KERNEVEL M62

As KERNEVEL A560

Thanks to George Scales collection, Mick Bayes and The Bosun's Watch website.

Official No:  145005    Port Number and Year:  -     in Lorient, 1906 (L754)                                                                                 2nd in Granton, 1925 (GN35)                                                                                  6th in Sunderland, 1930 (SD26)                                                                                 2nd in Milford, 1940.                                                                                    -   in Aberdeen, 1943 (A560)

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

Crew:  10 men

Registered at Milford: 1 Mar 1940

Built: 1906, by Hall Russell & Co., Aberdeen.  (Yard no.413)

Tonnage: 171.67 grt  65.31 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet):  112.3  / 21.6 / 11.6

Engine: T 3-Cyl. 56.6 nhp. 10 kts. Engine by builders; boiler by Riley Bros., Stockton on Tees.

Owners:   As KERNEVEL L754 1906: Soc. Anon. des Chalutiers de l'Ouest, 27 Rue du Parc-à-l'Eau, St. Nazaire.   Post 1917: Soc. Dieppoise d'Armen à la Pêche, Dieppe. (?)   As KERNEVEL GN35 25 May 1925:  George F. Liston, 97 Lower Granton Rd., Edinburgh. Managing owner.   As KERNEVEL SD36 1930: Wear Steam  Fishing Co. Ltd., Fish Quay, Sunderland.  Manager: James Hall.  (Same address.)   1935: Sunderland Ice Co., 21 Norfolk St., Sunderland Manager: Charles Hall, Fish Quay, Sunderland.    Dec 1939: Joseph Leslie Yolland. 'Trevose', Letterston, Haverfordwest  (17/64) John Yolland (Jnr.), 'Colby', Whiston, Haverfordwest (17/64) Thomas Stewart Yolland, St. Annes, Sketty Green, Swansea (13/64) Manager: John Charles Llewellin, Fenton, Crundale, Haverfordwest  (17/64) 1 Mar 1940: As KERNEVEL M62.   10 Jan 1941: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co. Ltd., 238 Dock St., Fleetwood.   Manager: Fred Parkes, Blackpool.   2 Feb 1943:  Peter Alexander Johnstone & J. Johnstone, 186 Market St., Aberdeen.  15 Feb 1943: As KERNEVEL A560   1953:  Scarborough Pure Ice & Cold Storage Co. Ltd., Scarborough. Manager: J. Johnson.

Landed at Milford: 9 Dec 1939 - 1 Jan 1941

Skippers: J. Cheyney.

Notes:  Kernével is a town in the French Department of Finisterre. 18 May 1914: Requisitioned as auxiliary dredger. 31 Jan 1919: Returned to owners. 12 Aug 1940: Damaged by enemy aircraft 6 miles NW of  Smalls Light House. [See below.] 10 Apr 1944: Requisitioned for war service and fitted out for smoke making. 1944: Assigned to Operation Neptune – Normandy landings. 8 May 1944: Part of Group B1. Sailed Bracklesham Bay for Mulberry A. 9 May 1944: Arrived at Mulberry A. 3 Jul 1944: Operation Neptune ended. 7 Nov 1944: Returned to owner. Mar 1956: Sold to J. J. King & Co Ltd, Gateshead for breaking up. 6 Jun 1956: Aberdeen registry closed.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 12 Feb 1943. [Thanks to Gil Mayes, the Bosun's Watch and the Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust.]

Accidents and Incidents

From an unknown local newspaper, dated c.15th August 1940:

 

    On Tuesday morning three more Milford trawlers arrived in port bearing visible marks of contact with Nazi planes at sea.  The vessels were fishing peacefully when the enemy appeared and dropped bombs, which fortunately missed their mark, though the effect of the explosions were felt.

    Chagrined by their lack of bombing skill, the Nazis resorted to their usual cowardly methods by attacking the helpless fishermen, and relentlessly machine-gunned them.  Evidence of this is to be seen on each side of the trawlers.  Worse still, at least three men were severely wounded. 

    Skipper Walter Perry, of 16, Greville Road, received a nasty flesh wound, whilst his boatswain, Fred McKay, 23, Prioryville, was badly wounded in both legs.  He was on watch in the wheelhouse at the time of the attack.  He had to be taken to hospital.  The other injured man was George Turrel, chief engineer on another trawler.  He was wounded in the legs and arms.

    The other trawler, belonging to the same firm, was the River Ythan.

 

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th August 1940:

 

    For the third successive week, Milford trawlers have been attacked by Nazi bombers.  Their names, owners and skippers were: s.t. "Ermine" (H.E. Rees and Company), Skipper Walter Perry, Greville Road, Milford; s.t. "Kernevel" and s.t. "River Ythan" (Yolland and Llewellin); Skippers J. Cheyney, Point Street, Hakin, and W. Davies, Picton Road, Hakin, respectively.

    Only one of the bombs came dangerously close to a trawler ("River Ythan").  It hit and split the mizzen boom, then dropped onto the leading tackle rope and glanced off into the sea astern before exploding.  The bombing having failed, the Nazis machine gunned the defenceless fishermen, and when the three trawlers docked at Milford bullet holes could be seen all over them.

    The "Ermine" was bombed and machine gunned for twenty minutes, and the boatswain, Mr. Fred McKay, Prioryville, on watch on the bridge at the time, had a bullet through one knee, while the other leg was also injured.  He was taken to the County Hospital.

    Skipper Walter Perry and Mr. George Turrell, chief engineer on the "Kernevel", were also slightly wounded.

 

[ The three trawlers were all attacked by aircraft off the Smalls on 12th August.]

 

 

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