[brummiechris]

Hi Nina, you're partly right here. Many of the ships built in the 50's had degaussing gear and other DEMS (Defense Equipment Merchant Service) fitted, certainly the 32's and 42's, and from what you say some into the 60's, but only the Courage and Valour had the uprated turbines, boilers and FD fans.

I remember seeing the Valour once off E Africa and being a gullible 1st tripper fell for it when an AB commented that he was glad he wasn't sailing on her. "Why, is there something wrong with her?" I asked, "No" says he, "but all my gear is on here!"

 

[brummiechris]

The thing towed astern was a fog buoy, it was supposed to bounce up and down, slapping the surface of the water so that a ship following in convoy would have an audible warning of the proximity of the towing ship in fog.