Dapper involved in the attempts to salvage HMS Glatton in 1926

Photo supplied by Paul Wells with grateful thanks

Previous name:                        Chapman
Subsequent name:    

Official Number:                        149161                                                                       

Class:                                         Salvage Vessel

Pennant No:                               X30  /  X19

Laid down:
Builder:                                       New York Shipbuilding
Launched:                                  1915

Into Service:                               1915
Out of service:                            March 1923

Fate:                                             Broken up

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

Background Data:   In some old ledgers in the possession of the Admiralty and marked “ lists of RFA’s”, a number of vessels are shown as having spent some time as RFA’s during WW1. Some of these vessels were Yard Craft, partially or wholly Dockyard-manned, partly by RNR or Reserve Fleet personnel. The Director of Stores Dept was concerned with their manning and operation for a while

1915 Launched by New York Shipbuilding Corp, Camden, New York as Yard Nr ? named CHAPMAN for the Dover Harbour Board, Dover

November 1915 completed

1915 Requisitioned by the Admiralty and renamed DAPPER. Was subsequently purchased by them for use as a Salvage Vessel

22 November 1915 Lieutenant Philip N Edmonds RNR appointed in command

5 October 1916 Diver William Henry Foreman, aged 46, discharged dead at Edinburgh, Scotland from disease. He was buried in Dover (Buckland) Cemetery, Dover, Kent in grave D 2196

Courtesy and © of The War Graves Photographic Project

March 1917 and other dates over a number of years assisted RFA Racer to recover gold in the HMS Laurentic which had been mined and sunk while off Lough Swilly, County Donegal, Ireland

30 April 1918 Able Seaman William Stanley Sheriff, aged 19, discharged dead. He was buried in Lower Fahan (Christ Church) Churchyard, Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland in a grave in the south east part of the cemetery.

9 September 1919 involved in the salvage of the schooner Markussund.

28 January 1921 applications for salvage money published in the London Gazette of 28 January 1921 on page 780

March 1923 Sold to the Dover Harbour Board

1926 involved in the attempts to salavge HMS Glatton which had exploded and later sank in Dover Harbour on 16 September 1918. The Glatton was moved where she had sunk and which caused obstruction to ship movements in the Harbour to a deeper part of the harbour. This was then filled in and the car terminal (as it is now) was built over the ship.

16 April 1940 Panamanian steamer ALBA (3444grt) ran aground on the Goodwins, 3½ miles 55° from Deal Coast Guard Station. Tug LADY BRASSEY and salvage vessel DAPPER sailed from Dover to assist. After jettisoning cargo and the efforts of seven tugs, she was finally refloated at 1830/17th, brought to the Downs and anchored.

20 March 1940 Steamer BARN HILL (5439grt), formerly of convoy HX.25A, was badly damaged by German bombers of KG26, three miles SSW of Beachy Head, in 50-34N, 0-02W.  Five crew were lost, and the steamer was towed towards shore and beached three hundred yards southeast of Langney Point on the 21st.  Salvage vessel DAPPER sailed to the scene at daylight on the 25th and remained there until the fire was extinguished. The steamer's back broke on the 26th and she was declared a total loss.

25 September 1940 requisitioned by the Admiralty

9 February 1942 H M Fort 'Roughs Tower' left Tilbury, Dapper towing ahead, Lady Brassey stern tug and Crested Cock and King Lear ( Gamecock's salvage vessel) lashed alongside.

11 February 1942 1645 the fort was in position 51.33.66N 1.28.93E, 7 miles SE of Lowestoft. [This first tow, taking three days,  was apparently fraught with problems, including hitting a light vessel moored off Gravesend, colliding with three buoys, R1, Mucking 1 and Mucking 2 and weather problems.

20 April 1942 assisted HMS Cotswold which had been mined in the North Sea to Shotley Spit off Parkstone where she was beached.

4 May 1942 HMS Cotswold towed by Dapper to Chatham

29 June 1946 returned to owners

January 1951 broken up at Dover

Notes:

Was managed by Risdon Beazeley Ltd, Southampton during WW2

Ships of the same name

Dapper. A gun-brig of 12 guns, 185 bm, 85 x 22.5 feet.  Launched by Adams, Chapel in December 1805.  Sold on the 29 September 1814.

Dapper. A wood screw gunboat of the “Dapper” class launched by Green of Blackwall on the 31 March 1855, reduced to a training hulk in 1885, then a cooking depot in 1897 and given the pennant number YC 37 in 1909.  Sold to a Mr Perry on the 10 May 1922.

Battle Honours for this Vessel: BALTIC 1855.