M08 HMS VENTURER

M08 HMS VENTURER (1978 – 1983)

HMS VENTURER at sea

In 1978 SUFFOLK HARVESTER taken up from trade and allocated to Severn Division RNR and commissioned as HMS VENTURER [M08]. The charter ended in 1983. [The sister ship, SUFFOLK MONARCH, was allocated to South Wales Division and named HMS ST DAVID].

SUFFOLK HARVESTER AND HER SISTER SHIPS      

During the late 60s and early 70s, Cubow of Woolwich built four trawlers for Small & Co – Suffolk Endeavour, Suffolk Harvester, Suffolk Monarch and Suffolk Warrior. All four later became emergency & rescue response vessels in the North Sea operated under a joint agreement between Vroon Offshore Safety Ltd (VOS) based at Aberdeen, and Boston Putford Offshore Safety Ltd (BPOS) based at Lowestoft.  When the agreement ended, the three remaining vessels went to BPOS.

Suffolk Endeavour: Built 1968, this vessel was sold by Small & Co. and used alternately as a trawler, standby safety vessel & ocean research vessel between 1976 and 1987. She returned to fishing in 1987 and in her later years worked out of Corunna for her Spanish owners.  She was broken up in 2008.

Suffolk Harvester: (See photos in the gallery below). Built in 1972, she was chartered as a minesweeper for the Royal Navy & renamed HMS Venturer in 1978 but reverted to Suffolk Harvester when returned to Small & Co. in 1983.  She was transferred and renamed Britannia Harvester in 1990 and later underwent further name changes to VOS Harvester in 2009 and BPOS Harvester in 2011.

Suffolk Monarch: Built in 1973, she was chartered as a minesweeper for the Royal Navy and became HMS St David in 1978 reverting back to Suffolk Monarch in 1983 when returned to Small & Co.  She was transferred and became Britannia Monarch in 1990. In 2009 she was sold and renamed VOS Monarch, before becoming BPOS Monarch in 2011.

Suffolk Warrior: Built 1973, she was converted to a standby safety vessel in 1977, before being transferred and becoming Britannia Warrior in 1990. In 2009 she was sold and renamed VOS Warrior, before becoming BPOS Warrior in 2011.

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