Local Mine Watchers

[Hughie]

George Fleming past the following on to me. The Mine Watchers were a company set up to spot any mines that were left floating about the firth of Clyde after WW2 - they probably came into being after the Home Guard were disbanded according to George. Maybe some of our members can tell us more of the mine watchers or recognise some of the people in the photos?

The photos originated from Robert Cook one of our members in Canada. George's father is the one with the cross above his head and second from the left in both photos is Findley Murchie of ''Baychimo" fame. Robert Cook`s father is also there but George is unsure which one.

[John Donnelly]

Does any-one remember walking on the Threetowns beaches just after the war, and seeing the waterline strewn with long, rusty, hexagonal, metal tubes. My father told us they were German flares from the Clydebank raid, and not to touch them.

JD.

[morag]

J.D., I'm a wee bit short in the tooth for that but I relish any memories that may come forth.

[brvhrtjimmy]

dont know if this is the right place for this hughie,but seein as the post is about mines and the clyde i thought i would put it here if this isnt the right place hughie then im sure you will move it to mc blethers lounge and maybe put a heading on it, but this u boat was in the clyde to lay mines she lies of ailsa craig. the information is from a u boat site of which i am a member, theres also some info of the minesweeper whick sunk her
U-33
Type VIIA
Ordered 25 Mar 1935

Laid down 1 Sep 1935 F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 556)
Launched 11 Jun 1936

Commissioned 25 Jul 1936 Kptlt. Ottoheinrich Junker
Commanders 25 Jul 1936 - 28 Oct 1938 Ottoheinrich Junker
22 Nov 1936 - 20 Dec 1936 Kptlt. Kurt Freiwald
3 Jun 1937 - 25 Jul 1937 Kptlt. Kurt Freiwald
29 Oct 1938 - 12 Feb 1940 Kptlt. Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky

Career
3 patrols 25 Jul 1936 - 31 Aug 1939 2. Flottille (front boat)

1 Sep 1939 - 31 Dec 1939 2. Flottille (front boat)

1 Jan 1940 - 12 Feb 1940 2. Flottille (front boat)


Successes 10 ships sunk for a total of 19,261 GRT
1 ship a total loss for a total of 3,670 GRT
Fate Sunk 12 Feb, 1940 in the Firth of Clyde, in position 55.25N, 05.07W, by depth charges from the British minesweeper HMS Gleaner. 25 dead and 17 survivors.
HMS Gleaner (J 83)
Minesweeper of the Halcyon class
Navy The Royal Navy
Type Minesweeper
Class Halcyon
Pennant J 83
Built by William Gray & Co. (Hartepool, U.K.) : N.E. Marine
Ordered
Laid down 17 Jun 1936
Launched 10 Jun 1937
Commissioned 30 Aug 1938
End service 2 Sep 1946
Loss position

History When completed HMS Gleaner was fitted out as a survey ship and but when war broke out she was at Plymouth undergoing conversion to a minesweeper. On completion of this conversion she joined the 1st Anti-Submarine Striking Force based at Belfast. She patrolled the waters between Belfast and Liverpool. From late November HMS Gleaner was part of the 2nd Anti-Submarine Striking Force, operating between the Clyde and Loch Ewe. In January 1940 she was transferred to the 3rd Anti-Submarine Striking Force.

On 12 February 1940 HMS Gleaner was on patrol off the Firth of Clyde. At 0250 hours a hydrophone contact was picked up and traced until at about 0316 hours a U-boat, U-33, was seen on the surface. U-33 dived and lay on the bottom. Gleaner carried out a depth charge attack at 0353 hours but little damage was done. A second attack was carried out at 0412 hours which caused more serious damage to gauge glasses, lights etc. and caused several leaks. The German Commanding officer, Kptlt. Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky, decided to bring U-33 to the surface which she broke at 0522 hours. HMS Gleaner opened fire on the U-boat and turned to ram her, firing as she approached, but before she could do so the crew started to abandon ship. U-33 finally sank taking 25 of her crew with her, leaving 17 survivors.
James Barr (Brvhrtjimmy)

[chriso]

J.D.wrote

Does any-one remember walking on the Threetowns beaches just after the war, and seeing the waterline strewn with long, rusty, hexagonal, metal tubes. My father told us they were German flares from the Clydebank raid, and not to touch them.

I had forgot all about them John till I read your post. There were loads of them along the Irvine bar which was my favoured beach as opposed to the Stevenston side. Now that I think about it I can't remember swimming on the Stevenston side, it was always the Irvine side I went to.
At that time there was sand dunes at the foot of the sea wall, but they must have been washed away yonks ago.

I remember before the park between the shore and Trelawney terrace was landscaped, there were lots of different wild flowers and many different types of butterflies in the long grass.There were also some types of birds which you don't see many of, if any, around here now. Another bad move by the council.

[Hughie]

Does any-one remember walking on the Threetowns beaches just after the war, and seeing the waterline strewn with long, rusty, hexagonal, metal tubes. My father told us they were German flares from the Clydebank raid, and not to touch them. JD.

Hi John,
I remember around 1948 that the North Shore in Ardrossan was covered with hundreds if not thousands of what I thought were incendiary bomb casings that had been washed ashore. They were about 9 inches long and were hexagonal. Some of the casings had a white mushie substance inside.

They were badly rusted and very thin and were a hazard to us young ones in barefeet, dooking on the North Shore. The majority I saw were close to the Shell-Mex oil refinery, though my wife says she recalls much the same thing at Stevenston.

Chris, I too recall those dunes you mentioned - some half way up the seawall at Ardeer on the Irvine Bar.

[John Donnelly]

Hi Hughie and Chriso,

that's them OK. I think they would have been too small for bombs. I'm inclined to think my dad was right, and they were flares. My parents were dead scared of us going near them. Couldn't understand it at the time, but now, I know it was because of the danger of left-over phosphorous and magnesium; nasty stuff.

Remember the big mine at the end of the promenade, which was a collection point for charity. I think it was for the Miners' Coast Home.

JD.

[JimMcCub]

Hi all only catching up with this topic but I can't agree more with Chris O's post the grasslands were
rougher and wilder but the wildlife seemed to thrive more there. I spent many a happy time along with friends playing among the long grass after swimming in the sea or playiing football on the old BB parks.

[Meg]

second from the left in both photos is Findley Murchie of ''Baychimo" fame.

Hughie - Findley Murchie was a good friend of my father's - I think they both worked in the Shell at one time. I remember the last time we saw him (a wheen o years ago) he was staying near the golf course in Lochranza. But, I haven't heard what he had to do with Baychimo - I know the story of the cargo ship, but was Findlay one of the crew? He had the most amazing stories and a wonderful way of telling them.

Meg

[Penny Tray]

I think Mr. Hughie Nicholson who lived in Rashley Square, Ardrossan, and may also have worked with Shell was a member of the Mine Watcher's group.

[georgersweir]

This extract from the Glasgow Herald of 30th January 1946, illustrates the need for vigilance to the danger of stray mines along the coast - during and post-WWII.

[John Donnelly]

George,

I wonder if that is the mine they converted to the charity collection point I mentioned a few posts ago.

JD.