A Chronology of the M.L.'s of The Queenstown Command
Compiled by Anthony O'Mahony during research of PRO records and from books such as Chatterton's Danger Zone and Bayly's Pull Together. Anthony has kindly shared this information for posting here. Detailed logs of the ML's and of the various stations themselves are nearly non-existent. What is presented here is what little information could be drawn from existing records—occassionally cross-referenced with published accounts.
The Queenstown Command covered the waters of the southern coast of Ireland, Auxiliary Patrol region XXI. Undoubtedly, at times, the ML's—and perhaps entire flotillas, would have moved between zones for various purposes. Indeed, HMS Colleen acted as the parent ship for zones XVIII (Lough Swilly), XIX (Killybegs), XX (Galway Bay), and XXI (Queenstown) [Dittmar & Colledge, 1972].
We are fortunate to have at least one personal account, written after the war, of service aboard an ML—325—that was part of the Queenstown Command (and later, the Holyhead Flotilla created for submarine hunting).
By Date
04th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 161 171 187 189 197 leave Falmouth for Queenstown.
04th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 163 173 181 185 sheltering from weather en route to Queenstown.
06th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 161 171 187 189 197 arrive in Queenstown as tenders to H.M.S. Colleen.
06th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 163 173 181 185 escorted to Waterford by A.T. Morococala.
01st Oct., 1916 M.L.'s 167 183 169 arrive in Queenstown.
11th Oct., 1916 M.L.'s 181 and 183 sail for duties at Berehaven
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 259 and drifter Adventure stormbound at Fishguard - for Queenstown.
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 171 goes ashore in Youghal - floats off following day
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 181 goes ashore in Crookhaven - stern and forepart damaged.
*Dec., 1916 All 13-pdr. deck guns removed from M.L.s except one - replaced with 3-pdr. guns.
18th Dec., 1916 M.L. 251 grounded in Bantry Bay.
14th Dec., 1916 M.L.s 374 376 408 487 520 arrive in Queenstown
20th Dec., 1916 M.L.s 378 and 380 arrive in Queenstown.
22nd Dec., 1916 A.T. Clifton proceeds to Falmouth to escort M.L.s to Queenstown.
31st Jan., 1917 M.L.'s 161 163 167 171 173 259 181 520 183 185 187 189 197 374 376, all under Queenstown Command.
Jan., 1917 M.L. 197 which went ashore off Ballinacourty Lighthouse, Co.Waterford is a total wreck, engine and stores removed, hull fully gone.
20th Feb., 1917 Engines, props, shafts, petrol tanks removed form M.L. 197 and brought to Queenstown.
22nd Feb., 1917 M.L.s 408 and 380 sail for duties at Foynes
May 1917 M.L.s 524 515 408 406 376 412 380 arrive in Queenstown
14th Sept., 1917 S.S. Zeta torpedoed Mine Head bearing N by E Mag 11 miles. 26 survivors landed in Queenstown by M.L. 410
20th Dec., 1917 Wreck found off Ram Head by M.L. 189
4th Jan., 1918 Diver Dempsy dived small ship off Ram Head. This had been found by M.L. 189, 27th Dec., 1917 (date discrepancy here). It is depth charged by H.M.T. Sarba and M.L. 131. Swept by Concord II (722) Lieut Duncan. POS 51 52 1/2N 07 41 1/2W
Jan., 1918
Queenstown Motor Launch Patrol
M.L. 167 M.L. 185
M.L. 375 M.L. 377
M.L. 132 M.L. 131
M.L. 161 M.L. 189
M.L. 259 M.L. 163
M.L. 378 M.L. 381
Queenstown Hydrophone Flotilla
M.L. 181 M.L. 187
M.L. 320 M.L. 325
M.L. 410 M.L. 487
19th Jan., 1918 M.L. 378 transferred to Berehaven
*Feb., 1918 M.L. 320 gets 3-pdr. instead of 2-pdr. gun
24th Mar., 1918 M.L. 185 depth charges a sub. 52 07 1/2N 06 58W. M.L. 181 and 167 join in.
30th Mar., 1918, Lough Fisher sunk off Helvic Head – no survivors. M.L.s 132 and 377 see steamer on fire in distance (3 - 4 miles), search but no survivors. A.T. Venosta (1654) and M.L. 375 also search through night.
15th Apr., 1918 M.L.s 181 187 320 325 410 487 132 167 fitted out as Hunting Flotilla on Irish Sea under command of Lieut. Commander C.V. Norcock, R.N.
7th June 1918 M.L. 259 - C. McCready, Lieut. R.N.V.R.
23rd Oct., 1918 U.S. tug Ontario torpedoed 51 30N 08 15W. A.T. Freesia and A.T. Ben Gairn search but no sign. M.L. 189 and 377 also hunt sub.
18th Nov., 1918 All trawlers and drifters attached to area XXI are recalled from patrol and fitted for minesweeping on 10th Nov., 1918. Since 11th Nov. trawlers and drifters have been employed in clearing the sea of mines and for special work in connection therewith, based on ADM order 2 "Clearing the sea of mines". M.L.'s attached to area XXI have been retained on their respective patrols
02nd Dec., 1918 All depth charges and single towed charges removed from Aux Patrol Vessels in area XXI and returned to Ordinance Depot Haulbowline.
Dec. 14th and 21st 1918 Status of Auxiliary Patrol of Queenstown Command
Minesweeping
Controlling Traffic
Mark Boats
A Little Mystery
Interestingly, there's a brief mention in the Irish Times for 2 December, 1919 of the loss of two ML's in a flotilla of six making the crossing from Queenstown to Devonport:
Compiled by Anthony O'Mahony during research of PRO records and from books such as Chatterton's Danger Zone and Bayly's Pull Together. Anthony has kindly shared this information for posting here. Detailed logs of the ML's and of the various stations themselves are nearly non-existent. What is presented here is what little information could be drawn from existing records—occassionally cross-referenced with published accounts.
The Queenstown Command covered the waters of the southern coast of Ireland, Auxiliary Patrol region XXI. Undoubtedly, at times, the ML's—and perhaps entire flotillas, would have moved between zones for various purposes. Indeed, HMS Colleen acted as the parent ship for zones XVIII (Lough Swilly), XIX (Killybegs), XX (Galway Bay), and XXI (Queenstown) [Dittmar & Colledge, 1972].
We are fortunate to have at least one personal account, written after the war, of service aboard an ML—325—that was part of the Queenstown Command (and later, the Holyhead Flotilla created for submarine hunting).
By Date
04th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 161 171 187 189 197 leave Falmouth for Queenstown.
04th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 163 173 181 185 sheltering from weather en route to Queenstown.
06th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 161 171 187 189 197 arrive in Queenstown as tenders to H.M.S. Colleen.
06th Sep., 1916 M.L.'s 163 173 181 185 escorted to Waterford by A.T. Morococala.
01st Oct., 1916 M.L.'s 167 183 169 arrive in Queenstown.
11th Oct., 1916 M.L.'s 181 and 183 sail for duties at Berehaven
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 259 and drifter Adventure stormbound at Fishguard - for Queenstown.
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 171 goes ashore in Youghal - floats off following day
24th Oct., 1916 M.L. 181 goes ashore in Crookhaven - stern and forepart damaged.
*Dec., 1916 All 13-pdr. deck guns removed from M.L.s except one - replaced with 3-pdr. guns.
18th Dec., 1916 M.L. 251 grounded in Bantry Bay.
14th Dec., 1916 M.L.s 374 376 408 487 520 arrive in Queenstown
20th Dec., 1916 M.L.s 378 and 380 arrive in Queenstown.
22nd Dec., 1916 A.T. Clifton proceeds to Falmouth to escort M.L.s to Queenstown.
31st Jan., 1917 M.L.'s 161 163 167 171 173 259 181 520 183 185 187 189 197 374 376, all under Queenstown Command.
Jan., 1917 M.L. 197 which went ashore off Ballinacourty Lighthouse, Co.Waterford is a total wreck, engine and stores removed, hull fully gone.
20th Feb., 1917 Engines, props, shafts, petrol tanks removed form M.L. 197 and brought to Queenstown.
22nd Feb., 1917 M.L.s 408 and 380 sail for duties at Foynes
May 1917 M.L.s 524 515 408 406 376 412 380 arrive in Queenstown
14th Sept., 1917 S.S. Zeta torpedoed Mine Head bearing N by E Mag 11 miles. 26 survivors landed in Queenstown by M.L. 410
20th Dec., 1917 Wreck found off Ram Head by M.L. 189
4th Jan., 1918 Diver Dempsy dived small ship off Ram Head. This had been found by M.L. 189, 27th Dec., 1917 (date discrepancy here). It is depth charged by H.M.T. Sarba and M.L. 131. Swept by Concord II (722) Lieut Duncan. POS 51 52 1/2N 07 41 1/2W
Jan., 1918
Queenstown Motor Launch Patrol
M.L. 167 M.L. 185
M.L. 375 M.L. 377
M.L. 132 M.L. 131
M.L. 161 M.L. 189
M.L. 259 M.L. 163
M.L. 378 M.L. 381
Queenstown Hydrophone Flotilla
M.L. 181 M.L. 187
M.L. 320 M.L. 325
M.L. 410 M.L. 487
19th Jan., 1918 M.L. 378 transferred to Berehaven
*Feb., 1918 M.L. 320 gets 3-pdr. instead of 2-pdr. gun
24th Mar., 1918 M.L. 185 depth charges a sub. 52 07 1/2N 06 58W. M.L. 181 and 167 join in.
30th Mar., 1918, Lough Fisher sunk off Helvic Head – no survivors. M.L.s 132 and 377 see steamer on fire in distance (3 - 4 miles), search but no survivors. A.T. Venosta (1654) and M.L. 375 also search through night.
15th Apr., 1918 M.L.s 181 187 320 325 410 487 132 167 fitted out as Hunting Flotilla on Irish Sea under command of Lieut. Commander C.V. Norcock, R.N.
7th June 1918 M.L. 259 - C. McCready, Lieut. R.N.V.R.
23rd Oct., 1918 U.S. tug Ontario torpedoed 51 30N 08 15W. A.T. Freesia and A.T. Ben Gairn search but no sign. M.L. 189 and 377 also hunt sub.
18th Nov., 1918 All trawlers and drifters attached to area XXI are recalled from patrol and fitted for minesweeping on 10th Nov., 1918. Since 11th Nov. trawlers and drifters have been employed in clearing the sea of mines and for special work in connection therewith, based on ADM order 2 "Clearing the sea of mines". M.L.'s attached to area XXI have been retained on their respective patrols
02nd Dec., 1918 All depth charges and single towed charges removed from Aux Patrol Vessels in area XXI and returned to Ordinance Depot Haulbowline.
Dec. 14th and 21st 1918 Status of Auxiliary Patrol of Queenstown Command
Minesweeping
- James Johnson
- Indian Empire
- Rodney
- Ben Gairn
- Carieda
- Concord
- Freesia
- Heron
- Reliance
- Ristango
- Sarba
- Flying Wing 958
- Lord Durham 460
- Reporto 455
- Vindelicia 452
Controlling Traffic
- M.L. 259
- M.L. 185
- M.L. 189
- M.L. 131
- M.L. 377
- M.L. 163
Mark Boats
- Sublime
- Morning Star
- Monarch II
- Integrity
- Connage
- Sunshine
- Lily Oak 2277
- Girl Marjorie
- Ocean Angler 2466
- Expectation 2556
A Little Mystery
Interestingly, there's a brief mention in the Irish Times for 2 December, 1919 of the loss of two ML's in a flotilla of six making the crossing from Queenstown to Devonport:
"Six motor launches which left Queenstown on Saturday for Devonport were caught in a gale off the Cornish coast on Sunday, and two of them were lost. The second officer of one of the launches was drowned, but all the other officers and men were saved."
The Irish Times, 2 December, 1919
Oddly, none of the authorities I have at my disposal mention the loss of any ML's during this period of time, certainly not two on the same day. A mystery...