Built: 1946 at Alexander Hall & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen. L 105.2'. B 27.1'. D 11.7'. 233grt. 900ihp. 3cylTE 16"x25"x42"x27"stroke oil fired steam engine by builder, eng. no 414.
Yard No: 709 Official No: 180997 IMO No: 5067534
Acquired: 1946 Sold: 1972
Preserved: at Ramsgate by the Ramsgate Maritime Museum
On the 25th October 1954 Cervia was involved in a tragic accident at the Tilbury Docks on the Thames.
To avoid a collision with the liner Orcades, the liner Arcadia which was being undocked by Cervia, went full ahead, which resulted in the Cervia being dragged over. The crew of the Cervia tried desperately to release the towing hawser but to no avail and she shortly afterwards capsized, which sadly led to the deaths of five of her eight crew, including her Captain. Another of Watkins' tugs, the Challenge, was involved nearby and managed to pick up the three survivors.
Work on salvaging the Cervia began a couple of days later and she was then towed to Ramsgate to be overhauled by Claxton's, ready for inclusion back into the Watkins fleet.
In a court of inquiry into the case, it was found that the sinking was caused by the failure of a quick release pin on one of her towing hooks. George Claxton together with blacksmith Steve Edset therefore set about designing new towing hooks. They did this on a large iron plate outside of their workshop using the forge and power hammer close by. When finished it was set up on the plate and loaded to a very high strain by a hydraulic ram, then with the insurance inspector supervising it was thoroughly tested. They later went on to make new towing hooks for the Watkins tugs Vanquisher, Dhulia, Moorcock and Ionia.
RIP William Russell, Captain Leonard Strickland, Mate Thomas Cormack, Second Engineer, age 36 Bertie Morgan, Fireman, age 27 Ernest Tovey, Cook, age 17 All from Gravesend
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