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World War 1 at Sea - British Merchant and Fishing Vessels Lost and Damaged

 

APRIL - JUNE 1915

 

SS New York City in River Avon, heading for Bristol, sunk 19 August 1915 (Dave Martin, click to enlarge)

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Notes:

(1) Ships in BOLD capitals are those sunk or otherwise lost; in lower case bold, attacked and/or damaged. Variations in the published information are in brackets starting with an abbreviation for the source e.g. (wi - in 53.50N, 00.50E).

(2) Merchant ship and fishing vessel information is generally in the order - gross tonnage/build year, owner, registration port or place of ownership/management, crew if known, master or skipper, voyage and cargo, conditions if known. How sunk or damaged, lives lost (source abbreviations starting with + for original HMSO)

(3) Three items of information, the first two from the original HMSO lists, have been excluded to save space.  (i) All merchant ships and fishing vessels torpedoed, were ATTACKED WITHOUT WARNING;  (ii) if no casualties are shown, NO LIVES WERE LOST; (iii) all sinkings and attacks were by GERMAN SUBMARINES or U-boats unless otherwise stated.

(4) Click for Notes, Abbreviations and Sources.

 

 

APRIL 1915 

British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action in April: 11 merchant ships totalling 22,453grt - all to submarines, plus 11 fishing vessels totalling 1,930grt - 10 of 1,760grt to submarines, 1 of 170grt to mines (H)

U-boat Warfare - First Flanders UB flotilla commissioned, six boats operational by end of April; U.37 possibly mined off Zeebrugge, Belgium during the month

 

Thursday 1 April

North Sea

Three trawlers on fishing grounds captured by U.10 (Fritz Stuhr) and sunk by bombs NE by E of the Tyne:

GLOXINIA, 145/1896, John Colquhoun, Glasgow, Milford-reg. Sunk 40 miles off (un – 40 miles NE by E of) (+L/Lr/ge/un)

JASON, 176/1898, A J Freeth, North Shields-reg SN76, hired 8/14 as minesweeper, returned to mercantile service 9/14. Sunk 40 miles off (un – 40 miles NE by E of, in 55.27N, 00.25W) (+L/Lr/D/ge/un)

NELLIE (L - Nelly), 109/1898, North Shields-reg, G Stephenson. Sunk 35 miles off (un – 40 miles NE by E of) (+L/Lr/ge/un)

English Channel

SEVEN SEAS, 1,194/1888, Leach & Co, Cork-reg, sailing London for Liverpool in ballast. Torpedoed forward by U.37 (Erich Wilcke) in afternoon, sank almost immediately 6 miles S of Beachy Head (L - 5 miles off Royal Sovereign LV; wi - in 50.38.53N, 00.15.33E); master, chief engineer, both mates, steward, three seaman and a boy drowned, 9 survivors picked up by destroyer Flirt, landed at Newhaven (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

 

Friday 2 April

English Channel

San Silvestre, tanker, 6,233/1913, Eagle Oil Transportation Co, London. Chased by U-boat 21 miles S of Eddystone Rocks, escaped (+ms)

 

Sunday 4 April

English Channel

OLIVINE, 634/1902, William Robertson, Glasgow-reg, 12 crew, Mr A Lamont, St Samson’s, Guernsey for Calais with granite, weather fine and clear, proceeding at 8kts. Captured by U.33 (Konrad Gansser), sunk by torpedo 30 miles S of St Catherine's Point, IoW (un – in 50.26N, 01.12W; wi - in 50.05N, 01.20W) (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

Atlantic off SW England

CITY OF BREMEN, 1,258/1899, Palgrave, Murphy & Co, Dublin-reg, Mr Richard Martin, Port Talbot for Nantes/Bordeaux with coal. Torpedoed by U.24 (Rudolph Schneider), capsized and sank in 5min, 20 miles S ¾W of Wolf Rock (un/wi - in 49.40N, 06.05W; wi – also 20 miles SW of); 4 crew lost, survivors landed at Penzance (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

 

Monday 5 April

North Sea

ACANTHA, trawler, 322/1914, Equitable Steam Fishing Co, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Captured by U.10 (Fritz Stuhr), sunk by torpedo 25 miles E by N of Longstone, Outer Farne Is (L - in 55.43N, 01.00W; un – in 55.41N, 01.00W) (+L/Lr/ge/gy/un)

English Channel

NORTHLANDS, 2,776/1900, Northlands SS Co (Jones, Hallett & Co), Cardiff-reg, 24 crew, Mr S Taylor, La Goulette for Middlesbrough with iron ore. Captured by U.33 (Konrad Gansser), sunk by torpedo 24 miles SW of Beachy Head (L - 25 miles SW of; un – in 50.03N, 00.16W; wi - in 50.22.30N, 00.06W), W/T codes & Admiralty instructions burnt in the galley fire, ship’s papers saved by master (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

 

Wednesday 7 April

North Sea

ZARINA, trawler, 154/1894, H L Taylor, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Torpedoed by U-boat (not listed in U-boat.net), sank 72 miles E by N of Spurn LV, Humber estuary (L - 68 miles E by N of); 9 lives lost including skipper (+L/Lr/gy)

 

Thursday 8 April

English Channel

Two attacks possibly by same U-boat:

Homer, steam tug, c157grt (ms – believed 142/1915), coastal tug in government service, armed with small gun forward, fitted with W/T, Mr H Gibson, towing French barque General De Sonis up-Channel, bound for Sunderland with grain. U-boat approached about 15 miles off St Catherine’s Point (H - 25 miles SW of Owers LV) and ordered tug abandoned, instead the tow was cast off and in rough seas under machine gun fire, Homer attempted to ram but missed. The U-boat fired a torpedo and that missed, chased Homer for 10min before giving up, the tug escaping and putting into St Helens Roads. Although the wheelhouse and bridge were damaged by bullets, there do not apear to have been any casualties. The General De Sonis was later picked up by tug Lady Crundall and towed into The Downs (account from “British Steam Tugs”) (+Mn/ms/tu)

Denaby, cargo steamship, 2,987/1900, Denaby & Cadeby Main Collieries (Nicholas), Hull. U-boat attack off St Catherine's Point, torpedo missed. Listed as owned by West House SS Co (F. H. Barnett, Lambert & Co, Cardiff/London) when sunk 24 February 1916 (+ms)

 

Friday 9 April

Auxiliary Patrol - British order for 50 American-built motor launches (ML.1-50) placed with Elco of Bayonne, NY through Canadian Vickers; further orders reached ML.580

 

Saturday 10 April

North Sea

HARPALYCE, 5,940/1911, J & C Harrison, London, 44 crew including 33 Chinese, Mr Wawn, with Commission for Relief in Belgium, sailed Rotterdam about 0230 for Norfolk (Va) flying large Commission flag, with the Commission's name painted on the side and safe conduct granted by the German minister at The Hague, in ballast. Torpedoed starboard-side by UB.4 (Karl Gross) at 1000, poop and after well deck submerged within 2min, impossible to swing out lifeboats, shortly went down 7 miles E by S of North Hinder LV, midway between Harwich & Hook of Holland (L - 7 miles NE of; Mn - 7 miles SSE of); 15 lives lost including master, survivors picked up by Dutch SS’s Elizabeth, Constance Catherine and US schooner Ruby (+L/Mn/te/un)

English Channel

THE PRESIDENT, 647/1904, J Hay & Sons, Glasgow-reg, 10 crew, Mr Neil Robertson, Clyde for St Malo with coal tar/pitch. Captured by U.24 (Rudolph Schneider), sunk by bomb 14 miles S by W of Lizard Point, Cornwall (L - 30 miles SE of; un/wi - in 49.44N, 05.11W) (+L/Mn/ms/te/un)

 

Sunday 11 April

German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm entered Newport News (Va) in poor mechanical condition, interned on 27th

North Sea

Serula, cargo steamship, 1,388/1905, Cork Steam Shipping Co, Cork, Mr T Sharp. Two seaplanes started attack at 1550 around 5 miles W of North Hinder LV, lasted until 1630. The larger aircraft dropped seven bombs which either missed or were avoided by helm changes, rifle fire was then aimed at the smaller one as it dropped bombs on either side. More bombs were dropped in a joint attack from the stern, in single attacks from the stern, and in a last attempt by the smaller seaplane, each one again either missing or avoided. Sunk 16 September 1918 (+Mn/ms)

Atlantic off SW England

Wayfarer, troopship/transport, cargo steamship, 9,599/1903, Charente SS Co (T & J Harrison), Liverpool, 61 crew, sailing from Avonmouth, carrying 6 military officers and 189 other ranks. Torpedoed by U.32 (Edgar Freiherr von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim) 60 miles WNW of Scillies (L/un - in 50.08N, 8W), damaged, towed into Queenstown; 5 military other ranks and 2 crew lost (+L/dk/ge/me/ms)

 

Monday 12 April 

North Sea

Imber, passenger & cargo steamship, 2,154/1914, Cork Steam Shipping Co, Cork. Aircraft attack 3 miles W of North Hinder LV, bombs missed (+ms)

 

Thursday 15 April

North Sea

PTARMIGAN, 784/1891, General Steam Navigation Co, London, Mr W Hore, Rotterdam for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by UB.5 (Wilhelm Smiths), sank 6 miles W by N of North Hinder LV; 8 lives lost (+L/Mn/te/un)

 

Friday 16 April

Aegean Sea

Manitou, passenger & cargo steamship, now transport, 6,849/1898, Atlantic Transport Line, believed Belfast, carrying 29th British Division contingent of 20 officers, 626 men and 615 horses, passing Skyros island, stopped for approaching torpedo boat, believed to be British, in fact German-commanded Turkish TB Demir Hissar. Manitou ordered to abandon ship but little time given, overloaded boats capsized, two torpedoes fired but missed. The TB went away to deal with despatch-boat Osiris which escaped, returned to Manitou, fired last torpedo and also missed. Demir Hissar was then chased by other warships, trapped and beached herself. Manitou lost 51 lives by drowning and exposure, but HMSO only lists 8 crew, presumably 43 were Army (+Rn/ms)

 

Saturday 17 April

Atlantic off S of Ireland

La Rosarina, passenger & cargo steamship, 8,332/1912, British & Argentine Steam Navigation Co, West Hartlepool, armed. Chased by U-boat, driven off by gunfire. Described as the first successful self-defence by a British armed merchant ship (+ge/ms)

 

Sunday 18 April

North Sea

GLENCARSE, trawler, 188/1900, W Hutchinson, Aberdeen-reg. Between 18 & 20th (L - 18th, un – 14th) - Captured by U.6 (Reinhold Lepsius) between Shetlands & Aberdeen, taken as prize into Hamburg (un – off Scotland, conducted into List (Sylt)); crew taken prisoner (+L/Lr/un)

Two Grimsby-reg trawlers together on fishing grounds attacked by U-boat (not in U-boat.net) off Inner Dowsing LV, E of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire:

VANILLA, 158/1897, South Western Steam Fishing, 3 miles SW of Swarte Bank. Torpedoed, sank 53 miles E by S of; 9 lives lost including skipper (+L/Lr/Mn/gy)

Fermo, 175/1898, GY773. Went to rescue Vanilla's survivors but another torpedo was fired, forced to escape (Mn/D)

 

Monday 19 April

North Sea

Lestris, 1,384/1905, Cork Steam Shipping Co, Cork. Chased by U-boat 2 miles E of North Hinder LV, escaped (+ms)

 

Wednesday 21 April

North Sea

Envoy, trawler, 156grt, fishing, probably Aberdeen-reg A507. Attacked and damaged by U-boat (not in U-boat.net) 56 miles E by S½S of Aberdeen, towed to Tyne on 25th (L/D)

 

Thursday 22 April

North Sea

Two Grimsby-reg trawlers lost on fishing grounds, one in uncertain circumstances:

ST LAWRENCE, 196/1899, Grimsby Victor Steam Fishing, GY1131, hired 10/14 as auxiliary patrol vessel, returned to mercantile service 11/14. (gy - 29th) - Captured by U.22 (Bruno Hoppe), sunk by bomb 88 miles E½N of Spurn LV, off S Yorkshire (L - 80 miles E½N of; un – in 54.14N, 03.02E); 2 lives lost (+L/Lr/D/gy/un)

CANCER, 183/1900, Grimsby & North Sea Steam Trawling, missing since 13th. Probably 22nd - Captured by German destroyer/torpedo boat (L - by U-boat; un – not listed in U-boat sinkings), fate unknown; crew taken prisoners (+L/Lr/gy/un)

English Channel

Arvonian, cargo steamship, 2,794/1905, SS Goidelian & Coranian Co (O & W Williams), Cardiff. U-boat torpedo missed. Served as Royal Navy Q-ship from 8/17, then US Q-ship Santee from 11/17 (+ms/qs)

 

Monday 26 April

North Sea

RECOLO, trawler, 170/1912, G F Sleight, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Mined, probably surface-ship-laid (un – not included, so presumably not U-boat-laid), sank 60 miles E by N of Spurn Head (L - 60 miles ENE of; Mn - S of Dogger Bank); 2 lives lost (+L/Lr/Mn/gy)

 

Wednesday 28 April

Diplomatic Incidents - US merchant ship Cushing bombed by German aircraft in North Sea

North Sea

LILYDALE, trawler, 129/1899, Lilydale Steam Fishing (un – J Reed and Sons, North Shields), North Shields-reg, Skipper W Melton, from North Shields for fishing and return. Captured by U.10 (Fritz Stuhr), sunk by bomb 37 miles E of St Abbs Head, SE Scotland (wi - in 55.57N, 01.39W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

 


 

MAY 1915

British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action in May: 19 merchant ships totalling 84,025grt - all to submarines; plus 32 fishing vessels totalling 5,648grt - 4 of 689grt to surface ships, 22 of 3,982grt to submarines, 6 of 977grt to mines (H)

 

Saturday 1 May

U-Boat Warfare - First US ship attacked without warning, tanker Gulflight carrying oil from Port Arthur for Rouen, torpedoed and damaged by U.30 off Scillies, Captain and two crew killed. More strong US protests followed; UB.3 went missing in Aegean Sea during the month

Atlantic off SW England

EDALE, 3,110/1901, Dale SS Co (Lucas & Co), Middlesbrough, sailing Rosario for Manchester with linseed cake and wheat. Torpedoed by U.30 (Max Valentiner), sank 45 miles NW by W of Scillies (L/ms/te/un/wi - in 50.09N 07.30W) (+L/ms/te/un)

 

Sunday 2 May

North Sea

Six trawlers on fishing grounds sunk by gunfire of two U-boats; five of them were first captured.

Two by U.39 (Walter Forstman):

ST LOUIS No.1, 211/1909, R Hastie & Sons, North Shields-reg. Sunk 60 miles E by N½N of May Is, Firth of Forth (+L/Lr/un)

SUNRAY, 167/1892, A J Freeth, North Shields, Aberdeen-reg. Sunk 56 miles NNE of Longstone, Outer Farne Is (+L/Lr/un)

Four by U.41 (Claus Hansen):

ST GEORGE, 215/1906, R Hastie & Sons, North Shields-reg. Sunk around 65 miles E½N of Aberdeen; crew taken prisoner (+L/Lr/un)

MARTABAN, 148/1890, bought by Moon family, butchers in 1912, owned by R & J Moon, Aberdeen-reg A527, Skipper N Denoon. Sunk 22 miles E½N of Aberdeen (L - 22 miles E¼N; wi - 22 miles E by N, in 57.12N, 01.22W); crew reached Stonehaven after rowing for 17hr (+L/fd/un/wi)

MERCURY (1), 222/1900, Kingston Steam Trawling Co, Hull-reg H518. Sunk 14 miles E½N of Aberdeen (L - 14 miles E by N of Girdle Ness) (+L/Lr/hw/un)

CRUISER, c146/1898, T L Devlin, Granton-reg. Attacked and sunk by gunfire 50 miles SE of Aberdeen; 4 lives lost including skipper (+L/Lr/un)

 

Monday 3 May

North Sea

SCOTTISH QUEEN, trawler, 125/1889, R Brown, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Captured by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sunk by gunfire 50 miles ESE of Aberdeen (+L/Lr/un)

Seven trawlers on fishing grounds all but one Hull-reg, captured and sunk by U.9 (Johannes Spiess). An eighth was sunk on the 4th:

HERO, 173/1906, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, H886. Sunk by bomb 150 miles ENE of Hornsea, Yorkshire around 1515 (+L/Lr/hw/un)

NORTHWARD HO!, 180/1899, S T White, H455. Sunk by bomb 145 miles ENE of Hornsea (un – 125 miles NE of) (+L/Lr/hw/un)

IOLANTHE (1), 179/1896, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, H328. Sunk by bomb about 140 miles ENE of Hornsea around 1605 (+L/Lr/hw/un)

COQUET, 176/1905, Hull Steam Fishing & Ice Co, 9 crew, Skipper Odell, fine clear day with light breeze and moderate swell, trawler Progress 2 miles away in one direction, Hector 2½m away in the other, trawl out and steaming ahead at 3kts. In the afternoon a U-boat surfaced a mile away, approached within hailing distance and gave the crew 5min to abandon ship and go onboard which they did, five German sailors used the boat to carry across an explosive charge and coil of time fuse. While this was being laid, the U-boat, with Coquet's crew on the casing and holding on to lifelines for dear life to avoid being washed off, headed for Progress to deal with her. Half an hour later, the crew were back with Coquet, returned to their boat, given supplies and cast off, the demolition party came off with all the charts. Coquet sank around 1645, about 160 miles ENE of Spurn Head, Yorkshire (+L/Lr/Mn/un)

PROGRESS, 273/1899, Great Northern SS Fishing Co, H475. As the U-boat came up, Progress got in her trawl, steamed away but was soon overhauled, from a quarter of a mile, four shots were fired, she stopped and the crew again given 5min to get off. They presumably joined Coquet's crew on the submarine's deck, their boat was used to carry across the scuttling charge, they then returned to their boat, pulled off 300yds, and saw Progress' port side blown out, she sank like a stone 160 miles ENE of Spurn around 1730. The U-boat now returned to Coquet before heading for Hector (+L/Lr/Mn/hw/un)

HECTOR, 179/1906, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, H896. Captured, 20 rounds fired into her, sank 160 miles ENE of Spurn around 1800. The German then went after two more craft to the NW, one of them possibly Bob White following and perhaps Rugby, whose loss is dated the 4th (+L/Lr/Mn/hw/un)

BOB WHITE, 192/1915, Kelsall Bros & Beeching, H290. Sunk by gunfire 155 miles NE by E½E of Spurn Head (+L/Lr/hw/un)

__________

UXBRIDGE, trawler, 164/1898, Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Caught mine in trawl, exploded and destroyed her 90 miles E by S of Spurn LV. The 30 miles long minefield, laid by surface ships on the Swarte Bank, was believed aimed at Grand Fleet movements and discovered by trawler Sutterton (+L/Lr/Mn/gy)

Atlantic off SW England

MINTERNE, 3,018/1903, Minterne SS Co, London, sailing Cardiff for Buenos Aires with coal. Torpedoed by U.30 (Erich von Rosenberg-Grusczski), sank 50 miles SW of Wolf Rock, off Lands End (L - 50 miles WSW of); 2 crew drowned (+L/Mn/te/un)

 

Tuesday 4 May

North Sea

RUGBY, 205/1900, W Grant, Grimsby-reg. Captured by U.9 (Johannes Spiess) and sunk by bomb (un – torpedo) about 100 miles NE of Spurn Head (+L/Lr/gy/un)

Atlantic off SW Ireland

Cayo Romano, 3,675 (ms – 3,777)/1911, E Bigland & Co, London. U-boat attack, believed by U.20 (Walther Schweiger), off Fastnet, torpedo missed (+ms/www)

 

Wednesday 5 May

North Sea

Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured by different U-boats and sunk by gunfire:

SCEPTRE, 166/1902, W Buthlay, Aberdeen-reg (un – A C Cameron, Dundee). Sunk by U.30 (Walther Forstmann) 40 miles SE by S of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (+L/Lr/un)

STRATON (1), 198/1899, Standard Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg GY694. Stopped by U.9 (Johannes Spiess) (un – seacocks opened), sank 40 miles E of Hartlepool, Tees estuary (+L/Lr/D/gy/un)

Atlantic off S Ireland

EARL OF LATHOM, 3-masted wooden schooner, 132/1885, William Hancock (Hawarden), Liverpool-reg, 5 crew, Mr T Jones, Connah's Quay/Mostyn for Limerick with fire clay goods and general cargo. Captured by U.20 (Walther Schweiger), sunk by gunfire 8 miles S by W of Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork (L/un/wi - 8 miles SSW of, in 51.30N, 08.40W) (+L/Lr/Mn/un/wi)

 

Thursday 6 May

North Sea

TRURO, 836/1898, Wilson Line/Wilsons & North Eastern Railway Shipping Co, Hull, sailing Christiania (now Oslo) for Grimsby with wood. (L - 7th) - Captured by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sunk by torpedo 85 miles ENE of St Abb's Head, SE Scotland (L - 100 miles ENE of; un – also 4 miles NW of Eyemouth) (+L/te/un)

MERRIE ISLINGTON, trawler, 147/1891, Humber Steam Trawling Co, Hull-reg H183, Skipper J Marsham, Hull for fishing. Captured by U.9 (Johannes Spiess), sunk by bomb around 0900, 6 miles NNE of Whitby Rock Buoy, off Yorkshire (wi - in 54.34N, 00.30W) (+L/Lr/hw/un/wi)

DON (1), trawler, 151/1893, W Ellis, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Mined in Swarte Bank field, believed surface-ship-laid (un – not included, so presumably not U-boat-laid), sank 100 miles E by S of Spurn Head (L - 85 miles ESE of); 7 lives lost (+L/Lr/Mn/gy)

St George's Channel

Two steamships both Liverpool-reg and owned by Charente SS Co (T & J Harrison), Liverpool, 44 crew, carrying general cargo, torpedoed by U.20 (Walther Schweiger:

CANDIDATE, 5,858/1906, Mr A Sandiford, sailing Liverpool for Kingston (Ja). Captured, sunk 13 miles S by E¼E of Coningbeg LV, SE of Waterford Harbour (L - 13 miles S by E½E of; wi - 13 miles SE of, in 51.57N, 06.20W) (+L/te/un/wi)

CENTURION (1), 5,495/1908, Mr G Kearne, Liverpool for Durban, proceeding at 11kts. Sank 15 miles S of Barrel LV (L/te/un/wi - 20 miles S of Coningbeg LV, in 51.44N, 06.30W) (+L/te/un/wi)

 

Friday 7 May

U-boat Warfare - Sinking of British liner Lusitania with the loss of 785 passengers including 124 US citizens caused major US-German diplomatic row with United States; notes of protest issued on 14 May, 9 June and 21 July 1915 about U-boat policy. Germany claimed the liner had been an armed merchant cruiser, was believed to be a troop transport and carrying a small quantity of ammunition, but immense diplomatic damage had been done. The Kaiser shortly banned attacks on large passenger ships

North Sea

BENINGTON, trawler, 131/1890, Lighthouse Fishing, Aberdeen-reg A236, Skipper A Bridge, fishing. Captured by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sunk by gunfire 10 miles SE of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (L - 100 miles SE of; un – 180 miles SE of; wi - 10 miles E of, off Cruden Skares - probably The Skares, S end of Cruden Bay - in 57.23N, 01.32.30W); crew picked up by Norwegian steamer, landed at Aberdeen from trawler Forth (+L/Lr/un/wi)

Atlantic off S Ireland

LUSITANIA (1), passenger liner, 30,396/1907, accomodation for 550-1st, 500-2nd and 1,300-3rd class passengers, Cunard SS Co, Liverpool-reg, requisitioned by Admiralty as armed merchant cruiser 10/8/14, shortly released and returned to commercial service, 702 crew, Mr W Turner, sailed New York on 1st for Liverpool with 1,287 passengers (Mn/wi – 1257; un – 1,959 – probably passengers plus crew) and general cargo including some military stores. Approaching waters in which submarines had been reported on the 6th, boats swung out, bulkhead-doors closed, total of 1,989 on board (Mn/Wi - 1,959). Torpedoed starboard side between 3rd & 4th funnels by U.20 (Lt-Cdr Walther Schweiger) around 1415, hit only once, although two explosions heard on board, engines stopped but still had way on her, took list to starboard, sank 15min later 15 miles S of Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork (L - 8 miles S by W of Kinsale, in c51.30N, 08.35W; un – in 51.42N, 08.31W; wi - 12 miles S by W of, in 51.24.15N, 08.32W;); 1,198 lives lost - 413 crew & 785 passengers, including 291 women, 94 children, 1 MN matron, 13 stewardess' and 1 typist. Some 761 survivors rescued by trawlers Bluebell, Peel and many other craft which headed out from the Irish coast. Because of the many American casualties, this was one of the major incidents that eventually led to US entry into the war on the side of the Allies (+L/Mn/D/te/tr/wd/wi)

Three steamships heading towards the Lusitania's position were all attacked, presumably by U.20, two of them chased off Queenstown (Cobh), but escaped:

Narragansett, tanker, 9,196/1903, Anglo-American Oil Co, Greenock. Torpedo missed. Sunk 16 March 1917 (+ms)

City of Exeter, passenger & cargo steamship, 9,300/1914 (ms – 9,373grt), Ellerman Lines (City Line), Glasgow (+ms)

Etonian, passenger & cargo steamship, 6,438 (also 6,515)/1898, Leyland Line/Fred Leyland & Co, Liverpool (ms - Wilsons & Furness, Hull, believed earlier owner). Sunk 23 March 1918 (+ms/tl)

 

Saturday 8 May

North Sea

British steamship (and an Admiralty collier) captured and torpedoed by U.9 (Johannes Spiess):

QUEEN WILHELMINA, 3,590/1898, Furness, Withy & Co, Sunderland, London-reg, Mr E Dickinson, Leith for Fowey in ballast. Hit and damaged 20 miles S by E of Longstone, Outer Farne Is (L - 20 miles N by W of), beached at Bondicar, 1½m SSE of Amble (55.19N, 01.26W), total loss (+L/te/un/wi)

HELLENIC, trawler, 159/1890, Grimsby Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Caught mine from Swarte Bank field in her trawl, believed surface-ship-laid (un – not included, so presumably not U-boat-laid), blown up and sank 98 miles E by S of Spurn Head (L - in 53.38N, 3.01E); 3 lives lost (+L/Lr/Mn/gy)

 

Sunday 9 May

English Channel

Arabia, passenger & cargo ship, 7,933(ms - 7,903grt)/1898, Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P&O), Greenock, armed. Chased by U-boat, escaped. Sunk 6 November 1916 (+ms)

 

Monday 10 May

North Sea

City of Dortmund, Belgian Relief ship, 803grt (no further information). U-boat attack 8 miles E½N of North Hinder LV, torpedo missed.

English Channel

Poona, passenger & cargo steamship, 7,626/1905, Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P&O), Greenock. Chased by U-boat, 40 miles SW of Portland, escaped (+ms)

 

Monday 17 May

North Sea

German minefield covering a large area S of 56N, E of 02.30E in the Dogger Bank area laid by old light cruiser Hamburg; two U-boats and a large destroyer took part, supported by High Seas Fleet battlecruisers. To prevent its early discovery, four trawlers on fishing grounds in NW Dogger Bank area were captured by torpedo boat(s) and their crews taken prisoner, not known how they were sunk, one on the 17th, three on the 18th:

KING CHARLES, 163/1901, Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice, Grimsby-reg. Captured (L - in 55.27N, 03.59E) (+L/Lr/ap/gy)

 

Tuesday 18 May

North Sea

Three more trawlers, all Hull-reg, captured and sunk by Hamburg minelaying force on 18th:

DUKE OF WELLINGTON, 182/1898, National Steam Trawling, H388. By torpedo boat (L - in 55.46N, 04.05E) (+L/Lr/hw)

EUCLID, 165/1897, Great Northern SS Fishing, H370. (L - in 55.27N, 04.19E) (+L/Lr/hw)

TITANIA, 179/1906, Hellyers Steam Fishing, H903 (+L/Lr/hw)

Atlantic off SW England

DRUMCREE, 4,052/1905, Astral Shipping Co, Liverpool-reg, 36 crew, Mr A Hodgson, Barry for Port Arthur in ballast, weather hazy with heavy NW swell. Torpedoed amidships by U.27 (Bernd Wegener), considerably damaged including radio room, boats lowered and crew ordered to stand by, nearby Norwegian SS Ponto asked to take her in tow, then a second torpedo hit aft, and she started to settle, Ponto dropped the tow and by 1730 Drumcree was sinking by the bow 11 miles N by E of Trevose Head, Cornwall (L - 11 miles NE of; wi - in 50.40.48N, 04.59.50W); crew took to the boats after second hit, picked-up by Ponto without any interference from the U-boat, survivors landed at Cardiff (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

 

Wednesday 19 May

North Sea

Three trawlers on fishing grounds captured by U.23 (Hans Schulthess) and sunk by bombs:

CHRYSOLITE (1), 222/1900, Kingston Steam Trawling Co, Hull-reg H409, Skipper J Flint. Sunk 25 miles SW by S of Lerwick, Shetlands (wi - in 59.48N, 01.35W) (+L/Lr/hw/un/wi)

CRIMOND, 173/1899, A Walker, Aberdeen-reg A344, Skipper W Morrison, Aberdeen for fishing. Sunk 60 miles E of Wick, Caithness (L/un - 50 miles SSW of Fair Isle; un – also 60 miles E of Wick; wi - off Copinsay, Orkneys, in 58.52N, 02.36W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

LUCERNE, 154/1896, R Moon, Aberdeen, Fleetwood-reg, Skipper R Leadbetter. Sunk 50 miles NE by N of Rattray Head, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (L/wi - 40 miles NE by E of Rattray Head, in 58.05N, 00.40W) (+L/Lr/fd/un/wi)

Atlantic off SW England

DUMFRIES, 4,121/1905, Sutherland SS Co, Newcastle-reg, 54 crew, Mr N Kragn, Cardiff for Leghorn/Livorno with coal, steaming at 8kts, weather fine, sea smooth. Torpedoed by U.27 (Bernd Wegener) at 1100 and took heavy list to starboard, engines stopped and starboard boats lowered, by the time the survivors left the area, she was still afloat, now listing to port with bow under water. Fishing vessel Lent Lily reported she went down next day at 1330, 13 miles N of Trevose Head (L - 25 miles SW of Hartland Point; wi - in 50.45.30N, 05.01.35W); 2 lives lost but not known how, falls of the after boat slipped throwing men into the water, but all were rescued, crew then picked up by HMT Kudos, landed at Ilfracombe at 1900 (+L/te/un/wi)

 

Thursday 20 May

North Sea

Comeric, cargo ship, Belgian Relief ship, 3,980/1898, A Weir & Co, Glasgow. U-boat attack near North Hinder LV, torpedo missed (+ms)

 

Friday 21 May

North Sea

Two Hull-reg trawlers owned by Hellyers Steam Fishing and on fishing grounds mined, possibly in same extended field (laid by cruiser Hamburg):

ANGELO, 173/1906, H890. Sank in Dogger Bank field (L - in 55.30N, 03.40E) (+L/Lr/ap/hw)

SABRINA, 179/1897, H346. Sank 160 miles ENE of Spurn LV; 9 lives lost including skipper (+L/Lr/hw)

Atlantic off SW Ireland

GLENHOLM, full-rigged steel sailing ship, 1,968/1896, Charter Shipping Co, Liverpool, Port Glasgow-reg, 27 crew, Mr J Cantpoel, sailing Iquique for Falmouth with 3,400t nitrates. Captured by U.27 (Bernd Wegener), sunk by torpedo 16 miles WSW of Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork (wi - in 51.16N, 10.00W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

 

Tuesday 25 May

First U-boat attacks on warships off Gallipoli by U.21

English Channel

Marquette, passenger & cargo steamship, 7,057/1898, Atlantic Transport Co, West Hartlepool. Chased by U-boat, escaped. Sunk 23 October 1915 (+ms/tl)

 

Wednesday 26 May

Naval Aviation - Maiden flight of larger non-rigid C-class Coastal airship at RNAS Station, Kingsnorth, Kent, designed for extended anti-submarine patrols

Atlantic off SW Ireland

MORWENNA, 1,414/1904, St Lawrence Shipping Co, Montreal, sailing Cardiff for Sydney (CB) in ballast. Captured by U.41 (Claus Hansen), sunk by torpedo 72 miles S by E of Fastnet Rock (L/te/un - in 50.27N, 08.44W; Mn - 160 miles W by S of St Ann's Head); one life lost (+L/Mn/te/un)

 

Thursday 27 May

North Sea

Ousel, cargo steamship, 1,284/1901, Cork Steam Shipping Co, Cork. Chased by U-boat 2 miles E of Elbow Buoy, off Kent, escaped. Lost in collision 14 September 1917 (+ms)

English Channel

Argyllshire, passenger & cargo steamship, 12,097 (ms – 10,329; tl – 9,564)/1911, Turnbull Martin & Co, Glasgow, armed. Two U-boat torpedoes missed off Havre (+ms/tl)

Atlantic off SW England

CADEBY, 1,130/1892, Cadeby SS Co (A F & J C Blackwater), Hull-reg, 18 crew, Oporto for Cardiff/Glasgow (un – Hull) with pitwood, 5 passengers plus one stowaway, steaming at 5½kts. U.41 (Claus Hansen) approached making signals that were not understood, red ensign hoisted, in reply a shot was fired across the bows and another hit the bridge, crew abandoned ship while firing continued, hitting her midships section. Finally sank 20 miles SW by S of Wolf Rock, off Lands End (un/wi - in 49.40N, 06.10W; wi – also 19 miles SE by S of Bishop Rock); crew picked up by fishing vessel Bonafide, landed in Newlyn on 28th at 0130 (+L/te/wi)

 

Friday 28 May

English Channel

Two British steamships (and an Admiralty collier) captured and sunk by U.41 (Claus Hansen):

ETHIOPE, 3,794/1906, Elder Line (Elder, Dempster & Co), Liverpool, sailing Hull/London for Calabar/West Africa with general cargo. Sunk by torpedo 40 miles SW by S of Start Point, Devon (L - 45 miles S of Plymouth; te/un - in 49.39N 04.16W) (+L/te/un)

TULLOCHMOOR, 3,520/1899, Moor Line (W Runciman & Co), London, sailing Genoa for Tyne in ballast. Sunk by gunfire 52 miles N of Ushant island, off NW Brittany (L/te/un - in 49.19N, 05.21W) (+L/te/un)

 

Saturday 29 May

North Sea

CONDOR (3), trawler, 151/1894, Ramsdale Steam Trawling Co, Scarborough-reg. Mined (laid by cruiser Kolberg?), sank 30 miles NE of Scarborough, Yorkshire; 9 lives lost including skipper (+Lr)

English Channel & Approaches

Ping Suey, 6,458/1899, China Mutual Steam Navigation Co, London, armed, Batavia for London. U-boat gun attack in English Channel, saved by own gunfire, damaged according to Lloyds. Not listed in Uboat.net as damaged (+L/ms)

Two steamships captured by U.41 (Claus Hansen) and sunk by torpedo:

DIXIANA, 3,329/1901, Dixiana SS Co (Thomas Kitching), London, sailing Savannah for Havre with pig iron, cotton and general cargo. Sank 40 miles N of Ushant (+L/te/un)

GLENLEE (1), 4,140/1904, Western SS Co (J Gardiner & Co), Glasgow, sailing Barry for Aden with coal. Sank 67 miles SSW of Wolf Rock, off Lands End (L - 50 miles NW of Ushant) (+L/te/un)

 

Sunday 30 May

North Sea

Colchester, passenger & cargo steamship, 1,209 (ms/tl – 1,160)/1889, Great Eastern Railway Co, Harwich. Chased by U-boat, escaped. Wrecked 1 or 2 March 1918 (+ms/tl)

Atlantic off S Ireland

Megantic, passenger & cargo liner, 14,878/1909, Oceanic Steam Navigation Co (Ismay, Imrie), Liverpool. Chased by U-boat, escaped (+ms)

 

Monday 31 May

English Channel

Hambleton Range, cargo steamship, 3,682/1914, Furness Withy & Co, West Hartlepool. Chased by U-boat, escaped (+ms)

St George's Channel & Bristol Channel

Three cargo steamships chased by U-boat(s):

Highland Laird, 4,223/1899 (ms – 4,117grt), H & W Nelson, Liverpool. Escaped +ms)

Kelvinia, 5,039/1913, Glasgow SS Co (J Black & Co), Glasgow. Rescued. Sunk 2 September 1916 (+ms)

Garmoyle, 1,229/1897 (also 1896), Clyde Shipping Co, Glasgow, armed. Saved by own gunfire. Sunk 10 July 1917 (+ms)

Atlantic off S Ireland

Demerara, passenger ship, 11,484/1912, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast, 1-4.7in gun, master, Lt G Gillard RNR (Rtd), sailing Liverpool for Lisbon. Periscope sighted on starboard quarter, U-boat surfaced and chased, firing from time to time, Demerara went to full speed, returned fire at 1,000yds, at which the submarine dived, ship continued to fire at periscope until submarine disappeared (+Mn/ms)

 


 

JUNE 1915 

British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action in June: 31 merchant ships totalling 83,198grt - 29 of 76,497grt to submarines, 2 of 6,701grt to mines, plus 60 fishing vessels totalling 8,117grt - 58 of 7,749grt to submarines, 2 of 368grt to mines (H)

U-boat Warfare - first U-boat mines laid off English coast by Flanders-based UC-boats

 

Tuesday 1 June

North Sea

SAIDIEH, 3,303/1878, Khedival Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Co, London-reg, 41 crew plus 8 distressed seamen, Mr J Ryall, Alexandria for Hull with 8,000t cottonseed, onions and taconite low grade iron ore, carrying Trinity pilot taken on at Deal. Torpedoed by UB.6 (Erich Haecker) at 1400, sank within 6min, 6 miles NE of Elbow Buoy, off North Foreland, Kent (L - 7 miles NE of North Foreland; wi - 6.25 miles WNW of Drill Stone Lightbuoy, in 51.27.27N, 01.33.39E); 8 crew lost including six firemen and an AB missing, probably killed by explosion. While No.3 boat was being lowered, the falls were cut and boat capsized throwing several crew into the sea, one a stewardess, all picked up by patrol vessels but she died of shock, the survivors and her body were landed at Chatham (+L/Mn/te/tr/un/wi)

Atlantic off SW England 

Pontypridd, cargo steamship, 1,556 (tl – 1,681)/1883, Morel Bros, Cardiff, armed. Chased by U-boat 40 miles S ½ W of Wolf Rock, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 12 March 1917 (+ms/tl)

Atlantic off S Ireland

VICTORIA (1), trawler, 155/1890, T Hudson, Hull-reg, (un – Charles Curzon (Brand & Co), Milford Haven), 9 crew, Skipper Steve Stephenson, sailed Milford Haven on 25 May to trawl Labadie Bank 75 miles off Fastnet Rock, carrying schoolboy James Jones on a trip. Attacked by U.34 (Claus Rücker), hit and ship’s boat smashed, stopped, submarine came alongside and set explosive charges, sank 145 miles W by S of St Ann’s Head, W entrance to Milford Haven (Mn - about 130 miles W by S of; un – in 50.36N, 06.20W); 6 lives lost including skipper blown to bits, mate who lost both legs, chief engineer, trimmer and the schoolboy all killed by three hits, four survivors escaped on a lashed-together raft, taken on board the U-boat and treated well, joined next morning by survivors from trawler Hirose. Rücker was on the original British list of war criminals for this sinking, progressed post-war as Naval Case No.20, but did not go to court (+L/Lr/Mn/ge/os/un)

 

Wednesday 2 June

Atlantic off SW England

HIROSE, trawler, 274/1906, Neale & West, Cardiff-reg, 10 crew, Skipper Francis Ward, sailing Cardiff for fishing grounds at 9kts. U.34 (Claus Rücker) gun attack started about 0530, Hirose eventually stopped, boarded and sunk by bombs 130 miles W by S½S of Lundy Is, off Devon (un – about 32 miles W of Scillies, in 49.50N, 07.10W); crew ordered off, joined in their boat by the four survivors from Victoria (see 1st), sighted 24hr later by Liverpool-reg SS Ballater, picked up in heavy sea, landed at Milford the same day at 1600 (+L/Lr/Mn/os/un)

 

Thursday 3 June

North Sea

Six vessels captured and sunk by U.19 (Constantin Kolbe):

IONA, steamship, 3,344/1892, Cairn Line of Steamships, Dundee-reg, 54 crew, Mr D Ritchie, Middlesbrough for Montreal with 2,800t general cargo. Shelled and damaged, stopped and sunk by torpedo 22 miles SSE of Fair Isle (L/Mn/te/un/wi - in 59.13N, 01.12W; wi - also 46 miles E of Stronsay, Orkneys), ship’s W/T code books thrown overboard & papers burnt; crew joined with survivors of trawler Chrysoprasus (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

CHRYSOPRASUS, trawler, 119/1907, Andrew W Ritchie, Aberdeen-reg, Skipper A W Ritchie, Aberdeen for fishing. Sunk by gunfire around noon, 45 miles E by S of Papa, Stronsay island, E Orkneys (un/wi - 45 miles ENE of; wi - also in 59.13N, 01.12W). The crews of Chrysoprasus and Iona rowed through the night until picked up by HMT Dover next day at 0800, landed Kirkwall at 1130 (+L/Lr/un/wi)

DOGBERRY, trawler, 214/1909, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, Hull-reg H46, Skipper C Read, Hull for fishing. Sunk by bomb 120 miles NNE of Aberdeen (L/un/wi - 25 miles E of Fair Isle; L/wi - also in 59.30N, 02.33W) (+L/Lr/hw/un/wi)

ENA MAY, drifter, 90/1891, R Irvin, Peterhead-reg PD66, fishing. Sunk by gunfire 60 miles SW by S½S of Sumburgh Head, S Shetlands (L/un - 66 miles SW by S of) (+L/pd/un)

KATHLEEN (1), drifter, 92/1903, A W & J Cow (un – Leask & Mitchell), Peterhead-reg PD471, fishing. Sunk by bomb 40 miles ESE of Start Point, off E Sanday island, NE Orkneys (L/wi - 40 miles E of Papa Stronsay island, in 59.15N, 01.15W) (+L/pd/un/wi) 

STRATHBRAN, trawler, 163/1899, Steam Herring Fleet (un – A Robertson), Aberdeen-reg A137, Skipper A Main, fishing. Sunk by gunfire 35 miles ESE of Pentland Skerries, Pentland Firth (wi - in 58.17N, 02.07W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

__________

Three sailing smacks on fishing grounds captured by UB.16 (Hans Valentiner) and sunk by bombs off Lowestoft:

E. & C., 60grt. Sunk 40 miles SE by E of (+L/un)

BOY HORACE, 69grt. Sunk 50 miles SE by E of (un – 50 miles SE of) (+L/un)

ECONOMY, 69grt, fishing. (H/L – 4th) - Sunk 50 miles SE (+L/un)

 

Friday 4 June

North Sea

Six vessels captured and sunk by U.19 (Constantin Kolbe) which had been active in this area the day before:

CORTES, trawler, 174/1899, A Walker, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Sunk by bomb 50 miles ESE of Copinsay island, Orkneys (L - 68 miles ENE of Wick) (+L/Lr/un)

EVENING STAR, trawler, 120/1895, A Ritchie, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Sunk by gunfire 50 miles ESE of Copinsay (L - 68 miles ENE of Wick) (+L/Lr/un)

DUNNET HEAD, steamship, 343/1913, A F Henry & J MacGregor, Leith-reg, 9 crew, Mr J Campbell, Baltasound for Arbroath in ballast. Sunk by torpedo 35 miles E by S of Duncansby Head, Caithness (L/un - in 58.42N, 01.55W; wi - in 58.35.15N, 01.57W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

EBENEZER, trawler, 113/1903, J King (un – T Davidson), Aberdeen-reg A892, Skipper G King, Aberdeen for fishing. Sunk by gunfire 117 miles SW by S½S of Out Skerries, SE of Yell island, Shetlands (L/wi - 50 miles NE by N of Kinnairds Head; L/un/wi - also in 58.31N, 01.21W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

EXPLORER, trawler, 156/1894, J M Barber & H W Foulger, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Large U-boat came under the stern around 1930, shot was fired, crew ordered in to their boat without delay, 8 more shells fired, sank 73 miles NE by N of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead; crew picked up by HMS Acacia, one the first Flower-type sloops in commission (+L/Lr/Mn/Cn/un)

PETREL (1), trawler, 187/1902, Silver City Steam Trawling Co, Aberdeen-reg A515, Skipper A Frost, Aberdeen for fishing. Sunk by gunfire 55 miles NNE½E of Buchan Ness (wi - 55 miles NNE of, in 58.22N, 01.30W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

English Channel

INKUM, 4,747/1901, Gulf Transport Co, Liverpool, sailing New York for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.34 (Claus Rücker), sank 40 miles SW of Lizard Point, Cornwall (L/te/un - in 49.25N, 06.35W) (+L/te/un)

Atlantic off W Ireland

GEORGE & MARY, wooden schooner, 100/1875, William Hughes, Portavogie, Co Down, Belfast-reg, 4 crew, Mr W Hughes, Tralee for Glasgow with bones, lead and scrap iron. Captured by U.35 (Waldemar Kophamel), sunk by gunfire 15 miles SW of Eagle Is, off Co Mayo (wi - 15 miles of, in 54.30N, 10.20W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

 

Saturday 5 June 

U.14 sunk by trawler Oceanic II in North Sea off Peterhead

North Sea

Six more trawlers, five on fishing grounds, all but possibly one, captured and sunk by gunfire of U.19 (Constantin Kolbe). As usual at this stage in the war, the crews were allowed to abandon ship first:

BARDOLPH, 215/1911, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, Hull-reg H296. Sunk 115 miles S by W of Sumburgh Head, S Shetlands (+L/Lr/hw/un)

STAR OF THE WEST, 197/1902, Walker Steam Trawl Fishing Co, Aberdeen-reg A458, Skipper A Reynolds, Aberdeen for fishing. (wi - 5/6/16) - Sunk 55 miles NE½N of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead (L/un/wi - in 58.00N, 01W; L/wi – also 38 miles NNE of Kinnairds Head). Uboat.net reports U.19 did not claim this sinking, and that this trawler may have been sunk by U.14 before she too was lost that day off Peterhead (+L/Lr/un/wi)

PERSIMON, 255/1911, W J Barrett, Grimsby-reg GY126, hired 8/14 as auxiliary patrol vessel, returned to mercantile service 1/15, Grimsby for Iceland to fish. Sunk 50 miles NE of Buchan Ness (L/wi - 50 miles ENE of Peterhead, in 58N, 00.30W) (+L/Lr/D/gy/un/wi)

JAPONICA, 145/1896, Richard Watson Lewis, Aberdeen-reg A193, Skipper William Butler, Aberdeen for fishing. Gun heard about 2300 and shell landed ahead, shaking the ship, hands went aft to launch the boat, U-boat came up at full speed, ordered them to hurry, then from 200yds fired four rounds - first two missed, third went through the cabin, fourth into the boiler, sank at 2325, 45 miles E of Kinnairds Head, Fraserburgh (wi - in 57.36N, 00.34W); crew rowed towards the submarine but were ordered away, picked up by sloop Acacia next day (+L/Lr/Mn/un/wi)

CURLEW (1), 134/1895, James Hall, Sunderland-reg, Skipper D Stroud, sailed Sunderland for fishing. Sunk 50 miles E by N of Aberdeen (L/wi - 40 miles E½S of Peterhead, in 57.28N, 00.33W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

GAZEHOUND, 138/1891, James Hall, Sunderland, Hull-reg, Skipper J Stroud, Hull for fishing. Sunk 50 miles E by N of Aberdeen (L/wi - 40 miles E½S of Peterhead, in 57.28N, 00.33W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

__________

ARCTIC, trawler, 169/1899, Witham Steam Fishing Co, Boston, Granton-reg, fishing. (un – 6th) - Gun attack by U-boat, sank 65 miles ESE of Spurn Head, Humber estuary (L/un - 77 miles SE by S of); 4 lives lost including skipper. Note: Uboat.net attributes her loss to U.19 (Constantin Kolbe), but this would have meant U.19 moving her position from the Peterhead area, south to the Humber, then back to sink trawler Dromio the next day. If Dromio (following) was sunk early on the 6th and Arctic late on the 6th, this change of position was possible (+L/Lr/un)

 

Sunday 6 June 

North Sea

DROMIO, trawler, 208/1910, Hellyers Steam Fishing Co, Hull-reg H102, Skipper J Snelling, Hull for fishing. Captured by U.19 (Constantin Kolbe), sunk by scuttling charges 35 miles NE by E of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead (wi - 35 miles NE of, in 57.50N, 01.55W) (+L/Lr/hw/un/wi)

Atlantic off S Ireland

Ballycotton, passenger & cargo steamship, 1,273/1911, Clyde Shipping Co, Glasgow. U-boat attack 30 miles S of Waterford, torpedo missed (+ms)

SUNLIGHT, steel-hulled barque, one of two tankers completed for bulk molasses trade, 1,433/1907, Lever Bros (later Unilever), Port Sunlight, Liverpool-reg,, 20 crew, Mr C Dagwell, sailing Macoris for Glasgow with c1,500t molasses. Captured by U.35 (Waldemar Kophamel), sunk by torpedo 20 miles SW of Galley Head, S of Clonakilty, Co Cork (wi - in 51.16N, 09.15W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

 

Monday 7 June 

German Minefield - Auxiliary minelayer Meteor laid large minefields on the 7th/8th along the North Russian Murman coast at the entrance to the White Sea to interrupt the flow of munitions to and cargoes from Russia. SS Arndale was the first ship sunk; three more went down in the same month.

North Sea

Four British trawlers on fishing grounds captured and sunk by gunfire of U.25 (Otto Wünsche):

SATURN, 183/1900, Grimsby & North Sea Steam Trawling Co, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 86 miles NE of Spurn Head (+L/Lr/gy/un)

VELOCITY, 186/1904, Abbey Steam Fishing (un – H L Taylor & H G Hopwood), Grimsby-reg. Sunk 75 miles NE of Spurn Head (+L/Lr/gy/un)

NOTTINGHAM, 165/1898, Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 70 miles NE of Spurn Head (+L/Lr/gy/un)

PENTLAND, 204/1914, Hull Steam Fishing & Ice Co, Hull-reg H70. Sunk 75 miles ENE of Hornsea (+L/Lr/hw/un)

 

Tuesday 8 June

St George's Channel area

Two sailing schooners (and an Admiralty collier) captured and sunk by U.35 (Waldemar Kophamel) off The Smalls:

EXPRESS, 3-masted schooner, built as paddle steamer, 115/1885, J Westcott, Plymouth-reg, Mr J Smith. (L - 7th; un – or 7th) - Sunk with bombs 44 miles SSW½W of (L - 44 miles SW½W of; un – in 44 miles SW½S of; wi - in 51.20N, 06.40W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

SUSANNAH, schooner, 115/1873, A E Benney, Preston-reg, Mr A Cundy, Preston for Truro with coal. Captured by U.35, sunk with bombs 40 miles SSW of (un/wi - in 50.55N, 05.35W) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

Atlantic off NW Spain

Llandovery Castle, passenger & cargo ship, 11,423/1914, Union-Castle Line, London. Chased by U-boat off Cape Finisterre, escaped. Sunk 27 June 1918 as hospital ship (+ms/tr)

 

Wednesday 9 June

North Sea

Four trawlers on fishing grounds captured by U.25 (Otto Wünsche) and sunk by gunfire off Spurn Head, Humber:

TUNISIAN, 211/1906, Thomas Robinson, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 95 miles NE by N of (+L/Lr/gy/un)

CARDIFF, 163/1896, Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 90 miles NE by E of (+L/Lr/gy/un)

CASTOR, 182/1900, Grimsby & North Sea Steam Trawling Co, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 85 miles NE by E of (L - 80 miles NE by E of; un – 80 miles NE by N of) (+L/Lr/gy/un)

J. LEYMAN, 197/1909, J Leyman Jnr, Scarborough-reg. Sunk 100 miles E by N of (+L/Lr/un)

__________

Five sailing smacks on fishing grounds captured by UB.2 (Werner Fürbringer) and sunk with bombs/scuttling charges off Lowestoft, NE Suffolk:

BRITANNIA, 43grt. Sunk 55 miles E of (L - 50 miles E of; 50 miles SE of) (+L/un)

EDWARD, 52/1902, W H Podd, Lowestoft. Sunk 48 miles E by S of (+L/un)

QUI VIVE (1), 50grt. Sunk 48 miles E by S of (un – 50 miles SE of) (+L/un)

WELFARE, 45grt. Sunk 50 miles ESE of (L/un - 62 miles ESE of, "by Zeppelin" is noted by her name in Lloyds) (+L/un)

LAURESTINA, 48/1901, W H Painter, Lowestoft-reg LT426, fishing, 30 miles NNW of Maas LV, near Hook of Holland (un – 50 miles SE of Lowestoft) (+L/bm/un)

__________

Two colliers heading for London with coal, originally believed torpedoed, now attributed to mines laid by UC.11 (Walter Gottfried Schmidt) off Sunk LV, off Harwich:

LADY SALISBURY, 1,446/1890, Gresham SS Co, London, Newcastle-reg, Mr Duncan, sailing from Hartlepool. Sank about 1 mile N of (wi - in 51.52.20N, 01.36.01E); 3 crew lost (+L/te/un/wi)

ERNA BOLDT, 1,731/1908, German prize, now The Admiralty (Everett & Newbigin), London-reg, sailing from Newcastle. Sank ½m NE by E of (L - ½m SW by S of; wi - in 51.51.54N, 01.36.04E) (+L/te/un/wi)

Bristol Channel

Teespool, cargo steamship, 4,577/1905, R Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool. U-boat gun attack, escaped (+ms)

Atlantic off S Ireland

Tenasserim, passenger & cargo steamship, 5,089/1905, British & Burmese Steam Navigation Co (P Henderson), Glasgow. Chased by U-boat, escaped. Lost by fire 19 December 1918 (+ms/tl)

 

Thursday 10 June 

North Sea

INTREPID, sailing smack, 59grt, fishing. Captured by UB.2 (Werner Fürbringer), sunk by bomb 60 miles SE of Lowestoft (+L/un)

Bristol Channel

Orthia, 4,225/1896, Donaldson Bros, Glasgow. Chased by U-boat, escaped (+ms)

 

Friday 11 June 

Barents Sea

ARNDALE, 3,583/1906, T Smailes SS Co, Whitby-reg, Cardiff for Archangel with coal. Mined, laid by auxiliary minelayer Meteor, sank at entrance to White Sea (L - in 67N, 41.32E); 3 lives lost (+L/Lr/Mn)

North Sea 

Two Grimsby-reg trawlers on fishing grounds captured by U.19 (Constantin Kolbe) and sunk off Spurn Head:

WAAGO, 154/1898, H Smethurst. Sunk by bomb 80 miles NE by N of (+L/Lr/gy/un)

PLYMOUTH, 165/1898, Consolidated Steam Fishing & Ice Co. Sunk by gunfire 67 miles NE½N of (L - 65 miles NE ½ N of) (+L/Lr/gy/un)

__________

DOVEY, trawler, 160/1897, East Anglia Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Mined in Outer Silver Pit field, blew up and sank 50 miles E by S of Spurn Head; 9 lives lost including skipper. Note: this newly discovered field was laid by surface vessels in January (+L/Lr/Mn/ap/gy)

Brussels, passenger ship, 1,380/1902, Great Eastern Railway Co, Harwich, Mr Charles Fryatt. Chased by U-boat, escaped. Captured 23 June 1916, master shot as franc-tireur (+ge/ms)

 

Saturday 12 June 

North Sea

LEUCTRA, 3,027/1899, SS Leuctra Co (R H Littlehales), Liverpool-reg, Mr W Bushell, sailing Rosario for Hull with linseed cake. Torpedoed by UB.16 (Hans Valentiner), sank 1½m SE by S of Shipwash Bank LV, off Suffolk (wi - in 52.00.48N, 01.43.24E) (+L/te/un/wi)

St George's Channel

CROWN OF INDIA, 4-masted iron barque, 2,034/1885, ‘Crown of India’ Ship Co (un – J Joyce & Co), Liverpool-reg, 23 crew, Mr C Branch, Barry for Pernambuco with 3,000t coal, light southerly winds, misty. U.35 (Waldemar Kophamel) opened fire on the unarmed ship from half a mile, two boats hoisted out and crew got away, firing continued, sank within half an hour about 70 miles WSW of St Ann's Head, Pembrokeshire (L/un/wi - 50.55N, 06.35W); crew rowed for Norwegian barque Bellglade lying becalmed 3 miles off, but U.35 came up and sank her as well, drifter Queen Alexandra appeared and U.35 disappeared assuming her to be a patrol vessel, both crews picked up, landed at Milford Haven (+L/Lr/Mn/un/wi)

 

Sunday 13 June 

North Sea

QUEEN ALEXANDRA, trawler, 208/1902, Cameron & McFarlane, Dundee-reg, Skipper T McNaughton, fishing. Mined, sank 8 miles E by S½S of Todhead Point, S of Stonehaven (L - 56.52N, 02.02W). Not listed in U-boat.net, presumably not U-boat-laid (+L/wi)

Atlantic off SW England

Two colliers captured by U.35 (Waldemar Kophamel):

HOPEMOUNT, 3,300/1904, Hopemount Shipping Co, Newcastle, sailing Cardiff for Alexandria with coal. Sunk by gunfire 70 miles W by S of Lundy Is, off Devon (L - 70 miles W of) (+L/te/un)

PELHAM, collier (wi - Admiralty collier transport No.604), 3,534/1906, Thompson SS Co, Sunderland-reg, 26 crew, Malta for Barry Roads in water ballast. U.35 appeared on the surface half a mile away, opened fire, ship turned away and went to full speed but hit repeatedly, engines stopped and ship abandoned. Germans placed bombs which sank her sometime after 1545, 30 miles NW of the Scillies (L - 30 miles N of; un/wi - in 50.16N, 06.55W); survivors picked up by drifter Our Allies, landed in Newlyn on 16th at 0145 (+L/te/un/wi)

 

Tuesday 15 June 

North Sea

ARGYLL, trawler, 280/1906, Great Northern SS Fishing, Hull-reg H923, Harwich for fishing. Believed torpedoed at the time (wi - may have been mined), confirmed as sunk by mine laid by UC.11 (Walter Gottfried Schmidt) ¼m from Sunk LV, off Harwich (L/wi - 12 miles ESE of Harwich, in 51.52N, 01.36E); 7 lives lost including skipper (+L/hw/un/wi)

Two Great Eastern Railway Co, Harwich steamships possibly attacked by same U-boat:

Brussels, passenger ship, 1,380/1902, Mr Charles Fryatt. Chased near Sunk LV, escaped. Captured 23 June 1916, master shot as franc-tireur (+ge/ms)

Cromer, cargo steamship, 812/1902. Chased near Galloper, escaped (+ms)

St George's Channel

STRATHNAIRN, 4,336/1906, Strathnairn SS Co (Burrell & Son), Glasgow-reg, 33 crew, Mr John Browne, sailing Cardiff/Penarth for Archangel with 7000t coal, conditions fine and clear. Torpedoed by U.22 (Bruno Hoppe) at 2130, sank 25 miles N by E of Bishop and Clerks rocks (the rocks are located 1 or 2 miles W of Ramsey Island, off SW Wales; L – 25 miles NE of Bishop Rock (off Scilly Isles); te/un - also 2 miles W of Ramsey Island (the position of the Bishops and Clerks); un – also 50.16N, 06.37W (off Scilly Isles); wi – 25m N by E of South Bishop Rock LH, in 52.11N, 05W (off W Wales, LH is in 51.51N, 05.25W)); 21 crew lost including the master, mostly drowned, survivors included the 2nd mate and a number of Chinese crew who got away in a gig, rowed east, picked up early the following morning by the Amanda of Padstow, landed later that day at Milford Haven. The 1st engineer and Chinese carpenter had to jump overboard, and clung to a capsized boat for 9 hours before being picked up by the the Abbotsford of Glasgow, landed at Swansea. Note: from the confusing range of loss positions, the Bishop and Clerks, off SW Wales, is probably the correct location, especially when the destination is taken into account (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

Alt, cargo steamship, 1,004/1911, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Co, Goole. U-boat torpedo missed (+tl)

 

Wednesday 16 June

St George's Channel

Two vessels captured by U.22 (Bruno Hoppe):

TRAFFORD, 215/1896, Manchester, Liverpool & North Wales SS Co (un – Trafford SS Co), Manchester-reg, Mr A Hughes, Newport for Lydney (un – Sydney) in light condition. (L/wi - 17th; un – or 17th) - Sunk by gunfire 30 miles WSW of Tuskar rock, which is off Rosslare (L/wi - about 30 miles WSW of The Smalls, in 51.30N, 06.25W). Note: If Lydney, this is further up the Bristol Channel; if Sydney, Australia, this appears to be a small vessel for the voyage – a puzzle (+L/Lr/un/wi)

Turnwell, 4,264/1901, Gunwell SS Co (Roth Bros), London, sailing Liverpool for New York in light condition. Captured 35 miles SW of Tuskar Rock (L/un - 30 miles WNW of The Smalls), damaged by bombs, reached Milford Haven (+L/ms/un)

 

Friday 18 June 

North Sea

AILSA, 876/1884, Christian Salvesen & Co, Leith-reg, 17 crew, Mr J Currie, sailing Trondheim for Leith with flax and wood. Captured by U.17 (Hans Walther), scuttled off Arbroath, Angus, 30 miles E by N of Bell Rock (L - 41 miles E½S of; wi - in 56 34N, 01.30W) (+L/te/un/wi)

 

Saturday 19 June

North Sea

DULCIE, 2,033/1900, C Nielsen & Sons, West Hartlepool-reg, 18 crew, Mr G Manson, Newcastle/Dunston for Havre with coal. Torpedoed by UB.13 (Walter Gustav Becker), sank 6 miles E of Aldeburgh, Suffolk (L - 5½m E of; wi - in 52.08.18N, 01.45.10E); one crew lost (+L/te/un/wi)

Atlantic off NW Scotland

Phoebe (2), trawler, believed 278/1907, Fleetwood-reg FD121, skipper, Mr J Goulding, Fleetwood for Iceland fishing grounds. Passing west of Outer Hebrides via St Kilda island, off Barra Head on 18th she was warned about submarines by a patrol boat, early next morning off St Kilda informed that two vessels were sunk off the Butt of Lewis, and proceeded a further 55 miles. Sighted U-boat at 0820, 1½m to the east, went to full speed and headed for the enemy which hauled off and opened fire from a mile. Phoebe now turned away and zigzagged, near-missed a number of times but lost the U-boat and reached St Kilda (Mn/D/ms)

 

Sunday 20 June

Barents Sea

Twilight, cargo steamship, 3,100/1905, J Wood & Co, West Hartlepool, sailing Blyth for Archangel with coal. Mined, presumably laid by Meteor, reached Archangel (+L/ms)

Atlantic off N Scotland

PREMIER (1), trawler, 169/1901, W H Dodds, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Captured by U.22 (Bruno Hoppe) and sunk by gunfire 75 miles N by W of Troup Head according to HMSO, but this would place her in the Moray Firth, off NE Scotland. Lloyds and Uboat.net locate her loss 70 miles NNE of Cape Wrath, in the Atlantic; if Troup Head should read Noup Head (NW Orkneys), then the two bearings (from Noup Head and Cape Wrath) approximately coincide i.e. in the Atlantic (+L/Lr/un)

Irish Sea

Cameronia, passenger & cargo ship, 10,963/1911, Anchor Line, Glasgow. Chased by U-boat 23 miles W of Skerries rocks, Anglesey, escaped. Sunk 15 April 1917 (+ms)

St George's Channel

Clan Robertson, 4,826 (ms – 4,839)/1897, Clan Line, Glasgow. Chased by U-boat, escaped (+ms)

 

Monday 21 June

North Sea

CARISBROOK, 2,352/1907, Brook SS Co, Glasgow, London-reg, 22 crew, Mr D Hunter, sailing Montreal for Leith with 3,600t wheat, steaming at 8kts. Captured by U.38 (Max Valentiner), sunk by gunfire 70 miles S ¾W of Start Point LH, off Sanday island, Orkneys (L/wi - 40 miles N of Kinnaird Head, in 58.15N, 02.25W) (+L/te/un/wi)

Irish Sea

Sachem, cargo steamship, 5,354 (ms/tl - 5,204)/1893, George Warren & Co, Liverpool. Chased by U-boat 23 miles W of Liverpool Bar LV, escaped (+ms)

 

Tuesday 22 June

North Sea

Herbert Fischer, 938grt. U-boat attack 2 miles SE of Southwold, torpedo missed (ms – believed ex-German cargo steamship, 1,005/1901, F W Fischer) (+ms)

 

Wednesday 23 June

U.40 sunk by decoy combination trawler Taranaki/submarine C.24 off Aberdeen, first success by decoy ship against a U-boat

North Sea

Sixteen fishing vessels on their fishing grounds were all captured and sunk around this time by U.38 (Max Valentiner) off N and E Shetlands. Note: HMSO lists 13 on the 23rd and 3 on the 24th, Lloyds Losses all on the 23rd, and Uboat.net all on the 24th. The HMSO dates are used here:

LEBANON, trawler, 111/1907, D Noble/Mitchell, Noble & Summers, Peterhead, Aberdeen-reg. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 30 miles E½N of Muckle Flugga islet (un – or about 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Lr/Rn/un)

QUIET WATERS, drifter, 63/1903, J & J N Stephen, Peterhead-reg PD475. Sunk by gunfire 35 miles E by N of Balta Sound, Unst island (pd - “Reported that SS Josephine - should read ‘trawler’ (below) - sank 4 miles to SSW, also that six other drifters sunk in vicinity”; un – also 25 miles E of Skerries Light) (+L/Rn/pd/un)

RESEARCH (1), drifter, 89/1908, A J & W Buchan & Irvin, (un – J Falconer & Sons, Scotstown, Banff), Peterhead-reg PD98. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 42 miles NE of Out Skerries islands/Outer Skerries Light, SE of Yell island (+L/Rn/pd/un)

PRIMROSE (1), drifter, 91/1904, Scottish Steam, Peterhead-reg PD17. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 40 miles NE by E of Out Skerries/Outer Skerries Light (+L/Rn/pd/un)

FOUR, drifter, 84/1900, J S Summers, G Murray, W Strachan, Peterhead-reg PD108. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 45 miles NE by E½E of Out Skerries (un – 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Rn/pd/un)

JOSEPHINE, (L - trawler), 85grt. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 40 miles NE by E½E of Out Skerries (un – 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Rn/un)

VICEROY, trawler, 150/1899, A Brodie (un – Dodds Steam Fishing Co), Aberdeen-reg. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 50 miles ENE of Out Skerries (+L/Lr/R/unn)

UFFA, drifter, 79/1908, J Reid & R Irvin, Peterhead-reg PD82. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 45 miles ENE of Out Skerries (un – about 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Rn/pd/un)

J. M. & S., drifter, 78/1908, J Mitchell, Peterhead-reg PD191. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 42 miles ENE of Out Skerries/Light (+L/Rn/pd/un)

PISCATORIAL, (L - trawler), 84grt. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 41 miles ENE of Out Skerries/Light (+L/Rn/un)

ELIZABETH, drifter, 94/1907, J S Summers, G & T Bruce, W Buchan, Peterhead-reg PD203. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 40 miles ENE of Out Skerries/Light (pd - 45 miles ENE of) (+L/Rn/pd/un)

STAR OF BETHLEHEM, drifter, 77/1903, G Heask, J & A Forman (un – R Irvin & Sons, North Shields), Peterhead-reg PD527. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 40 miles ENE of Out Skerries/Light (+L/Rn/pd/un)

UGIEBRAE, drifter, 79/1902, J & A Buchan, Peterhead-reg PD63. (un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk by gunfire 35 miles ENE of Out Skerries (un – about 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Rn/pd/un)

__________

TUNISIANA, steamship, 4,220/1906, Furness, Withy & Co, London-reg, Mr A Wallace, Montreal for Hull with 6,000t grain and wheat. Torpedoed by UB.16 (Max Valentiner) off Lowestoft, Suffolk, beached at Barnard Sands, Kessingland (wi - in 52.25.24N, 01.46.23E), total loss, small part of cargo salvaged (+L/te/un/wi)

 

Thursday 24 June

Barents Sea

DRUMLOIST, 3,118/1905, W Christie, London-reg, sailing Archangel for London with sleepers. (L - 26th) - Mined, presumably laid by Meteor, sank at entrance to White Sea (+L/Lr)

North Sea 

Three more fishing vessels on fishing grounds captured by U.38 (Max Valentiner) and sunk by gunfire off Shetlands (Note: Lloyds Losses lists the losses on the 23rd, and Uboat.net on the 24th):

COMMANDER (1), trawler, 149/1899, R Sinclair (un – R Craig and others), Aberdeen-reg. (L - 23rd) - Sunk 49 miles E of Balta Sound, Unst island (un – also 40 miles ENE of Outer Skerries Light) (+L/Lr/Rn/un)

MONARDA, drifter, 87/1913, C B & R T Milne, Peterhead-reg PD92. (L/pd - 23rd; un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk 41 miles ENE of Out Skerries, SE of Yell island (+L/Rn/pd/un)

VINE, trawler, 110/1900, T Davidson, Aberdeen-reg. (L - 23rd; un – also night of 23rd/24th) - Sunk 30 miles NE by E of Out Skerries (+L/Lr/Rn/un)

 

Saturday 26 June

Atlantic off N Scotland

CAMPANIA, trawler, 167/1895, W Walker, Aberdeen-reg, fishing. Captured by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sunk by gunfire 60 miles N by W of Hoy Head, SW Orkneys (+L/Lr/un)

 

Sunday 27 Jun 

St George's Channel/Atlantic off S Ireland

Two British vessels (an Admiralty squadron supply ship), and probably a fourth attacked by U.24 (Rudolf Schneider):

LUCENA, 243/1913, Joseph Monks & Co, Liverpool-reg, 7 crew, Mr R Evans, Granton (wi - Garston) for Bantry Bay with coal. Captured by U.24, sunk by gunfire 4 miles S of Capel Is, off Youghal, Co Cork (wi - also off Knockadoon Head, Capel Is, in 51.48.50N, 08.51W, although this should probably read 07.51W; L - 4 miles S of Youghal) (+L/Lr/un/wi)

EDITH, steel schooner, 78grt, J Rooney, 3 crew, sailing Silloth for Cork with 155t plaster of paris. Captured by U.24, sunk by gunfire 10 miles SE of Capel Is (wi - in 51.45.55N, 07.39.45W). Note: from Lloyd’s Register, possibly 3-masted wooden schooner, but 113grt (+L/Lr/un/wi)

Kenmare, passenger & cargo steamship, 1,330 (ms – 1,346)/1895, City of Cork Steam Packet Co, Cork. U-boat gun attack between Ardmore and Capel Is, escaped. Sunk 2 March 1918 (+ms)

 

Monday 28 June 

St George's Channel/Atlantic off SW England

Two, probably three more vessels attacked by U.24 (Rudolf Schneider):

DUMFRIESSHIRE, 4-masted steel barque, 2,622/1890, Shire Line (T Law & Co), Glasgow-reg, Mr R Furness, from San Francisco with 4,100t barley, reached Falmouth 25th for orders, directed to Dublin. Torpedoed by U.24, sank 25 miles SW of The Smalls, off Pembrokeshire (wi - in 51.30N, 06.15W); survivors picked up by steam trawler Weymouth, landed at Milford Haven (+L/Lr/Mn/un/wi)

Orduna, passenger & cargo steamship, 15,499/1914, Pacific Steam Navigation Co, Liverpool. Chased by U-boat 20 miles SW of Smalls, escaped (+ms) 

ARMENIAN, passenger ship, 8,825/1895, Leyland Line/F Leyland & Co, Liverpool-reg, 162 crew, Mr J Trickery, Newport News for Avonmouth with 3,000 mules for army in France and general stores. U.24 sighted 3 miles distant at 1840, ship turned away but soon overhauled, shelled and badly damaged within 30min, engines stopped and crew abandoned ship. Two torpedoes sank her at 1950, 20 miles W of Trevose Head, Cornwall (L - 15 miles W of; un – in 50.40N, 06.24W and questions 20 miles W of; wi - in 50.29.15N, 05.33W); nine crew and 20 cattle attendants killed, 14 others wounded. One boat capsized during lowering, survivors in other boats or on rafts picked up by Belgian trawler President Stevens, transferred to two destroyers, landed at Avonmouth on 29th (+L/Mn/te/un/wi)

 

Tuesday 29 June

North Sea

Brussels, passenger ship, 1,380/1902, Great Eastern Railway Co, Harwich, Mr Charles Fryatt. Chased by U-boat 56 miles E of Sunk LV, escaped. Captured 23 June 1916, master shot as franc-tireur (+ge/ms)

Atlantic off S Ireland 

SCOTTISH MONARCH, 5,043/1906, Monarch SS Co (Raeburn & Verel), Glasgow, sailing New York for Manchester with general cargo. Captured by U.24 (Rudolf Schneider), sunk by gunfire 40 miles S of Ballycottin/Ballycotton Is, off Co Cork (L/te/un - in 51.10N, 8W); 15 lives lost (+L/Mn/te)

 

Wednesday 30 June

Atlantic off SW England

LOMAS, 3,048/1898, Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway Co, London, Mr Phillip Evans, Buenos Aires/La Plata for Belfast with maize. Captured by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sunk by torpedo 65 miles W of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/te/un - in 49.30N, 08.15W); one life lost (+L/Mn/te/un)

Eastern Mediterranean

Teiresias, passenger & cargo steamship, 7,606/1915, Alfred Holt & Co, Liverpool, sailing Liverpool for Penang with general cargo. Mined at south end of Small Bitter Lake, Suez Canal, laid by Turkish troops at night, ship swung and blocked the channel, cleared by Suez Canal Company that night and towed in - the one Turkish success in their attempts to mine the Canal (+L/ms/nh)

 

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