MV Gay Viking
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | MV Gay Viking |
Builder | Camper & Nicholson |
Fate |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type | MGB 502 Motor gunboat |
Displacement | 95 long tons (97 t) |
Length | 117 ft (36 m) |
Beam | 20 ft 3 in (6.17 m) |
Draught | 4 ft 1 in (1.24 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | |
Range | 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h) |
Complement | 21 |
Armament |
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Gay Viking was a
Construction
Gay Viking was built by Camper and Nicholson as part of an order of eight Motor Gun Boats placed by the Turkish Navy.[1] The outbreak of the Second World War led to the Royal Navy taking over the eight vessels giving them numbers (502–509). The Navy then completed 504, 505, 506, 507 and 508 as merchant vessels to take part in Operation Bridford.[2]
The objective of Operation Bridford was to bring back to Britain quantities of ball bearings manufactured by Sweden's SKF. To do this, the vessels would have to reach Sweden by evading the German blockade of the Skagerrak. Once there, the vessels would load the ball bearings and return to Britain. British engineering plants needed the ball bearings, and other specialist equipment manufactured in Sweden and while some supplies were being flown in, the volumes were not sufficient to meet the demand.[1]
The Navy modified five of the boats from Camper and Nicholson to accommodate cargo: most of the armament were removed, and the bridge moved aft, to make way for an internal cargo bay amidships. The need to conform to Sweden's neutrality meant that the Navy also had to implement a number of other measures. First, it gave the boats names: 504 became Hopewell, 505 became Nonsuch, 506 became Gay Viking, 507 became Gay Corsair and 508 became Master Standfast. Second, they sailed under the
Their mission required the vessels to pass between German-occupied territories in waters habitually patrolled by German aircraft and surface vessels. To minimise the risk of detection, the Navy timed the voyages to pass areas of greatest danger during the hours of darkness.[1] This meant that the vessels could only make their journeys during the winter months when the duration of darkness was sufficient to give the ships the time they needed to traverse the patrolled areas.[1]
Operations
The five boats, including Gay Viking, were first deployed in September 1943. The plan was that having arrived at the Swedish port of Lysekil they would load their cargoes, before sailing back to the Humber. Each leg of the journey would take two days.[1]
The first attempt was planned for 23 September, but had to be postponed after problems developed with the boats' engines. It instead took place on 26 October, but was plagued with mechanical problems and bad weather. Gay Viking was the only vessel to make a successful round trip, returning to Britain on 30 October carrying 40 tons of cargo.[1] Further attempts were made, many of them successfully, despite the loss of Master Standfast to the Germans on 2 November, and Nonsuch being rendered inoperable by continuing engine problems that limited her to making only one successful round trip.[1]
Gay Viking eventually made three trips, despite damaging her port engine crankshaft on 17 March 1944.
Hopewell, Nonsuch and Gay Corsair all dropped their civilian names and returned to their official designation in 1944. By 1945 the Navy had advanced their numbers to the new numbering scheme and they became No. 2004, 2005 and 2007 respectively. For some reason, Gay Viking apparently continued to sail under that name.
Loss
Three of the vessels, Hopewell (No. 2004), Nonsuch (No. 2005) and Gay Viking were deployed on one Moonshine run in early 1945. While making the return voyage on 5 February 1945, Gay Viking and Hopewell collided. The seamen of the Gay Viking were taken off and she subsequently sank.[1][4] However she appears to have subsequently been re-floated and returned to service as a civilian vessel. She was sailed under a variety of names and eventually purchased for conversion as a pleasure craft for operation in The Bahamas, under the name Bahama Viking, although the vessel remained in Denmark as late as 1973.[5] The vessel subsequently sank at wharf in Copenhagen, and was broken up for salvage in the 1990s.[6]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Carr, Richard (2008). "The Blockade Runners". Davey, Paxman & Co of Colchester. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ^ Robert Gardiner (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships. p. 70.
- ^ Reynolds, Brian (May 2010). "The Ball Bearing Run" (PDF). The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust Newsletter (6): 7–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. p. 139.
- ^ ShipSpotting.com: Bahama Viking
- ^ landskronaoverfarten.se: Gay Viking
References
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Robert Gardiner, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Carr, Richard (2008). "The Blockade Runners". Davey, Paxman & Co of Colchester. Retrieved 22 April 2009.