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Hird
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ORDE Registry
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Small Craft Service List
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Red List (1939–40) — OCR
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Ship Details
These details have been aggregated from multiple sources and may include contemporary records, later recollections, claims or assertions for which no corroborating evidence has been identified. Inclusion does not establish that any account or assertion is accurate. The information may be incomplete, out of date, disputed or incorrect and should be checked against the underlying source records and independent evidence before being relied upon.
- Ship type: Norwegian Cargo Ship
Lloyd’s Yacht Register (1939)
Source: Lloyd’s Register Foundation, Heritage & Education Centre, Lloyd’s Register of Yachts 1939, digitised via Internet Archive. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Images have been converted, resized and watermarked for web display; machine-generated table OCR has been added.
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Document Collections — Tagged Pages
9 pagesImaged document collections containing pages whose OCR text or table data has been tagged with the name Hird. Open a collection to view the page images and transcriptions.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Details
COMFORT Danlayer (Dover M/S Command) Skipper, J.D.Mair, R.N.R. 28th May 1700 Left Dover for La Panne, the tr. Nautilus in company. 29th May 0030ca Near Kwinte Bank buoy, Comfort picked up 16 survivors of the d r. Wakeful, including her captain, Cdr. R.L. Fisher, R.N.oNautilus picked up 6 and proceeded on to Dunkirk. The M/S Gossamer arrived and picked up about 15. The Comfort returned to the wrecked destroyer to take off survivors clinging to the stern. The dr. Grafton and the M/S Lydd were close to the wreck; Comfort went alongside the Grafton to warn her of the danger of torpedoes. 0250ca At that moment the Grafton was torpedoed; the Comfort was lifted into the air and then momentarily swamped. Cdr. Fisher was washed overboard. The Comfort went off at full speed and came round in a wide circle, where upon, mistaking her for an enemy M.T.B., the Lydd and the Grafton opened a heavy fire. 0307 The Lydd then rammed the Comfort amidships, cutting her in half. Some of Comfort's crew attempted to leap aboard the Lydd, and the Lydd mistak- ing them for boarders, opened up with rifle fire. There were 5 survivors from the Comfort, 4 of whom were originally from the Wakeful. 0515 Cdr. Fisher who had been swimming about was picked up by a boat from t Norwegian S.S. Hird which was returning from Dunkirk carrying ab 3,000 troops. Authority - R.O.II, 498. M.017681/40. 199
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Details
HILFRANOR M/B (F. Parham) S/Lt. C. Minchin, R.N. When his M/B Hanora broke down at Dunkirk on 29th larly May (see Viewfinder) S/Lt. Minchin returned to attack Margate in the M/S Lydd on 30th May 3rd June Against orders S/Lt. Minchin tried to go over to Dunkirk in the Hilfranor but she broke down. May In the the This M/B took no effective part in Dynamo. been torpedoed and BUNK by an M.T.B., at about 0230 the motor drifter Comfort had been remmed and annic by the u/s Lydd, and at about 0430, the dr. Grafton Authority - R.O.II, p.391. been Bunk by gunfire by the dr. Ivanhoe after having been torpedoed by an M.T.B. - shouts were heard from the water. The Hird lowered & boat which was manned by volunteers and picked up survivors. 0515ca Among the survivors, the Hird's boat picked up Cdr. H.L. Fisher R.N., Captain of the Wukeful. The Hird proceeded - to which British port 18 not stated - but Cdr. Fisher sent in a report from Chathsm, dated 30th May, of the circumstances attending the Wakeful's loas. Total 3500(2) Authority - H. and A. 8/42. M. 017681/40. The awards were made: Home O.B.E. (civil) Captain A.M. Prodhjem. B.S.M. (civil) A.B. И.И. Ree. stude J. hikkelson. Posthumous Commentation Mr. K. Jonessen, 3rd Officer. Corpenter N.I. Lode. Commendation Mr. X.X. Bloodje, Chief Eng. We To Baba, 2nd Officer. (1) 4950 gross tons. Owned by Jacobsen and Salvenen. Port of - Oglo. Bot mentioned in D.R. (2) Hot mentioned in D.R. information this and RL 1980, in 34
Details
HIRD Norwegian S.S(1) Captain A.M. Fredhjem. During this ship's stay at Dunkirk, particularly from 18th to 28th May she was exposed to attack night and day. 28th May 2400ca The Hird escaped from Dunkirk with 3,500 troops on board. 29th May 0430ca In the vicinity of the Kwinte Whistle buoy where at about 0045, the dr. Wakeful had been torpedoed and sunk by an M.T.B., at about 0230 the motor drifter Comfort had been rammed and sunk by the M/S Lydd, and at about 0430, the dr. Grafton had been sunk by gunfire by the dr. Ivanhoe after having been torpedoed by an M.T.B. - shouts were heard from the water. The Hird lowered a boat which was manned by volunteers and picked up survivors. 0515ca Among the survivors, the Hird's boat picked up Cdr. R.L. Fisher R.N., Captain of the Wakeful. The Hird proceeded - to which British port is not stated - but Cdr. to weal staint cherboarg Fisher sent in a report from Chatham, disembarked CM. tisher dated 30th May, of the circumstances Of Dover. attending the Wakeful's loss. Total 3500(2) Authority - H. and A. 8/42. M. 017681/40. The following awards were made: Hon. O.B.E. (Civil) Captain A.M. Fredhjem. B.E.M. (Civil) A.B. H.H. Ree. Stwd. J. Mikkelsen. Posthumous Commendation Mr. K. Jonassen, 3rd Officer. Carpenter N.I. Lode. Commendation. Mr. K.E. Skodje, Chief Eng. Mr. T. Saba, 2nd Officer. (1) 4950 gross tons. Owned by Jacobsen and Salvesen. Port of origin - Oslo. Not mentioned in D.R. (2) Not mentioned in D.R. "Yop further imprimation about this ressel see consepandence with S.V. hour and RA RL Fisher 1980, in D /NHB/3/9/7 35
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Details
2. WAKEFUL - Continued. - (conta.) (contd.) carried on to Dunkirk. When Comfort had reached the wreck, the stern Comfort her went alongside Grafton and to warn and the M/S Lydd were nearby, fallen over. The dr. Grafton 0250 At that moment, a torpedo hit the of the danger of torpedoes. Grafton in the wardroom and the Comfort was lifted in the air and then momentarily swamped. As the Comfort bobbed to the surface again, Cdr. Fisher was washed overboard. He seized a rope's end, but the Comfort was going full speed ahead and he soon had to let go. The Comfort then came round in a wide circle and suddenly, in the darkness, both the Lydd and the Graf- ton opened a heavy fire on her. When the firing ceased and Cdr. Fisher, who had reached the bow of the Comfort, was endeavouring to find a rope's end, the Lydd bore down at full speed and rammed the Comfort amidships, cutting her in half. Cdr. Fisher was submerged but came to the surface and swam about until 0515ca he was picked up by the Norwegian ship Hird(1), coming from Dunkirk laden with troops. Total 639 Authority - M.017689/40. The following awards were made: D.S.O. Cdr. R.L. Fisher, R.N. Mention in Despatches (posthumous) Warrant Engineer H.J. Tucker, R.N. (1) Not mentioned in D.R. 297
Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 199 792. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Details
232 230 - 3 - Lewis guns and, I think, four inch. I realised that they very naturally thought she was enemy and kept under water as much as possible when the bullets were coming near me. 21. I understand that all the "Comfort's" crew except one and all H.M.S. "Wakeful's" survivors onboard her except four were killed during this affray. of these four, two were later found wounded in the "Comfort's" skiff and picked up. Sub-Lieutenant Percival-Jones is known to have been amongst those killed. 22. The firing ceased and I awam to the "Comfort" which had stopped engines and was drifting towards me slowly. As I reached her bow and was feeling for a rope's end, H.M.S. "Lydd" bore down on her at full speed and rammed her amidships on the opposite side, outting her in half. 23. I was submerged but came to the surface after an interval and swam about till about 0515 when I was picked up by a boat from the Norwegian ship "Hird" carrying 3000 troops from Dunkirk. 24. I very much hope that some expression of Their Lordships' appreciation can be sent to the widow of Mr Tucker, Warrant Engineer, on whose high zeal, efficiency and sense of duty I have previously reported to the Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, and who dealt personally with a burst auxiliary steam pipe at the time of the bomb damage on May 29th. He was unhappily killed with practically the whole of his staff when the ship was torpedoed. Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham. 25. The list of casualties has been reported by the Commodore, I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, VICE ADMIR 1- JUN 1940 Richer re DOVER COMMANDER, ROYAL NAVY. r The Vice Admiral, Dover hi (Copies to:- The Commander-in-Chief, The Nore. The Commodore, R.N. Barracks, Chatham. The Admiral Commanding Western Approaches. an Captain (D) Plymouth.) al O si
Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 234 360. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Details
SOURCES The principal sources on which this account of Operation "Dynamo" is based, are as follows :- M.011883/40 Operation "Dynamo." Report of Proceedings. (Report of Vice-Admiral Ramsay, F.O.C. Dover, referred to in this narra- tive as D.R.) M.020721/40 List of ships which took part in Operation "Dynamo," 26th May to 4th June (From F.O.C. Dover, 26/10/40). M.017681/40 Ships lost during Operation "Dynamo" - Report (From F.O.C. Dover, 5/9/40). M.017978/41 Report of Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker on the evacuation from Dunkirk, 29th May to 4th June, 1940. (Rear-Admiral Dover's Report). C.W.29685/40 Operation "Dynamo." Recommendations for Honours and Awards. (From F.O.C. Dover, July 1940). Case 5458 Operation "Dynamo." Evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, [6 volumes] May to June 1940. (Contains reports of individual ships, Admiralty "Dynamo" Maintenance Officer, S.N.O. Dunkirk, etc.) Re- Record Office ferred to as "R.O.I - VI." Enclosure Contains signals connected with the operation. Box No. 370 Admiralty Record Office Admiralty War Diary. (Signals). M.011431/40 Blocking of Dunkirk Harbour (Operation C.K.) M.010977/40 Demolitions carried out at Dunkirk (Operation X.D.) Case 6256 H.M. Ships lost during the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk. Admiralty Record Office H. & A.8/42 Evacuation from Dunkirk Norwegian S.S. Hird. Recom- mendations for awards. M.016146/40 Dutch coasters. List of commissioned for "Dynamo," etc. M.010932/40 Report of Proceedings of Riflemen landed to cover Demolition Party at Boulogne on 23/5/40. M.010824/40 Evacuation of Boulogne. Report by Major C. F. L. Holford, Royal Marines (with M.010932/40). M.3422/40 Particulars of [Belgian] men and craft from the Dartmouth area who assisted in Dunkirk evacuation. (From C. in C. Western Approaches, 14/7/40). M.011882/40 Operation "Dynamo" Work of Personnel Vessels. (From F.O.C: Dover, 18/6/40). M.014793/40 Reports of Operations off Dutch, Belgian and French Coasts [Evacuation of Boulogne.] xi
Details
WEDNESDAY, 29TH MAY CHAP. VI out because of the men in the water. By the time the Lydd had picked up 10 survivors, the destroyer Grafton, loaded with about 800 troops from Bray beach, also arrived and ordered the Lydd to circle round her. The Gossamer went on to Dover. In the meantime, the Comfort had reached the stern portion of the wreck of the Wakeful, and finding that it had fallen over¹, went alongside the Grafton to warn her of the danger of torpedoes. It was then about 0240, and the Grafton having first sighted a small darkened vessel about 3 cables on the port quarter, signalled it to pick up survivors. Almost at once a torpedo hit the Grafton's port side and exploded; a second explosion followed, thought to be a shell or grenade hit, which wrecked the Grafton's bridge killing her Captain, Cdr. C. E. C. Robinson, R.N., and 3 others. The torpedo blew off. the Grafton's stern, abaft the after magazine bulkhead, and broke her back, but she still floated on an even keel. A German submarine, U.69 had fired the torpedo. The torpedo explosion almost swamped the Comfort; she rose, and Cdr. Fisher was washed overboard. He seized a rope's end, but with the Comfort going full speed ahead soon had to let go. The Comfort came round in a wide circle until within about 50 yards of the stricken Grafton, whereupon the Grafton and Lydd, mistaking her in the darkness for an E-boat, opened a heavy raking fire with 4-inch and Lewis guns.² Comfort cut in half When the firing ceased Cdr. Fisher, who had reached the bow of the Comfort, endeavoured to get abord; but the Lydd, having circled round to finish off the supposed E-boat, bore down at full speed and, ramming the Comfort amid- ships (it was then about 0307), cut her in half. Some of the Comfort's crew attempted to spring aboard the Lydd, but the Lydd, mistaking them for boarders, opened up with rifle fire. Two men were, however, taken off the rammed vessel and it was then discovered that she was the Comfort. Altogether, the number saved from this most tragic occurrence, shrouded in the darkness of the night, were only 5, of which 4 were survivors from the Wakeful. As the Grafton then appeared able to look after herself, the Lydd set course for Ramsgate. When the Comfort went down Cdr. Fisher again sank, but he came to the surface and, after swimming about until 0515, was picked up by a boat lowered from the Norwegian S.S. Hird, which was en route from Dunkirk to England with about 3,500 troops and refugees on board. Grafton sunk In the meantime, at 0400, the personnel ship Malines, which was returning empty from Dunkirk, heard S OS signals; she placed herself alongside the torpedoed Grafton and transferred the destroyer's 800 troops. "The Master handled his ship with extreme skill," reported the acting Captain of the Grafton, Lieut. H. C. J. McRea, R.N. It was now 0430, just before sunrise, and the destroyers Javelin, Icarus, Vanquisher, Intrepid and Ivanhoe, en route from Dover to Dunkirk, sighted the sinking Grafton. The Ivanhoe went to her assistance and embarked the I On the 30th May the corvette Sheldrake was ordered to destroy the Wakeful's asdic apparatus. She found the Wakeful completely capsized with her stern resting on the bottom. As, by then, information was received that the area had been mined, the Shel- drake, to minimise the risk, sank the wreck by gunfire and a pattern of depth charges. 2 Later the Grafton's fire was shifted to another vessel further away on the port quarter, which was observed to blow up with a bright flash. This may well have been the E-boat. 37
Details
APPENDIX B THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK Part V. List of Dutch Ships. TRANSPORTED Demok I (yacht) M.74 (motor boat) (Lt. Cdr. H.G. Boys-Smith, R.N.R. from Kestrel 1st June) 214 (L/Sea. R. W. Legg, Coxswain) Part VI. List of Norwegian Ships. S.S. Hird (Capt. A. M. Fredhjem) 3,500 APPENDIX B NAMED SHIPS AND VESSELS LOST AND DAMAGED DURING OPERATION "DYNAMO " (Dates in brackets) Note: Large numbers of unnamed boats were also lost and damaged. Part I. Ships and vessels lost BY AIR ATTACK DESTROYERS GUNBOAT Basilisk (1/6) A.B./V. Mosquito (1/6) Grenade (29/5) King Orry (30/5) Havant (1/6) Keith (1/6) MINESWEEPERS TRAWLERS Brighton Queen (1/6) DRIFTERS Devonia (31/5) Calvi (29/5) Nautilus (29/5) Boy Roy (27/5) Gracie Fields (30/5) Paxton (27/5) Skipjack (1/6) Polly Johnson (29/5) Waverley (29/5) PERSONNEL VESSELS Clan Macalister (29/5) HOSPITAL CARRIER SEAPLANE TENDER Crested Eagle (sp. S/V) (29/5) Paris (3/6) S.T. 243 (2/6) Fenella (29/5) Lorina (29/5) Normania (29/5) Queen of the Channel (28/5) Scotia (1/6) MOTOR LIGHTERS X.149 (31/5) LANDING CRAFT TUGS X.213 (31/5) A.L.C. 16 (29/5) St. Abbs (1/6) St. Fagan (1/6) BARGES Lady Rosebery (1/6) SMALL CRAFT Doris (1/6) Commodore (31/5) Mirasol (1) Southern Queen (P.L.17) (1) DESTROYERS BY TORPEDOES (E-BOATS) Grafton (29/5) TRAWLERS Wakeful (29/5) Argyllshire (1/6) Stella Dorado (1/6) I Date not known. 158
Details
INDEX Greatwood, Lt., 76. Grenade, 28, 43-4 (damaged), 46, 50n (reported sinking), 55 (sunk). Greyhound, 13 (bombards Calais) ; in Dynamo, 23, 27, 42 (damaged), 47 (remains in action), 54n, 55n. Grey Mist, 13. Grimsby Town, 104, 110. Grive, 38, 93 (sunk), 60, 90-1. Grouse, 72n. Guillemot, 114n, 117. Gula, 71n. Gulzar, 17, 60n, 114n, 118. H.A.C., 71s. Haig, 72n, 90. Halcyon, 20, 28n, 45, 47n, 54n, 82, 86 (attacked), 91, 107n, 109, 114n, 117. Hallett, Vice-Admiral T. J., (act. Cdre.), 49 (takes charge off Bray), 58, 79; leaves, 80 ; effect of his arrival, 126. Hancock, Capt. C. A., 29. Handy Billie, 81. Hanora, abandoned, 53 : sunk, 55. Harris, Cdr. W. V. H., 13. Harvester, 28n, 35-6, 47, 54n, 55n. Harwich, F.O.I.C., 70; assistance to ships at, 94. Havant, 46, 55n, 91 (sunk), 93. Hawkinge, 5, 7. Hebe, 44, 47n, 49, 50 (flag of R.A. Dover), 54n, 58 (hoists flag), 66, 67, 70, 76 (Whaler), 76n, 83 (slightly damaged), 84 (shoots down Heinkel). Hebe II, 20, 24, 27, 28n. Hemans, Lt. M. A., 81. Henderson, Comdr. H. P., 22. Hilda, 20, 29n, 32, 72n, 78, 90. Hird, 37. Hirschfield, A. B., C.A.L., 93. Holford, Maj. C.F. L., R.M., 8. Holkham, Capt. A., 38. Holland, 111-2. Holland, invaded, 1; surrenders, 2. Holland-Martin, Lt. Cdr. D. E., 21. Holmes, Maj.-Gen. W. G., 82. Hondsrug, 20n, 24, 102, 114n, 116-7. Hospital carriers, attacked, 16, 17, 43, 45, 104; space too valuable for them, 87. Hound, 72n. Howson, Capt. J. M.: S.N.O. Beaches, 49, 59; stops waste of boats, 60; returns to Dover, 74; orders beach parties to embark, 79, 80; effect of his arrival, 126. Hutchins, Lt. Col. R. L., 69-70. Hythe, 32, 72n. Icarus, 37-8 (damaged), 54 (makes two trips in 24 hours), 55n, 69, 83 (in collision), 87, 97 101 (in collision). Impulsive, 20, 23, 27, 55n, 64n, 70, 83 (damages propeller). Indépendence, 73n. Ingénieur Cachin, 73. Intrepid, 37, 38, 43 (damaged), 54n, 55n, 61n. Inverforth, 34. Ironside, General Sir Edmund (CIGS), 5. Isle of Guernsey, 17, 45 (damaged). Isle of Thanet, 19, 22n, 24, 28, 34 (sunk). Ivanhoe, 37n-8, 54n, 55n, 77n, 83 (bombed), 86, 90-1 (damaged), 93. Jackal, hunts submarine, 69. Jacketa, 32n, 51n. Jaguar, 28, 39, 41 (damaged), 42, 61n (in need of repair). Java, 32, 42, 47. Javelin, 28, 37-8, 54n, 55n, 61n, 105 (forbidden to sail). Jeannie MacIntosh, 71n. Jeune France, 62n, 73n. 200
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