Imperialist

Vessel name on Arrival: Imperialist

Original Builder: Smith's Dockyard, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough

Original Yard No: 1058

Official Number: 167050

Vessel Type: trawler

GRT: 526

Year Built: 1939

Arrival Date: 20/12/1966

Breakup Started: 24/06/1968

Date First Beached: 08/10/1968

Date Breakup Completed: 14/07/1969

Draught For’d: 7' 9"

Draught Aft: 16' 6"

Name Changes:

Decmb 1938  :  Launched as the S.T. Imperialist for Hellyer Brothers Limited – Hull

August 1939 :  Sold to Northern Fishing Company (Hull) Limited – Hull – with Hellyer Bros Ltd as Managers

30-08-1939   :  Requisitioned for war service (anti-submarine duty) under North Atlantic Command (P. No. FY 126)

 

1939 – 1945  :  Vessel under R.N. command for naval services

 

Octbr. 1945  :  Returned to Owners

10-10-1963  :  Transferred to Wyre Trawlers Limited of Fleetwood

1965             :  Registered at Fleetwood  –  FD 83

Decb 1966  :   Sold to the West of Scotland Shipbreaking Company Limited of Troon for breaking

20-12-1966  :  Arrived at Troon Harbour under own steam, delivered from Fleetwood for breaking up.

 

 

Other Information:

Steam Trawler built by Smith's Dock Company Limited, for Hellyer Brothers Limited of Hull, their Yard Number 1058.

 

Official Number  :  167050                         Pennant Number  :  H 2

NRT  :  193 tons

GRT  :  526 tons

Length :  175.9 feet   x   Breadth :  28.6 feet   x   Depth :  15 feet

 

Vessel and propulsion machinery by Smith's Dock Company Limted, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough.

 

31-10-1943  :

In the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Tangiers. HMS Imperialist. on convoy escort/protection duty, detected an enemy submarinein the vicinity of the Convoy immediately set out attacking her with a total speard of ten depth-charges, which succeeded in bringing the submarine to the surface.  This was the Type VII C  U-732, under the command of Oberleutnant Zur See, Klaus-Peter Carlsen.  On surfacing, HMS Imperialist approached the enemy boat and using her gun destroyed the U-Boat's own deck gun, causing the boat to dive again.  The anti-submarine trawler then dropped ten more depth charges, followed by a further eight . With contact lost, it was believed the submarine had been sunk and thus destroyed. 

 

However, U-732 lay on the ocean floor at a depth of 585 feet and stayed there for eight hours.  When she did finally surface she was listing heavily but could still move forward.  However, she was detected by the searchlight of the Destroyer HMS Douglas which opened fire causing severe damage to the U-Boat.  Oberleutnant Carslen gave the order to abandon the ans scuttle the boat.  He and 18 of his men were picked up by HMS Douglas, the other 31 men making up the U-732 complement lost their lives.

 

January 1947 :   Converted to fuel oil burning

June 1949  :  New Boiler installed

October 1959  :  In collision with Turkish steamer 'Yelkenci' 15 miles East of Scarborough Harbour

October 1959  :  Refloated after temporary repairs to shell plating then proceeded to Hull for permanent repairs

October 1965  :  In heavy gale conditons, went to aid of disabled Icelandic trawler Strakur and saved 9 crewmen