Sheemaun History 1935 - Hollowshore Cruising Club in Kent
Transcription
Sheemaun History 1935 - Hollowshore Cruising Club in Kent
‘HMY SHEEMAUN’ (1941 – 1945) 2010 Flagship of the United Kingdom Historic Fleet Call sign M.L.O.N. Length 45.5 ft., Gross Tonnage 11.43 Displacement 26.5 tons. Built 1935 by James Noble & Co Fraserburgh Berthed at Ramsgate Royal Harbour Identified by the National Historic Ships Committee at the National Maritime Museum and certified by Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Julian Oswald GCB, as a vessel of The Historic Fleet of the United Kingdom. Registered No 1939 At Fete de al Mer Boulogne 2009 dressed overall at request of the Festival Authorities. (Sheemaun does not otherwise ‘dress’ while under way) The ‘Sheemaun’ was built as a yacht in 1935 at the yard of James Noble & Co in Fraserburgh to design No 561 by G L Watson & Co1, the foremost yacht design 1 Anthony Harrison, Director, G L Watson & Co Ltd per letter 15.11.06 1 company of that period.2 She was commissioned by Banker Mr Ernest Richards to a design by Watson’s Chief Designer, James Rennie Barnett.3 Construction was in traditional manner using stout oak frames, keel and keelson, pitch-pine planked below the waterline and larch planked above with British Columbian pine deck. The wheelhouse constructed of teak. The name ‘Sheemaun’ was chosen by Mr Richard’s 15 year old daughter Helen4 who had been reading the famous poem ‘Hiawatha’ by Henry Longfellow Wordsworth (1807-1882) verse VII referring to Hiawatha’s canoe - line 6 “..Built a swift Cheemaun for sailing..” Ernest Richards apparently felt the “Ch..” was too hard and suggested softening the name instead to “Sheemaun” and so it was. Shipwrights at James Noble’s Yard in the mid-fifties, some of these men would have been involved in the building of ‘Sheemaun’ 2 GL Watson & Co Ltd. Along with many other yachts Watson also designed the America Cup winners ‘Thistle’, ‘Valkyerie’ II & III. H.M. King George V’s ‘Britannia’, The Kaiser’s ‘Meteor I’, the Courtauld’s ‘Virginia’and ‘Mayflower’ the yacht of President Roosevelt. 3 Email from Jack Gifford Design Office coordinator G L Watson & Co. 4 By email 14.7.12 from Helen Reid daughter of Ernest Richards. Helen now aged 92 lives in Canada B.C. 2 This illustration is from ‘The Motor Boat’ October 4th 1935. Dr Pell copied this to Helen Reid and replying by email, Helen Reid informed Dr Pell that the gentleman standing near the bow is her father Ernest Richards and the lady seated on the forward hatch is her mother ‘she always wore that white hat..’ The photograph was taken when Sheemaun was moored in the Conway Estuary shortly after being commissioned to Mr Ernest Richards. 3 The ‘Briar,’ a slightly larger sister ship than the ‘Sheemaun,’ had been launched by Nobles the previous year. The ‘Briar’was recorded to have cost £500 for the hull, wheelhouse and masts, £600 for the engine and £100 for the gear. The building costs of the ‘Sheemaun’ would have been very similar. Mr Richards sold her in November 1935 to Mr L S L Saunders for £1,100.00 who sold her in October 1936 to Mr Harold Bell for £1,050.00. The ‘Briar’ photographed when off Brisbane 4 Noble’s Yard slipway from which ‘Sheemaun’ and the ‘Briar’ were launched5 On Friday, September 20th 1935 ‘Sheemaun’ was featured by Editor Major B. Heckstall-Smith in Yachting World & Motor Boating Journal No 2162 Vol 83. ‘Sheemaun’ was a vessel of some significance at the time in so far as she was one of the first seriously seaworthy, in the sense of extensive off-shore cruising capability, small flush-decked motor cruisers. Major Heckstall-Smith described ‘Sheemaun’ as “..something which even Messrs G. L. Watson may be reasonably proud of….” 5 This and the above picture are found in Bill Macdonald’s ‘Boats & Builders: The History of Boatbuilding Around Fraserburgh’ 5 Heckstall-Smth wrote in describing the layout that aside from the excellent accommodation: “The construction generally is extremely strong, as one would expect from builders with long experience of fishing craft. Those who believe that the sea-going qualities of a fishing boat far exceed those of the average motor cruiser need have no doubt of a vessel such as this, for, by virtue of her carefully proportioned under-water body, she should be unquestionably superior to any fishing boat of similar dimensions.” 6 20.9.1935 ‘Sheemaun’ was advertised for sale through Messrs G. L. Watson & Co. In 1938 ‘Sheemaun’ was bought by Mr H.C. Bell. Ian Smith of Noble Bros (Fraserburgh) per letter 25th September 2002 and later telephone discussion recalled to Dr Pell that Harold Bell was a wealthy Fraserburgh cattle farmer and landowner, well known for his competing in the Highland Games. Furthermore, Ian Smith had known Mr James Noble Jr., being his uncle, but sadly as at September 2002 Mr James Noble then aged 87 yrs was very unwell. Concerning the Noble’s Boat Building Yard Ian Smith wrote: “All I can remember of those times is seeing boats launched amid a flurry of excitement, followed by a big splash, and later being given a sweet biscuit and a cup of lemonade, if my relations were involved. The stronger stuff was given to the tradesmen.” ‘Sheemaun’ had been fitted with a pair of Parsons H4M paraffin engines each developing some 27 horsepower and with which she easily achieved her hull speed of 7 ½ knots. Significantly these engines could output either in right hand of left hand rotation and which for a twin screw configuration as in the case with ‘Sheemaun’ was important. 7 Advertisement as featured in the 1935 Olympia Boat Show edition of Yachting World & Motor Boating Journal With a fuel tank capacity of 130 gallons this would have given a capacity for substantial duration and a range of cruising of the order five hundred miles. 8 Advertisement as featured in the 1935 Olympia Boat Show edition of Yachting World & Motor Boating Journal Cowes Week 1938 – Annual Yachtsmen’s Service at Northwood Church I.O.W. Sunday….. among the yachts in the roadstead was Mr H.C. Bell’s ketch Sheemaun…. 9 Summer 1938 at the prestigious Pavillon d’Or Rally Held that year at Flushing, ‘Sheemaun’ is seen alongside ‘Sundowner’. The man on ‘Sheemaun’ in the white cap with his back to the camera is probably Harold Bell. ‘Sundowner’ was then the private yacht of Captain Charles Lightoller who had been 2nd Captain on the RMS Titanic when she sank in 1912. By Hitler’s orders there were no German participants in the Pavillon d’Or that year. Despite the Munich Agreement made between Hitler, Mussolini and Chamberlain on 30th September 1938, there were ominous tensions developing with Germany. In 1939 ‘Sheemaun’ was sold by Harold Bell to Lt Cmdr R. H. Calvert-Link Esq. of Hinton Building, Hinton Road, Bournemouth, Hants.6 That Summer, probably in June/July ‘Sheemaun’ was moved to the South Coast. It is reasonable to assume that the general handiness, the excellent sea-keeping qualities and the sturdiness of ‘Sheemaun’ would have been well tested by Lieutenant Commander Calvert-Link. 6 Lloyd’s Register of Yachts 1939. (Roy Hanson Calvert-Link b.11.6.04 – d. 21.3.67 buried in plot G696 Glendale National Cemetery, Richmond, USA). 10 Meanwhile the European situation was fast deteriorating. On Thursday 1st September Hitler invaded Poland and at 11.15 am on Sunday 3rd September Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcasting from No 10 Downing Street announced to the British Nation that Britain and France were now at war with Nazi Germany and at 11.27 London’s air raid sirens sounded in earnest. With the Nation at war and national security at a premium the Admiralty now had urgent need of the services of small vessels with sound qualities and sea-keeping, furthermore, some vessels of ‘innocent’ appearance might be of particular interest. By the Summer of 1941 every resource was indeed needed and on 28th August 1941 ‘Sheemaun’ was acquired by the Royal Navy7 and commissioned as HMY SHEEMAUN.8 The National Archives at Kew contain a letter – War Department T.M.5074/4/S.F.C.2 EMERGENCY POWERS (DEFAULT) ACT 1939 28th August 1941 NOTICE OF ACQUISITION Whereas M..B. Sheemaun has been requisitioned … 538(B) ……. Signed W.G. Maynard Lt L.A. Goldy R.A. 63 Conduit St. London W.1. And so ‘Sheemaun’ had been requisitioned by the U.K. War Department and was to become HMY SHEEMAUN an armed Thames Estuary patrol boat. 7 8 Email 22.01.07 from Bob Todd of National Maritime Museum Email 5.9.08 from Nick Hewitt, Maritime Historian to The Imperial War Museum. 11 Abigail Barker9 confirms that ‘Sheemaun’ was based at Cliffe Fort situated on the North Kent Thames estuarine coast. A glance at the nautical charts confirms there was always a minimum of 6 feet of water at the Cliffe jetty even at low Spring tides. Satellite view of Cliffe Fort and jetties. Cliffe Fort had been built in the late1860s and is situated only a sea-mile SouthEast across the Thames estuary from Coalhouse Fort on the Essex coast. Although in many ways obsolete both Forts remained armed during World War II and so this narrow ‘throat’ of the London River Estuary could be strongly defended by the quick-firing guns mounted at each fort. 9 Letter 9.2.07 - Research Dept Achievements Ltd (Heraldic & Geneological Research). 12 Satellite photo of Coalhouse Fort (middle left) and Cliffe Fort (middle right) with only a mile separating them across the Thames Estuary Mr Harold Bennett10 of the Chatham Royal Dockyard Historical Society has confirmed that HMY SHEEMAUN was used by H.M. Examination Service “..they would have enjoyed using such a fine vessel as ‘Sheemaun’.” Two Hotchkiss heavy machine guns were mounted to ensure that interrogated shipping stopped and hove to when so signalled and also to secure the boarding and searching of any vessel. “The purpose of the Examination Service was to board all Merchant Ships & Trawlers entering the river, scrutinise papers, if needs be search the ship…”11 Although access via land to the remote Cliffe Fort was somewhat limited the fort jetty provided a secure berth for the Examination Services craft with conditions only becoming uncomfortable when Northerly or Westerly gales might combine with tidal surges 10 11 Letter 26.3.07 Lt Cmdr Norman Yates per: WW2 People’s War - BBC 13 Cliff Fort and jetty seen from seawards – photo from Sheemaun May 2007 THE NORE COMMAND As at 1939 the Western Approaches Commander was Flag C-in-C Vice Admiral Sir George H. D’O. Lyon KCB.12 Sub Area Nore, one of seventeen Western Approaches Command divisions was under the command of Rear Admiral G.A. Scott DSC., based on HMS Wildfire berthed at Sheerness. Inevitably Nore Command assumed great importance during World War II in contributing to essential observation and control over the entrance to the Thames Estuary and guarding shipping routes to and from the ports of North East England. HMY SHEEMAUN was one of the Examination Services small patrol boats. She was fitted with “2 Hotchkiss”13. The Hotchkiss 13.2mm Heavy Machine Gun was extensively used by the British and French armies and navies and copied by the Japanese who issued thousands to their troops and navy. The Hotchkiss was an accurate and formidable weapon. The twin naval mounted gun could deliver continuous fire at 8 rounds/sec. had an effective sea range of 4,500 yards and an ant-aircraft reach of 8,000 feet. The armour piercing ammunition could ‘take-out’ 12 Royal Navy Day-by-Day in World War II by Don Kindell. http.//www.navalhistory.netxDKWW2-420140RNShips2Home.htm 13 Email 2 Mar 2010 from Lorna Read, Royal Naval Records, Portsmouth [email protected] 14 a light tank and could penetrate the pressure hull of a submarine. The recoil of the gun was much reduced by counter-balance effect of the gas operated re-load mechanism. On ‘Sheemaun’ it is notable that the existing main mast tabernacle is of welded steel construction whereas the mizzen mast tabernacle is of riveted construction. This is consistent with the original riveted main mast tabernacle having been removed to make way for a naval gun mount and after the War being replaced by a tabernacle of welded construction. Under the tabernacle there are substantial deck beams with both hanging and lodging knees sufficiently robust to have supported a twin Hotchkiss Heavy Machine Gun. Photo – per Ramsgate Maritime Museum - Air Sea Rescue Launches in Ramsgate Harbour 1940 armed with Hotchkiss HMGs. These launches were about the same size as ‘Sheemaun’. 15 Ramsgate Maritime Museum – Model of ASRL with single naval Hotchkiss heavy machine gun . ‘Sheemaun’ had twin Hotchkiss h m g s. Also available to defend the Thames Estuary were the 2nd motor gun boat flotilla based at Ramsgate, several mine-sweeping trawlers, and anti-submarine trawlers based at Harwich and the Examination Services patrol boats ‘Giroflee’ and ‘Laureate’ armed with 6 pounder guns and based at Brightlingsea. More substantial sea-power was available in the form of various gunboats and the four destroyers as were variously patrolling in the North Sea off the Thames Estuary. The late Bob Roberts tells in his book ‘Coasting Bargemaster’14 of encounters with Thames Estuary Naval Examination Service boats which he describes as white hulled and flying the White Ensign. These boats would come out variously from creeks and like locations or in the matter of river patrol and would order the shipping to heave to be examined and searched. Roberts had little time for the Examination Service Officers who he found had no understanding of the difficulties a bargemaster faced in heaving-to a motor-less sailing barge at short notice. The officers would sling a grapnel into the barge shrouds! Roberts was greatly inconvenienced on one occasion when he was entering Queenborough harbour and was ordered to stop by an Examination Service patrol boat. Whether that patrol boat was HMY SHEEMAUN is a matter for speculation, it may well 14 First published 1949 by St Anne’s Press Timperley. This edition by Seafarer Books, Suffolk, 2000. 16 have been but regardless of that, Bob Roberts must over the war years have often encountered ‘Sheemaun’ as his barge ‘Martinet’ plied her trade on the Thames Estuary, the Medway, the Swale and the Kent and Essex Coasts. 17 Mr. Don Kindell confirms that some 19 months later on 1st January 1942 the following vessels listed as Auxiliary Patrol boats of Nore Command15 were recorded as based at Cliffe Fort in the Thames Estuary under command of Rear Admiral Scott, namely: ‘Aberdonia’, ‘Bill Adams’, ‘Blue Peter’, ‘Crescent’, ‘Eternal Wave’, ‘Eusett’, ‘Kinsman’,’ Marghereta’, ‘Narwale’, ‘Pride of Sheppey’, ‘Samaki’, ‘Windelf’, ‘Winona’,‘Valterry’, ‘Zelea’ and ‘Sheemaun’. Of these ‘Aberdonia’, ‘Marghereta’ and ‘Sundowner16’ had been transferred from the seven hundred or so private and commercial vessels requisitioned on or soon after 14th May 1940 in compliance with the Admiralty Order for most urgent use in Operation Dynamo. In October 1964 the Sunday Times published an inspired letter from the late Raymond Baxter OBE, FRSA as a result of which many owners of these previously requisitioned vessels were contacted and in 1966 the Association of ‘Little Dunkirk Ships.’ was born. ‘Sheemaun’ is not included in that listing. Sadly all log books of Royal Navy small and auxiliary craft were destroyed in 1950. Nore Command was finally disbanded on 31st March 1961. HMY SHEEMAUN was transferred to the Dept. of Sea Transport [Merchant Navy], laid up on 6th November 1945 and sold out of Naval service in 1947. The ‘Blue Book’ Certificate of Registry confirms this second registration in 1947.17 In 1949 Lloyd’s Register of Yachts records 6089 ‘Sheemaun’ as a twin screw ketch, still with her original Parsons H4M paraffin engines, having ‘electric light’ and with sails by Beaton, ’47. ‘Sheemaun’s owner then was Mrs J. O. M. Scott18 of No.19 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin. ‘Sheemaun’ recorded as berthed at the Port of Littlehampton.19 Mrs Scott sold her to Mr H E Chubb who in July 1950 sold her to Mr Thomas Haydon for £4,750.00. 15 Royal Navy Day-by-Day in World War II by Don Kindell. http.//www.navalhistory.net.DKWW2-420140RNShips2Home.htm 16 Capt Charles Lightoller 2nd in Command RMS ‘Titanic’ when she struck an iceberg and sank in 1912. 17 Unfortunately all small vessel log books were destroyed by the Navy in 1950. 18 Possible relationship to Rear Admiral Scott. 19 Lloyd’s Register of Yachts 1949.. 18 In the 1951 Olympia International Boat Show Sheemaun was featured by David brown Ltd exhibiting a pair of DB6 90 hp Diesel engines. 1951 - per The Times May 13th – MY Sheemaun 45-ft Ocean Cruiser G L Watson design; new Thornycroft engines; complete in every detail; beautifully fitted out; any survey or trial; fitted out in May; lying south coast price £4.900 write Box E484. 19 In 1964 ‘Sheemaun’, Port of Registry Littlehampton, was listed in Lloyds as owned by I.O. Capper Esq., of Polstead Mill, Colchester, Essex. Captain Capper was a member of the Little Ship Club and a member of the Royal Navy Sailing Association and was certified with the Board of Trade as a Master and an Officer of the Merchant Navy. In 1965 ‘Sheemaun’ was registered to T W H Burton Esq., about who there is so far no information but ‘Sheemaun’ continued to be registered at the Port of Littlehampton. On 22nd November 1972 ‘Sheemaun’ was registered to Rear Admiral Gordon Gray CB., DSC. There is an interesting confluence between ‘Sheemaun’, Rear Admiral Gray and Pangbourne Nautical College. At age 16 yrs ‘Peter’ Gray was entered as a cadet at Pangbourne Nautical College. He passed into the Royal Navy in 1929 and served in the Mediterranean Fleet. In 1939 he was 1st Lt., HMS Stork and later he was a destroyer commander in the Norwegian Campaign. He was to serve as Naval Deputy Representative at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe and finally as Senior Naval Instructor at the Imperial Defence College. The dormitory at Pangbourne College where cadet Gray slept in 192720. Note the sparseness of the room with wide open windows, cadet’s sea-chests, the beams from which the hammocks were slung and the racks in which hammocks were stowed each day. 20 Courtesy Lionel Stephens author of ‘Pangbourne College: The Nautical College and its History’. Dovecote Press Ltd 1991. 20 1971 - Admiral Gray inspecting Sheemaun in Norfolk prior to purchase. From a photograph kindly provided by Nicholas Gray. As the personal yacht of Admiral Gray, ‘Sheemaun’ flew the burgee of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Admiral and Mrs Gray cruised in ‘Sheemaun’ for six months of the year extensively along the U.K. South Coast, voyaging to Belgium, Holland and on to the Baltic, their son Nicholas often crewing.21 Nicholas Gray told Dr Pell that “My Father often said that some of the happiest days of his life were spent cruising in Sheemaun…” After the rigours of Pangbourne and service in the Royal Navy during World War II it is perhaps little wonder that Admiral ‘Peter’ Gray much later in life would come to feel so comfortable in the relative luxury of his beloved ‘Sheemaun’. 21 Nicholas Gray by Email and personal visit to ‘Sheemaun’ April 2007. 21 Dept Trade & Industry letter to Rear Admiral Gray confirming the registration of signal flags and radio Call-Sign for ‘Sheemaun’ 22 ‘The Admiral’ as he was known to family and friends was a talented artist. Reproduced below is a water colour painting of ‘Sheemaun’ kindly sent by the Hon Henrietta Brougham. The painting, by her Grandfather the late Rear Admiral ‘Peter’ Gray CB.,DSC., shows his beloved ‘Sheemaun’ proudly flying the burgee of the Royal Yacht Squadron. SHEEMAUN Wearing the burgee of the Royal Yacht Squadron Water colour by Rear Admiral Gray CB., DSC. Owner and Master 1972 - 1981 23 Sheemaun flying the burgee of the Royal Yacht Squadron and berthed at the Royal Yacht Squadron, West Cowes circa 1975. Admiral Gray seated on the foredeck From a photograph kindly donated to ‘Sheemaun’ by Nicholas Gray. The time eventually came for Admiral Gray to retire from active cruising and Sheemaun was again advertised for sale. By appropriate if strange coincidence ‘Sheemaun’ was purchased from Admiral Gray on 30th September 1981 by Lt Cmdr Ian Pearson of Pangbourne Nautical College where the Admiral had at age16 yrs once been a cadet! Ian Pearson was shortly to become the Executive Officer at Pangbourne. ‘Sheemaun’ now superceding the Pangbourne College cutter ‘Tiger Knights’ became the College ‘Flagship’ and saw considerable further and very active service in Naval Hands voyaging far and wide under the capable command of Ian Pearson. During the years 1981 to 1987 ‘Sheemaun’ provided many scores of Pangbourne Naval College Cadets with their first real experiences of off-shore hands-on crewing, boat handling, sail handling, responsibilities as crew-members, 24 keeping watches and engaging with coastal and off-shore navigation skills. “..round the British Isles or across the Channel”. The above photograph of ‘Sheemaun’ bound for Pangbourne with masts down, was taken from Henley bridge in 1983, was kindly provided by Mrs Forward, her son Richard was at the wheel. “In 1981 the College became one of the first schools… to form a CCF Royal Marine section…”22 ‘In 1985 Pangbourne College CCF23 “Sheemaun” was said to have celebrated her first ten years with the college by circumnavigating Britain …”24 Those log-books make fascinating reading, for instance: Pangbourne College (From Capt. Richard Forward) MFV Sheemaun 9-10 Oct 1982 Solent - Littlehampton 8 Oct Went off on CCF trip on ‘Sheemaun’ at Hamble. Hope to see the ‘Mary Rose’ being lifted from the sea bed off Portsmouth on Sunday. 10 Lifting rig leg broke so raising of ‘Mary Rose’ was postponed. Standing by aboard Sheemaun. Later that afternoon, we went to Littlehampton where we drove “Blue Peter III” an Atlantic 75 RNLI Lifeboat! The coxwain was father of a guy at school. 22 L C Stephens . 1991 ‘Pangbourne College’ – The Nautical College and its History’ Dovecote Press Ltd p 144 23 The CCF defaced blue ensign worn by ‘Sheemaun’ is carefully preserved. 24 Ditto pp 164-165. 25 11 Mary Rose was lifted at lunchtime today. We were back at school 23-29 Oct Littlehampton - Pangbourne 23 Oct Half term. Aboard ‘Sheemaun’ from Littlehampton to Brighton. 24 Rang home from Ramsgate. Lost my watch overboard in Brighton Marina! 28 Mum & Emma (Sister) went to Henley and watched ‘Sheemaun’ go under the bridge, driven by me. Spent the night alongside at Henley. 11-14 April 1983 Pangbourne - Chatham 11-14 Apr CCF trip on ‘Sheemaun’ to Chatham. [Fell in while provisioning!] Stops overnight: Henley 11th, Staines th 12 , HMS President 13th, Chatham14th, Then returned by road to Pangbourne 20-21 May May 21-22 Chatham - Southampton CCF trip to Chatham to Chatham on ‘Sheemaun’ 27-30 May Southampton - France 27-30 Half term. Taking ‘Sheemaun’ from Chatham to Littlehampton. 30 Returned home. Good fun, rough seas yesterday. 10-24 July 1983 France and Channel Islands 10-21 CCF trip on ‘Sheemaun’ to Channel Islands with Ian Pearson & John Spriggs (Royal Marine CCF commander) in charge (Southampton - Yarmouth - Alderney - Jersey – St Malo - Lezardrieux - Tréguier) We were split into A & B groups. One group would “Yomp” and camp ashore between ports while the other would be aboard. John Spriggs was admitted to and put in isolation hospital at St Helier with infective hepatitis. 20 By ferry from Jersey to Weymouth - force 6-8. 21 Returned home 17 Aug Family Jaunt in the Solent. The Pearsons invited the Family for a day-sail on ‘Sheemau’ from Southampton Docks to Cowes, swam off Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight 21-24 Aug My sister & I, Ian & Reggie Pearson, David Carr & Ruck Nightingale went on a brief trip (non-CCF) aboard ‘Sheemaun’ 22 My sister had to move into our boys’ cabin because hers is leaking! 24 Returned home 26 From ‘Sheemaun’s Log Book Paris to Conflans 07.45 08.15 O8.30 09.30 10.00 10.05 13.0 14.40 14.50 18.28 18.29 22.00 26/6/86 Call The hands - sky overcast Breakfast Bach + L-M to get provisions Sunshine Leave berth & dock fuelling bay Jamieson still missing. Temp 70 deg ?? Leave fuel berth avec Jamieson French lunch Lock in at Sartre Ville Saw ‘Seahawk’ British Boat with opposite sex on board. Arrived Conflans Bangers + booze located & used Engineers try and fix weed trap Boulogne to Dieppe 19/7/86 07.30 10.00 19.05 21.05 21.10 Call the hands. Harbour master comes aboard. Change the impellor Sail for Dieppe. Main compass 20 degrees out! Arrive at Dieppe berth alongside ready to go through lock Entrance into Port Duqesne Alongside three smelly fishing boats – Cmdr Ps worst ever berth!*! Richard Forward relates25 “We were possibly the largest boat on the upper reaches of the Thames. (Certainly in terms of draft). …we once ran aground under Whitchurch Bridge on the outskirts of Pangbourne, less than a mile from our winter berth! We got our longest mooring warp out, presumably launched the tender, though I don’t remember how as we couldn’t use the mizzen boom (of course the Seagull outboard wouldn’t start!) rowed to the Victorian iron bridge, tied a bowline and winched ourselves back into deep water with the anchor capstan! We were slightly concerned about collapsing the bridge….” 25 R A S Forward by email 28.3.2010 27 ‘Sheemaun’ now berthed at Hayling Island, was in need of a substantial re-fit and in 1986 Cdr Pearson advertised ‘Sheemaun’ through broker Peter Gregson of ‘Wooden Ships Ltd’ based in Devon. July 1986 Sheemaun for sale - Suzy Pell then aged 5 yrs peers fascinated into the wheelhouse. Lt Cmdr Ian Pearson is seated ‘Sheemaun’ was duly acquired by Dr Rodney Pell along with a charming letter from Lt. Cmdr. Ian Pearson and a sprig of sea holly from Mrs Pearson for good luck. The sprig of sea holly remains above the compass in the wheelhouse to this day. The Register of Sale being witnessed by Mr Peter Points M.A., Headmaster of Pangbourne since appointment in 1969. Letter from Ian Pearson 28 Next were to come fifteen years of hard work, expense and research along with much needed patience and forbearance from the Pell family. ‘Sheemaun’ awaiting work at Coombe’s Boatyard Bosham June 1987 ‘Sheemaun’ – Making a start on restoration 1987 29 ‘Count Dracula’, a Dunkirk Little Ship, about to depart Coombe’s Boatyard June 1987 after restoration. ‘Sheemaun’ is in the background - work in progress26 In July 1988 ‘Sheemaun’ finally left Coombe’s yard27 bound for Ramsgate and crewed by Dr Pell, The late ‘Doc’ Shiers FRCSE and Maxwell Wallace-Jones. Unfortunately due to both the old David Brown MD6 engines developing faults a stop off had to be made at Littlehampton. Manoeuvring alongside the quay on the falling tide was not easy but an elderly, white-bearded man with a battered white cap popped out of the Harbour Master’s office - a hut - and waving his arms shouted across the water: “This is where ‘Sheemaun’ goes.” Warps were hurled across and while making these fast he peered suspiciously at Dr Pell and shouted; “Who are you?” “I’m the new owner” was the reply. “Oh” was the response bellowed back. “Well this is where ‘Sheemaun’ always goes” He turned on his heel and went back into the hut. No mention was made of any harbour dues! 26 ‘Christian Brann 1989 ‘The Little Ships of Dunkirk’ Collectors Books Ltd p 178. The yard closed in 2001 planning to develop waterside residences on the site is in abeyance pending the result of appeal. 27 30