HM Minesweeper Windward Ho.
Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeper Trawler Group 30
The Windward Ho’s namesake also called the Windward Ho (H 692) was a British registered steam trawler which struck a mine on the 9th May 1917 when 3 miles South of Peterhead and sunk with the loss of eight of her crew including her skipper.
The Windward Ho, which served at Wildfire III, Queenborough, as a Minesweeper, was not so unlucky and survived the World War Two.
Little is known about the Windward Ho, like many of her sister ships she swept for mines in the Thames Estuary along the East Coast and through the Channel. At great risk to themselves the crew of the Windward Ho kept the sea lanes to London and South East England open. This gave Britain the breathing space it needed after Dunkirk and changed the course of WW2 from which benefited the enemy to one which aided the Allies leading to Victory.
Watch these short minesweeping videos.
Minesweepers: https://youtu.be/aTsYiZFzv5M
A Bad Day in December 1940: https://youtu.be/Lw2pW31qH4s
It was not known if this photograph was the first Windward Ho which sank in WW1 of the second Windward Ho which served during WW2 at Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Jim Burke of Buchan Divers (a group dedicated to the location, identification, exploration and research of our sunken wreck heritage) has identified the photograph as the WW2 Wildfire III, Windward Ho. Jim, who’s group has dived on the WW1 Windward Ho tell us, “I notice that, in the picture, the bow section is covered. There is no such covering on H692, she is open with gunwale and bow fairleads (in fact it was the distinct fairleads which helped us identify the wreck as the Windward Ho). Thanks Jim and the Buchan Divers.
Type of Vessel: Steam fishing Trawler, converted to Minesweeper.
Pennant: FY 574
Other Names: Okino.
Year Constructed: November 1920.
Built by: Cook, Welton & Gemmill.
Built at: Beverley.
Owner: H. Croft Baker and Sons.
Engine: T 3 CY. Built by Amos and Smith Ltd. Hull.
Gross Tons: 263 gross tons. 105 net tons.
Length: 125 feet.
Beam: 23 feet.
Depth: 12.3 feet.
Fate: Scrapped at Sunderland on 24 January 1962.
October 1939. Windward Ho was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a minesweeper. Converted to a minesweeper at Dundee, Scotland.
June 1940. ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command, Yarmouth.
Minesweeping Group 30 - minesweeping trawlers FIREFLY (Ty Sk J W Gibbs RNR), PETER CASEY (Sk E G Catchpole RNR), WARDOUR (Sk F L Hamilton RNR), WINDWARD HO (Sk J A Simpson RNR), all at Yarmouth.
15th September 1940, Nore Command, Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
M/S Trawlers Group 30
Firefly, Windward Ho, (St Olive, undergoing survey), (Peter Carey undergoing minor repairs. Available ASAP)
January 1941, ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command. Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping Group 30 - minesweeping trawlers FIREFLY (Ty Sk E A Runnquist RNR), PETER CAREY (Sk E G Catchpole RNR), ST OLIVE (Ty Sk G W Sherwood RNR), WINDWARD HO (Ty Sk S Johnson RNR), all at Sheerness.
January 1942. ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, Nore Command. Sheerness, Wildfire III, Queenborough.
Minesweeping Group 30 - minesweeping trawlers HEROINE, PETER CAREY, ST OLIVE repairing to comp 6 Jan, WINDWARD HO, all at Sheerness.
1945. Returned to owner.
The Windward Ho was fitted with a Marconi TW12 Transmitter and Reciever.
To find out more of the Windward Ho’s probable movements go to DRIFTERS AND TRAWLERS.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST Dec, 39
Not on List
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST July 40
Skipper R.N.R. James Alexander Simpson, 19 Nov 39
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 41
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., Bzanks, 25 Feb 41
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 42
Temp. Skipper R.N.R. Daniel Edward Coleman, 17 Jan 42.
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., G. N. Spencer, 24 June 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 43
Temp. Skipper R.N.R. Daniel Edward Coleman, 17 Jan 42.
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., G. N. Spencer, 24 June 41.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June, 44
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., Ernest Edward Squibb, (In Command.) 20 Aug 43.
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., R.N.R., W. Whittaker, 13 Feb 44.
OFFICER ON NAVY LIST June 45
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., Ernest Edward Squibb, (In Command.) 20 Aug 43.
Temp. Skipper, R.N.R., R.N.R., W. Whittaker, 13 Feb 44.
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
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Skipper Walter Whittaker RNR of the Mine Sweeper Windward Ho during WW2. Walter was born 9th Aug 1905 in Fleetwood Lancs and died on the 14th March 1964 in Fleetwood.