Ton Class Minesweepers

[gregleeds]

Hi guys, so I'm supposed to be doing a presentation on the old ton class sweepers and wondered if any of the old boys had any good dits I could weave into it? Anything at all. Cheers.

 

[SARKING]

Theres a book called 'Last of the wooden walls'. Its about the Ton class.You should be able to get it on Amazon.

 

[scouse]

Thought you might like this ...my townie Griff was a greenie on the Iveston at the time of the Mutiny, he has since crossed the bar Rip


(Court Martial - HMS Cochrane, Rosyth, Scotland – August 18th 1970)


A court martial here today was told of “hilarious” happenings on board the minehunter HMS Iveston at Ullapool, Wester Ross, on July 6. Five naval ratings charged with talking part in a mutiny were said to have acted out a pirate scene with the name of characters from Mutiny on the Bounty being mentioned and Irish rebel songs sung outside the officers’ wardroom.


The court martial is the first of its kind in the Navy since 1954.


Witnesses stated that the alleged mutiny ended after four hours with four of the men being led peacefully from the ship by three Ross-shire policemen.


Charged with taking part in a mutiny on board HMS Iveston at Ullapool are Edward Griffiths etc etc


Able Seamen Griffiths is also charged with assaulting Chief Petty Officer Stanley Templeton, and with the four others is accused of disobeying orders. All five have pleaded Not Guilty.


In a circumstantial letter read to the court it was stated that AB Griffiths complained about the condition of the bacon! on the ship and was told that the galley was locked.


He was told by CPO Templeton, the coxswain that any request would have to be put through proper channels He was ordered to go below.


AB Griffiths, it was alleged, then grabbed the coxswain with one hand and struck him with the other.


At midnight Petty Officer Quinn went to the mess deck with orders from the first lieutenant that the men should turn in.


Griffiths, Kirkbride, Smith, O’Malley and Bowers were talking together in groups” , the circumstantial letter continued “Suddenly one of them said: “Let’s have a mutiny”
The name Fletcher Christian and Captain Bligh were mentioned in a hilarious way, and the five men then acted humorous mutinous pirate scene for almost two minutes.


According to the letter, the five men organised a sit-in protest. After some time police arrived at the request of the ship’s officers.


When a Petty Officer went in the pantry to make coffee for the police and himself, Griffiths said: - “You’ll find the milk in the hat”. The petty officer then noticed that milk have been poured into an officer’s cap which was sitting in the sink!

 

[janner]

Theres a Ton class website somewhere around

 

[Seaweed]

Ton Class Association - YouTube

Website at www.tca2000.co.uk seems to be 'under construction'. Don't know what has happened to the old version.

 

[baldyman]

The...
"Our old website is still available to view: View here"
On the web construction page a still works to go to the old site, plenty of stuff on there.


Posted from the Navy Net mobile app on i-phone.

 

[Seaweed]

I put some stuff about my time in Tons at Category:50th MSS - RRPedia

I rather doubt if any of it is much use to you, but fill yer boots.

PS the picture pointers don't work. Someone reorgd the Gallery a while back, and someone else with a tiny brain smartarsed the way I had the pics set up, so TOUGH.

 

[gregleeds]

Thanks fellas, big help. Emailed the ton association the same question now as well. Thanks.

 

[frogman007]

Theres a book called 'Last of the wooden walls'. Its about the Ton class.You should be able to get it on Amazon.

The author posts on here regularly.......

 

[SARKING]

The author posts on here regularly.......

That, I did not know. Good book.:salut:

 

[Deleted 493]

The Iveston Mutiny used to be one of the Classified Books in the OODs safe on board. Made for a good read when I was OOD. It wasn't quite Invergordon, and certainly not the Bounty.

levers

 

[Seaweed]

Movietone has a clip of Dartington and Wilkieston visiting Israel ca. 1959. You have to register/login and then search again on D & W and up it will come: MovieTone : Player

The senior CO in the clip is the late Alan Cawston whose next job was at Portland as MS50 & CO of Highburton.

 

[BUCK1939]

Anyone know which Ton class sweeper was damaged while on 'Pirate' patrol off Malaya in 1965? I remember we had just come back to Singapore Dockyard on Cambrian in June 1965 from a visit to Hong Kong and it was in drydock with a large hole in the side. Also anyone got pictures of it?

 

[Salty-Dog]

Might be the Woolaston

Woolaston M1194 | TON CLASS ASSOCIATION

 

[BUCK1939]

Thanks Salty-Dog,
Found the info I was looking for thank you but was surprised that there wasn't a photo of the damage to the Woolaston. Really sad that a young Middy lost his life. I also recall some others were injured. One good thing that came out of it was that we were instructed in future on 'Pirate' patrol, to lay their boats off and we sent an armed boarding party over in the whaler and when they went below decks their crew went in front of them. Even though with their 4 or 5 outboard motors they were faster than us, a couple of shots across their bows from our twin Bofors concentrated their minds.
Anyone got a photo of the damage in drydock in Singapore? If you have I would appreciate a copy, thanks.
Buck