Bow blown off

“I was intrigued at the mention of HMS Zubian in Roderick Stewart’s recent letter on the subject of re-using various parts of moving machinery etc.,” emails a reader from Montrose.

“When the former HMS Zubian arrived at the Angus port on February 17, 1920 she created considerable interest. A vessel of 840 tons and measuring 280 feet in length, she had been purchased from the Admiralty by a Mr Kelly.

“The circumstances by which the Zubian had come by that name were quite dramatic due to several incidents during the Great War involving the destroyers Zulu and Nubian.

“During the Battle of the Dover Strait on the night of October 17/17 1916, Nubian’s bow was blown off by a torpedo from a German warship. She was taken in tow and beached near Dover. Another Tribal class destroyer Zulu had her stern blown off by a mine near Dunkirk on November 8 1916 and towed to Calais.

“Both damaged ships were towed to Chatham Dockyard where the Zulu’s bow was joined to the stern section of the Nubian. The resultant rebuilt destroyer was given the portmanteau name ‘Zubian’.

“The process of breaking up the vessel close to Wharf Street required Mr Kelly to meet certain conditions laid down by Montrose Harbour Trust such as paying the usual cargo dues plus rent for any stored material on the quayside during dismantling operations, to erect a crane at his own expense and to keep the rails of the harbour railway clear.”