Thomas Hankins
British Steam trawler
| Name | Thomas Hankins | ||
| Type: | Steam trawler | ||
| Tonnage | 276 tons | ||
| Completed | 1918 - J.P. Reynoldson & Sons Ltd, South Shields | ||
| Owner | Boston Deep Sea Fishing Co, Fleetwood | ||
| Homeport | Fleetwood | ||
| Date of attack | 20 Nov 1939 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-33 (Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky) | ||
| Position | 55° 21'N, 8° 35'W - Grid AM 5536 | ||
| Complement | 12 (0 dead and 12 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Fleetwood - fishing grounds | ||
| Cargo | |||
| History | Completed in June 1918 as armed trawler HMS Thomas Hankins (No. 3828) of the Castle class for the Admiralty and served as minesweeper. Converted to the fishing trawler Thomas Hankins (LO 372) after being sold to Edward Brand & John Henry Dove, Milford on 11 May 1920. 1937 sold to Pembroke Hake Fishing Co Ltd (Reginald Llewellyn Hancock), Milford. On 15 September 1939 sold to Boston Deep Sea Fishing Co (Basil A. Parkes), Fleetwood. | ||
| Notes on event | On 20 Nov 1939, U-33 sank three trawlers with about five rounds from the deck gun each near Tory Island: At 10.30 hours the Thomas Hankins 14 miles northwest of Tory, at 16.00 hours the Delphine 18 miles north-northeast of Tory and at 17.05 hours the Sea Sweeper 25 miles west-northwest of Tory. The crew of Thomas Hankins (Master M. Hankins) was rescued by another trawler after 10 hours in a lifeboat and landed in Northern Ireland. They reported that the ship had been shelled without warning, the second shell went through the bows and the fifth through the boiler, causing the trawler to sink after about 25 minutes. | ||
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