History
“I have become part of the Sea Ranger family, helping to lead and care for the young girls in our crew. I have been given opportunities to sail on tall ships, row in national competitions, learn survival skills, first aid and contribute to historic events.”
Volunteer adult helper
H.M.S. Barnehurst was a Boom Defence Vessel. She was build in Blyth Northumberland and launched on 21st October 1939. She was commissioned on 21st February 1940. Her number was Z84 and had a crew of 32. She was 750 tons and had a top speed of 11 Knots. Length 150ft. plus another 24ft projecting from the bows. Beam 32ft and draft of 9ft. She was coal-fired with triple expansion engines of 850 H.P. She carried 1/3inch anti-aircraft fun. She was based at Rosyth with the Home Fleet. Thomas Robb RNR was her commanding officer from 25th June 1943 until December 1943 and again from 3rd February 1944 to June 1944.
In July 1943 she joined the Mediterranean convoy arriving at Gibraltar on 19th August and later to Naples. In 1944 she arrived back in Portsmouth. In 1945 she was in Aberdeen for a refit. There were 71 boom defence vessels in the Royal Navy in WW2. After the war she was transferred to the Dutch Navy. In 1952 she was at Flushing with Skipper E.C.Kuikper. And was used to keep light buoys in safe channels 5 miles apart as there were still mines in the North Sea. In 1956 she returned to Britain. She arrived at Smith and Houston for breaking up in 1964.
