History
In 1931, the story has it, Aircraftsman Shaw, or Lawrence of Arabia, as he is better known, witnessed the crash of a flying boat, whilst stationed at RAF Mountbatten, and was appalled at the amount of time it took to get a rescue craft out to the stricken plane. By the time help arrived, the passengers and crew had all drowned.
He took his concerns to the Ministry of War and, after teaming up with his friend and fellow petrol-head Hubert Scott Paine, who happened to own The British Power Boat Co., developed the existing seaplane tender into the 200 class. She was given more power - initially twin Cummins Diesels and later the iconic 130 bhp Perkins SM6s - lowered the gunwales, streamlined the hull and developing the 'hard chine' hull shape. This was a semi-displacement, semi-planing hull that gave the craft enviable speed and superb handling in all seas.
The 200 class was the origin of all the future A/SR vessels - the Mk1 (ST437 et al), Mk1A, the larger 63' Vosper HSL, the 'Whaleback' and the 'Dorset and Hants'. Most of these vessels were decommissioned shortly after the war, although some continued in service until the Sixties.
ST 437's Service History
- 1st November 1941: launched at Hythe
- Assigned to 46 A/SR (air/sea rescue) attached to RAF Stormy Down, Porthcawl
- Transferred to 97 MU (maintenance Unit) Ferryside, attached to 43 Group
- 4th July 1943: returned to 46 A/SR at RAF Stormy Down
- 1st December 1945: recorded in Coastal Command Census
- 10th July 1946: re-assigned to 1115MCU (Marine Craft Unit), Pembroke Dock
- 1st May 1956: Struck off charge, Pembroke Dock
- June 1956: Offered for sale by Admiralty Small Craft Disposals. Described as folio 16251/03556, 41 1/2 ft RSL no. 437; major repairs required, no engines.
Post War
ST 437 has spent most of the post war years in South Wales in her new role as a Gentleman's pleasure cruiser; first in Cardiff, where she had a name change to 'Akabama', then back to Porthcawl for 18 years and, until 2013, in Penarth.
In 2013 she was acquired by Paul Childs for his floating museum, the Watchet Warships Centre, where she lay alongside 'Gay Archer' - a 'P' boat, MASB27 - an anti-submarine boat and MTB219 - a motor torpedo boat. Unfortunately, through lack of funding, the fleet had to be broken up in 2016 and, having been on the market several times, this is where she was found, looking tired and in need of a great deal of TLC.
The good news is that she has been well looked after by her successive owners and has not had any extended periods of inactivity so she is in relatively good condition - for a 75 year old.
Better still is that she has a number of her original fittings - the searchlight, the bridge-gear: steering wheel, gear shifts, dashboard gauges and throttle controls - which are often the hardest parts to source.
So we have plotted a course to a bright new future.