Hello David

Pictured above is Grand Parade at Gibraltar in the 60s,having been brought from Dumbarton.She was sold by my father to a chap who used her for smuggling,she was inevitably caught by Spanish Customs and used by them as a cutter for many years,operating out of Ceuta across the Straits Of Gibraltar.As far as we know she no longer survives.Congratulations on your marvelous purchase,you must be made-up!Dad's been toying with the idea of buying Hyperion for a while as he knows her to be in great shape.Very curious to know more about Blue Peter and see a pic or two,Paul Ainsworth from Farndon Marina has very helpfully given her location (correct last year) as being at Lowestoft,between Lowestoft Haven Marina and the lock into Alton Broad.Am going to build a model of Grand Parade for dad's collection soon,would appreciate any exterior images of Hyperion to help me along,please e-mail full-size to Regards,Christian.

Grand Parade as private yacht in Gibraltar

Grand Parade in service

Hi David-please be my guest,here's a couple more pics for you.Will you be able to track Blue Peter down knowing she's at Lowestoft?

Regards,Christian

Dad's pic of Hyperion looking menacing

Paul Ainsworth has kindly sent these two pictures of Blue Peter.

There are apparently four or five other Derby Winners Class survivors.

Lemberg,currently for sale at £28k on bmpt mainpage,boats for sale.

Di David,

Congratualtions with your new boat "Hyperion". I was always very interested in the Hyperion and always had the opportunity to buy such a wonderfull boat. Especially the history about such a boat is interesting. That's why I have been searching for (original) pictures of the Hyperion at the internet. Especially pictures of the ship at the D-day days. But those are not to find in thousands of the ships. That is why I found the pics above at the site of the Wircormar Harbour in Portmouth 1 year ago (so I don't know the exact date of the pictures). I still have 3 extra of those pictures. I can upload them if you prefer. I suppose it is the "Hyperion" because the picture name was Hyperion.

Maybe you can inform Wicormar for more information of the ship (the pictures are not available at their website anymore).

I am interested in pictures of the "Humorist" as well. The Derby Class Winners is a wonderfull family of ships. I am glad that you are happy with it and also that there comes more pictures avalable of it (and the sister ships)

The URL of Wicormar is: http://www.wicormarine.co.uk/ - http://www.wicormarine.co.uk/

Kind regards Willem-Jan

Hello David and Willem-Jan

I think the picture must be pre-April 2005 as I think the ex RN survey vessel behind is the Earl Of Romney ex HMS Echo which was sold to Egyptian buyers and left for Alexandria at that time.Interesting camo pattern on Hyperion.

Regards,Christian

Whats the latest news regarding 'Blue Peter'?

Regards

Hi friends, excuse my bad english.

Do you know this boat?

Is just the ex-Derby Winners Class "Grand Parade", ex-Christian father, ex-smuggles, ex-spanish customs patrol, and spanish navy patrol based at Ceuta.

Christian, I have downloaded your pictures, are beautifuls.

Have you any more, and information about Grand Parade? Thank you from Málaga (Spain).

Hola Jesus

Encantado conocerle- me imagino que su foto ha sido tomada en Ceuta en los anos 70 (mi padre tiene casi la misma foto) . Que sepamos nosotros ya no existe el Grand Parade, pero no tenemos la menor idea de lo que a sucedido despues de servir como patrullera- sabes algo de esto? Es posible que todavia esta en Ceuta? Voy a buscar mas fotos, es posible que mi padre tiene mas en su casa.

Sorry to be rude everyone else, out of politeness to our latest member I thought I'd put my second language to use. I am asking Jammes for any information on Grand Parade after she served as a Spanish patrol boat, as we have no idea what became of her or indeed whether she still survives.

Un saludo muy cordial,

Christian.     

Humorist pictures for our survivors albums. Courtesy of her owner, Ian.

Dear Christian, thank you. I want to pick up all the possible information about the "Grand Parade", I hope to publish some day an article about this boat. Regards

Perdona mi inglés macarrónico Christian, pero veo que tenemos un interés común. Voy a preguntar que fué de la "Grand Parade", me llevará algún tiempo, pero espero decirte algo.

Me interesa también saber más sobre embarcaciones de la Royal Navy que acabaron sirviendo en España, ya te mandaré fotos, saludos cordiales.

How many boats were there originally in the Derby Winners Class and of those how many have survived?

I assume BLUE PETER, HYPERION, HUMORIST & LEMBERG with GRAND PARADE unknown at this time.

Is there a definative list?

David,

That is the list of 21 boats which is confirmed from two other sources (though either may be a duplicate of the original of course). The list sent to me by Philip Simons about 10 years ago, and in Appendix IX of Reg Cooley's 'The Unknown Fleet' published in 1993.

It is interesting to speculate though on the reported destruction/damage of some DWC in the air raid suffered by White's on May 4th 1942. (Can't pin the reference down just now, or the photo's of the damage). It is possible that names were not allocated until completion.

David Miller

D-Zine,

Re Survivors

Apart from the Balloch boat I believe to be a G&G built DWC, possibly Trigo, there are 3 more possibilities;

Isinglass was for sale at Aalst in Belgium in 1994

Coronach was at Greenock as Borderer in 1993

Captain Cuttle was ashore at Pembroke in 1998

(info courtesy of Philip Simons)

It is unlikely but not impossible that Grand Parade survives, she sank in Ceuta and was raised and taken to Cadiz, but there the trail goes cold.

Rgds,Christian

A bit more information for anyone tempted to go to Pembroke to search for Captain Cuttle, photo from the early 1990's from the then owner.

Another Derby Winner mentioned as late as 1994 is Call Boy at St Paul's Bay, Malta. Also known then as 'Hornblower II' (ref. September 1994 Motor Boat and yachting p80). The photo attached is a scan of about 1% of the area of a postcard, so pretty poor quality. The card confirms the location as St Paul's Bay.

I have a photocopy of a photograph of Call Boy on trials which appears to show a single colour on the hull. Not possible for me to tell if it is grey or white owing to the low quality. Trial photo's of Lemberg, however, definitely show the dark mid-hull band (see boats for sale), blue is a guess.

David Miller

Hi David

According to Philip's list of Malta boats, Call Boy sank 6 miles SW of Malta. No date known, last sighting at St Paul's Bay in 1995. Your postcard shows a couple of other boats of interest, the blue HLD aft of Call Boy is most likely Hornblower I, currently laid up, and behind both there is what could be a Fairmile B although she does not look like either Kiloran II or Small World I-any ideas? I don't think the red hull is of any interest.

Rgds,Christian.    

Hi Don

Wartime-all grey (inc varnished surfaces) with red a/f.

Post war-they usually had black topsides, white boot-top, red a/f and all-white deckhouse although very many were all white including topsides, with or without the hull belts picked out in another colour, also some had grey topsides with the white boot-top). I think this pretty much applies to all the small wooden RASC vessels (certainly the FLs and HSTTLs, I think the GSLs were more colourful though). I do not know if the RASC had similar guidelines as the RAF in terms of light coloured hulls in tropical waters, I can tell you the RASC (and RAF) boats at Gibraltar had black topsides (post-war). In Malta the RAF mostly had white topsides whereas the RASC had black. 

Rgds, Christian.

My pleasure. BTW, there's a wartime service picture of Grand Parade on page 1 of this thread. It's from Dad's collection, courtesy of Phil Simons. The model mentioned is almost done;

Just need to find a lighter battery pack as it sits a little low in the water.

Here's another of Dad's photos, it shows the DWC Felstead which was based in Gib whilst on a courtesy visit to Algeciras with the Governer (my Grandad the ADC centre-left).

Note colourscheme; black topsides, white boot-top and white superstructure.

Anyone seen the DWC for sale here, is it Humorist? http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F142281/ - http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F142281/

DWC

From RASC records some of below may help. (Numbers after boat name are Yard Number)

Builder Groves & Guttridge

BARHAM (297) for sale Portsmouth 68 and sold to Caledonian Mining Co of Newark. Not known to survive.

BLUE PETER (298) for sale Marchwood 68 and sold to Harris of Gravesend. Last known at River Trent as houseboat 1994.

CAPTAIN CUTTLE (300) for sale Portsmouth 1974 and sold Mr Thomas of Cardiff. Subsequently renamed WESTERN SUNSET and later moved to Pembroke where renamed CAPTAIN CUTTLE and later renamed AVGHI (1994)

CALL BOY (392) sold locally in Malta became trip boat and later renamed HORNBLOWER II last known 1994.

ORMONDE (393) stationed in Freetown West Africa and transferred to local military - did not return to UK.

LADAS (394) Stationed in India - sold locally never returned to UK

CAMERONIAN (395) Stationed in India - sold locally never returned to UK.

MANNA (396) Stationed at Port Said - Sold in Cyprus in 1961.

TRIGO (397) Service not known but was in LR 1965 as TRIGO OF RHU.

FELSTEAD (398) Was at Gibraltar and handed over to RN and became RN controlled boat.

FLYING FOX (399) Stationed at Jamaica and given to Jamaican Government in 1962.

Built by J.S. White

CORONACH (5098) For sale at Portsmouth 1973 and became BORDERER and was in Glasgow area (no dates)

GRAND PARADE (5099) Sold to Mr Shaw of Glasgow - went to Gibraltar and subsequently to Spanish Customs. May still exist but doubtful.

ISINGLASS (5100) for sale at Portsmouth 1974 and later for sale in Belgium 1994 under same name.

HUMORIST (5101) For sale at Marchwood 1968 sold to Mr Green of Staines and later at Ramsgate 1992 and Dover 1994.

HYPERION (5102) For sale at Portsnmouth 1971 and sold to Messrs Fay. Several owners since on South Coast UK. Last at Itchen 2006.

LEMBERG (5103) served in West Africa but shipped back to UK by Army. Subsequently sold and last at Sunbury on Thames 1994.

MINORU (5104) Stationed in Ceylon and later Singapore. Sold to Port of Singapore Authority in 1971.

SPION KOP (5105) Stationed in India sold locally and never returned to UK.

SUNSTAR (5106) Stationed in India sold locally and never returned to UK.

WINDSOR LAD (5107) Stationed in India sold locally and never returned to UK.

All DWC were light grey hull as built and some had the superstructure all in varnish finish. This in B&W photos may appear to be two tones of "grey". None were painted white for tropical service. Post war several in UK were painted with blue hulls and white superstructure denoting Army craft manned by civilians. Post War they were used as Range SAfety Craft out of Portsmouth and Pembroke with several rotating and often seen at Weymouth for the Lulworth Army Tank Range.

Dates given in previous posting are Completion Dates and only a couple are in error and then only by the Day rather than the month or year. Last to be completed was Flying Fox 15.3.45.

Terry

Hi Christian,

Hello Sean

I dont think the Trigo is long for this world..the Cabin roof has fell into the hull..