Requisitioned Auxiliary – Guernsey Queen

Guernsey Queen

 

 

Official No:                           167240

Builder:                         Burntisland Shipbuilding Co Ltd

Launched:                     5 April 1939

Pennant No:                         

Into Service:                  1939

Out of service:               21 October 1944

Fate:                            1956 foundered

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

 

Career Data:

5 April 1939 launched by Burntisland Shipbuilding Co Ltd., as Yard No: 228 named Guernsey Queen for British Chanel Islands Shipping Co Ltd., London

1 May 1939 completed

26 July 1939 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

30 July 1939 berthed at Dover to discharge

8 August 1939 at Preston

14 August 1939 passed the Lloyds Signal Station on the Lizard sailing east

1939 requisitioned for Admiralty service as a Stores Carrier, name unchanged

12 June 1940 arrived at Veules-les-Roses to evacuate British troops. Later damaged by German shelling at St Valery along her starboard side

2 August 1940 published in the London Gazette of this day Captain Hugh Hamilton Quail awarded the Distinguished Cross for the withdrawl of troops from Le Havre

13 September 1944 sailed Newhaven in unescorted convoy WDC8 to Dieppe arriving the next day

17 September 1944 sailed Southampton in escorted convoy FTC11A to Southend arriving the next day

21 October 1944 mined at the entrance to Boulogne Harbour, France and was beached. As a result of the mine exploding two of the crew were killed – 1st Mate Joseph Santos and Able Seaman John Divver. Both are buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Plot 11, Row C, Graves 3 & 4. In order to clear the lock, the hull was cut in two. The stern section was later towed to Grangemouth where a new forepart was joined to it

Santos J 2Divver J 2

 

1947 repairs final completed. Purchased by George Gibson & Co Ltd., Leith and renamed Traquair

15 July 1947 arrived at Hartlepool from Leith

3 March 1948 arrived at Seaham from Grangemouth

25 January 1949 arrived River Tyne from London

7 April 1949 sailed Aberdeen for Grangemouth

4 November 1949 arrived River Tyne from Aberdeen

19 August 1956 foundered east of Aldenburgh in position 52.12N 02.35E while on passage from Leith to Terneuzen with a cargo of coal slurry

 

Notes:

 

British Channel Islands Shipping Co Ltd started in 1899 as London & Channel Islands Steamship Co Ltd and were renamed in 1937. Coast Lines Ltd then acquired that Company in 1937 for £67,052 which at the time consisted of 6 coasters which operated passenger and cargo services to all of the Channel Islands. The previous name was retained.

The Coast Lines Group was originally formed in 1913 and consisted of a large group of Companies which were brought together in subsequent years. Transfers of ships between the constituent members were quite common after 1920 and Coast Lines retained all the previous Company names. Some of these were as follows with year of acquisition; British & Irish Steam Packet Co Ltd in 1917; City of Dublin Steamship Co Ltd., City of Cork Steamship Co Ltd., and Belfast Steamship Co Ltd., in 1918/19; Burns & Laird Lines Ltd., in 1922; British Channel Islands Shipping Co Ltd., in 1937 and Tyne-Tees Steamship Co Ltd., in 1943