Previous name:                        Mauch Chunk

Subsequent name:                 TIC Limpet, Disperser

Official Number:                       145489                                                                 

Class:                                        Mooring Vessel

Pennant No:                              X18,  X39

Signal Letters                           GSLM (1919)

Laid down:
Builder:                                    Harlan & Hollingworth Corp., WIlmington, Delaware

Launched:                                1912
Into Service:                             1915
Out of service:                          1922 – sold commercially
Fate:                                           Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

1912 launched by Harlan & Hollingworth Corp, Wilmington, Delaware as Yard Nr 417 named MAUCH CHUNK for C.S. Smith, New York

September 1912  completed

1915 purchased by the Admiralty for Boom Defence duties at Cromarty and renamed LIMPET

6 November 1915 Engineer Lieutenant John Bothwell RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

23 November 1915 Lieutenant  Edgar H Gilham RNR appointed in command

22 September 1917 Lieutenant George Smith RNVR appointed in command

13 February 1918 Engineer Sub-Lieutenant Archibald Walker RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

1918 boom defence duties ended

18 November 1918 Cook John Jones MMR 898630 discharged dead from Spanish Flu

27 June 1919 Engineer Lieutenant David Hedley RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

May 1922 purchased by Tyne Improvement Commission, Newcastle for £3,500 and renamed TIC LIMPET

9 March 1927 the Shields Daily News reported –

8 February 1933 in the River Tyne raised a sunken buoy opposite the Harton Coal Straiths

1937 converted to a salvage vessel and renamed DISPERSER for South Stockton Shipbreaking Co Ltd ( C.A. Warne, Managers) Stockton

15 November 1938 caught fire – the fire burnt out the crew’s quarters and store room, severely damaged the bridge superstructure and winding engine. Part of the deck was buckled

16 November 1938 the Aberdeen Journal reported that …

WW2 taken over by the MoWT under management of William R. Aitken Ltd, Aberdeen, name unchanged

4 December 1939 diverted to Loch Ewe to assist when HMS NELSON was mined and damaged

HMS NELSON

14 April 1940 Kirkwall Harbour foundered during a gale but was subsequently salved and returned to service.

Captain George H Abson

The Captain and eleven of the crew were drowned. Those lost were –

1947 purchased by Mr Philip Bauer, Aberdeen, name unchanged

20 January 1953 arrived Llanelly for breaking up by Rees Shipbreaking Co Ltd.