One of the ships that sent to war during the Falklands Crisis in 1982 was the 1973 built ship NORTHELLA.
She was built at Clelands Shipbuilding Co Ltd at Willington Quay, Wallsend,Tyne, UK with yard number as 325 for J Marr & Sons Ltd as the fishing vessel NORTHELLA with fishing matricola H206 at Hull, UK. In 1982 she was converted as navigational training ship, commissioned as HMS NORTHELLA and during the Falkland Crises she became a STUFT (Ship Taken Up From Trade) vessel and along with FARNELLA, JUNELLA, CORDELLA and PICT they became the 11th MCM Squadron.
In 1999 she was converted into a research vessel and acquired by the Dutch Film Unit BV and was seen several times at Grand Harbour, Malta.
For Filming purposes she had 2 RIB’s with 2 x Mercury 90 hp outboards, a former German army river workboat built in 1983 DONAU, an aluminium workboat named VALDAN and an RTK 412 ramped craft named BEEZER
During 2003 Cassar Ship Repair Limited opened a court case due to berthing fees etc –
On 16th May, 2004 she was seen laid up at Church Wharf next to CELTIC HORIZON ( a former Hull trawler of the same original company – SOUTHELLA).
And on 24th May, 2005 she left Grand Harbour to start her last voyage to Alang, India for breakers.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Sunday 17th October ,2021
