Restored World War One steam cutter could visit Falmouth

A small team of enthusiasts based in Falmouth acquired the vessel from the Maritime Workshop in 2013 with the view to completing the restoration of this historic boat in the port.

Peter Visick, Christopher Perkins, Robin Taylor and the late Tim Parr wanted to restore the vessel to its former glory but raising funds proved extremely difficult.

Well known local yachtsman Peter Visick said: “When it became obvious that we would not be able to raise the funds to rebuild her here I looked around and asked the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust (PNBT) if they were interested in taking her on so she was sold to them for I think £1.

"The PNBPT amongst many other things has Shed 4 within the dockyard. In the six to seven years since she left Falmouth, only using volunteers and apprentices working under a skilled leading hand she has been straightened out within 10mm of her design lines, some re-fastening was done but nearly all the planking is original, but she was reframed.

"She has a new stem but from there all the internal structure and decking has been built from scratch, with the only available drawing being a faint original General Arrangement. The quality of the work is brilliant.

"The boiler, although based on the original design, had to be re-designed to meet current regulations. The engine has two original major components and the rest has been copied from a pile of rusty bits.”

The Steam Cutter 26 undergoing restoratio Picture: Paul Gilbert

The hull is wood, of double skin construction (strong and light) 35ft long x 7ft 8ins beam with a moulded depth of 4ft 3ins ( 10.77m x 2.36m x 1.3m )

The machinery is a 32 indicated horse power compound steam engine with a coal-fired boiler, operating at 130 psi.

The Armed Steam Cutter 26 was one of a batch of 70 35ft steam cutters, built between 1910 and 1912. Ordered by the Admiralty in June 1910 from the Rowhedge Ironworks Co, the cutter was delivered on January 16 1911.

HMS Falmouth took part in the Battle of Jutland when the British Grand Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the German High Seas Fleet fought a bloody battle in 1916.

The Falmouth was part of Admiral Sir David Beatty’s battle cruiser fleet and the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier.

HMS Falmouth played a conspicuous and useful part in the battle to which reference was made in the despatches of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.

HMS Falmouth sinking in 1916

The latter officer stated in his despatch: “ The Third Light Cruiser Squadron (HMS Falmouth flagship) maintained station on our starboard bow well ahead of the enemy and attacked with torpedo. Falmouth and another vessel of the squadron both fired torpedoes at the leading enemy and it is believed that one torpedo hit as a heavy underwater explosion was observed.”

Some 8,000 British and German sailors lost their lives in what was one of the greatest and bloodiest naval battles. Later that year, the Germans set a submarine trap off Flamborough Head on August 19 which the British 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron ran into.

U-66, commanded by Von Bothner, hit HMS Falmouth with two torpedoes. Despite suffering damage, Falmouth managed to limp away making a speed of six knots heavily escorted by destroyers.

The following day, U-63, commanded by Otto Schutz, penetrated the screen to fire off torpedoes that finally sank the warship eight hours later south of Bridlington. Following this second attack, she was abandoned by the crew, who took to the lifeboats.

Her ship's boats, including ASC (Armed Steam Cutter) 26, were found four days later 20 miles off Flamborough by the trawler Buckingham and towed 68 miles to Immingham where they were handed back to the Navy, who gave a reward of £250 in recognition of the fisherman abandoning their fishing trip and salvaging the valuable boats.

The commanding officer of HMS Falmouth had previously written to the Falmouth Corporation stating that the Battle Ensign flown by the ship at the Battle of Jutland should be displayed by the town. A mahogany casket to house the ensign was made by the ship’s joiner. Unfortunately, the ship sank before the flag could be sent to

the town.

In May 2021 HMS Echo commanded by Falmouth naval officer Commander Adam Coles examined the wreck. Echo part of the Royal Navy’s Survey and Hydrographic Squadron utilised her Survey Motor Boat (SMB) Sapphire, to obtain multi-beam echo sounder images of the wreck.

Although largely broken up by the salvage effort and the ravages of time and tide, the outline of the hull and the larger hull plates are clearly visible. The wreck was extensively salvaged post war, lying in 16m of water close to land.