The Recovery on Salvage Work

Eddie Kirkpatricks Diving and Family Pages

The Recovery on Salvage Work

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There had been two salvage attempts by other salvage companies at raising the NAVENA, both had failed.United Towing acquired the contract, and they sub-contracted the job to us on a daily rate.
We did raise the NAVENA by pumping out the silt and sand from the holds, engine room etc, then bringing in the "Recovery" and holding the weight on the forward horns, and letting the tide fall then pumping out all the silt, the "Navena" then floated on her own.But for some unknown reason United Towing told us to to release the wires supporting the ship, stating that our charter time had expired, all that was needed was for United to have brought a tug in and towed it out to sea (it was all very suspicious)We let the wires off, and in two days it was back on its side.
We later found out that it cost 1 million to bring in a really heavy salvage ship in to lift again. (very strange indeed)

The pictures don t show it floating, but we certainly had it floating on a high tide.

REFLOATING TRAWLER IN SCARBOROUGH BAY

Surveying the "NERVINA"

Moving the the "RECOVERY" into position for a bow lift

Eddie in Scarborough Bay.

Recovery out in the bay waiting to lift

Further surveying

Attaching wires to start the lift

20,000 Shellcases from the "CADMUS"

We had acquired a verbal agreement from the TREASURY DEPT to salvage the shellcases from the "SS CADMUS" SUNK IN 1916 off Hornsea, (all that was needed was the agreements to be put in the post and signed)
The weather was perfect one weekend, so we set off to salvage the shells, we salvaged 20,000 shells and came back to Hull,
waiting at the dock when we moored up the vessel in Albert Dock, was three police squad cars and police dogs, they came on the ship and said they wanted to search the ship for arms and explosives, stating that they had received a telephone call saying that we were carrying explosives and arms for the IRA.
I stated that all we were carrying was empty shell cases from a first world war wreck.I immediately went home and telephoned the TREASURY DEPT, who immediately told me that we had jumped the gun, and started the contract before we had signed, and further stating that we had upset some one in a higher position and that they were now not going to give us the contract, and also they were going to confiscate the shellcases, I retorted by saying that we were employing ex fishermen (who had been on the dole previously)and also I had nearly lost my life on the job and we had only started the salvage because it was ideal weather conditions at the time.I finally said to the Treasury Solicitor that it was OK for them sat on their fat arses on £80,000 a year in London, and by the time I have finished with them they would certainly know about it, I then slammed the phone down and got in touch with John Prescott.
Over the next two weeks the army came down and removed the shellcases to a bonded warehouse (were they were stolen by scrap merchants, what a laugh). John got on to our case with TV coverage, and with his connections in Whitehall we were eventually recompensed with £30,000, plus the Treasury solicitor who spoke to me was severely reprimanded.

Eddie talking to the Yorkshire TV
about the fiasco with the shellcases and the MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

John Prescott who assisted us in recovering £30,000 in compensation from the Treasury Dept.

Container of shells

More cases.

One of the shell cases

12,000 Shell cases laid in the hold of the "Recovery"

Newspaper article on the shellcase fiasco.

Another NEWSPAPER ARTICLE featuring the shellcase fiasco

Further article