HM Tug Oceana
Tug Oceana
HM Tug Oceana 18/10/1918
Displacement: 337 grt.
Length: 43 m. Beam: 7 m. Draught: 4m.
Propulsion: 2 x 2 cyl. compound steam engines, one single boiler, dual shaft, twin screw.
Complement: ?? officers and men.
Crew Lost: 0
Armament: yes
Displacement: 337 grt.
Length: 43 m. Beam: 7 m. Draught: 4m.
Propulsion: 2 x 2 cyl. compound steam engines, one single boiler, dual shaft, twin screw.
Complement: ?? officers and men.
Crew Lost: 0
Armament: yes
The Tug Oceana was built by Gourlay Brothers & Co. Ltd., Dundee in 1889.
Dundee Courier - Wednesday 02 January 1889
SHIPBUILDING TRADE OF DUNDEE
MESSERS, GOURLAY BROTHERS & CO. (CAMPER DOWN" SHIPYARD).
Oceana, twin screw tug (iron), about 309 tons gross, 130 H.P., for W. Watkins Esq., London.
Dundee Courier - Thursday 28 March 1889
A twin-screw tug named the Oceana was launched yesterday from the shipyard of Messrs Gourlay Brothers & Co. The Oceana, which is 309 tons gross register, and has engines 130 horse-power, has been built to the order of Mr Wm. Watkin, London, and will employed in towing work on the Thames.
Dundee Courier - Wednesday 02 January 1889
SHIPBUILDING TRADE OF DUNDEE
MESSERS, GOURLAY BROTHERS & CO. (CAMPER DOWN" SHIPYARD).
Oceana, twin screw tug (iron), about 309 tons gross, 130 H.P., for W. Watkins Esq., London.
Dundee Courier - Thursday 28 March 1889
A twin-screw tug named the Oceana was launched yesterday from the shipyard of Messrs Gourlay Brothers & Co. The Oceana, which is 309 tons gross register, and has engines 130 horse-power, has been built to the order of Mr Wm. Watkin, London, and will employed in towing work on the Thames.
History
Grays & Tilbury Gazette - Saturday 20 July 1889
Two Tugsmen Drowned.—Gallant but Fatal Attempt at Rescue. On Tuesday night two men were drowned from the tug Oceana, lying off Gravesend, belonging to Messers Watkins and Co. It is stated that shortly before 11 p.m., the captain, engineer, mate, deck- hand, and boy went on board the tug. The Captain and the engineer went down into the cabin and the mate, Jas. Wallis, and the deck hand, Jas. Thos. Stimpson, drew up the boat. Stimpson got upon the bulwarks to fasten the boat to the davits when he fell overboard. Wallis jumped in to rescue him. Boats were at once got out and life buoys thrown from the tug and also from the tug Tasmania, which was near at hand ; but both men were lost sight of and never seen again. The bodies Have not been recovered.
Grays & Tilbury Gazette - Saturday 27 July 1889
Recovery of the Bodies of the Oceana’s On Tuesday, at Canvey, Mr C. C. Lewis, coroner, held an inquest on the body of Stimpson. The father, Thos. Stimpson, 45, Portree-street, Abbotts-road, Bromley, blacksmith, said: My son has been on board different tugs for three years. I last saw deceased alive between 10 and 11 p.m. on the 15th inst. ; be came home for some clean clothing ; he was then in good health; I heard on the 17th inst he was drowned ; I came over to Canvey Island and identified my son by his clothing.
William Anning, 30, Wellington-street, Gravesend, mariner, in the employ of Mr Watkin on board the tug Oceana, said; I have been in the employ of Mr Watkin for five years. I have known deceased three or four years; I have been on the Oceana about eight weeks; it is a new tug; myself and deceased went to Dundee and fetched her; on the 16th inst. while lying at anchor between 11 and 12 p.m.— there were eleven and the two deceased all told on board—the deceased and myself were out on the angle iron; deceased was helping me to swing the boat. I took the guy off the davit, and called to deceased to take the guy from me and to lend me a hand to pull the boat in; deceased was leaning over to reach the guy when be fell from the hurricane deck into the water. I then jumped off the angle iron on to the deck. It was pitch dark at the mate, James Wallis, came running along the deck and plunged into the water after deceased ; a boat was lowered immediately. A life buoy was thrown just over Wallis’s head. I then got into the boat with the fireman, Wm. Walker, and rowed about in search of the two, but did not succeed in picking either of them up. We shouted to them, but did not receive any answer. No one was near when deceased fell overboard, and everything was done to save them that could be done. Cross-examined: Is there protection on the hurricane deck to keep anyone from falling overboard between the davits where the boat comes up? No; if there had been he probably would not have fallen overboard.
The Coroner promised to write to the Board of Trade respecting this. James Thomas Jones, 344, Manchester-road, Poplar, mariner, said: I have been at work on the Oceana about five weeks. On the inst. I was on deck between 11 and 12 p.m., when the boat was being hauled ap. I saw deceased fall from the hurricane deck into the water; he hit his legs on the rails of the lower deck in falling ; he fell face forward into the water. I ran along the deck as deceased was drifting down the tide. Wallis came running past me and jumped overboard; the deceased had sunk and risen once when Wallis jumped in; A life buoy was thrown over Wallis’s head ; the boat was lowered into the water; but nothing more was seen of either of the deceased. John Spratt, of Canvey Island, labourer, stated that on Sunday morning, at about six a.m., he was walking on the sea wall and saw a body washing up ashore. He secured it, and reported the tact to P.C. Spooner ; who conveyed the body to the new mortuary.
A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned, no blame being attached to anyone. The Rev Mr Hayes asked the Coroner whether it was necessary for the body to be undressed ?
The Coroner: Certainly; to see if there are any marks of violence or any stabs.
A juror: Your father did not have them un- dressed.
The Coroner : Then he ought to have done.
The body of Wallis was washed ashore at Higham.
Two Tugsmen Drowned.—Gallant but Fatal Attempt at Rescue. On Tuesday night two men were drowned from the tug Oceana, lying off Gravesend, belonging to Messers Watkins and Co. It is stated that shortly before 11 p.m., the captain, engineer, mate, deck- hand, and boy went on board the tug. The Captain and the engineer went down into the cabin and the mate, Jas. Wallis, and the deck hand, Jas. Thos. Stimpson, drew up the boat. Stimpson got upon the bulwarks to fasten the boat to the davits when he fell overboard. Wallis jumped in to rescue him. Boats were at once got out and life buoys thrown from the tug and also from the tug Tasmania, which was near at hand ; but both men were lost sight of and never seen again. The bodies Have not been recovered.
Grays & Tilbury Gazette - Saturday 27 July 1889
Recovery of the Bodies of the Oceana’s On Tuesday, at Canvey, Mr C. C. Lewis, coroner, held an inquest on the body of Stimpson. The father, Thos. Stimpson, 45, Portree-street, Abbotts-road, Bromley, blacksmith, said: My son has been on board different tugs for three years. I last saw deceased alive between 10 and 11 p.m. on the 15th inst. ; be came home for some clean clothing ; he was then in good health; I heard on the 17th inst he was drowned ; I came over to Canvey Island and identified my son by his clothing.
William Anning, 30, Wellington-street, Gravesend, mariner, in the employ of Mr Watkin on board the tug Oceana, said; I have been in the employ of Mr Watkin for five years. I have known deceased three or four years; I have been on the Oceana about eight weeks; it is a new tug; myself and deceased went to Dundee and fetched her; on the 16th inst. while lying at anchor between 11 and 12 p.m.— there were eleven and the two deceased all told on board—the deceased and myself were out on the angle iron; deceased was helping me to swing the boat. I took the guy off the davit, and called to deceased to take the guy from me and to lend me a hand to pull the boat in; deceased was leaning over to reach the guy when be fell from the hurricane deck into the water. I then jumped off the angle iron on to the deck. It was pitch dark at the mate, James Wallis, came running along the deck and plunged into the water after deceased ; a boat was lowered immediately. A life buoy was thrown just over Wallis’s head. I then got into the boat with the fireman, Wm. Walker, and rowed about in search of the two, but did not succeed in picking either of them up. We shouted to them, but did not receive any answer. No one was near when deceased fell overboard, and everything was done to save them that could be done. Cross-examined: Is there protection on the hurricane deck to keep anyone from falling overboard between the davits where the boat comes up? No; if there had been he probably would not have fallen overboard.
The Coroner promised to write to the Board of Trade respecting this. James Thomas Jones, 344, Manchester-road, Poplar, mariner, said: I have been at work on the Oceana about five weeks. On the inst. I was on deck between 11 and 12 p.m., when the boat was being hauled ap. I saw deceased fall from the hurricane deck into the water; he hit his legs on the rails of the lower deck in falling ; he fell face forward into the water. I ran along the deck as deceased was drifting down the tide. Wallis came running past me and jumped overboard; the deceased had sunk and risen once when Wallis jumped in; A life buoy was thrown over Wallis’s head ; the boat was lowered into the water; but nothing more was seen of either of the deceased. John Spratt, of Canvey Island, labourer, stated that on Sunday morning, at about six a.m., he was walking on the sea wall and saw a body washing up ashore. He secured it, and reported the tact to P.C. Spooner ; who conveyed the body to the new mortuary.
A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned, no blame being attached to anyone. The Rev Mr Hayes asked the Coroner whether it was necessary for the body to be undressed ?
The Coroner: Certainly; to see if there are any marks of violence or any stabs.
A juror: Your father did not have them un- dressed.
The Coroner : Then he ought to have done.
The body of Wallis was washed ashore at Higham.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Saturday 24 October 1903
BRITISH VESSEL CAPSIZED. Lloyd's Agent at Dunkirk telegraphs: " British ship Aberdeen, from Antofagada for Ostend, capsized and sank this (Friday) morning on banks off Gravelines. Crew picked up by steamer Federation from Calais." The Orontes. which was built at Aberdeen 1881, was of tons register. Lloyd's telegram says the vessel sank the result collision with the tug Oceana
BRITISH VESSEL CAPSIZED. Lloyd's Agent at Dunkirk telegraphs: " British ship Aberdeen, from Antofagada for Ostend, capsized and sank this (Friday) morning on banks off Gravelines. Crew picked up by steamer Federation from Calais." The Orontes. which was built at Aberdeen 1881, was of tons register. Lloyd's telegram says the vessel sank the result collision with the tug Oceana
Bolton Evening News - Monday 19 June 1905
The steamer Tancarville. 2,300 tons, which was recently converted into oil hulk for service in Sumatran waters, has just been towed from Plymouth to North Sumatra, 8,200 miles, the London tug Oceana.
Dover Express - Friday 24 December 1909
TUG CAPTAIN DROWNED ACCIDENT AT THE DUNGENESS WRECK. Last night a sad accident happened Dungeness, where Attempts are being made to salve the German liner "Salatis." The captain of the Watkins' tug "Oceana" was rowing from his tug to the wreck when the boat was capsized. The lifeboats in attendance rescued all the crew except the captain, who was drowned. The tug came to Dover to report the matter this afternoon.
TUG CAPTAIN DROWNED ACCIDENT AT THE DUNGENESS WRECK. Last night a sad accident happened Dungeness, where Attempts are being made to salve the German liner "Salatis." The captain of the Watkins' tug "Oceana" was rowing from his tug to the wreck when the boat was capsized. The lifeboats in attendance rescued all the crew except the captain, who was drowned. The tug came to Dover to report the matter this afternoon.
The Loss
On the 18th October 1918 the tug HM Oceana was at anchor in Mill Bay Eday when struck by the tug HM Stobo Castle and sank.
Telegram for the loss of HM Tug Oceana.
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Tug Stobo Castle
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Post 1918
Naval & Military Record and Royal Dockyards Gazette - Wednesday 17 September 1919
NAVAL SALVAGE MONEY. Notice is given that the distribution of the rewards for the salvage of the undermentioned vessels will commence . today : —Salvage of motor yacht Harry, by H.M. drifter Pioneer III , on November 4, 1918, and of 5.6. Othalia a by HM. tugs Oceana and Heracles and boarding party from H.M.S. Orwell between August 8 and 10th, 1917. Notice is also given the preparations are being made for the intended distribution of the award for the salvage of s.s. Borgila and ss. Svanfos by HM. submarine G 7 on April 15, 1917.
NAVAL SALVAGE MONEY. Notice is given that the distribution of the rewards for the salvage of the undermentioned vessels will commence . today : —Salvage of motor yacht Harry, by H.M. drifter Pioneer III , on November 4, 1918, and of 5.6. Othalia a by HM. tugs Oceana and Heracles and boarding party from H.M.S. Orwell between August 8 and 10th, 1917. Notice is also given the preparations are being made for the intended distribution of the award for the salvage of s.s. Borgila and ss. Svanfos by HM. submarine G 7 on April 15, 1917.
The Wreck Today.
Chart showing Mill Bay, Eday. 2180 - Orkney Islands - northern sheet (1961) UKHO
The tug Oceana has the UKHO Wreck Card 513.
Kevin Heath 2003 :-
The aim was to identify the wreck laying in Mill Bay Orkney. This wreck for many years has been called the wreck of the HM Tug “char”. Reference to her can be found in some dive guides such as “ Dive Scotland Vol III “Pg 122 Dive 2114. Wreck of the “Char”. A 32m admiralty tug lost in 1915 when she was rammed by a trawler. She was fitted with triple expansion engines and has two cast props. Depth is 14 meters.
The position is just east of Mill Bay, Eday. Hydrographic Report: Wreck Number 513:
This report also names the wreck in Mill Bay as the wreck of the Armed tug “Char”. The report was submitted in 1986 by B Winfield. His report also says ship is of Wood construction and 30 m long. Char: Char ex-STRANTON (on 107000) registration was listed in 1915 as "totally lost" with all hands after h er collision with Erivan on 16 Jan 1915 off the Downs.!! 148grt. 105.4. x 22.2. x 9.7ft 2 x compound 2-cyl. 16"32"x21" 500ihp 2-screw built 1899 J P Rennoldson, S Shields for North Eastern Railway Co, West Hartlepool. This would make it impossible for the wreck in Mill Bay to be the Char so what wreck could it be?
The book “ British Vessels Lost at Sea in WW1 “ lists only two Tugs as being lost “At Scapa” or “in the Orkney’s.” The Oceana and the Tug Alexandra .
Alexandra (The Alexandra towing Co.) 168 gt and was lost in Hoxa Sound on the 28/10/1915 and was single screw. This rules out this as a possible candidate for the Mill Bay wreck which leaves the OCEANA as the most likely vessel.
"Oceana, ex-Cerberus, ex-Oceana was run down on 18th October 1918 while at anchor in Mill Bay, Eday by another Admiralty tug Stobo Castle. She was a twin-screw tug: 311grt. 140.0 ft x 22.7 ft x 13.1 ft with 2 x 2cyliner engines built in 1889 by Gourlay Bros, Dundee for William Watkins, London.
This vessel would be larger than the 30m as reported in the Hydrographic report but is the same length as Robert Swanny’s guide. The wreck was dived and surveyed off the Jean Elaine and found to be 42 meters long (140 feet). The vessel had two 2 x 2 cylinder engines with the right cylinder head sizes to be the tug Oceana.
No crew were lost.
Kevin Heath 2003 :-
The aim was to identify the wreck laying in Mill Bay Orkney. This wreck for many years has been called the wreck of the HM Tug “char”. Reference to her can be found in some dive guides such as “ Dive Scotland Vol III “Pg 122 Dive 2114. Wreck of the “Char”. A 32m admiralty tug lost in 1915 when she was rammed by a trawler. She was fitted with triple expansion engines and has two cast props. Depth is 14 meters.
The position is just east of Mill Bay, Eday. Hydrographic Report: Wreck Number 513:
This report also names the wreck in Mill Bay as the wreck of the Armed tug “Char”. The report was submitted in 1986 by B Winfield. His report also says ship is of Wood construction and 30 m long. Char: Char ex-STRANTON (on 107000) registration was listed in 1915 as "totally lost" with all hands after h er collision with Erivan on 16 Jan 1915 off the Downs.!! 148grt. 105.4. x 22.2. x 9.7ft 2 x compound 2-cyl. 16"32"x21" 500ihp 2-screw built 1899 J P Rennoldson, S Shields for North Eastern Railway Co, West Hartlepool. This would make it impossible for the wreck in Mill Bay to be the Char so what wreck could it be?
The book “ British Vessels Lost at Sea in WW1 “ lists only two Tugs as being lost “At Scapa” or “in the Orkney’s.” The Oceana and the Tug Alexandra .
Alexandra (The Alexandra towing Co.) 168 gt and was lost in Hoxa Sound on the 28/10/1915 and was single screw. This rules out this as a possible candidate for the Mill Bay wreck which leaves the OCEANA as the most likely vessel.
"Oceana, ex-Cerberus, ex-Oceana was run down on 18th October 1918 while at anchor in Mill Bay, Eday by another Admiralty tug Stobo Castle. She was a twin-screw tug: 311grt. 140.0 ft x 22.7 ft x 13.1 ft with 2 x 2cyliner engines built in 1889 by Gourlay Bros, Dundee for William Watkins, London.
This vessel would be larger than the 30m as reported in the Hydrographic report but is the same length as Robert Swanny’s guide. The wreck was dived and surveyed off the Jean Elaine and found to be 42 meters long (140 feet). The vessel had two 2 x 2 cylinder engines with the right cylinder head sizes to be the tug Oceana.
No crew were lost.
Boiler of the Tug Oceana.
