GUNNER GY434

 

John Stevenson Collection

Official No:  146905    Port Number and Year: Grimsby, 1927 (GY434)

Description: Steel side trawler; steam screw, coal burning. Ketch rigged.

Crew:  13 men (1927); 14 men (1935).

Built: 1927,  by Cochrane & Sons, Selby. (Yard no.996)

Tonnage: 348.84 grt  151 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 140.4 / 25.0 / 13.3

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 82 rhp; 11.0 kts; by Charles D. Holmes & Co., Hull

Owners:

 

As GY434.

29 Mar 1927: Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Ltd., Auckland Rd., Fish Docks, Grimsby.

Manager: John D. Marsden. [Same address.]

Sep 1927: Consolidated Fisheries Ltd., Auckland Rd., Fish Docks,  Grimsby.

Manager: Sir John D. Marsden Bt.  (1927-44)

                T. R. Ronald. (1944-45)

 

Jul 1945: Great Grimsby & East Coast Steam Fishing Co., Grimsby.

Manager: A. W. Butt.

 

6 May 1946:  M. Laboa & H.J. Horwood (United Trawlers), Docks, Milford

Manager: Henry J. Horwood

 

25 Feb 1954:  Dinas Steam Trawling Co., Fleetwood.

Manager: Alfred J. Marr.

 

Landed at Milford: 11 Jun 1946 - 28 Oct 1953.

Skippers: Albert 'Togo' Riby (1946-53).

Notes: 

1928:  Stranded near the Ness of Duncansby in dense fog. Refloated at high water.

31 Dec 1936: Bound for Iceland, seven of the crew were ill with influenza, and put into Stromness. [The Times, Wednesday 6th January 1937.]

6 Mar 1937: The GUNNER was brought into Reykjavik on a charge of having fished within territorial boundaries. [The Times, Monday 8th March 1937.]

Sep 1939:  Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper (P.No.FY.568).

Based in Aberdeen, then Ardrossan with M/S Group 37.

Mar 1944: Converted for dan laying and assigned to Operation Neptune - Normandy landings.

23 May 1944:  Attached to the 31st (Canadian) Minesweeping Flotilla (Canadian) in Force O as a dan layer. At Omaha Beach landing.

3 Jul 1944:  Operation Neptune ended.

23 Oct 1945: Returned to owners.

Oct 1953:  Laid up at Milford Haven. United Trawlers in liquidation.

Jul 1954: Sold to Van Heyghen Frères, Ghent.

13 Jul 1954:  Arrived at Ghent.  Broken up.  Grimsby registry closed.

[Mayes G. & Thomas M. (2014): Cochrane Shipbuilders Vol.2: 1915 - 1939.]

 Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 24th May 1946:

 

    Two weekend additions to the Milford fleet have left on their maiden voyages from the port.  Yesterday the Westcar, purchased by the Westward Trawling Co., from Messrs. F. & T. Ross, of Hull, left in charge of Skipper Frank Armitage.  She is a 135 footer, built in 1915, and has been on war service.

    Also on her way to the fishing grounds with Skipper Utting and Mate James Hastings is the steam trawler Rugby, which arrived in Milford last weekend from Grimsby for Messrs. Tillbrook Trawlers. 

    Great interest was taken in the arrival yesterday of the 140 feet super-Castle trawler Gunner, purchased by United Trawlers Ltd., from a Grimsby firm.  Built in 1927, the ship has been doing Iceland and Bear Island fishing.  She will probably sail on her maiden voyage from the port on Monday under Skipper Albert Riby.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 26th February 1954:

 

    It was announced on Thursday that three Milford trawlers had been sold to Fleetwood, and the first of them is expected to leave this week-end.  The trawlers - the Super class Tekoura, and the castle boats Gunner and George Hastings, have been sold by the bank to Messrs. John Marr and Son, Fleetwood.  They formerly belonged to United Trawlers Ltd., which went into liquidation recently, and all are coal burners.  Marrs bought the trawler Maretta from United last year, and own a number of former Milford trawlers, including the Daniel Clowden and George Adjell.

    The Gunner and Tekoura have been laid up since October, but the George Hastings was tied up some time before that.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 5th March 1954:

 

    The former United trawler Tekoura left for Fleetwood on Saturday in charge of Skipper Sid Hearne and a local skeleton crew.  Her sister ships George Hastings and Gunner were taken this week to join their new Fleetwood owners by other skeleton crews in charge of Skippers Albert Saunders and James Hewett.  All three boats have been purchased by the Dinas Trawling Co. (Messrs. Marr), the sale being arranged for the bank by Mr. E. E. Carter.

 

 

 

   

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