51:
1390:
1373:
1385:
1365:
333:
as part of an order of eight Motor Gun Boats placed by the
Turkish Navy. 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.
352:
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
404:
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. This meant that the
349:. 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.
447:
eventually made three trips, despite damaging her port engine crankshaft on 17 March 1944. The operation was considered a success, but the trips were brought to an end with the return of the shorter nights in 1944. The voyages were resumed in
September 1944 under the name of
317:
countries. She was one of the more successful of her group, but was lost in a collision while returning from one of these operations. Reports indicate that she may have been salvaged after this and gone on to sail for a considerable number of years as a civilian vessel.
511:
were taken off and she subsequently sank. 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
474:
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,
428:
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.
433:
was the only vessel to make a successful round trip, returning to
Britain on 30 October carrying 40 tons of cargo. Further attempts were made, many of them successfully, despite the loss of
1419:
405:
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.
777:
1439:
520:, although the vessel remained in Denmark as late as 1973. The vessel subsequently sank at wharf in Copenhagen, and was broken up for salvage in the 1990s.
770:
706:
1414:
938:
792:
37:
1384:
1380:
1324:
1119:
1444:
866:
763:
725:
614:
1393:
1389:
294:
1424:
1131:
872:
1434:
378:
398:
50:
1376:
1372:
1368:
1364:
1360:
441:
being rendered inoperable by continuing engine problems that limited her to making only one successful round trip.
1042:
991:
943:
930:
914:
802:
1198:
1192:
1186:
1146:
1048:
1347:
1226:
1221:
1171:
1165:
1061:
1032:
1008:
1003:
964:
830:
813:
697:
1253:
1247:
1215:
1159:
1153:
1136:
1109:
997:
974:
954:
921:
899:
889:
883:
394:
222:
216:
449:
330:
246:
228:
77:
1305:
1294:
1283:
1180:
755:
499:
were deployed on one
Moonshine run in early 1945. While making the return voyage on 5 February 1945,
456:. Many of these attempts had to be canceled due to poor weather, or recurring difficulties with the
1429:
822:
253:
417:, were first deployed in September 1943. The plan was that having arrived at the Swedish port of
983:
856:
389:. The operation was organised and led by a civilian steel expert and former Arctic explorer, Sir
382:
310:
1273:
908:
847:
721:
702:
453:
1334:
1237:
1208:
1084:
1025:
664:
529:
457:
298:
153:
345:. To do this, the vessels would have to reach Sweden by evading the German blockade of the
305:
506, the vessel was instead completed as a blockade runner for the
Merchant Navy and named
1101:
270:
1124:
1014:
692:
625:
386:
278:
55:
1408:
390:
274:
108:
698:
Ships of the Royal Navy: The
Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy
675:
1312:
1091:
338:
286:
235:
17:
1053:
513:
314:
179:
172:
736:
573:
337:
The objective of
Operation Bridford was to bring back to Britain quantities of
1339:
374:
290:
346:
36:
1073:
1066:
418:
422:
452:, and involved carrying supplies and munitions to elements of the
302:
192:
2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h)
401:
to give him the required legal status in case he were captured.
759:
92:
May have been re-floated and used as civilian vessel until 1973
381:. Third, their crews consisted of civilian sailors drawn from
342:
421:
they would load their cargoes, before sailing back to the
353:
measures. First, it gave the boats names: 504 became
1264:
791:
786:Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1945
285:was one of eight vessels that were ordered by the
718:Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946
425:. Each leg of the journey would take two days.
479:apparently continued to sail under that name.
1420:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
771:
701:(Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.
8:
622:The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust Newsletter
27:Blockade runner of the British Merchant Navy
778:
764:
756:
600:Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships
567:
565:
541:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
545:
89:Sunk in a collision on 5 February 1945
31:
277:. Originally under construction as a
48:
7:
741:Davey, Paxman & Co of Colchester
578:Davey, Paxman & Co of Colchester
1440:Maritime incidents in February 1945
676:landskronaoverfarten.se: Gay Viking
437:to the Germans on 2 November, and
313:on two separate operations to the
134:20 ft 3 in (6.17 m)
25:
142:4 ft 1 in (1.24 m)
1388:
1383:
1371:
1363:
373:. Second, they sailed under the
289:, but were requisitioned by the
49:
35:
665:ShipSpotting.com: Bahama Viking
159:3 × 800 hp = 2400 hp
1:
716:Robert Gardiner, ed. (1980).
399:Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
385:trawlermen and officers from
613:Reynolds, Brian (May 2010).
507:collided. The seamen of the
393:, who was given the rank of
301:. Originally intended to be
1461:
1415:Gunboats of the Royal Navy
413:The five boats, including
1358:
720:. Conway Maritime Press.
341:manufactured by Sweden's
182:(46 km/h) (cruising)
98:
43:
34:
1445:Ships sunk in collisions
624:(6): 7–9. Archived from
118:95 long tons (97 t)
695:; Warlow, Ben (2006) .
652:Ships of the Royal Navy
598:Robert Gardiner (ed.).
126:117 ft (36 m)
99:General characteristics
1425:Ships built in England
737:"The Blockade Runners"
735:Carr, Richard (2008).
615:"The Ball Bearing Run"
574:"The Blockade Runners"
572:Carr, Richard (2008).
487:Three of the vessels,
309:. She operated out of
247:20 mm Oerlikon cannons
229:20 mm Oerlikon cannons
78:Camper & Nicholson
1435:Royal Navy ship names
256:(1 quadruple, 2 twin)
175:(52 km/h) (max.)
331:Camper and Nicholson
223:2 pounder autocannon
1138:Point Pleasant Park
450:Operation Moonshine
254:.303 in Vickers MGs
241:after modification:
217:6 pounder Hotchkiss
631:on 2 December 2013
18:Operation Bridford
1400:
1399:
1308:Charles F. Amidon
708:978-1-86176-281-8
516:, under the name
454:Danish resistance
262:
261:
16:(Redirected from
1452:
1392:
1387:
1375:
1367:
1351:
1328:
1318:
1300:
1289:
1278:
1257:
1241:
1231:
1203:
1175:
1141:
1113:
1096:
1079:
1036:
1027:Sperrbrecher 139
1020:
978:
968:
958:
948:
925:
903:
893:
877:
861:
851:
834:
817:
807:
780:
773:
766:
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751:
749:
747:
731:
712:
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638:
636:
630:
619:
610:
604:
603:
595:
589:
588:
586:
584:
569:
530:Operation Rubble
460:diesel engines.
435:Master Standfast
371:Master Standfast
299:Second World War
58:
53:
39:
32:
21:
1460:
1459:
1455:
1454:
1453:
1451:
1450:
1449:
1405:
1404:
1401:
1396:
1379:
1354:
1331:
1325:Conte di Cavour
1321:
1303:
1292:
1281:
1271:
1265:Other incidents
1260:
1244:
1234:
1206:
1178:
1144:
1120:Conte di Cavour
1116:
1099:
1082:
1039:
1023:
981:
971:
961:
951:
928:
906:
896:
880:
864:
858:Peter Silvester
854:
837:
820:
810:
800:
787:
784:
754:
745:
743:
734:
728:
715:
709:
693:Colledge, J. J.
691:
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682:
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663:
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592:
582:
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571:
570:
543:
538:
526:
495:(No. 2005) and
485:
411:
379:merchant marine
369:and 508 became
324:
273:of the British
271:blockade runner
54:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1458:
1456:
1448:
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1422:
1417:
1407:
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1359:
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1335:Empire Duchess
1329:
1319:
1301:
1290:
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1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1245:Unknown date:
1242:
1232:
1204:
1176:
1142:
1132:La Combattante
1114:
1097:
1080:
1037:
1021:
979:
969:
959:
949:
933:Denbigh Castle
926:
904:
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862:
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835:
818:
808:
797:
795:
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788:
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775:
768:
760:
753:
752:
732:
726:
713:
707:
688:
686:
683:
680:
679:
668:
657:
654:. p. 139.
642:
605:
590:
540:
539:
537:
534:
533:
532:
525:
522:
484:
481:
410:
407:
387:Ellerman Lines
323:
320:
295:Coastal Forces
293:to serve with
279:Motor Gun Boat
260:
259:
258:
257:
250:
243:
238:
232:
225:
219:
213:
206:
202:
201:
198:
194:
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186:
185:
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183:
176:
167:
163:
162:
161:
160:
157:
156:VEE RB engines
148:
144:
143:
140:
136:
135:
132:
128:
127:
124:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
105:
104:Class and type
101:
100:
96:
95:
94:
93:
90:
85:
81:
80:
75:
71:
70:
64:
60:
59:
56:United Kingdom
46:
45:
41:
40:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1457:
1446:
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1428:
1426:
1423:
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1395:
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1038:
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966:
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947:
946:
941:
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935:
934:
927:
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923:
918:
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911:
905:
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901:
895:
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891:
886:
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879:
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869:
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859:
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850:
849:
844:
843:
836:
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832:
827:
826:
819:
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815:
809:
806:
805:
799:
798:
796:
794:
790:
781:
776:
774:
769:
767:
762:
761:
758:
742:
738:
733:
729:
727:0-85177-146-7
723:
719:
714:
710:
704:
700:
699:
694:
690:
689:
684:
677:
672:
669:
666:
661:
658:
653:
646:
643:
627:
623:
616:
609:
606:
602:. p. 70.
601:
594:
591:
579:
575:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
542:
535:
531:
528:
527:
523:
521:
519:
518:Bahama Viking
515:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
482:
480:
478:
473:
469:
465:
461:
459:
455:
451:
446:
442:
440:
436:
432:
426:
424:
420:
416:
408:
406:
402:
400:
396:
392:
391:George Binney
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
365:, 507 became
364:
361:, 506 became
360:
357:, 505 became
356:
350:
348:
344:
340:
339:ball bearings
335:
332:
329:was built by
328:
321:
319:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
275:Merchant Navy
272:
268:
267:
255:
251:
248:
244:
242:
239:
237:
236:depth charges
233:
230:
226:
224:
220:
218:
214:
212:
209:
208:
207:
204:
203:
199:
196:
195:
191:
188:
187:
181:
177:
174:
170:
169:
168:
165:
164:
158:
155:
151:
150:
149:
146:
145:
141:
138:
137:
133:
130:
129:
125:
122:
121:
117:
114:
113:
110:
109:Motor gunboat
106:
103:
102:
97:
91:
88:
87:
86:
83:
82:
79:
76:
73:
72:
69:
65:
62:
61:
57:
52:
47:
42:
38:
33:
30:
19:
1402:
1381:January 1945
1346:
1341:
1333:
1323:
1314:
1307:
1296:
1285:
1274:
1252:
1246:
1236:
1227:
1220:
1214:
1209:
1199:
1193:
1187:
1181:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1152:
1147:
1137:
1130:
1125:
1118:
1108:
1103:
1092:
1087:Bismarck Sea
1086:
1075:
1068:
1060:
1055:
1047:
1041:
1031:
1026:
1016:
1009:
1002:
996:
990:
985:
973:
963:
953:
944:
937:
932:
920:
915:
909:
898:
888:
882:
873:
867:
857:
846:
841:
839:
829:
824:
812:
803:
744:. Retrieved
740:
717:
696:
671:
660:
651:
645:
633:. Retrieved
626:the original
621:
608:
599:
593:
581:. Retrieved
577:
517:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
491:(No. 2004),
488:
486:
476:
471:
467:
463:
462:
444:
443:
438:
434:
430:
427:
414:
412:
403:
370:
366:
362:
358:
354:
351:
336:
326:
325:
322:Construction
315:Scandinavian
306:
287:Turkish Navy
282:
265:
264:
263:
240:
211:as intended:
210:
115:Displacement
67:
29:
1275:Kommandøren
1126:Henry Bacon
514:The Bahamas
472:Gay Corsair
367:Gay Corsair
297:during the
1430:1943 ships
1409:Categories
1394:March 1945
1297:Pathfinder
1182:Arsterturm
1104:Trentonian
1102:HMCS
842:Gay Viking
793:Shipwrecks
685:References
650:Colledge.
509:Gay Viking
501:Gay Viking
497:Gay Viking
477:Gay Viking
445:Gay Viking
431:Gay Viking
415:Gay Viking
409:Operations
375:red ensign
363:Gay Viking
327:Gay Viking
307:Gay Viking
291:Royal Navy
283:Gay Viking
266:Gay Viking
197:Complement
147:Propulsion
68:Gay Viking
1340:USS
1313:USS
1295:HMS
1284:USS
1093:Dettifoss
1085:USS
1074:USS
1067:USS
1054:HMS
984:HMS
931:HMS
823:USS
635:1 January
395:Commander
347:Skagerrak
1332:18 Feb:
1322:17 Feb:
1315:Crevalle
1306:SS
1304:15 Feb:
1293:11 Feb:
1282:10 Feb:
1235:28 Feb:
1207:27 Feb:
1179:26 Feb:
1145:24 Feb:
1117:23 Feb:
1100:22 Feb:
1083:21 Feb:
1040:20 Feb:
1024:18 Feb:
986:Bluebell
982:17 Feb:
972:16 Feb:
962:15 Feb:
952:14 Feb:
929:13 Feb:
907:11 Feb:
897:10 Feb:
840:MV
746:22 April
583:22 April
524:See also
505:Hopewell
489:Hopewell
464:Hopewell
355:Hopewell
249:(2 twin)
231:(2 twin)
205:Armament
107:MGB 502
1286:Batfish
1272:9 Feb:
1238:Lautaro
1056:Vervain
910:Persier
900:Steuben
881:9 Feb:
865:7 Feb:
855:6 Feb:
848:Karatsu
838:5 Feb:
821:4 Feb:
811:3 Feb:
801:1 Feb:
493:Nonsuch
468:Nonsuch
439:Nonsuch
419:Lysekil
397:in the
377:of the
359:Nonsuch
139:Draught
74:Builder
44:History
1348:U-2336
1342:Gamble
1228:U-1279
1222:U-1018
1210:Corvus
1172:U-3007
1166:U-1208
1062:U-1276
1043:Nokaze
1033:U-2344
1010:U-1278
1004:U-1273
992:Impero
965:U-1053
945:Ro-113
916:Ro-112
831:U-1014
825:Barbel
814:U-1279
804:Ro-115
724:
705:
458:Paxman
423:Humber
269:was a
154:Paxman
123:Length
1254:U-683
1248:U-676
1216:U-327
1200:Ro-43
1194:I-370
1188:I-368
1160:U-927
1154:U-713
1148:I-371
1110:U-300
1049:TA 48
998:U-425
975:U-309
955:U-989
939:Ha-76
922:U-869
890:U-923
884:U-864
874:Ro-55
868:CD-53
629:(PDF)
618:(PDF)
536:Notes
303:HMMGB
189:Range
180:knots
173:knots
166:Speed
1377:1946
1369:1945
1361:1944
1076:S-38
1069:S-37
1017:Lark
1015:HMS
748:2009
722:ISBN
703:ISBN
637:2022
585:2009
503:and
483:Loss
470:and
383:Hull
311:Hull
252:8 ×
245:4 ×
234:2 ×
227:4 ×
221:1 ×
215:1 ×
152:3 ×
131:Beam
84:Fate
63:Name
343:SKF
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