Northern Sky built 1936 Deusche A & M Ag at Seebeck for Mac Line Ltd of Fleetwood LO 162 The Northern Sky was only one of 15 sister vessels built in Germany as part of the repatriation from WW1. All of which were owned by the Lever Bros. She was transferred to Grimsby in 1937 and operated with Northern trawlers Requisitioned 1939 and operated as an ABV and an A/S trawler being returned to the owners in 1945 1946 she was registered as GY 427
Shown here as LO 162
Here are the Details
Official Number 165343
Yard Number 552
Call Sign GYYY
GT 620 NT 239
Dimensions 188.1 x 28.1 x 15.5
Engines 1000 hp
Funnel Colours Grey with black top separated by white band
Northern Pride built in Germany by Deschimag Seebeck Bremerhaven for Mac Line Ltd of Fleetwood LO 104 Being one of 15 ships for the reparation program 1937 she was transferred to Grimsby with the Northern Fleet During her time there was 1 casualty Bernard Howlett 15/06/1937 08/1939 Requisitioned as an A/S Trawler She was based at Milford Haven before joining the Northern Patrol based up at Kirkwall the 11th A/S Strike Force 1941 she took part in the Norwegian campaign
During a patrol in the Atlantic off the West Coast of Ireland she was attacked by the Italian Submarine Bagnolini firing multiple Torpedoes Luckily all missed In the same year she was moved to the Russian Convoys escorting merchant ships to Murmansk 06/1944 She was with the Solent Force J15 an Escort vessel for the D-Day Landings Arriving 06/06 at Juno Beach Later on 23rd she saw action again but this time it was against the German E boats During the final years of the conflict she was used mainly as an Ocean Transport vessel
11/1945 Returned back to the owners and reverted to a Trawler The alterations were carried out at Liverpool 1946 Registry was changed to GY 169
Photo Supplied by Photomarine
Here are the Details
Official Number 164667
Yard Number 545
Call Sign GYYC
Admiralty Number FY 105
Armament 1 x 4″, 2 x 0.303″, LMG 2 x 1, 2 x 0.5″ VMG 1 x 2
GT 620 NT 254 During the war GT 655 NT 243
Dimensions 188.1 x 28.1 x 15.5
Engines 1000 hp 16 Knots
Funnel Colours Grey with black top separated by white band
The vessel being finally scrapped in 1964 at Gateshead
Northern Foam Built 09/1936 in Germany by Deutsche Schiffs und Maschinenbau AG Weser in Bremen ordered by Leverhulme Ltd to absorb frozen credits in Germany.
The first owner was Mac Line Ltd, London, Manager E D Lawford of Fleetwood.
Photo Supplied by Photomarine
1937 She was transferred to Grimsby to operate for Northerns, Manager was H Markham Cook.
08/1939 Requisitioned 08/1939 as an Armed Boarding Vessel as well as an Anti Submarine trawler. 1942 she was converted for Anti-submarine duties.
One incident, she had a run in with the Submarine U952, 05/1943 whilst on her first convoy duty ONS-5, She was operating as escort and had rescued more than two hundred Merchant navy during the action. U 952 returned to France for repairs which took 3 months and then set out on the second patrol, She had worked her way into position for attacking two joined convoys ON 202 and ONS 18, a total of 27 ships, The weather was quite foggy when the Northern Foam caught sight of U 952 whilst she was on the surface. The Northern Foam altered course and attempted to ram the sub at full speed, The sub just managed to crash dive as the Northern Foam went over the top. The trawler then dropped a series of ten depth charges, the Commander of the submarine Oscar Curio was able to identify the Northern Foam and knew he had the advantage of some 5 knots over her on the surface, With that he surfaced and after exchanging a few rounds before making off into the Fog leaving the trawler hopelessly outclassed on speed. The following day she was back in her role as rescue ship. 3 ships from the convoy had been struck by torpedoes within a minute of each other. The Attack came from U 238 captained by Horst Hepp.The vessels hit were Fort Jemseg, Skjelbred and the Oregon Express. 1944 she took part in Operation Neptune, the Normandy Landings, 23/05/1944 worked in convoy escort duties in British waters and across the Channel in support of Landings, 03/07/1944 ended operation Neptune 1945 Began Ocean Escort Duties finishing 11/1945 Under took a survey and restoration at Birkenhead and was then laid up, returning to Grimsby 1946. 1946 She changed her registry to GY 490. 07/1947 the London registry was closed. 1948 Her manager was W A Benntt with the same owners. 27/01/1960 she broke down 60 miles from Aberdeen with engine trouble arriving at Aberdeen 29/01/1960 10/1963 Sold to Clayton & Davie Ltd, Dunston on Tyne for Scrapping 17/10/1963 Arrived being towed by ERIMUS CROSS.
Here are the Details
Official Number 165341
Yard Number 550
Call Sign GYYR
Admiralty Number FY 4.76
620 GT 243 NT
Dimensions 188.1 x 28.1 x 15.5
Engine 1000 hp T 3 cyl & LP turbine with DR gearing & hydraulic coupling, which gave her a top speed of 12 knots.
Funnel Colour Grey with black top separated by white band
Built 06/03/1942 Cook Welton & Gemmell as a Hills class Trawler Original name Portsdown 10/04/1946 Renamed Sollum H 369 Hull Merchants Amalgamated Trawlers 21/01/1949 to Derwent Trawlers Renamed Hargood 02/1949 Registered as GY 8 Owned by Crampin of Grimsby 12/1949 fitted for fuel oil 24/06/1955 Iago Steam Trawlers London and renamed Red Sabre LO 71
Her details are
Official Number 181287
Admiralty Number T 221
GT 524 195 NT
Dimensions 167.7 x 28.1 x 14.1
Quarter Deck 89 Foc’sle 27
Engines C D Holmes 970ihp 11 knots
1964 Vessel sold for scrap to Haulbowline Industries Eire.
