HMS Montrose

“Further to John Aitken’s note about the Montrose-built HMS Montrose/ Chediston (M1121), I would add some comment,” says Roderick Stewart.

“During her time as the Tay Division RNVR sea tender, from 1955 to 1957, she was given the traditional Tay Division name of HMS Montrose, but this had nothing to do with the town where she was built as is often supposed; rather it was in honour of the sixth Duke of Montrose who had been the key figure in the formation of the RNVR in 1903.

“She was one of the ‘Ton’ class of minesweepers, so-called because they were given names of British villages ending in ‘-ton’ and these delightful little ships made ideal training vessels for the Reserves as they packed the features and organisation of a much larger ship into a mere 450 tons displacement.

“During their time with the RNVR/ RNR they were given local names and over the years five minesweepers based in Dundee were re-named HMS Montrose, while the headquarters was first HMS Unicorn then the ‘stone frigate’ HMS Camperdown.

“Tay Division RNVR was given the special honour of escorting the Royal Yacht Britannia upriver in 1955 on the Queen’s first state visit to Dundee. This marked an important ‘first’ for the RNVR, and I attach a photograph of HMS Montrose ‘cheering ship’ on that occasion, the photograph being taken from Britannia, with Fife in the background.”

If you have a story for Craigie email: craigie@ thecourier.co.uk Today’s photograph shows HMS Montrose ‘cheering ship’ – see story to the far left.

“Regarding the recent correspondence about the number of workers needed to work the threshing mill on local farms, here is a picture from a farm near Coupar Angus with all the workers and the mill,” says Jim Thomson who sent in this great photograph.