RFA Mollusc

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

005719

RFA Mollusc after her sale to the PLA and renamed PLA Yantlet
Copyright PLA/Museum of London

 

Mollusc_Salvage_of_picket_boat

RFA Mollusc salvages a steam picket boat
Puplished with the permission of  ‘Woody’
 

Previous name:                          Trinculo
Subsequent name:                     Yantlet

Class:                                       Mooring Vessel

Official Number:                         147478

Pennant No:                               X.34 / X.44

Laid down:
Builder:                                      Fleming & Ferguson, Clyde
Launched:                                  20 November 1915
Into Service:                               1916
Out of service:                             December 1922
Fate:                                          Sold to commercial interests

 

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.

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

January 1916 renamed Mollusc

Mollusc ships bell

11 February 1916 Lieutenant William O Jones RNR appointed in command

CAPT WILL O JONES

Lieutenant William O Jones RNR

25 February 1916 Engineer Lieutenant Cecil A Wade RNR appointed as Chief Engineer Officer

21 August 1916 off Bridlington together with RFA THRUSH salvaged 7 x 6″ guns, 1 x HA Gun, searchlights and other gear from HMS FALMOUTH which had been sunk by the German Submarine U63

30 January 1917 Lieutenant Arthur C Horne RNR appointed in command

16 November 1918 Deck Hand John Samuel Corringham Dennis discharged dead. He was buried at Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery.

 

Dennis JSC

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

21 November 1918 Able Seaman Arthur Samuels discharged dead. He was buried at Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery.

30 November 1918 Able Seaman Patrick Glanville MMR 500659 discharged dead. He was buried at Hull Western Cemetery.

7 December 1918 Fireman Henry Pawsey MMR discharged dead. He was buried at Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery.

 

Pawsey_H

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

 

10 December 1918 Linesman (Divers Mate) John Brymner discharged dead. He was buried at Glasgow Eastern Necropolis.

 

Brymer

 

December 1922 sold to the Port of London Authority, London EC3 for £7,500 and renamed Yantlet

12 March 1926 arrived at Ramsgate, Kent to assist in the fitting of new lock gates

2 July 1926 off Leigh, Essex in the Thames Estuary – wreck removal

10 August 1931 off the Nore Lighship discovered the wreck of a Dutch warship sunk in 1667. Destroyed by explosives

1941 the uppermost image above of PLA Yantlet involved in salvage work

10 August 1948 Nottingham Journal reported –

Press Cutting 10 8 48 RFA Mollusc Yantlett 

1948 owned by H W Black – name unchanged

June 1955 broken up at Grays, Essex