HDML 1054
Burn, Wroxham, Norfolk 6/11/41
Known Crew
- TLt G G Pinder RNVR TLt 5/6/43 Commanding Officer HDML 1054 10/43
- Skipper R J Quinton RNR Skipper 1/9/39 109th ML Flotilla Based at Scapa Flow Commanding Officer HDML 1054 23/9/42 AChSkipper Commanding Officer HDML 1091 12/43 ChSkipper 6/1/44 150th ML Flotilla Operation Neptune – Invasion of Normandy Operation Big Drum
- ChEng Thomas Mckinnel HDML 1054 based at Granton. Crew transferred to HDML 1091 6-7/43
- AB John Tyler HMS Royal Arthur (Skegness), HMS Europa (Lowestoft) for cookery course. HDML 1054 based at Granton. Crew transferred to HDML 1091 6-7/43
Wartime Activities
- 1/1/42 109th ML Flotilla
Based at Scapa Flow
ML 1047, ML 1054, ML 1055, ML 1056, ML 1060, ML 1075, ML 1081 and ML 1085. - 1/42 ML 1054 is at Great Yarmouth
- 6/43 Based at HMS Claverhouse, Leith and Granton
- 11/10/43 Stranded near Heugh Light, Tees and declared Constructive Total Loss
Serving on HDML’s in WWII – From Able Seaman Cook John Tyler
“I received my call up papers for the Royal Navy on December 24th 1942 at the age of 21 and was instructed to report to Royal Arthur Skegness on December 30th. Not being too best pleased at this I began a few days of visiting pubs, especially over the Christmas period. I eventually arrived on the said date and set about my induction and basic training for about a 4-week period after which I was moved to the Royal Navy School of Cooking at HMS Europa in Lowestoft. I took the 5-6 weeks cookery course qualifying as an assistant cook.
I was then billeted out with a local family for another 2 weeks before being posted to Granton Dock in Edinburgh where I joined ML1054. The skipper was Sub/Lt. Quinton RNVR who was a trawler skipper and wanted to return to this life as soon as he could.
The Chief engineer was C.P.O. Tommy Mckinnel and seamen Stokes and John Miller were also crewmembers. My sea experience on ML’s began there with regular patrols of 2 boats patrolling from the Forth Bridge to Bass Rock. We would patrol for 2 days and nights and as we came back in to Granton, 2 more of our flotilla’s boats would go out. When out we would sometimes anchor in the lee of Bass Rock overnight to rest and listen. We were patrolling for enemy submarines and E-boats.
ML1054 had Glenifer engines, which proved to be at best unreliable and sometimes unworkable. We would have done better with paddles. Around June or July the entire crew and skipper transferred to ML 1091, which was fitted with Gardener engines and had no crew. ML1054 remained un-crewed at the dockside.”
