HMT Abelard

Lying close to the east end of the Plymouth Breakwater, HMS Abelard was a side trawler built in 1909 by Smith’s Dock Company of North Shields (Yard no. 392) for F.R. Greenish & E. Gerrish of Milford(1) with official No: 128744. A single decked ketch rigged fishing trawler of 187 tons (gross) 69.8 (net), the vessel was 111 feet long, 21 feet in breadth and 11.7 feet in depth with a quarterdeck 65 ft. long (3). The screw propeller was powered by a 64 hp triple expansion steam engine which gave a maximum speed of 10 kt. The engine was made by W.V.V. Lidgerwood of Glasgow(2) and the boiler by R. Stephenson & Co. Ltd., Hebburn (3).

The Abelard landed fish at Milford between February 1909 and August 1914(3) with port registration M. 17(7). After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Royal Navy requisitioned the vessel to be used as a general work vessel and mine sweeper(1, 6). Registered as Admiralty No. 151 she was fitted with a single 6 pdr gun as armament. The Abelard was the first local trawler to be called up for charter by the Royal Navy(3).

The Abelard served the Royal Navy until Christmas Eve of 1916, when it wrecked near the Plymouth breakwater. Though it is possible that the vessel struck a mine, it was wrecked so close to the Breakwater that this may not be the case. Originally showing 8 feet above the surface the Royal Navy began salvage efforts immediately but they had ceased by 11 January 1917.

Labourer Philip Sydney was on board when the Abelard sank and died four days later, he is buried in Weston Mill cemetary.

The Abelard Today

Though the Abelard's mast originally protruded 8 feet above the surface of the sea, it has long since disappeared. The wreckage of the Abelard sits in 10m just off of the large boulders forming the southern face of the Breakwater and is not as widely scattered as some of the other Plymouth wartime wreck sites. With the bow pointing north, the engines, boiler and other structural components are visible and identifiable on the seabed.

Today she is well broken, her bows face south and her boiler stands 5m proud of a sandy seabed in 10m. The iron propellor is still to be seen but the rest of the flattened wreckage lies among boulders and kelp up against the Breakwater.

Images

References

(1) Mitchell P., 1986, The Wreckers Guide to South West Devon Part I, Sound Diving Publications, p. 11.

(2) Larn R. and Larn B., 1995, Shipwreck Index of the British Isles Vol. 1, Lloyds Register of Shipping, ISBN 0 900528 88 5

(3) Milford Steam Trawlers, http://www.llangibby.eclipse.co.uk/accidents%20&%20incidents/abelard.htm, accessed Aug 2011

(4) UKHO Wreck Record 17662

(5) McDonald K., 1987, Dive South Devon, Underwater World Publications, ISBN 0 946020 11 6,

(6) Colledge J., 1969, Ships of the Royal Navy Vols 2,David and Charles, ISBN 71534353X, p11

(7) Toghill, G., 2004, Royal Navy Trawlers, Part Two – Requisitioned Trawlers. Maritime Books, Liskeard, ISBN: 1-90445902-1, p142

(8) WreckSite - Abelard, http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?77421, accessed Aug 11

(9) PastScape - Abelard, http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1070737, accessed Aug 11.

(10) Submerged - Abelard, http://www.submerged.co.uk/breakwater-abelard.php