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[spooks1959]

HMS Alligator (W 51) 395 BRT  Tug Built by Richard Dunston Ltd. (Hessle, U.K.)   Launched 16 Oct 1940 , Commissioned 06 Feb 1941.  Lost   Feb 1945.   

I am looking into the Admiralty tug ALLIGATOR and there is some confusion over her status (and that of other auxiliaries). She (nor her sister ship CROCODILE) is nor listed in 'Ships of the Royal Navy' Colledge, &  Warlow but was an active vessel in the RN during WW2 - is this omission because she was not an HMS? I see the description HM Tug often used is this her correct title? The ocean rescue tug LARIAT however is listed in the book so not all tugs are omitted.

Also, was there a post WW2 tug named ALLIGATOR, I have a photo which claims to be from the 1950s hence the query.

Thanks

[PhiloNauticus]

Alligator (& Crocodile) are listed in Colledge - or at least they certainly are in the Volume 2 that I have...

According to the same volume, the post WW2 tug that carried the name was the Charon (built 1941), that was renamed in 1947.

What I would like to know about the Alligator, was the circumstances, indeed date, of her loss.  Colledge states "lost 2.45 in the East Indies", whilst the official Statement of Losses gives "March 1945 - cause and place unknown"

[spooks1959]

Many thanks for the replay and the info.

I have the 2010 edition which is a single volume in which Ben Warlow  combines the original 2 volume Colledge work and expands upon them. There are 4 entries for ALLIGATOR & CROCODILE but none in the 20th century (there should have been at least two - one for each ship in WW1 & 2). Odd!

I am looking at ALLIGATOR as part of an overview of an officers career in the RNVR, he was CO Jan - Apr 1944  http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/People_Lovelock.htm - work in progress

[Bruce Stephens]

Hi I am new to this site, however, both ALLIGATOR & CROCODILE are listed in a book written by Bill Hannan, ex Shipping Master Devonpot, entitled Fifty Years of Naval Tugs -  ISBN 0-907771-25-4. It adds nothing to the date of ALLIGATOR's loss other than being based in Ceylon under C in C East Indies. It states, however, that CROCODILE was wrecked on the SW Coast of India on 03.05.46 and was salvaged and sold out of service in January 1947. They were 116' 9" Long x 26' 6" Beam x 13' draught at 395 tons Displacement. Coal fired, Steam Triple Expansion 1000IHP, Twin Screw, Speed 12kts  Hope this is of some help.

BMS

[spooks1959]

Hi Bruce, and welcome aboard!

Thanks for the extra information.

I will look out for the book, does he have anything to say about tugs on D-Day towing Mulberry Harbour sections? I have recently come across mention of them, and their depot ship HMS Aorangi.

[Bruce Stephens]

Sadly, no. The records he researched were provided by the Directorate of Marine Services (Naval) and were only available from 1946, onwards.  However, the book does list and discuss the prolific classes of EMPIRE, TIDs, and TANAC  small & medium naval base tugs and the much larger BUSTLER, ASSURANCE, BRIGAND and NIMBLE classes of naval base & ocean rescue tugs. Many of these would have been in support of the D-Day operations, indeed, I have seen film of two of the BRIGANDS towing & laying the fuel pipeline across the channel during that time.

BMS

[PhiloNauticus]

For details of the Mulberry tugs and towing, then see the excellent Thames Tugs website, which has a lot of detail, including copies of the original logs

http://thamestugs.co.uk/MULBERRY-HARBOUR--and--COTUG.php

http://thamestugs.co.uk/MULBERRY-TUG-LOGS.php

[dbeard105]

Hi,

Probably not much value at this late stage, but in researching HMS Bandit (one of the Brigand class), I came across a rathe good photo of HMS Alligator in the IWM. See http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205140213

Kind regards

[spooks1959]

Many thanks dbeard105

I have added this image to the web page which started my search for ALLIGATOR, the bio of Lieutenant Pearce Trewhella  Lovelock DSC, RNVR who commanded her Jan - may 1944.
See http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/People_Lovelock.htm

Also looking into the following tugs that served with the BPF and EIF 44-46

ASSIDUOUS
EMINENT 
DESTINY
EMPIRE JOSEPHINE
EMPIRE SAM
INTEGRITY
LARIAT
WEASEL

If anyone can help with histories for these i would be most grateful.

Cheers
Tony