HMT Pelagos, Minesweeping Trawler.
Type of Vessel: Fishing Trawler (Coal burning, Steel) converted to Minesweeper
Fishing Number: GN55 Granton 1936. M 110 Milford Haven 1920.
Other Names: Charles Donelly 1918. Calydavia 1920.
Year Constructed: 28 Jun 1918 (Launched)
Built by: Bow McLachlan & Co.
Built at: Paisley, Scotland.
Engine: 61 hp, T.3-cyl.
Speed: 10.5 knots.
Gross Tons: 277 tons.
Length: 125.7 feet.
Beam: 23 Feet.
Depth: 13 feet.
Compliment: 15 to 18 with wireless.
Armament: 1 X twelve pounder dual purpose on the stern. 2 x Hotchkiss machine guns in the waist. Rockets each side of the bridge.
Fate: Survived WW2 and returned to owner.
HISTORY.
20 July 1920. Renamed Calydavia.
4 Feb 1935. Owned by Carnie & Gibb Ltd, of Glasgow & Newhaven Edinburgh.
1936. Renamed Pelagos.
1939. Owned by Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
9 March 1940. While fishing 12 miles NW of Tory Island, Co. Donegal, Ireland, in company with "Leukos" D 86; "Alvis" H 52; "Flying Admiral" H 66;" John Morrice "A 786 and "Sedock" GY 123. The fleet came under attack by a U-boat (U-38) which fired her deck gun sinking the "Leukos" with the loss of all eleven crew.
May 1940. Requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an Auxiliary Patrol Vessel (P.No.4.103) (Hire rate £83.2s.0d/month) Working out of Harwich.
15th September 1940, Nore Command, Harwich.
Trawlers armed with 12 Pounders
Dhoon, Evelyn Rose, Jacinta, Velia, Edwina, Gava, St Nectan, Lady Shirley, Loch Inver, Helka, Kings Grey, France Tireur, Fairway, Stella Carina and Pelagos.
March 1941. Converted to a Minesweeper working out of Wildfire III Queenborough.
January 1942, ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command, Sheerness. Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping Group 123 - minesweeping trawlers AMROTH CASTLE, DELPHINUS, PELAGOS, all at Sheerness.
1945. Returned to owner and sold. Owned by Joseph Craig, Aberdeen. Registered at Aberdeen A.589.
1954. Scrapped by Malcolm Brechin, Granton, Edinburgh.
To find out more of the Pelagos movements go to DRIFTERS AND TRAWLERS.
To the story of crew member Francis Noel Smith, New Zealand Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R), GO HERE.
http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Archives/Newth/SmithF/PDF/SmithBiography.pdf
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST Dec, 39.
Not Listed.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST July 40.
Not Listed.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 41.
Temp. Lieut R.N.R., G. R. May, 24 Sept 40
Temp. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V., A. R. Terry (prob) 11 Sept 40
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., J. Betty, 9 Aug 40.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 42.
Skipper, R.N.R., J. Bell 25 Sept 41
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., H. D. Eaevoldsen 12 Aug 41
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., J. Betty, 9 Aug 40.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 43.
Skipper Lieut., R.N.R., C. J. Euston (act) - June 42
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., T. R. Tripp. 16 Dec 42.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June, 44.
Skipper Lieut., R.N.R., C. J. Euston (act) - June 42
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., H. W. Thurston 18 Mar 44.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 45.
Not listed.
If you, your father or your grandfather have any additional information about this ship, crew lists, stories, photographs, please send copies of them to be added to our records and this website.
Thank you.
Contact: johntenthousand@yahoo.co.uk
Watch this short minesweeping video. Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
The Palagos would have looked like this model of a Minesweeping Trawler showing the LL magnet sweeper gear on the stern and the Acoustic sweeping gear on the Bow.
PELAGOS.
Armed Minesweeper Trawler
Wildfire III, Queenborough.
A Castle Class Minesweeper, the Pelagos firstly worked out of Harwich as an Auxiliary Patrol Vessel and later out of Wildfire III, Queenborough as a Minesweeper.
Initially there were only three Royal Navy personnel on board the Pelagos the rest of the crew being fishermen who had been enlisted into the Navy as T12433 ratings. (T12433 ratings were usually fishermen, crews of vessel taken over by the Admiralty who joined as a group when their ship was requisitioned.)
As a patrol vessel the Pelagos escorted coastal convoys along the English Channel and North Sea and kept a look out for the signs of invasion. The Pelagos would often spot German aircraft laying mines and report their position.
Accommodation on board the Pelagos was cramped and only possible as there were two watches.
When under attack by enemy aircraft and returning fire, the ammunition was from World War One, the clips had started to rust and the guns would often jam.
Pelagos as a fishing vessel , Fishing Number M110 out of Milford Haven, 1920.