co., Albert Docks Works, Hull.
Owners:
As LO25419 Jan 1920: The Admiralty, London.
Manager: The Secretary, Admiralty, Whitehall, London SW1.
Feb 1920: Britannic Trawler Co. Ltd., 34 Coleman St., London EC.
Manager: Talbot W. Holland. (Same address.)
17 Jan 1924: Brand & Curzon Co., The Docks, Milford.
Managers: Edward Brand & Charles Curzon. (Same address.)
As M269
23 May 1938: Milford Fisheries Ltd., Docks, Milford.
Manager: Owen Willie Limbrick, Pill Lane, Milford.
31 Jul 1939: J. Marr & Sons, Ltd.., Dock St., Fleetwood.
Manager: Geoffrey Edward Marr, 'Rookwood', Holmleigh Ave., Cleveley.
Landed at Milford: (As RN) 13 Feb, 7 Mar, 28 Oct 1919.
(As LO254) 8 Feb 1920 - 8 May 1938.
(As M269) 23 May 1938 - 26 Jul 1939
Skippers:
Notes:
Robert Bowen, born in Dover, age 29; Able Seaman on HMS VICTORY at Trafalgar.
6 Jul 1918: Auxiliary patrol, no. 3595; 1x12 pdr; hydrophones.
20 May 1938: London registry closed.
Aug 1939: Requisitioned for war service and converted to a minesweeper; based at Aberdeen.
9 Feb 1940: Group sweeping 20 miles NE of Aberdeen, damaged by German air attack (Heinkel 111 x 2) towards Girdle Ness and foundered. 14 died sinking, including the commanding officer (Skr.Lt. John Clark, RNR; from 11 Dec 1939). Wreck lies at 57.09N 02.00W.
[Information from the Bosun's Watch website, the UBoat.net, and see "The Times" report below.]
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 27 Dec 1941.
Accidents and Incidents
The Times, Thursday, Dec 29, 1938; pg. 17; Issue 48189; col B:
Casualty Reports.................
JOSEPH BUTTON.― Milford Haven, December 28th.― Steam trawler Joseph Button, of Milford Haven, with broken rudder towed in from fishing ground by steam trawler Robert Bowen.
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The Times, Monday, Feb 12, 1940; pg. 6; Issue 48537; col F:
News in Brief
TWO TRAWLERS SUNK
FOUR OFFICERS AND 18 RATINGS LOST
The Admiralty issued the following statement on Saturday:—
As a result of enemy aircraft attacks in the North Sea yesterday the Secretary of the Admiralty regrets to announce that H.M. trawlers Robert Bowen (skipper Lieutenant J. Clark, R.N.R.) and Fort Royal (Lieutenant-Commander E. King R.N.) were sunk with the loss of four officers and 18 ratings. The next of kin have been informed.
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