HMT Asama
The trawler Asama was built for Neale & West of Cardiff by Smith’s Dock at Southbank on Tees (Yard No 894) and was launched on 18 November 1929 with registration number CF 18 and official number 148315(1). With a length of 131 ft and a beam of 24 ft and 303 tons she was powered by a 99 hp triple expansion steam engine(1).
The Asama was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1939, converted to a minesweeper and was armed with a single 12 pdr gun(7).
Toghill says that the Asama was sunk by enemy aircraft off Plymouth on 23rd January 1941(7), however Ramsey says that she was sunk in a huge air raid on the night 21/22 March 1941 where 187 tonnes of high explosive bombs and 36,108 incendiary bombs were dropped between the entrance to the Hamoaze and Sutton Pool (5). Chief Engineman Albert George Allen RNR died when the Asama was bombed on 21st March 1941 aged 49 (12). Lloyds War Losses report that she was beached at Torpoint(3) which suggests she was subsequently refloated or broken up(2).
Confusingly, the UKHO Wreck record places the Asama in Plymouth Sound 300m to the west of E buoy at 50° 20.534 N 004° 08.902 W from a record originating in March 1941, however the remains of the wreck were not located during a hydrographic survey in 1999(4).
Images
Nodzu (Yard No. 895, Of. No. 148316), sister ship to Asama (13) |
References
(1) Shipbuilding on the River Tees, http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/smiths/19161929/asama1929.htm, accessed Aug 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) Lloyds of London, 1989 Lloyd's War Losses: the Second World War, Volume I, p208
(4) UKHO Wreck Record 77429
(5) Ramsey W., 1988, The Blitz: Then and Now, Volume 2, After the Battle, ISBN 0 900 913 541
(6) Colledge J., 1969, Ships of the Royal Navy Vols 2,David and Charles, ISBN 71534353X, p30
(7) Toghill, G., 2004, Royal Navy Trawlers, Part Two – Requisitioned Trawlers. Maritime Books, Liskeard, ISBN: 1-90445902-1, p27
(8) WreckSite - Asama, http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?77429, accessed Aug 11
(9) PastScape - Asama, http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=924913, accessed Aug 11.
(10) Submerged - Asama, http://www.submerged.co.uk/noname.php
(11) National Archives - Item reference ADM 267/128
(12) RNSPV Memorials - Allen, http://beehive.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=11945&PageID=72840, accessed Aug 11
(13) The Bosun's Watch - S.T. Nodzu FD49
