Previous name: Progress
Subsequent name: Hermit
Class: TRINCULO Class Mooring Vessel
Pennant No: X35 / X01
Laid down:
Builder: Simons & Co., Renfrew
Launched: 24 January 1916
Into Service: January 1916
Out of service:
Fate: Broken up
Items of historic interest involving this ship: –
24 January 1916 launched by Wm Simons & Co, Renfrew as Yard Nr 570 named PROGRESS
January 1916 completed. On Boom Defence duties at Sheerness along with BUFFALO
1916 renamed ANCHORITE
5 February 1916 Engineer Lieutenant Ralph Watson RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
7 February 1916 Lieutenant James T McCalmont RNR appointed as Commanding Officer
17 February 1916 together with ss Ranger at the Cutler Shoal off Harwich salved guns and stores from HMS ARETHUSA. HMS ARETHUSA had struck a mine off Felixstowe on 11 February 1916, driffed into the shoal and broke her back
HMS ARETHUSA in 1913
2 April 1916 off Kentish Knock Deep in the Thames Estuary salvaged parts of the German Zeppelin L15 which had come down after a raid on London the previous day having been hit by ground fire from an AA battery at Dartmouth. One of the Zeppelin’s crew was killed and the remaining seventeen crew members were taken prisoner
German Zeppelin L15
29 May 1916 Lieutenant James T McCalmont RNR appeared before a court martial charge with (a) negligently performing the duty imposed upon him when ordered to embark provisions and stores on board His Majesty’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessel Anchorite, and get the said vessel ready to sail, (b) wilful disobedience of the lawful command of his superior Officer in attempting to leave His Majesty’s Dockyard, Sheerness, when ordered no to do so without his special permission, (c) drunk in His Majesty’s Sub-Depot, Sheerness, (d) wilful disobedience to the lawful command of his superior Officer when ordered to deliver up the keys of his room and drawers of His Majesty’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Anchorite. Lieutenant McCalmont pleased Guilty to charge (d). Charges (a), (b) and (c) adjudged to be proved. Adjudged to be dismissed from his Majesties Royal Fleet Auxiliary Anchorite and to be severely reprimanded. Reference was made to the charge (a) drawn under Section 9 of the Naval Discipline Act, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty called attention to the fact that the Court had no power to try on a charge drawn under this section
Lieutenant James T McCalmont RNR
Navy List October 1916
1 July 1916 Lieutenant Frederick B Nicholson RNR appointed in command
30 July 1916 Rigger Walter Yell MMR discharged dead – natural causes. He is buried in Brighlingsea (All Saints) Churchyard, Essex in Grave 4.6
Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project
5 November 1916 Acting Leading Seaman J Lennox discharged dead having been washed overbroad and drowned
11 November 1916 Rigger William Ruffell MMR discharged dead. He is buried in Brighlingsea (All Saints) Churchyard, Essex in Grave 6.2
29 April 1917 off Harwich joined RFA HUGHLI and the tug Vanquisher to salvage HM Submarine C16 which had been rammed and sunk by HMS MELAMPUS when she was at periscope depth
HM Submarine C16
Courtesy and © of IWM
12 November 1917 Lieutenant Rowland Jones RNR appointed in command
Lieutenant Rowland Jones RNR
1918 Boom Defence duties ended and reverted to a Mooring Vessel
17 May 1919 Engineer Lieutenant George McA. Brown RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
16 June 1919 Lieutenant Silvester Platts RNR appointed in command
Lieutenant Silvester Platts RNR
13 August 1919 Engineer Lieutenant George T Beed RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer
Engineer Lieutenant George T Beed RNR
10 March 1922 berthed at Devonport from Portland
30 October 1922 sailed Devonport for Dartmouth
14 December 1923 at the Royal Naval Sick Quarters, Chatham Blacksmith V A Felton discharged dead from myocardites
20 February 1925 arrived Liverpool from Fowey
20 April 1926 at Cowes Roads and Cowes Harbour
21 June 1926 the Portsmouth Evening news reported –
7 October 1927 together with mooring vessel Volens sailed Berehaven for Plymouth
5 March 1928 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
18 May 1928 arrived at Greenock from Plymouth
5 April 1929 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
19 July 1930 arrived Devonport
16 November 1930 arrived at Devonport from Pembroke Dock
24 July 1933 arrived Falmouth from Devonport
29 July 1933 sailed Falmouth for Devonport
1 October 1933 arrived at Devonport
13 April 1934 arrived at Plymouth
14 October 1934 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
3 May 1935 arrived at Devonport
7 May 1935 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
19 July 1935 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
19 August 1935 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
5 October 1935 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
28 April 1936 sailed Devonport for Pembroke Dock
3 July 1936 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
25 July 1936 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
26 June 1938 sailed Plymouth fpr Pembroke Dock
19 March 1939 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming eastwards
18 August 1939 passed the Lloyds signal station on the Lizard steaming westwards
19 January 1940 sailed Loch Ewe for Scapa Flow
27 September 1941 sailed Oban in Convoy WN 186
30 September 1941 convoy WN 186 arrived Methil
1944 Renamed Hermit
February 1948 demolition commenced by Metal Industries Ltd at Rosyth
Ships of the same name
Anchorite. A Submarine of the 1945 ‘A’ Class built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched on the 31 August 1944, she was renamed ‘Amphion’. Arrived at Inverkeithing for breaking up on the 6 July 1971.