Ship: HMS SOBERTON
Pennant No: M1200
Laid Down: 11th March 1955
Built by: Fleetlands Shipyards Ltd (Gosport)
Completed: 17th September 1957
Time to Build: 30 months
Commissioned: 12th February 1958 for Fishery Protection Squadron (FPS) based Port Edgar
Years Fully Operational: 32
Outline of Operational Career:
- 24 Feb 58 Started first Fishery Protection patrol
- 1958-1992 Fishery Protection Patrols and Exercises in UK Waters
- 24 Jul 60 Visit of FPS to Grimsby for Freedom of Port Ceremony
- May 63 Clearance Operation ‘CLEAR ROAD’ off Esjberg.
- 3 Jul 78 Started Long Refit at Chatham
- 14 Dec 79 Recommissioned for FPS at Chatham
- 7 Feb 92 Final Day of Fishery Patrol
Significant Events:
- 26 Apr 62 Fought fire in MV ‘Olympic Thunder’. Salvage claim.
- 4 Sep 64 At opening of Forth Road Bridge by HM The Queen
- 6 Jan 67 Collision with LETTERSTON. Damage starboard side.
- 31 Mar 67 Took part in Oil Slick mop-up ex TORREY CANYON
- 1971 Carried out 16 successful FV arrests during year.
- 27 May 77 Salvaged French FV ‘St Lucien’ off Guernsey
- 12 Apr 82 Ships company manned NORTHELLA for Falklands War - continued Fishery Patrols with largely new crew.
- 8 May 84 At Opening of Thames Barrier by HM The Queen
- 8 Jul 87 Boarding Party locked down in Dutch FV Hold
- 28 Oct 89 Salvage of MV ‘Fair Play- off Eddystone
- 30 Nov 90 Awarded Wilkinson Sword of Peace for 1990.
- 1992-97 SOBERTON employed as HQ for Woolwich Sea Cadets berthed off Erith
Paid Off: 1st March 1992
Disposal: 15th July 1998 Sold to Bakkerzonen at Bruges for Break-up
14 July 2023: Phil Shaw advises that SOBERTON appeared in the TV series WARSHIP, Series 3, Episode 8 entitled "A Quiet Run Ashore" as the fictional HMS FERRINTON.
It can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/WYpz_ThmBGQ
Photos Click an image for larger version.
