The Story of ‘Maid Honour'

I recently sold a painting (featured here), of a Sailing Trawler with the curious name of ‘Maid Honour'. I based the picture on an old photograph from Brixham Museum and subsequently found out she had a very interesting history.

She was launched in 1924 from Jackman's Yard in Brixham harbour and at 40 tons and a length of 62ft she was average for a Brixham trawler. Ketch rigged, she was a typical example of what the fishing community called a ‘Mule'; with two masts, main and mizzen and the usual red-tan sails. Fishing out of Brixham as BM25 she had an unremarkable career until purchased by the Royal Navy in 1940.

She was then sailed, (she had no engine), secretly to Nigeria by an S.O.E. raiding party on an expedition to capture an Italian liner, the ‘Dutchessa' and a German tanker, ‘Likomba'. These two ships were hiding in the supposedly neutral Spanish Island of Fernando Po. From there they were supplying U-Boats in the South Atlantic. The expedition was entirely successful and the two ships were hijacked back to Nigeria.

As far as I can determine, this was the last time that an engineless sailing vessel was used on active service by the Royal Navy. In one way the end of over a thousand years of naval heritage!

Unfortunately this brave vessel was left to rot away on a Nigerian beach. A sad end for such a unique ship.

John Turk

For those interested John can supply a signed and mounted print of the painting. John can be contacted on 01803 856547.