Additional information courtesy of Geoff Davidson

Technical

Official Number: 187842
Yard Number: 1407
Completed: 1956
Gross Tonnage: 338
Net Tonnage: 119
Length: 127.5 ft
Breadth: 27 ft
Depth: 13 ft
Built: Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby
Engine: 736bhp 4-stroke 7-cyl oil engine by Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day Ltd, Stockport
Speed: 11.25 knots

History

21.7.1955: Launched by Cochrane & Sons Ltd, Selby (Yd.No.1407) for Wyre Trawlers Ltd, Fleetwood as WYRE DEFENCE, at a cost of £138,372.
11.1.1956: Completed. Registered at Fleetwood as (FD37).
01.07.1969: Became part of British United Trawlers fleet.
1973: On an Icelandic trip (Sk. Don Evans). One of two vessels (BRUCELLA was the second) involved in an incident with the patrol boat AEGIR. Unsubstantiated reports claimed several blanks were fired and, possibly, one live shell. AEGIR countered by claiming that BRUCELLA had fired a line carrying rocket at the patrol boat.
1974: Converted along with WYRE MAJESTIC (FD433) to pair trawl for pelagic species (herring & mackerel).
18.10.1974: After landing herring at Oban with WYRE MAJESTIC, could not get an overnight berth so decided to sail for Fleetwood in company. Ahead, through the Sound of Islay, WYRE MAJESTIC stranded at full speed at Rubh’ a ‘Mhail, four miles north of Port Askaig, in pos. 55.53n 06.07w. Badly holed and filling with water. The Port Askaig lifeboat attended but with the trawler settling on the rocks, failed to move her. WYRE DEFENCE turned back, managed to connect but also failed as the tide ebbed. WYRE MAJESTIC was a total loss.
18.05.1978: Transferred to British United Trawlers (Aberdeen) Ltd Aberdeen (FD37).
1979: Sold to shipbreakers J Gibson Johnson Ltd, Hull en bloc with WYRE REVENGE, then resold to H Kitson Vickers & Sons (Engineering) Ltd.
12.1979: Resold to Stephen Dalton Skip Hire Ltd, Edinburgh, to be broken up at Bo’ness..
12.1979: Arrived Bo’ness and breaking up commenced.
14.1.1980: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Ted Hammill Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of Phil Rogers

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Peter Hearn Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Stephen Myerscough Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The David Jackson Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The Frank Pook Collection

M.T. Wyre Defence FD37
Picture courtesy of The John Worthington Collection

Changelog
17/09/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
25/07/2017: Added image and removed FMHT watermark.
01/06/2108: Updated the information.
20/11/2018: Added an image.
27/08/2020: Added an image.
08/09/2020: Added an image.