HMT Force

HM Trawler Force was a British Mersey-class^[1] naval trawler built for the Royal Navy in the First World War and subsequently requisitioned for service in the Second World War. She was sunk by in a German air attack in June 1941.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HM Trawler James Buchanan[1]
Builder	Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd., Selby
Yard number	825
Launched	18 September 1917
Completed	13 December 1917[1]
Commissioned	"Accepted" 15 December 1917. Registered by the Admiralty at London 27 November 1919, and again 23 August 1920[1]
Fate	Sold February 1922[1]
United Kingdom
Name	Stoneferry
Owner	City Steam Fishing Company
Acquired	February 1922[1]
Homeport	Kingston upon Hull
Fate	Sold, 1934
United Kingdom
Name	Cape Tarifa
Owner	Hudson Fishing Company Ltd.
Acquired	1934
Homeport	Kingston upon Hull
Fate	Sold, 1938
Poland
Name	Franciszka
Owner	Towarzystwo Dalekomorskich Połowów
Acquired	1938
Homeport	Gdynia
Fate	Sold, 1939
United Kingdom
Name	Force
Owner	Adam Steam Fishing Company Ltd.
Acquired	November 1939[1]
Homeport	Fleetwood
Fate	Requisitioned, February 1940
United Kingdom
Name	HM Trawler Force
Acquired	12 February 1940[1]
Fate	Sunk, 27 June 1941
General characteristics
Class & type	Mersey-class naval trawler
Tonnage	438 GRT
Length	138 ft (42 m) o/a
Beam	23 ft (7.0 m)
Depth	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Propulsion	3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine 1 screw
Armament	2 × 12 pounder guns AA

Career

Force was built at Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd at Selby in Yorkshire in 1917 (shipyard number 825), commissioned as the trawler James Bucham. She was an armed trawler built for the Royal Navy. She had a 3-cylinder triple expansion engine from C.D. Holmes of Hull. She was launched on 18 September 1917.

In 1922, after five years' service in the Royal Navy, she was sold to the City Steam Fishing Company Ltd of Kingston upon Hull and renamed as Stoneferry. She ran aground near Saltfleet on 19 December, 1930 and was refloated the next day.^[1] She remained with them for twelve years and, in 1934, she was sold again and renamed. The new owners were the Hudson Fishing Company Ltd of Kingston upon Hull, who renamed her as Cape Tarifa. In 1938, she was sold to the Polish company Towarzystwo Dalekomorskich Połowów of Gdynia and again renamed, as Franciszka. After a year she returned to British ownership with the Adam Steam Fishing Company Ltd of Fleetwood, Lancashire, who renamed her Force.

World War II

Position of the wreck of Force

In February 1940, after the outbreak of the Second World War, Force returned to the Royal Navy and was fitted with two 12-pounder 76 mm (3 in) anti-aircraft guns.

The end came for Force off the north east Norfolk coast, six miles (9.7 km) from Winterton Ness. On 27 June 1941, Force was attacked by German aircraft damaged and set on fire, sinking 20 minutes later at 52°48′55″N 001°47′48″E.^[1]