Comments on: Pilot Cutters identified

By: Peter Morrison

Peter Morrison — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:51:49 +0000

- My father AJS (Jim) Morrison was a Clyde pilot and I was a boy on the Clyde cutters for short periods in the early 1970′s. I’m sure the photo is of the ‘Gantock’. I particularly remember the very low windscreen, visible behind the seated figure in the photo. I think the accommodation casing in the photo was later replaced with more a stream-lined casing. A new Gantock came into commission in the 1970′s – quite a different style of craft. There are surviving retired pilots of the original Gantock’s era who would be better able than me to fill in the details. The last time I was on the new Gantock was to scatter Dad’s ashes in the Clyde in July 2001, by which time the cutters were stationed at Princess Pier.

By: Dr.Robert Hill

Dr.Robert Hill — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:02:05 +0000

During WW2 my father served as commanding officer of HMS Prudence which had been commandeered by the Royal Naval for wartime use from Trinity House. The ship operated as a calibration ship for ships fitted with HFDF (an early form of Radar) plying between Scapa Flow and Londonderry. The other Trinity House vessel with the name beginning with “P” was Patricia.
The latest vessel of Trinity House bears this name.
Hope this is of help. Can provide much more info about HMS Prudence if required. I, too have a naval backgroud, and logging on to “Bob Hill HMS Scorpion” in Google will provide the details.

By: Eric Bennett

Eric Bennett — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:57:28 +0000

I was a boy on the Trinity House PV Prudence in 1945 based at Gravesend and on staion for three weeks at Dungeness and Harwich, coaling at Dover ten days into our tour of duty. There were four such vessels. Prudence, Pioneer, Pathfinder and one other with a name beginning with “P” that I cannot recall. They were sisters along with one of a different design, the PV Lionheart. Any information on these vessels would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Eric