# Researching my grandfather 3 wartime trawlers



## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

*Doing research on my Grandfathers WW2 ships and pre-WW2 Merchant vessels*

I'm trying to find out details and photo's if any exist of the 3 steam trawlers my Grandfather served on during WW2. 

1) Harry Melling FD397 , official number 144512 , Admirality number 4219 , renumbered FY538 for war service. 275T , 125ft long 87hp engine , built C Rennoldson , South Shields , 1919 as a Castle Class MineSweeper named John Lewis. Decommisioned and sold into fishing in 1921 named Harry Melling. Sold to Iago Steam Fishing Co Ltd in 1934. Requissioned as Harry Melling in August 1939 and re-converted into a minesweeper. Returned to owners in 1945 and scrapped in 1955. He served on from January 1940 till April 1940. Any more photo's or information about this vessel gratefully received.
Harry Melling photo on Bosuns Watch site 

2) Hatano LO177 , official number 148284 , renumbered FY662 for war service , built in 1925 she was 297t and was a minesweeper. My Grandfather was on her from June 1940 till December 1943. Whilst on the Hatano they were occasionally allowed to trawl for fish to keep the local population supplied and they caught a huge haul of dogfish just off Troon , the lieutenant insisted they take it aboard in one lift and the mast came down and smashed the top of the wheelhouse !!! ( this was when she was stationed at Troon ).

3) Girl Ellen all I can find out about this vessel is that she was taken up into commision in December 1939 till March 1946 and served as an auxiluary patrol vessel. My Grandfather served on her from January of 1944 till February of 1945.

If anyone can help with supplying more details of the 3 Fishing vessels above then it would be most welcome.

I'm also trying to find information and hopefully photo's of the 2 Merchant vessels that my Grandfather went deepsea on before WW2.

1) Cowden Law , official number 141886 , registered in Glasgow Number 3525. He sailed from Middlesborough on 10.12.1927 returning to Hull on 23.5.1929 via South America , Australia , etc ( we believe he went to Japan and Singapore on this voyage but can't find any info ).

2) Haarlem , official number 145562 , Registered in Leith number 564. Sailed 6th January 1930 from Middlesborough returned to Leith 30th April 1930. The only notes on his discharge book is "RA Foreign" so we have no information about this trip. I do however own a painting of the Haarlem which shows her as a fairly average steam merchant ship I will post once I take a photo of it.

Information about the 2 merchant vessels again gratefully recieved.

Davie Tait


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## Clem (Apr 27, 2006)

Hi Davie, for now, I have Girl Ellen built in 1914 a 93 tons gross drifter. Armament 2 mg's.

Cheers Clem


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

*doing research*

hi harry.I have a very nice dinner plate with a painting of "harry melling" painted on the centre.she fished from fleetwood for a number of years and if you email the "Fleetwood Weekly News and Chronicle" editorial by looking on the web site www.fleetwoodtoday.co.uk and put in a request for information you will get sado's like me who live in the town coming out of the woodwork to help you.They have great pride in the fishing heritage of the town seeing as that is the only thing left of the industry in fleetwood these days,memories.also if you search for the "bosuns chair" web site on google there is always a wealth of trawling info about fleetwood and its ships on there.cheers and al the best.neil.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Davie, great photo and info about st 'Harry Melling' on the "Bosun's Watch" site ( www.fleetwood-trawlers.info/ ).

John T.


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

did I say "chair".must have had a brain storm,or a leak in the bilges.sorry ment "bosuns watch."


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## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

Don't worry about it nhp651 the photo on my first post is from the Bosun's Watch site. I'm just trying to find some more photo's , hopefully , from her WW2 period as a minesweeper to put into the family history album now that my Grandfather has passed away.

Thanks for the information folks any more gratefully recieved.

Davie Tait


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

i was talking this morning to the man who used to paint the Iago ships in fleetwood,he used to get paid 2sh 3d for each lifebelt he sign wrote with the ship's name.said he would look through his old photos for any sign of the harry m.i'll give you a shout if he finds any.neil.


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## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

I've added the 2 merchant vessels my Grandfather served on pre WW2 to my original post at the top of the thread , any information or photo's gratefully recieved.

Davie Tait


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## BruceA (Jan 20, 2006)

Hi Davie,
Dont know if this will be of any use but the COWDEN LAW was built by Napier & Miller at Yoker for the Monarch Steamship Co (Raeburn & Verel managers) as the SCOTTISH MONARCH.
1924 or 1925 Renamed COWDEN LAW for the Law Shipping Co.
1933 Sold to China Trading Corporation and r/n CHINA EXPORTER.
1938 Someone r/n her ERATO.
1941 Siezed by Japan and r/n URATO MARU
1944 Sunk October

BruceA


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## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

Thanks very much for the information Bruce thats filled in a big blank in the info we needed(Thumb)


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello,
The Memorial University of Newfoundland has logbooks and crewlists for both COWDEN LAW and HAARLEM at least for some of the time your grandfather was onboard. MUN are not cheap for research so to start I suggest you try and get hold of Lloyds Voyage Record Cards from the Guildhall Library, London.
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/r...8F6F52D39FB/0/VoyageRecordCardsDTBAug2006.pdf

His personal records for this period should be on Micro film at the National Archive but I doubt they will contain much more information than you already have.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=128&j=1

HAARLEM started life as STAD KAMPEN
http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/...arch_op=OR&shipname=STAD+KAMPEN&number=&IDNo=

According to Lloyds Reg. In 1937 (and I suspect the time when your granddad sailed on her), she was owned by
Leith, Hull and Hamburg Steam Packet Co. Ltd. J Currie & Co. managers. POR Leith

Roger


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## gil mayes (Nov 20, 2006)

Davie

From Fleetwood Steam Trawler Database. This is more or less the complete history of the HARRY MELLING.

JOHN EVANS (FD397) (1921)
Ad. No. 4219. O.N. 144512. 275g 113n 125.3 x 23.4 x 12.6 feet
T.3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough 

29.5.1919: Launched by C. Rennoldson & Co, South Shields (Yd.No.204)(“Castle” class) for The Admiralty as John Lewis. 11.1919: Completed. Laid up. 1. 1920: Renamed John Evans. 30.3.1920: Completed as a fishing vessel. 21.4.1920: Registered by The Admiralty as a fishing vessel at London (LO348). 1921: Sold to Melling Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood (Henry Melling, manager). 26.11.1921: London registry closed. 29.11.1921: Registered at Fleetwood (FD397). 24.12.1921: Renamed Harry Melling (FD397). 18/19.2.1929: Stood by Kumu (FD176) stranded in North Bay, St. Kilda. Connected and attempted to tow clear but unsuccessful and vessel sank in about 20fms, 42 hours after striking the rocks. Twelve crew taken off along with over £200 of fishing gear and crew returned to Fleetwood. 1930: Delete manager. post1930pre-1934: Owners restyled Mellings Ltd, Fleetwood (W. Melling, manager). 1934: Sold to Iago Steam Trawler Co Ltd, London & Fleetwood (Edward D. W. Lawford, manager). 4.10.1935: Fleetwood registry closed. 10.1935: Registered at London (LO55). 8.1939: Requisitioned for war service and converted for minesweeping duties (P.No. FY.538). 7.1945: Returned and re-classed at Port Glagow. 1945: Sold to J. C. Llewellin (Trawlers) Ltd, Milford Haven (John Charles Llewellin, manager). Fishing from Fleetwood. 1.1.1946: Yolland Brothers & J. C. Llewellin partnership dissolved. 1948: Sold to Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood (Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Co Ltd, managers). pre1952: Managers became The Hewett Fishing Co Ltd, London & Fleetwood. 1955: Sold for to Belgian shipbreakers for demolition. 3.11.1955: Sailed Fleetwood for Ghent.

Gil


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## Gavin Gait (Aug 14, 2005)

Thanks very much for the information Gil. 

Davie (Thumb)


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## Ade Kell (Feb 24, 2011)

2) Hatano LO177 , official number 148284 , renumbered FY662 for war service , built in 1925 she was 297t and was a minesweeper. My Grandfather was on her from June 1940 till December 1943. Whilst on the Hatano they were occasionally allowed to trawl for fish to keep the local population supplied and they caught a huge haul of dogfish just off Troon , the lieutenant insisted they take it aboard in one lift and the mast came down and smashed the top of the wheelhouse !!! ( this was when she was stationed at Troon ).

My grand father served as skipper of this boat whilst it was a working trawler out of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. I am unsure as to whether her served on it during its life as a mine sweeper. George Jackson was his name.


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## Tim Pickford (Dec 5, 2011)

*Mellings*

Hi,

I am close a relative of the Melling family but know very little of them, my grandmother kept her life very secretive and only passed on small snippits of info. as she felt like it. My Father would love to know anything about the family as he to only knows what she passed on. I remember growing up around several Mellings as a child but only as vague memories, my favourite was Bill Melling, he served on MTBs and was quite the character.

I will be visiting him in England soon and will try to get as much information as he knows and pass it on. The only information I have found has been from The Bosuns Watch website, there are lots of pictures and information there in regards to the Melling fleet.

I hope you have some stories you may have heard, good or bad, about the family.

Thank you
Tim


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## Tim Pickford (Dec 5, 2011)

*Harry Melling Picture and info link*

http://www.mikes-place.connectfree.co.uk/fwdgal5/fd397harrymelling.html


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## gil mayes (Nov 20, 2006)

Tim
If you would send me a PM perhaps we could discuss the Melling family and their trawling interests in more detail.
Gil. (Researcher, Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust).


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## Strachers (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi Gavin,

I know this thread is a few years old, but my grandad served on HMS Hatano from 25 Nov 1939 to 24 Nov 1940, and I have a photo of the ships company that is dated 25th May 1940. Let me know and I can get a copy to you.

Alan.


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