SAS Somerset

SAS Somerset, originally named HMS Barcross, was a Bar-class boom defence vessel of the South African Navy. It operated in Saldanha Bay, was transferred to South Africa Naval Forces during World War II, and was purchased by South Africa in 1947. From 1986 it was preserved as a museum ship in Cape Town, before being scrapped in April 2024.

HMS Barcross
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Barcross
Owner	Royal Navy
Builder	Blyth Harbour and Dock Company, Blyth, Northumberland, England
Laid down	15 April 1941
Launched	21 October 1941
Decommissioned	1947
Out of service	Transferred to South African Naval Forces, 21 January 1943
Renamed	HMSAS Somerset in 1943
Identification	Pennant number: Z185
South Africa
Name	HMSAS Somerset
Namesake	Dick King's horse[Note 1]
Builder	Blyth Shipyard
Commissioned	21 January 1943
Renamed	SAS Somerset, 1951
Homeport	Simon's Town
Identification	Pennant number: P285[1]
Badge
South Africa
Name	SAS Somerset
Owner	South African Navy
Decommissioned	31 March 1986
Homeport	Simon's Town
Identification	Pennant number: P285[1]
Fate	Scrapped in April 2024
General characteristics
Class and type	Bar-class boom defence vessel
Displacement	750 tons standard, 960 tons maximum
Length	45.72 m (150.0 ft)
Beam	9.76 m (32.0 ft)
Draught	3.37 m (11.1 ft)
Propulsion	One vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine
Speed	11.75 kn (21.76 km/h)
Range	3000 mi
Complement	32
Armament	1 × 12-pounder 12cwt gun

History

Construction and navy service

Somerset was originally built in Blyth, Northumberland, United Kingdom, by Blyth Shipbuilding Company^[2] and commissioned as HMS Barcross in 1941.^[3] HMS Barcross and her sister ship HMS Barbrake arrived at the Cape Station at Simon's Town, South Africa, in 1942. HMS Barcross was transferred to Saldanha Bay for boom defence operations thereafter. In 1943, she was re-designated as HMSAS Barcross when she was transferred to the South African Naval Forces for the remainder of World War II.^{[citation needed]}

In 1946, the Government of South Africa purchased Barcross and used it for the dumping of ammunition off Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. On completion of these services, she was transferred to Salisbury Island in Durban and subsequently was laid up at Salisbury Island.^{[citation needed]}

In 1951, her name was changed to Somerset. In 1953, while still decommissioned, Somerset was used in the raising of the sunken minelayer Skilpad (ex-Spindrift) at Salisbury Island.^{[citation needed]}

Recommissioning (1955)

In 1955, Somerset was recommissioned. During this period, she was tasked with salvaging the remains of two Harvard trainer aircraft following a midair collision over Table Bay. Six weeks later, she recovered a third Harvard which had crashed into the sea off Bok Point. During a refit in 1959, Somerset had her coal-fired boilers converted to firing by furnace oil. She was responsible for the laying of an oil pipeline at the port of Mossel Bay to serve the oil terminal there.

In 1961, Somerset salvaged the South African Railways tug Schermbrucker, which had sunk in the harbour at East London. In 1967, she was fitted with new boilers and a reconditioned main engine. In 1968, her services were called on again to assist the cable ship, John W. Mackay, in raising and repairing the newly inaugurated overseas telephone cable in the shallow waters of Melkbosstrand. In 1969, Somerset raised the old whale catcher, Wagter 11, in Saldanha Bay and subsequently towed her back to Simon's Town. During the same year, she salvaged a floating crane which had capsized and sunk at Port Elizabeth. In the early hours of 24 July 1974, Somerset was dispatched to Cape Agulhas to assist with the salvage of the Oriental Pioneer, but poor weather conditions and bad luck rendered this effort unsuccessful. In 1981, Somerset raised the fishing trawler Aldebaran, which had lain on the harbour bottom at Port Elizabeth for over two-and-a-half years. Somerset also acted as a standby vessel during submarine shallow-water diving operations. In 1983, she assisted in salvaging a barge and two whale catchers at Saldanha Bay.

Maritime museum

In March 1986, Somerset was finally paid off. In 1988, the old boom defence vessel was donated for use as a museum ship, moored at the waterfront at Cape Town. Her original Royal Navy badge can be seen displayed on the side of the Selborne drydock.^[4]

Somerset was moored on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town from 2 September 1988 as museum ship^[5] until its scrapping in April 2024.^[6] At the time of its scrapping it was the only boom defence vessel remaining in the world,^[7] as well as the only remaining South African warship that served in World War II.

Gallery

• 
  SAS Somerset on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, September 2010 (stern view)
• 
  SAS Somerset (bow view) in 2019
• 
  View of SAS Somerset's bridge and crane in 2019
• 
  SAS Somerset's winching gear situated amidships, 2019
• 
  SAS Somerset's funnel and top deck in 2019
• 
  SAS Somerset from astern in 2019

Notes

1. The ship was named after famous horse that carried Dick King from Durban to Grahamstown in 1842. The connection is perpetuated in the seahorse on the ship’s crest.