RASC Boats General Service Launch

[wonderfulworm]

1943-1945 Royal Army Service Corps, 45ft 'Shakespeare Class' General Service Launch ..

Did you or your relative serve on one of the RASC vessels

I'm currently restoring 1 of just 24 wooden RASC 45ft 'Shakespeare Class' General Service Launches. I'm about 2/3 of the way through her restoration and about to start constructing her new wheelhouse and aft cabin. I would love to find a period photo of my vessel type before tackling the work, so I can keep her as original as possible..

I’m also trying to discover the original name of my vessel. 24 of them were built in total and they all carried Shakespearean names. 10 were built by Phillips Anderson & Co of Granton and the other 14 by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, Isle Of White. Mine being one of the 14 G&G boats.

The Philips Anderson Boats were:
Olivia, Ophelia, Paulina, Perdita, Portia, Rosalind, Sylvia (or Sylphia), Titania, Ursula, Viola,

The G&G Boats were:
Bianca, Cleopatra, Desdemona, Hermia, Cassandra, Jessica, Juliet, Lucetta, Miranda, Nerissa, Cordelia, Cressida, Octavia, Celia

14 of the Shakespearean class launches were sold out of service 1953/1954. 7 of which were built by G&G (the rest by Phillips Anderson & Co of Granton). Of the 7 G&G boats, 3 were sold minus their original Ailsa Craig RFR4 Engines. As my boat was converted to a motor yacht and was registered in 1955 as having a Chrysler Paraffin Motor, it is highly likely that mine was one of the three G&G craft sold out of service minus their engine. The three sold without engines were Desdemona, Cordelia and Octavia.

I would love to know:


Which of the 3 vessels is mine.
Discover some of her service history
Know who captained / sailed on her

Find a period photo of my vessel or one of her sisters

If you can help in anyway I would appreciate it..

Many thanks for your help

Tom Orme
[e-mail]

*Much of this information was sourced by: Philip Simons, Coastal Historian

These words are to hopefully attract people searching the forum database.

Transport
1943
1944
1945
Vessel
Boat
Boats
Ship
Craft
Shakespeare
Coast
Coastal Forces

[Son of John]

Would they be in the Lloyds Register of Shipping. Or if any of them were "lost" during WW2 they may be listed in The "Lloyds register of ships lost in WW2"
At the Liverpool Maritime Museum at Albert Dock they have a small Archives section which is open to the public. Or have you tried The National Archive at Kew.

[Son of John]

I wonder if Lloyds have archives with the plans or drawings of these vessels.
Alternatively, The Ministry of Defence may have the drawings for these vessels. Is there a brass plate anywhere on your boat with the manufacturers name, date of construction, contract number, etc etc.
Are those shipbuilders still in existence.
You could try writing to the HQ of RLC. they may still have archive records filed away in Gloucester or Bicester.

[son of john]

Have you tried Google. Google Phillips Anderson of Granton.

You will get www.bmpt.org.uk/boats%20for%20sale/eala_bhan/-29k-

[son of john]

Many thanks for your post.

I've managed to purchase a copy of the 1960 Lloyds Yacht Register, where my vessel is first listed as a civilian motor yacht. She was converted to a yacht in 1955 and I now have all her civillian details under her current name 'Luctor Et Emergo' (Latin for 'I struggle & Emerge'). Sadly I don't yet know her previous name nor anything about her military history before this time, which of course is the bit I want most!!

I will contact Lloyds again though to see if any of the 24 Shakespeare class vessels were listed in the Lloyds Register of Shipping, however I seem to recall it only lists vessels over a certain tonage, and mine didn't qualify.. but I'll check again just to be sure..

I've been googling both Groves & Guttridge / Phillips Anderson of Granton and had already discovered the link to the Eala Bhan.. and several other of her sister ships. But thank you for the link anyway.

I've not yet tried the Liverpool Maritime Museum at Albert Dock but have tried the online version of the National Archive, without success. Maybe a visit in person would be more successful.

Sadly I've found no brass plate within the craft, nor any numbers carved into her timbers which is quite common on wooden vessels..

I know my boat was one of 14 built by Groves and Guttridge of East Cowes, Isle of White between 1943-45 and have the completion date for each craft, however I don't know the contract number. Groves & Guttridge is sadly no longer in existence. I've spoken to several other G&G boat owners (different types of craft) who have all reported that G&G had a fire in which all the records were lost.. I've compiled a list of known survivors from the 24 built and am now trying to track down contact details for each owner.. This will hopefully uncover some period photos of a shakespeare class vessel.

I've contacted the HQ of RLC and now have someone there trying to trace some details for me. Hopefully this will prove fruitful.. Some images / plans would be great.. Fingers crossed..

Will also look at the "Janes" catalogues of military and naval equipment..

Here is what I know of my vessel

Current Name: Luctor Et Emergo
Former Name: ? Unknown
Pennant (Service Number): ? Unknown
Service: Royal Army Service Corp
Type Of Craft: 45ft Shakespeare Class General Service Launch
Displacement: 12 ½ Tons (23gt – 6nt)
Construction: Wood, Carvel, Round Bilge, Pitch Pine Hull/Decks Oak Frames, Galvanised rudder, fittings and skeg
Dimensions: 46½ ft oa 45 ft bp x 12½ ft x 5.8ft depth / 3½ ft draft
Builder: Groves & Guttridge, Cowes, IOW
Engines (Original): 1 x Ailsa Craig RFR4 40hp Diesel, Single Screw, 1100rpm, Propeller 550rpm
Knots: 9 Knots
Engines (2nd): 1 x 6cyl Chrysler Paraffin Motor built 1954
Engines (3rd): 1 x 69hp Perkins 6cyl Diesel, Built 1963
Date Completed: 1944 - 1946
Date Sold Out Of Service: Probably one of a batch sold in 1953
Armament as specified: None
Cargo Derrick: 3cwt
Crew: 4
Passengers: 45 (maximum fine weather)
Converted to Yacht: 1955
Civil Registered Number: 187746
Registered: London c1958
Home Port: Maidenhead / Ipswich 1973


I'm currently working on a list of known survivors from the 24 shakespeare class launches built and will add to post at a later date..

Any further info / suggestions would be gratefully received

Kind regards

[Son of John]

Did they have numbers as well as a name? I guess so, as Royal Navy vessels have numbers, ( e.g. D52 ). I am trying to work out what their purpose was, why they should be assigned and purchased by RASC, and where they were deployed. Perhaps one use could have been for ferrying men ( soldiers) between big ships and shore, prior to D-day for example. I wonder if they flew a Blue Ensign with the RASC heraldic symbol in one quarter.
You could try the County Records office on the Isle of Wight, Falmouth, Portland, Weymouth, Edinburgh, Dover, Poole etc etc. They may have collections of photos.

[wonderfulworm]

Having spent 6 years in the Royal Engineers in the late 80's /early 90's I tend to agree.. Everything in the military has a number! No idea what it is for my vessel though.. that would make life a whole lot easier

I've written a letter to the relative of the former owner of the Eala Bhan and requested copies of any information they have. On the sale advert on the BMPT website it states that particular vessel had the 'Call Sign (Army): MLYK' ??

Since the last post I've also tried to make contact with the owner of 'Juliet' through the NHSR webmaster:

Current Name: William III
Pennant Number & Name: Juliet
Builder: Groves & Guttridge (430)
Yard: Cowes
Year: 1943/44
Location Last Seen: Listed on National Historic Ships Register
Function: Motor Yacht Motor Yacht

The information listed on th National Historic Ships Register states that "Files contain receipt from Director of Navy Accounts for the £300 for the purchase of general service launch JULIET, 45ft, 11 August 1954" This could prove to be a very promising lead.. I should be able to trace the details of the navy contract order for the 24 vessels from this.

Since my last post I have also established that Groves and Guttridge (and presumably Phillips Anderson) built two batches of the shakespearean class vessels.

The first batch (1943) are described as 45’ W.D General Purpose Launch – Bianca (424), Cleopatra (425), Desdemona (426), Hermia (427), Cassandra (428), Jessica (429), Juliet (430), Lucetta (431), Miranda (432), Nerissa (433).

The second batch (1944) are described as 45’ RASC General Purpose Launch – Cordelia (460), Cressida (461), Octavia (462), Celia (463).

Would W.D mean War Department? What do you know of the War Department? Any idea where I could find info on W.D?

Based on the sold out of service info I posted earlier it is most likely that my vessel was originally called Desdemona (WD), Cordelia (RASC) or Octavia (RASC). So mine could actually be either..

My previous best guess before discovering the W.D element was they were, as you say, used to ferry troops and equipment (food, water, fuel, medical equipment, and general domestic stores such as clothing) between bigs ships and shore.. Would be very interesting to find out for certain when and where they were deployed. Would be great to discover they had some role (no matter how small) in operation overlord..

I've tried the County Records office on the Isle of Wight, this is where a lot of the G&G info has come from but sadly they have nothing more to add..

I found the Janes.com site but found it a little confusing seems to be geared toward all the new stuff.. could find no archive etc.. any ideas where I could find the archived catalogues?

I guess I now have the WD route to explore as well now though..

[wonderfulworm]

Just found this site www.theafricanqueen.co.uk/Pages/BoatHistory.htm

info listed there:

"Both Shakespeare class GSL (general service launch) and thingyens class II's were designed by Groves and Gutterige of Cowes, Isle of Wight. The primary conceived wartime purpose of the 50ft GSL's was to convey Officers out to Merchantmen, in order to act as Examination Vessels. The original design dates back to about 1943, an evolution of the earlier and smaller, but generally similar GSL. Later they were also required to patrol and clear military ranges (of extraneous civil craft), carry passengers (including Dignitaries), convey and re-supply military stores, repatriate fallen soldiers from the battlefields, (post war), provide training for both seamen and engineers, and even operate Special Forces and Commandos (for example, during the Indonesian Confrontation in the 1960's)
The War Department design of the Mark II, as it is also known, was approved in late November 1944. Mr Donald Harms oversaw this process, and eventually ended up as overall Engineer Superintendent for the whole service. (RASC had some 1,600 ships and boats in its prime, at the end of the WWII) two boats of this type were later fitted with large freshwater tanks, to act as Military water carriers. Engineer Rear admiral RC Bodie was the overall mastermind behind the construction of the WWII War department Fleet, directing the expansion of this enormous worldwide fleet (he was actually a veteran of WWI Naval Services). His own story is incredible and can be forwarded, if of interest."

[Son of John]

The British Library Index should have reference to Janes reference books, and where copies going back to 1940s can still be found. I dont know whether the British Library has an On -line Index. Just got to pop out now, but will look up BL when I get back. If you live near Southampton, the city centre Library may have old copies.

[Son of John]

I dont know weather it still exists, but have you heard of the "World Ship Society" Their address in 1984 was 9
Crowley Road, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 7ST

If you know of any old-book shops, it may be worth looking for old editions of Janes Military Logistic Equipment.

[wonderfulworm]

I found this today:

www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3281933

Although there is no mention there of my vessel type it looks very promising indeed! I've just written a letter to Vic Cooke of the Association of Ex R.A.S.C. Boat Crews If he doesn't know or can't find out then I guess I'm in trouble! Fingers crossed he'll be able to help..

[lesboy3]

I have just been reading this thread and if it is not to late, I MAY---MAY have a photo of your type of launch taken by my dad either in Moelfetta or Venice circa 1944/46. Also some smaller boats with RASC painted on

[Antrican]

Hi,
If anyone is still following this site, I am owned by Sylva, who may have been Sylvia from the Shakespeare class of vessels.  Please contact me and I have Lloyds register info plus photos.

Best
James

[CW of Henley]

Mar 14, 2009 13:54:22 GMT -5 Son of John said:

Did they have numbers as well as a name? I guess so, as Royal Navy vessels have numbers, ( e.g. D52 ). I am trying to work out what their purpose was, why they should be assigned and purchased by RASC, and where they were deployed. Perhaps one use could have been for ferrying men ( soldiers) between big ships and shore, prior to D-day for example. I wonder if they flew a Blue Ensign with the RASC heraldic symbol in one quarter.
You could try the County Records office on the Isle of Wight, Falmouth, Portland, Weymouth, Edinburgh, Dover, Poole etc etc. They may have collections of photos.

Dear son of John. I realise your post was a long time ago, but I'm eager to get in touch. My father owned your boat, Luctor et Emergo in the 60s, and made many of the modifications such as the Perkins engine. We have many photos, including an oil painting by a renowned artist when it was moored at Maidenhead. We also have the copy of Motorboat and Yachting magazine, when it was featured on the front cover in the 1960s. There are many tales to be told...  please get in touch to eleven (written in numbers not words) at wagstaffs.com 
I hope this post reaches you
CW

[Alan Ward]

My father was allowed to be on Celia to evacuate from Singapore.