Official Number:                       123180

Laid down:

Builder:                               John Brown & Co, Clydebank

Launched:                               4 May 1907

Into Service:                            1915

Out of service:                         1941

Fate:                                      5 July 1941 bombed and sunk

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  One of a group of additional ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW1 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

4 May 1907 launched by John Brown & Co, Clydebank as Yard Nr 379 named BARRY for Barry Railway Co, Cardiff

7 May 1907 the Bristol Times and Mirror newspaper reported …

June 1907 completed

1908 owners became Barry & Bristol SS Co Ltd, Cardiff name unchanged

1910 owners became Bristol Channel Passenger Boats Ltd, Cardiff name unchanged

1911 owners became P & A Campbell Ltd, Bristol name unchanged

29 June 1915 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Fleet Messenger then a Stores Carrier, based at Mudros and carrying supplies to Suvla Bay., name unchanged

18 August 1915 in collision with the minesweeper WHITBY BAY in Mudros Bay and was repaired by the repair ship RFA RELIANCE

31 March 1916 Fireman Charles Brice MMR discharged dead – natural causes. He is buried in Syra New British Cemetery, Greece in grave II C 5

29 June 1916 Leading Trimmer John William Coulson RNR, ST601, discharged dead. He is buried in East Mudros Military, Cemetery, Greece in grave III F 178

1917 renamed HMS BARRYFIELD

20 November 1919 returned to her owners and name reverted to BARRY

1925 renamed WAVERLEY by her owners

23 August 1930 off Beachy Head motor yacht Firefly broke down with engine trouble and raised distress signals. The Eastbourne lifeboat was launched and the yacht was towed towards Newhaven by the Waverley – reported by Lloyds

September 1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a minesweeper on the NE coast and renamed HMS SNAEFELL joining the 8th Minesweeping flotilla – Ty Lieutenant F A Smyth RNR in command

January 1941 Ty Acting Lieutenant Commander Frank Brett RNR in command

18 April 1941 accompanied the mine layer HMS TEVIOTBANK when she laid minefield BS54 off the East Coast of England. Other ships also in company were HMS THAMES QUEEN (minesweeper), HMS’s GUILLEMOTT and KITTIWAKE (patrol sloops)

3 May 1941 accompanied the mine layer HMS TEVIOTBANK when she laid minefield BS55 off the East Coast of England. Other ships also in company were HMS THAMES QUEEN (minesweeper), HMS’s SHELDRAKE and KITTIWAKE (patrol sloops)

16 May 1941 accompanied the mine layers HMS’s TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER when they laid minefield BS56 off the East Coast of England. Other ships also in company were HMS THAMES QUEEN (minesweeper), HMS CATTISTOCK (destroyer)

22 May 1941 accompanied the mine layer HMS TEVIOTBANK when she laid minefield BS61 off the East Coast of England. Other ships also in company were HMS THAMES QUEEN (minesweeper), HMS CATTISTOCK (destroyer)

5 July 1941 bombed and sunk by German aircraft off Sunderland in position 54.51 N 01.27 W. Three of the crew were killed and are remembered with pride on the Plymouth Naval Memorial

23 September 1941 Temporary Sub-Lieutenant (E) Herbert Gilbert Webster RNVR was awarded a ‘Mention in Despatches’ for good services when HMS SNAFELL was lost

October 2010 the wreck of HMS SNAFELL discovered by recreational divers from the Silent Running Dive Team eight miles off the coast of Sunderland