Trepassey (supply ship)

[shipstamps]

In 1945 the Newfoundland Government built at Clarenville Shipyard, Newfoundland, for the Department of the Commissioner for Public Utilities, the wooden 325-ton vessel Trepassey, 124 ft. x 28 ft. x 11.9 ft. She was used in the later stages of the war as a magnetic minesweeper. After hostilities she sailed on January 9, 1946, on the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (1945-49) together with the Fitzroy and the William Scoresby and was engaged on relieving and re-equipping Antarctic bases at Hope Bay, Deception Island and Port Lockroy. She also established a base at Laurie Island, South Orkneys. Perhaps her most important task in 1946 was to establish a base at Marguerite Bay, Stonington Island.
During 1947 she went to the rescue of the Fitzroy which had been caught in pack ice in Antarctic Sound. The stout wooden hull of the Trepassey enabled her to force a way through the ice. Just before this she had established a base at Admiralty Bay, King George Island. On April 2, 1947, she caught fire due to the overheating of the furnace which supplied warmth to the cabins and although the Fitzroy was able to pump water on board, it was not until four hours later that the flames were got under control. The ship was seriously damaged. Temporary repairs were effected enabling her to return to her home port for a thorough refit.
Falk Is Dep SG G27 Brit Ant Terr SG62 221

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a wooden vessel by Clarenville Shipyard at New Foundland for the Newfoundland Government (Department of the Commissioner for Public Utilities.), managed by the Newfoundland Railways.
1945 Launched under the name TREPASSEY, most probably named after a small fishing village in Newfoundland, I have visited that place a few times to load frozen fish.
Tonnage 325 gross, 191 net, dim. 124.4 x 28.2 x 11.9ft (draught).
One 8 cyl. diesel engine, 400 bhp.
She was strengthened for ice.

Not much of her history is known in Newfoundland waters.
When the EAGLE during a storm when she was unloading stores for the Hope Bay base in the Antarctica broke her anchor chain, and drifted against an iceberg, which sustained damage and holing, initial fears were to beach her, but the EAGLE reached Port Stanley with the last stores for the base still on board. Then the Trepassey was chartered early 1946 from the Newfoundland Government by the British Admiralty (Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey) (FIDS).
She was used for the relief of the British bases that year, and also the next year.
She caught fire by overheating of her furnace, which supplied heat to the cabins when she was at Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay. The FITZROY near her, pumped water on board and after 4 hours the fire was under control. After emergency repairs she sailed back to Newfoundland for her definitive repairs.

Then used in the fish carrying trade.
1950 Sold to Winsor Trading Co and chartered by the CNR for the northern Labrador service.
During the 1950s she assisted Bowater’s paper-carrier ships in the Bay of Islands.

1962 Sold again, owner unknown.

19 July 1964 loaded with explosives and serving an oil-rig in the Sable Island area in a position 100 miles off Nova Scotia she got fire in the engine room where after she exploded. Her crew was rescued.

Falkland Islands Dependencies 1956 1d sgG41 scott1L20.
British Antarctic Terr. 1974 15p sg 62, scott?

Sources: mostly from Log Book. Some web-sites.