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Summary

The Effort, hulk of the 19th century ketch. The Effort was used as a balloon barrage vessel on the Dart during the Second World War and was a victim of a near miss by a German bomber.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85NE/157
• Tide Project: 20/05/2020

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HULK (Built, XIX - 1880 AD to 1880 AD)

Full description

Ashton, A., et al, 2000, River Dart Case Study Area Survey - University of Plymouth Archaeology Module, 18-19 (Un-published). SDV337705.

The Effort a wooden ketch trading vessel built in 1880 by William Date of Kingsbridge. It is first recorded in the 1912/13 records of the Lloyds Register. It was eventually acquired by the Langmead family of Galmpton who used her to transport sand and gravel from the Dart to Torquay. During this time she was fitted with an engine. She was utilised as balloon barrage vessel on the Dart during the Second World War. Whilst performing this duty she was the victim of a near miss by a German aircraft. She was run ashore in her present position, where vandals have destroyed most of the structure of the vessel.

Maritime Archaeology Trust, 2018, Maritime Archaeology Trust: Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War (Website). SDV363802.

Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War is a Heritage Lottery Funded project dedicated to raising the profile of a currently under -represented aspect of the First World War. While attention is often focused on the Western Front and major naval battles like Jutland, historic remains from the war lie, largely forgotten, in and around our seas, rivers and estuaries.

The Effort was chosen as one of the Forgotten Wrecks case study sites because, having being built by an accomplished ship builder, it is a good example of a coastal trader during the last quarter of the 19th century and through to the Second World War when it contributed to the War effort by being a tether vessel for the River Dart balloon barrage. It survives as a hulk in the River Dart adding to the West Country history of locally built vessel.

Registered on 24 November 1880 at Salcombe, the Effort (Official Number: 81757) was built by William Date of Kingsbridge in his Shipwrights Yard, attributed as being one of the greatest of all the builders of sailing ships in the West Country (CLIP 2018). The ship was a wooden ketch rigged trading sailing vessel having a nett tonnage of 66. There is one reference attributing the tonnage as being 85 but of unspecified designation. The 67 ft 7ins (c. 20.6m) long ship had a beam of 18 ft 6ins (c. 5.64m) and a depth of 8 ft 2ins (c. 2.5m), and was powered by sail. It had, at least in 1939, tiller steering equipped with a tiller house.

Using an RPAS (drone) a series of aerial photographs were obtained which were processed through photogrammetric software to produce a scaled orthographic image of the site. An offset survey collected detailed measurements of the ground plan which, together with the photographs, enabled scaling of the images to create a site plan.

Effort has not been found listed as a mooring vessel at Dartmouth but this does not preclude that Effort was employed in this way. The mooring source continues “Whilst performing this humble duty, she was the victim of a near-miss by a German aircraft which “started” her planking. Repair was considered uneconomic and she was run ashore in her present position”. Bombs are known to have dropped near Dartmouth on 25 August 1942 (Yorkshire Evening Post) but it is unknown if these were responsible for causing damage to Effort. Effort was removed from the register in 1948. With details still scant, reportedly, the remains of the hulk Effort were bought in June 1952 for 31 10s. (approx. £40 in 2018) and the buyer broke part of her up for timber.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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