T.C.C. HOPPER No.1

[northeast]

04/08/1944 T.C.C. HOPPER NO.1, 604grt, hopper, mined and sank at Cherbourg, 1 lost (American gunner). She had been requisitioned from the Tees Conservancy Commissioners.

79 years ago from today.

[Hornbeam]

Good Heavens, I wonder if she was on Barrier Duties which seemed to be the Wartime role of Self Propelled Hoppers, bit of a culture shock for the Americans serving on a that type of vessel I would have thought.
Looks like a Sister ship of No2, Theo was her Chief quite a character, doing the Relief on No2 could end up with a long handover session as Theo was quite pedantic about what work had been done. When I was on her she still had a Whale Oil Tank down the Engineroom.
During WW2 Theo was Chief on the Cargo Fleet Hopper when she hit a Mine whilst he was tying his shoe lace, the Butts came up and smacked him in the face.

[northeast]

She was indeed an exact sister of No.2.
09/12/1942 requisitioned by Min. of War Transport.
Cherbourg had been heavily wrecked by the Germans in the battle to take it after the Normandy landings.
Casualty recorded here
https://www.wrecksite.eu/peopleView.asp ... P/FQNVsw==

[Hornbeam]

Thanks NE for the further info, Blair Triple Expansions were built like the proverbial brick out house, the only odd thing was that both Boiler and Engine Main Stops were left handed due to having a heat bridge, took a bit of getting used to when you were getting a flurry of engine orders from the Bridge.