Artist's impression of stern of the Athelduchess in Dale Roads. Artist - Jim Williams

SEE end of text for update at September 2006

The photograph below is with the personal papers of John Rosine, Chief Engineer, Athelduchess. Could the photograph be of this ship's stern?

November 2001: " One of the memories I might have to contribute", wrote Sub.Lt.(A) Gordon Aitchison,

"I refer to the stern part of a ship which lay, in Dale bay during all my eighteen months there. I recall that it had a watchman on board and one could occasionally observe smoke coming from the chimney of a stove in presumably his living quarters. I was told that the front half had been destroyed by enemy action and a new front half would be built for it in due course."

2002-2003 Enquiries made locally provided vague recollections that there had been part of a ship in Dale Roads for a number of years in the 1940s. No specific details were forthcoming.

23-26 May 2003: Then at our recent Exhibition, Ex. Royal Marine George Chapman, who served at HMS GOLDCREST in 1944, asked why there was nothing in the exhibition about the "Athol Duchess". At the time the group had no information about this vessel, but could it possibly be part of the "Mystery ship" we had been seeking? George advised, "The stern of the Athol Duchess , a Merchant Navy ship, was anchored in Dale Roads for a number of years whilst a new bow was being built. There was a watch-keeper on board and her engines were turned regularly. Eventually the stern was towed by tugs to have a new bow fitted, and she was returned to service ".

June 2003: At an 80th birthday party, I raised the subject of The Athol Duchess to find that one of the guests, Beryl Rowe [nee Edwards], was the sister of Gwen Barbara Edwards who met and married, on 22 December 1943, the Chief Engineer, John Rosine, of the Athelduchess; NB correction to name. His address in the Church Register for St James Parish Church, Dale, was given as The Griffin Inn, Dale. Beryl and John Rowe were able to provide much more information. John Rosine died some years ago.

The Athel Duchess was a Merchant Navy tanker with the Athel Line. In August 1943 the tanker was sailing at night in convoy out of Milford Haven, round St. Ann`s Head, past Skokholm Island, when she was forced "out of line" and on to the "Smalls". The tanker broke-up, the bow section sank, and the stern was towed by tugs into Dale Roads where it was to remain for a number of years before being fitted with a new bow section (in Liverpool ,they think) and returned to service. During the years anchored in Dale Roads, the stern was manned by one Officer, one Officer`s steward, and the Chief Engineer, John Rosine, from Dundee. Now that we had the correct spelling for the name of this ship, we should be able to progress.

And we have ..............

EXTRACT FROM "WELSH SHIPWRECKS Vol 2: THE SMALLS" by Tom Bennett, published by Laidlaw Burgess, 2 Castle Square, Haverfordwest SA62 2AA 1982.(see Wreck Chart-Grassholm to Smalls, p32 and photograph p24)

"The first large tanker which the "Smalls" was to claim in its history of frequent casualties, occurred in August 1943. The Athel line had approximately 16 tankers on the seas at the time: built for carrying Molasses and petroleum. The Athel Duchess of 8940 tons, was in convoy when stranded on the southern rocks of the Smalls on August 20th. The Angle lifeboat set out in rough seas and arrived near the Smalls Light, at about 4.30 am to discover that the St. Davids lifeboat had already got to the scene, and picked up nine of the crew from two drifting boats. The tanker was upright and intact on the rocks and 56 men were still on board. Efforts were made to refloat her using two tugs, at high water but the stranded tanker would not budge. The order to abandon ship was given by the Captain, and the men boarded the lifeboat ,some transferring to a salvage vessel before returning to Milford.

The tanker broke her back, and the stern half was floated off and taken in tow to Cardiff.** The bow section then slipped under the water. The stern section was sold off by the Underwriters to the Norwegians, who had a new bow section built. The new ship traded for twenty more years under six different names and on two separate occasions, she was lengthened and converted to a dry cargo bulk carrier.”

** Was the Athel Duchess towed to Cardiff in August 1943 and then anchored in Dale Roads for a number of years before being towed to Cardiff? for the refit?? We have as yet no date when she began trading again – she was still in Dale Roads in February 1947 when Sub Lt [A] Gordon Aitchison left Dale – nor the name/s under which she sailed.

July 2003: Located on a web site [www.warsailors.com] were Cruising Orders for Convoy HX130 departed Halifax 1 June 1941 for Liverpool, Convoy HX144 departed Halifax 10 Aug 1941 for Liverpool, Convoy ON127 departed Liverpool 4 Sept 1942 for New York [Commodore EC Cohrane] and Convoy HX223 departed New York 14 Jan 1943 for Liverpool with the Athelduchess sailing with these Convoys. On Convoy HX130 she carried molasses.

Also through this web site contact was made with Roger Corfield who was with the Athel Line and served on the Athel Duchess in the late ‘60s. Roger did not have any more information on the service of ‘our’ ship or its names but advised that a new Athel Duchess was built in 1951, and replaced by a third ship of this name in 1968 on which he served.
He also provided information from ‘Half-Deck’ [magazine issued annually by the Athel Line Apprentices Association] No 23 in a letter from Member J Wrexal Holborow regarding a report in issue 21 “Athel Duchess Stranded off St Davids Head”. He was Senior Apprentice on board on 20 August 1943 and says “On reaching the bridge, the Captain asked me to take charge of his boat, port midships to stand by the ship. This was a task that proved easier said than done, as we had no engine in the boat and the strong current and broken seas resulted in us being swept towards the rocks. One way and another we managed to avoid obvious dangers until St Davids RNLI lifeboat hove into sight just before dawn. She took us in tow but conditions worsened and made it necessary for me to transfer the crew to the RNLI boat. We were well received at the St Davids Station and spent the day in various houses.”

August 2003: Issue 21 of ‘Half-Deck’ has not yet been located but there are a few contacts to follow-up. Will up-date you as and when more information comes to light.

THE ATHELDUCHESS : stern in Dale Roads in the 1940s : UPDATE

Not unlike 1943 when the Athelduchess was 'forced out of line', circumstances and other demands have 'forced out' research into her service. Follow-ups recently of information received and access to new web sites, have provided some very interesting facts.

The spelling of Athelduchess, her owner and reports of the incident on the Smalls on 20/21 February 1943 have been confirmed and much additional information gathered on her construction, etc.

mv Athelduchess was built in 1929 on Clydeside's Yard No. 406 for the British Shipping Line, United Molasses Co Ltd This tanker built by William Hamilton & Co, Port Glasgow, was fitted with engines by Mirrlees Bickerton & Day, Stockton. In the early 40s, she sailed with Convoys to and from the UK, Canada and the USA with cargo, eg molasses, crude oil, etc. It was with just such a convoy sailing out of Swansea/Milford Haven that she came to grief on the Smalls.

The Athelduchess broke in two; the forepart floated free and sank whilst the "after part was beached and left ashore until after the war". In the recent material there is no mention of the stern being towed to Cardiff or of being anchored in Dale Roads. In 1948 she was fitted with a "new bow section build by Devonport Naval Dockyard and she returned to service ….. as the Norwegian Milford. The Milford later became the Jean Marie, Mano, Bahama Court, Ronga and finally Billy - see charted information.

The first Athelduchess had a chequered existence as a tanker and then bulk carrier sailing the world with six name changes and with different shipping lines. The name Athelduchess was retained by the Athel Line and given to a new vessel built in 1951, which was replaced by a third ship in 1968.

Further information and detail are recorded separately.

February 2006 JT

Follow the fortunes of the tanker mv Athelduchess from build in 1929 to demolition in 1971

DATES:SHIPPING LINE:LINE HQ:NAME OF SHIP:FURTHER INFORMATION

1929-39 : United Molasses Co Ltd : GB : ATHELDUCHESS

1939-48 : Athel Line Ltd : London : ATHELDUCHESS

1948-54 : Yngvar Hvistendahl : Norway : MILFORD

1954-56 : Soc. Comm A Vloeberghs : Belgium : JEAN MARIE : Stationary oil depot at Antwerp

1956-59 : Cia Nav Mara : Liberia : MANO : 1957 converted from tanker to bulk carrier

1959-62 : Motorlines Ltd : Bahamas : BAHAMA COURT : 1959 re-engined

1962-64 : Ronneberg & Galtung : Norway : RONGA

1964-71 : Cia Nav Pearl SA : Liberia : BILLY .........

16.08.1971: Driven ashore at Hong Kong during Typhoon Rose and subsequently declared a constructive total loss. She was then refloated and towed to Taiwan.

08.11.1971: Arrived at Kaohsuing, Taiwan for demolition.

Return to top