GENERAL LEMAN M20

Official No:  128770   Port Number and Year:   1st in Milford, 1915

Description: Wooden sailing smack; beam trawling.  Ketch rigged: foresail, mainsail, mizzen.

Crew: 3 men, 1 boy

Registered: 9 Jan 1915

Built: 1914, K. Jackman & Sons, Brixham.

Tonnage: 56.64 grt  44.52 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 71.8 / 19.1 / 8.5

Engine: -

Owners:   9 Jan 1915: Evan Davies, 'Talfryn', Fishguard (Builder) (22/64) David Morgan. 'Brodog', Fishguard (Timber merchant) (21/64) Thomas George Bishop, 'Brynygraig', Goodwick.  (Merchant) (21/64) Manager: Albert B. Bishop, Docks, Milford.

Landed at Milford: 23 Dec 1914 - 26 Aug 1917

Skippers: William Eliezer Johnson 8251. Tom Lane

Notes:  General Leman was a Belgian general in the Great War, the "defender of Liége". 29 Jan 1918: Captured by UB-55 (Kapitänleutnant Ralph Wenninger),  and sunk by gunfire 14 miles SE by E from Berry Head.

Cert. Cancelled & Registry Closed: 14 Mar 1918.

Accidents and Incidents

From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 13th February 1915 (?):

Risked Three Lives in Open Boat

MILFORD SMACK TO THE RESCUE

    The schooner "Industry", of Bridgewater, got into serious difficulties fifteen miles off the Smalls about mid-day on February 13th, and the crew of four men (Captain J. Ellis, Bridgewater) were rescued by the skipper and crew of the Milford fishing smack "General Leman", after an exciting struggle.

    The "Industry"  was on a voyage from her home port to Dublin with a cargo of bricks. She was scarcely out of the Bristol Channel course when she [sprung a] leak. It was midnight, and tremendous seas were running. The four men put forth every ounce of effort at the pumps for long hours, and only with great difficulty managed to keep afloat.  It was found impossible to launch a lifeboat, owing to the weather, and they were almost giving up in despair when skipper Tom Lane, of the smack "General Leman", came to their assistance, and took them off after twelve hours fight against the waves. The men were exhausted, and not long afterwards they had been rescued the "Industry" went down in the swirling sea. The crew were carefully tended by the rescuers and arrived safely in Milford Haven.

    At the time, the "General Leman" was snugged down with a reef in the fore sail and double reefed mizzen.  A heavy gale was blowing.  The schooner "Industry" was seen with distress flags flying. The "General Leman" was manoeuvred close to her, and the schooner's crew shouted that they wanted to be taken off but could not launch their own boat.  The smack's men determined to take them off or perish in the attempt. The cook, when he heard the men aboard were going to risk it, looked very dubious about it, as the weather was so bad.  He was heard to mutter, "What, launch our boat in this weather?"  But Tom Lane and Charlie Pocock did not hesitate, no weather could beat them.  Into the small boat they jumped, leaving the Lowestoff man shipped as second hand, and young Pocock, the cook, aboard to handle the smack. In such seas the small boat needed the most skilful handling.  The schooner's crew were ready to jump, and after strenuous efforts to clear the ship in her lee drift, the "General Leman", was at last reached. The schooner was all awash when her crew left. 

    Mr Richard Pocock had two sons on the "General Leman", Charles, who will be twenty one next June, who went with the skipper, and the cook, a rising lad of fifteen years.

 

[ INDUSTRY 60577, built Gloucester 1867, 68 tons; managing owner: Wm. Holding, 41 Barclay St., Bridgewater, Somerset. However, she must have been recovered, as in 1919 she was managed and owned by John Davies, of Borth, Cardiganshire, and still registered in Bridgewater. ]

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