T Craske Rising at the initial grounding of the Yewcroft. Photograph being taken by Mrs Rising, T Craske Rising marked on the picture with a T.
If anyone else can be identified - please comment.
Photograph kindly provided by Vanessa Bailey.
The Yewcroft, steam coaster, wrecked 8th July 1956.
Yew-boats, owned by John Stewart and Co (Shipping) of Glasgow, were bought by Ian and Edgar Macfarlane in 1936;
YEWCROFT was an 827 ton steam coaster built in 1929; Official Number 160273;
She was underway from the Thames to Bristol,
in dense fog, she came to grief near Cudden Point in July of 1956,
and the lowering tide broke her back.
She had the distinction of being the ship that changed convoy organisation,
she was on duty at Dunkirk, with Yewdale, who saved 900 men;
Yewcroft had signalled that the convoys were getting too close to shore,
action was taken too late and some were grounded; after that event convoys were led by coasters,
as they could observe coastal conditions and offer signals as to the safety of the rest of the convoys.
Raymond Forward
