[Norman Trewren]

Does anyone have a photograph of the St Margaret? My old man sailed in her towards the end of the war.
Many thanks
Norman Trewren

 

[fred henderson]

Does anyone have a photograph of the St Margaret? My old man sailed in her towards the end of the war.
Many thanks
Norman Trewren

Norman, do you know what sort of ship St Margaret was?

Fred

 

[Norman Trewren]

Hi Fred
I believe she was a cable layer. Don't know much about her at all. I only know that Dad finished the war in her in the middle east.

norman
(Cloud)

 

[fred henderson]

HMS St Margarets

Hi Norman

You are correct, she was a Cable Layer. By the way her name has an "S" on the end. She was one of four cable vessels built by Swan Hunter. She was launched in October 1943. The other ships in the class were Bullfinch (1940), Bullfrog (1944) and Bullhead (1944). I have no idea why she has the odd name out.
They were 1,524 grt, 252 feet oa, twin screw with steam reciprocating engines giving a speed of 12 knots. During the war they carried 1 x 4 inch and 2 x 20 mm guns.
Bullfrog and Bullhead were transferred to Cable & Wireless in 1947. The other two remained in RN service until the 1970s.

I cannot find a pic of St Margarets, but I have tracked down a photo of Bullhead.

Fred

 

[Ron Stringer]

HMS St Margarets

Fred,

A wild guess. The cross channel telephone cable came ashore at St Margarets Bay, just north of Dover. Perhaps, as a cable layer, they named her for the English end of the cable.

Ron

 

[Norman Trewren]

HMS St Margarets

Many thanks for your research and your time, Fred.
Norman

(Thumb)

 

[ruud]

Ahoy,

Could it be this one?

http://www.navyphotos.co.uk/st_margarets%20fspt.htm

 

[Norman Trewren]

HMS St Margarets

Brilliant, Ruud - I wonder when that was taken. Many thanks.
Norman

(Applause)

 

[ruud]

Ahoy Norman,

Well you could ask and get that answer from the webmaster of this site;

http://www.navyphotos.co.uk/index.htm

 

[Landour]

Paying off in Devonport in either 1982 or 83. In her RMAS colour scheme

 

[Norman Trewren]

HMS St Margarets

Thanks Landour

 

[Stevo]

St Margarets was sold to Pounds of Portsmouth and lay alongside the motorway into the city for several years. In the early 90s St Margarets left Portsmouth under tow with the former tank landing craft/admiralty trials ship Whimbrel bound for Italy and rumours of a conversion to a sailing vessel? Not much is known after that, but apparently the Whimbrel foundered at some point during the tow.

 

[Guest]

Pic of ST MARGARETS

Cable layer. Seen here in her RMAS colours

 

[R736476]

If you search in Gallery/ Royal Navy you will also find a pic of St Margarets posted by brixhamrfc on 27 November 2005.
Regards
alex

 

[Rory Bhoy]

When I was in the RN I was loan drafted to her for a couple of months in 1978, and what a couple of months it was. Great laugh, brilliant crew. (Thumb)

 

[Rory Bhoy]

RMAS St Margarets

Does anyone have a photograph of the St Margaret? My old man sailed in her towards the end of the war.
Many thanks
Norman Trewren

I was secunded to the RMAS St Margarets back in the late 70's when I was in the Royal Navy. I've got a pic of her.

 

[Peter4447]

I have a feeling that the St Margerets came into Harwich sometime in the late 50's. I think at that time she was painted white with a buff funnel - can anyone confirm this livery please?

Peter4447(Thumb)

 

[R736476]

St Margarets and Bullfinch were run by the Admiralty Cable Ships Service, based I believe at Turnchapel, Plymouth.
Regards,
Alex

 

[shipartist]

How did these ships lay cable,through the bow tackle/winch/pulley, whatever you call it, (what do you call it?) and then engines astern, or what, and for what purpose?

 

[alex page]

in the early 60's the bullfinch and the st margrets had MN crews and I believe they were involved in laying cables to track submarines . They used to spend a lot of time creeping around the west coast of Scotland ,perhaps they were just on a pub crawl .
Alex