The steel steam trawler Gambri was launched from the Cook, Welton and Gemmill Ltd shipyard in Beverley (Yard No 521) on 25th May 1929. She measured 140.2′ x 24.6′ x 13.2′ and her tonnage was 349 gross tons, 152 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by C D Holmes and Co Ltd., Hull delivering 96 registered horse power.
Extract of Lloyds register 1953
Her initial owners, Grant and Baker Fishing Company of Grimsby registered her in that port as GY99. In May 1934 she was sold to the Marine Steam Fishing Company of Hull and became H33 renamed Runswick Bay. In June 1944 she changed owner yet again, this time acquired by the Perihelion Steam Fishing Company in Grimsby registered there as GY489. She was renamed Hassett in 1947.
On 16th September 1953 Hassett departed from Grimsby around noon bound for the Icelandic fishing grounds. He skipper, Arthur Almond, had a crew of nineteen men aboard. By 19:00 the following day, after the skipper was satisfied they had passed Rattray Head, a course was set for Stroma in the Pentland Firth. By 23:00 a further bearing was taken on Stroma and a small course adjustment was made by the skipper. Shortly before 00:15 on the 18th a white light was sighted off the port beam. The skipper was uncertain what light this was but, assuming it was a light on the north side of the Pentland Firth, he adjusted his course to south west. Twenty minutes later, having satisfied himself the light was in fact on Noss Head he changed course again this time to north but ten minutes later the Hassett ran hard aground at Auckengill. Despite an attempt to reverse her off the rocks by running her engines at full speed astern Hassett held firm. Her distress radio message was picked by Wick Radio and soon the Wick lifeboat, HMS Scorpion and the Wick Rocket Brigade were on site. It proved impossible to take the crew off in the dark but, with the first morning light the crew were taken off by Breeches Buoy. It was only as this stage that it became clear that five pf the crew had lost their lives in the incident.
Two views of the Hasset aground
At the subsequent enquiry the version of events that followed the sighting of the unidentified light were described differently by the skipper and by other members of the crew. It appears that the light, which initially was white indicating a safe passage, turned red indicating that the vessel was too close to shore. The skipper refuted this version but, after hearing all the evidence, the enquiry held that the skipper’s version of events would not have resulted in the vessel stranding and that he alone was responsible for the loss of the Hassett. His certificate was suspended for twelve months.
