Maritime
Page1-Trawlers/Fishing Main
Page Hull's Waterfront
Useful Links Page
Maritime
Page1-Trawlers/Fishing Main
Page Hull's Waterfront
Useful Links Page
This page shows several tugs that my father worked on, plus details about battleships and
submarines linked to members of my family, including the Mauretania, sister to the Titanic.
Old Tug Photo's/info
Tug Launches- Photo's/info
Newer Deisel Tugs- Photo's/info
Tug Power & Shape- Photo's/info
My father started his employment
with the 'United Towing Company' in 1937, and worked with the smaller
dock/trimmer tugs, such as, firstly, The Guardsman, then also Norman, Iona,
Marksman, right up to the end of the world war.
1941,-- After the war, in 1950, my father
joined the 'Runner Crew' in the bigger 'Ocean-Going' tugs, including The
Englishman, Airman, Tradesman, Seaman, Rifleman and Masterman. These tugs would
take him around the world and to places that very few could ever go, or were
allowed to enter, 'Red' China being one, also Russia. A few copies of a tugman's
diary:- Page updated
9th-October-2007
From 1940 he also worked with
the larger 'Ocean Going' tugs, Mainly around the nation's naval dockland's, but
also working with the many naval convoys around the country's diferent oceans,
accasionally being machine-gunned and attacked by airplane, of which, he
survived.The tugs then included The Krooman, Superman, Englishman and
Yorkshireman, Linesman and Welchman.
Barges in the River Hull(The Old
Harbour) needed to be moved, and in the Hull Docks, and other docks after war
broke out on Sunday 3rd. September, such as Rosyth. When our fleet was struck
after the German 'Graf Spee' was sunk on Sunday 17th. December 1939, also
Falmouth, Yarmouth, Portsmouth, Harwich, Lowestoft, and of course Hull and
Immingham/Grimsby areas were buisy.
Hull was badly bombed in 1941, March and May being the worst. The ships at sea
were also hit, my father playing a role in the towing in of wounded vessels
after firstly steaming out to find most of them. Some were not found after being
hit, some sank whilst being towed, torpedoes and shells causing major damage as
well as killing many men.
My uncle, J.F.Laud who was a Marine in the Naval
Fleet, aboard The Ramillies, a 'Royal Sovereign Class' battleship that was
built, not at Hull, but by Beardmore, a Clyde shipyard, as early as 1916, was a
victim of a wartime torpedo attack.
. My father moved Naval craft in and out
of the Hull docks during the war, mainly 'Destroyers', but The Ramillies was far
too big to be accomadated in the Hull docks. When launched, her keel and rudders
were damaged, and even at the dockyard of her manufacture, she was too big for
any dock to be repaired there, being 33,000 tons in service condition and near
600ft. long. She was taken to Cammell Laird at Liverpool to be repaired. Note
that she was towed and handled by eight tugs, and yet she ran aground again
before being finished in 1917. Her guns were 15 inch and top speed was 21 notts.
The thickness of the armour around the cordite magazines was 13inches. The
weight of the total armour alone was over 8000 tons.
Her wartime role was to
destroy the German battleship 'Bismarck', but she was diverted to Madagaska.The
'Hood' engaged the role, unfortunately being sunk. Whilst at Diego-Huarez,
Madagaska, 2 Japanese minature-submarines entered the dock and The Ramillies and
also The Maxman were hit by torpedoes, the Maxman being sunk. The Ramillies was
damaged, but later repaired. It was usually at night that attacks occured.
On
4th June.1941, an Aircraft-Carrier being towed by a tug that my father was
aboard, was bombed at 2am. and had to be abandoned.On 8th. August my father went
out to a tanker-'Goldshell' and towed it, full of fuel,in the dark, to the
Humber in convoy. Again, on 18th. Sept. the tanker 'Pontfeild'which had been
mined,was towed to Yarmouth, and left there, still on fire, as was the tanker
'Teddington' two days later.But it was not only warships that were being
attacked, and trawlers and tugs alike were fitted with guns and other equipement
to defend themselves.
The photographs below, were taken during the last world
war. I hope that they do not offend anyone.The picture of the battleship, taken
on 'D Day', is of the 'Ramillies', and as my uncle, J.F.Laud, a Hull marine,
served the length of the war, on her, He was aboard when this picture was
taken.
This image(A24459)-is courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, and must
not be copied without the written permission of the I.W.M. The image is also of
low(optimised-JPG) resolution.
The second picture is of my father, G.A.Laud(
senior), at the gun of a Hull tug.
These two photo's serve
as a tribute to the many Hull Sailors who fought for their families and country,
especially those who did not survive.
My mother's brother faught in the Army, but was taken by troup ship to the battlefields
were he would gain four medals, but was eventually killed.
He sailed in the very famouse "Mauretania"
MAURETANIA
Seamen were very busy during
wartime, and fishermen and tugmen alike worked around the clock. Trawlers played
a vital role with mine-sweeping, and trawlers have been known to even outwit the
submarines, forcing them to surrender.
Tug crews were equally important to
the war effort, moving fighting ships around the docks and bringing home ships
that were wounded. Also, other craft, such as fuel supply vessels and aicraft
targets, used at the begining of the war needed to be moved, as did defence
structures.
Short copies of wartime diary entries, below, proves how buisy a
tugman was:-
March28, PM.-went out
to find 'Garth'
March29,Left Yarmouth with 'Garth'for Harwich. Anchored PM.
for night
March30, AM.-Arrived Harwich, then carried on to Skegness. Arrived
PM.
March31, 7AM.-Left Skegness in convoy to Yarmouth. Arrived
PM.,
-June6TH.-Left Yarmouth 3PM, Went to find 'Glenfinlus'-off Harwich.
Anchored PM.
June7th-Went into Harwich. Left Harwich, stood by 'Glenfinlus
all night.
June8th.-AM.-Took 'Glenfinlus into Harwich harbour. Left for
Yarmouth-arrived noon. Anchored.
June9th-AM.-Went to find 'Cormaroh'.
9AM-Returned Yarmouth-1PM.
-Sept15th-AM.-Went out to tanker Pontfield-mined.
Anchored for night.
Sept16th.-Towed tanker to Yarmouth. Arrived
1PM.
Sept17th-5AM.-Went out to 'Teddington'-torpedoed and on
fire.Anchored-Cromer- all night.
Sept18th-Left 'Teddington' at Cromer.
Returned to Yarmouth-4PM. 'Teddington' still burning.
There are many entries
of this kind, 1941-1944. many ships were sunk.
He came home with
hand-made sandles from Bornio, Ivory chopsticks from 'Red' China, Ivory carvings
from Egypt, and even dead flying-fish----to show me and the family how beautiful
they were, having 'flown' onto the tug's deck from the water. Many long trips
can be recorded in his many diaries.
June-19th-1951."Left Hull-3.30pm.on tug 'Masterman, for
Baltimore-USA".
June-20th-"Passed Dover-4.30pm."--
--June-21st-"Passed 'Lizard'-6.30pm".
June-24th-"1000 miles from
Baltimore-2000 miles from England".
June-25th-"Steaming westward".--
July-7th -"9am-Passed Chesapeak St. Vessil.-Noon-Took pilot
aboard".
July-8th-"Arrived Baltimore USA."
July-14th-"Left Baltimore with two
corvettes-'HMS.Honesty' and 'Willowherb'-for Hamburg,
Germany."
July-15th-"Passed Chesapeak St. Vessil-2.30pm".
July-16th-"Crossing
Atlantic eastward,-'Masterman' towing".
July-30th-"7pm.-'Hove To' in easterly
breeze". August-1st-"2am-Under way. Towing east across
Atlantic".
August-2nd-"Strong S.E.wind. Dodging wind all
day".
August-5th-"'Hove To'8pm.-Under way
again".
August-12th-"Middnight-Passed 'Lizzard'"- August-14th-"Passed Dover,
7.30pm.".
August-16th-"4.30am.-'Hove To' at Torschelling St.
Vess.".
August-17th-"5.30am-Picked up 'pilot'.Arrived-Brunsbuttel at
4pm".
August-18th-"8am-Left for Kiel via Kiel
Canal-arrived-6pm.".
August-19th-"6am-Left Kiel via canal.-Arived at
Brunsbuttel-2pm. left for Hull at 2.30pm.".
August-21st-"Arrived-Hull-am
tide".
And again,
Oct-21st-1952-"Left with 'Masterman' and'Rifleman' for
Marseiles-3pm.".
Oct-22nd-"Passed Dover-6.30pm-south" Oct-26th-"Passed
Finisterre-5am."
Oct-27th-"Passed Burling Isles-4pm."-- Oct-28th-"Passed St.
Vincent-7.30am."
Oct-29th-"Gibralta-4am.-Cape De Gata-pm." Oct-30th-"Passed
San.Antonio-3pm.".
Oct-31st-"San.Sebastion-8pm."
November-1st-"Arrived-Marseilles-4pm. Layed up-bad weather".
Nov-13th-"Left
Marseilles-1.30pm. with tow-'Ville de
Strasbourg',south-west".
Nov-16th-"Passed San.Antonio, towing
south-west-noon."
Nov-19th-"Passed Gibralta-1.15pm."-- Nov-21st-"Passed
St.Vincent-7am."
Nov-22nd-"Passed Cape Roco-7am. and Burling
Isles-3pm."
Nov-24th-"Cape Valermo-towing north" Nov-25th-"'Hove To'in
gale"
Nov-29th-"Crossing Biskay"-Midnight-'Hove To'in
gale"
December-3rd-"Towing east/n.e,passing Tuskar RK-1PM. Dec-4th-"Arrived
at Gairlock-took train to Hull".
And again- 1954:-
March-27th-Left by
train to London-9.15pm.--March-28th-10.30am-Flew from
London.Arrived-Cairo-9.30pm
March-29th-Arrived by car-Port
Said-7pm.-Semiramis Hotel.March-31st-Aboard tug Airman with two
hoppers.
April-1st-Left Port Said-Airman towing.April-4th-Towing westward
across 'Med' towards Malta.
April-7th-pm-500 miles west of Port Said-easterly
gale.
April-11th-pm-Passed Malta.
April-13th-am-Passed Spaddillo
Point-pm-passed Cape Bon. Hove To in westerly gale.
April-19th-Passed Cape De
Gata-7pm.
April-21st-9am-Arrived Gibralta.April-22nd-Left Gibralta.--
for Biskay.
May-3rd-5pm-Under way-12pm-passed Start
Point.May-5th-7pm-Entered Dover Harbour for shelter in west
gale.
May-7th-Left Dover-3pm, for Rotterdam. May-8th-Arrived-Rotterdam-5pm.
Left for Hull-8pm.
And again:-
July-28th-Arrived Nantes-Preparing two
ferry-boats for towing to Chittergong-China.
August-2nd-Left Nantes with
ferryboats "Sher Afgan" and "Khalid"-6am-"Tradesman" towing. 5.5
knots.
August-9th-Passed Gibralta-5pm.August-14th-Towing eastward passed Cape
De Fer.
August-16th-Passed Gozo Isl.-6pm-towing
eastward.
August-24th-Arrived-Port Said.
August-28th-am-Left Port
Said-Anchored noon off Ismalia.
August-29th-Under way am.-Noon-anchored in
Bitter Lakes for 4hrs.1800gmt-passed Suez.
August30th-Entered Red Sea at
midnight.
September-5th-Passed Jabel Tair at 1800hrs. Sept.-6th-Passed Abu
Ail-1200hrs.Sept.-7th-Passed Perim.
Sept.-13th-Towing westward through Gulf
of Aden.
Sept.-16th-Entered Aden Harbour at 9am local time. Sept.-22nd-Laid
off-Waiting end of monsoons.Anchored Aden.
October-1st-Left Aden with
ferryboats for Goa-India. Oct.-5th-Left Aden, but having trouble with
prop.-shafts. Anchored near Aden
Oct.-7th-Steaming from Aden-4knots, with
only one propellor turning. Oct.-8th-All four prop's
turning.
Oct.-10th-Passed Socotra. Oct.-12th-Towing eastward at
4knots.--Oct.-21st-Passed Minikoi Isl'd-0515.
Oct.-26th-Am-Arrived Colombo.
Oct.-28th-Left Colombo, towing accross Bay of Bengal.
November-11th-Arrived
at Chalna, Pakistan. Nov.-13th-Left for Arabian Sea(loose).
Nov.-30th-Arrived
Aden-7am, for bunkers.
December-7th,am-Passed 'Brothers'. Dec.-8th-Arrived
Suez,5pm-anchored for night.
Dec.-9th-Left Suez,6am-arrived Port Said at 4pm,
left at 10pm for the'Med' and home.
Dec.-15th-Passed
Malta.--Dec.-16th-Passed Cape Bon.
Dec.-20th-Passed Gibralta. Christmas Day-Passed
Ushant.--Dec.-28th-arrived Hull,6pm in Railway Dock.
And
finally:-`1955.
April-4th-Left Hull by train for London.,9.15pm.-Left London
by plane-11pm.
Delayed at Dusseldorf. Left for Rome-pm.
-- at Bombay arrived night, all 7.20pm-Flyying Rome left after delay
April-10th-Left Bombay with tug 'Merchantman' at 2am for Hong
Kong, towing 'S.S.Eastway'-southward.
April-15th-Towing down west coast of
India.
April-18th-Passed Pr. De Galle, noon, ship-time.
April-19th-Passed
Gr.Basses, S.W. Ceylon.
April-21st-Towing at 4.5knots, towards Sumatra.
April-23rd-Noon position-0538North-8922East.--April-25th-Towing at
4.6knots,easterly.Tug crew visited tow-1pm.
April-26th-Passed Willemstoren
Lt.-North Sumatra, 1100gmt.
April-27th-Passed Diamond Point, East
Sumatra,2200gmt.
April-28th-Passed Ujong Porola,0430gmt, towing S.East
through Malocca Straight.
April-29th-Passed Pandang, 0745gmt at
5.2knots.
May-1st-Towing S.East down Malocca Strt.Passed P.Pisang, 1300gmt at
4.5knots
May-2nd-Arrived-Singapore,7am.April-3rd-Left Singapore,
0200gmt.
April-4th-Passed Anamba Isls.at 1300gmt. Towing up China Sea for Hong
Kong.
May-6th-Position-0550North-10700East.Covering 100 miles each
day.
May-13th-Strong N.E.wind, 3knots.Slacked away cable.
April-17th-Arrived
Hong Kong, waiting for tow for Borneo.
June-7th-Left Hong Kong with
landing-craft 'Rawa', for N.Bopneo, Towing southward at 6knots.
June-10th-Passed
Luzon,Philippines.
June-12th-Towing southward,passed Palawan,Philippines.--
June-16th-Arrived Victoria Harbour-Labuan Island-N.Borneo.
June-17th-7am.Left
Labuan,loose, for Singapore to 'bunker'.
June-20th-Eclipse of Sun.--Arrived
Singapore,9pm.
June-21st-Left Singapore,loose.June-22nd-Steaming northward
through Mallaca St.
June-28th-Passed
Willemstoren,N.Sumatra
June-26th-Crossing Bay of Bengal.Steaming
westward.June-29th-Midnight-Passed Dondra Head, S.Ceylon.
July-2nd-1pm.Passed
Minniquoi.July-4th-Crossing Arabian Sea in S.W.monsoon.
July-8th-Passed Socotra
Isld.July-10th-Steaming west, through Gulf of Aden.
July-17th-Steaming through
Gulf of Suez.
July-18th-Arrived Suez at 3am.-- Left Suez at 6am. Arrived at
Port Said at 7pm. Left Port Said at 11pm.
July-20th-Steaming through 'Med'.
July-23rd-Passed Malta.July--28th-Arrived at Gibralta,6pm. for 'bunkers'.Left
8pm.
July-31st-Crossing Biskay.
August-4th-Midnight-Passed Dover.--
August---5th-Arrived in Hull.
Tug journeys like these were regular, not
seldom. Many similar trips are logged.