See Page Related Links Left for more

EX Destroyer SYLPH

 

Report taken from news cutting 1927.
An Eventful Journey A Chapter of accidents
"But art nor strength avail her-on she drives In storm and darkness to the fatal coast" (William Crowe)

An epic of the sea, the details are worthy of description by Conrad, and reveals the arduous lives led by those "who go down to the sea in ships" was brought to a finale within a few short miles of Swansea on Friday. While people were battling with the fury of the gale, four men clung helpless on the deck of a destroyer while it drifted, a derelict on to the beach at Aberavon, thus bringing to an end a week long fight against a raging gale.

Last Saturday the steam tug Warrior an ocean-going tug, of 192 tons belonging to Page and Co of London set out from Devonport with the destroyer Sylph, an H class boat, in tow for Newport, where the destroyer was to be broken up at Messers. Cashmore and Co`s shipbreaking yard. From the outset of the voyage, bad weather was encounted, and the tug with her unwieldy tow, was compelled to shelter in Plymouth Roads until Sunday morning when the fury of the gale having abated somewhat, it was decided to resume the voyage.All went well until off the Pendeen light the tow was parted. and the destroyer was adrift with her crew of four ex-navel men.

After an hour another rope was passed to the Sylph, but that also parted. Capt, Parker, the master of the tug Warrior described in an interview with the press the long drawn out fight in the channel with the gale, how they again got the ropes to the destroyer, how it parted and how the destroyer drifted up until abreast of Lundy, where the tug at last managed to get another rope across, this time using 4in wire ropes as well as 13in manilla rope. Off Bull point the tow ropes parted again leaving the Sylph to the mercy of the wind and seas.
Eventually after a trying period, in which it was feared she may go ashore off Oxwich Point, the destroyer dropped her anchor inside Oxwich and the tug came in to Swansea for supplies on Thursday morning Returning to her charge on Thursday night another attempt was made to reach Newport, but fate ruled otherwise, and the tow again parted off Port Talbot and the destroyer begin to drift ashore.For a long time the tug stood by trying to render such assistance as was possible. No tow ropes were left and the Captain of the tug concentrated on trying to get the crew of the destroyer off.

Several times he ranged the tug alongside, but the sea, after throwing them together violently, parted them.Both vessels were now perilously near the beach, and at last the tug was compelled to sheer off, otherwise she would have been ashore also The Homerie struggle of Capt, Parker and his tug had not gone unnoticed and when it became apparent the Sylph was bound to go ashore at Aberavon beach, the Port Talbot rocket life-saving apparatus was ordered out. The story is taken up by Lt. Marlow,R.N. the District Coastguard Officer, of Mumbles ho had kept the Warrior and her tow under keen observation throughout the struggle and had rushed to Port Talbot as soon as he saw that the destroyer was going ashore.

"We saw her first from the beach like a grey shadow, but as she came in nearer we could see the seas sweeping solidly over her. She swept in, and eventually drove bow on shore about a mile and a half from Port Talbot North Pier.
We fired two rockets but the wind was to strong and they was swept away. At last we got a line to her when the tide had receded but in the mean time one of the men had got over the side and half swam half scrambled ashore. The reminder of the crew-three in number-were rescued a little later"
Lieut Marlow spoke in high terms of the Port Talbot rocket crew, who had to drag the heavy hand cart with the apparatus nearly two miles of heavy wind swept sand to reach the scene, in charge of W.H.Matthews, the leading hand at Port Talbot.
A letter of thanks was sent to the Port Talbot Team who had to work waist deep in water during this rescue.

Crew of the Sylph taken in the Jersey Beach Hotel
The crew were left to right
W,Matthews F,Bowen A,Givving and J.S.Drummond who swam ashore