Red Falcon
February 6, 2008
Mid-December 1959.
The week before Christmas and the whole of Fleetwood waited.
A trawler was overdue… and a silence descended on the port.
For days the sea around Skerry – Vore in the
Families waited with mounting anxiety – eyes scanning the horizon in vain and hope. But the Red Falcon was lost – presumed to have been overwhelmed in heavy seas as she made for home.
Wreckage – including a rocket container box, pieces of wood believed to be floorboards on a lifeboat and two lifebuoys stamped “Red Falcon” - was washed up 25 miles north of the vessel’s last known position.
Lost with all hands – leaving 25 children fatherless and a town too stunned to celebrate Christmas.
The Red Falcon – built in 1936 – was the last coal burning trawler in the lago Steam Trawler Co. Ltd. Fleet. She was formerly named
The two vessels fished together at
Red Falcon was skippered by Alexander Hardy, (45) of Broadway, Fleetwood. A most experienced skipper who undertook minesweeping duties during the war.
He was in contact with Sabre’s skipper (Tom McKernan) and the skipper of the Red Knight (John Mecklenburgh) during the voyage home. Both men later thought the falcon had been engulfed by a tidal wave.
Skipper McKernan had been about 70 miles ahead of the Falcon and Skipper Mecklenburgh about 150 miles behind. Both reported severe gales – with winds gusting to 100mph. Skipper McKernan advised the Falcon to avoid the tidal race off
The area was known to be treacherous with swirling tides.
But relatives had received wires from the ship saying she would be docking Monday night.
As was the custom, many went to meet her in on that Monday – December 14th. It was not unusual for ships to be delayed by bad weather and families again went down to meet Falcon on the Tuesday.
The radio silence from the vessel was ominous and anxiety mounted. “We fear the worst,” said Captain E.D.W. Lawford,
DSO, RN, managing director of the owners.
And as the terrible news began to sink in, the “mission men” continued their task of comforting the bereaved. The Superintendent of the Fleetwood branch of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, Mr Duncan Brown, and the Port Missioner Mr.G. Wright, visited homes.
All but one of the crew – Fireman Joseph Mair of
The crew list was given as:
Skipper Alexander Hardy (45), Broadway, Mate George Gloss (59), Gordon Road, Chief Engineer Jim Carter (39), Macbeth Road, Second engineer William Irvine (45), Bramley Avenue, Bosun Jim Gorst, (38), Wingrove Road, Deckhands Joseph Blackburn (21), Radcliffe Road, Jack McDaid (27) North Street, Jim Read (26), Willow Street, Edward Archer (31), Belmont Road, George Harlin (24), Chatsworth Avenue, Joseph Riches (26), Knowsley Gate, Jim Morley (27), Heathfield Road, William Deery (36), Bold Street, Jack Preston (16), Radcliffe Road, Wireless Operator William Cooper (46), Heathfield Road, Cook George McLoughlin (44) Witton Grove, Assistant Cook John Coultas (20), Abbotts Walk, Fireman John Smith (33), Whinfield Avenue.
Within days an appeal fund for dependants was set up by the Mayor of Fleetwood (Councillor Jim Shaw,JP). Owners, lago, started it with a £1,000 donation and the fund eventually topped £20,000, with cash pouring in from all over the country.
A cheque for £10.10s. Was received from the Church of Scotland on the
Seven months after the loss an inquiry opened at
A few minutes later the Red Knight had also been in radio contact with the Falcon and heard she was in bad weather with a “confused” sea.
The Sabre and Knight continued their homeward journey and no real anxiety was felt until Knight – which had been astern of the Falcon – docked at midnight on Tuesday, December 15th. A 3-day search was launched.
Both skippers thought a tidal wave had swamped the Falcon.
The inquiry believed it was difficult to ascertain the cause of the loss but the most probable cause was that the ship was “overwhelmed”.
And its loss left a town overwhelmed with shock and grief.
Sir,
although only six years of age at the time of the Red Falcon, I have vivid memories of the tragedy.
My father was the local Police Constable on Tiree at the time and I remember the searches on the beaches.
I recal the radio news reports and listening to other SW radio traffic.
My father served in the Merchant Navy, 1937 to 1946, Mediteranean, North Atlantic and Pacific as a stoker and had been both bobmed and torpedoed so he was keen to hopefully find survivors.
I found a box of safety matches extra long withg a extended striking area, which my father informed me was srandard life raft issue to ignite flares.
It is strange during the winter when I hear high winds or high winds forecast the Red Falcon memeories come back.
Thanks,
Bob Macdonald
This date and this ship is part of my history and as such I feel that I have a duty to remember the men who died that day. I am from Fleetwood and was born there on14.12.59 and my parents have often reminded me that their day of celebration came on a day or worry and ultimately tragedy
Red Falcon was built in Beverley East Yorks and comissioned 1939 and entered war service as HMS Davy. She was adopted by Gate Helmsley village North Yorkshire as part of “warship week” jan. 1942 I would like to find out any more info about HMS Davy / Red Falcon. we have the original certificate of adoption from the admiralty any references gratefully received, Thank you.
The museum is open on saturday 12th. december 2009 to mark the 50th anniversary.
I will be taking a Peter Horsely photo of the falcon and a photo of my great uncle jim who i never got to meet, being 6 months old at the time.
I am carrying out research on Warship Weeks and was interested to read Andrew Podmores item. From my research HMS Davy was adopted by Flaxton Rural District of which Great Helmsley would have formed a part of. I believe the target cost for the hull was £40,000 and the target cost for the fully fitted vessel £62,000. I would be interested to know which dates in January 1942 Warship Week was for this vessel, they ran from Saturday to Saturday and for Jan 1942 would have started on the 3rd. If anyone requires further information on Warship Weeks please contact me.
George McLoughlin was my great uncle , most of the men in my family from the begining of the 1900 served with naval forces and most of them were subsequently trawler men , its nice to have information available to me .
i would really like to know if the red falcon itself was ever recovered or if there are plans to ever take up the search for remnants ? any information would be great
congratulations on the web site and thank you.