A working vessel with a rich history

HMS Elfin, yard number 1754, was built in 1933 by J. Samuel White in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. In January 1934, she was officially commissioned into the Royal Navy and assigned to the submarine training school in Portland as her home base. Her sister ship, HMS Redwing (yard number 1753), was attached to the Torpedo School in Devonport.

The Elfin was designed as a torpedo workshop ship but primarily served as a tender, maintaining the daily connection between the shore establisment and the submarine depot ship HMS Titania. The ship was commanded by Sidney Charles Norcott and had Portland as its home base until the start of World War II.

World War Two: A New Assignment

At the start of the war, the submarine base at Portland was relocated to Blyth to mitigate the risk of air raids. Since the new base was not yet fully completed, the Royal Navy designated the Elfin, the only permanently stationed naval ship, as the headquarters. As a result, the base was also named HMS Elfin,

From HMS Elfin, most Allied submarine missions were coordinated. The ship escorted Allied submarines to ensure they were easily identifiable by the Allied air force. To provide extra protection in the event of an enemy attack, an Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun was mounted on the aft deck. In 1941, the Elfin moved north, to the naval base in Rosyth, Scotland, from where the Allied convoys also departed. To avoid confusion with the base in Blyth that was now also called Elfin, the ship was renamed HMS Nettle. In Rosyth, the Nettle served as a tender for the submarine depot ship HMS Cyclops.

After the War: Recovery and new duties

After the war, the Nettle returned to Portland. The war years had taken their toll, and the navy had the boiler and steam engines completely overhauled. The Nettle now served as a lighter for the depot ship HMS Maidstone.

In 1953, the Nettle sailed with guests along the fleet review to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In the 1950s, she was given a new role supporting the X-craft mini-submarine program, with HMS Stickleback under the leadership of Lt. Commander Todd. The ship was immortalized in a British Pathé film when the navy visited the manufacturer of the diesel engines for the submarines. 1955, was a year of disaster, as there was an explosion onboard HMS Sidon, which sank with the loss of 13 men. The Nettle assisted in the unsuccessful rescue operation.

In 1957, her last year under the flag of the Royal Navy, the Elfin served as a backdrop for the film the Key, based on the book Stella by Jan de Hartog, with Sophia Loren in the lead role.

From Amsterdam to the final workind days in Steam

When the Nettle arrived in Amsterdam in 1958 as the newest acquisition of the Amsterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (ADM), the heart of many sailors raced, especially due to the connection with Sophia Loren and what they had seen in the cinema. The ship was put into service as a tank cleaning vessel and, under the name Droogdok 18, was reintroduced into operation. Everyone who worked on her was a little proud of the ship, with her rich naval and film star history. This likely contributed to the fact that the ship was always well maintained and thus remained the last industrial steamship in the Netherlands. As TCA1 (Tanker Cleaning Amsterdam), she remained active until 1985, initially as HOM7 (Hollandse Aardolie Maatschappij). Upon her retirement in 1985, she was the very last remaining industrial steamship in the Netherlands. Despite her illustrious naval past, the Elfin spent most of her life in the Amsterdam harbors. In amsterdam was widely known under the nickname the "Wielenboot".

A New Life

In 1994, the ship was transfered to the preservation society: Stichting tot Behoud van het Stoomschip. Thanks to dedicated restoration work, the Elfin has largely been returned to her original appernce and steams again under her original name. The Elfin is a true working ship with a rich history. The scars from her long and tough life add to her unique charm and stand as a testament to her solid construction and all the people who served aboard her. We warmly invite you to visit onboard. The nearly fully original engine room is a beautiful example of the engineering and craftsmanship of seagoing steamships from earlier times.