1943 Delivered to US Navy, named BATR18. 2-2-1944 Transferred to UK Admiralty under lend/lease act. 2-2-1944 Commissioned as HMS Emulous at Boston, Mass. 7-6-1944 Departed Thames following refit. 6-12-1944 Allocated as rescue tug, Nore command. 23-4-1946 Returned to US Navy, renamed BATR18. 1948 Sold for commercial service.
--------------------------------------

 

 

British RN tug.

 

Built 1944 by Cochrane and Sons Ltd., Selby. YN1281. Envoy class tug. L174'6". B36'. D17'. 762grt. 1625ihp 3cylTE oil fired steam engine. Bunkers 363 tons. BP16tons. Speed 13 knots. Complement 33. Armament 1x3in AA. 2x20mm AA. 4MG.

 

11-2-1944 Completed for UK Admiralty. 6-1944 Towed Whale units to Mulberry A. 24-6-1944 Towed Scylla to Solent. 1949 Civilian crew under RFA conditions. 1965 Sold to Loucas Matsas and Sons, Piraeus, renamed Matsas. 1969 Renamed Georgios L Matsas. 7-1973 Scrapped at Perama.

----------------------------

 EUSTON CROSS

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Portsmouth to tow two British barges from Littlehampton.

 

Built 1924 by John I. Thornycroft & Co Ltd., Southampton. YN 1039. L106'. B24'2". D10'9". 226grt. 700ihp 3cylTE steam engine by builder. ON115060. IMO5358995. Callsign SKGM later ZSGL later MMSK

 

14-10-1924 Launched. 11-1924 Delivered to South African Goverment Dept. of Railways & Harbours, Port Elizabeth named Sir William Macintosh. 1937 Sold to James Dredging, Towage & Transport Co Ltd., London. 1938 renamed Protea. 30-3-1938 Sold to Tees Towing Co Ltd., Middlesbrough for £10,000, renamed Euston Cross. 23-5-1944 Departed Tees towing Phoenix unit with Empire Sara. 25-5-1944 Arrived Southend. 27-5-1944 Arrived Dungeness, 'parked' Phoenix. 7-6-1944 Departed Lee-on-Solent towing bridge links. [Convoy ETC22W]. Made several more round trips to Normandy. 20-6-1944 Grounded in heavy seas off beaches. Towed back to Spithead by Empire Rupert. 26-6-1944 Left Spithead in tow of HMS Resolve enroute Southend. 3-7-1944 Departed Southend for Grimsby in tow of Empire Belle. 6-7-1944 Repairs commenced at Grimsby. 18-8-1944 Returned to service, carrying out various tows to beaches. 2-1945 Towed hopper barge ex Southend to Kings Lynn. 4-1945 Towed LCGM187 ex R. Tees to London. 15-7-1960 Sold to Loucas Matsas & Sons, Piraeus, renamed Thiseus. 1972 Renamed Ioannis Matsas. 1978 Renamed Thiseus. 1981 Scrapped in Greece.

US Navy tug made available under lend/lease, operating under white ensign. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenx and Whale units.

 

Built 1943 by Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Texas. YN289.  L143'. B33'10". D13'2". 597grt. 1500shp. 2x General Motors GM12-278A diesel engines. Electric drive, single screw. Armament 1x3" gun. Complement 45.

Belgian commercial tug operating under Dutch ensign. Allocated to SNO Portland to tow Bombardons.

Built 1921 by SA des Forges & Chantiers de la Méditerranée, Le Havre. L131.3'. B28.6'. D13.9'. 340grt.  1200ihp 3cylTE 14.5"x23.5"x36.5"x27"s  steam engine by builder. Callsign OLKV later OTGA later ORMC later MGRA

GOOLE X

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Portsmouth to tow two barges from Littlehampton.

 Built 1896 by J.P. Rennoldson & Sons., South Shields. YN 174. L110'. B21'3". D 13'6". 169grt. 475ihp 3cylTE steam engine by builder. ON104213. Callsign PNJL later MQWR.

 

10-1896 Delivered to  Goole & Hull Steam Towing Co Ltd., Goole. 1908 re-boilered. 4-12-1914 Req by UK Admiralty. 21-1-1920 Returned to owners. 1935 reboilered.  5-1941 Req by UK Admiralty. 7-6-1944 Arrived Mulberry B towing ammo barges ex Littlehampton. 10-6-1944 Allocated as local rescue tug Solent area. 12-1944 Towed 2 barges ex Southampton to Thames.  12-1944 Towed barges FB140 and FB159 ex Gravesend to Harwich. 4-1945 Towed barges Riga and Baronet ex Plymouth to Gravesend. 4-1945 Towed E boat ex Southampton to Plymouth. 4-1945 Towed 2 insulated barges ex Plymouth to Gravesend. 5-1945 Towed 2 barges ex Plymouth to Gravesend. 5-1945 Towed barges Grace and Ruby ex Plymouth to Gravesend. 6-1945 Towed tug Sedgemoor and DC45 ex Cardiff to Kings Lynn. 6-1945 Towed barge Linnet ex R. Tyne to Gravesend. 14-4-1946 Returned to owner. 13-5-1948 Sold to Edmund Handcock (1929) Ltd., Cardiff, renamed Falcon. 1958 Scrapped by by John Cashmore Ltd.,  Newport Mon.

-----------------------------------

GRIPER W112

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1942 by Cochrane and Sons Ltd., Selby. YN1248.  Assurance class tug. L156'7". B22'2". D14'9". 630grt. 3cylTE oil fired steam engine by C D Holmes Ltd., Hull.  BP13.5t. 13 knots. ON179938

23-12-1941 Keel laid. 16-5-1942 Launched. 9-10-1942 Delivered to UK Admiralty. 18-8-1943 Assisted towing Amercan liberty ship J Pinkney Henderson on maiden voyage and laden with Magnesium, Wax, Resin and Oil, which had collided with laden tanker  J H Senior loaded with aviation spirit off Newfoundland. . Both vessels burst into flames, only a total of 9 crew surviving from both vessels. 31-8-1943 Arrived towing J Pinkney Henderson at Sydney, Nova Scotia where vessel burnt for another three weeks. 4-1945 Towed AFD67 Milford to Falmouth. 4-1945 Towed SS Java [with tug Freedom] ex Plymouth to Falmouth. 4-1945 With Empire John towed aft end SS Empire Portia ex Cowes to Mumbles. 4-1945 Towed HMS Lydd ex Cardiff to Milford. 20-4-1945 Allocated for tropicalization on R. Thames. To be relieved at Milford by Freedom. 1946 based Singapore. 27-12-1946 With Assiduous towed Japanese heavy cruiser Takao from Selatar to Straits of Malacca for scuttling.  1946 Sold to Nederlandsch-Indische Steenkolen Handel Maatschappij. 1962 Renamed Surabajah. 1962 Sold to Perusahaan Negara Tundabara, renamed Selat Surabajah. 1-1966 Class suspended [overdue surveys]. 196? Believed scrapped.

-----------------------------------------

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Corncob, Portland, specifically to tow obsolete French warship Courbet along with Samsonia. Later towed Phoenix units.

Built 1942 by Henry Robb Ltd, Leith. YN328. Bustler class tug. L205'. B38'8". D17'7". 1120grt. 3020bhp. 2x 8cyl Atlas Polar M48M diesel engines. Single screw.  BP 30t. 16 knots. ON181186. IMO5387532. Callsign MLBR. Armament 1x3"AA. 1x2pdr AA. 2x 20mm AA. 4xMG. Complement 42.

 

31-1-1942 Keel laid. 10-9- 1942 Launched. 16-3-1943 Delivered to UK Admiralty and employed as convoy rescue tug. 12-1944 Towed AFD38 and Compressor barge Gt Yarmouth to Harwich.  2-1945 Towed damaged SS Fort Lac Laronge ex Cardiff to Appledore for beaching. 27-4-1945 Allocated to Plymouth to relieve Freedom. 16-5-1945 Released for towage of Asturias from Gibraltar with HMT Reward. Relieved by Thames. 1946 Based Singapore. 14-2-1946 Towed Japanese submarine I501 [ex U181] from Singapore to Malacca Strait for scuttling.  4-1947 Refitted at Glasgow and Chartered to Moller Towages Ltd.,  Hong Kong, renamed Caroline Moller. 5-1952 Re-chartered by Moller to Hong Kong Salvage & Towage Co Ltd., renamed Castle Peak. 1954 Returned to UK Admiralty, re-renamed Growler (pennant A 111). 3-1958  Chartered by United Towing Co Ltd., Hull renamed Welshman. 23-10-1963 Returned to Admiralty service at Devonport, renamed Cyclone (pennant A 111). 1977 Laid up at Gibraltar 16-4-1983 Sold to Eagle Tugs Ltd., Georgetown, Cayman Islands, based Mombasa, renamed Martial. 30-1-1985 Arrived Gadani Beach, Karachi for scrapping by Adam Hardware Industries, Karachi.

------------------------------------------

HUDSON W02

 

Dutch commercial tug operating under Dutch ensign.  Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1939 by Machinefabriek & Scheepswert van P Smit Jnr., Rotterdam. YN522. L123'2". B24'5". D12'9". 294grt. 840bhp 5cyl 2SCSA 18.75"x24.5" diesel engine by builder.  Single screw. ON IVR27.06462. Callsign PEUJ later PDUN.

 

15-4-1939  Launched. 5-7-1939 Delivered to Internationale Sleepdienst Maatschappij NV., Rotterdam. 1940 Escaped from Holland to England and req by UK Admiralty. 7-6-1944 22.30 Departed Cardiff towing barges for Utah beach. 12-1944 Towed LDC8 ex Southampton to Le Havre.  12-1944 Towed LC19 ex Dover to Portsmouth. 4-1945 Towed 2 KLK barges ex Leith to Flushing. 4-1945 Towed barge HAM904 ex Leith to Walcheren. 5-1945 Towed barges KLK26 & KLK29 ex Leith to Flushing. 5-1945 Towed VIC29 ex Terneuzen to Hull. 5-1945 Towed MFV Sanderling II ex Sheerness to Lossiemouth. 6-1945 Towed balloon barges Canada and K8 ex Terneuzen to Gravesend. 6-1945 Towed balloon barges Zulu and K1 ex Terneuzen to Gravesend. 6-1945 Towed lighter NA208 ex Hull to Chatham. 6-1945 Towed barge Tetrarch ex Dover to Flushing. 6-1945 Towed barges Egypt & Joseph ex Portsmouth to Gravesend. 6-1945 Towed MV June ex Dover to Antwerp.  8-9-1946 Returned to Owners. 17-2-1962  Sold to  L. Smit & Co's Internationale Sleepdienst Maatschappij, Rotterdam. 4-1962 Renamed Ebro. 7-1963 Sold for scrapping to NV Holland, Hendrik Ido Ambacht but resold without engine and rebuilt as a  floating ice-factory at Ooltgensplaat, Stellendam. 1963 Sold to D. de Jager, Stellendam, renamed Johan  Dirk. 14-9-1977 Sold to H. Tanis, Stellendam, renamed Elizabeth. 8-1989 Sold for scrapping to Stolk's Handelsonderneming, Hendrik Ido Ambacht. 21-8-1989 Towed from Hendrik Ido Ambacht to De Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam. 1989 Taken over for preservation by Stichting Help de Hudson, Rotterdam, re-renamed Hudson. 12-2-1992 Preserved in Leuvehaven, Rotterdam. 2008 Still in existence.

-----------------------

KINGS CROSS

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Portsmouth to tow 2 barges from Littlehampton. Later towed Phoenix units.

Built 1918 by Gebroeders Jonker, Kinderdijk. YN405. L115.6'. B25.1'. D12.7'. 282grt. 750ihp. 3cylTE 15"x24"x40.5"x24"s steam engine by Machinefabriek Bolnes. ON144826. Callsign GKWQ.

 

1918 Delivered to NV Bureau Wijsmuller, Ijmuiden named Gelderland. 1919 Sold to Soc. Maritime Nationale, Le Havre, renamed Audax II. 1925 Sold to Aberdeen Steam Tug Co Ltd., Aberdeen. 28-6-1928  sold to Tees Towing Co Ltd, Middlesbrough  for £8,000 renamed Kings Cross. 18-8-1929 Bows badly damaged following collision with Spanish SS Ogono, two miles E by S of Dudgeon. The freighter, laden with iron ore, sank in six minutes with the loss of 15 lives. Some survivors were landed at Grimsby by the tug. 7-6-1944 21.00 Departed Solent towing 2 Pontoons for Normandy beaches. [Convoy ETC22W]. 12-1944 Towed LCGM120 Middlesboro to Deptford.  12-1944 Towed SS Twickenham ex Hull to Tyne. 4-1945 Towed  barges KLK34 & KLK41 ex Leith to Flushing.  4-1945 Towed barge ex Leith to Walcheren. 4-1945 Towed SS Bapaut? ex Flushing to Dover. 5-1945 Towed barges Fife and Paddington ex Plymouth to Gravesend. 5-1945 With Queens Cross towed barges BK16 & BK20 ex Portsmouth to Poole. 5-1945 Towed barges Kantaran and Saladin ex Portsmouth to Gravesend. 6-1945 Towed 2 barges ex Greenock to Falmouth. 3-9-1948 Sold to Nederlandsch-Indische Steenkolen Handel Mij., Amsterdam, renamed Adrian. 1955 Owners restyled to Nederland Indonesië Steenkolen Handel Mij, Amsterdam [vessel based in Jakarta.] 7-1956 Believed scrapped.

-------------------------------------

KROOMAN

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1937 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd., Selby. YN 1193. L100.1'  B25.1'. D12.8'. 230grt. 850ihp 3cylTE 14.5"x25"x41"x27"s 210psi steam engine by C D Holmes Ltd., Hull.  ON165695 IMO5197066 Callsign GFGD.

23-10-1937 Launched.  2-1938 Delivered to United Towing Co Ltd., Hull. 25-8- 1939  On UK Admiralty service based at Rosyth. 6-1944 Towed Whale units to Mulberry B. 24-6-1944 Towed Fentonian to Solent.  4-1945 Towed 2 barges ex Boston to Flushing. 13-4-1945 Allocated to relieve Empire Humphrey at Boulogne. 16-5-1945 Withdrawn from harbour duties at Boulogne. 5-1945 Towed MFV's Erling and Industry ex Portsmouth to Aberdeen and Buckie. 6-1945 Towed trawler Southcoates ex Leith to Hull. 8-6-1945 Released from COTUG control to be harbour tug at Hull. 1945 Returned to owners. 30-6-1963 Sank at moorings in King George Dock, Hull. 28-8-1963 Salved. Reengined with 900bhp 12cyl Bronz diesel by Drypool Engineering Ltd.  1-1965 Returned to service.  29-5-1973 Sold to Maritime Commercial Enterprises Ltd., Piraeus, renamed Jason. 1983 Sold to Alexander G. Tsavliris & Sons Maritime Company, Piraeus. 2.1987 Demolished by Aristotelis Angelikas Company at Perama.
--------------------------------------

LARIAT W17

 

US Navy tug made available under lease/lend, operating under White ensign. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenix and Whale units.

Built 1942 by Levingston Shipbuilding Corp., Orange, Texas. L143'. B33'3". D13'6". 783disp.1875bhp  2x 12cyl General Motors diesel engines. 2x electric drive motors. Twin screw. Bunkers 186 tons. 14 knots. Complement 34.

 

15-5-1942 Launched. 8-1942 Delivered to US Navy, named BAT-5. 10-8-1942 made available to RN under lend/lease act and commissioned as HMS Lariat. 19-2-1946 Returned to US Navy and renamed AT-130. 17-9-1946 Sold to UK, renamed Lariat and subsequently resold to China Merchants Steam Nav. Co., Shanghai and renamed Ming 108. 194? Renamed Ming 308. 1949 Under control of CMSNC [Taiwan]. 1960 Deleted from register.

-----------------------

1918 Delivered to French Navy, based at Cherbourg. 3-7-1940 Seized by the Royal Navy at Plymouth following the incident at Mers-el-Kebir. 8-1940 Barrage balloon vessel at Sheerness. 1943 Req by  Royal Navy for use as salvage tug based Harwich. 1944 Employed as Target towing tug. 12-1944 Towed timber raft Marchwood to Antwerp. 12-1944 Towed LC16 ex Dover to Portsmouth. 15-2-2-1945 Towed 2 pontoons ex Arromanche to Solent.[Last towable remains of Mulberry B].  5-6-1945 Released from COTUG control. 17-8-1945 Returned to  French Navy. Based Cherbourg pennant R08 later A660. 22-7-1963 Condemned. 1964 Sold for scrapping at Cherbourg.

--------------------------------------------------

 

 

------------------------------

 

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1925 by Cochrane and Sons Ltd., Selby. YN981. L100'. B25.5'. D12.3'. 220grt. 800ihp 3cylTE 14.5"x24"x40"x27"s 180psi steam engine by  Earles, Hull. ON149023 Callsign MNKZ.

 

7-7-1925 Launched. 11-1925 Delivered to United Towing Co Ltd., Hull. 28-5-1937 Whilst anchored in fog off Yarmouth I-o-W struck by Southern Railway steamer Hantonia.  Tug beached in sinking condition at Brambles Buoy and later submerged. 7-7-1937 Salved and later inspected at Southampton. Eventually towed to Hull for reconditioning. 194? Req for UK Admiralty service. 18-5-1944 Engaged on coastal towing duties. 7-1944 Towed LC-17 from Thames to Southampton. 194?  Returned to owner. 1965  Re-engined 850bhp  12cyl  Mirrlees diesel engine. 1972 Scrapped  by Albert Draper & Sons Ltd., Hull.

--------------------------------------

 

 

British commercial tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1921 by Scheepswerf Nimmerrust, Lekkerkerk. YN 83. L121'. B25'. D11.8'. 286grt. 550ihp 3cylTE 18.75"x22.25"x36"x25"s steam engine by Machinefabriek Avontuur, Dordrecht. ON160740 Callsign PWLR later GWJN.

 

1921 Delivered to NV Bureau Wijsmuller, Ijmuiden, named Vlaanderen. 20-7-1933 Sold to Tees Towing Co Ltd., Middlesbrough renamed Queens Cross. 3-8-1940 Req for  Admiralty service. 7-6-1944 Arrived Mulberry B towing 3 ammo barges ex Littlehampton. 12-1944 Towed Totem 1 ex Portsmouth to Antwerp.  2-1945 Towed Stella Rigel ex Southampton to Hull. 4-1945 Towed piling barge Willing ex Southampton to London. 4-1945 Towed KX27 ex leith to Walcheren. 5-1945 Towed barge ex Portsmouth to Gravesend. 5-1945 Towed barge ex Portsmouth to Dover. 5-1945 Towed 2 barges ex Plymouth to gravesend. 5-1945 With Kings Cross towed barges BK16 & BK20 ex Portsmouth to Poole. 6-1945 Towed a dredger plus crane barge 102 ex Cardiff to Boston. 25-6-1946 Returned to owners. 9-9-1948 Sold to  Nederlandsch-Indische Steenkolen Handel Maatschappij, Amsterdam renamed Goos. [based  at Tandjong Priok] 1953 Rebuilt. 1955 Owners restyled to Nederland Indonesië Steenkolen Handel Mij., Amsterdam. 11-1959 Laid up. 1961 Scrapped.
--------------------------

RESOLVE W85

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1918 by Ayrshire Dockyard Co Ltd., Irvine. YN479. L186'. B34'. D17'. 842grt. 1400disp. 2400ihp 2x 3cylTE coal fired steam engines by Central Marine Engine Works. Twin screw. Bunkers 270 tons. 4 boilers. 12 Furnaces. Twin funnelled. BP24t. 14knots. Complement 30.

 

30-7-1918  Launched. 9-1918 Delivered UK Admiralty, based Queenstown. 1921 Based Portsmouth.  27-11-1924 Damaged by heavy weather off Swanage whilst searching for SS Hartley. 28-1-1932 Assisting in search for missing submarine M2 off Portland.  7-9-1932 Towed disabled Southern Railway paddle steamer Southsea from Brook Point to Portsmouth Harbour. 12-1-1934 Assisted refloating grounded battleship HMS Nelson outside Portsmouth Harbour. 17-9-1935 Towing SS Brompton Manor, not under command and with deck cargo shifted, St Katherines Point to Portsmouth. 12-12-1936 Award for salvage of submarine tender Dwarf.  17-12-1939 Assisted SS Oregon. 22-9-1950 Scrapped by James Scott & Co Ltd.
--------------------------------------

 

 

1912: Built 192 by Werf 'Gusto' v/h A.F. Smulders, Schiedam YN 428. L100.3'. B21.3'. D11.1'. 173grt. 650ihp 3cylTE steam engine by builder. ON146181

 

1912 Delivered to Entreprise Générale du Port de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina. Named Albatros. 1917 Acquired on behalf of War Office renamed Verdun for delivery voyage. 1917 Owner  UK War Office (Director of Inland Waterways), London, renamed HS 49. 1921 Sold to Crichton Thompson & Co Ltd., London. 1925 Owners British & International Investment Trust Ltd.,London. 1927 Sold to Remorquage A. Letzer SA, Antwerp, renamed Richard. 6-1940 Req by  MOWT, managed by Risdon Beazley Ltd., Southampton. 1943 Renamed Richard II. 2-1944 Transferred to Admiralty service. 6-1944 At Dungeness pumping out Mulberry units. 1945 Returned to owners, re-renamed Richard. 1953-1954 Chartered to Maatschappij der Brugsche Zeevaart-Inrichtingen, Zeebrugge. 1961 Scrapped at Antwerp.

-----------------------------------------

 

 

Dutch commercial tug under RN control.

 

Built 1938 by L Smit and Zoon, Kinderdijk, YN889 L45.24m. B 8,10m. D4,85m. 468grt. 1240bhp. 2x 6cyl MAN diesel engines.

25-4-1938  Launched.  19-7-1938  Delivered to  L. Smit & Co's Internationale Sleepdienst, Rotterdam. 1940 Escaped Holland to England, placed by UK Admiralty in  Rescue Tug Section, pennant  W 162, stationed at Bermuda. 7-1942 Returned to UK. 24-4-1944  Torpedoed by German E-boat S-100, near Dungeness whilst  towing Phoenix caisson for 'parking' at Selsey. Hit in bunker she sank with loss of all crew.

 ----------------------------------------

 

 SABINE W74

 

British commercial tug req by RN operating under White ensign. Allocated to SNO Selsey for towing Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1917 by Spedden Shipbuilding Co., Baltimore MD. YN248 L151.9'. B26.3'. D15.1'. 488grt. 1900ihp 3cylTE 21"x32"x54"x26"s  oil fired steam engine. ON180600 Callsign LHFC later GLBQ. Armament 1x12pdr AA 2x MG.

1917 Delivered to Freeport Sulphur Transportation Co Inc., New York named Freeport Sulphur No 2. 1930 Owners Sabine Towing Co Inc., Port Arthur, Texas, renamed Sabine. 1932 Owners restyled Sabine Transportation Co Inc.  1933 Appeared in film Tugboat Annie. 1940 Purchased by  Overseas Towage and Salvage Co Ltd., London. managers C Rowbotham and Sons, London. 1940 Sold to UK Admiralty. 1941 Managers Overseas Towage and Salvage Limited, London. 1944 Returned to control of MoWT. 1945 Sold to Salvedor Co Ltd, London, manager Philip Bauer. Engaged on salvage work at Le Havre. 1-1950 Sold to Henry G. Pounds Ltd.,  Portsmouth. 6-11-1950 Scrapped by J.J. King & Co Ltd., Gateshead.
---------------------------------

SAINT MARTIN W27

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Portland to tow Bombardons. Later towed Phoenix units and an American floating crane.

Built 1919 by Livingstone & Cooper Ltd., Hessle. YN 189. Saint class tug. L135'6". B29'. D14'6". 444grt. 860disp.  1250ihp 3cylTE coal fired steam engine by Earles, Hull. Bunkers 240 tons. 12 knots. armament 1x 12pdr AA. Complement 30 ON143453. callsign MCKK.

9-1919 Launched. 11- 1919 Delivered to Royal Navy. 1926 Recommissioned as tender to HMS Tiger, Portsmouth. 9-4-1927 Tender to HMS Excellent. 1934 Based  Portsmouth on fleet target towing service for HMS Excellent gunnery school. 22-8-1936 Arrived Portland. 28-5-1940 Arrived Scapa Flow. 1-1-1941 At Greenock. WW2 based Lamlash, Arran on target towing duties.  21-5-1946 Paid off.  11-1946 Sold to Wheelock Marden & Co Ltd., London. The vessel was intended to be based in Far East but tug failed surveys and was laid up. 1-1952 Scrapped in UK.
-------------------------

 

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Portland to tow Bombardons.

Built 1918 by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Govan. YN 563G. Saint class tug. L134'6". B29'. D14'6". 422grt. 860disp. 1200ihp 3cylTE coal fired steam engine by builder. Bunkers 240 tons. 12 knots. Complement 30. Armament 1x12pdr AA. ON142750

30-11-1918 Launched.  12-1918 Delivered to Royal Navy, based Portsmouth dockyard.  4-7-1920 Departed Fayal towing Yorck for  Falmouth. 28-8-1920 Arrived Fayal enroute for Colon. 4-10-1932 Left Portland to assist salvaging sunken submarine M2.  1940 Based Kirkwall. 2-1940 Towed stern section of torpedoed SS Loch Maddy ex convoy HX19 into Inganess Bay and beached her. 15-2-1940 Towed collision damaged destroyer HMS Duncan from Invergordon to Rosyth.  8-1940 Sank following air attack at Falmouth. Later salved.  13-11-1940 Shot down Messerschmit aircraft and damaged another in North Sea. 12-1944 Towed NI Pontoon from Bosham to Ostend. 9-12-1944 Weatherbound in Downs with tow for Antwerp.  7-1949 Scrapped by H.G. Pounds,  Portsmouth.
------------------------------

SAMSONIA W23 [later A218]

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Corncob, Portland to specifically tow obsolete French battleship Courbet with Growler. Later towed Phoenix units.

 

 

Built 1942 by Henry Robb Ltd., Leith. YN322. Bustler class tug. L205'. B40'5". D16'11". 1100grt. 3020bhp. 2x 8cyl Atlas Polar M48M diesel engines. Single screw.  BP30t. Range 5000 miles @ 12 knots. Armament 1x 3"AA, 1x 2pdr AA, 2x20mm AA, 4xMG. Complement  42. ON181181 callsign MFML.

 

1-2-1941 Keel laid. 1-4-1942  Launched. 11-1942 Delivered to UK Admiralty named Samson. 1943 Renamed Samsonia, based Campbeltown as convoy rescue tug. 13-7-1943 Rescue tug with convoy HX247. 21-8-1943 Salvaged Lockheed Bomber adrift on Pontoon from freighter torpedoed in Atlantic and towed to UK.  3-5-1944 Towed torpedoed USS Donnell DE56 from 450 miles SW of Cape Clear to Dunnstaffnage Bay, Scotland.  26-6-1945 Allocated to Tilbury for Phoenix towage. 1947 Charter to Foundation Maritime Ltd., Halifax, NS. renamed Foundation Josephine. 10-1948 Towed abandoned SS Leicester into Bermuda. 7-10-1948 Caught in  hurricane and driven ashore with tow,  later salvaged and towed to Halifax. 1952 Returned to UK Admiralty, re-renamed Samsonia (pennant A 218) 1958 Based at Portsmouth. 1958 Towed British submarine Turpin with engine defect from Kingston, Jamaica to Portsmouth.  8-1960 With Bustler towed battleship Vanguard from Portsmouth to Faslane for scrapping.15-9-60 Arrived Barrow towing floating dock AFD59 from Portsmouth.  1965 Based at Devonport. 6-5-1965 Towed tug Careful from Portsmouth to Pembroke Dock. 1970 Assisted by HMS Andromeda after suffering engine breakdown in Pentland Firth whilst towing HMLSI Stalker. 25-8-1973 Advertised for disposal 'as lying' at Devonport. 28-2-1974 Sold to Brodus Split, Salvage, Towage and Demolition Enterprises, Split. 6-1974 renamed Jaki,  Refitted on Tyne. 11-5-1979 Deleted from Register and laid up at Sveti Kajo. Cannibalised for parts for Smjeli [ex Bustler]. 3-9-1987 Scrapped.
---------------------------

 

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow  Phoenix and Whale units.

Built 1942 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd., Selby YN 1257. Assurance class tug. L156'6". B35'. D16'6". 588grt.  1100ihp 3cylTE oil fired steam engine by C D Holmes Ltd., Hull. BP13.5t. Fuel 250 tons. 13 knots. ON182196 Callsign MFZY.

 

30-6-1942 Keel laid. 26-10-1942 Launched. 27-2-1943 Delivered to UK Admiralty. Based Portsmouth and later Portland on target and coastal towing. 19-3-1943 Assisting torpedoed SS Carras with convoy SC122. 12-1944 Towed BK barge 6165, rescued in channel to Newhaven. 4-1945 Towed SS Solomon Juneau ex Downs to Gravesend. 1945 Assisted towing floating dock AFD17 Iceland to Cochin. 1949 Civilian manned under RFA conditions. 1950 Towed HMS Musketeer from Harwich to Liverpool for refit. 11-11-1960 In operational reserve at Pembroke Dock. 1-3-1965 Sold to Tsavliris Salvage and Towage Ltd., Piraeus, renamed Nissos Chios. 1971 Scrapped in Greece.
----------------------------------

SEA GIANT W125

 

British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1920 by Staten Island Shipbuilding Co., Mariners Harbor, NY. YN706. L148.3'. B20'. D15.1'. 508grt. 2400ihp 3cylTE 21"x33.5"x55.5"x42"s. coal fired steam engine.  Armament 2x.5" AA, 2xMG. Complement 50. ON[US]236962. Callsign WPQM.

 

12-1-1920 Launched. 20-8-1920 Delivered to US Navy named Contocook AT-36. 27-11-1933 Decommissioned and laid up at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Cal. 8-2-1934 Sold to Shipowners and Merchants Tugboat Co., San Francisco. 193? Converted to oil firing by Pacific Dry Dock. 1938 Renamed Sea Giant. 1940 Purchased by Overseas Towage and Salvage Ltd, London, C Rowbotham and Sons managers. 4-6-1940 Departed Los Angeles for UK.  1940 Sold to UK Admiralty as rescue tug, managers Overseas Towage and Salvage Ltd., London. 27-3-1941 Towing  SS Somali, bombed off Blyth. Off Seahouses SS Somali burst into flames, exploded and sank. 9-1943 Towed HMS Sherwood from Chatham to Humber estuary for use as target. 7-1946 Returned to MoWT. 3-5-1948 Sold to Garnet W Stevens, USA. 1950 Deleted from LR.
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British commercial tug serving under White ensign. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

 

Built 1924 by Cochrane and Sons Lts., Selby. YN943 L125'. B28.1'. D13.8'. 369grt. 1200ihp 3cylTE 16.5"x27"x46"x30"s 190psi steam engine by Earles Ltd., Hull. Armament 1x 12pdrAA, 1x 20mm AA, 2x .5" AA. ON148409. Callsign KRVW later GKXT.

 

15-9-1924 Launched. 12-1924 Delivered to  United Towing Co Ltd., Hull. 5-1925 Towed Minesweepers Stepdance and Quadrill from Boston, Lincs to Buenos Aires for £3600. Quadrill foundered in Bay of Biscay but Stepdance delivered safely. 26-9-1930 Recovered tow of cruiser HMS Conquest which had broken away from tug Kings Cross in heavy weather off Flamborough Head whilst under tow Portsmouth to Faslane for scrap. Towed cruiser into Hull. 11-8-1932 Departed St Patrick, Jersey, towing SS St Patrick to PLymouth. 3-1936 Towed scrap cruiser Garibaldi from Bahia Blanca to Blythe, 6843 miles in 115 days. 1-12-1939  Req by  UK Admiralty. 10-1-1940 Shot down German FW200 aircraft 200 miles NW of Ireland. 12-1944 Towed SS Saltflat from Gravesend to S. Shields with Empire Rupert. 12-1944 Towed pierhead ex Arromanche to Portsmouth. 12-1944 Towed hopper Millwall from Portsmouth to Tilbury. 2-1945 Towed VIC29? ex  Ramsgate to Antwerp. 4-1945 Towed LC26 ex Middlesborough to London. 4-1945 Towed crane MoWT14 ex London to Antwerp. 18-4-1945 Allocated as Rescue Tug to Nore command, relieving Justice.  5-1945 Departed  Portsmouth towing barge Eagle but tow lost on passage. 5-1945 Towed barge Tetrarch ex Portsmouth to Dover. 2-11-1945 Returned to owners 10-1964 Scrapped by Lacmots Ltd., Queenborough, Kent.
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British RN tug. Allocated to SNO Selsey to tow Phoenix and Whale units.

Built 1933 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd., Selby. YN 1110. L120.2'. B27.2'. D14.2'. 359grt. 900ihp 3cylTE steam engine by C D Holmes Ltd., Hull.  Armament 1x 20mm AA. 2x.5in AA, 4x MG. ON163129. Callsign GWFJ.