HMS Halcyon II

[chris basey]

I'm hoping that someone can add to the scant information that I have found so far about the Halcyon II. It seems that she was a minesweeper and acted as a depot ship in 1915.

Does anyone have further details of her and whether she was involved in an action on 15th March 1918 when Deck Hand Herbert Grimmer met his death?

Thank you.

[Stephen Nulty]

All I can find is that she was a paddle mine sweeper from 1916 to 1921. I came across the Absent Voters List for Grimsby in 1919 and many of the crew are Halcyon II are shown.

SN

[kin47]

Grimmer died of illness on that date.

don

[Malcolm]

All I can find is that she was a paddle mine sweeper from 1916 to 1921. I came across the Absent Voters List for Grimsby in 1919 and many of the crew are Halcyon II are shown.

SN

Stephen,

Some discrepancy here.

HALCYON, pennant No C82, was a Dryad Cass Gunboat fitted as a sweeper of 1050 tons. as you say .

HALCYON II was a fishery trawler, Port No A514, of 141 tons launched 1893 used solely for fishing under Admiralty control.

Aye

Malcolm

[chris basey]

Don

What's the source for the detail of Grimmer's death from illness, please?

[kin47]

Chris

Source of data is ADM 242. It is a ledger of naval personnel killed or died in the Great War. This source only gives codes for deaths. In this case 3 which indicates he died of illness. Other ADM ledgers give a more precise description.

don

[Guest C729LEE]

I have a War Medal to a young man who served on Halcyon II, and the vessel's name appears quite frequently on his service record. It would seem she was in Hull and sailed out of there regularly. The sailor was resident in Hull at the time of joining up. I bought the medal in Hull from a junk shop some time ago.

I will get back to you with what info I have on this ship.

Lee in N. Lincs.

[chris basey]

Lee

Looking most likely she was a converted trawler from Hull. Shall look forward to seeing what else you can dig up. Thanks.

[Stephen Nulty]

Malcolm

Yes, not sure about the reason for discrepancy.

The web site I found stated

"Six vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Halcyon.

The first Halcyon was the French 16-gun brig-sloop Alcion, captured in 1803, and broken up 1812.

The second Halcyon was an 18-gun brig-sloop launched in 1813 and wrecked the following year in Jamaica.

The third Halcyon was a torpedo gunboat in service from 1894 to 1919.

The fourth Halcyon was a paddle minesweeper in service from 1916 to 1921.

The fifth Halcyon was a minesweeper of 815 tons laid down in 1933 and which served throughout the Second World War. She was taken out of service in 1950. She was the lead ship of her class. During the war she served as a small escort for coastal convoys as well as clearing channels of naval mines.

"

So because the third Halcyon was still in service, I assumed they named the fourth ship Halcyon II. But that's just guesswork on my part.

SN

[Terry Denham]

'Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy' (B.Warlow) states the following.... (only refers to service as depot ships and not their previous service)

1) HALCYON (launched 1894)

Torpedo Gunboat, Depot Ship Auxiliary Patrol Lowestoft 08.1914 to 14.03.1919

Paid off 14.03.1919 and sold 11.1919, Replaced by HALCYON II

2) HALCYON II (hired 1917-1919)

Trawler, Auxiliary Patrol Depot Ship Lowestoft

Commissioned 15.03.1919 to 08.1919

Nominal depot ship for Motor Boat SALMON from 15.03.1919

[Michael Lowrey]

It does sound as if here are references to different ships here: the torpedo gunboat is a given but a trawler and a padle minesweeper are not the same thing. The Royal Navy did make use of a vessel named Haldon, which was a paddle drive ship, and used for minesweeping. Perhaps the references to a paddle minesweeper are a misidentification/misspelling of this ship?

Best wishes,

Michael

[Malcolm]

Dittmar & Colledge gives:

From 1917 to 1919 HALCYON II was in the fisheries fleet. Her Port ID was Aberdeen - A514. The Fisheries Reserve operated from various ports.

Aye

Malcolm

[Guest C729LEE]

Further to my last on Halcyon II / Halcyon.

The details I have have on this vessel come from the record of 4049 ES (Engineroom Man) George Henry Alcock of 3 St Andrews St Hull.

DOB 03 11 1883

Joined Royal Navy 16 09 1915 to the Sir James Reckitt to 22 09 1915

23 09 1915 to 11 10 1915 with Halcyon(696/3)

12 10 1915 to 04 02 1916 with Sir James Reckitt

05 02 1916 to 10 03 1916 with Halcyon(776/7)

11 03 1916 to 21 10 1916 with (not legible) in brackets Sir JR

22 10 1916 to 18 01 1917 with Vindictive, in brackets Sir JR

19 01 1917 to 31 03 1917 with Halcyon II " " " " "

01 04 1917 to 31 10 1917 with Vindictive " " " " "

01 11 1917 to 30 12 1917 with 1234 Pekin

31 12 1917 to 10 11 1918 with 2649 Elm II (Sarpedon)

11 11 1918 to 31 12 1918 with Victory (Sarpedon)

09 02 1919 to 28 03 1919 with Juno (Vie X)

30 04 1919 to 07 06 1919 with 1314 Pekin and De mob to Mercantile Marine

in Grimsby.

Alcock received the 1914 / 15 Star, VM., & WM.in 1925, and later collected "Naval Prize Money" of £30 in 1923 and a supplementaryaward of £4 later in the year, which poses a question in itself.

I hope this is of interest.

Lee in Lincs

[LynneBee]

I also have a relative that dies while with this ship could anyone tell me how he died please he was J/67065(Dev.)Able Seaman AA Odd and died 2 Jan 1918 Many thanks

[horatio2]

Serving in a non-seagoing depot ship and buried in Surrey, he most probably died of natural causes (eg disease) or possibly in an accident.

His record, if you do not have it, may give an indication:-

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7184984&queryType=1&resultcount=1

[LynneBee]

Many thanks for such a fast reply.