CRAIGEWAN M122

Official No:    125958  Port Number and Year:    2nd in Peterhead,1910 (PD551)

                                                                                   2nd in Milford, 1941

Description:  Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burner.  Ketch rigged: mizzen sail.

Crew: 11 men

Registered at Milford: 20 Mar 1941

Built: by Hall, Russel & Co., Aberdeen, in 1910.  (Yard no. 474)

Tonnage: 204.37 gross 77.76 net 

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  117.2 / 22.1 / 12.2

Engine: T 3-cyl.. 75 rhp. 10 kts. Engine and boiler by builders.

Owners:

 

As PD551

18 Jan 1910: Peterhead Trawling Co. Ltd., Peterhead.

Manager: James G. Adam, c/o Strath Ice Co., Stell Rd., Aberdeen.

 

1927: James G. Adam, Still Rd., Aberdeen.

Managing owner.

 

1929:  Richard Irvin & Sons, Ltd., Fish Quay, North Shields.

Manager: Sir John H. Irvin K.B.E., Albert Quay, Aberdeen.

 

As M122

20 Mar 1941: United Trawlers, Docks, Milford

Manager: Henry James Horwood, Harbour Walls, Pier Rd., Milford.

 

Landed at Milford: (PD551) 17 Feb - 19 Mar 1941; (M122) 3 Apr 1941 - 30 Sep 1945.

Skippers: G. R. Hastings

Notes: 

Craigewan (Point) is near Buchanhaven in the town of Peterhead, in the district of Buchan, Aberdeenshire, in north-eastern Scotland.

Aug 1914: Requisitioned and converted to a minesweeper. (Admy. no.88)  1x12 pdr.

12 Jun 1945: Bought for £11,500.  £4,500 paid out in insurance when lost.

Oct 1945: Missing from 12 Oct, whilst fishing off the S coast of Ireland.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 5 Nov 1945. 

 Accidents and Incidents:

From The West Wales Guardian of Friday 26th October 1945:

Just over a fortnight after the loss of the steam trawler "Grenada", blown up by a mine while fishing south of Ireland, the people of Milford were distressed last weekend to learn that another local vessel, the steam trawler "Craigewan" was overdue. The "Craigewan", owned by United Trawlers Ltd, sailed from Milford on October 3rd, and should have been back by Wednesday of last week, a normal trip being fourteen days at the most. Anxiety mounted as Thursday and Friday passed with no news of the vessel and on Saturday most people resigned themselves to yet another great loss. The owners, however, refused to give up all hope and it was not until Tuesday morning that they issued the following statement.

The "Craigewan" left Milford on October 3rd for the fishing grounds and was fishing with other Milford trawlers, including some of the same company, several days prior to the 11th October. On that day, in company with another United Company vessel, the "Mary Bruce", she was in good fishing in a safe area, and there were other trawlers from the port in the vicinity. A heavy fog came down and when it cleared early on the morning of Friday 12th October, the Skipper of the "Mary Bruce" saw that the "Craigewan" had gone, and concluded that she had sailed for home with her catch. The "Craigewan" was last seen in a position latitude 50. 20 degrees north and about longitude 9 degrees west in 72 fathoms of water.

Friday 19th came and the vessel had still not arrived back in port. The Owners informed the Board of Trade and the local representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that she was overdue and a message was broadcast over the B.B.C. News bulletins asking any vessel that had seen the trawler to inform the Owners. At the same time, the Admiralty vessel "Pearl" was sent from Pembroke Dock to search the area where the trawler was last reported, but she found no sign of her at all. "It is with regret that we conclude that the "Craigewan" foundered with all her crew leaving no evidence of her fate. The "Craigewan" carried a crew of twelve as follows:

Skipper. G. R. Hastings. 30, Dewsland Street, M.H.

Mate. W.J. Rice. 37, Dartmouth Street, M.H.

Bosun. E. Houghton. 74, Waterloo Road, Hakin.

3 Hand. W. Sandy. Wellington Road, Hakin.

Deckhands. H. Frost. 90, Priory Road, M.H.

P. Parkinson.10, Cromie Terrace, Haverfordwest.

S. Young. 42, Owen Street, Pennar, Pembroke Dock.

Cook. C.W. Humphreys. 17, Albion Street, M.H.

1st. Eng. W.C. Gwilliam. 27, Prioryville, M. H.

2nd.Eng. J.H. Forrest. 80, Marble Hall Road, M.H.

Firemen. W.T. Carsey. 19, Alma Road, Lowestoft.

H. Howlett. 2, The Avenue, Crescent Park Street, Hull.

Young was a single man, aged 50, who hailed from County Down, Ireland. He first came to this district about 7 years ago and since then had lodged with Mrs Murphy, Owen Street, Pennar. Parkinson was married to a young Haverfordwest girl, formerly Miss Whelton of Portfield. A baby was born to her only two days after her husband sailed on his last trip. Houghton was making his first trip since before the war.

This latest loss has come as a great blow to Milford which has suffered so many losses during the war. It is particularly sad coming so soon after the loss of the "Grenada" with all her crew except one. It is not many months since the "Gozo" was lost in similar circumstances to the "Grenada" while recently the "Thomas Booth" picked up a torpedo while fishing, but was lucky enough to carry it back home without mishap. It is possible that the "Craigewan" met with a fate similar to that of the "Gozo" and "Grenada".'

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