Conan Doyle H240

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Conan Doyle H240
H.M.S Moldavia's log book (19 april 1916)
The H240's Bell offered by William Addy to Arthur Conan Doyle. [1]

Conan Doyle H240 [2] was a Hull steam trawler named after Arthur Conan Doyle.

Built in 1914, the boat had two notable achievements, she held the world's record for trawler catch, namely £10,790 [3] made in 16 days' fishing, but most importantly she fought a German submarine with success on 20 june 1918 (see detailed report of the battle here).

When Arthur Conan Doyle learned about this splendid battle on his namesake, he wrote to the Skipper William Addy and sent him a silver cigarette case with a congratulation carved on it : "To Skipper William Addy, D. S. C., from Arthur Conan Doyle. In memory of June 20th, 1918." In return, William Addy sent him the trawler's bell which bore the name of the boat "Conan Doyle". The bell was proudly exhibited in Conan Doyle's home at Windlesham.

In his autobiography Memories and Adventures (chapter 27 published in july 1924), Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned the event :

« One pleasing incident occurred in 1917, [4] when a Hull steam trawler which had been named after me, under the able handling of Skipper Addy and Lieutenant McCabe of the Naval Reserve, had an action with a heavily armed modern submarine, the fight lasting for some hours. The Conan Doyle was acting as flagship of a little group of trawlers, and though their guns were popguns compared with that of the German, they so peppered him that he was either sunk or took flight — anyhow, he vanished under the water. The little boat sent me its ship's bell as a souvenir of the exploit, and I sent some small remembrances in exchange. It was a fine exploit, and I was proud to be connected with it, even in so remote a way. »

The Conan Doyle H240 was renamed as "Viene" in march 1937 and was scrapped at Ostend in may 1951.


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  1. The bell is now exhibited at the "Musée Sherlock Holmes de Lucens" (Lucens, Switzerland).
  2. H240 referred to the port registration numbers for fishing vessels : H been the port of Hull and holding the registration number 240.
  3. In some articles £10,790 is replaced with 10,790 lbs.
  4. Conan Doyle dated the event in 1917, but it really was in 1918.