Previous name:
Subsequent name:

Class:                                     TRINCULO Class Dockyard Mooring Vessel

Pennant No:                            X41 /  X42

Laid down:
Builder:                                   Bow, McLchan & Co, Paisley
Launched:                               22 February 1916    
Into Service:                            May 1916
Out of service:                         1950
Fate:                                      Sold commercially

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

Background Data:  Some official lists, marked as  “Lists of RFA’s” show vessels which spent some time as RFA’s during the First World War. These records are extremely sketchy and some of these vessels were “Yard Craft”, partially or wholly Dockyard manned, partly by RNR or Reserve Fleet personnel. Some of the Depot Ships staffed by skilled civilian Dockyard workers were for a time White Ensign. The Director of Stores was understood to be concerned with their manning and operationally they remained under Admiralty control

22 February 1916 launched by Bow, Mclachan & Co Ltd, Paisley as Yard Nr: 321 named MESSENGER

18 March 1916 Engineer Lieutenant Thomas Dobbie RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

Engineer Lieutenant Thomas Dobbie RNR

29 March 1916 Lieutenant John W B Turner RNR appointed in command

Lieutenant John W B Turner RNR

May 1916 completed. On Boom Defence duties at Granton

31 January 1917 Lieutenant Frank J Delamotte RNR appointed in command

23 October 1917 Able Seaman Arthur Ross MMR 516610 discharged dead after being drowned. He is buried in the Methilmill Cemetery, Wemyss, Fife

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

24 October 1917 Engineer Lieutenant George Alderson RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

14 January 1918 Lieutenant John W Pegden RNR appointed in command

Lieutenant John W Pegden RNR

28 February 1918 Assistant Steward Harry James Brooks MMR 786928 discharged dead. Remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial

1918 boom defence duties ended and reverted to a Mooring Vessel

June 1959 sold out of service at Malta

Notes:

1. Final Fate Unknown

Ships of the same name

Messenger. A dogger of 6 guns captured from the Dutch in 1672.  Sold in 1673.

Messenger. An advice boat of 73 bm built at Plymouth in 1694.  The ship foundered in the Atlantic in November 1701.

Messenger. (ex Duke of York) wood paddle vessel of 733 bm, 156 x 32.5 feet, purchased on the 28 August 1830.  Sold on the 22 November 1861.