sailor

The Bosun's Watch

		
		
		

S.T. Osprey II FD129


Ospray


		
Technical
Official Number 132404
Admiralty Number 1354
Gross Tonnage 285
Length 130 ft
Engine 85 hp
Armament 1 x 12 pdr
Built bySmith's Dock Co. Middlesborough, 1911
OwnerCygnet Steam Fishing Co Ltd
History
1911 To Fleetwood from new.
1914 - 1915 Served as a minesweeper.
April 1935OSPREY II carried a crew of ten and was heading for the fishing grounds off the west coast of Scotland, by way of the Sound of Jura on the 6th of April 1935. A second vessel, CALDEW, was fishing off the west coast of Kintyre when an unexplained collision occurred. CALDEW hit OSPREY II amidships and tore a massive hole in her side. The damage was so great that coal from her bunkers poured out into the sea.
CALDEW took the damaged vessel in tow in an attempt to beach her at the nearest point but that was ten miles away. OSPREY's skipper lowered his boat as a precaution and this was just as well because, as the tow got under way, it was clear that the vessel was settling deeper in the water all the time. The crew manned the pumps until they were waist deep in water but their efforts were in vain. With the fires out and the ship sinking under their feet they were forced to scramble into the lifeboat and abandon their vessel.
Less than an hour after the collision OSPREY II slipped under in 20 fathoms of water approximately 2 miles off the Bellochantuy shore.