SASSomerset
 HMSBarcross
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSBarcross |
| Owner | Royal Navy |
| Builder | Blyth Harbour and Dock Company,Blyth, Northumberland, England |
| Laid down | 15 April 1941 |
| Launched | 21 October 1941 |
| Decommissioned | 1947 |
| Out of service | Transferred to South African Naval Forces, 21 January 1943 |
| Renamed | HMSASSomersetin 1943 |
| Identification | Pennant number:Z185 |
  South Africa | |
| Name | HMSASSomerset |
| Namesake | Dick King's horse[Note 1] |
| Builder | Blyth Shipyard |
| Commissioned | 21 January 1943 |
| Renamed | SASSomerset,1951 |
| Homeport | Simon's Town |
| Identification | Pennant number:P285[1] |
| Badge |  |
  South Africa | |
| Name | SASSomerset |
| Owner | South African Navy |
| Decommissioned | 31 March 1986 |
| Homeport | Simon's Town |
| Identification | Pennant number:P285[1] |
| Fate | Scrapped in April 2024 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Bar-classboom defence vessel |
| Displacement | 750 tons standard, 960 tons maximum |
| Length | 45.72 m (150.0 ft) |
| Beam | 9.76 m (32.0 ft) |
| Draught | 3.37 m (11.1 ft) |
| Propulsion | One vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine |
| Speed | 11.75kn(21.76 km/h) |
| Range | 3000 mi |
| Complement | 32 |
| Armament | 1 ×12-pounder 12cwt gun |
SASSomersetwas aBar-class boom defence vesselof theSouth African Navy,formerly preserved as a museum ship in Cape Town. It was scrapped in April 2024. FormerlyHMSBarcross,it operated inSaldanha Bay,was transferred to South Africa Naval Forces during World War II, and was purchased by South Africa in 1947.
History
[edit]Somersetwas originally built inBlyth,Northumberland,United Kingdom,byBlyth Shipbuilding Company[2]andcommissionedasHMSBarcrossin 1941.[3]HMSBarcrossand hersister shipHMSBarbrakearrived at theCape StationatSimon's Town,South Africa,in 1942. HMS Barcross was transferred toSaldanha Bayfor boom defence operations thereafter. In 1943, she was re-designated as HMSASBarcrosswhen she was transferred to theSouth African Naval Forcesfor the remainder ofWorld War II.
In 1946, theGovernment of South AfricapurchasedBarcrossand used it for the dumping of ammunition offCape TownandPort Elizabeth.On completion of these services, she was transferred toSalisbury IslandinDurbanand subsequently waslaid upat Salisbury Island. In 1951, her name was changed toSomerset.In 1953, while stilldecommissionedSomersetwas used in the raising of the sunkenminelayerSkilpad(ex-Spindrift)at Salisbury Island.
In 1955,Somersetwas recommissioned. During this period, she was tasked withsalvagingthe remains of twoHarvardtrainer aircraftfollowing a midair collision overTable Bay.Six weeks later, she recovered a third Harvard which had crashed into the sea offBok Point.During a refit in 1959,Somersethad hercoal-firedboilersconverted to firing byfurnace oil.She was responsible for the laying of anoil pipelineat the port ofMossel Bayto serve theoil terminalthere.
In 1961,Somersetsalvaged theSouth African RailwaystugSchermbrucker,which had sunk in the harbour atEast London.In 1967, she was fitted with new boilers and a reconditioned main engine. In 1968, her services were called on again to assist thecable ship,John W. Mackay,in raising and repairing the newly inauguratedoverseas telephone cablein the shallow waters ofMelk Boss trand.In 1969, Somerset raised the oldwhale catcher,Wagter 11,in Saldanha Bay and subsequentlytowedher back to Simon's Town. During the same year, she salvaged afloating cranewhich hadcapsizedand sunk at Port Elizabeth. In the early hours of 24 July 1974, Somerset was dispatched toCape Agulhasto assist with the salvage of theOriental Pioneer,but poor weather conditions and bad luck rendered this effort unsuccessful. In 1981,Somersetraised thefishing trawlerAldebaran,which had lain on the harbour bottom at Port Elizabeth for over two-and-a-half years.Somersetalso acted as a standby vessel duringsubmarineshallow-water diving operations. In 1983, she assisted in salvaging abargeand two whale catchers at Saldanha Bay.
In March 1986,Somersetwas finally paid off. In 1988, the old boom defence vessel was donated for use as amuseum ship,moored at the waterfront at Cape Town. Her original Royal Navy badge can be seen displayed on the side of theSelbornedrydock.[4]
Somersetwas moored on theVictoria & Alfred Waterfrontin Cape Town from 2 September 1988 as museum ship[5]until its scrapping in April 2024.[6]At the time of its scrapping it was the only boom defence vessel remaining in the world,[7]as well as the only remaining South African warship that served in World War II.
Gallery
[edit]-
SASSomerseton theVictoria & Alfred Waterfront,September 2010 (stern view) -
SAS Somerset (bow view) in 2019 -
View of SAS Somerset's bridge and crane in 2019 -
SAS Somerset's winching gear situated amidships, 2019 -
SAS Somerset's funnel and top deck in 2019 -
SAS Somerset from astern in 2019
Notes
[edit]- ^The ship was named after famous horse that carried Dick King from Durban to Grahamstown in 1842. The connection is perpetuated in the seahorse on the ship’s crest.
References
[edit]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Photos of the exterior and interior of SASSomersetat sa-transport.co.za |
- ^abPennant Numbers in the SA NavyArchived18 July 2011 at theWayback Machine
- ^"SAS Somerset".National Historic Ships.Retrieved24 September2010.
- ^Du Toit, Allan (1992).South Africa's Fighting Ships: Past and Present.Ashanti. pp. 139–144.ISBN1-874800-50-2.
- ^"HMS Barcross (Z 185) of the Royal Navy - British Boom defence vessel of the Bar class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net".
- ^Du Toit, Allan (1992).South Africa's Fighting Ships: Past and Present.Ashanti. p. 144.ISBN1-874800-50-2.
- ^"South African WW2 naval legend to be scrapped at V&A Waterfront after falling into disrepair".News24.14 April 2024.Retrieved4 June2024.
- ^"SAS Somerset".Transport in South Africa.Retrieved24 September2010.