COMMODATOR GY57

LYNANDI GY57

 

As DAILY CHRONICLE FD69 (1930-34)

Courtesy of Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust and The Bosun's Watch

Official No:  143809                             Port and Year:  London, 1920  (LO438)                                                                                            Boston, 1922 (BN179)

                                                                                           Fleetwood, 1930 (FD69)     

                                                                                           Granton, 1934 (GN6)

                                                                                           Grimsby, 1945 (GY57)   

Description: Castle Class steel side trawler; coal fired.  Ketch rigged

Crew: 12 men

Built: by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, Beverley, in 1917.  (Yard no. 382)

Tonnage:   281 grt  109 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 125.5 / 23.5 / 12.7                                                         

Engine: T 3-Cyl; 87 rhp = 10.5 kts.; by Amos & Smith Co., Hull

Owners:

 

As RICHARD BACON LO438

24 Aug 1920: The Secretary of the Admiralty, Whitehall, London S.W.1

 

As HAGNABY BN179

7 Jul 1922: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co., Boston.

Manager: Fred Parkes, Wyberton, Boston.

(1923:  Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co. moved to Fleetwood.)

 

As PROFESSEUR BERGONIÉ.

Feb 1925:  Victor Fourny, Boulogne sur Mer.

 

As DAILY CHRONICLE FD69

4 Mar 1930: Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood

Manager: Fred Parkes, Blackpool

 

As COMMODATOR GN6

28 Nov 1934: Thomas L. Devlin & Sons, Granton.   (1942: Made a limited company.)

Manager: Thomas L. Devlin.

 

1943: Mrs E. D. Breen, Edinburgh.

 

As GY57

48 Jun 1945: Grimsby Merchants Amalgamated Trawling Co., Grimsby.

Manager: Harvey Wilfred Wilson.

 

15 Feb 1946:  Richard Gordon Parsley, Docks, Milford. 

Managing owner.

26 Jul 1948: As LYNANDI GY57

 

Landed at Milford: as COMMODATOR 3 Jul  - 15 Jul 1947;

as LYNANDI 29 Jul 1947 - 17 Jan 1954.

Skippers: G. King (1951-54)

Notes: 

Richard Bacon, age 47, born Salisbury; A.B., HMS VICTORY, at Trafalgar.

12 Mar 1918: Built for the Admiralty as RICHARD BACON (Admy. No. 3587) 1x12 pdr.

5-7 Mar 1933: Chartered by Italian Government to support a trans-Atlantic flight involving 20 to 30 aeroplanes.

12 Aug 1934: Ran into trawler JACINTA off St.Kilda, damaging her starboard side; DAILY CHRONICLE undamaged. [The Times, 24 August 1934.]

29 Aug1939: Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted for minesweeping duties (P.No. FY.634).

4 Oct 1945: Re-classed at Glasgow and returned to owner.

14 Jan 1954: Disabled off Old Head of Kinsale. (See details below.)

27 Aug 1954: Broken up at Ward's Castle Pill Yard.

[Information supplied by Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust and The Bosun's Watch.]

Accidents and Incidents:

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 15th January 1954:

 

    The Milford trawler Lynandi (Don Trawling Co.) is being towed home by the Milford trawler Inverforth.  She has boiler trouble, and has had to blow down.  Mr. R. Parsley of the Don Trawling C. told the Guardian this morning, "It is nothing serious."

"Don Trawling Co." appears to be a trading name; the officially registered ownership is as above. ]

 

The Times, Saturday, Jan 16, 1954; pg. 6; Issue 52831; col G
     Dutch Ship Breaks Tow

 

......

     Shortly after midnight the owner of the Lynandi, a Milford Haven trawler, decided to call out the Angle lifeboat to try to take off the crew.

       The Lynandi, disabled on Thursday after mechanical trouble, was taken in tow by another trawler.  The tow was continued for100 miles, but then the rope parted, and two efforts to reconnect it failed.  The Lynandi then started to drift off St. Ann's Head.

.....

 

From a local newspaper, probably the West Wales Guardian of  22nd January 1954:

 

    As an 80 miles per hour gale lashed across the town on Friday evening, the people of Milford listened with anxiety to a battle waged against the elements by a vessel of the Port's fleet within sight of the lights of St Ann's Head. The trawler "Lynandi" drifted out of control, whilst the S.T. "Inverforth" stood by powerless to assist in the mountainous seas.

    On Thursday afternoon the "Lynandi", a Castle type trawler, owned by R.G. Parsley, and commanded by Skipper W. G. King, was fishing off the Old Head of Kinsale, when boiler trouble developed.  The ship was blown down and lost all power. Skipper Ambrose Settersfield in the "Inverforth" a crabber, was fishing near at hand and proceeded to the "Lynandi's" assistance.  The "Inverforth" took the "Lynandi" in tow and commenced what appeared to be a routine "Hobble" of bringing a trawler safely into port. The weather at that time did not appear to present any difficulties, but during the night conditions deteriorated.  At 11 o'clock a.m. on Friday morning the "Inverforth" with her charge had travelled a hundred miles against the increasing bad weather, and then twenty three miles from St Ann's Head, the tow parted under the mounting strain. Twice the "Lynandi" floated down a line on Dan Floats, but each time the lines parted. 

    The wind had now reached gale force, and the "Inverforth" in her attempt to reach the second Dan Float shipped a heavy sea.  "It was one of the biggest I have ever seen", said Skipper Settersfield.  "Fortunately, the men on deck were able to get clear in time, and we in the wheelhouse flung ourselves on the grating."

    Realising that it was impossible to reconnect the tow and carry on, Skipper Setterfied requested a tug . Ashore, the urgency of the situation was appreciated and the" Empire Rosa" was dispatched from Pembroke Dock.  The tug  reached the Heads and passed from the sight of the trawlers sheltering in Chapel Bay.  Ten minutes later, however her lights reappeared in the Haven as she returned after being unable to force a passage out through the mountainous seas outside.  Reluctantly the decision was made, for at that time it was impossible for her to survive those seas.

    With the failure of the tug  to reach the "Lynandi" the position became serious.  Skipper King feared that, at the mercy of wind and tide, he would be driven ashore on the rocky coast. A slight change in the wind of a point, however, drove the trawler down towards St Govans, and here a fresh danger threatened of being swept into the shoal waters or fouling the Lightship. The "Lynandi's" crewman handling their warps and gear succeeded in warping out their kedge anchor, although the Mate, Mr Allerton, injured his foot badly in the process. This steadied their drift and was of tremendous value to the vessel in the hours to come. From seven p.m. to

nine p.m. listeners waited with anxiety until Skipper Settersfield's voice stated that it would appear that the danger was cleared until the flood tide, as the "Lynandi" would drift towards the open channel, and clear of the St Govans Lightship.

    Skipper King was determined not to call for a lifeboat, unless the crew's lives were endangered.  The "Lynandi", a fine seaship, was riding well, and throughout the night did not ship a single sea. Skipper Settersfield maintained contact with the "Lynandi", and his Decca navigation bearings confirmed their position. With forty foot seas running, he informed the shore that it was impossible for any ship to live alongside the "Lynandi", and any attempt to go alongside would be fatal to both vessels.  Visibity was good and although the "Inverforth" once lost contact, Skipper King could see the "Inverforth's" lights [which] gave him his bearings to [resume] contact. Skipper King, in a brief message, stated that the crew were all in good spirits, and after saying that he had just had a good meat sandwich (his first food for over

twenty four hours) he added, "I hope to be home in time to check my coupon tomorrow night."

    At mid-night, Mr Gordon Parsley spoke to the two ships and stated that he thought the "Lynandi's" crew had been there long enough.  He informed Skipper King that the Angle Lifeboat was being launched to come to their assistance. 

    The Angle Lifeboat, under Coxswain Alfred Watkins, was launched at 12.15 a.m., and after a severe buffeting passed through the Heads at 12.45.a.m.  She proceeded to a position 14 miles South West of St Govans Head, and throughout the night, battling her way through tremendous seas, searched a 12 mile area without success.  Eventually she was forced to return to Harbour at 8 o'clock a.m., and after refuelling left again at 9 a.m. At one time anxiety was felt for the safety for the lifeboat, as attempts to contact her on the radio failed. The transmitter was at fault.

    The "Thomas Booth", under Skipper E. Robson, reached the scene at about 2 a.m., and took up position with the trawler "Inverforth".  Although the "Lynandi" was riding the seas well, the position remained serious for if the wind had changed to the Southward she would have been driven inshore.  Skipper Settersfield, in the "Inverforth", made arrangements ready to deal with any emergency to take off the crew, but in those seas it would have been a Herculean task. 

    With the dawn the conditions moderated, and at 9.10 a.m. the "Empire Rose" passed through the Heads and turned Southwards.  She succeeded in commencing to tow the "Lynandi" at 11 a.m., but the seas were still severe and the tow parted. On reconnecting, however, they began to make headway, and escorted by the "Inverforth" and the Angle Lifeboat, commenced the journey home.  At 2.15 p.m. they were within l miles of the Heads, proceeding slowly, and two hours later were safe at anchor in the Harbour.

    When interviewed, Skipper King expressed the appreciation of his crew to all who had assisted them, and speaking of his own crew he praised their work in the back breaking manhandling of the warps and gear, without lights and heat.  They had done all they could to save their ship. Skipper King praised too the sea worthiness of the "Lynandi".  Although out of control, she proved a perfect sea ship and throughout the night never shipped a drop of water.

    Skipper Settersfield, when interviewed, was reticent to talk of the part he played.  "I know what it is like to be ship wrecked, myself," he told our reporter. "l had a good crew and they did all that was asked of them, and I only did what any fisherman would do.  It was a very bad night and the seas in those shoal waters were about the worst I have seen in thirty years at sea."

    Deck Hand H. Taylor, 6 St. Lawrence Avenue, lost his young brother at sea nearly twelve months ago in the" Richard Crofts" disaster.

    It is not often that such a fight against the sea takes place within the range of the scores of trawler radio wave bands sets in the port, and throughout the night, watch was kept in nearly every street.  To all who listened, the confidence radiated by the sound of Skipper Settersfield's voice and the splendid manner in which he carried out his duties, together with his crew, will always remain in the memory of those listening in.

 

Crew members,"Lynandi":                                                                            Crew members, "Inverforth" .

Skipper, A. W. King, 62, Glebelands                                                              A. Settersfield, 66, Shakespeare Ave.

Mate, G. Allerton, Glebelands                                                                        E. T. Gibbs, 54, Kensington Rd, Neyland

Bosun, M. J. McNeil, 49, Harbour Way.                                                          W. S. James, 28, Prioryville.

3rd Hand, W. D. Johnston, 29, Maeshyfryd, Fishguard.                                   J. Phillips, 13, Priory Ave., Haverfordwest

Deckhands, G. Owston, Caerfai, Steynton.                                                     J. H. Boswell, 60 King St., Pembroke Dock.

                  H. Taylor, 6, St Lawrence Ave.                                                    A. Hodgson, 57, Walcot St., Hull.

                  S. Majewski, 77, Milton Crescent, Pill.

Cook, C. J. Colby, 9, High St., Wargrave, Berks.                                            E. Wilcoki, 3, Colby Scott, Haverfordwest.

Ch.Eng., P. J. Mason, Charles St, Neyland.                                                     H. W. Pointer, 62, Picton Rd, Hakin.

2nd Eng., J. W. Evans, 29, Lewis St, Pembroke Dock.                                     C. H. Middlemiss, 26, Lower Hill St., Hakin

Firemen, J. Pace, 202, Bute St, Cardiff.                                                         D. Langdale, 1, Milton Crescent, Pill.

              T. Walters, 41,Charles St, Neyland.                                                  D. Williams, Sailors' Home, Swansea.

 

 

 

 

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