Barbara Robertson

iBase ID

260271

Vessel name

Barbara Robertson

Fishing number

FD50

Type of vessel

ST

Official number

139350

Previous names

Grand Fleet; James McDonald

Year constructed

1919

Constructed by

Cochrane & Sons Ltd

Constructed at

Selby

Gross tons

324

Length

131 ft

Owner/Manager

Boston DSF

Date sunk

January 1940

Place sunk

Off Northwest Scotland

Casualties

January 1940 - G. Clarke

General notes

Built as the Admiralty 'Mersey' class trawler JAMES MCDONALD.
1919 Renamed as GRAND FLEET for Hull ownership.
To Grimsby and registered GY44.
To Danish ownership.
1939 Acquired by Boston Deep Sea Fishing Co Ltd (FD50).
The trawler was 30-40 miles off northwest Scotland when she was attacked early in the morning in January 1940. A shell from the darkness hit the wheelhouse, disabling the radio and steam steering gear. The attacking U-boat ceased fire as the lifeboat pulled away and resumed once the crew were 100 yards from the trawler. 18 shots were fired and the trawler sank in 20 minutes. The crew rowed their lifeboat for 12 hours before they were eventually picked up by a warship. Only one crewman was killed when the first shell hit the wheelhouse.
The remaining crew who survived the attack were E Hall, G W Mallon, W A Scott, H Dawe, W Eynon, F Hutchinson, W J Hoodless, C Harvey, W Hamilton, H Taylor, E Wilson, H Edgar, T Hewson, H Ellerby, L A Goodison, B Ottomar and D Michallor.

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