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H.M.S Berry Head Web Page
Look through any books on the
History of Naval Ships, and the chances are that the HEAD Class
of support vessels will not feature amongst it ...... hardly
surprising, there's absolutely nothing Naval looking about them
!!
Factfile
Buliders: Burrard Dry Dock Ltd.
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Launched: 21.10.1944
Accepted: 7.6.1945
Reserve: 1947 - 1950 (Sheerness)
Refit: 1960 -1963
The story
goes (unofficially), that the three sister ships, H.M.S BERRY
HEAD, H.M.S RAME HEAD and H.M.S DUNCANSBY HEAD were built as
Grain carriers, but became redundant with the end of the Second
World War. On arrival to the United Kingdom, she was placed in
Reserve, where she remained, (apart from a modernisation and
refit between 1960 - 1963) until February 1968 when she was
prepared for her first (and last) full commision.
And that's where I came in
!!
Having just spent twelve months at HMS GANGES, imagine the
bewilderment of eight "skin" stokers on learning they
were drafting to HMS BERRY What?? ... twelve months of learning
the workings of steam turbines, Y100 boilers - and we end up on a
relic still boasting steam reciprocating engines, surely the last
Royal Naval ship to do so.
This indeed was a Stoker's delight, and she was to be my home for the next three years, a year of that based in Singapore (I think it took the other two to get there and back).
And now, some thirty years later, the memories of those happy days have stirred my imagination into trying to seek out some of the crew that was the Stoker's mess, with the intent of forming a reunion in the New Millenium. And if you think the Ship herself was something of an oddity, just take a "Butcher's" at this bunch of Stokers - the Navy's finest !!
That's me
sat second from left - but whatever happened to the rest of
them?.....
And Whatever happened to the "Old Girl" herself ? ...
I took this picture (the last time I ever saw her) back in 1982
or 83 whilst down Guz for the Navy days ... and the Dockyard
Police wouldn't even let me go on board, there's grattitude for
you.
She had been completely
gutted by this time, and it must have been very soon after that
she finally joined that great "Dockyard in the Sky" So
what is the intention of this rather small Page I hear you
ask....... ?? Well, I decided to put up this Page with three
intentions in mind, and they are ....
1. To put the records straight - and show the World that the BERRY HEAD played her part in the "High-Tec" Navy of the Late 60's - early 70's 2. In the hope that former crew members (of all Branches) will actually admit to having served on her and get in touch with me ....... 3. To confess - that it was me that broke off the steam drain tap that changed the Decor of the Bolier front for ever - in "Pot Mess" brown (Sorry !!)
The Real Story of the "HEAD" Class Vessels.
When I set out to put these Pages onto the Internet, I never in my wildest dreams expected the kind of response that I have had to clarify the true story behind the origins of the "HEAD" Class vessels. These are letters from those who know and who finally lay the Grain Carrier theory to rest.
JOHN DEREK OWENS-KAY ....
Dear Mr Byles
A Colleague in this office who is at present serving with the RNVR has handed me a copy of the BERRY HEAD Web Page. I may be able to throw a little bit more light upon the Headland Class of Maintenance Vessels the three of which were shown in your story but there was also HMS BEACHY HEAD, HMS HARTLAND POINT and HMS MULL OF KINTYRE, all these ships were constructed as Escort Maintenance Vessels in two builders in Vancouver in 1944 and 1945.I was the ship's writer in the advance party for HMS DUNCANSBY HEAD. The ship's writer for HMS RAME HEAD was Brian Pridham of Plymouth and together with Bob MacDonald the ship's writer for the Mull of Kintyre we were shipped out via the French Liner the Louis Pasteur from Southampton in 1945 just after VE Day. We were also carrying with us all from "Guz" 40 advance party for each ship and another two hundred or so bodies to pick up tank landing craft from the Great Lakes in Canada.
We landed at Halifax Nova Scotia and then went by Canadian National Railways across the continent to Vancouver stopping at Toronto to unload the landing craft people and for us all to have a bath at the public baths. On arrival at Vancouver the advance parties were taken to the RCN Barracks at Esquimault, Victoria on Vancouver Island were we enjoyed a couple of months rest and relaxation until firstly DUNCANSBY HEAD was commissioned and RAME HEAD folllowed her. HMS BERRY HEAD and BEACHY HEAD were the previous ships and they sailed from Esquimault on our arrival in the Barracks.
We were originally routed for Hawaii but due to a slight technical hitch known as a hurricane we suffered some slight damage and we were then routed to San Francisco for some running repairs were we stayed a month. We then went south across the Pacific to the Fiji Islands and then to Port Darwin/Port Moresby where we were then routed to join the East Indies Fleet and sail for Colombo. On arrival in Colombo I was lucky enough to scrounge a weeks leave and fly up to Bombay to see my sister who was a matron at a British General Hospital at a place with a race course called Poona. We then left Colombo for Trincomalee and then sailed across to Singapore when we were then sent up the Johore Straits and lay at anchor there for a couple of months maintaining motor gun boats and torpedo boats which were allocated to us. Each of the ships had a specific type of vessel to maintain.
HMS DUNCANSBY HEAD Head had a ships company of some 363 members and most of those were ship wrights and "chippees" and the after part of the hold of the ship was a massive workshop. The chippees shop was in the after superstructure which you can just see on the Berry Head's photograph. Each ship had a certain amount of armorment namely 6 oerlikon guns and a couple of machine guns so we were ready for war. Fortunately the bombs were dropped and the Japs capitulated. When our time in Johore was ended we had a short spell down the Java Coast and then we went back to Singapore and picked up about 300 passengers to take home to be demobbed. The ship paid off in Harwich and was then sent to Blackwater to be moth balled. I understand Duncansby Head was in fact sent to the Spanish Shipbreakers in 1963.
I hope that this has been of assistance to you.
So far as the ship's speed was concerned we did not do too badly going home notwithstanding that we called at Alexandria, Malta and Gibraltar.
Best Wishes.
JOHN DEREK OWENS-KAY.
Alan Shard ....
Sincerely
Just saw your remarks on the HEAD ships being rumoured to have been built as grain carriers. Is that because they were built on the lines of the Canadian Park Ships? You should squash that soonest. There were 16 completed as escort maintenance ships and the FLAMBOROUGH HEAD returned to Canada in 1951 and was acquired by the RCN renamed CAPE BRETON and laterserved in Korea.
Alan Shard
L.A.Marshall. ....
I was recently sorting out my loft prior to a clear out and found an old diary from when I was in my last year at school. It turned out that on june 4/5 1984, me and a load of mates were sent from school to spend a couple of days with the navy. I think the idea was to get us interested in a possible career in the navy, at the same time, a lot of us had never been away from home.
We were put on the RAME HEAD and I remember it being a very exciting time, the navy treated us very well and we had a lot of fun. I never joined up and I've regreted that ever since. Anyway, finding that diary brought back a lot of memories and just out of interest I thought I'd have a look on the net to see if there was a site.
Best wishes
. L.A.Marshall.
My Thanks to all the Above for their assistance - and memories !!
BERRY HEAD !!
Well, after some thirty years, I was able to track down some of my old Shipmates for a long overdue reunion, and in March 2000, eight of us got together to talk about old times - with the aid of a few light refresments I hasten to add.
Only four of us feature in the original photo shown above ... see if you can recognise which four. One thing is certain, even after all these years, and that's that we're still as ugly a bunch as we were back then.
Hopefully this will become an annual thing, and who knows, with the assistance of these Pages, maybe a few more will come forward and join in the trip down memory lane.
So what of the "Old Girl" herself? ... not such good news in that department I'm afraid. Phil Coughlin, who works in the shipping industry, was able to finally lay the BERRY HEAD to rest when he forward me a copy from the 1990 edition of "Warship World".
The latest information we have on the "BERRY HEAD" is from the summer 1990 edition of "Warship World", when it was reported that she was towed out of Portsmouth by RMAS "BUSTLER" and passed to the Russian tug "ZAETA", bound for the breakers yard.
She had originally been sold to Spanish breakers for £500,000, but the Spanish company could not come up with the funds to complete the sale. The Ministry then renegotiated the sale with a Greek breakers; Dido Steel Corporation of Athens (same outfit that bought RFA "ENGADINE"). The Greek company only paid £200,000 and the Ministry is understood to be bringing a case in Spain for recovery of the balance.
The Greek breakers intended to take the ship to Turkey for scrap but whilst at Gibraltar requested permission to transit the Suez Canal, this is the last we know of her route.
Although at that time she was in less than pristine condition externally, the "BERRY HEAD" was still in extremely good internal condition having been used as floating offices in HM Dockyard Devonport until 1989. Much of the equipment in her was still wrapped in polythene sheeting from her last refit at Chatham.
Seems like the only Head vessel still alive is the "Rame Head". Thanks again to Phil Coughlin, I discovered the Rame Head is still in service as a training ship for other members of the armed forces.
That's her in a recent shot taken in "Pompey" dry dock where she was undergoing a survey to test her sea worthiness - seems she passed !!
The name may be different, but I sincerely hope to get along at some stage and see the Sister of, what was for me, one of the finest ships that I had the pleasure to have served on.
On a final note, a recent email came in from Roy McBride on one of the lesser known HEAD vessels. Roy writes:
Hi there , I want to let you know That FLAMBOROUGH HEAD is at Vancouver Dry docks . As I write the ship is being made ready for sinking as an artificial reef near Van. Island.The only information forthcoming on the FLAMBOROUGH HEAD was that she returned to Canada in 1951 and was acquired by the RCN to be renamed Cape Breton and later served in Korea.
Photos By : Roy McBride
Copywrite 2000.
You certainly can't keep the Ghosts of these old girls hidden. Just when you think the story ends, up pops more information. We can shed some more light on the FLAMBOROUGH HEAD and the BEACHY HEAD.These ships were modified Fort class cargo ships (similiar to the US Liberty ship) launched in Vancouver in 1944 for the RN. Originally named HMS BEACHY HEAD and FLAMBOROUGH HEAD, it was some time before either saw service in the RCN.
BEACHY HEAD was turned over to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1947 and served there until 1950 as the VULKAAN, when she was returned to the RN. There she served until 1952, when she was turned over to the RCN, who renamed her CAPE SCOTT.
FLAMBOROUGH HEAD was also purchased in 1952, and sent to the West Coast. She served until 1964, but from 1972 until at least 1993, she was used as a towed mobile support facility and accomodation vessel at Esquimalt.
No - you aren't imagining it - there really is a Helicopter pad on the BEACHY HEAD. Even more of a suprise, she's fitted with steam turbines, as was the FLAMBOROUGH HEAD.
Dimensions: 134.7 x 17.4 x 6.1 meters (442 x 57 x 20 feet)
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 2 boilers, 1 shaft, 2,500 shp, 11 knots
Crew: 270
Aviation: helicopter deck
Hangar: none
Radar: navigation
Sonar: none
Fire Control:none
EW: none
Armament: none
Ships:
CAPE BRETON 100 Commisioned into the Canadian Navy in 16/11/59 Paid Off on 10/2/64
CAPE SCOTT 101 Commisioned into the Canadian Navy in 28/01/59 Paid Off on 01/7/70Want to Get in Touch ?
E-Mail Me.
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