Hms Barcombe: Lord Lovat's Bay, Mull, Firth Of Lorn
Boom Defence Vessel (20th Century)
Site Name Hms Barcombe: Lord Lovat's Bay, Mull, Firth Of Lorn
Classification Boom Defence Vessel (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Loch Buie; Hms Barcome; Torran Rocks; Atlantic; Hms Barcombe
Canmore ID 117125
Site Number NM62SW 8001
NGR NM 60796 20226
NGR Description NM c. 602 205
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/117125
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Maritime - Argyll And Bute
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NM62SW 8001c. 602 205
N56 19 W5 52.7
NLO: Lord Lovat's Bay [name: NM 602 205]
Loch Buie [name: NM 59 22]
Torran Rocks [name centred NM 28 13]
Firth of Lorn [name centred NM 69 19].
Location formerly cited as NM 6048 2026 [N56 18.8 W5 52.4].
See also NM62SE 8001.
The 750 ton boom defence vessel BARCOME [Barcombe] was found on the west side of Loch Buie shortly after 6.opm on Tuesday by an Oban-bound seine net fishing vessel.
This ended a 21 hour search by naval vessels, aircraft, and the Islay lifeboat. BARCOME had been badly holed and flooded. One casualty was later brought to Oban. The air and sea rescue operations were hampered by thick mist and also by a series of conflicting reports as to the area in which the vessel had been grounded. For over 21 hours, the Islay lifeboat CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH and the submarine rescue vessel Kingfisher, the Admiralty tug SAUCY, and other ships and RAF Shackleton aircraft from Northern Ireland searched the area. Shortly after 9.00pm on Monday the BARCOME signalled that she was aground near Oronsay Island. The Islay lifeboat searched the Oronsay area all through the night and early morning of Tuesday. Later on Tuesday she was ordered north to search in the area of the Torran Rocks, off the south west of Mull, more than 15 miles from Oronsay. The remains of the BARCOME are lying broadside at the foot of a 300ft cliff. The lifeboat and the Kingfisher took off the BARCOME's crew.
At the court martial of the boom defence vessel BARCOME's commander, Lt.Cdr. Derek Charles Godfrey, the court recorded that there was a local magnetic anomaly in the Loch Buie area, and extra care should have been taken by the accused.
Source: Oban Times, 18 January 1958.
(Classified as boom defence vessel: date of loss cited as 13 January 1958). HMS Barcombe: this vessel was wrecked just E of Loch Buie. Commander Godfrey.
Registration: london. Built 1938. 750grt. Length: 45m. Beam: 10m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 18.85 W5 52.33).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Material reported under RoW amnesty (2001):
A1956 2 letters (B and M), 1 boiler plate, 1 propellor: from seabed.
NMRS, MS/829/35.
Neither plans nor photographs of this vessel are held in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
Information from Ms G Fabri (NMM), 7 November 2003.
Loch Buie is a broad but deep inlet set into the S coast of Mull. The village of Lochbuie itself is situated at the head (NE end) of the loch.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 9 May 2008.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 361
Name : HMS BARCOMBE
Latitude : 561851
Longitude : 55220
Date Built : 1938
Registration : LONDON
Type : BOOM DEFENCE VESS.
Tonnage : 750
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 45
Beam : 10
Draught : 3m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 13
Loss Month : 1
Loss Year : 1958
Comment : Wrecked just east of Loch Buie.. Commander Godfrey
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 002743
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Wreck showing any portion of hull or superstructure
State : DEAD
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 56.31403,-5.86833
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 56.31388,-5.86939
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 56.31417,-5.86833
Position Method : Compass Cross Bearings
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 2
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : HMS BARCOMBE
Type : BOOM DEFENCE VESSEL
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 53.0
Beam : 8.2
Draught : 2.7
Tonnage : 730
Tonnage Type : Displacement
Date Sunk : 13/01/1958
Bottom Texture : Boulders
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Last Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1958
Last Detection Year : 1986
Original Source : Naval Vessel
Last Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **RAN AGROUND. PASSAGE GREENOCK FOR ROSYTH FOR A REFIT. (LL, 15.1.58).
**BUILT 1938 AT GREENOCK. (SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY)
Surveying Details : **H597/58 18.1.58 ON S COAST ISLAND OF MULL NEAR E.HD OF LOCH BUIE. (LL, 15.1.58).
**H597/58 28.1.58 SALVAGE IMPRACTICABLE. (F.O. SCOTLAND, 27.1.58).
**H597/58 10.10.58 LIES STRANDED IN 561851N, 055206W [OGB]. FIXED BY GYRO BEARINGS. (HMS SHACKLETON, HN 9/58, 28.9.58). BR STD.
**19.12.68 SOLD TO NORTHERN SHIPBREAKING CO ON 12.1.59. REPORT RECEIVED 13.3.61 THAT WK HAD BEEN BROKEN UP. (D OF C (N), 16.12.68 - N/CP. 57469/68).
**H3686/77 NO SIGN OF WK AT LWS ON 2.7.77. PASSED WITHIN 50 YDS OF CHARTED POSN. (LT.CDR HEAP, HYD NOTE). AMENDED TO DEAD. DELETE. BR STD.
**H1310/86/4 17.2.86 NO LARGE PIECES OF THIS WRECK REMAIN AND ALL THAT WAS FOUND LIE WITHIN 10MTRS OF THE SHORE, MOSTLY BURIED UNDER LARGE BOULDERS. (ANDREW JENNIONS, 27.1.86). NFA.
General Comments : BURIED
Chart Symbol : ST
Date Last Amended : 07/10/2006