Captain Hewitt's control over planning seems to have been limited to arrangements at Plas Newydd. When it came to questions of tugs, personnel, and responsibilities W.H. Dickie the Conway Committee's Honorary Superintendent Shipwright in Liverpool appeared to be in command. Strangely, to date, apart from Conway Management Committee meetings on 28th January and 25th March 1953,^[12] I have found records of only one meeting between Mr. Dickie and Captain Hewitt; the Ship's Log Book recording Mr Dickie visiting on 11th February 1953 "in connection with the refit".^[12] Dickie arranged the tugs, recruited the Liverpool pilot, allocated him the liaison role between "Conway, Menai Pilots, tugs etc.", and called a key planning meeting in Liverpool on 24th March to which Captain Hewitt was not invited.^[5] Captain Durant of Rea Towing in his report to the Inquiry confirms Dickie's lead role, "We were first advised by letter from Messrs. Alfred. Holt & Co., dated 13th February 1953 signed by Mr. Dickie, of the projected movement, in two stages, of H.M.S. Conway from Menai Straits to Birkenhead... we were requested to have two tugs available for the various moves......".^[5]

Conway had been shifted many times on the Mersey by the Rea Towing Company's tugs as Captain Durrant, Rea's Marine Manager, confirmed, using the same two tugs and their skippers.^[5] As one might expect two tugs had only ever been used, obviously only two on the passage from Liverpool to Bangor during the war when with two hours with the tide and five hours against it the tow had averaged 7 knots over the ground, and also only two on the move to Plas Newydd in 1949, although inbound through the Swellies the ship didn't face the prospect of meeting a contrary tide. But despite this, and according to Captain Hewitt's son, Michael, both Hewitt and the Senior Menai Strait Pilot Richard Jones considered that three tugs were needed.^[1] The Inquiry confirms that Pilot Richard Jones had "asked for three tugs but was assured that two were ample for the job". However in reply to a question, he admitted that "his experience of towed ships was negligible".^[4] Hewitt's and Jones's requests seem to have been rejected by Dickie in Committee. But Michael Hewitt says he understood from his father, that in rejecting the request for three tugs Dickie argued that he arranged hundreds of tows a year and enquired how many tows Hewitt organised? In his report to the Inquiry Captain Durrant stated that he was requested "to have two tugs available... also one of the Tug masters who was present when Conway had made her previous move."^[12] Captain Durrant provided the same two tugs that had brought Conway through the Swellies to Plas Newydd in 1949 (and from Birkenhead to Bangor in 1941) and both tug masters from that move.

On 19th March 1953 the Captain visited the Admiralty whose property the ship was,^[12] but the reason is not recorded.

On 24th March 1953 Mr Dickie held a meeting in Birkenhead to discuss the operation with Captain Durrant, Captain Duff (Rea's Supervisory Tug-Master) and Liverpool Pilot James Miller. (Captain Miller was an Old Conway (1925-1927) and he was to be the pilot for the subsequent transit from Bangor to Birkenhead. He was Blue Funnel's preferred Liverpool pilot so that probably explains how he came to be chosen. Captain Miller was to be on the ship for the transit of the Swellies but not in any capacity as a pilot. He would act as the liaison between the Conway, Menai Strait pilots and the two tugs.)^{[1 and 5]} Captain Hewitt and the local pilots were not invited to the meeting.^{[1, 5 and 11]} Captain Durrant noted that "It was then arranged that the above named - except Mr. Dickie - would proceed to Menai on March 30th to complete arrangements, on the spot, with Captain Hewitt, H.M.S. Conway, the Caernarfon Harbour Master and Menai Pilots".^[5]

On 30th March as agreed 1953 Captains Durrant, Duff and Miller went to the Strait for their first formal discussions with Captain Hewitt, Captain Rees Thomas, the Caernarvon Harbour Master and the Menai Strait pilots. This was the first time the later had been involved or even consulted.^[11] The date for the transit was quickly fixed for Tuesday 14th April 1953 depending, of course, on the important factor of suitable weather^[1] This would be the second of three successive days of spring tides, Interestingly, on page 184 of his autobiography^[7] Captain King claims that the shift was planned for the 13th but delayed for 24 hours at the last minute because of deteriorating weather. This is not recorded in the ship's logbook nor can I find any corroboration for this earlier date. However the Ship's Log Book does confirm the deteriorating weather with a falling barometer, increasing winds, and ships' boats dragging their moorings.

The meeting then moved on to consider timings. Captain Thomas recommended passing under Britannia Bridge at 9.25 am using timings based on Caernarvon Bar. He estimated that there would then be ten to fifteen minutes slack water. Captain Hewitt's observations at Britannia Bridge indicated that Slack Water started ten minutes before Captain Thomas's timings. He therefore intended to arrive at Britannia Bridge at 9.20 am so as to have five minutes in hand.^[1] While passing under the bridge even before the time recommended by the Harbourmaster did lend a retrospective air of respectability to the operation in the light of what eventually happened, this does seem slender reason for fixing the vitally important time when the ship would pass under the bridge upon which the success of the whole operation depended. It was more likely that 9.20 am was (erroneously) seen as the earliest time when a ship of 22 feet draft could pass over Cheese Rock,^{[TwoBdge-10/11/12]} but which would have focused unwelcome attention on the questionable presence of a 22 feet draft ship at Plas Newydd.

A final briefing meeting, to include the Tug Masters, was arranged for on board Conway for Monday, April 13th, the day prior to the move.

Durrant^[5] and McManus^[1] confirm that all aspects of the operation were discussed and agreed at the 30th March meeting. Afterwards Captains Hewitt, Durrant, Duff and Miller (Liverpool pilot) with the two Menai Strait pilots went down to the water's edge by Britannia Bridge and watched the tide turn.^{[4 and 11]} The ship's Log Book records that they went through the Swellies in No 1 motor boat.^[12]

Early on Monday 13th April the tugs duly arrived in the Menai Strait^[5] from Liverpool and made their way past the ship to Port Dinorwic.^[12]

In the afternoon Captain Hewitt took the tug-masters F.A. Brown (Dongarth) and F. Cooper (Minegarth) through the Swellies in Conway's motor boat about one hour before low water.^{[1 and 4]} This would have shown them very clearly the restrictions and obstacles to navigation they faced. On their return from this inspection the boat picked up Messrs. Duff, Miller, Pope (Marconi Representative) and Durrant from the Plas Newydd dock and all proceeded on board Conway for the final planning meeting before the shift the next day. The meeting involved Captain Hewitt, Captains Brown, Cooper, Miller, Duff and Durrant. ^{[1and 5]} The Inquiry did not record that Mr. Pope was present although he clearly came onboard with the rest of the party.^[4] The Swellies trip and the visit of all these individuals is not recorded in the Ship's Log Book^[12]. The Menai Strait pilots were excluded from this meeting,^[11] even though this was the meeting to fix the final timetable and arrangements, details which Captain Hewitt would refuse to deviate from on the day. Indeed the Inquiry acknowledged that the only time the local pilots were consulted was on 30th March, observing that on no occasion did a meeting take place involving all concerned.^[4]

Starting in April 1952, a full twelve months before the the ship was only to be shifted between moorings, all these plans and arrangements, copious tidal measurements and frequent exploratory trips by small boat, plus a series of meetings between eleven high office and otherwise very busy people just to tow a very small 2,600 ton ship^{[Navy List]} 5 miles must be quite without precedent. Clearly this itself was not only an expression of the depth of concern about the feasibility of extracting such a deep ship from her onerously sited Plas Newydd mooring, but that it was seen necessary to have done all this over the heads of the local pilots able to draw on their family's several generations pilotage experience of the Menai Strait does invite even more serious questions.

However, at this final crucial meeting "the exact timing of each point of the move was finally fixed and agreed upon" as were other arrangements and dispositions.^[4]   These can be summarised as

• Dongarth would be forrad under command of F A Brown accompanied by the junior Menai Strait Pilot John Richard Jones. They would be in direct radio contact with Captain Miller (responsible for all communications) in the ship. The Rea Towing Company representatives confirmed Dongarth alone had sufficient power to tow Conway against the tidal stream expected and to counter the effects of the stern tug. They knew their tugs and had towed Conway many times before.
• Minegarth would make fast with her stern to Conway's stern. She would be under the command of F Cooper. Conway was a "dead" ship with no motive power or steering of her own. The question of Minegarth needing to slip her towing spring and assist Dongarth forward after clearing the Swellies was discussed, which while an acknowledgement of the stronger tide expected on the other side of the bridge was thought unlikely to be necessary. It was deemed essential to keep Minegarth astern in the Swellies for effective control of the ship in the narrow channels. Provision was therefore only made for one tug forrad in the usual manner. Conway's Second Officer, Captain King was to be in charge of the stern party and communications with Minegarth.
• The time of passing each point was planned. 9.20 am was confirmed as the starting time when the ship would pass under Britannia Bridge . It was stressed that this was the critical point of the timetable. 0920 was only 45 minutes before predicted local high water (Liverpool -2.00), which was dangerously late on the tide for a ship which had taken 18 minutes to complete the inbound transit with the tide behind her.^[TwoBdge-6] But being a rising tide the ship was restricted by her excessive draft until she had clearance over Cheese Rock, and TwoBdge-10 shows how easy it would have been for Capt Hewitt to misinterpret the ambiguous title on Capt Goddard's chart and arrive at the false conclusion that he wouldn't have the ship's draft over the rock before 0920, which would seem to explain 0920 being fixed as 'the critical time', although in reality the ship could have passed over the rock with the last of the tide behind her up to forty minutes before then.^[TwoBdge-11] The 9 cables passage through the Swellies from Britannia Bridge to the Suspension Bridge was estimated to take about 15 minutes. This assumed there would be a ten minute period of slack water starting at 9.20 am^[5]. This was based on Capt Hewitt's observations on smaller tides, which failed to recognise that the duration of slack water in the Swellies varies inversely with the height of the tide, and which duration and the time it occurs are both further conditioned by atmospheric pressure and the strength and direction of the wind.^[TwoBdge-8] So based on this over optimistic premise it was estimated that the tow should pass under the Suspension bridge and so leave the Swellies between 9.35 and 9.40. am. By the time the tow arrived at the Suspension bridge it was agreed that the West going stream would have started and would already have attained a rate of 4 knots This rate (only five minutes after the stream was estimated to start) was based on Captain Hewitt's and Captain Miller's observations (on smaller tides), and, according to Captain Durrant^[5] it was confirmed by both Menai Strait Pilots. But it must be very doubtful that all should have been so positive about such high precision performance by a tide which is known to be heavily influenced by the weather, and within minutes of its start, when the actual time that tide would turn was itself a very mobile response to a number of little understood variables.^[TwoBdge-8] But come what may, and as we shall see, the ship was now inextricably committed to passing under Britannia Bridge at precisely 9.20 am the following morning.
• Mr. Pope confirmed that the walkie-talkie radios (brought down with the tugs) for communication between the ship and the tugs had been tested with the tugs down channel and found to be satisfactory.
• The Liverpool pilot Captain Miller was in charge of communications with both tugs.Tugs were to acknowledge or reply to orders by agreed blasts on the whistle if they could not respond over the radio. In case of failure semaphore would be used. Cadet Ian Grindrod was the signalman on the Foredeck.^[38] Cadet Mike Begley who was the stern signaler on the poop under direction from still has the semaphore flags he used that day.^[37]
• Captain Hewitt, on Conway's fo'c'sle head would be in command throughout. He would be advised by the senior Menai pilot, Richard John Jones. The Liverpool pilot Captain Miller would be in charge of communications with the tugs.
• Lt Cdr John Brooke Smith, the First Officer, would be on the Foredeck acting as liaison with a team of cadets as runners including Cadet Noel Roberts from Beaumaris, the youngest cadet on board that day.^[18]
• Captain GAB King the Second Officer was in charge of the stern party based in Sick bay.^{[7 and 8]}
• Crew members and the rest of the 17 Conway cadets would be allocated around the ship.
• Catering staff would be in the galley.
• Captain Hewitt's wife, son Michael and daughter as well as some members of staff were to accompany the ship.
• Mr. Hampson, the Science teacher and a keen amateur photographer, was on board with his camera. Many of his still photos are part of this site's image library. Some of his cine film is available here.
• The gigs were to remain hoisted on board but the motor boats would follow the ship under their own power. No 1 power boat would tow the 3 cutters. These small boats were to be manned by cadets.

The ship would have been unusually quiet that day as the holidays had started and the cadets were all away. Captain King, when he completed the log that evening, recorded that Captain Miller was on board, that 16 cadets had reported on board to assist the next day, and that the whole crew were on board "ready for slip".^[12] For Cadet Noel Roberts it was his first night on board the ship. He had only recently joined and had spent his time so far on shore in the House. He lived in Beaumaris and so Lt Cdr Brooke Smith invited him to join a party of local cadets to assist the officers during the transit.He remembers rigging his hammock that evening little knowing it would be the first and last time he would ever sleep in the ship.^[18] The Duty Officer's first entry in the log the next day said that 17 cadets had been on board overnight so one more must have crept on board or he mis-counted the first time!.

At 6pm they "hove cables short for test purposes".^[12]

At sunset the watch keeper J H Squires hung out the anchor lights and at midnight he recorded that the barometer was steady at 29,14" and the wind as calm.

All the planning was over. In just a few hours the transit of the Swellies to Bangor would begin. A list of those involved is here.

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