# TAMURA on the rocks?



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

John Stevenson has sent me a photograph of a trawler aground on rocks. She's said to be TAMURA LO63, which landed in Milford between 17 Feb 1931 - 24 Sep 1939. Unfortunately, no name or PRN can be seen on the photo, though her funnel appears to be black with a white band, with a possible marking on the band. This doesn't appear to be the kind of funnel on Jenkerson & Jones' fleet, to which TAMURA belongs. (They were grey with a white band and a red Maltese Cross.)

The "Wrecks of Pembrokeshire" website records TAMURA as having gone on the rocks between St.Ann's Head and Castlebeach Bay (without a date), which implies that she is a diveable wreck. However, TAMURA was requisitioned in WW2, and mined off Falmouth on 3 Sep 1940.

The incident doesn't appear to have been recorded by "The Times", and Les Jones, who built up a large archive of Milford trawlers, including transcriptions of and cuttings from local newspapers, doesn't mention such an incident at all.

Does anyone know of another trawler which went aground in Milford Haven, or whether TAMURA was indeed involved in such an incident, and if so, when did it happen?

The photo will be uploaded on the TAMURA page of the Milford Trawlers website on Sunday.

BarryJ


----------



## mattarosa (Mar 19, 2006)

Hi Barry

No record of such an incident in the Guardian/Observer archive. There is a single reference to a trawler called Tamura on 27 Nov 1928 when it records:
"News reached Cardiff today that during the height of the gale which raged in the Irish Channel on Sunday night Chief Officer Brookland, of the Cardiff trawler Tamura, was washed overboard by a huge wave and drowned."

Hilary


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Thanks very much, Hilary. I'd be grateful if you could do a search on "trawler AND aground AND milford", or something like that, for the period 1931-39, just in case it was a different trawler.

I've done that with the "Times" archive, with no result, so I anticipate another nil return, but it's worth trying. 

I suspect that, despite the very dramatic photograph, the trawler was pulled off without difficulty, and wasn't regarded as important enough for the national press. There should have been something in the local papers, though.

Regards,
Barry


----------



## mattarosa (Mar 19, 2006)

Hi Barry
I did that search yesterday but dismissed the result because I understood that the trawler was aground AT Milford, but rereading your message, I'm not sure that's right, and you may have meant a Milford trawler aground anywhere? In that case, would this one be of interest?

18 Jan 1939
Three members of the crew of the Milford trawler Thomas Ansell were taken off by breeches buoy yesterday at Fort Charles, Kinsale (County Cork), during a violent south-westerly gale when the vessel appeared to be in difficulty.
As the weather showed signs of improving the trawler's skipper, William Burgoyne, asked the life-saving crew not to remove any more men, but to remain in readiness. Later the trawler continued her voyage and reached Kinsale harbour.


Hilary


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Sorry, Hilary - I didn't make myself clear! I should have added another search term to limit the search to the shores of the Haven.

However, your effort on my behalf was far from wasted - I didn't have a record of that incident involving the THOMAS ANSELL, which I'll certainly add to the website.

I assume it's from "The Guardian" - is that right?

Thanks again, and regards,
Barry


----------



## mattarosa (Mar 19, 2006)

Hi Barry
At that date, it was still called the Manchester Guardian, but yes, that is the newspaper the story was from. I am glad it was of interest/use to you and sorry it was not the one you were looking for. I will have a further look when I get chance using different search terms to see if it throws anything up.

Hilary


----------



## mattarosa (Mar 19, 2006)

Barry
I found one that is not a Milford trawler, nor did it get into trouble in the Haven but the crew were landed in Milford.

This was the Aberdeen trawler Mansfield which sprang a leak and foundered 20 miles from the Coningbeg Lightship in April 1934. The crew were landed at Milford Haven on 8 April by the trawler Peterborough belonging to the Waterloo Steam Trawling Company (I don't know if that is a Milford trawler?). Coningbeg Rock is the southernmost of the Saltee Islands, County Wexford.

Any use?

Hilary


----------



## WLH (May 15, 2005)

Peterborough...HL41/97.......scapped 8/34.

Regards...................WLH


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Thanks, Hilary - I have that story on the MANSFIELD's page - she was fishing out of Milford from 1927 - 1934.

Regards,
Barry


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Thanks very much for that information, WLH - it fits in with PETERBOROUGH's last landing at Milford on 22 April 1934, and her scrapping at Ward's Yard, Castle Pill, in the same year.

I don't suppose you know exactly where she went ashore? The information I have is that it was between St.Ann's Head and Castlebeach Bay, but that's a bit vague - there are two other bays between those points, Mill Bay and Watwick Bay, as well as West Blockhouse Point, so it could be narrowed down.

But I'm much happier with PETERBOROUGH than with TAMURA!

Thanks again!
Barry


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Sorry, WLH - now I'm not so happy!

My information is that PETERBOROUGH had her wheelhouse aft, while the vessel in the photo looks more like a "Castle" Class. There's also information that she was laid up in May 1934, prior to her scrapping.

Could you let me have the source of your information?

Regards,
Barry


----------



## osta (Feb 27, 2008)

have you posted the photo yet cant seem too find on your site


----------



## osta (Feb 27, 2008)

barry have you put the pic in question on site yet i am very into this subject look forward too seeing it


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Sorry, Osta - I haven't put it on yet, as I'm still awaiting a reply from one of my contacts who has a good knowledge of Milford trawlers.

If he doesn't come up trumps, I'll put it on, and post a message on this thread.

If you email me on [email protected] I'll send you a copy.

Barry


----------



## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

*TAMURA grounding solved*

 

I think we've solved the problem of the grounding of TAMURA.

TAMURA CF47 (ON 139600), 268 grt., (built by Cochrane & Sons, and completed in Feb 1917), went aground between St. Ann's Head and Castlebeach Bay, c.1920. (Her only landing recorded at Milford was 14 Mar 1919.)

This information comes from Bennet T: "Welsh Shipwrecks Vol. 3: Milford Haven, St Govans Head, Tenby & Carmarthen Bay" (Supplied by Robert Kettle).

She was replaced in 1924 by TAMURA CF12 (ON145747), which did NOT go aground.

The Milford trawlers website page has therefore been amended. (A photo of CF12 / LO63 would be greatly appreciated!)

Barry


----------

