The steel steam trawler Osborne Stroud was launched from the Aberdeen yard of A Hall and Co Ltd (Yard No 474) on 17th February 1912. She measured 115.5′ x 22.5′ x 12.4′ and her tonnage was 209 gross tons, 79 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by A Hall delivering 66 registered horse power. Built for the Stroud Steam Fishing Co Ltd of Aberdeen she operated out of this port until the outbreak of Word War One. At this point she was purchased by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper. She survived the war and returned to commercial ownership and her fishing duties until the outbreak of Word War Two. By this time she was named Beathwood and her registered owner was T N Davidson still based in Aberdeen as A442. With the onset of war she was again requisitioned by the Admiralty for wartime duties.
Steam trawler Osborne Stroud under way
Lloyds register 1940
On the night of 11th September 1940 she was anchored around one mile east of Montrose when she was attacked by a German bomber. Aboard most of her crew of nine, under the command of her skipper George Wood, were below resting or asleep with one crewman on deck keeping watch.. The single bomb hit the vessel midships and penetrated through the vessel before detonating and blowing her to pieces. Only two of the crew, her mate Alex Mair and the engineer survived.
The wreck believed to be the Beathwood lies in position 56 42.591 N, 002 24.394 W oriented 130/310 degrees in 30 metres with least depth reported of 25 metres. The last report available in 1989 described the wreck as the stern section of a steel steam trawler. We have no further updates on the status or identity of this wreck but the position indicated is very close to the position reported of the attack so it seems likely that, whatever remains at this location, is the wreckage of the Beathwood.
Tower Hill memorial plaque
