HMT Elk (1902)

HMT Elk was a 181-ton former fishing trawler built in 1902. She served in the Royal Navy in World War II, until sunk without loss of life having hit a mine off Plymouth in November 1940.

Ship history
Elk was built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell at Beverley, Yorkshire, launched on 21 August 1902, and first operated from Grimsby. During World War I she was hired by the Admiralty and served as a minesweeper from 1914 until 1918. She was then operated commercially under various owners at Grimsby, Hakin and Plymouth. Elk was hired by the Admiralty in November 1939 to serve as a danlayer (laying buoys in channels cleared by minesweepers) and was armed with one 6-pounder gun. HMT Elk was sunk by a mine south-east of Penlee Point off Plymouth on 27 November 1940. There were no casualties.

The Elk was re-discovered by divers in 1981 upright on a sandy bed at 50.29667°N, -4.17667°W in 30 m of water with a drop-off in excess of 40 m.