The Years at Sea cover Walter Hunkin’s early life through to the end of his coastguard career afloat in 1907.
During this time he served in a number of different ships, starting with HMS Impregnable, a 3880 ton training ship for boys based at Devonport which he joined in 1878. Thereafter, he served on T/S Pilot, a newly built brig of 501 tons before being posted to work with the Coastguard service in 1880.
The Service divided the coast up into Districts with each District have a guardship – usually a retiring battleship or its equivalent, and a series of tenders. In Walter’s early days the majority of these tenders, or cruisers, were sailing cutters. He is recorded as serving on the guardship while actually being based on the tenders. The guardships appear to have changed occasionally during his service in some Districts: we have simply recorded the first in each case.
- 1880: Third class sailing cruiser Fly, a cutter of 60 tons, tender to HMS Valiant, an iron-plated ship of 6713 tons, the guardship of the Limerick District based at Tarbert in the River Shannon
- 1885: First class sailing cruiser Victoria, yawl of 131 tons, tender to HMS Shannon, Limerick District
- 1888: Third class sailing cruiser Squirrel, tender to HMS Ajax, an iron-plated turret ship of 8510 tons, the guardship of the Clyde District
- 1891: Sailing cruiser Mary, a cutter of 30 tons, tender to HMS Northumberland, a battleship 3rd class of 10780 tons, the guardship of the Weymouth District
- 1891: Sailing cruiser Hind, yawl of 130 tons, tender to HMS Belleisle, the guardship of the Kingstown District
- 1893: Sailing cruiser Rose, yawl of 130 tons, tender to HMS Galatea, a twin-screw cruiser of 5600 tons, the guardship for the Hull District
- 1895: Steamer Seamew, 376 tons, tender to HMS Hotspur, a twin-screw battleship 2nd class of 4010 tons, the guardship of the Harwich District
- 1897: In command of sailing cruiser 3rd class Flora, a cutter of 60 tons, tender to HMS Melampus, a twin-screw cruiser 2nd class of 3400 tons, the guardship of the Kingstown District
- 1899: Third class sailing cruiser Fly, a cutter of 60 tons, tender to HMS Collingwood, a twin-screw battleship 1st class of 9500 tons, the guardship of the Limerick District
- 1900: First class sailing cruiser Victoria, a yawl of 131 tons, tender to HMS Galatea a twin-screw cruiser of 5600 tons, the guardship for the Hull District
- 1902: Steam cruiser Fanny, 155 tons, tender to tender to HMS Melampus, a twin-screw cruiser 2nd class of 3400 tons, the guardship of the Kingstown District
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