Tynemouth, New Comet (Goeland II)

Steel, 245-ton, 36.75m long, 6.85m beam, 3.68m draught. New Comet was a steam fishing drifter, registered in Granton. She was built at the Goesland II in 1915 by A.Hall & Co., at Aberdeen. Originally owned by J. Johnson, she was requisitioned by the Admiralty in November 1939 and converted to an armed patrol vessel. Her single propeller was powered by a three-cylinder, triple-expansion steam engine. She had one deck, three watertight bulkheads and a superstructure consisting of a 22.3m quarter-deck and a 5.5m forecastle.
In May 1940 HMD New Comet was converted to a mine-sweeper and then converted into a fuel carrier. On 23 November 1940, she had been out on patrol and was heading for the River Tyne when she detonated a German-laid mine, which seriously damaged the vessel. She was brought into the Mouth of the River Tyne and beached, however on the night of the 27-28 February, it is said that she re-floated herself on a big tide and was blown out to see unseen, because of blackout then being badly holed, she sank.

It has not yet been confirmed that this wreck is that of the New Comet. However her size and position make it highly likely to be the case. She lies on a hard dirty seabed of sand in a general depth of 18m. She is totally collapsed and well broken up, with her boiler standing upright, close to the rather battered engine and surrounded by mounds of steel plates, ribs and scattered broken machinery.

Grid reference conversion made 08.12.2010 with http://gps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/etrs89geo_natgrid.asp with Lat/Long referenced as N 55 01 20 W 01 23 16 Owner: Royal Navy
Built: 1915
Builder: A Hall & Co. Ltd.
Where Built: Aberdeen
Propulsion: Screw driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine
HP: 91
Boilers: 1
Construction: 1 deck; 3 bulkheads; quarter deck 73ft; forecastle 18ft