# Ocean Puller



## billyboy

I recal a tug being berthed at Newhaven for a short time several years ago called the "Ocean Puller". she was black hulled with white super structure and a red funnel. Appearance said she was a powerful tug.
Anyone have any info on this one?? (Thumb)


----------



## ddraigmor

Billyboy.

Photo of such named ship here: http://www.photoship.co.uk and lok for the 'O' section and the picture is there.

It must have been a few tyears ago because I found this in the Marine Investigation Board (MAIB) files.

'Ocean Puller'. Tug Aug 29 1978 Stranded and Constructive total loss. Age of vessel 45 years. 146 GRT.

She looks wartime built - but apart from that, can't seem to find any more. Maybe someone else can help?

Jonty


----------



## billyboy

thank you for your help Jonty. I have this interest in tugs that i have seen in the passed.. think she could have been owned by metal recovery's for a short while.


----------



## ddraigmor

She was an old 'un, that was for sure!

No problem, Billy Boy - wish could have been of more help.

Jonty


----------



## meechingman

Another trip to the museum called for, BB. I'll let you know what I find. Looking at that picture, it's at the East Quay of course, with part of Railway Road behind and B shed? to the left. Funny, I recall her being blue hull, but that may be a senior moment!

Incidentally, I'm going to speak to one of the pilots, Aubrey Durham, about the Metrec. he may have some information.

Andy


----------



## Riverman

Here you go Billyboy.

German Navy Geier-class
(sisterships: PFUNDBUDENBERG, HENGST, AADE, SELLE-BRUNN, ADLER, DÜNE, NATHURN, KRANICH, MAADE, BAEKE, KONDOR (1), KONDOR (2), ALK, KORMORAN, FISCHADLER, LUMME, FISCHOTTER, RUGARD, GEIER, PILLAU)
Registered: LR50-51:74183 /LR56-57:75444 /LR60-61:77758 /LR66-67:529717
IMO 5297177 /(GBR)ON 182292
145 GRT, L28,50m(24,85), B7,37m, D3,07m (84.0'x24.2'x8.5' or 93'6"x24'2")
1 scr, diesel 4tew 8cyl Wumag, 450bhp, sp 10,5kn

LUMME
1943: Built by "Gutehoffnungshütte Sterkrade AG" at Walsum (DEU) (YN 857)
1943 -xx/12: delivered to the German Kriegsmarine, "Marineausrüstungsstelle Wesermünde" (DEU)
1945: seized as war prize by the Allied forces (GBR)
1948: To "Risdon Beazly Ltd" at Southampton (GBR), renamed TOPMAST No 9
(GBR flag, regd Southampton, ON 182292)
1949: To "Ipswich Dock Commission" at Ipswich (GBR), renamed RIVER ORWELL
(GBR flag, regd Ipswich, ON 182292, c/s MAUG, 145 GRT, 6 NRT)
1973: To "R.K. Wood" at Ipswich (GBR), renamed OCEAN PULLER
1978 -29/08: ran aground East of Oran, sank afterwards

Riverman


----------



## billyboy

Riverman: Great struff well done and thank you very much. sold to R,K wood eh! I reckon that would be "Roger Wood", son of the late Ken wood who was an engineer at Newhaven harbour for many years. well known local family 9in those days.

Meechingman: Aubrey Durham eh! now that name rings a bell. wonder if you would remember the late Mr Cross who was a pilot there for long years Andy?


----------



## ddraigmor

Riverman,

I didn't recognise her as this class and should have! Holyhead Towing's first 'Afon Goch' was the 'Hengst' - though modified in appearance some.

Jonty


----------



## Riverman

Jonty, I didn't recognise it either in fact I cannot remember the first Afon Goch without looking through the pics. Thats what happens when you see so many tugs over a long period of time.

Riverman


----------



## Mr-Tomcat

And me a little to young.

Andy.


----------



## pondbat

billyboy said:


> Riverman: Great struff well done and thank you very much. sold to R,K wood eh! I reckon that would be "Roger Wood", son of the late Ken wood who was an engineer at Newhaven harbour for many years. well known local family 9in those days.
> ?


Anyone still interested in this vessel? I have a few photographs (somewhere) if so.
Yes Ken Wood skippered the tug when Roger was elsewhere.


----------



## meechingman

Just revisited this old thread. Small world, I went to school with Guy Wood. IIRC, he was Roger's brother.


----------



## varagen

I remember this tug towing a landing craft up to Stromness in Orkney in 1975,It was for the same guy that owned the Celtic Surveyor ex Earl of Zetland that was on charter to occidental when they were building the Flotta oil terminal.


----------



## pondbat

Guy now lives in the USA, Michael is mainly in the UK, still Newhaven area, Roger's son and Michael were featured (?) on a salvage program on Sky recently. (2009).


----------



## pondbat

*Ocean Puller Newhaven*

Photograph of Ocean Puller in Newhaven (Copyright R.H.Finch) after towing Commodity into port with a failed pump. Roger Wood was skipper on this trip. Here Ken Wood is parking her the next day next to the Ferry Buffet.


----------



## MandyClark117

*Guy Wood*

My husband actually works for Guy Wood here in the USA. Do you mind if I copy this picture and send it to him in email? It's neat that I found this. I googled his name and Titan Salvage and came across this thread. I am sure he would find it very cool to see it. thanks!

-Mandy Clark


----------



## billyboy

Hi Mandy, Bet Guy would remember my older Brother George then. I knew roger well at one time and his Father ken.
George is retired and living in Cornwall now


----------



## Arthur Binns

My research suggests this boat was a Tender Ship to HMS Vernon after seizure as war prize. I assume until sold to the Southampton firm in 1948.

Can any one confirm this please?

Arthur


----------



## cns

I'm amazed to find reference on the internet to the Ocean Puller , which I suppose demonstrates the internet's reach these days. I actually went to sea on the Ocean Puller during the early 1970's, and remember Ken and Roger Woods, as well as Guy and Michael. Great bunch of guys. Ken and Roger skippered her alternately.

She certainly was a solid old vessel, roomy and comfortable at sea. She had indeed been originally part of the German navy during WW2, and I believe she had once been attached to the Scharnhorst.

In the engine room the notices were all still in German. I think she was fitted with a four or six cylinder engine. I remember having to lubricate the top end gear by hand from an oil can. And one of the other duties was to check at regular intervals the stern compartment because there was some leakage of sea water into it. One had to go up on deck and lift the hatch then shine a torch in to check the level, return to the engine room and switch the bilge pump to evacuate the stern department. This had to be done otherwise eventually the water level would rise and could disable the electrics serving the steering, which would not have been advisable.

We towed RN scrap vessels from the west country to the London yards where they were cut up.

I did hear about the grounding of the Puller on a beach in Oran. Not quite sure what happened there?

If any of the Woods happen to read this, then my very kind regards to you all.

Charlie


----------



## Peter-B

*Lumme*

Hi all, 
I was trying to trace the German tug LUMME when I can across this site. The only details I can add are from ADM208 held at The National Archive, Kew. She is 1st listed as LUMME Dec 1946 as a diving tender attached to VERNON II at Portsmouth.
Circa Mar 1947 she is renamed CLEARWATER and listed as (ex LUMME), she is listed in that role till the end of ADM208 series in Dec 1949.
Collage in “Ships of the Royal Navy: Volume 2“ lists her as CLEARWATER ex LUMME “On sale list 1958”.
Clearly something is wrong, as your members recall her being named TOPMAST No 9 c1948.
Is it possible that she was on charter as Topmast 9, or maybe the wrong vessel?

Peter-B


----------



## Leratty

Billyboy, there was a great UK movie about the salvage tugs used in WW2 to go out & bring in ships in distress close at and. It was a very sad movie as it had a real life romance can't recall the name sure someone will know it though.
Always loved tugs especially ocean going ones went to Smits in Rotterdam & asked for a job after chucking in my apprenticeship, they said come back in a couple of years which I never did.


----------



## billyboy

cns said:


> I'm amazed to find reference on the internet to the Ocean Puller , which I suppose demonstrates the internet's reach these days. I actually went to sea on the Ocean Puller during the early 1970's, and remember Ken and Roger Woods, as well as Guy and Michael. Great bunch of guys. Ken and Roger skippered her alternately.
> 
> She certainly was a solid old vessel, roomy and comfortable at sea. She had indeed been originally part of the German navy during WW2, and I believe she had once been attached to the Scharnhorst.
> 
> In the engine room the notices were all still in German. I think she was fitted with a four or six cylinder engine. I remember having to lubricate the top end gear by hand from an oil can. And one of the other duties was to check at regular intervals the stern compartment because there was some leakage of sea water into it. One had to go up on deck and lift the hatch then shine a torch in to check the level, return to the engine room and switch the bilge pump to evacuate the stern department. This had to be done otherwise eventually the water level would rise and could disable the electrics serving the steering, which would not have been advisable.
> 
> We towed RN scrap vessels from the west country to the London yards where they were cut up.
> 
> I did hear about the grounding of the Puller on a beach in Oran. Not quite sure what happened there?
> 
> If any of the Woods happen to read this, then my very kind regards to you all.
> 
> Charlie


Maybe you came across my brother George. he worked a lot with the woods boys. did a bit of engineering for them. Sadly he passed away last night.


----------



## Vagrant

billyboy said:


> Maybe you came across my brother George. he worked a lot with the woods boys. did a bit of engineering for them. Sadly he passed away last night.


Billy,

Sorry to hear about George. As Roger's son and later with Titan he taught me a great deal with many a story of days when work was more fun and less complicated by todays bureaucracy, he is dearly missed.

Similarly, my grandmother Helen, Ken's widow, died on the 18th February this year. I saw Tony but nothing was said.

Stephen


----------



## billyboy

Hello Vagrant, Are you Guy or michael? George told me so many things about things that happened in the past. Had me in fits of laughter at times.
I know one of you was aboard a barge being moved and suddenly there was torrential rain and one of you boys were pretending to swim along the deck ha ha And towing the small boat off the beach at Ramsgate ha ha


----------



## Scatari

Leratty said:


> Billyboy, *there was a great UK movie about the salvage tugs used in WW2 to go out & bring in ships in distress* close at and. It was a very sad movie as it had a real life romance can't recall the name sure someone will know it though.


Leratty:

You are probably thinking of the 1958 movie "The Key," with Trevor Howard, Sophia Loren and William Holden. It was based on the book by the great Dutch author Jan de Hartog.


----------



## Leratty

Scatari, quite right thanks for that. I really enjoyed that movie it was black & white which made it so much better for the period.

A very sad movie though am sure to real life in-for those times?

Happy days, Richard.


----------



## Vagrant

billyboy said:


> Hello Vagrant, Are you Guy or michael? George told me so many things about things that happened in the past. Had me in fits of laughter at times.
> I know one of you was aboard a barge being moved and suddenly there was torrential rain and one of you boys were pretending to swim along the deck ha ha And towing the small boat off the beach at Ramsgate ha ha


I'm Stephen, my father Roger is the eldest of Ken's sons and for a time lived nextdoor to you, South Road I think. Guy and Michael are my uncles. Like some of the story in the post above, I think the Ramsgate beach incident involved my father and included repossessing a tug that had been taken to the scrap yard but wasn't too seriously cut into!


----------



## billyboy

Hi Stephen, Yes I knew Ken and Roger well. We were often messing around in the harbour in those days. I was living in the flats behind kens place then. I( remember the time was all dressed up and had his dog well groomed too. He was about to go into the bridge Hotel and had parked at the rear. George called the dog and threw a stone into the river. Dog went in after it.....Tide was out...dog covered in mud!! one very unhappy Ken. and the time he hand started his car forgetting he had left it in reverse, fired first time!..across the road from his shed and down the river bank leaving Ken stood there with handle in hand ha ha


----------

