An interesting colourised enlargement of the mid-image showing laid up ships at the southern side of the dock, the 'Nigelock' being foremost. In the distance is a ship under repair on the pontoon with other ships laid up two abreast on the northern quaywall. A dredger is moored ahead of the 'Pamir'. [001] The 'Nigelock' was subsequently involved in incidents of piracy off the China coast in the year following this photograph and yet again a few years later.
The Cains Post, Australia of February 1951 reported:-
Attempted Piracy on China Coast - Two Ships Attacked - Escape From Armed Junk - Hong Kong, Feb. 19 (A.A.P. Reuters') - 'The freighter Nigelock to-day reached Hong Kong with a report of piracy on the China coast. Captain Lupton, the master of the ship, which is a converted corvette, said that the Chinese pirates in a large armed junk intercepted the Nigelock off Hiesham, on the Cheklang coast, on January 18, threw grappling irons aboard, and attempted to scramble up the sides. He said the pirates were repulsed and the ship escaped, but was under fire for half an hour. Captain Lupton said that the junk attacked with machine-guns when he was about to pass her at 3 p.m. There were about 30 men aboard the junk, which flies the Chinese Nationalist flag. The men were dressed in khaki uniforms. After the boarding attempt failed, the crew of the junk opened up with machine-guns and revolvers, but no one was hurt aboard the nigelock, which was seriously damaged. The Nigelock was en route from Shanghai to Chuenchow, near Foochow, the same course as that which the Josephine Moller was on yesterday when she was attacked.' Cains Post [338] 21st February 1951
At the other side of the Pacific Ocean the Chicago Tribune reported the event:-
Pirates Swash, But Ship Won't Buckle To Them - Hong Kong, Feb. 19 (Reuters) - 'The China sea was glassy smooth in the late afternoon as the little British frater (freighter) Nigelock sailed down the coast to Chuenchow. A fishing junk, bigger than most, the skipper thought as he scanned it from the bridge. was drifting in the breeze off the Nigelock's bow. Suddenly, as the Nigelock neared the junk, high powered exhaust ripped from its stern and it shot forward alongside the Nigelock. Thirty Chinese swarmed onto her decks and heaved steel grappling hooks across the Nigelock's decks as the junk shouldered under the frater's gunwales.
Pirates Strike Again. The China seas pirates had struck again. Capt. T. A. Lupton, of the Nigelock shouted from the bridge "All hands on deck. Repulse pirates". The pirates were climbing their grappling lines hand over hand to the Nigelock's decks, some of them with knives between their teeth. Most had pistols under their belts. The Nigelock's Chinese crew of 24 men hit the deck fast. They slashed at the climbing ropes and swung fire extinguishers and anything that was handy at the heads appearing over the gunwales. Not a single pirate crossed the rails.
Clangs Full Speed Ahead. The engine room telegraf (telegraph) clanged full speed ahead. The pirate junk's concealed engine roared into life and the two vessels roared ahead - round one for the Nigelock. Then with scant yards separating it from the frater the junk opened up with a 30 minute machine gun and rifle barrage which swept the steel plates of the Nigelock, a converted 946 ton was time corvette. Shattered glass rained into the cabins and bullets whined, but the Nigelock's crew kept low and urged more speed from their vessel. Slowly the frater drew ahead. Finally the junk broke off and the Nigelock was clear with all hands safe, one of the few ships to do battle with the China seas pirates and get away to tell the tale. The tale was told by Capt. Lupton when the ship put in here today. The attack occurred on Jan. 18.' Chicago Tribune [341] 20th February 1951.
Two years later the Sydney Morning-Herald reported in August 1953:-
R.N. Frigate Rescues Ship From Chinese - Hong Kong - August 17th (A.A.P. Reuters) - 'The British Navy announced today that the R.N. frigate St. Bride's Bay had rescued the British freighter Nigelock (946 tons) from a Nationalist warship which chased and intercepted it off Formosa. The Navy said that the Nigelock, owned by Wheelock, Marden and Co. Ltd., while proceeding from Hunghwn to Shanghai yesterday, reported that it was being chased by a Nationalist warship. Rough weather prevented the Nationalist warship from putting a boarding party on the Nigelock, but it began to escort the freighter to the Nationalist Chinese-controlled Pescadores Islands. The St. Bride's Bay went to assist the freighter and obtained its release without incident. "The offending warship retired ignominiously to the southward." a British Navy statement said.' Sydney Morning Post [339] 18th August 1953
The Nigelock was launched as the Corvette class H.M.S. 'Nigella' (K19) during September 1940 but was decommissioned and retired from service in 1947 shortly after the end of WWII. She was sold to private owners and served as a freighter until she ran aground off Foochow, China in March 1955 and was lost.
