Marsden, Target Rock, PC71

Only 20 PC-class Q-ships were ever made. The original P-class ships were 'patrol boats' a class of coastal sloop. 24 P class boats (numbered P11-64 were constructed between 1915-1916) under the Emergency War Programme for the Royal Navy. Ten of these were later altered for use as decoy Q-ships and were renumbered as PC-class sloops. These vessels were designed to replace destroyers in coastal operations. The Q-Ships had their original numbers altered by the addition of a C after the P. More ships were ordered in 1917 with the PC71 ordered in June of that year. She was built by White of Cowes and was launched 18th March 1918. These were built to resemble small merchant vessels for use as decoy ships (Q ships) and were alternatively known as PQ boats. The PC class sloops were completed with slight enlargements for the standard P class. They were 247ft long and 25.5 ft in breadth. The PC71 had a 694 ton displacement. They caried one 4-inch and 2 12-pounder guns but no torpedos. The corvette PC71 was sold for breaking up on 28th October 1925, she was being towed to the Firth of Forth, when she broke her tow. She drifted for 6 hours until she came ashore on Target Rock. She is totally broken up, but some of her remains show above water at low tide.