More information : Originally a Grimsby registered steam fishing trawler, registered No. ST.287 [sic] hired by the Admiralty as a mine sweeper in 1914. After going down, the seven survivors owed their lives to Lieut. Senior, who sculled around on a liferaft picking up the survivors from a freezing cold sea. (1)(2)
NIGHT HAWK, hired 1914; sunk 25-DEC-1914 by mine in the North Sea. (3)
25-DEC-1914: NIGHT HAWK, hired trawler of 287 tons, sunk by mine off Scarborough. (4)
25-DEC-1914: NIGHT HAWK trawler, mined off Scarborough on Admiralty service. (5)
NB: The registration number as quoted in (1)(2) is incorrect, as can be the case in this source: ST 287 refers not to the fishing number but to the vessel's tonnage, 287. Additionally ST is not the correct prefix for Grimsby, which is GY. (6)
Built 1911, 287 tons; 25-DEC-1914: mined off Scarborough. (7)
'...on Christmas morning the minesweeping trawler NIGHT HAWK was blown up with the loss of six men.' (8)
'I have already mentioned the minesweeping trawler NIGHT HAWK, which was blown up off Whitby on Christmas Day, 1914. Six men were lost in the explosion, and her commanding officer, Lieutenant W E Senior, RNR, [afterwards DSC], after being some time in the water, reached a floating raft, which he managed to scull towards the other men struggling for their lives. He was able to drag some of them on board his crazy ark, and kept them there until boats came to the rescue. It was blowing fresh at the time and freezing hard. The sea was icy cold. Senior's action undoubtedly saved several lives.' (8)
Built: 1911 (7)
Builder: Cook, Welton & Gemmell (7)
Where Built: Beverley (7)
Boilers: 1 (1)(2)
Propulsion: Screw-driven, 3-cylinder triple-expansion engine (1)(2)
Commanding Officer: Lieut. W E Senior, RN (1)(2)(8)
Crew: 13 (1)(2)
Crew Lost: 6 (1)(2)(8)
Owner: Royal Navy [all sources]
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
SYC.p54 & 159 |