DOMINION M27

Milford Haven Port Authority

Official No:  114243    Port Number and Year: 10th in Brixham, 1903 (BM205)                                                                                   6th in Milford, 1909

Description: Wooden sailing smack; beam trawling.  Ketch rigged.

Crew: 4 hands (1909).

Registered: 24 Jul 1909

Built: 1903, by J.W. & A. Upham, Brixham

Tonnage: 52.53 grt  41.04 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 65.4 / 18.6 / 9.1

Engine: -

Owners:   21 Sep 1903: John Henry Scoble, Parkham, Brixham   20 Jul 1909: William Francis, Castle Pill, Milford.  32/64 George Paynter Francis, 'Brompton House', Melville St., Pembroke Dock 32/64   24 Jul 1909: John Phillips, 'Wernlwyd Villa', Wellington Rd., Hakin.  (64/64) (Died 31 Mar 1917)   Margaret Gwendoline Phillips (widow), 'Wernlwyd Villa', Wellington Rd., Hakin. Manager: Peter Hancock   1917: W.H.B.N. Corpil, Dieppe, France.

Landed at Milford: 25 Jan 1904 - 20 Nov 1917

Skippers: S. W. Richards cert. 1753, age 54, born Tenby, residing 24 Trafalgar Rd., Milford; signed on 26 Jul 1909; 27 May 1912 F. S. Weymouth 2477, 44, Brixham, 223 Jubilee Terr., Milford; 8 Feb 1910 Edward Henry Smith 1768, 45, Brixham, Kings St., Brixham; 23 Aug - 21 Sep 1910 W. R. Summers 6694, 54, Brixham, 13 Gwili Rd., Hakin; 9 Feb 1912; 8 Jan, 27 Feb, 13 Aug 1913 J. Cornish 3604, 51, Brixham, - ; 14 Feb 1913

Notes: 17 - 23 Aug 1910:  Laid up in dock

Cert. Cancelled & Registry Closed: 5 Dec 1917.  Sold to French owners.

Accidents and Incidents:

Log book entry:

 

24.2.13

Quarter belter knocked out and rail started.  Cause - ran into by DEODAR of Brixham.

J. Cornish (Skipper)

 

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From Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 27th October 1915:

 

Brave Milford Smacksmen.

PRESENTATION BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

     An interesting ceremony took place at the offices of H.M. Customs and Board of Trade on Monday afternoon when the Skipper and crew of the Milford fishing smack "Dominion" were presented with medals and certificates from the French Government in recognition of their bravery in saving the lives of the crew of a French barquentine. There were present Mr S. J. McDermott, chief of H.M. Customs; Mr G. S. Kelway, French Consul Mr L. J. Meyler, chairman of the Urban District Council; Mr T. H. Lewis, (town clerk); M. Ed. Claussens, Chief Belgian Marine Commissionaire; M. A. Legris, assistant ditto; Lieut. McDermott, R.N.; Lieut. Worthington, R.N.R. Lieut. Jenkins Owen, R.N.R. Lieut. Brady, R.N.R.; Messrs J. Sutherland, P.O., H.M. Customs H. A. Hoare, H.M Customs; R. L. Hancock. The men who performed the gallant deed were William Summers, skipper Albert Johns, mate Samuel Mainery, 3rd hand and George Walton, cook. Johns and Walton were not present, the latter having joined the army.

    Mr McDermott said they had met on a very happy occasion to do honours to the crew of the Milford smack Dominion and related the incident which led to the gallant act on the part of the smacksmen.

    Mr Meyler in making the presentation said it gave him much pleasure to do so. The French vessel had hoisted signals of distress and at great risk to themselves the crew of the Dominion went out to their assistance and succeeded in their rescue. Addressing Messrs. Summers and Minnery he said: You have the satisfaction of knowing that at the risk of your lives you saved the French crew. The best reward was that of their own consciences in having done their duty. Had you not answered the call, possibly you would have regretted it all your lives. Bo doing so you have upheld the best traditions of British seamanship, and the France government have noticed your bravery. (Applause).

    Captain W. Summmers in responding said be felt pleased that they had the pluck to do it, and was proud to let the world know that they had at least done something.

    Mr Kelway on behalf of the French Government expressed gratification at the action of the men and endorsed what had already been said.

    Mr McDermott in closing said that the men had shown the right spirit, and it was that spirit what would win the present war.

 

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From Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 2nd February 1916:

 

ACCIDENT ON A SMACK.

When the fishing smack "Dominion" (J. Hellings & Son) arrived in dock on Wednesday, a serious accident was reported to have befallen one of the crew named Alfred Cooper, mate, whilst at sea. Heavy weather had been experienced and the warp parted and struck Cooper with such force that one of his legs was fractured. On arrival be was taken ashore and after medical examination was sent to Haverfordwest Infirmary in the ambulance car. He is a Yarmouth man and bad only recently come round to the West, after a very serious illness. His wife and child are at present in Milford Haven. 

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Note of Protest by the Master of the steam ship LARS FOSTENES, 1259 tons, dated March 13th 1917:

 

From New York to Rotterdam via Falmouth, with general cargo, 19th December 1916.

 

On December 1916 we lost three blades of our propeller and had to put into Louisbury, Cape Breton.  We were towed from Louisbury to Halifax yard, a new propeller put on, and we left Halifax on Friday January 6th 1917 for Louisbury.

 

Everything went all right until 10 am on March 9th, hwen we were in Lat 51N, Long. 7.5W, where we sighted a submarine, which at 12.15 pm fired a torpedo at my vessel, but same missed striking her, and then a few minutes later a second torpedo was fired, which struck the steamer amidships on her port side, causing a violent explosion, but the vessel did not appear to sink quickly enough to suit the submarine commander, so at 12.40 pm he opened fire on us with his gun, and at 2 pm the steamer listed to starboard and sank head first.

 

All the crew being then in the vessel's boats, we steered towards the land and were subsequently picked up by the sailing trawler "Dominion", which landed us at Milford Haven at 6 pm on March 10th 1917

 

Hans Kallevig

Haugesund, Norway

 

 

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