WILLIAM WATKINS LIMITED
FLEET LIST
MANAGED TUGS
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During World War One so many of Watkins tugs were taken up for war service by the Government that a shortage of suitable tugs arose on the River Thames. The following vessels were chartered to overcome this problem.
LIBERIA: GLEN ROSA: NESTOR: SCHELDE: THAMES:
For details of above vessels see in William Watkins Limited Alphabetical Fleet Lists.
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THE FOLLOWING VESSELS WERE PLACED UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF WILLIAM WATKINS LIMITED BY THE MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT 1939 - 1945;
ASSIDUOUS
Laid down 23-2-1943 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. Screw Tug, Assurance Class. L156'8''. B33'2''. D14'9''. 597grt. 1350ihp 3cylTE oil fired steam engine by C D Holmes and Co., Hull. Speed 13 knots. BP 13.5 tons. Official No. 169321. Pennant No. W142. Armament 1x3" AA, 2x20mm AA, 2xMG. Complement 31.
Laid down 23-2-1943 for Royal Navy. Launched 4-6-1943. Completed 5-10-1943. 1943-1945 Managed by Watkins as an Atlantic convoy rescue tug. 2-3-1944 Departed Gibraltar with convoy MKS41G. 3-3-1944 RV with convoy SL150. 14-3-1944 Arrived Liverpool. 6-1944 Present at D-Day landings. 27-1-1945 Departed Cowes to join up with Liverpool to Gibraltar convoy OS107/KMS81 as rescue tug. 1946 Dockyard tug. 1947 At Trincomalee. 1953 At Gibraltar. 10-9-1958 Sold to J D Irving Ltd, St. Johns, NB, Canada. 1961 Renamed Irving Tamarack. 1969 Sold to Canadian breakers.
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EMPIRE BETSY
Built 1943 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN1280. Hoedic class standard tug. L105.2'. B26.6'. D12.2'. 274grt. 850ihp 3cylTE 15"x25"x42" 27" stroke 200psi oil fired steam engine by Amos and Smith Ltd., Hull. Bunkers 93 tons. Four bladed prop, 10' dia, 11.75' pitch. Speed 11 knots. Official No. 180248. Call sign MNNX.
14-12-1943 Launched for MoWT. 4-5-1944 Completed and handed over to Watkins as Managers. 4-5-1944 to 11-9-1944 On coastal towing duties. 12-9-1944 Taken into Admiralty service. 1945 Townsend Bros., London Managers. 1946 Sold to NV de Bataafsche Petroleum Maats, Holland, renamed Soegio. 12-2-1948 Hit drifting mine and sank in position 02.36S 116.33E, in Macassar Strait, off Borneo.
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EMPIRE HUMPHREY
Built 1943 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN1273. Screw Tug, Hoedic standard class. L105.2'. B26.6'. D12.2'. 274grt. 850ihp 3cylTE 15"x25"x42" 27" stroke 200psi oil fired steam engine by Amos and Smith Ltd., Hull. Bunkers 93 tons. Four bladed prop, 10' dia, 11.75' pitch. 11 knots. Official No. 169344. Call sign MGRG.
2-9-1943 Launched for MoWT. 21-12-1943 Completed and handed over to Pedder and Mylchreest Ltd., for onward delivery. 1944 Taken over by SE Asia command. 1944 Watkins appointed managers. 30-8-1945 Taken over by Admiralty and delivered by Townsend Bros. to Bombay. 12-1-1945 Harbour tug in Batavia. 3-7-1946 Sold to Netherlands East Indies Government. 1947 Renamed Suus. 1950 Sold to NV Nederland Indonesia Steenkolen Handel Maats. 1959 Taken over by Indonesian Government. 1961 Renamed Laut Sawu. 2-1964 Transferred to Surabaya Port Authority. 2004 Still in service.
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EMPIRE JEAN
EMP. JEAN as METINDA III. Photo A. Hughes Colln.
Built 1944 by Clelands [Successors] Ltd., Tyneside. YN73. Screw Tug, modified Englishman standard class. L137.1'. B33.1'. D15.1'. 593grt. 1250ihp 3cylTE 16.5"x28.5"x47" 30" stroke oil fired steam engine by D Rowan and co. Ltd., Glasgow. Bunkers 340 tons. Four bladed prop, 11.25' dia, 11' pitch. BP approx. 14.5 tons. Official No. 169193. Call sign MNLQ.
30-12-1944 Launched as Empire Rosa for MoWT. 6-4-1945 Completed as Empire Jean handed over to Watkins as managers. 1946 Sold to Metal Industries Ltd., Glasgow for £40,000. Renamed Metinda III. 1961 Sold to Spanish Navy, renamed R.A.3. 1980 Renamed A.R.33. 10-1982 Scrapped at Cartagena.
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EMPIRE JOHN
See details in Watkins fleet list as also chartered vessel.
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EMPIRE MARTHA
Emp. Martha as Georges Letzer. Photo P. van Damme Colln.
Built 1945 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN1301. Screw Tug, Stella standard class. L116'. B27.6'. D12.7'. 296grt. 508 displacement. 750ihp 3cylTE 12"x20"x33" 24" stroke oil fired steam engine by Franklin Machine and Foundry Corpn., Providence, RI, USA. Bunkers 130 tons. Four bladed prop. Official No. 180459. Call sign GSQZ
28-4-1945 Launched for MoWT. 8-10-1945 Completed and handed over to Watkins as managers. 1946 Sold to James Contracting and Dredging Co., Southampton. 1947 Renamed Foremost 106. 1949 Sold to Remorquage Letzer SA, Belgium, renamed Georges Letzer. 1964 Rebuilt and reengined with 8cyl 4SCSA diesel engine by Klockner Humboldt Deutz. 1977 Owners restyled Union de Remorquage et de Sauvetage SA. 1981 Rebuilt and fitted with Kort Nozzle at Rupelmonde, Belgium. 1992 Sold to Northern Europe Shipping, Antwerp, renamed Hilde. 6-1994 Demolished by J Bakker, Brugge, Belgium.
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EMPIRE PIPER
Photo RGR colln
Built 1942 by Clelands [Successors] Ltd., Tyneside. YN65. Screw Tug, Warrior standard class. L107.8'. B26.2'. D12.5'. 250grt. 1000ihp 3cylTE 16.5"x27"x46" 30" stroke coal fired steam engine by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Newcastle. Coal cap. 140 tons. Four bladed prop, 11.33' dia, 13' pitch. 12 knots. Official No. 165836. Call sign MKZZ.
28-5-1942 Launched for MoWT. 14-8-1942 Completed and handed over to Watkins as managers. Served in Iceland on naval duties. 31-8-1942 Departed Loch Ewe convoy UR39. 4-9-1942 Arrived Reykjavik. 24-5-1943 Towed small tanker Rudderman from Reykjavik to UK as part of convoy RU75, arriving 28th May 1943. 3-8-1943 Departed Loch Ewe convoy UR85. 7-8-1943 Arrived Reykjavik. 1945 Handed over to Townsend Bros. for delivery to Portsmouth. 26-11-1945 Released to port duties. 24-7-1946 Working for Admiralty and Risdon Beasley Ltd. 1947 Sold to John Cooper, Belfast, renamed Piper. 1969 John Cooper fleet taken over by R and J H Rea Ltd., London. 1970 Owners restyled Cory Ship Towage (Northern Ireland) Ltd. 1971 Sold to Northern Slipways Ltd., Dublin. 1971 Sold to A P Papayanis A E Greece, renamed Sotirios. 1984 Renamed Lalrion. 1987 Scrapped at Rafina.
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EMPIRE SPRUCE
Built 1942 by Richard Dunston Ltd., Thorne. YN T364. Screw Tug, Maple standard class. L92'. B20.5'. D8.4'. 129grt. 500ihp 3cylTE 12"x20"x32" 22" stroke 200psi steam engine by McKie and Baxter Ltd., Paisley. Coal 34 tons. Four bladed prop, 8.25' dia., 10' pitch. BP 5.75 tons. 10 knots. Official No. 168780. Call sign BDRB.
13-1-1942 Launched for MoWT. 31-3-1942 Completed and handed to Burns and Laird Lines Ltd., as managers. 1-4-1942 On naval duties. 9-1-1943 In collision with warship at entrance to Gareloch, Firth of Clyde, almost cut in two and sank. 23-2-1943 Salved and towed to Glasgow for repairs. 7-1945 Watkins appointed managers. 1945 On coastal towing work. 9-1945 Dover Harbour Board managers. 20-11-1945 Taken into Naval service. 29-8-1947 Renamed Emulous. 25-3-1958 Sold to H G Pounds, Portsmouth. 1961 Sold to J D Irving Ltd., Canada, renamed Irving Oak. 1961 RE-Engined with 16cyl 2SCSA Vee oil engine made 1945 by General Motors Corp., Ohio, USA. 30-8-1991 scuttled off Newfoundland in position 42.13.02N 64.36.09W.
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EMPIRE STELLA
Built 1945 by Cochrane and Sons, Selby. YN1298. Screw Tug, Stella standard class. L116'. B27.6'. D12.7'. 325grt. 508 displacement. 750ihp 3cylTE 12"x20"x33" 24" stroke oil fired steam engine by Franklin Machine and Foundry Corpn., Providence, RI, USA. Bunkers 130 tons. Official No. 180448. Call sign GBKK.
16-3-1945 Launched for MoWT. 17-8-1945 Completed and handed over to Pedder and Mylchreest Ltd. for delivery. 1945 Watkins appointed managers. 1-1-1946 Serious damage following boiler explosion in Thames Estuary, due to lubricating oil entering boiler. Four crew killed, two missing and others injured. Towed to Hull and laid up. 1-5-1946 Sold for £15,000 to United Towing Co. Ltd., Hull and renamed Serviceman. 9-1946 Re-engined with 3cylTE oil fired 750ihp steam engine by A Hall and Co., Aberdeen, originally built for Empire Keith which was broken up on stocks. 7-1961 Re-engined with 6cyl 2SCSA 1575bhp British Polar Diesel engine. 1969 Sold to Rimorchiatorri Sardi Spa Italy, renamed Poetto. 2004 Still in service.
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EMPIRE SUSAN
See under RUMANIA [3] in Watkins Fleet List.
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EMPIRE WINNIE
See under ZEALANDIA [2] in Watkins Fleet List.
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EMPIRE WOLD
Photo R. Fothergill colln.
Built 1942 by J Crown and Sons Ltd, Sunderland. YN203. Screw Tug, Warrior standard class. L107.8'. B26.2'. D12.5'. 269grt. 3cylTE 15.5"x26"x43" 30" stroke 215psi coal fired steam engine by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle. Bunkers 140 tons. Four bladed prop, 11.33' dia, 13' pitch. 12 knots. Official No. 169021. Call sign BDQL.
24-3-1942 Launched for MoWT. 10-6-1942 Completed and handed over to Watkins as managers. 10-8-1942 On naval duties based Reykjavik, Iceland. 10-8-1942 Departed Loch Ewe convoy UR36. 15-8-1942 Arrived Reykjavik. 10-8-1943 Departed Iceland in Reykjavik-Loch Ewe convoy RU85. 14-8-1943 Arrived UK. 14-10-1943 Departed Loch Ewe convoy UR94. 18-10-1943 Arrived Reykjavik. 10-11-1944 Departed Reykjavik, Iceland to assist British tanker Shirvan which was part of UK to Reykjavik convoy UR142. Tug and crew never seen again. Records list her as having been sunk by German submarine U300 in position 64.08N 22.38W, along with the Shirvan and another vessel. However German records never claimed her as a U boat victim and it is now thought she may have been overwhelmed by the heavy weather prevelant at the time. Among those lost were:-
CLARK, Henry S, Stoker, RNPS: HACKNEY, Frank R, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS): MOODY, Tom, Seaman, RNPS: MORRIS, David J, Ty/Lieutenant, RNR, (Baldur, O/P): MUDD, William F, Stoker, RNPS : STEELE, Herbert E, Ordinary Signalman, RNPS: WIGGINS, William, Seaman, RNPS :
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FAIRPLAY I
Built 1911 by Schiffsw AG, Hamburg. Screw Tug. L103.4'. B22.6' 162grt. 3cylTE steam engine by builder.
1911 Built as Fairplay X for Fairplay Schlepp-Dampfsch Reed, Hamburg. 1938 Transferred to Fairplay Towing and Shipping Co. Ltd., London, renamed Fairplay I. Worked at Avonmouth. 1940 Managed by Watkins. 5-1940 Made two crossings to Dunkirk, towing small craft. 12-11-1944 Damaged aft by mine at Ostend, towed to Grimsby for repairs. 1945 Watkins relinquished management. 1950 Returned to Fairplay Richard Borchard, renamed Fairplay XX. 1951 Massively rebuilt and effectively became a new vessel with 970bhp Deutz diesel engine and renamed Fairplay I. 9-1954 Collided with Italia and sank. Salved. 2-2-1959 Sank assisting Solfonn. Salved. 1964 Sold to Augusta Impresa Maritime Spa, Palermo, renamed Duro. 1986 Sold for scrap at La Spezia.
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FOREMOST 22
Built 1924 by J Meyers Shipbuilding Co., Zalt-Bommel, Holland. Screw Tug. L100.4'. B27.2'. D12.2'. 195grt. 110nhp 900ihp 3cylTE 15"x25"x40" 27" stroke steam engine by H Beardmore and Co. Ltd., Coatbridge. Official No. 147740. Call sign GFJM.
Built 9-1924 for James Towing and Transport Co., Southampton. 1924 Sold to Newhaven Harbour Co. Ltd. 1926 Sold to Southern Railway Co. Ltd., still at Newhaven. 194? Managed by Watkins. 1940 Took part in Dunkirk operation, towed damaged destroyer HMS Sharpshooter to Dover. Returned to Dunkirk to attempt to tow Rouen but almost stranded by ebbing tide. 1945 Management relinquished by Watkins. 1948 Transferred to British Transport Commission, still at Newhaven. 1961 Sold to Cantier Nav. Santa Maria Spa, La Spezia, renamed Terranova. 1978 Scrapped.
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FOREMOST 87
Photo RGR Colln.
Built 1935 by Scott and Sons Ltd., Bowling. Screw Tug. L88.4'. B24.6'. D9.6'. 163grt, 9nrt. 500ihp 3cylTE 13"x21"x35" 24" stroke 185psi steam engine by Aitchison and Blair Ltd., Clydebank. Official No 164503. Call sign MPKP.
1935 Ordered by James Contracting and Dredging Co. Southampton, but sold before completion and delivered to London and North Eastern Railway Co. Ltd. PoR Hull. 18-4-1940 Req for Admiralty service, managed by William Watkins Ltd. 22-5-1940 Ordered to Calais, to force open bomb damaged lock gates. Assisted S.S. Katowice, S.S. City Of Christchurch and S.S. Williamstown whilst in Calais Harbour under constant air attack. 30-5-1940 At Dunkirk evacuation, assisted damaged personnel carrier Prague back across Channel and beached her. 31-5-1940 Returned to Dunkirk towing barges and returned. 2-6-1940 Returned Dunkirk towing 2 RNLI Lifeboats and survivors from the hospital ship Paris. Landed a total of 100 men. Skipper J Fryer awarded DSO. 194? Returned to owners. 1949 Owners restyled British Transport Commission. 1-1-1963 Owners restyled British Transport Docks Board. 1969 Scrapped.
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LYNCH
Photo RGR Colln.
Built 10-1924 by J Meyers Shipbuilding Co., Zalt-Bommel, Holland. YN477. Screw Tug. L110'. B27.2'. D12.2'. 211grt. 650ihp 3cylTE 15"x26"x40" 27" stroke 180psi steam engine by H Beardmore and Co. Ltd., Coatbridge. Official No. 148512. Call sign MNQY.
1924 Built as Foremost 23 for James Towage and Transport Co., Southampton. 192? Sold to Falmouth Docks and Engineering Co., Falmouth renamed Lynch. 1931 Sold to Falmouth Towage Co. Ltd. 1940-1945 Managed by Watkins. 23-10-1940 On Admiralty service. 6-1944 Off Normandy beaches during D-Day landings. 1946 Returned to owners. 24-10-1968 Sold for scrap to Haulbowline Industries, Cobh.
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SECURITY
See ELLIOTT S T Co. Fleet List
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