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NURTONS LITTLE ACCIDENT (Part 1) - By Rik Furnival (Ex-AB/MW) D192793W
It was a cold and miserable day, as most days in February usually were. I had been drafted to the Nurton only 9 days earlier, and was looking forward to my first 'Permanent' sea draft, since joining the RN in June 81. We had left HMS VERNON, where NURTON was based, a few days earlier for a work-up in the Portland area, and had got stuck in to all the usual routines ships do, when exercising off the Dorset coast. Things had gone well for the first few days as myself and another 'newbie', Seaman Dave KIRBY, set about learning the ropes. We were both given our Action & Emergency Stations and checked the Watch & Station Bill regularly. On the day in question, we had sailed that morning for a full days minehunting and had laid all the required short-scope buoys to mark out our designated search pattern. Also onboard, to oversee our progress, was the Boss of the 2nd Mine Counter Measures Squadron. He was known as 'MCM2'. By late afternoon, all the Minehunting exercises had been completed, and it was decided that because of the intense fog, It would be a good idea to carry out a 'blind-pilot' entry with HMS BROCKLESBY, back into Portland harbour. The ship set about recovering the laid Dans, and being the two newest onboard, It was Dave's & my job to dismantle them once inboard. Visibility had dropped to about 20 ft by now, and the lookouts were stationed on the bridge wings. At 1550hrs the last Dan was aboard, attached to the port waist recovery davit, and I had the 'pleasure' of taking it to pieces and stowing all the parts. This took about 10 minutes usually. My mate Dave had been given the task of tidying up the sweepdeck and stowing anything that wasn't nailed down. By now we could both hear the fog horn of the other ship that was to join us, and our skipper had stopped NURTON dead in the water to await her arrival. My last task that afternoon was to stow the Danbuoy Float above the sweepwires on the 'bandstand', and as I passed Dave on the sweepdeck, we both made some comment as to the loudness of the other ships foghorn. I clambered up onto the dan stowage and looked out to port - to get the shock of my life !! A big, grey Bow was approaching at a great rate of knots. Straight for the spot I had been standing on moments before. I called to Dave to hang on to anything he could get hold of.. at which point BROCKLESBY rammed us amidships...... at 15 kts. After the initial shock and violent crash, I heard the "Emergency Stations" pipe and headed off to the tiller flat ( my Emergency Station), with BROCKLESBY still embedded in the ship, her bow stuck in the Funnel Deck. After numerous mattresses had been brought to the Engine Room, from the lower decks, to try and stem the flow of water, MCM2 decided that the only thing that was stopping us from sinking was the BROCKLESBY herself. She was acting as a plug, and her CO was refused permission to go astern until help arrived. In the mean time "ABANDON SHIP" was piped and we were all to muster on the funnel deck, where the crew of BROCKLESBY helped us clamber aboard here bow - A skeleton crew remaining behind to await rescue. When the tugs arrived from the Naval Base, they lashed themselves to NURTON, and only then was BROCKLESBY given permission to return to harbour - ASTERN ONLY, as her plastic bow had cracked. By this time, the C.O. of BROCKLESBY had made available his ships drink-ration for all us 'survivors', and to this day, it is the only time I have ever entered harbour on one of Her Majesties Warships with a 'tinny' in my hand, and not having to do a bloody thing !! On arrival alongside, approx 20.00 hrs, the NURTON's 'Jimmy', who had accompanied us, ensured that we all made a phone-call home to confirm we were safe, as the facts would likely be reported on the 9 o'clock News and 'News At Ten' that night. NURTON spent a considerable time in Portland as they couldn't decide whether she was salvageable or not, but eventually she was towed to Portsmouth and dry-docked next to the MARY ROSE and the VICTORY. This was made light of, as they were known as the 'Three Wooden Wrecks'. The keel was checked to ensure that it wasn't twisted and finally she was towed up to Rosyth for repair in the 'Synchrolift' complex. During most of the 15 months or so from start to finish, the Ships Company broke up or were Loan-Drafted out, but I can honestly say that if it weren't for that foggy day in February, I wouldn't have met my future wife !! The photos and press cuttings can be found on NURTON's own page.
NURTONS LITTLE ACCIDENT(Part 2) - By Glyn Cooper (Ex-RO1 [G]) Interesting to
read the ditty on the 'Ton Class Association' site about Nurton & Brocklesby
whilst under-steam off Portland. (See above - Ed !) |
