# WW2....Ball bearing's boat



## rustytrawler

My Dads pal joined the Navy during WW2, they lived in Hull. Dads pal was given a job on a Navy fast boat (don't know what type) the boat used to be tied up at the horse wash in the Humber and every night made a run to i think Sweden to pick up ball bearings for the tank factory in Leeds, has anyone any information or details of what went on, it was a long time ago when i was told this and may have got a bit mixed up...thanks rustytrawler


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## sparkie2182

https://rin.org.uk/blogpost/1706945/307113/Who-s-a-Hero-Three-WW2-Special-Operations-Part-One#:~:text=Ball%20bearing%20market,production%20machines%20and%20special%20steel


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Refers


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## rustytrawler

What a find sparkie. Thank you, i wonder how many trips my dads pal did . He would have been oonly around 16 or17 at the time,....I wish my Dad could have red your post.


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## taffe65

rustytrawler said:


> My Dads pal joined the Navy during WW2, they lived in Hull. Dads pal was given a job on a Navy fast boat (don't know what type) the boat used to be tied up at the horse wash in the Humber and every night made a run to i think Sweden to pick up ball bearings for the tank factory in Leeds, has anyone any information or details of what went on, it was a long time ago when i was told this and may have got a bit mixed up...thanks rustytrawler


Love an SKF bearing I do, top quality 💋.


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## Peter Hewson

During the 1960`s there where several "older" Ellerman Wilson Men, who had served on the "Ball Bearing" Boats, I sailed with at least 2, On Aaro, and the Ferry Spero. Like many of that era, they where reluctant to talk about the experience much beyond saying those small, fast boats, where hard work.

The boats Had Paxman Diesels. More info:- Paxman History - The Blockade Runners (World War 2)

Pete


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## rustytrawler

..Hi Peter, i thought they were heading to a bearing factory. It must of been one hell of a ride all the way to Sweden, and a heavey load to bring back. Iwonder how many trips were done?


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## taffe65

Fantastic links posted guys (sparkie2182 +Peter), will provide some interesting reading later tonight after I,ve showered up and relaxing with a glass of vino. 👍 🍷📖.


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## Peter Hewson

As I understand it. The Target for each season was around 400ton?. How much of that was achieved, is open to argument, with the "payload" set at 40Ton.. But it is clear that in light of the alternative, using stripped out bombers, where the seasonal total was 80Ton. They made a decent conrtibution to keeping Britains war effort going in 1943/4. 

Pete


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## Challisstern

Excellent post Rustytrawler, as a Hull man I never knew anything about, despite visiting the Maritime Museum several times.
Good posts and links from Sparkie and Peter.

Another similar operation was known as the Shetland Bus, . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_bus using fishing boats crossing to Norway.
When visiting Shetland in 2018 I visited the memorial but being late in the season the museum wasn't open.

I have dropped an email to Robin Diaper at Hull Maritime Museum to see if they can research the blockade runners and construct an exhibit about it. Its as much apart of Hull Maritime history as some of the watered down pc exhibits they are no doubt going set up.
My grandfather worked as a joiner/ carpenter at Amos & Smiths during the war, being in a reserved occupation he wasn't called up, but still did Home Guard Duty on AA guns and fire watching.


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## Wismajorvik

Challisstern said:


> Excellent post Rustytrawler, as a Hull man I never knew anything about, despite visiting the Maritime Museum several times.
> Good posts and links from Sparkie and Peter.
> 
> Another similar operation was known as the Shetland Bus, . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_bus using fishing boats crossing to Norway.
> When visiting Shetland in 2018 I visited the memorial but being late in the season the museum wasn't open.
> 
> I have dropped an email to Robin Diaper at Hull Maritime Museum to see if they can research the blockade runners and construct an exhibit about it. Its as much apart of Hull Maritime history as some of the watered down pc exhibits they are no doubt going set up.
> My grandfather worked as a joiner/ carpenter at Amos & Smiths during the war, being in a reserved occupation he wasn't called up, but still did Home Guard Duty on AA guns and fire watching.







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www.shipsnostalgia.com


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## Wismajorvik

Wismajorvik said:


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> www.shipsnostalgia.com







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www.shipsnostalgia.com





Plenty of information available on SN and elsewhere.


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## rustytrawler

Thank you all for the information. Lets hope our man in Hull Rob Robinson picks up on our enthusiasm and ask's our new maritime museum to save a corner and put this Hull story out there and to recognize our great Navy's bravery......When my Dad first told me about his pal in the 1960s, i thought Dad had been reading a boys own book regards rustytrawler


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## Peter Hewson

I first learned about the Ball Bearing Run`s, as a Junior engineer In EWL 1966/7. Many EWL emloyees were aware of the fact the Company "ran the defensively armed boats under the M-N flag". This was for the purpose of attempting to not breach Swedish Neutrality, at least on paper!.
It should IMHO be given some space in the Refubished Maritime Museum.

Pete


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## Harry Nicholson

There's also the mosquito ball-bearing run:The story of BOAC’s ‘Ball-bearing Run' missions


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## LTS

Did the 2nd Mate get the bearings at noon?


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## Challisstern

Yes Rusty, the more people that pester Hull Museums about the "The Balls of Steel" the better chance of them doing something. Pensioner Pester Power.


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## rustytrawler

Sorry to go on about "my Dad" but when the war was on they got bombed out (sculcoats Hull) the family moved into a new house down wold road it was classed as posh, back boiler, inside toilet, bathroom and a large garden. One day a German plane crashed behind their house, smashing some of their windows, the plane was moved into Dads school playground and was coverd over the school kids were told not to go near it, after two or three days all the kids at that school had a souvenir in their school bags inc all the plane's dial's and anything else they could unscrew,Dad called it the good old days.....anyone got any information about the crash...rgds rustytrawler


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## Challisstern

Rusty,
Would have been posh if you had an inside toilet in those days. Our house built in the mid 30's had an outside loo but was part of the house, not down the garden. Woe betide if you had to go to the loo overnight in this weather, you stuck to the seat. Dad fitted a 5w light ( about 3/4" globe) in there, luxury.
The youngsters today will never know, they think they are deprived if they don't have the latest phone.
Your Dad's school is perhaps Wold Academy now.
Keep the stories coming, its all nostalgia.


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## Challisstern

Could be this one Rusty.




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Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.






www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk




A British plane though.


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## taffe65

Worked on a barn renovation good few years back ,basically beer money but enjoyed a bit of graft and crack with my mates.Anyway the old welsh farmer who owned the building put on a damn good barbecue for us with ale thrown in to show his appreciation of a job well done.,during said barby he remarked how things change referrring to us eating outside and having to go indoors for the loo! He said it in Welsh and was quite crude with his vernacular ,I suppose you had to be there to appreciate it but basically in the "olden" days you ate indoors and shi`t outdoors. Excuse my Francois!


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## rustytrawler

Hi challisstern....That must of been the plane, not many planes crashed down wold rd Hull, i just presumed it was a German aircraft, well done finding it. It was lucky his neighbour's were out at the cinema


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## Challisstern

Rusty,
When you look on that website at least 90% of the planes that crashed are British. Looks like somebodies pastime is trying to find where they crashed, looking for debris then researching the story behind the crash from official government do***ents and eye witness accounts.
Another interesting website is http://www.humberpacketboats.co.uk, about Spurn point, Lifeboats and ships trading with Hull that have been wrecked with first hand accounts on some of them when there were survivors. Others just sunk without trace.
Coupled with that website is a link to the Hull History Centre opposite the old Central Fire Station, Worship Street. Some interesting photos on there.


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## saltybobuk

Hi Rusty, an interesting post and some good comments.
my grandfather (Thomas Stephenson) was also stationed at Hull pier on some type of patrol boat. Unfortunately my father and his dad fell out so I never knew much about him. Thomas was RN in WW1 and a dredgeman for LNER dock engineers between the wars. Thomas would cycle everyday to pier, to the moored patrol boat but during the blitz it was hit by a bomb. The bomb didn’t explode but sank the boat in situ. Looking at Hull bomb map a UXB did land in the corner of Humber Dock basin. I have not found any evidence yet, only a story handed down. Thomas returned to dredging/tugs till 1959 when he was killed whilst assisting a repair to a dredger in Hull docks.
regards
salty


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## rustytrawler

Hi salty, It's another story to add to Hull's Maritime history. I dont think dad told me his pals name but he did quite a few runs, he told me about it years ago. Do you know what date lost trawlerman is and will it be at st Johns. Lets hope you can find some evidence about the boat sinking rgds rusty. Dad used to see his pal off he said the boat sounded like an aircraft taking off.


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## saltybobuk




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