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Remembered Today:

HMT Sir Mark Sykes


Guest michaelhare

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Guest michaelhare

Does anybody have information about the service history of the Sir Mark Sykes (H43)? It was one of the many Hull based trawlers converted to a mine sweeper during the war.

I have found one link which suggests the ship was in the White Sea during 1915.

Any general information (or links) about mine sweepers in WW1 also appreciated.

One of my ancestors (Donald Morrison ) served on the ship during the war.

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Does anybody have information about the service history of the Sir Mark Sykes (H43)? It was one of the many Hull based trawlers converted to a mine sweeper during the war.

I have found one link which suggests the ship was in the White Sea during 1915.

Any general information (or links) about mine sweepers in WW1 also appreciated.

One of my ancestors (Donald Morrison ) served on the ship during the war.

Welcome to the Forum.

Here is some information on S.T. Sir Mark Sykes ( H43 ), and a photograph of her.

LF

S.T. Sir Mark Sykes FD410

Technical

Official Number: 136184

Yard Number: 585

Completed: 1914

Gross Tonnage: 306

Net Tonnage: 124

Length: 136.7 ft

Breadth: 23.2 ft

Depth: 12.3 ft

Engine: 93 hp T.3-cyl by C. D. Holmes & Co Ltd, Hull

Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby

History

29.1.1914: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.585) for Pickering & Haldanes Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Hull as SIR MARK SYKES.

26.3.1914: Registered at Hull (H43).

11.4.1914: Completed.

5.1915: Requisitioned for war service as a minesweeper (1-12pdr, 1-3.5 A/S Howitzer and Hydro) (Ad.No.1513).

1919: Returned to owners.

16.5.1922: Sold to James Alexander Robertson, Fleetwood.

7.1922: Sold to J. Marr & Son Ltd, Fleetwood for £8500.

12.7.1922: Hull registry closed.

13.7.1922: Registered at Fleetwood (FD410).

23.12.1924: On West Coast of Iceland grounds, in gale conditions lost lifeboat and sustained damage to wheelhouse.

1928: Sold to Cia Argentina de Nav. Angel Gardella Ltda, Buenos Aires for £8000.

20.10.1928: Fleetwood registry closed. Renamed TITO. Registered at Buenos Aires.

1939: Sold to Soc. Pesqerias Gardella Soc. Anon., Buenos Aires (Pesgar S.A., managers).

1943: Sold to Cia. Pesquera Arauco, Talcahuano, Chile. Renamed ALBACORA. Registered at Talcahuano.

1957: Sold for breaking up

post-63666-0-68346800-1328469425.jpg

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runicgraffiti,

The S.T. Sir Mark Sykes ( H43 ), has an interesting association with WW1 Lt. Col. Sir Mark Sykes, whom the Hull Trawler was named after.

In the information shown below on Lt. Col. Sir Mark Sykes, you will see that he had a strong connection with Hull as the Conservative MP for Hull Central. Also, after the start of WW1, he and his wife paid to have the Metropole Hotel in Hull converted to a Military Hospital.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Mark Sykes was born in 1879 at Sledmere Hall, Sledmere, near Driffield. He was the eldest son of Sir Tatton Sykes. At the age of 18 he served in the South African/Boer War with the Volunteer Company of the Green Howards. In 1911 he rose to become Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion. In 1913 he was elected as a Conservative MP for Hull Central.

He served on 'the Staff during the war, 1914-19.

Sir Mark was responsible for raising the 1,000 strong 'Waggoners Special Reserve'; volunteer drivers attached to the Army Service Corps.

Although Sir Mark did not go to France with the 5th Battalion, he had been on the Western Front in September 1914 on a fact-finding tour primarily aimed at seeing how his Waggoners were faring. On his return to England he and Lady Sykes (his wife), having already paid for the Metropole Hotel in Hull to be converted into a military hospital, endeavoured to improve the medical arrangements at the battle-front. In October 1914 Lady Sykes, accompanied by several nuns, took charge of a 150 bed hospital in a chateau just 25 miles from the front. A month later she set up a 35 bed hospital in a villa in Dunkirk, and in a joint effort with the French Red Cross she brought over 5 doctors, 25 nurses, and scores of orderlies and drivers from the East Riding to her hospital at Villa Belle Plage. Lady Sykes continued her work in France until the summer of 1915 when army medical arrangements began absorbing such private ventures.

Meanwhile Sir Mark Sykes took personal charge of training his 5th Battalion in and around Newcastle, and remained with them until they left for France. After the war he erected Memorials to both the Battalion and the Waggoners at the village of Sledmere on the Yorkshire Wolds near Driffield.

He died from pneumonia on the 16th February 1919, while in Paris attending the Peace Conference. He was 39 years old.

Sir Mark, 6th Baronet, Commander of the Order of St Stanislas (Russia), Order of the Star of Romania, is buried at St Mary's Church, Sledmere, and is commemorated on the Eleanor Cross, Sledmere.

Sir Mark Sykes - Group photograph - Officers of the 5th Green Howards 1914.

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post-63666-0-96636500-1328473337.jpg

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Six trawlers were fitted out at Lowestoft with a couple of supply ships for service in the White Sea. The trawlers were BOMBARDIER, SIR MARK SYKES, T. R. FERRENS, GRANTON, LORD DENMAN and St. CYR. They left Lowestoft for Lerwick on June 22nd 1915 & reached Alexandrovsk, on the Murman Coast on July 6th. On July 13th T. R. FERRENS was mined.

An index of minesweeping officers for 1916 gives Commander [actg.] [ret.] Henry A. le F. Hurt, R.N., H.M.S. SIR MARK SYKES.

Some of her officers' were Sub. Lt., R.N.R., George A. Ranson & Skipper R.N.R. S. Rowland from May 1915, still there Sept. 15.

Skr. R.N.R., William Passmore from 20th Jan. 17, still there Oct. 17.

Skr. R.N.R., Robert A. Menzies from 1st May 18, still there Dec. 18.

Swept Channels & Navy Lists.

David.

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On arrival in the White Sea BOMBARDIER became the nominated parent ship to the other trawlers until the cruiser HMS IPHIGENIA took them over in November 1915. In December 1915 SIR MARK SYKES came back to UK and was based at Lowestoft/Yarmouth (HMS HALCYON/KINGFISHER) but she was back in the White Sea in mid-March 1916, based on IPHIGENIA (from 11/3/1916) and VINDICTIVE (from 22/10/1916). Dec 1916 to Apr 1917 she again returned to over-winter in Lowestoft, then back to the White Sea, parented in turn by IPHIGENIA, VINDICTIVE and GLORY. She returned to UK in early November 1917 and was based in northeast Scotland under parent ships THALIA, NAIRN and VENERABLE during 1918.

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  • 4 months later...

Hello I joined the forum today.

That is interesting that your ancestor served on the HMS Sir Mark Sykes. I recently discovered that my great grandfather also served on that ship. If you have or find any pictures of that ship could you let me know??

Regards,

Peter

.

Does anybody have information about the service history of the Sir Mark Sykes (H43)? It was one of the many Hull based trawlers converted to a mine sweeper during the war.

I have found one link which suggests the ship was in the White Sea during 1915.

Any general information (or links) about mine sweepers in WW1 also appreciated.

One of my ancestors (Donald Morrison ) served on the ship during the war.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest JoanArthur

I am working on a citizen science project called 'Old Weather' where a lot of folk are transcribing the weather reports from naval vessels. We are really doing this for climate studies, but are also helping the naval historians by popping in notable events from the daily logs. On 7th May 1917 the log of the HMS Intrepid (a supply ship) shows the Sir Mark Sykes came into Kola Inlet (North Russia coastline) and anchored there. There is no more info just now other than that she left harbour on the 27th May 1917. If I notice her in the logs again I'll try to remmeber to let you know.

Kind regards,

Ava

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Guest JoanArthur

For a good summary of White Sea trawler operations see "Under the Black Ensign" by Captain RS Gwatkin-Williams CMG RN.

I am transcribing logs for citizen science project 'Old Weather' from the HMS Intrepid during May 1917 in Kola Inlet N. Russia - Gwatkin-Williams is my Captain! Hope you don't mind if I quote this book in our Forum - the naval historians might be very interested.

Ava

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