During the 1960's, 70's & 80's the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Navy commissioned three new  Inshore Survey Craft - 'ECHO', 'EGERIA' & 'ENTERPRISE' - for the task of surveying the estuaries & coastal areas of the east coast of England. Not surprisingly they spent almost all their working lives based at Chatham. They worked a long hard season from April to October each year almost entirely away from their base and returned to spend the winter months there in maintenance.

H.M.S. ECHO (A70), the first vessel of the three (E) class Inshore Survey Craft was built at the Cowes yard of J Samuel White and launched on 1 May 1957. The design, specifically for coastal and harbour surveying, came out of the inshore minesweeper that they so closely resembled. 'ECHO' was initially fitted with a 40mm gun forward in order to prove the class as armed minesweepers should the need arise. That done the gun was removed and never again put onboard nor fitted to the other two in the class. ECHO was commissioned on 12 September 1958. In March the following year at opposite ends of the country the other two sprang into life. 'ENTERPRISE'(A72) from the Bideford, North Devon, yard of M W Blackmore & Sons Ltd and 'EGERIA'(A71) from Wm Weatherhead & Sons at Cockenzie. (3 boats alongside in River at Chatham 1962 thanks to Barry Lockyer)

These great little all wood construction craft were just 107 feet (33.6M) long with a 22'(6.7M) beam and draught of 7'(6.7M) all of which displaced 170 tons. Propulsion was provided by a pair of Davey Paxman (Colchester) Ltd diesel engines developing 700bhp to give a normal 12 and full speed of 14 knots via two controllable pitch propellors. Their 15 ton fuel loading gave them a range of around 1400 miles. Ventilation was via an electrically heated trunked air system.

HMS ENTERPRISE leading EGERIA and ECHO towards the Locks of Chatham Dockyard c.1970. (Thanks to Anthony Barber for picture)

In 1963-4 our chef, Vic Keeble, worked miracles in his little electric galley to produce Michelin* (and I don't mean rubber-tyre) quality food for the two officers, two petty officers and twelve ratings onboard. Vic, always an enthusiastic motor-cyclist, recently told me that he set aside cooking after leaving the navy to work in the motor cycle retail trade. That was cooking's loss! 

The challenge of getting as close inshore as possible was met from an open bridge using the now defunct Decca Navigation System* to steer by. The art of getting the required data was practised using echo-sounders, radar, ASDIC, and sweep gear plus a echo-sounder fitted launch and, of course the ships company of which, usually, both officers and four ratings were from the 'surveyor' branch.
(*NB. The demise of the 'Decca' system was complete in March 2000 when the transmitters were finally switched off after about half a century of service. I wonder just how many mariners, from fishermen to the Masters of the largest of vessels, had been thankful for its service over the years whilst the satellite systems now in use were being developed.

I clearly remember our first Skipper, Lt Cdr J M Mackay, hurling himself from one side of the bridge to the other in almost perpetual motion whilst, at the same time, rubbing his fingertips across the top of his head. Both these activities became proportionately more frenetic as the depth of water under the keel reduced. When, as it inevitably did once or twice, the water ran out altogether we would all run from side to side! I can only assume to do so was part of a survey officers basic training. I have no doubt John Mackay was the hardest working man in the ship and through all that a somewhat reserved man who never displayed any frustration or anger. 
He retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander in 1975 and took up a post with the Northern Lighthouse Board where he became General Manager before retiring.

I was pleased, in 2001, to introduce John Mackay to the Survey Ships Association to which he later  presented a model sextant that he thought might make a nice centrepiece at the Associations reunion dinners. It was, I believe, later agreed to use it as an annual trophy for achievement at the Hydrog/Met training centre in HMS DRAKE at Devonport.

After him, in March 1964, Lt Cdr P G N Cardno took command of ECHO. He too was a workaholic but more of an extrovert and hands-on character who demonstrated the view that you should not ask anyone to do anything you could not and had not done yourself. All too soon in 1964, and again in 1982, that fact tested him with fatal results which are fully described on the 'Loss' page.

I guess the 'survey' navy was a part of the Navy that didn't just drive ships around at full speed firing guns and dropping charges on submarines but one whose productivity could be closely measured. What those in it certainly did produce was the information that allowed the others to hurtle around and make their bangs without the risk of running out of water.

In such a small craft there was never room for anyone who did not give 101% and that was so in work and play. Many evenings the mess became the epicentre of gambling in the form, usually, of Brag and as each of us lost our next fortnight's pay - I can't remember there ever being a 'Baron' so I guess we all won & lost in fairly equal measure - we would turn in. Often that was only the start as the jokes and yarns would often go on half the night if not two halves. All that on just two cans of beer per man!! I have very fond memories of both ship and company.

Prior to joining 'ECHO' I, like so many others in Chatham Dockyard, had watched her and her sisters disappear down the Medway as soon as the sun came out and temperatures started to rise and return as soon as the autumn winds blew the mercury down again. They then used to tuck themselves into a quiet corner of No.3 Basin to do nothing more than give shelter to a few tanned faces who were only seen to dive down a hatch about 0800 each morning and re-emerge around 1600 to move gazelle-like towards Gillingham Gate. If you were one of those who looked on and thought 'that must be a good draft' or even 'Lucky b......'.' You were right! If you never got into the Inshore Survey Squadron you really did miss out.

I am certain they each, and collectively, had some momentous events in their RN life and I know 'ECHO' had a calimitous one on the 1st of April 1964 when we lost Petty Officer Geoffrey Orgill and Leading Seaman Frank Dunham in an accident in the Thames Estuary. The full details of this tragedy are given on a separate page.

Apart from their undoubted achievements in surveying maybe the highlight for the three ships was their attendance at the 1977 Royal Fleet Review at Spithead on the 28th of June. If you know different please let me know.

As the closure of Chatham neared the ships were moved to Devonport before being finally paid off in 1985 to bring a long 'local' history to an end. The first survey ship ECHO - a paddle steamer - commanded by one Lieutenant Bullock in1827-29 had his name put to what is now known as the South Edinburgh Channel. Post-WWII the 'East Coast of England Survey Unit' continued the task using motor launches before the ECHO class arrived to change the collective title to 'Inshore Survey Squadron'.

The transfer to and use of ECHO, EGERIA and ENTERPRISE by the Marine Society after 1985 is described below.

ECHO (TS EARL OF ROMNEY)

ECHO followed EGERIA to the MARINE SOCIETY in 1987 but she was purchased rather than loaned from MOD. On completion of her refit on 29 June 1988 she became Training Ship 'EARL OF ROMNEY' so named after the Society's first President whose successors have continued that link to the present day's 8th Earl.

The ship continued into the 2000's a familiar sight at her berth off Chatham's Historic Dockyard or with trainees around the Thames Estuary and South Coast ports. She was also to be seen at major maritime events such as Portsmouth's International Festival of the Sea but I, and probably others, were alarmed by her absence from the Nelson 200 Fleet Review and Festival in June 2005.    

Enquiring at the Marine Society afterwards I learned that escalating crewing and running costs had forced the Society to take the ship out of service in December 2004 and that she had subsequently been sold but worse news followed! Bearing the name ROMNEY she had sailed from the Medway on 2 April 2005 with an Egyptian skipper and three crew for Alexandria where it was intended to use her for private hire visits to historic sites and diving charter. (If you are in or around Alexandria and see her please send me a photo or two)

A great pity for those who might have benefited from her continued training use and for me particularly. The good news is she lives on as a tribute to the skills of the Isle of Wight craftsmen of half a century ago who built her.

MARINE SOCIETY - A potted history
 
In 1756 merchant Jonas Hanway saw the need for more young men  (beggar-boys) to join the navy as war with France grew and to encourage them to join he wanted to provide clothes and guidance in addition to the Queen's shilling. Instantly successful he was quickly supported by others and on 25 June 1756 the Marine Society was founded to raise money for the purpose. It soon expanded its aims to include education, training and religious guidance.
 
In 1786 it commissioned its first harbour training ship - a world first - and insisted all boys would have one months training before going to sea. At the beginning of the 1800's the Admiralty loaned a succession of ships to the Society before ex HMS HERMIONE was bought by them in 1922 and renamed WARSPITE III to continue training on the Thames until 1940 Supported by RN, Merchant Shipping Companies and the public the Society trained more than 70,000 youngsters to able seaman level between 1786 and the scrapping of WARSPITE III.
 
In the post-war years as practical sea-training colleges and shipping declined the Society incorporated other organisations and in the early 1980's found that there were no longer any sea-training vessels in use. Just at the right time the RN had the three ex Inshore Survey vessels for disposal and in 1985 the Ministry of Defence agreed to loan EGERIA to the Society.
After an extensive refit that included enclosing the Bridge and updating radar and navigation equipments the ship was renamed JONAS HANWAY on 10 December 1986.
 
Soon afterwards the Society bought ECHO which they similarly refitted and renamed EARL OF ROMNEY in June 1988. ENTERPRISE was then also purchased to be retained for later use but was not refitted or ever commissioned.
 
Each ship was able to accommodate 12 trainees plus an instructor in addition to a crew of five
But through the 1990's costs rose and the Society was forced to sell of ex-ENTERPRISE and JONAS HANWAY (EGERIA). 

EARL OF ROMNEY (ECHO) at her moorings in the River Medway off Chatham's Historic Dockyard in January 2005. Taken out of service December 2004 she was sold to Egyptian interests and left UK 2 April 2005. (Pic thanks to Alf Lawson)

ENTERPRISE was bought by record producer, Tom Newman, who has since spent a huge amount of time, effort and money in converting her at Southampton. Tom's aim has always been to provide Northern Ireland's youngsters with their own radio station/studio and with the ship sufficiently advanced Tom sailed her from Smith's Quay, Southampton on 2 February 2005 and arrived safely at Kilkeel two days later. It is a charity and help financial, physical or both will always be greatly appreciated. (email pirates@piratesforpeace.com)

ENTERPRISE at Smith's Quay, River Itchen, Southampton in September 2001 from where she sailed to Kilkeel, N. Ireland in February 2005

EGERIA is in unknown private ownership and moored in Portsmouth Harbour's Fareham Creek looking very much as she did in her Marine Society days.

EGERIA (ex JONAS HANWAY) at Portchester, Fareham Creek September 2001 (Remains there early 2006)

-Orig: 5/2000 Amd 22/11/00 Loss page added. This page 1st pub9/2/06