Foundation Franklin

The SS "Foundation Franklin" was a sea-going salvage vessel operated by Foundation Maritime between 1930-1949. The ship was built for the Royal Navy in 1918.

History

The "Foundation Franklin" was built as HMS "Frisky", a Racia type tug, by John Lewis and Sons Shipbuilding at Dundee, Scotland, in 1918. She was designed to move capital warships, and operate in rough weather. The ship was commissioned in the spring of 1919, but the ending of World War I ended the need for the HMS "Frisky". She was used to tow warships to Scapa Flow until being laid up. In 1924, the ship was sold and performed towing work on the Rhine River and in the Baltic Sea. The "Frisky" was later purchased by a German project intending to tow barges across the Atlantic Ocean to Argentina and renamed SS "Gustavo Ipland", but the project was destined to fall through. The former HMS "Frisky" then was laid up until 1930. [ cite book
last =Mowat
first =Farley
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Grey Seas Under
publisher =
date =May, 1964
location =
pages =14
url =
doi =
id = ]

The ship was purchased in January, 1930 at Hamburg, Germany by Foundation Maritime representative Captain James Sutherland at Hamburg, Germany, Brought to Southampton for further refit and inspection the same year where she was registered under the Red Ensign and given the name "Foundation Franklin". Brought to Foundation Maritime headquarters in Montreal, Canada In 1931, she was further refitted by Halifax Shipyards for Atlantic salvage service.

Later, a homeport was established at Halifax, Nova Scotia on Lower Water Street. [ cite book
last =Mowat
first =Farley
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Grey Seas Under
publisher =
date =1958
location =
pages =16
url =
doi =
id = ] One of the most successful and hard-working vessels of her type, she continued to operate in the salvage role until 1948, when, during the tow of the vessel "Arosa" a hurricane damaged the ship beyond economical repair. Her many rescues and salvage triumphs were celebrated in Farley Mowat's book "The Grey Seas Under".

According to Eastern Canada Towing (successor company to Foundation Maritime, LTD) "Foundation Franklin" was converted to from coal to fuel oil in 1945. Her bell, bearing her Royal Navy name Frisky, is displayed at the office of Eastern Canada Towing on the Halifax waterfront. A nearby plaque cemmorates her many rescues. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic displays her bridge and engine room clock as well as several models of the famous tug. The Museum also has the tug's heavy ground tackle salvage gear in storage.

Masters of "Foundation Franklin

*1930 - Captain James Sutherland.
*1930-1932 - Unknown.
*1932 - Captain Lewis.
*1932-1934 - Captain Reginald Featherstone (and others). Featherstone was Salvage Master
*1934-1940 - Captain Irwin Power. (Powers was later Master of "Foundation Aranmore")
*1940(temp.)- Captain Benjamin Pope
*1940 - Captain John Pynn.
*1940-1941 - Captain Cecil Ormiston.
*1941-1947 - Captain Harry M. Brushett.
*1947-1948 - Captain John Lahey. [ cite book
last =Mowat
first =Farley
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Grey Seas Under
publisher =
date =May, 1964
location =
pages =36, 57, 83, 100, 133, 142, 150, 246
url =
doi =
id = ]

References