CARYSFORT  M32

As a minesweeper RN, World War I

Official No:  137762    Port Number and Year: 4th in Milford, 1915

Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail and mizzen.

Crew:  9 men (1915).

Registered at Milford: 20 May 1915

Built: 1915; by Cochrane & Sons, Selby.  (Yard no. 637)

Tonnage: 242.66 grt  105.20 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 120.3 / 21.5 / 11.75

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 75 rhp. 10.5 kts.  Engine and boiler: 1915, Charles D. Holmes & Co., Hull.

Owners:   20 May 1915: David Pettit, 'Westcliff', Wellington Rd., Hakin. Managing owner.

Landed at Milford: 11 Mar 1919 - 22 Feb 1923

Skippers: C.J. King  (27 Jul 1922)

Notes:  Jun 1915: Requisitioned  and converted to a minesweeper (Ad.No.1533); 1x6pdr, 1x7.5" A/S Howitzer.  Renamed CARYSFORT II.  Based Granton. 12 Mar 1919: Returned to owners. 22 Feb 1923: Sailed to Smalls; not equipped with W/T.  Missing all crew of nine.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 27 Mar 1923.  Vessel missing after leaving Milford Docks on 22 Feb 1923.   All nine crew lost.  Fishing certificate lost with the vessel. [Mayes G. & Thomas M. (2014): Cochrane Shipbuilders Vol.2: 1915 - 1939.]

 Accidents and Incidents

Note of protest:

S.S. MILLTOWN - 13th February 1922

 

Master: William Robert Glenny

Tonnage 1882. reg. 1171

Cargo: Pig iron.

 

Sailed from Barrow bound for Porto Vecchio Piombino, ??th January 1922.

 

On passage down the Irish Channel the wind was continuously increasing until the evening of Friday January 23rd, when it culminated in a strong gale from the south-east, accompanied by heavy seas.  As a result of the vessel rolling heavily she shifted her cargo considerably which gave her a heavy list to starboard.

 

In view of the position of the vessel, I decided to put back into Milford Haven, and for safety requested the steam trawler 'Carysfort' to stand by, and this the latter did from 10 p.m. January 27th to 10 p.m. January 29th.

 

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From a local newspaper, probably the West Wales Guardian of Friday 2nd or 9th March 1923:

During the week the people of Milford Haven have been anxiously waiting for news of the steam trawler "Carysfort" belonging to Messrs. David Pettit, Ltd., Milford Haven, of which up to the time of writing (Thursday afternoon) nothing has been seen or heard since February 22nd, when she left the docks.

A distance of about 30 miles from Milford is her usual area (Smalls Fishing Grounds) where she was last seen by another Milford trawler. The "Carysfort" was quite a modern fishing vessel, and was fully equipped with coal for a lengthy trip. In fact, it is stated that she carried bunkers that would have kept her supplied for nearly three weeks. Her net tonnage was 108, but she was not one of the biggest ships that sail out of Milford Haven.

For this fishing trip she was expected to go to the westward fishing grounds, but in any case, if she was she was not sheltering, she would have met the full force of the severe gale. Some of the trawlers belonging to the same firm carry a wireless outfit, but the "Carysfort" was not one of these.

The names of the crew are:

Skipper, A. Faulkner, Starbuck Rd., Milford. Married.

Mate, W. Phillips, Lower Drang, Hakin. Married.

Bos'un, J.J. Spencher, 101, Robert St., Milford. Married.

Third Hand, C.E. Hack, Lodged in Priory Rd., Milford. Single.

Deck Hand, H.A. Hall,16, Trafalgar Rd., Milford. Single.

Cook, H. Milford, 68, St.Peter's Rd., Milford. Widower.

Chief Engineer, J. Mowthorpe, 22, Lower Hill St., Hakin. Married man with a large family.

Second Engineer, T.Beynon, 213, Robert St., Milford. Married.

Firemen, T.C. Cell, (not a local man); S.A.Hughes, Llanllynbrian, Whitland.

It is feared that the "Carysfort" has been lost with all hands, but hopes are still held that the vessel may be safe, because trawlers have been known to be absent from other ports for a period of a month and then return quite all right.

 

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