1917
JANUARY 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in January: 49 merchant ships totalling 153,666grt - 6
of 19,304grt to surface ships, 35 of 109,954grt to
submarines, 8 of 24,408grt to mines, plus 16 fishing
vessels totalling 2,020grt, all to submarines (H)
Monday, 1 January 1917
Dover Straits
Merchant ship damaged by British anti-submarine mined
nets off Calais (L - 4 miles N of Gravelines; sc -
near West Dyck shoal), Dover Patrol paddle
minesweepers went to her assistance but one was also
mined in the nets:
Sussex, 5,686
(ms – 5,474)/1900, Federal Steam Navigation Co,
London, armed, sailing Sydney for Dunkirk with meat,
general cargo. (L – 31 December 1916) - Duchess of
Montrose and Nepaulin, joined later by Redcar, towed
her clear, beached 4 miles E of Dunkirk Jetty,
refloated (un – mine laid by UC.1 (OskarSteckelberg))
(H/L/dq/ms/sc/un)
English Channel
HOLLY BRANCH, 3,568/1911, Nautilus SS Co,
sailing La Plata for Havre with bagged oats. Captured
by UB.39 (Heinrich Küstner), sunk by bombs 14 miles NE
by N of Ile de Bas, off Roscoff (L/te - in 48.59N,
03.56W) (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
BAYCRAIG, 3,761/1905, Bay SS Co, London-reg,
Mr Bertram Edmonds, armed, sailing Port Louis for
Marseilles with sugar. Torpedoed by UC.22 (Heino von
Heimburg), sank 84 miles ESE of Malta (L/te - in
35.32N, 16.10E), master taken prisoner, joined two
other captured captains (H/L/Mn/te/un)
IVERNIA,
troopship/transport, passenger ship, 14,278/1900,
Cunard SS Co, Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing for
Alexandria with 2,400 troops, heavy weather. Torpedoed
by UB.47 (Wolfgann Steinbauer), sank 58 miles S by E
1/2 E of Cape Matapan, Greece; 36 lives lost (ge - 125
lives, because of the weather; te - 121 lives; wd - 85
military, 35 crew totalling 120. Note: HMSO only lists
crew lost) (H/L/ge/me/te/un/wd)
Tuesday, 2 January 1917
Atlantic off NW France
CARLYLE, 466/1901, Straits SS Co,
Singapore-reg, sailing Manchester for La Pallice with
general cargo. Captured by UB.39 (Heinrich Küstner),
sunk by bombs 5 miles WSW of Ile de Sein LH, SW of
Brest (H/L/Lr/un)
Bay of Biscay
Two vessels attacked by U-boat(s):
Cromarty,
2,742/1892, B J Sutherland & Co, armed. Chased,
saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Luga,
1,988/1909, Stott Line, Liverpool. Gun attack, escaped
(H/ms)
Mediterranean
Bengali, 5,684 (ms – 5,665)/1901, T & J
Brocklebank, Liverpool, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire. Sunk 8 April 1918
(H/ms)
Wednesday, 3 January 1917
Mediterranean
Huntsend, ex-German steamship,
troopship/transport, 8,826 (ms – 8,818)/1908, British
Government (Harris & Dixon), armed. Torpedoed by
UB.47 (Wolfgang Steinbauer), damaged, towed into port;
one life lost (H/L/me/ms/un)
Thursday, 4 January 1917
North Sea
LONCLARA, cargo ship, ex-mud hopper,
1,294/1911, Port of London Authority. Mined, laid by
UC.31 (Otto von Schrader), sank off River Wear, Co
Durham; 4 lives lost (H/L/un)
Atlantic off Morocco
WRAGBY, 3,641/1901, Sir R Ropner, sailing
Barry for Gibraltar with coal. Captured by UC.37 (Otto
Launburg), sunk by gunfire 45 miles W by N of Cape
Spartel (H/L/te/un)
Friday, 5 January 1917
Bay of Biscay
One, possibly two steamships captured by UB.39:
ALLIE,
1,127/1899, Allen, Adams, Southampton-reg, sailing
Swansea for Bordeaux with copper sulphate. Sunk by
UB.39 (Heinrich Küstner) with bombs 10 miles W by N of
Ile de Re, off La Rochelle (L - 10 miles W of Baleines
LH; te - in 46.15N, 01.48W) (H/L/te/un)
Eastgate,
4,277/1915, Turnbull Scott Shipping Co (Turnbull,
Scott), London, sailing New York for La Pallice with
benzol and war stores. (L - 3rd) - Captured by U-boat
6 miles W of Baleines Light, Ile de Ré, escaped,
brought into port, damaged according to Lloyds. Bombed
and lost in 1940, also off Ile de Ré (H/L/ms)
Central Mediterranean
LESBIAN, 2,555/1915, Papayanni Line, armed,
sailing Calicut for London/Tees with general cargo.
Captured by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière),
sunk by gunfire 125 miles E by S of Malta (L/te - in
35.48N, 17.06E); master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 6 January 1917
Atlantic off NW France
BEAUFRONT, 1,720/1915, Tyneside Line, sailing
Bilbao for Tees with iron ore. Captured by U.82 (Hans
Adam), sunk by torpedo 76 miles NW by W of Ushant
island, off NW Brittany (L/te - in 48.40N, 07W)
(H/L/te/un)
La Rosarina,
passenger & cargo ship, 8,332/1912, British &
Argentine Steam Navigation Co, West Hartlepool, armed.
Gun attack off Ushant, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
HUDWORTH, 3,966/1916, Trechmann SS, armed,
sailing Karachi for Hull with barley and seed.
Torpedoed by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière),
sank 94 miles ESE of Malta (L/te - in 35.31N, 16.24E)
(H/L/te)
Sunday, 7 January 1917
English Channel
BRENDA, brigantine, 249/1879, Holden &
Gann, Faversham-reg, Mr W Dadd, sailing London for
Fowey with part cargo of manure. Captured by UB.23
(Heinz Ziemer), sunk by gunfire 10 miles SSW of Beachy
Head, near Eastbourne (wi - in 50.36.50N, 00.05E)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off Portugal
Bampton, 4,496/1910, Tatem Steam Navigation
Co (W J Tatem), Cardiff, armed. Chased and escaped.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
MOHACSFIELD, 3,678/1910, Doughty Shipping, Mr
James Taylor, armed, saling from Cette with hay.
Captured by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière),
40 miles SE by E 1/2 E of Malta, not known how sunk; 3
lives lost, master taken prisoner, joined master of SS
Lesbian. Mr Taylor accused de la Perière of duplicity
by displaying an Austrian flag although the crew was
obviously German. In return he was accused of being a
pirate for firing on the submarine (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Central Atlantic
RADNORSHIRE, 4,310/1913, Royal Mail Steam
Packet, , London-reg Mr X Willats, armed, sailing
Santos/Bahia for London with coffee beans, steaming at
full speed of just under 10kts, no lights but full
moon with fine and clear weather. Captured by German
raider Möwe, supplies of coffee trans-shipped, sunk by
bombs 110 miles E true from Pernambuco, NE Brazil (L -
in 8S, 33W) (H/L/Mn/kp)
Monday, 8 January 1917
Central Mediterranean
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier)
sunk by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière) off
Malta:
ANDONI,
3,188/1898, Elder Line, Liverpool-reg, Mr W Dennis,
armed, sailing Karachi for UK. Torpedoed, sank 46
miles SE of (te - in 35.19N, 15.07E); 3 lives lost,
master taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
Tuesday, 9 January 1917
U-boat Warfare - German
Government finally decided to declare unrestricted
submarine warfare on 1 February
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Alexandrian, 4,467/1911 (ms – 1901), F
Leyland & Co, Liverpool, sailing New Orleans for
Liverpool with general cargo. Gun and torpedo attack
by U.84 (Walter Roehr) 20 miles SW of Fastnet (L - 9
miles SW of), damaged, beached 1/2 m W of
Lonehort Point, Berehaven in Bantry Bay on 10th,
refloated, beached again at Mill Cove, later refloated
(H/L/ms/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
BAYNESK, 3,286/1906, Bay SS Co, London-reg,
armed, Port Louis for Marseilles with sugar. Torpedoed
by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sank 130 miles N by W of
Alexandria (L - 130 miles NW of); 7 lives lost
(H/L/dk/te/un)
Atlantic off Azores
GLADYS ROYLE, 3,268/1894, James Westoll,
Sunderland-reg, Mr Chewn, sailing Cardiff for Buenos
Aires with steam coal. German sailing raider Seeadler
(Cdr Graf Felix von Luckner) signalled request for
chronometer time, collier changed course and slowed to
oblige, German ensign raised and three shots fired
bringing her to a stop, boarding party took supplies
and placed bombs sinking her 120 miles S 1/2 W true
from Santa Maria island, SE Azores (L - in 37.50N,
20.15W; kp - 120 miles S by W of) (H/L/Mn/kp)
Wednesday, 10 January 1917
Atlantic off SW England
Inventor, 7,679/1910, Charente SS Co (T &
J Harrison), London, armed. Gun attack W of Scillies,
saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Spain
One, possibly two steamships attacked by U.79
(Heinrich Jess) off Cape Finisterre:
BROOKWOOD,
3,093/1904, Joseph Constantine, Middlesbrough-reg,
sailing Penarth for Port Said with coal. Captured by
U.79, sunk by gunfire 210 miles N by W of (L/te - in
45.50N, 11.50W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Knight Companion,
7,241/1913, Knight SS Co (Greenshields, Cowie),
Liverpool, armed. U-boat gun attack, saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off Azores
LUNDY ISLAND, 3,095/1899, Williams Steam
Navigation, West Hartlepool-reg, Mr George Bannister,
sailing Mauritius for Nantes with sugar. (L - 9th) -
Seeadler approached, hoisted German ensign and fired a
shot across the bows but Lundy Island attempted to
escape by steering into the wind, more shots fired,
four of which hit, hove to and lowered boats, sunk by
gunfire 190 miles SE 1/2 E true from Santa Maria
island, SW Azores; steward taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/kp)
Central Atlantic
NETHERBY HALL, 4,461/1905, Ellerman Lines,
Liverpool-reg, sailing Calcutta/Table Bay for Cuba
with general cargo. Captured by Möwe, sunk by bombs
300 miles E by N true from Pernambuco, Brazil (L -
07.14S, 29.47W) (H/L/Mn/kp)
Friday, 12 January 1917
North Sea
BRENTWOOD, 1,192/1904, Cory Colliers Ltd,
London-reg, 16 crew, Mr R Hunter, sailing London for
North Shields in ballast. Mined, laid by UC.43 (Erwin
Sebelin), sank 4 miles ENE of Whitby, Yorkshire (wi -
in 54.32.01N, 00.35.41W); 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW France
AUCHENCRAG, 3,916/1903, Auchen SS Co,
Glasgow-reg, sailing La Plata for Cherbourg with
wheat. Captured by U.84 (Walter Roehr), sunk by
torpedo 20 miles W of Ushant (te - in 48.28N, 05.35W);
4 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 13 January 1917
English Channel
TOFTWOOD, 3,082/1906, Joseph Constantine,
sailing New York for Havre with general cargo.
Captured by UC.18 (Wilhelm Kiel), sunk by torpedo, 24
miles N 1/2 W of Sept lles, near Roscoff (te - in
49.15N, 03.43W) (H/L/te/un)
Fernley,
3,820/1901, W R Rea, Belfast. Gun attack, rescued
(H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Spain
Amazon, passenger & cargo ship,
10,037/1906, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast,
armed. U-boat attack off Cape Finisterre, torpedo
missed. Sunk 15 March 1918 (H/ms)
Sunday, 14 January 1917
English Channel
Ussa, 2,066/1913, Stott (Baltic)
Steamers, Liverpool. Gun attack, escaped. Sunk 3 May
1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
MARTIN, 1,904/1895, Sir R. Ropner, sailing
Bayonne for Barry with pit props. Captured by UC.18
(Wilhelm Kiel), sunk by gunfire 8 miles N by W of
Ushant (L - 48.36N, 05.16W; te - in 48.36N, 05.08W)
(H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Cardiganshire, passenger & cargo ship,
9,426/1913, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast,
armed. Chased and escaped. Sunk in WW2
(H/ms)
Monday, 15 January 1917
English Channel
PORT NICHOLSON, 8,418/1912, Commonwealth
& Dominion Line, armed, sailing Sydney for
Dunkirk/London with meat and general cargo. Mined,
laid by UC.1 (Hugo Thielmann), sank 15 miles W 1/2 N
of Dunkirk (L - 2 1/2 m E of Walde Light; te - in
51.02N, 01.58E); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW England
KINPURNEY, 3-mast sailing vessel, 1,944/1902,
J S Stewart & Co, sailing Cardiff for Port Nolloth
with coal, coke and limestone. Captured by U.84
(Walter Roehr), sunk by torpedo 110 miles W of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (L/un - in 49.20N, 09.10W) (H/L/un)
Mediterranean
Comeric, 3,980/1898, SS Comeric Co (Andrew
Weir), Glasgow, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Tuesday, 16 January 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BARON SEMPILL, 1,607/1911, Kelvin Shipping,
Ardrossan-reg, sailing Glasgow for Huelva with general
cargo. Captured by U.44 (Paul Wagenführ), sunk by
bombs 180 miles SW of Fastnet (L/te - in 48.49N,
11.45W) (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 18 January 1917
North Sea
Cetus, trawler, 139/1893, Grimsby-reg GY548,
fishing. Attacked by UB.41 (Friedrich Karl Sichart von
Sichartshofen) off Scotland in 56.21N, 00.21E,
damaged, towed into Aberdeen (L/D/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
MANCHESTER INVENTOR (1), 4,247/1902,
Manchester Liners, sailing St John (NB) for Manchester
with general cargo. Captured by U.57 (Carl-Siegfried
Ritter von Georg), sunk by torpedo 50 miles NW by W
1/2 W of Fastnet (te - in 51.36N, 10.56W) (H/L/te/un)
Bay of Biscay
Caithness, 3,500 (ms – 3,503)/1898,
Sutherland SS Co, Newcastle, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire. Sunk 19 April 1917
(H/ms)
Friday, 19 January 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
NAILSEA COURT, 3,295/1902, Morgan &
Cadogan, Hull-reg, armed, Mr E Howe, sailing Bougie
for Barrow with iron ore. Torpedoed by U.48 (Berndt
Buss), sank 32 miles W of The Skelligs, near Valencia
Is (L - 23 to 28 miles WNW of Skelligs Light, in
51.50.30N, 11.20W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Two armed steamships shelled by U-boat(s), saved by
own gunfire:
Travaylor,
4,249grt
Deseado,
passenger & cargo ship, 11,477/1912, Royal Mail
Steam Packet Co, Belfast (H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
LILIAN H, schooner, 467grt, Lillian Shipping,
Parrsborough (NS)-reg, Mr F Haux, sailing Whitehaven
for Barbados with roofing slates. Captured by UB.38
(Wilhelm Amberger), sunk by bombs 15 miles S by E of
Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork (L/wi - 15 miles S of, in
51.22N, 08.28W); crew forced to abandon ship at
gunpoint (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW France
TREMEADOW, 3,653/1905, Hain SS Co, sailing
Buenos Aires for Hull with maize. Captured by UC.21
(Reinhold Saltzwedel), sunk by gunfire 35 miles NE 1/2
N of Ushant (L - in about 49.03N, 04.50W) (H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 20 January 1917
North Sea
PLANUDES, 542/1900, A Nicholls, sailed from
Tyne 18th for Trouville with coal, went missing,
posted by Lloyds 7/3/17, “presumed by Admiralty to
have been sunk by mine in North Sea”. Believed 20th -
Confirmed as mined, laid by UC.43 (Erwin Sebelin),
sank off Whitby, Yorkshire; 11 lives lost including
master (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed and sunk by U.84
(Walter Roehr):
NEUQUEN,
3,583/1913, Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway,
London-reg, 34 crew, Mr E Reed, Rosario to Belfast
with 5,900t maize, steaming at 9kts. Captured and sunk
20 miles NW by W of The Skelligs (te/wi - in 51.50N,
10.52W); 18 crew lost including master (H/L/te/un/wi)
BULGARIAN,
2,515/1891, Westcott & Laurance Lines,
Glasgow-reg, armed, Cartagena for Garston with iron
ore. Fourteen lives lost including master, 9 crew
taken prisoner (H/L/dk/te/un)
Sunday, 21 January 1917
Atlantic off N Ireland
Three trawlers captured
by U.45 (Erich sittenfeld) and sunk by gunfire off
Inishtrahull Rock, off Co Donegal:
GLADYS,
275/1906, Fleetwood Steam Fishing, Fleetwood-reg FD61,
Skipper G Turner, sailed from Fleetwood for fishing.
Sunk 40 miles NW by N of (wi - in 55.55N, 08W)
(H/L/Lr/fd/un/wi)
LUCY,
280/1905, Fleetwood Steam Fishing, Fleetwood-reg FD24,
sailed from Fleetwood for fishing. Sunk 42 miles NW by
N of (wi - in 56N, 08W) (H/L/Lr/fd/un/wi)
STAR OF THE SEA,
197/1902, A Walker ( 1/2 ), Aberdeen-reg (un –
Fleetwood-owned), Skipper A Brodie, working out of
Aberdeen, fishing. Sunk 43 miles NW by N 1/2 N of (wi
- 43 miles NW by W of, in 56N, 08W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Monday, 22 January 1917
U.76 foundered in bad weather in Arctic off
North Cape
North Sea
Argo (2), 1,102/1898, Thomas Wilson, Sons
& Co, Hull, sailing Bergen for Hull with general
cargo. Gun attack (L - in 59.23N, 01.07W, off Fair
Isle), escaped, damaged according to Lloyds (H/L/ms)
English Channel
ETHEL, ketch-rigged sailing smack, 23/1895,
Brixham-reg (bm - differs), sailed Brixham for fishing
& return. Captured by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner), sunk
by gunfire 30 miles SSE of Start Point, Devon (wi - by
scuttling charges 30 miles SSW of, in 49.48N, 03.13W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
Atlantic off W Ireland
One, possibly two armed
steamships attacked by U.57 (Carl-Siegfried Ritter von
Georg) off Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork:
TREVEAN,
3,081/1902, Hain SS Co, sailing Benisaf for Tyne with
iron ore. Captured by U.57, sunk by bombs 240 miles SW
by W of (L/te - in 48N, 13W); master, two gunners
taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Bendoran,
4,074/1908, W Thomson & Co, Leith. U-boat gun
attack 225 miles SW by W of, rescued. Wrecked in WW2
(H/ms)
Tuesday, 23 January 1917
North Sea
CLAN SHAW, 3,943/1902, Clan Line,
Glasgow-reg, 1-12pdr, sailing Chittagong/Calcutta via
London for Dundee with jute. Mined, laid by UC.29
(Ernst Rosenow) at mouth of River Tay, beached 8 miles
NE of St Andrew's (wi - in 56.25.48N, 02.36.24W),
total loss; 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Three fishing vessels on fishing grounds lost
in uncertain but similar circumstances according to
original sources.Uboat.net confirms all three captured
by U.44 (Paul Wagenführ) in North Sea on 23rd:
GEORGE E BENSON,
trawler, 155/1902, Purdy Steam Fishing, North
Shields-reg. (H - between 22nd-28th) - "Captured by
enemy", taken into port (H/L/Lr/un)
AGNES (L -
trawler; Lr - not identified as trawler), 125/1896,
Pioneer Fishing Society, North Shields-reg. (H - end
of January 1917 ; L - previous to 21 February) - (L -
presumably taken into German port) (H/L/Lr/un)
VERA, trawler,
150/1896, W Ellis, Grimsby-reg. (H - end of January) -
Listed with Agnes (L - "captured and taken into a
German port”) (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Messina, 4,271/1911, Furness, Withy & Co,
West Hartlepool, armed. Chased at entrance to English
Channel, escaped (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Spain
JEVINGTON, 2,747/1905, Southdown SS Co, Mr T
Stretting, sailing Rosario for Rochefort with wheat.
Torpedoed by U.43 (Hellmuth Jürst) in the afternoon,
sank 52 miles NW 1/2 W of Cape Ortegal, near Ferrol
(L/te - in 44.08N, 09.W) (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Thursday, 25 January 1917
Atlantic off SW England
Clumberhall, 3,599/1899, West Hartlepool
Steam Navigation Co, West Hartlepool, armed. Chased,
escaped (H/ms)
Friday, 26 January 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
One, possibly three steamships attacked by U.45
(Erich Sittenfeld) off The Skelligs:
TABASCO,
2,987/1895, Furness, Withy, Sunderland-reg, 33 crew,
Mr J Yeoman, sailing Halifax (NS) for Liverpool with
general cargo including apples, frozen meat and sugar,
steaming at 8kts. Captured by U.45, sunk by torpedo 55
miles WNW of (L/te/wi - in 51.50N, 12W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Liddesdale,
4,403/1910, MacKill SS Co, Glasgow, armed. Gun attack
65 miles W by N of, saved by own gunfire
(H/ms)
Valentia,
3,242/1898, International Line SS Co (Marwood),
Whitby. Gun attack 114 mile NW by W of, escaped.
Admiralty collier when sunk 16 July 1917
(H/ms)
South Atlantic
MATHERAN, 7,664/1906, T & J Brocklebank,
Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing Liverpool for Calcutta
with general cargo. Mined, laid by by German raider
Wolf around the 17th, sank 9 miles W of Dassen Is,
Cape of Good Hope (L - 21 miles 41ºW true of Cape
Town); one life lost (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Saturday, 27 January 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
AVA, 5,076/1906, British & Burmese Steam
Navigation Co, Glasgow-reg, armed, sailed Liverpool
26th for Dakar/Rangoon with passengers and general
cargo, went missing, posted by Lloyds 16/5/17,
“presumed by Admiralty to have been sunk by
submarine”. Possibly 27th (dx/te/un - 26th) -
Confirmed as torpedoed and sunk by U.45 (uboat.net has
not been able to identity the U-boat); 92 lives lost
including master and MN stewardess
(H/L/Mn/dx/ge/te/tr/un)
Mediterranean
Ingleby, 3,815/1907, R Ropner & Co, West
Hartlepool, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Sunday, 28 January 1917
North Sea
ALEXANDRA, trawler, 179/1905, Grimsby-reg,
Queen Steam Fishing, homeward bound with fish, 5 or 6
hours from land. Captured in the forenoon by UC.31
(Otto von Schrader; Mn – UC.32)), sunk by bombs 60
miles E of Longstone, Outer Farne Is; skipper taken
prisoner, crew placed on neutral ship
(H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un)
Central Atlantic
PERCE, 3-mast schooner, 364/1916, Robin,
Jones & Whitman, Liverpool (NS)-reg, sailing
Halifax (NS) for Santos with gaberdine, lumber/wood
and salted fish. (kp - 24th) – German sailing raider
Seeadler made signals which were ignored, then fired
two shots across the bow, Perce stopped, boarding
party went across, sunk by gunfire 150 miles NE by N
true of St Paul Rocks, off Brazil (L - 690 miles NE of
Cape St Roque, in 02.49S, 27.16E); crew including
skipper and his new bride taken off (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Monday, 29 January 1917
North Sea
Three trawlers on
fishing grounds, captured by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader)
(Mn - UC.32), two of them sunk by gunfire:
Petrel, with Thistle and Mayfly. After sinking trawler
Alexandra on the 28th, UC.31 waited until daylight,
closed Petrel's boat and put a Warrant Officer Haack
onboard with revolver and bombs. As the U-boat headed
for Thistle to sink her, Haack was rowed towards
Mayfly to plant explosives. Armed trawler Speedwell
came on the scene, exchanged fire with the U-boat
which dived and left Haack to be taken prisoner
(Mn)
THISTLE,
167/1902, A & R Osborne, Grimsby-reg. Sunk 140
miles NE by E 1/2 E of the mouth of the Tyne (L - 140
miles NE by N 1/2 N of) (H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un)
SHAMROCK (1),
173/1900, A & R Osborne, Grimsby-reg. Sunk about
115 miles NNE of Longstone, Farne Is (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
Tuesday, 30 January 1917
Atlantic off SW England
Six sailing smacks on fishing grounds sunk by
gunfire of U.55 (Wilhelm Werner) off Trevose Head,
Cornwall, five of them captured first:
EUONYMOUS,
ketch-rigged, 59/1913, William Brown, Lowestoft-reg
LT161. Sunk by U-boat 34 miles NW of (un/wi - in
50.30N, 05.31W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
W. A. H.,
47grt. Sunk 32 miles NW of (un – in 50.46N, 05.38W; wi
- 50.50N, 05.30W) (H/L/un/wi)
TREVONE,
46grt. (ge/os - 31st) - Sunk “without warning”, 30
miles NW by N of (un/wi - 30 miles NW of, in 50.50N,
05.30W); 2 lives lost including skipper. Werner was on
British list of war criminals for sinking Trevone,
progressed post-war as Naval Case No.11 but his
whereabouts were not known, case did not go to court
(H/L/ge/os/un/wi)
WETHERILL,
46grt. Sunk 25 miles NNW of (un/wi - in 50.50N,
05.30W) (H/L/un/wi)
HELENA & SAMUEL,
59grt. Sunk 30 miles NNW of (un/wi - in 51N, 05.34W)
(H/L/un/wi)
MERIT,
ketch-rigged, 39/1898, Thomas I Jenkerson, Brixham-reg
BM28. Sunk 20 miles N by E of (un/wi - 20 miles NE of,
in 50.50N, 04.46W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
Wednesday, 31 January 1917
U-boat Warfare - Declaration of unrestricted
U-boat warfare, effective following day
North Sea
RAVENSBOURNE, 1,226/1916, South Metropolitan
Gas Co, London-reg, 1-6pdr, 19 crew, Newcastle for
London with coal. Mined, laid by UC.31 (Otto von
Schrader), sank 8 miles SE of Tyne (L - 4 1/2 to
5 miles E of Souter Pt; wi - 5 miles E of Souter
Point, Whitburn, in 54.55.54N, 01.14.33W); 3 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
IDA DUNCAN,
steam screw tug (Lr - steam trawler), 139/1891, C
Duncan, Middlesbrough-reg, Mr I Baker, Middlesbrough
for Tees Bay in ballast. Blown in two by mine at 1430,
stern section sank almost at once, forepart went down
15min later 1/2 m E of South Gare LH, mouth of R
Tees (L/wi - 1/2 m E of South Gare Breakwater,
in 54.39N, 01.07.42W; un – 1.5 miles E of); all 6 crew
lost, including the master. Mine laid by UC.32
(Herbert Breyer). Wreck remains dispersed by
explosives in 1921 (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Baron Garioch,
1,831/1895, S W Furness, West Hartlepool. Torpedo
missed. Sunk 28 October 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
DUNDEE (1), 2,278/1906, Canada Steamship
Lines, Montreal, Canada-reg, armed, sailing London for
Swansea in ballast. Torpedoed by U.55 (Wilhelm
Werner), sank 10 miles N by W of St Ives Head,
Cornwall (L/te/wi - in 50.22N, 05.36W); one life lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Foyle (2),
4,703/1915, Mercantile SS Co, London, armed. Gun
attack 18 miles S of Bishop Rock, Scillies, saved by
own gunfire, damaged according to Lloyds (H/L/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Miniota, 4,928/1914, London & Northern SS
Co (Pyman Bros), London, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire. Sunk 31 August 1917 (H/ms)
FEBRUARY 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in February: 105 merchant ships totalling 313,486grt -
7 of 28,679grt to surface ships, 86 of 256,394grt to
submarines, 12 of 28,413grt to mines, plus 30 fishing
vessels totalling 3,478grt - 28 of 3,152grt to
submarines, 2 of 326grt to mines (H)
U-boat Warfare - the first British and Scandinavian
ships started to be escorted across the northern North
Sea, but a full convoy system was not instituted for
some months.
Thursday, 1 February 1917
U-boat Warfare - German Navy began
"unrestricted" submarine warfare to defeat Britain
even at the risk of bringing the United States into
the war
English Channel
Wellholme, auxiliary-engined sailing ketch,
c89/1916, sailing Poole for Caen with pig iron. Gun
attack by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz) about 35 miles NNW of
Ouistreham, Normandy, damaged, rescued. Taken up as
Q-ship 9/17, lost 30/1/18 (H/L/qs/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Three vessels sunk by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner) off
Trevose Head, Cornwall:
ESSONITE,
589/1904, William Robertson, Glasgow-reg, sailing
Caernarvon for Rochester with stone. Torpedoed, sank 3
miles NNW of (te - 50.35N, 05.04W; wi - in 50.38.45N,
05.04W); 10 crew lost (H/L/te/wi)
INVERLYON,
sailing smack, 59/1903, Lowestoft-reg LT687 (qs -
93grt, in service as Q-ship 8-9/15, 1-3pdr), fishing.
(qs - 30th) - Captured, sunk by gunfire 15 miles N by
W of (wi - by bombs, in 50.47N, 05.05W) (H/L/qs/wi)
ADA,
ketch-rigged sailing smack, 24/1904, T W Chapman,
Ramsgate-reg, fishing. Captured, sunk by bombs 40
miles NNW of (H/L/bm)
Friday, 2 February 1917
Atlantic off S Ireland
ISLE OF ARRAN, full-rigged steel ship,
1,918/1892, ‘Isle of Aran’ Ship Co, Glasgow-reg (un –
R Thomas & Co), 24 crew, Mr T Thomas, sailing
Buenos Aires for Havre with 3,030t maize, proceeding
at 4kts from Queenstown for Spit Head, Portsmouth.
Captured by UC.46 (Friedrich Moecke), sunk by bombs
100 miles S of Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork (L - in
50.15N, 07.05W; wi - in 50N, 08W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Malta (3),
2,236grt, armed. Gun attack, escaped (ms – believed
2289/1890, C Furness, West Hartlepool) (H/ms)
Saturday, 3 February 1917
U-boat Warfare - US broke off diplomatic
relations with Germany
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two vessels (and an Admiralty collier) attacked
by U.45 (Erich Sittenfeld):
BELFORD (2),
full-rigged steel ship, 1,905/1894, Ruthin Castle
Ship, Glasgow-reg, sailing San Francisco for
Queenstown with barley. Captured, sunk by bombs, 110
miles W of Fastnet (L - in 50.34N, 12.16W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Saturnia,
8,611/1910, Saturnia SS Co (Donaldson Bros) Glasgow,
armed. Torpedo and gun attack (un – sunk in 50.58N,
12.42W; but ms – broken up 1929), torpedo missed,
saved by own gunfire (H/ms/un)
__________
HOLLINSIDE, 2,862/1905, Charlton SS, armed,
Sunderland for Marseilles with coal. Torpedoed by U.43
(Wilhelm Jürst), sank 115 miles WSW of Fastnet; one
life lost (H/L/te/un)
PORT ADELAIDE,
8,181/1911, Commonwealth & Dominion Line, armed,
London for Sydney. Torpedoed by U.81 (Raimund
Weisbach), sank 180 miles SW of Fastnet (L/te - in
48.49N, 11.40W); master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Tiverton, 3,825/1906. Ilderton SS Co (Steel,
Young), London, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Sunday, 4 February 1917
Atlantic off S Ireland
GHAZEE, 5,084/1904, Moguel SS, Rochester-reg,
1-13pdr, 63 crew, Mr D Cave, Cardiff for Port Sudan
with coal. Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster),
hit abaft engine room at 1730, sank 2 miles SSW of
Galley Head (te/wi - in 51.30N, 08.55W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
TURINO, 4,241/1914, Gulf Line Ltd, armed,
sailing Norfolk (Va) for Liverpool with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.43 (Hellmuth Jürst), sank 174 miles W
of Fastnet (L/te - in 50.25N, 13.50W); 4 lives lost
(H/L/te)
British steamship (and an Admiralty chartered
red-ensign oiler) torpedoed by U.54 (Volkhaard von
Bothmer) off Fastnet:
FLORIDIAN,
4,777/1913, Leyland Line, sailing Halifax (NS) for
Cherbourg with general cargo. Captured and sunk 200
miles W by N of (L - 170 miles SW of; te - in 50.25N,
15.00W); 5 lives lost, master, chief engineer, W/T
operator taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
__________
Tresillian, 3,585/1899, Tresillian SS Co
(Hain), St Ives, armed. Torpedo/gun attack, torpedo
missed, saved by own defensive gunfire. Sold to Japan,
sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
DAUNTLESS, 2,157/1897, Earl of Chester SS Co,
Newcastle-reg, armed, Tyne for Bayonne with coal.
Captured by UB.39 (Heinrich Küstner), sunk by bombs 10
miles from La Coubre Point, mouth of River Gironde; 15
lives lost (H/L/te)
Monday, 5 February 1917
North Sea
PRIMROSE (2), trawler, 136/1891, Dundee
Fishing, Dundee-reg, Skipper G Norrie, Dundee for
fishing. Mined, laid by UC.29 (Ernst Rosenow), sank 17
miles SSW of Tod Head, near Stonehaven (wi - in
56.38N, 02.23W); 9 lives lost, including Skipper
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
RESOLUTE,
trawler, 125/1891, G F Sleight, Grimsby-reg, fishing.
Captured by UB.22 (Bernhard Putzier), sunk by gunfire
64 miles E by S of St Abb's Head, SE Scotland (L - in
55.56N, 00.15W) (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
HURSTWOOD,
1,229/1906, Cory Colliers, London-reg, 15 crew, Mr A
Carlson, London for Newcastle in ballast. Torpedoed by
UB.34 (Theodor Schultz) from 150yd, sank 6 miles NE of
Whitby, Yorkshire (te - in 54.35N, 00.35W; wi - in
54.34.23N, 00.28.36W); 4 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
EMERALD,
sailing smack, 57grt, fishing. Captured by UB.40 (Hans
Howaldt), sunk by gunfire 32 miles NE 1/2 E of
Lowestoft, Suffolk (L/wi - 3 miles NNE of Smith’s
Knoll Spar Buoy, in 52.46N, 02.21E) (H/L/un/wi)
English Channel
Argyllshire, passenger & cargo ship,
12,097 (ms – 10,329)/1911, Scottish Shire Line
(Turnbull, Martin), Glasgow, armed, sailing London for
Barry, possibly for orders. Torpedoed by UC.46
(Friedrich Moecke) 3 miles SW of Start Point LH (L - 2
1/2 m SW of), damaged, put into Plymouth (H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg
Schuster):
WARLEY PICKERING,
4,196/1912, Constantine & Pickering SS,
Middlesbrough-reg, 1-12pdr, 34 crew, Mr W Boag,
Sagunto for Middlesbrough with iron ore. Torpedoed at
1100, sank 46 miles W by N of Fastnet (L - 51.16N,
10.48W; W/te - in 51.18N, 10.45W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
LUX, bulk
petroleum tanker, 2,621/1893, Lane & Macandrew,
sailed New York 20 January for Calais with oil, went
missing, posted by Lloyds 25/4/17 “presumed by
Admiralty to have been sunk by submarine”. (H - listed
at end of January) - Confirmed as torpedoed by U.60 on
5th; 29 lives lost including master (H/L/Mn/ge/te/un)
__________
Two, possibly three vessels attacked by U.54
(Volkhard von Bothmer):
AZUL,
3,074/1898, Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway,
London-reg, sailing Buenos Aires for Cherbourg with
wheat. Torpedoed by U.54, sank 180 miles W 1/2 N of
Fastnet (L/te - in about 50.30N, 14.15W; wi - in
50.30N, 14.25W); 11 lives lost, 12 survivors met up
with survivors of SV Eudora sunk some days later on
the 14th, both groups picked up by patrol boat and
landed at Queenstown (H/L/te/wi)
Ainsdale (1),
3-mast steel ship, 1,825grt, sailing Buenos Aires for
Queenstown with maize, near dawn in heavy weather.
Attacked and badly damaged in attack by U.54 (L - in
50N, 13.50W), crew abandoned ship, left in apparently
sinking condition but stayed afloat, six days later
the derelict was sighted by tramp steamer Basuto which
attempted to take her in tow - an impossible task in
the heavy seas. Basuto's chief officer and eight men
boarded, kept her afloat and worked towards port for
the next 11 days, met a Royal Navy patrol boat which
called for a tug, fresh gales delayed her arrival for
another day and Ainsdale continued to drift. Finally
on the 24th, towed into Aultbea, Loch Ewe; Ainsdale's
crew were picked up the day of the attack by a passing
ship and taken into port. Note: the attack off SW
Ireland on 5th and her eventual arrival in W Scotland
on the 24th suggests she drifted for much of the time,
Ainsdale was converted to an engine aft steamer
(H/L/www)
Ambassador,
2,578/1897, Hall Bros SS Co, Newcastle, sailing
Rosario for Cork with maize. U-boat gun attack (L - in
50.26N, 11.40W), rescued, damaged according to Lloyds.
Sold to Germany, sunk in WW2 (H/L/ms)
__________
WARTENFELS, 4,511/1903, The Admiralty,
London, armed, sailing Barry for Alexandria with
government stores. Torpedoed by U.81 (Raimund
Weisbach), sank 120 miles SW of Fastnet (te - in
50.10N, 11.59W); 2 lives lost, master taken prisoner
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
Two steamships attacked by U-boat(s) with gunfire:
Kaffir Prince,
2,228/1891, J Knott, Newcastle, armed. Saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
Manchester Hero,
5,738/1916, Manchester Liners, Manchester. Rescued.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Tuesday, 6 February
North Sea
Three fishing vessels on
fishing grounds sunk by UB.22 (Bernhard Putzier):
ROMEO,
trawler, 114/1892, G F Sleight, Grimsby-reg. Captured,
scuttled 70 miles E of Berwick, Northumberland
(H/L/Lr/gy/un)
RUPERT,
trawler, 114/1892, G F Sleight, Grimsby-reg GY463,
hired 11/14 by Admiralty, returned to fishing 6/15,
Skipper T Ives. Sunk by bombs 42 miles ENE of
Tynemouth (wi - in 55.18N, 00.15W) (H/L/Lr/D/gy/un/wi)
ADELAIDE (1),
fishing vessel, 133/1894, W Robbens & Sons,
Lowestoft-reg, Skipper W Corrick. Sunk by bombs, 30
miles ENE of Tynemouth (wi - in 55.01N, 00.31W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
VESTRA, collier, 1,021/1897, J T Salvesen,
Grangemouth-reg, armed, Mr G Ross, Tyne for Rouen with
coal. (te/un - 5th) - Torpedoed by UB.35 (Rudolf
Gebeschus), sank 5 miles NE of Hartlepool, Co Durham
(te - in 54.46N, 01.07W; wi - in 54.45.30N,
01.04.15W); 2 crew lost (H/L/ms/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Mona’s Queen, 1,559/1885. Torpedo missed
(H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier)
attacked by U.85 (Willy Petz):
Explorer,
7,608 (ms – 7,769)/1910, Charente SS Co (T & J
Harrison), Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for
Calcutta, laden. (L - 5th) - Torpedoed 7 miles E 1/2 S
of Fastnet, damaged, put back to Queenstown on 7th
(H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic off SW England
SAXON BRITON, 1,337/1883, Kerse SS Co,
Grangemouth-reg, armed, sailing Portishead for Calais
with petrol. Torpedoed by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner), sank
3 miles NNE of Gurnards Head, near St Ives (wi - in
50.13.18N, 05.34.57W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
CROWN POINT,
5,218/1900, Norfolk & North American SS Co, armed,
sailing London for Philadelphia with chalk and general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.83 (Bruno Hoppe), sank 55 miles
W of Scillies (te - in 50.06N, 07.46W); 7 lives lost
including master (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW Spain
ROSSI, sailing vessel. Sunk by unidentified
U-boat off Cape Finisterre (un only)
Mediterranean
Dorothy, 3,806/1903, J Ness, Sunderland.
Torpedo missed. Sunk 24 February 1917 (H/ms)
South Atlantic
Tyndareus, 11,000 (ms – 11,347)/1916, Ocean
SS Co (Alfred Holt), Liverpool, sailing
Liverpool/Table Bay for Yokohama with general cargo.
Mined, laid by raider Wolf 10 miles off Cape Agulhas,
South Africa, towed in to Simonstown (H/L/Mn/ms)
Wednesday, 7 February 1917
North Sea
Two vessels captured by UB.22 (Bernard
Putzier):
SHAKESPEARE,
trawler, 210/1908, Hellyers Steam Fishing, Hull-reg
H994, Skipper J Kingdon, sailed Hull for fishing &
return. Sunk by scuttling charges in Firth of Forth,
in 56.08N, 02.30W (un – 9 lives lost) (L/hw/un/wi)
BOYNE CASTLE,
245/1909, Banffshire SS Co, Banff-reg, 7 crew, Mr A
Porter, MacDuff for Sunderland in ballast. Sunk by
gunfire 12 miles N by E of St Abb's Head, N of
Eyemouth (L - 12 miles NE of; wi - in 56.07N, 02.09W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
___________
Two steamships torpedoed by UB.34 (Theodor
Schultz) off Whitby, Yorkshire:
CORSICAN PRINCE,
2,776/1900, Prince Line, Newcastle-reg, 30 crew, Mr J
Gray, Dundee for Dunkirk with timber/wood and one
passenger. Sank 3 miles E of (te - in 54.30, 00.31W;
wi - 54.28.28N, 00.28.31W); one life lost
(H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
SAINT NINIAN,
3,026/1894, Saint Ninian SS Co, Glasgow-reg, 1-12pdr,
27 crew, Mr J Muckart, Port Kelah for Middlesbrough
with iron pyrites, carrying pilot. Stopped and sent
boat to pick up survivors from Corsican Prince,
torpedoed at close range at 1015, caused “huge
explosion between the engine room & No.3 hold”,
sank within five minutes, 3 miles E of Whitby (L/wi
- 1/2 m inside No.9 Buoy, in 54.29.12N,
00.28.20W); 15 lives lost including master and pilot,
survivors rescued clinging to keel of an upturned
lifeboat (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un/wi)
__________
Etal Manor, 1,875/1916, John Fenwick &
Son, Newcastle. Torpedo missed. Admiralty collier when
sunk 19 September 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Ireland
Two vessels attacked by U.54 (Volkhard von
Bothmer):
SAXONIAN,
tanker, 4,855/1914, Petroleum SS Co, sailing Port
Arthur for Dartmouth with paraffin oil. Captured, sunk
by gunfire 270 miles W by N of Fastnet (L - about 320
miles SW of Fastnet; te - in 50.26N, 16.26W); one life
lost, master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Wallace,
3,930/1905, Taylor & Sanderson SS Co, Sunderland,
sailing New York for Havre with general cargo. Damaged
by gunfire (L - in 50.30N, 15.05W), rescued by British
warship before sunk; one life lost, chief officer
taken prisoner (H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed by U.85 (Willy Petz)
off Fastnet:
VEDAMORE,
6,330/1896, Johnston Line Ltd, Liverpool-reg, 1-13pdr,
57 crew, Mr W Henry, Baltimore for Liverpool with
general cargo and 3 passengers. Torpedoed at 0600,
went down in 6min, 20 miles W of (te/wi - in 51.17N,
10.03W); 23 crew killed by explosion or drowned
(H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
CALIFORNIA (1),
passenger ship, 8,669/1907, Anchor Line, Glasgow-reg,
1-4.7in, 171 crew, Mr J Coverley, New York for Glasgow
with 34 passengers and general cargo. Torpedoed aft
and sank rapidly 38 miles W by S of Fastnet
(L/te/wd/wi - in 51.10N, 09.24W); 30 crew, 13
passengers lost - some by the torpedo explosion,
others when a lifeboat capsized during the hasty
evacuation, master went down with the ship but was
saved (H/L/Mn/te/wd/un/wi)
__________
GRAVINA, 1,242/1886, MacAndrews & Co,
armed, sailing Seville for London with fruit.
Torpedoed by U.81 (Raimund Weisbach), sank 85 miles W
of Fastnet (te - in 51.03N, 11.30W); 7 lives lost,
master and 14 crew taken prisoner (H/L/dk/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Cranley, 4,644/1903, Century Shipping Co
(Harris & Dixon), London, armed. Chased, escaped
(H/ms)
Atlantic West of France
YOLA, 3,504/1898, Elder Line/Elder Dempster
Shipping, Liverpool, sailed 26 January from New York
for London with wheat. Originally posted as missing,
sunk by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner) west of Ushant in
49.34N, 7.12W; all 33 crew lost (ms/un only)
Thursday, 8 February 1917
UC.39 sunk by destroyer Thrasher in North Sea
off Flamborough Head; UC.46 sunk by destroyer Liberty
in Straits of Dover (see below)
North Sea
Two vessels attacked by UC.39 (Otto
Ehrentraut):
HANNA LARSEN,
1,311/1903, The Admiralty, London, sailing London for
Tyne in ballast. Captured and sunk by bombs 20 miles E
1/2 N of Spurn Head, Humber (te - in 53.42N, 00.39E);
one life lost (te - also master and 1 officer taken
prisoner) (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Hornsey,
collier, 1,803/1898, W Cory & Son, London. Gun
attack, rescued when destroyer Thrasher came up and
sank UC.39 (H/ms/ub)
English Channel
Peregrine, passenger ship, 1,681grt, General
Steam Navigation Co, London. Gun attack, escaped (ms –
either 1,660/1891, broken up 1922 or 1,664/1892,
wrecked 29 December 1917) (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
MARY ANN (2), sailing smack, 17grt, fishing.
Captured by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), sunk by bombs 18
miles NNE of St Ives Head, Cornwall (wi - in 50.50N,
04.57W) (H/L/un/wi)
GEISHA,
fishing vessel. Sunk by unidentified U-boat off
Cornish coast (un only)
Hotham Newton,
tanker, 2,648 (ms – 2,661)/1893, J M Lennard &
Sona, Middlebrough. Gun attack at entrance to English
Channel, rescued (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
MANTOLA, passenger ship, 8,253/1916, British
India Steam Navigation Co, London-reg, armed, Mr D
Chivas, London for Calcutta with passengers, general
cargo. Torpedoed port side and soon sinking by the
head, U.81 (Raimund Weisbach) surfaced for final gun
attack but prevented by arrival of sloop HMS Laburnum
which took Mantola in tow, rope parted in rough seas,
went down 143 miles WSW of Fastnet (L/wd - 49.55N,
12.25W; te - in 49.50N, 12.20W); 7 seaman drowned when
a boat capsized during launching, survivors picked up
by Laburnam, landed at Bantry (H/L/te/un/wd)
Mediterranean
Jumna, 4,152/1902, Mercantile SS Co, London,
armed. Chased and escaped. Scuttled 1 March 1917 in
Indian Ocean (H/ms)
Friday, 9 February 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers captured by UB.22 (Bernhard
Putzier) and sunk by bombs:
DUKE OF YORK,
trawler, 150/1893, T Whitehead, Stornoway-reg, Skipper
R Mennie, Stornaway for fishing. Sunk 34 miles E by S
of Girdle Ness, near Aberdeen (wi - in 57.07N,
01.05W), no lives lost (H/L/Lr/wi)
BENBOW,
trawler, 172/1899, W Grant & H C Baker,
Grimsby-reg, fishing. Sunk 25 miles E by S of Bell
Rock, off Firth of Tay (L - 25-27 miles E by S)
(H/L/Lr/gy)
Saturday, 10 February 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers fishing, captured and sunk by
UB.22 (Bernhard Putzier):
ATHENIAN,
171/1903, Onward Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg. Scuttled
105 miles E by S 1/2 S of Aberdeen (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
IRELAND,
152/1897, Hull Steam Fishing & Ice, Hull-reg H351.
Sunk by gunfire 105 miles ESE of Girdle Ness, near
Aberdeen (L - 57.01N, 01.10E) (H/L/Lr/hw/un)
__________
OSTRICH, 148/1889, H L Taylor, Grimsby-reg,
fishing. Captured by U.45 (Erich Sittenfeld), sunk by
gunfire 135 miles NE of Longstone, Farne Is
(H/L/Lr/un)
San Fraterno,
tanker, 9,587/1913, Eagle Oil Transport Co, London,
armed, sailing Port Arthur for Firth of Forth with
oil. Mined, laid by UC.29 (Ernst Rosenow) near
Inchkeith rock in Firth of Forth, damaged, beached and
refloated (H/L/ms/ms/un)
English Channel
BEECHTREE, 1,277/1912, Tree SS Co,
Cardiff-reg, Mr J Naylor, Swansea for Rouen with coal.
Torpedoed by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel), sank 11
miles SE of Start Point, Devon (te - in 50.08N,
03.23W; wi - in 50.05.30N, 03.26.21W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
St George's Channel
SALLAGH, steamship, 325/1916, Howden
Brothers, sailing Lydney for Larne with coal. Captured
by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), sunk by bombs off Bardsey
Is, off W Caernarvonshire (wi - in 53.28N, 05W); one
crew killed (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
JAPANESE PRINCE, 4,876/1911, Prince Line Ltd
(Furness, Withy & Co) (ms - J L Knott), Newcastle,
London-reg, 75 crew, Newport News for Southampton with
government stores, general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.47
(Paul Hundius), hit starboard side just abaft
engine-room at 0020, sank in 18min, 24 miles SW of
Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/ms/te/un/wi - in 49.36N,
06.46W); crew picked up by RN warship, landed at
Plymouth (H/L/ms/te/un/wi)
Sunday, 11 February 1917
North Sea
Two vessels attacked by UC.29 (Ernst Rosenow):
NORWOOD,
passenger ship, 798/1895, Aberdeen, Newcastle &
Hull Steam, sailed Middlesbrough on 8th for Aberdeen
with general cargo, last seen north of Aberdeen on
11th, went missing, posted by Lloyds 4/4/17, “presumed
by Admiralty to have been sunk by mine”. Confirmed as
torpedoed and sunk by UC.29; 18 lives lost including
master (H/L/te/un)
Roanoke (1),
3,755 (ms – 3,705)/1907, Chesapeake & Ohio SS Co,
West Hartlepool, armed, sailing Dundee for Newport
with general cargo. Torpedoed and damaged 4 miles SE
of Girdle Ness, towed in to Dundee on 15th; one life
lost. Sunk 12 August 1917 (H/L/ms/un)
__________
ASHWOLD, trawler, 129/1894, Grimsby-reg,
Northwold Steam Fishing, fishing. Captured by UC.44
(Kurt Tebbenjohanns), sunk by gunfire 130 miles NE by
N of Shields, River Tyne; skipper taken prisoner
(H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un
English Channel
Two vessels attacked by UC.66 (Herbert
Pustkuchen):
Woodfield (2),
steamship, 4,300/1917, Woodfield SS Co (Woods, Tylor
& Brown), London, armed, sailing North Shields for
Newport in ballast. Torpedoed and damaged 6 miles SSE
of Beachy Head (L - 3 miles from Royal Sovereign LV),
beached 1 mile E of Newhaven Pier, refloated
(H/L/ms/un)
ADA (1),
brigantine, 186/1872, G B Joiner, Faversham-reg, Mr G
E Joiner, London for Landerneau with manure. Captured
and sunk by gunfire 8 miles S of Anvil Point, S of
Poole (wi - in 50.27.10N, 01.55.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Victorious (2), sailing smack, 39grt,
fishing. Around 11th - Damaged in submarine attack,
abandoned and towed into port (L/bm)
St George's Channel
Three steamships captured by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) and sunk by bombs:
LYCIA,
2,715/1896, Cunard SS Co, Liverpool-reg, old light
calibre Russian field gun on poop, Genoa/Bougie for
Swansea/Liverpool with general cargo. Sunk 20 miles NE
by N of South Bishop LH, W of St David's (L - 20 miles
N 34 E of; te/wi - in 52.12N 05.27W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
VOLTAIRE (2),
409/1890, Volana Shipping, Liverpool-reg, Mr W Elton,
sailing Llanelly for Liverpool with general cargo.
Sunk 25 miles NE by N of South Bishop (L - 24 miles NE
by N of Bishops & Clerks; wi - in 25 miles NE by N
of The Bishop & Clerks, in 52.12N, 05.05W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
OLIVIA,
242/1883, Bain, Sons & Co, Penzance-reg, Mr W
Martin, sailing Garston for Portreath with coal. Sunk
21 miles SW 1/2 S of Bardsey Is, off Caernarvonshire
(wi - in 53.27.30N, 05.07W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
NETHERLEE, 4,227/1907, Netherton Shipping,
Philadelphia for Dunkirk with general cargo. (L/te/un
- 10th) - Torpedoed by U.81 (Raimun Weisbach), sank 92
miles W 1/2 S of Fastnet (te - in 50.44N, 11.45W; L -
100 miles S74ºW true of); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Cyclops,
passenger & cargo ship, 9,033 (ms – 8,998)/1906,
Ocean SS Co (Alfred Holt), Liverpool, armed. Chased
and escaped. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Ariadne Christine, cargo steamship,
3,550/1910, Ariadne SS Co (Sechairi), London, armed.
Gun attack off Scillies, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
Portuguese Prince, 4,981/1912, Prince Line
(Knott), Newcastle. Gun attack, escaped (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Geddington Court, 3,989/1912, Court Line
(Haldenstein), London, armed. Two torpedoes missed.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Monday, 12 February 1917
North Sea
DALE, trawler, 198/1900, "D" Line Steam
Fishing, Grimsby-reg GY1133, hired 12/14 as auxiliary
patrol vessel, returned to fishing 6/15, Skipper J
Wood, fishing. (L/wi - 13th) – Captured by UC.44 (Kurt
Tebbenjohanns), sunk by bombs 42 miles S by E 1/2 E of
North Ronaldshay, Orkneys (wi - in 59N, 01.15W);
skipper taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/Mn/D/gy/un/wi)
English Channel
British passenger ship (and an Admiralty
collier) sunk by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen):
AFRIC,
11,999/1899, Oceanic Steam Navigation Co,
Liverpool-reg, armed, 167 crew, Mr V Hickson,
Liverpool for Devonport/Sydney with general cargo.
Torpedoed, sank 12 miles SSW of Eddystone LH, off
Plymouth (te - in 50.00N, 04.25W; wi - in 49.59N,
04.18W); 5 lives lost (wd/wi - 22 crew died - five
killed by torpedo explosion, 17 drowned during the
sinking, 145 survivors including the captain)
(H/L/te/un/wd/wi)
St George's Channel
Pinna, tanker, 6,288/1901, Petroleum SS Co
(Lane & MacAndrew) (ms – Shell Transportation
& Trading Co (Samuel), London), sailing Port
Arthur for unknown destination with oil. Torpedoed and
damaged by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), 7 1/2 m SSE of
South Bishops, beached at Milford Haven, refloated
(H/L/ms/un)
Gleneden,
4,735/1909, Gleneden SS Co (J Napier), Glasgow, armed.
Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Wrecked in WW2
(H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
BRISSONS, sailing smack, 60grt, fishing.
Captured by UC.47 (Paul Hundius), sunk by bomb 9 miles
W of Trevose Head, Cornwall (un – W of Tintagel Head
in 50.31N, 05.15W; wi - in 50.31.30N, 05.16W)
(H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Kamouraska, 4,903/1911, Sydney, Cape Breton
& Montreal SS Co (E F & W Roberts), Liverpool.
Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Chenab, passenger & cargo ship,
3,549/1911, James Nourse Ltd, London, armed. Gun
attack, escaped (H/ms)
Tuesday, 13 February 1917
North Sea
KING ALFRED, trawler, 159/1899, Consolidated
Steam Fishing & Ice, Grimsby-reg, fishing.
Captured by UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns), sunk by bomb
75 miles S of Fair Isle, between Orkneys and
Shetlands; skipper taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un)
English Channel
Two vessels accounted for by UC.47 (Paul
Hundius):
F. D. LAMBERT,
2,195/1892, Westoll Line, Sunderland-reg, 1-13pdr, Mr
W Lamb, Newcastle for Savona with gas-making coal.
Originally listed as torpedoed, now confirmed mined,
laid by UC.47 (Paul Hundius), but date not known, sank
about 1 mile E of Royal Sovereign LV, off Eastbourne
(wi - in 50.42.42N, 00.27.40E) (H/L/te/un/wi)
FLEURETTE,
fishing vessel, smack, 60/1909, R Linder,
Lowestoft-registered LT.312, rough weather. Crew
forced to abandon ship, but UC.47 unable to sink her
by gun or scuttling charge. Vessel drove ashore 1 mile
NE of Godlevy Lighthouse (Note: presumably Godrevy,
Cornwall), total loss; all 5 crew lost (un only)
St George's Channel
Two sailing smacks on fishing grounds captured
and sunk by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck) off The Smalls,
off Pembrokeshire:
FRIENDSHIP,
ketch-rigged, c37/1905, T Jenkerson, Brixham-reg
BM244. Not known how sunk; 4 lives lost, including
Skipper (H/L/bm/un)
ZIRCON, 48grt.
Sunk by bombs 26 miles SW of (wi - in 51.25N, 06.15W)
(H/L/un/wi)
Bristol Channel
Sequoya, tanker, 5,263/1908, Standard
Transportation Co (ms – Anglo-American Oil Co,
Glasgow), armed, sailing Singapore for Portishead. Gun
attack by unidentified U-boat, damaged, saved by own
gunfire; one life lost (H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic off N Ireland
BARNSLEY, trawler, 144/1896, Consolidated
Steam Fishing & Ice, Grimsby-reg GY125, hired
10/14 as minesweeper, returned to fishing 5/15,
fishing. Captured by U.78 (Otto Dröscher), sunk by
bombs 13 miles N of Inishtrahull Rock, off Co Donegal
(wi - in 55.37N, 07.20W), skipper and chief engineer
taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/D/gy/un/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Anteros, 4,241/1917, Egypt & Levant SS Co
(Bowen Rees), London, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 24
March 1918 (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
PERCY ROY, sailing vessel, 110grt, sailing
Naples for Santa Pola in ballast. Captured by U.35
(Lother von Arnauld de la Perière), sunk by bombs at
1630, 30 miles SE of Cabrera Is, off S Majorca island
(L - 30 miles SW of) (H/L/un)
Wednesday, 14 February 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured by
UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) and sunk by bombs:
MARY BELL,
144/1898, W Brown, Granton-reg, Skipper T Seaton. Sunk
50 miles E by N of Aberdeen (wi - in 57.20N, 00.30W);
skipper taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/Mn/un/wi)
BELVOIR CASTLE,
221/1899, W W Crampin, Grimsby-reg, Skipper C Bull.
Sunk 15 miles SE 1/2 E of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead
(L/wi - 25 miles SE from, in 57.09N, 01.16W); skipper
taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un/wi)
__________
MARIE LEONHARDT, 1,466/1902, The Admiralty,
London, sailing Hartlepool for London with coal.
Mined, laid by UC.11 (Benno von Ditfurth), sank 2 1/2
m E 1/2 N of Sunk LV, off Harwich (L/te - in 51.53N,
01.40E); 5 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Dover Straits
Millicent Knight, 3,563/1900, Millicent
Knight SS Co (W & C T Jones), Cardiff. Aircraft
attack in The Downs, bombs missed. Admiralty collier
when sunk 18 May 1917 (H/ms)
St George's Channel
Four steamships sunk by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck):
GREENLAND,
1,763/1908, Liverpool & Hamburg SS, sailing
Fleetwood for Cherbourg with government stores.
Captured and sunk by bombs 20 miles SW of Bardsey Is,
off Caernarvonshire (te - in 52.30N, 05.05W; L - 22
miles SW of) (H/L/te/un)
FERGA,
791/1916, M Murphy, Cardiff-reg, sailing Swansea for
Liverpool with general cargo. Captured and sunk by
gunfire 15 miles S of Bardsey Is (te/wi - in 52.02N,
05.04W; L - 20 miles SW by W of) (H/L/te/un/wi)
INISHOWEN HEAD,
3,050/1886, Head Line, armed, sailing Port Talbot (L -
Dublin) for St John (NB) in ballast. Torpedoed and
sunk 1 1/2 m S of Skokham Island, off Milford Haven
(te - in 51.40N, 05.15W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
MARGARITA (1),
coaster, 375/1902, Zillah Shipping & Carrying Co,
Liverpool-reg, sailing Liverpool for Swansea with
wheat. Captured and sunk by bombs 20 miles SW by S of
Bardsey Is (wi - in 52.29N, 05.08W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
EUDORA, 4-mast steel barque, 1,991/1888, Ship
Eudora Co, Liverpool-reg, 25 crew, Mr Thomas Shute,
River Plate/Buenos Aires for Queenstown with maize.
Captured by UC.33 (Martin Schelle), sunk by gunfire 30
miles SSW of Fastnet (wi - in 50.54N, 09.40W); crew
later met up with survivors of SS Azul sunk on the
5th, all picked up by patrol boat, landed at
Queenstown (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
HOPEMOOR,
3,740/1911, Moor Line Ltd, London-reg, 28 crew, Mr J
Rodgers, Baltimore for Hull with 5,600t wheat.
Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster) at 1140, sank
20 miles NW of The Skelligs, off Co Kerry (L/te/wi -
in 51.53N, 11W; wi - also 22 miles W by N of Valencia
Is) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Bay of Biscay
Two steamships captured by UC.21 (Reinhold
Saltzwedel) and sunk by bombs:
MARION DAWSON,
2,300/1894, Dawson SS, armed, Huelva for La Pallice
with pyrites/iron ore. (te/un - 15th) - Sunk 8 miles
SSW of Ile d'Oleron, near La Rochelle (L - about 8
miles SSW of Chassiron Light; te - in 46.03N, 01.33W)
(H/L/te/un)
LONGSCAR,
2,777/1903, Thomas W Willis, armed, sailing Nantes for
Bilbao in ballast. Sunk 15 miles SW of River Gironde
(L - 20 miles SW of; te - in 45.25N, 01.55W); 2
gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Trowbridge, turret hull steamship,
3,712/1904, Temperley SS Co, London, armed, sailing
Barry for Alexandria with coal. Torpedoed and damaged
by U.38 (Max Valentiner), in 36.41N, 12.54E, towed in
to Malta; one life lost. On Admiralty service when
sunk 14 November 1917 (H/L/ms/un)
Thursday, 15 February 1917
North Sea
Harrow, 1,777/1900, W Cory & Sons,
London. Torpedo missed. Sunk 8 September 1917 (H/ms)
English Channel
LEVEN, dredger, 775/1885, London, Brighton
& South Coast Railway Co, Newhaven-reg. Mined,
laid by unidentified U-boat, foundered about 1/2
m S by E 1/2 E of Newhaven Breakwater, Sussex (wi - in
50.46.03N, 00.04.08E) (H/L/un/wi)
Irish Sea
Celtic, passenger & cargo ship,
20,904/1901, Oceanic Steam Navigation Co (Ismay,
Imrie), Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for New
York. Mined, laid by U.80 (Alfred von Glasenapp) S of
the Isle of Man (L - in 53.57N, 04.40W), damaged,
towed into Liverpool (H/L/ge/ms/ms/un)
St George's Channel
Two steamships captured by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) and sunk by bombs:
AFTON,
1,156/1911, William Sloan, Glasgow-reg, sailing
Bristol for Belfast/Glasgow with general cargo. Sunk
23 miles N by E of Strumble Head, near Fishguard
(te/wi - in 52.24N, 05.09W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
KYANITE,
564/1904, William Robertson, Glasgow-reg, Mr A
Johnstone, Fleetwood for Bristol with alkali. Sunk 27
miles SSW of Bardsey Is (L/wi - 28 miles SSW of; te/wi
- in 52.18N, 04.55W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
__________
Kittiwake, 1,866/1906, Cork SS Co, Cork.
Torpedo missed. Sunk 9 April 1917 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Buranda, steamship, 3,651/1912, Buranda SS Co
(Burdick & Cook), London, armed, sailing
Marseilles for Cuba in ballast. Gun attack by U.35
(Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière) 2 1/2 miles E
1/2 N of Tabarca Island, damaged, put into Alicante.
Sunk in WW2 (ms/un only)
South Atlantic
Two steamships captured by raider Möwe and sunk
off Cape Frio, near Rio de Janeiro
FRENCH PRINCE,
4,766/1900, Prince Line Ltd, Newcastle-reg, sailing
Bahia Blanca/La Plata for Cherbourg/Havre with general
cargo including corned beef, provisions and wheat.
(L/kp - 16th) - Scuttled with opened sea-cocks &
explosive scuttling charges, 490 miles ENE true of
(H/L/Mn/kp)
BRECKNOCKSHIRE,
8,423/1917, Royal Mail Steam Packet, Belfast-reg,
armed, Liverpool for Rio Janeiro with 7,000t coal, on
maiden voyage. Sunk 490 miles E by N true of, not
known how (H/L/Mn/kp)
Friday, 16 February 1917
North Sea
LADY ANN, 1,016/1882, Lambton & Hetton
Collieries, Sunderland-reg, 16 crew, Mr R Blakeburn,
Sunderland for Rochester with coal. Torpedoed by UB.21
(Franz Walther), sank 3 miles E by S of Scarborough,
Yorkshire (L - inside Channel Buoy about 5 miles from
Scarborough Castle; wi - in 54.16.56N, 00.18.43W); 11
crew lost including master (H/L/te/un/wi)
Bristol Channel
Two armed steamers
shelled by U-boat(s), saved by own gunfire:
Sheerness,
passenger & cargo ship, 1,274/1903, Clyde Shipping
Co, Glasgow (H/ms)
The Princess,
623/1902, J Hay, Glasgow. Destroyed in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
QUEENSWOOD, 2,701/1897, Joseph Constantine,
Middlesbrough-reg, 24 crew, Mr A Peacock, Rouen for
Port Talbot in ballast. Captured by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck), sunk by gunfire 6 miles SW of Hartland
Point, Devon (te/wi - in 50.56N 04.38W); 3 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Delphic, passenger & cargo ship,
8,273/1897, Oceanic Steam Navigation Co (Ismay,
Imrie), Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 16
August 1917 (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
Two steamers shelled by
U-boat(s):
Pollcrea,
1,209/1899, Farrar, Groves & Co (ms – British
Government), sailing Cardiff for Bayonne with coal. (L
- 17th) - Attacked by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel) 3
miles S of Ile de Yeu LH, near St Nazaire, went ashore
at nearby St Gillies Sur Vie, refloated, reached
Bayonne (H/L/ms/un)
Grelford,
2,823/1898, J C Gould & Co, armed. Saved by own
gunfire. Later sold to USSR, sunk 1941 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Portugal
Two schooners sailing St Johns (NF) for Oporto
with codfish captured by U.21 (Otto Hersing) and sunk
by bombs off Cape St Vincent (L/un - in 36.50N,
08.25W):
ROSE DOROTHEA,
147/1905. Sunk 30 miles SE by E of (un – 15 miles off
Cape Santa Maria) (H/L/Lr/un)
MAYOLA,
146/1910, E C Weutzel, Lunenburg (NS)-reg. Sunk 50
miles SE by E of (un – off Cape Santa Maria)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Western Mediterranean
Burunda, 3,651/1912, Buranda SS Co (Burdick
& Cook), London, armed, sailing Marseilles for
Cuba in ballast. Gun attack 2 1/2 m E 1/2 N true of
Tabarca Is LH, S of Alicante, Spain, damaged according
to Lloyds, put into Alicante (H/L)
South Atlantic
EDDIE, 2,652/1895, Thomas Turnbull & Son
Shipping Co, Whitby-reg, Mr Robert Bradley, Newport
News/St Vincent (CV) for Fray Bentos with coal.
Captured by Möwe, sea-cocks opened and scuttling
charges laid, sank (kp - apparently on the 17th), 550
miles NE by E 1/2 E true from Cape Frio, Brazil
(H/L/Mn/kp)
Saturday, 17 February 1917
North Sea
EXCEL, trawler, 157/1895, R W Lewis,
Aberdeen-reg, fishing. (un – 18th) – Captured by UB.21
(Franz Walther), sunk by gunfire 53 miles NE of the
Tyne (L - 50 miles NE of) (H/L/Lr/un)
English Channel
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier)
torpedoed by U.84 (Walter Roehr) off Portland Bill/LH,
Dorset, possibly one on the 17th and the other on the
18th:
VALDES,
2,233/1914, Avetoro SS Co, Liverpool-reg, Mr L Scott,
Manchester for Cherbourg with hay/cattle fodder, flour
in bulk. (te/un - 18th) - Sank 7 miles S of (wi - in
50.23.40N, 02.24.22W); 11 crew lost (H/L/te/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Gwent, 5,754/1901, E Thomas, Radcliffe.
Chased at entrance to English Channel, escaped. Sunk
20 March 1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
IOLO (2), 3,840/1899, Iolo Morganwg SS Co,
London-reg, 1-13pdr, 31 crew, Mr W Morgan, Cardiff for
Spezia with 6,500t coal. Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg
Schuster), sank 40 miles S by W of Fastnet (L - 40
miles SW of; te - in 50.43N, 09.30W; wi - in 50.43N,
09.22W); 2 crew lost, master, chief engineer and 2
gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW France
Grelford, 2,823/1898, J C Gould & Co,
armed. Gun attack off Ushant, saved by own gunfire.
Later sold to USSR, sunk 1941
(H/ms)
Indian Ocean
WORCESTERSHIRE, passenger ship, 7,175/1904,
Bibby SS Co, Liverpool-reg, sailing Rangoon for
London/Liverpool with general cargo. Mined, laid by
Wolf a matter of days before, sank 10 miles SW of
Colombo (L - 12 1/2 m S49º true of Colombo
Breakwater); 2 lives lost (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Sunday, 18 February 1917
North Sea
Kovno, passenger & cargo ship,
1,985/1907, Thomas Wilson, Sons & Co, Hull, armed.
Chased, escaped (H/ms)
English Channel
Two vessels torpedoed and damaged by U.84
(Walter Roehr):
Berrima,
passenger & cargo ship, 11,137/1913, Peninsular
& Oriental Steam Navigation Co, Greenock, armed,
sailing Fremantle for London with Australian produce.
Attacked in 50.22N, 02.44W, towed in to Portland
Roads; 4 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
Hunsworth,
cargo ship, 2,991/1911, British Government (John
Herron & Co), armed, sailing Clyde for Karachi.
Torpedoed 6.5 miles S of Portland Bill, towed into
Portland Roads; 2 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
__________
NETHERTON, brigantine, 199/1872, J W Finch,
Teignmouth-reg, Mr W Truscott, sailing Havre for
Briton Ferry with steel turnings. Captured by UC.18
(Wilhelm Kiel), sunk by bombs 16 miles S of Anvil
Point, Dorset (L/wi - 18 miles S of, in 50.17N 01.55W)
(H/L/un/wi)
TRIUMPH,
sailing vessel, 46grt, sailing St Brieuc for Plymouth
in ballast, possibly wood ketch, 1881, but 99grt.
Captured by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel), sunk by
gunfire, 45 miles NNW of Roches Douvres off N Brittany
coast (L - 45 miles ESE of Rock of Douvres)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Cambrian,
5,626/1896, Wilson’s & Furness-Leyland Line, West
Hartlepool, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire.
Sunk as Admiralty commissioned escort ship Bostonian
10 October 1917 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Janeta, 4,271/1906, SS Janeta Co (Maclay
& McIntyre), Glasgow, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
Asturian, cargo ship, 3,193/1890, Ellerman
Lines/The Charente SS Co, Liverpool, armed, sailing
Liverpool for Alexandria with general cargo. Gun
attack by U.64 (Robert Moraht) in 33.48N, 15.15E,
damaged, rescued; 2 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
Monday, 19 February 1917
English Channel
BRIGADE, 425/1909, J Holt, Liverpool-reg,
sailing St Valery for Weston Point with flint stones.
Captured by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), sunk by gunfire
12 miles NW 1/2 W of Cayeux-sur-Somme, Somme estuary
(H/L/Lr/un)
CENTURION (2),
full-rigged steel ship, 1,828/1891, Ship Cambrian King
Ltd, Liverpool-reg, Mr W Jones, sailing Pensacola for
London with timber. Captured by UC.17 (Ralph
Wenninger) and sunk by bombs 15 miles SE of Lizard
Point, Cornwall (L - 15 miles S 80ºE of; wi - 15 miles
SE by E, in 49.51N, 04.50W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Scotland
HALCYON, trawler, 190/1898, J Leyman Jnr,
Hull-reg H408, fishing. Mined, laid by U.71 (Hugo
Schmidt), sank off Butt of Lewis, N Outer Hebrides; 10
lives lost, including Skipper (H/L/Lr/hw)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Araguaya, passenger & cargo ship,
10,537/1906, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast,
armed. Chased and escaped. Destroyed in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
HEADLEY, 4,953/1914, Mitre Shipping, armed,
sailing Portland (Me) for London with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.67 (Hans Nieland), sank 35 miles SSW of
Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/te - 50 miles SW of Lizard
Point, in 49.09N, 06.29W) (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Northwaite, 3,626/1905, Raithwaite SS Co (J W
Pyman), Cardiff, armed. Gun attack, saved by own
gunfire. Sunk 13 March 1917 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
CORSO, 3,242/1899, Empire Shipping,
Cardiff-reg, armed, Bombay for Hull with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.64 (Robert Moraht), sank 110
miles S by W of Malta (L - 95 miles S of); master,
chief engineer, 2 gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Central Atlantic
PINMORE, 4-mast steel barque, 2,431/1882,
Tridonia Ltd, Greenock-reg, Mr James Mullen, Buenos
Aires for Fayol with grain and maize. Overtaken by
Seeadler with sails set and auxiliary diesels working,
ordered Pinmore to stop, captured 540 miles NW 1/2 N
true of St Paul Rocks, off NE Brazil (L - in 08.49N,
35.05W), apparently first taken by Cdr von Luckner
into Rio de Janeiro to collect supplies, then sunk by
scuttling charges at the end of the month. In 1902 Von
Luckner sailed round the Horn from San Francisco to
Liverpool as a member of Pinmore’s crew (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Tuesday, 20 February 1917
English Channel
Tahiti, 7,585/1904, Union Steam New Zealand,
armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW
England
Carperby, 2,104/1895, R Ropner & Co,
Stockton, armed. U-boat attack off St Ives, torpedo
missed (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
ROSALIE (2), 4,237/1915, Seville &
United Kingdom Carrying Co, armed, New York for
Salonica with munitions, oats. (L - 21st) - Torpedoed
by U.39 (Waslter Forstmann), sank 8 miles E of
Jidjelli/Jijel, E Algeria (L - between Dellys and
Djedjelli); 21 lives lost including master
(H/L/te)
Wednesday, 21 February 1917
English Channel
TECWYN, motor vessel, 132/1904, E O Roberts,
Liverpool-reg, sailing St Valery for Runcorn with
boulders, flints. Captured by U.60 (Karl Georg
Schuster), sunk by gunfire 20 miles S of Portland
Bill, Dorset (H/L/Lr/un)
Three sailing smacks, fishing, captured and sunk by
UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen) off Eddystone Rock, off
Plymouth, Devon:
MONARCH,
ketch-rigged, 35/1903, J Whicher, Brixham-reg BM215,
Skipper Binham. Sunk by bomb 14 miles SE by S of (wi -
in 50.05N, 03.55W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
ENERGY,
cutter-rigged, 25/1888, Samuel Wilkins, Weymouth-reg.
Sunk by gunfire 11 miles SSE 1/2 S of (wi - 11 miles
SE by S of, in 50.03N, 04.03W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
K. L. M.,
ketch-rigged, 28/1914, Mummery & Gearing,
Lowestoft-reg LT230. Sunk by gunfire 8 miles NW by W
of (wi - 8 miles WNW of, in 50.11N, 04.28W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Nascent, 3,720/1915, J Westoll, Sunderland,
armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 25
August 1917 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Cameronian, ex-German, 5,861/1914, British
Government, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 2 June 1917
(H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
WATHFIELD, 3,012/1905, Doughty Shipping,
armed, Limni for Malta with magnesite. Torpedoed by
U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sank 15 miles N of Cape
Carbon, near Bougie/Bejaia, Algeria (L - 15 miles SW
of Bougie); 18 lives lost including master
(H/L/dk/te/un)
Indian Ocean
PERSEUS, 6,728/1908, Ocean SS Co,
Liverpool-reg, sailing Clyde/Port Natal for Yokohama
with general cargo. (L - 20th) - Mined, laid by Wolf a
few days before, sank 11 miles W of Colombo (L - 12
miles off); 3 lives lost (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Thursday, 22 February 1917
North Sea
Two Grimsby-reg trawlers on fishing grounds
captured and sunk by UC.42 (Otto Heinrich Tornow):
LORD COLLINGWOOD,
148/1894, Beacon Steam Fishing. Sunk 129 miles NE 1/2
E of Longstone, Farne Is (L - 85 miles E by S of
Aberdeen), not known how (H/L/Lr/un)
FROLIC,
trawler, 183/1890, Grimsby Steam Fishing. Sunk by
gunfire 90 miles E by S of Aberdeen (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
__________
JOHN MILES, 687/1908, Stephenson, Clarke,
London-reg, 14 crew, Mr W Kelsey, Newcastle for
Shoreham with 870t coal. Mined, laid by UB.21 (Franz
Walther), sank 11 miles SE of Hartlepool, Tees estuary
(wi - in 54.38.05N, 00.53.14W); 10 crew lost including
master (H/L/te/un/wi)
Dover Straits
Ashtabula, tanker, 7,025 (ms – 7,016)/1903,
Anglo-American Oil Co, armed, sailing Port Arthur for
London. Mined, laid by UC.6 (Werner von Zerboni di
Sposetti) near Brake Buoy, off Ramsgate (un – near
Elbow Buoy), damaged, arrived London (H/L/ms/un)
English Channel
Gambia, 3,296/1915, British & African
Steam Navigation Co (Elder, Dempster), Liverpool,
armed. Chased and escaped. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Canadian (1), 9,309 (ms – 9,301)/1900, F
Leyland & Co, Liverpool, armed. Chased and
escaped. Sunk 5 April 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
INVERCAULD, steel barque, 1,416/1891, G Milne
& Co, Aberdeen-reg, sailing Gulfport for Fleetwood
with timber. Captured by U.84 (Walter Roehr),
torpedoed 22 miles SE of Mine Head, S of Dungarvan (wi
- also near Conningbeg Rocks, in 52.04N, 06.39W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic
Aldworth, 3,369/1893, D Cairns, Leith, armed.
Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
NOSTRA SIGNORA DEL PORTO SALVO, brigantine,
136/1895, M Vella & Figli, Malta-reg, sailing
Alicante for Malta with wine. Captured by UC.35 (Ernst
von Voigt), sunk by bombs c35 miles NW of Marittimo
island, off Sicily (H/L/Lr/un)
Friday, 23 February 1917
UC.32 sunk by own mines in North Sea off
Sunderland
North Sea
GRENADIER, 1,004/1895, Tyne-Tees SS Co,
sailing Rotterdam for Newcastle with general cargo.
Originally listed as torpedoed, now confirmed mined,
laid by UC.4 (Georg Reimarus), sank 6 miles ENE of
Shipwash LV, off Orford Ness (L - about 4 miles N of;
te - in 52.06N, 01.42E); 8 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
Bay of Biscay
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier)
sunk by UC.17 (Ralph Wenninger) off Belle Ile, W of St
Nazaire:
BELGIER,
4,588/1914, Brys & Glysen, London-reg, sailing New
York/Norfolk (Va) for Havre with munitions and general
cargo. Captured, sunk by gunfire 30 miles W of (te -
in 47.32N, 03.58W) (H/L/te/un)
Western Mediterranean
TROJAN PRINCE, 3,196/1896, Prince Line,
armed, London/Plymouth for Alexandria with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.39 (Walter Forstmann), sank 5
miles NW of Cape Shershel/Cherchel, Algeria (L - in
36.39N, 02.07E); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
LONGHIRST (2), 3,053/1904, Pyman, Watson,
armed, sailing Philippeville for Salonica with barley,
hay. Torpedoed by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la
Perière), sank 20 miles E of Cape Bon, Tunisia (L - in
37.08N, 11.25E); 2 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Central Atlantic
KATHERINE, 2,926/1904, Christian Salvesen,
West Hartlepool-reg, sailing Rosario for Dakar with
4,500t corn and wheat. Captured by Möwe, scuttled 200
miles NE by N 1/2 N true from St Paul Rocks, off
Brazil (H/L/Mn/kp)
Saturday, 24 February 1917
North Sea
BENEFICENT, 1,963/1881, Westoll Line,
Sunderland-reg, 1-6pdr, 22 crew, Mr F Munro, Newcastle
for Havre with coal. Heavy explosion starboard side
abreast engine room at 0800, crew abandoned ship at
0818, went down at 0820 off mouth of River Tees,
probably torpedoed by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader) (H -
mined; L - mined 4 1/2 to 5 miles ENE of
Hartlepool Heagh/Heugh LH; te - torpedoed by UC.31,
sank in 54.44.30N 01.04W; wi - explosion in 54.44N,
01.03W); donkeyman and two firemen killed in the
explosion, survivors picked up by patrol vessel and
taken to the Tees (H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Two steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Largo Law,
3,974/1907, T Law & Co, Glasgow. Torpedo/gun
attack, torpedo missed, vessel escaped in fog (H/ms)
Somme,
1,828/1916, Normandy Shipping Co (Stephenson Clarke),
London, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk
30 March 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
FALCON (2), 2,244/1916, Ogmore SS Co (G
Chitham & Co), Cardiff, armed, sailing Newport
(Mon) for Marseilles with coal. Captured by U.50
(Gerhard Berger), sunk by gunfire 190 miles WNW of
Fastnet (L/ms/te/un - in 52.40N, 14.45W; un – 150
miles WNW of) Note: attacked 16 March 1916 when
measuring 675grt according to HMSO, presumably
different vessel (H/L/te/un)
Silverdale,
3,835/1906, P H Laing, Sunderland, armed. Torpedo
missed. Sunk 9 March 1918 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
torpedo missed:
Gleneden,
4,735/1909, Gleneden SS Co (J Napier), Glasgow.
Wrecked in WW2 (H/ms)
Megantic,
passenger & cargo liner, 14,878/1909, Oceanic
Steam Navigation Co (Ismay, Imrie), Liverpool (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
DOROTHY, 3,806/1902, John Ness, armed,
sailing Tunis for Salonica. Torpedoed by U.35 (Lothar
von Arnauld de la Perière), sank 25 miles SE by S 1/2
S of Pantellaria island between Tunisia and Sicily; 6
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Sunday, 25 February 1917
Bristol Channel
Hooton, 1,892/1912, Denaby & Cadeby Main
Collieries, Hull, armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire.
Wrecked in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Three steamships sunk by U.50 (Gerhard Berger)
off Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork:
LACONIA,
passenger ship, 18,099/1912, Cunard SS Co,
Liverpool-reg, requisitioned 27/10/14 for service as
armed merchant cruiser, 8-6in, Pennant No.M.70,
returned to commercial service (D - as armed
storeship) after 2/8/16, 217 crew, Mr W Irvine, New
York for Liverpool with 75 passengers, general cargo
and mails. Torpedoed twice on starboard side just
after 2100, sank about an hour later 160 miles NW by W
of (dx - 124 miles W of Valentia Is; te - in 52.00N,
13.40W; wi - 160 miles WNW of); 6 passengers and 6
crew lost. Cargo included 852 silver bullion ingots,
132 boxes of fine silver, 4,545,738lbs of empty brass
shell cases, 3,000t steel, 2,843 bales of cotton and
5,400 sacks of mail; unsuccessful salvage operations
in 1986 confirmed her loss position as 160 miles NW by
W of Fastnet Rock in 1,250ft
(H/L/Mn/Cn/D/dx/te/un/wd/wi)
HUNTSMAN,
7,460/1904, Charente SS Co (T & J Harrison),
Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for Calcutta with
general cargo. (L - 26th) - Torpedoed, sank 180 miles
NW by W of (L - 130 miles W of Tearaght Light; te/un -
in 52.04N, 12.02W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
ARIES,
3,071/1895, Rickinson, Sons & Co, West
Hartlepool-reg, armed, sailing Melilla for Glasgow
with iron ore. Captured, sunk by gunfire 190 miles NW
by W of (L/te - in 51.55N, 14.30W); master taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Novington,
3,442/1912, Southdown SS Co (Bell, Symondson), London.
Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Venus,
3,152/1905, Cornhill SS Co (Harris & Dixon),
London. Shelled, saved by own gunfire. Sunk in WW2
(H/ms)
Monday, 26 February 1917
Dover Straits
Small British steamship (and an Admiralty
trawler) mined in field laid by UC.16 (Egon von
Werner):
SEA GULL (2),
144/1893, R & W Paul, Ipswich-reg, 6 crew, Mr H
Harvey, Erith/London for Boulogne with general cargo.
Mined under the stern at 0835 shattering the boats
already swung out for an emergency, sank 4 miles off
Folkestone (wi - c4 miles S 1/2 E of Folkestone Gate,
in 51.01N, 01.14E); two crew probably killed by the
explosion, surviving master and three crewmen jumped
overboard, picked up by patrol vessel and small boat
from nearby barge, taken on board SS Swallow, landed
at Folkestone (H/L/Mn/un/wi)
English Channel
Two cargo steamships mined and damaged. Not
listed in Uboat.net, so presumably not U-boat-laid:
Swallow, cargo
ship, 160/1905, London for Calais with general cargo.
Mined 7 miles S of Folkestone, Kent, towed to
Folkestone (L/Mn/ms)
Solar, cargo
ship, 576/1902, T W Smyth, sailing Newcastle for
Honfleur with coke. Mined off French coast in 49.48N,
00.42W. Damaged and beached 21 December 1917 (L/ms
only)
St George's Channel and English Channel
Two vessels accounted for by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck):
HANNAH CROASDELL,
schooner, 151/1866, W Postlethwaite & Son,
Lancaster-reg. Mined, laid by UC.65, but not known
when, sank 4 miles W 1/2 N of St Ann’s Head, W
entrance to Milford Haven (L - 1 mile S of Skokham
Is); 4 lives lost including master (H/L/Lr/un)
ALGIERS,
2,361/1882, Franco-British SS, London-reg, armed, Mr E
Hutchings, sailing Calais for Barry Roads in ballast.
Torpedoed and sunk 3 miles S of Owers LV, off Selsey
Bill (L - 2 miles S of; te - in 50.35N, 00.40W; wi -
50.34.34N, 00.38.09W), 8 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Cameron, 3,044/1905, K M Cameron, West
Hartlepool, armed. Gun attack, rescued (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
CLAN FARQUHAR, 5,858/1899, Clan Line,
Glasgow-reg, armed, Calcutta/Bombay for London with
cotton, jute and tea. Torpedoed by UB.43 (Hams von
Mellenthin), sank 80 miles N of Ben Ghazi/Benghazi,
Libya (L - in 33.30N 20.05E); 49 lives lost including
master, 2nd engineer taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Central Atlantic
BRITISH YEOMAN, 3-mast iron barque,
1,953/1880, British Yeoman Ship Co, Victoria (BC)-reg,
Mr Armstrong, Buenos Aires for Nantes with wheat.
Raider Seeadler drew close without suspicion, hoisted
signal 'Stop immediately or I will fire' which was
obeyed, livestock transferred, scuttling charges laid
and British Yeoman sank 230 miles NW by N 1/2 N true
from St Paul Rocks, off Brazil (L - in 4N, 32W; kp -
230 miles NW of). Note: according to "The Kaiser's
Pirates" she had been sold to her American managers
and should have been flying the Stars and Stripes
(H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Tuesday, 27 February 1917
North Sea
San Patricio, tanker, 9,712/1915, Eagle Oil
Transportation Co, London, armed. Chased by U.70 (Otto
Wünsche), gun attack and damaged, saved by own
gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms/un)
English Channel
Two gun attacks by U-boat(s):
Lydia, 1,133grt. Rescued (ms – possibly
passenger ship, 1,059/1890, London & South Western
Railway Co, Southampton) (H/ms)
Polzeath,
882/1911, Lynn & Hamburg SS Co, King’s Lynn,
armed. Saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships sunk by U.49 (Richard Hartmann):
TRITONIA (2),
4,445/1905, Donaldson Line, armed, St John
(NB)/Halifax (NS) for Glasgow with horses, general
cargo. (L - 26th) - Torpedoed, sank 20 miles NW by W
of Tearagh Is, off N side of Dingle Bay (L - 30 miles
W by N of Tearaght Light; te - in 52.13N, 11.26W); 2
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
GALGORM CASTLE,
steel barque, 1,596/1892, Northern Shipowner’s,
sailing Buenos Aires for Queenstown. Captured, sunk by
gunfire 90 miles W of Fastnet (L - 74 miles WSW of
Bull LH): 11 lives lost (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
Ayr, cargo ship, 3,050/1894, Mercantile SS
co, London, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire.
Sunk 8 March 1918 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
Bellorado, cargo ship, 4,649/1912, Bellarden
SS Co (Bell Bros), Cardiff, armed, sailing Barry for
Alexandria with coal. Gun attack by UC.22 (Heino von
Heimburg) in 35.12N, 17.10E, damaged, but saved by own
gunfire, arrived Malta; 3 lives lost including master.
Sunk as Olive Branch on 2 September 1917
(H/L/Mn/ms/un)
BRODMORE,
4,071/1890, Blue Star Line, London-reg, armed, sailing
Majunga for Marseilles with frozen meat. Torpedoed by
UB.43 (Hans von Mellenthin), sank 70 miles NW by N of
Marsa Susa/Susah, Libya (L/te - in 33.50N, 21.02E);
master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 28 February 1917
English Channel
HARRIET WILLIAMS, schooner, 157/1866, E
Stephens, Fowey-reg, sailing London for Havre with
pitch in bulk. Captured by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), sunk
by bombs 15 miles NNE of Cape Antifer (H/L/Lr/un)
Huntscape,
ex-German, 2,933/1911, British Government, armed. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Lynorta, 3,684 (ms – 3,668)/1902, Liver
Shipping Co (Johnson, Sproule), Liverpool. Chased and
escaped. Sunk 11 August 1917 (H/ms)
Rowena,
3,017/1899, Herskind & Co, West Hartlepool. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 18 April 1917
(H/ms)
MARCH 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in March: 127 merchant ships totalling 353,478grt - 11
of 42,893grt to surface ships, 103 of 283,647grt to
submarines, 13 of 26,938grt to mines, plus 43 fishing
vessels totalling 3,586grt, all to submarines (H)
U-boat Warfare - the first cross-Channel French coal
convoys sailed
Thursday, 1 March 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers, on fishing grounds, sunk by UC.29
(Ernst Rosenow) off Longstone, Outer Farne Is, off
Northumberland:
REDCAP,
trawler, 199/1907, Kelsall Bros & Beeching,
Hull-reg H962, hired 11/14 as minesweeper, returned to
fishing 12/15. Sunk by gunfire 97 miles E of (L -
56.10N, 01.10E); one life lost (H/L/Lr/D/hw/un)
HERBERT INGRAM,
trawler, 142/1892, Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice,
Boston-reg. Captured, sunk by bomb 70 miles E of (L -
in 55.59N, 00.25E) (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
TILLYCORTHIE, 382/1913, Mitchell & Rae,
Aberdeen-reg, 8 crew, Mr MacLennan, sailing Seaham for
Peterhead with 355t coal. Captured by UC.41 (Kurt
Bernis), sunk by gunfire 16 miles N 1/2 E of (L - 5
miles E of Light; wi - 16 miles NE of, also 13 miles E
of St Abb's Head, in 55.53.50N, 01.44W), master taken
prisoner (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Birchgrove, 2,821/1894, Dovedale SS Co
(Lucas), Stockton, armed. Gun attack, saved by own
gunfire. Sunk 21 December 1917 (H/ms)
Dover Straits
Sarus, floating crane barge, 819/1914,
Bombay Port Trust, Bombay. Gun attack off Boulogne,
rescued (H/ms)
English Channel
CHATBURN, 1,942/1894, F Yeoman & Sons,
West Hartlepool-reg, sailing Sunderland for Rouen with
coal. Torpedoed by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), sank 22
miles NE 1/2 E of Cape Barfleur, Cherbourg peninsular
(L/te - in 50N, 00.55W) (H/L/te/un)
Donegal,
believed auxiliary hospital or ambulance ship, 1,885
(ms – 1,997)/1904, Midland Railway Co, Belfast. Chased
and escaped. Sunk 17 April 1917 (H/Mn/ms/tr)
English Channel and St George's Channel
Two vessels mined, laid by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) in different locations, not known when
laid:
Glenart Castle,
hospital ship, ex-passenger & cargo ship, 6,824
(also 6,807; ms – 6,757)/1900, Union Castle Mail SS
Co, Southampton, carrying 520 patients. Mined off
Owers LV (un – 8 miles N50° W of), damaged, towed in
to Portsmouth and repaired; destroyers and other ships
saved all those on board. Sunk 26 February 1918
(H/L/Mn/ge/me/ms/tr/un)
DRINA,
passenger ship, 11,483/1913, Royal Mail Steam Packet,
London-reg, was Admiralty hospital ship 8/15-2/16,
returned to mercantile service, now armed, sailing
Buenos Aires for Liverpool with passengers, coffee and
meat. Originally believed torpedoed, now mined, sank 2
miles W of Skokham Is, off Milford Haven (L/wd - 2
miles WSW of; te - in 51.41N, 05.20W); 15 lives lost
(H/L/te/tr/un/wd)
Mediterranean
Tabarka, 3,933/1913, La Tunisienne Steam
Navigation Co (Strick), Swansea, armed. Torpedo
missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
Euterpe (2), cargo ship, 3,540/1901,
Calliope SS Co (Scaramanga Bros), London, armed,
sailing Oran for Salonica. Torpedoed and damaged by
UB.47 (Wolfgang Steinbauer) off Suda Bay, Crete,
reached Suda Bay; 2 lives lost (H/L/dk/ms/un)
Indian Ocean
JUMNA, 4,152/1902, London-reg, Mercantile SS,
Torrevieja for Calcutta with salt. Stopped by raider
Wolf 650 miles W true from Minikoi island, W of S
India, stores removed, sunk by bombs on 4th
(H/L/Mn/kp)
Friday, 2 March 1917
English Channel
Two sailing vessels lying becalmed sunk by
U.53 (Hans Rose) off Dungeness, Kent:
GAZELLE,
wood ketch (wi - Thames spritsail barge), 119/1877,
W E Colebrooke, Rye-reg, 4 crew, Mr H Clothier,
London for Havre with pitch. U-boat fired three
shells at 1545, crew abandoned ship, bomb hung
outboard on starboard fore chain plates sinking her
20 miles SSW of (wi - in 50.37N, 00.45E); crew
picked up at 2100 by patrol vessel, already had
survivors of Utopia on board (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
UTOPIA (2),
brigantine, 184/1860, W G Waters (un – J Murdoch),
Rochester-reg, 6 crew, Mr W Richard, sailing London
for Rouen with pitch. U.53 fired three shells at
1600, crew abandoned ship and rowed clear, three
shells sank her at once, 20 miles SSW of (wi - in
50.36N 00.48E) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Trojan, 4,017/1905, owned by E C Thin.
Torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Saturday, 3 March 1917
English Channel
CONNAUGHT, passenger ship, 2,646/1897, City
of Dublin Steam Packet, Dublin-reg, Mr J Thomson,
Havre for Southampton in ballast (wi - on Admiralty
service). Torpedoed by U.48 (Berndt Buss), sank 29
miles S by W 1/2 W of Owers LV (te/wi - in 50.08.30N,
00.45W); 3 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
St Mary (1), trawler, 99/1898, Whitby-reg
WY96, fishing. Attacked, damaged off the small port of
Union Hall, Co Cork (L/D)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two armed steamships torpedoed and sunk
by U.49 (Richard Hartmann) off Fastnet Rock, off Co
Cork:
NEWSTEAD,
2,836/1894, Alban SS Co, Barry for Naples with coal.
Sank 150 miles WNW of (L - 105 miles WNW of Blasquets;
te - in 52.02N, 13.24W); 15 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
SAGAMORE,
passenger ship, 5,197/1892, White Diamond SS Co,
Boston for Liverpool with general cargo. Sank 150
miles W of (te - in 51.50N, 14.00W; wd - 150 miles WNW
of); 52 lives lost including master (H/L/dk/te/un/wd)
__________
Argyll, 3,547/1901, Sutherland SS Co,
Newcastle, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire.
Sunk 13 April 1917 (H/ms)
Sunday, 4 March 1917
English Channel
Two sailing vessels in ballast attacked and
captured by U.48 (Berndt Buss):
THE MACBAIN
(or Macbain), barquentine, 291/1881, J T Crampton,
Portsmouth-reg, sailing Cherbourg for Fowey. Sunk by
bomb 20 miles SSW of Portland Bill, Dorset (L - about
20 miles WSW of; wi - in 50.11N, 02.27W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Adelaide (2),
brigantine, 180grt. (L - 5th) - Damaged by gunfire 42
miles NW by N of Cherbourg, towed into Brixham
(H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off Cape Verdes
RHODANTHE, 3,061/1902, London Marine SS Co,
London-reg, armed, Mr William Maclean, Algiers for
Jamaica (kp - for Cuba to load sugar). Captured by
raider Möwe, scuttled 330 miles NNW true from St
Vincent island, NW Cape Verdes (H/L/Mn/kp)
Monday, 5 March 1917
North Sea
COPENHAGEN (1), passenger ship, 2,570/1907,
Great Eastern Railway Co, Harwich-reg, believed
released that month from hospital ship service, now
sailing Harwich for Hook of Holland with passengers,
no cargo. Torpedoed by UC.61 (Georg Gerth), sank 8
miles E 1/2 N of North Hinder LV, midway between
Harwich & Hook of Holland; 6 lives lost
(H/L/dk/te/tr/un)
Princess Melita,
1,094/1912, M Langlands & Sons, Glasgow, armed.
Torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Tuesday, 6 March 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CORNELIA, 903/1872, W Monroe Bros, West
Hartlepool-reg, 16 crew, Mr T Lesley, Oporto for
Cardiff with pitwood, wine. Captured by UC.43 (Erwin
Sebelin), sunk by gunfire 9 miles WNW of The Skelligs,
off Co Kerry (L - 7 miles WNW of; te/wi - in 51.47N,
10.43W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Syndic,
2,727/1910, Syndic SS Co (I B Pearson), Glasgow,
armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Later sold to
Japan, sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed and sunk by U.44 (Paul
Wagenführ) off Fastnet:
CALDERGROVE,
4,327/1909, Clutha Shipping, Glasgow-reg, armed,
Havana for Queenstown with sugar. Sank 200 miles WNW
of (te - in 51.30N, 14.51W); 19 lives lost including
master (H/L/te/un)
FENAY LODGE,
3,223/1904, Fenay SS Co, Mobile for Cherbourg with
pitch pine/pit props. Sank 250 miles NW by W 1/2 W of
(L/te - in 51.42N, 16.11W); 4 lives lost including
master (H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 7 March 1917
North Sea
Two Grimsby-reg trawlers fishing possibly
captured by UC.76 (Wilhelm Barten) and sunk by gunfire
off Orkneys:
NAAMAH,
269/1907, T W Baskcomb, Skipper J Mengel. Sunk 35
miles S by E of North Ronaldshay (wi - in 58.49N,
02.07W) (H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
VULCANA,
219/1899, J E Rushworth. Sunk 40 miles ESE of Auskerry
island LH, S of Stronsay island (L - 50 miles ESE of);
2 lives lost, including Skipper (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
English Channel
ANTONIO, 2,652/1905, Egypt & Levant SS
Co, London-reg, master Mr J Burman, sailing Barry for
Cherbourg with hay/cattle fodder. Originally believed
mined, later confirmed as torpedoed by U.48 (Berndt
Buss), sank 7 miles from Dartmouth, Devon (L/wi -
about 6 miles off; wi - also in 50.15.27N, 03.29.05W);
11 crew lost including master (H/L/te/un/wi)
Zambesi, 3,759
(ms – 3,727)/1901, Turner, Brightman & Co, London,
armed. Chased, escaped, escaped. Admiralty collier
when sunk 1 April 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
WESTWICK, 5,694/1916, Westwick SS Co,
Sunderland-reg, 38 crew, Mr Harrison, Baltimore for
Hull with 7,980t maize. Mined at 0500, laid by UC.44
(Kurt Tebbenjohanns), 1 mile S of Roche's Point,
Queenstown (Cobh), Co Cork (wi - also in Ringabella
Bay, in 51.46,30N, 08.14.45W), damaged and total loss
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BARON WEMYSS, 1,605/1912, Kelvin Shipping Co,
Ardrossan-reg, armed, Huelva/Lisbon for Clyde with
general cargo. Captured by UC.43 (Erwin Sebelin), sunk
by torpedo 73 miles NW by W of Fastnet (L/te - in
51.40N, 11.30W); 2 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Pagenturm, ex-German, 5,000/1909, presumably
British Government, armed. Torpedo failed to explode.
Sunk 16 May 1917 (H/ms)
Thursday, 8 March 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
DUNBARMOOR, 3,651/1903, Moor Line Ltd, armed,
Rosario/Dakar for Manchester with wheat. Captured by
U.44 (Paul Wagenführ), sunk by gunfire 180 miles WNW
of Fastnet (te - in 51.22N, 14.31W); 12 lives lost
including master (H/L/dk/te/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
GEORGIAN, troopship/transport, cargo
steamship, 5,088/1890, Leyland Line, armed, carrying
government stores. Torpedoed by UB.47 (Wolfgang
Steinbauer), sank 52 miles N of Cape Sidero, NE Crete
(L - Makri Is bearing N87ºW about 13m); 5 lives lost
(H/L/me/te/un)
Friday, 9 March 1917
English Channel
Two vessels sunk by U.48 (Berndt Buss) off
Devon:
EAST POINT,
5,234/1901, Norfolk & North American SS Co,
Liverpool-reg, armed, London for Philadelphia with
general cargo. Torpedoed and sunk 9 miles E by S 1/2 S
of Eddystone LH, off Plymouth (L/wi - 10 miles E of,
in 50.07.38N, 04.00.22W; te - in 50.11N, 04.02W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
ABEJA,
schooner, 174/1881, W C Phillips, Exeter-reg, Mr H
Cohning, Granville for Fowey in ballast. Captured,
sunk by gunfire 20 miles SW 1/2 S of Start Point (L/wi
- about 20 miles SSW of, in 49.54N, 03.48W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
St George's Channel
INVERLOGIE, 4-mast steel barque, 2,347/1893,
G Milne, Aberdeen-reg, Mr W Ryder, Barry for Archangel
with coal. Captured by U.70 (Otto Wünsche), sunk by
torpedo 15 miles SW of The Smalls, E of Milford Haven
(wi - in 51.34N, 06W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Saturday, 10 March 1917
UC.43 sunk by submarine G.13 in Atlantic off N
Shetlands
North Sea
Pylades, 681/1903, City of Cork Steam Packet
Co, Cork. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
off NW Scotland
San Eduardo, tanker, 6,225/1912, Eagle Oil
Transportation Co, London, armed, sailing Port Arthur
& Kirkwell for Liverpool with oil. Torpedoed by
U.80 (Alfred Glasenapp) in the Minches, 8 miles SSE of
Stornoway (L - in 58.06N, 06.11W), damaged, reached
Stornoway (H/L/ms/un)
St George's Channel
Two schooners captured by U.70 (Otto Wünsche)
and sunk by gunfire off Hook Point, Co Waterford:
MEDITERRANEAN,
105/1867, owned by Mrs A Cadogan of Coosheen,
Londonderry-reg, 4 crew, Mr R Gregory, Newport for
Schull with 165t cast iron ingots/pigs, coal. Sunk 13
miles S of (wi - in 51.54N, 06.56W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
T. CROWLEY,
97/1877, Kinsale Shipping Co, Kinsale-reg, 5 crew, Mr
D Fitzpatrick, Cardiff for Kinsale with coal. Captured
at 0945, sunk by gunfire (wi - by explosive scuttling
charges at 1025), 12 miles S of (L/wi - 15 miles S of,
in 51.53N, 06.52W), crew made their way to Queenstown
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Ambassador, 2,578/1897, Hall Bros SS Co,
Newcastle, armed. Gun attack in entrance to English
Channel, saved by own gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Ireland
Two armed steamships
shelled by U-boat(s), saved by own gunfire:
Aracataca,
4,154/1911, Elders & Fyffes, Belfast, armed,
sailing Port Limon for Garston with general cargo.
Attacked by U.44 (Paul Wagenführ) 250 miles WNW of
Fastnet (L - in 51.19N, 16.03W), damaged, arrived
Berehaven; one life lost. Sunk in collision 8 April
1917 (H/L/Mn/ms/un)
Boonah,
ex-German, 5,926/1911, Australian Government. Sunk in
WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Salvus, 2,259/1904, W H Seager & Co; two
torpedoes missed (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Portugal
Two armed steamships sunk by German raider Möwe
off Lisbon:
ESMERALDAS,
4,678/1906, Pacific Steam Navigation Co,
Liverpool-reg, sailing Liverpool for Newport
News/Baltimore to load horses for British Army.
Captured, scuttled 420 miles W by N true of
(H/L/Mn/kp)
OTAKI,
9,575/1908, New Zealand Shipping Co, Plymouth-reg, Mr
Archibald Bissett-Smith, London for New York in
ballast. As Möwe approached, Otaki turned into a head
sea to spoil the aim and opened fire at 3,000yds with
her single 4-inch, hitting the raider - one shell
exploded above the boiler room killing five Germans
and wounding 10, a second started a coal bunker fire
and shrapnel from a third opened Möwe's hull foreward
enough to ship water. The Germans then got the range
with their 5.9in guns and hit Otaki up to 30 times,
setting her on fire. Listing to starboard, she sank by
the stern 420 miles W 1/2 S true of Lisbon (dx - in
37.50N, 18.00W; H - captured, sunk by torpedo); 6
lives lost including master, remainder rescued from
the sea and taken prisoner. Capt Archibald
Bissett-Smith was posthumously granted honorary rank
of Temporary Lieutenant RNR and awarded the Victoria
Cross (H/L/Mn/dx/kp)
Western Mediterranean
JAMES BURTON COOK (H - "James Burton (Cook S
V)"), schooner, 133/1913, W Smith, Lunenburg (NS)-reg,
sailing Malaga for Cadiz in ballast. Captured by UC.74
(Wilhelm Marschall), sunk by gunfire, 25 miles SSE of
Malaga, Spain (H/L/Lr/un)
Sunday, 11 March 1917
North Sea
KWASIND, 2,211/1894, Arctic SS Co,
Quebec-reg, 23 crew, Mr F Shapter, Bilbao for
Hartlepool with 3,500t iron ore. Mined, laid by UC.4
(Georg Reimarus), sank off Southwold, S of Lowestoft
(L - off the Shipwash; te - in 52.08N, 01.45E; wi - in
52.18.45N, 01.48E); 12 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Bristol Channel
G. A. SAVAGE, 357/1900, Zillah Shipping &
Carrying Co, Troon-reg, sailed Workington 10th for
Swansea with pitch, went missing, posted by Lloyds
18/4/17, “presumed by Admiralty to have been sunk by
submarine”. Confirmed as torpedoed and sunk by UC.47
(Paul Hundius); 9 lives lost including master, all
hands (H/L/Lr)
Eddystone,
853grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (ms –
possibly passenger & cargo ship, 1,036/1886, Clyde
Shipping Co, Glasgow. Scuttled in WW2) (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
THRIFT, ketch-rigged sailing smack, c40/1906,
William Brown, Lowestoft-reg LT345, fishing. Sunk by
gunfire of U.62 (Ernst Hashagen) 15 miles W of Trevose
Head, Cornwall (wi - in 50.30N, 05.24W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
FOLIA, 6,705/1907, Cunard SS Co, London-reg,
1-12pdr, 85 crew, Mr F Inch, New York for Avonmouth
with general cargo, including trench digging
machinery, empty brass shell cases, general war
stores. Torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose), sank 4 miles
ESE of Ram Head, Youghal (L/wi - 4 miles SE of, in
51.55.50N, 07.36.15W; te - in 51.51N, 07.41W); 7 crew
lost (H/L/te/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Spectator, 3,808/1914, Charente SS Co (T
& J Harrison), Liverpool, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire. Sunk 19 August 1917 (H/ms)
Central Atlantic
HORNGARTH, 3,609/1911, Horngarth SS Co,
Cardiff-reg, stern-mounted gun, Mr Ivor Stainthorp,
Montevideo for Plymouth with maize. Seeadler requested
a chronometer check which was ignored by Horngarth,
proceeded to simulate a fire and send up distress
flares, Horngarth changed course to assist, the raider
than hoisted the German ensign and destroyed her
wireless installation with 88mm shell, an attempt was
made to man her gun but the British ship surrendered,
boarding party took some supplies, placed scuttling
charges and opened sea-cocks, sinking her 220 miles
ENE true from St Paul Rocks, off Brazil (L - 02.15N,
26.20W); one life lost - possibly the wireless
operator (H/L/Mn/kp)
Indian Ocean
WORDSWORTH, 3,509/1915, Shakespear Shipping
Co, London-reg, sailing Bassein for Delagoa Bay/London
with rice, stores. Sighted by raider Wolf at 0930,
Friedrichshafen FF.33e seaplane launched to report on
her and again later to prepare to bomb if necessary.
Sometime in the late afternoon, Wolf fired warning
shot across the bows, the British ship stopped 680
miles E true of Mahe, Seychelles (kp - in 04.30S,
67E), some rice was trans-shipped before she was
scuttled by opened sea-cocks and scuttling charges on
the 18th (H/L/Mn/kp)
Monday, 12 March 1917
US government announced that all merchant ships
in the war zone would be armed.
U.85 sunk by Q-ship Privet off Devon; UB.6 stranded in
North Sea on Dutch coast, interned
North Sea
LUCY ANDERSON, 1,073/1904, Roberts &
Cooper Ltd, Hull-reg, 18 crew, Hartlepool for
Gothenburg with coal, proceeding at 8kts. Captured by
UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns), sunk by gunfire 55 miles
ESE of Noss Head, near Wick (L/te/wi - in 58.27N,
01.18W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
British collier (and an Admiralty chartered collier)
mined in field laid by UC.4 (Georg Reimarus), sank off
Orford Ness, Suffolk:
PONTYPRIDD,
1,556/1883, South Metropolitan Gas Co, London-reg (was
Morel Bros, Cardiff), 19 crew, Mr A Lowe, Tyne for
London with coal, in convoy. Sank off Aldeburgh Napes
(L - abreast of; te - in 52.08N, 01.46E; un – in
52.08N, 01.46E; wi - in 52.05N, 01.36E); 3 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
__________
Ravelston, 2,085/1906, Raveslton SS Co
(Gillespie & Nicol), Glasgow. Torpedo missed
(H/ms)
English Channel
TOPAZ, 696/1896, William Robertson, sailing
Honfleur for Port Talbot in ballast. Torpedoed by
UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), sank 27 miles E by N 1/2 N of
Cape Barfleur (L - 30 miles NW of Cape La Heve; te -
in 49.50N, 00.40W); 3 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Four vessels sunk by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen):
GLYNYMEL,
1,394/1890, Harris Bros, sailing Havre for Swansea in
ballast. Captured, sunk by torpedo 23 miles S by W of
St Catherine's Point, IoW (L - 15 miles SW of; te - in
50.12N, 01.11W); one life lost (H/L/te)
MEMNON,
3,203/1890, Elder Line, Liverpool-reg, Mr R Bris,
Dakar/West Africa for Hull with general cargo.
Torpedoed, sank 20 miles SW of Portland Bill, Dorset
(wi - 50.15.05N, 02.42.58W); 6 crew lost (H/L/te/wi)
FORGET-ME-NOT,
ketch-rigged sailing smack, c40/1911, E L Painter,
Lowestoft-reg LT1163, fishing. Captured 12 miles SW by
W of Portland Bill, not known how sunk (H/L/bm)
REINDEER (1),
ketch-rigged sailing smack, 52/1914, Samuel Salisbury
Drew, Brixham-reg BM3, sailed Brixham for fishing
& return. Captured 15 miles SE of Berry Head,
Brixham, Devon (wi - in 50.14N, 03.10W), not known how
sunk (H/L/bm/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Ten sailing smacks fishing captured by UC.47
(Paul Hundius) and sunk by bombs off Trevose Head,
Cornwall. "Wreck Index" - "eight fishing vessels …..
sunk on the same day by the same enemy craft":
PROVERB,
ketch-rigged, 24/1902, F Setterfield & A H
Lanfear, Ramsgate-reg R16, sailed from Preston. Sunk
25 miles NW of (wi - in 50.47N, 05.35W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
HYACINTH,
61grt. Sunk 15 miles N by W of (wi - 15 miles NNW of,
in 50.47N, 05.10W) (H/L/un/wi)
RIVINA, 22grt.
Sunk 15 miles NNW of (wi - in 50.47N, 05.10W)
(H/L/un/wi)
JESSAMINE,
ketch-rigged, 56/1899, William Brown, Lowestoft-reg
LT93. Sunk 14 miles NNW of (wi - in 50.46N, 05.08W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
LENT LILY,
23grt. Sunk 13 miles NNW of (wi - in 50.45N, 05.09W)
(H/L/un/wi)
C. A. S.,
56grt. Sunk 12 miles NNW of (wi - in 50.46N, 05.10W)
(H/L/un/wi)
NELLIE, 60grt.
Sunk 13 miles N by W of (wi - in 50.45N, 05.07W)
(H/L/un/wi)
GRACIA, 25grt.
Sunk 12 miles N by W of (wi - 12 miles NNW of, in
50.44N, 05.07W) (H/L/un/wi)
INTER-NOS (un
– Internos), 59grt. Sunk c12 miles NNW of (wi - in
50.44N, 05.07W) (H/L/un/wi)
ENA, 56grt.
Sunk 10 miles N by W of (wi - in 50.42N, 05.05W); fate
of crew not known. (H/L/un/wi)
__________
Winnebago, tanker, 4,666/1915, Anglo-American
Oil Co, Sunderland, armed, sailing Baton Rouge for
Brest with fuel oil. Torpedoed by U.70 (Otto Wünsche)
20 miles N true of Bishop Light, damaged, towed in to
Plymouth Sound (H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s) and
escaped:
Raphael,
4,699/1898, Liverpool, Brazil & River Plate Steam
Navigation Co (Lamport & Holt), Liverpool. Chased
(H/ms)
Semantha,
2,847/1899, Haws SS Co, Liverpool. Gun attack, got
away under cover of smoke screen (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Port Chalmers, 6,534/1907, Commonwealth
Lines, armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Tuesday, 13 March 1917
UC.68 sunk by own mines in English Channel off
Devon
North Sea
Two trawlers captured by UC.44 (Kurt
Tebbenjohanns):
NAVENBY,
trawler, 167/1891, W Grant, Grimsby-reg, fishing.
Captured, sunk by bomb 85 miles E by S 1/2 S of
Rattray Head, N of Peterhead (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
NUTTALIA,
trawler, 229/1899, North Eastern Steam Fishing,
Grimsby-reg, fishing. Original sources believe she was
captured in March, possibly by U-boat, listed by HMSO
at end of March, taken to German port (L - captured
previous to 16 March, later sunk). Uboat.net confirms
her as captured by UC.44, probably off Scotland, and
taken as prize (H/L/Lr/gy)
___________
Two British sailing smacks on fishing gounds
captured by UB.32 (Max Viebeg), sunk by gunfire off
Smith's Knoll Middle Buoy, off Winterton-on-Sea, N of
Yarmouth:
COMRADES,
58grt. Sunk 2 1/2 m W of (wi - in 52.43N, 02.14E)
(H/L/un/wi)
GOLD SEEKER,
62grt. Sunk 4 miles off (wi - in 52.43N, 02.11E)
(H/L/un/wi)
English Channel
TRY, sailing smack, 34grt, fishing. Captured
by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen), sunk by gunfire 10
miles S of Wolf Rock, off Land's End (wi - in 49.52N,
05.46W) (H/L/un/wi)
St George's Channel
BRIKA, 3,549/1908, English & American
Shipping Co, London-reg, 1-15pdr, 33 crew, Mr F
Tamlin, Santiago de Cuba/Queenstown for London (te -
Bristol) with 5,000t sugar. (te/un - 14th) - Torpedoed
by UC.47 (Paul Hundius), sank 13 miles SE by S of
Coningbeg LV, SE of Waterford Harbour (te/wi - in
51.55N, 06.24W); 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Glencliffe,
3,673/1910, Glencliffe SS Co (Milburn, Lundy), Whitby,
armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 12 April
1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
ELIZABETH ELEANOR, sailing vessel, 169grt,
sailing Malaga/Gibraltar for Bristol with iron ore.
Captured by U.70 (Otto Wünsche), sunk by gunfire 77
miles NW by W 1/2 W of Trevose Head, Cornwall (L - in
50.47N, 06.58W) (H/L)
Trecarne,
4,196/1915, Hain SS Co, St Ives, armed. Gun attack W
of Scillies, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic NW of Ireland
CORONDA, 2,733/1892, Christian Salvesen,
Leith-reg, armed, Clyde for South Georgia with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.81 Raimund Weisbach), sank 180
miles NW of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L - in 56.11N,
13.04W); 9 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off W and SW Ireland
Two vessels (and a Q-ship steamer) torpedoed by
U.61 (Victor Dieckmann):
NORTHWAITE,
3,626/1905, Raithwaite SS Co, Cardiff-reg, 1-4.7in, 32
crew, Mr W Budden, Sfax/Bona for Dublin with phosphate
rock. Torpedoed at 0015, sank 14 miles WNW of the
Blaskets, off Dingle Bay (te - in 52.11N, 11.07W; wi -
in 52.07N, 10.57W, also 12 miles W of Dingle); crew
picked up at 0315 by British warship, landed at
Berehaven (H/L/te/un/wi)
Luciline,
tanker, 3,765/1899, Luciline Navigation Co (Lane &
MacAndrew), London, sailing New York for Havre with
naphtha. Torpedoed 40 miles WNW of Tearaght Is (L - in
52.30N, 11.30W), damaged, beached Ventry Harbour on
15th, later refloated; 15 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
__________
Burgundy, 3,364/1901, D MacIver, Sons &
Co, Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for River
Plate with general cargo. Gun attack (L - in 56N,
10.50W), saved by own gunfire, damaged according to
Lloyds. Not listed in Uboat.net as damaged (H/L/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
NORWEGIAN, 6,327/1913, Leyland Line,
Liverpool-reg, 1-4.7in, 47 crew, Mr W Brown, New York
for Liverpool with bagged grain, mails and general
cargo. Mined, laid by UC.43 (Erwin Sebelin), sank 4
miles SW of Seven Heads, near Clonakilty Bay, Co Cork
(L/wi - about 5 miles SW of, in 51N, 08.47.30W); 5
crew lost. Sixty ingots of nickel recovered in 1920
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Western Atlantic
DEMETERTON, 6,048/1914, jointly by Carlton SS
Co & Camboy SS Co, Newcastle-reg, sailing Halifax
for UK with timber. Raider Möwe approached and opened
fire, stopped immediately, boarding party laid
scuttling charges, because of the timber cargo 5.9in
shells were fired into the waterline to speed her
sinking 730 miles E by N true of Cape Race,
Newfoundland (L - 48.27N, 35.35W) (H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Wednesday, 14 March 1917
English Channel
REWARD, sailing vessel, 172grt. Listed as
missing by Lloyds; uboat.net describes her as sunk by
UC.72 (Ernst Voight), S of Start Point in 49.55N,
03.15W (L/un only)
Orsova,
passenger ship, 12,036/1909, Orient Steam Navigation
Co, Glasgow, armed, sailing London for Devonport with
government stores. Torpedoed by UC.68 (Hans Degetau) 3
miles E by S 1/2 S of The Eddystone, beached Cawsand
Bay, near Plymouth on 17th, later refloated; 8 lives
lost (H/L/ms/un)
Fallodon,
3,012/1903, London & Northern SS Co (Pyman Bros),
London, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk
28 December 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s) and
escaped:
Polescar,
ex-German, 5,832 (ms – 5,826)/1914, British
Government. Chased (H/ms)
Tortuguero,
passenger & cargo ship, 4,175 (ms – 4,161)/1909,
Elders & Fyffes, Glasgow. Gun attack. Sunk 26 June
1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Ireland
BRAY HEAD, 3,077/1894, Head Line,
Belfast-reg, armed, St John (NB) for Belfast with
general cargo. Captured by U.44 (Paul Wagenführ), sunk
by gunfire 375 miles NW by W of Fastnet Rock, Co Cork
(L/te - in 52.04N, 18.50W); 21 lives lost including
master (H/L/te/un)
GOVERNOR,
5,524/1915, Charente SS Co, Liverpool-reg, Mr Packe,
sailing from Liverpool. Governor opened fire when Möwe
approached, raider moved out of arc of fire and soon
stopped her with a number of shell hits, crew taken
off, sea-cocks opened but finished off with a torpedo
amidships sinking her 930 miles W 1/2 S true from
Fastnet; 4 crew killed by the shelling, remainder
taken prisoner. This was Möwe’s last victim as she
headed back to Germany from her first cruise with over
800 prisoners (H/L/Mn/kp)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
PAIGNTON, 2,017/1911, Globe Shipping,
Cardiff-reg, 1-12pdr, 24 crew, Mr A Smith,
Greece/Gibraltar for Glasgow with 2,800t magnesite.
Captured by U.81 (Raimund Weisbach), sunk by gunfire
40 miles NW of The Skelligs, near Valentia Is (te/wi -
in 52.01N, 11.29W); one crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Ranella, tanker, 5,583/1912, Anglo-Saxon
Petroleum Co, London, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk in
WW2 (H/ms)
Thursday, 15 March 1917
Dover Straits
COONAGH, 1,412/1904, Limerick SS Co,
Limerick-reg, Mr Power, sailed Middlesbrough 10th for
Rouen with cast iron ingots/pigs, off River Thames on
13th, went missing, posted by Lloyds 18/4/17.
Confirmed torpedoed by UC.16 (Egon von Werner), sank
in The Downs, off Kent (un – in 49.55N, 00.42E; wi -
also possibly mine laid by UC.16 in 51.30N, 01E); 10
crew lost including master (H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Lepanto, 6,389/1915, Thomas Wilson, Sons
& Co, Hull, armed, sailing New York for Hull with
munitions, general cargo. Gun attack 10-12 miles SW of
Lizard Point, saved by own gunfire, damaged according
to Lloyds. Not listed in Uboat.net as damaged. Sunk in
WW2 (H/L/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Willaston, 5,658grt, armed. Gun attack at
entrance to English Channel, saved by own gunfire (ms
– presumably 4,309/1914, Wirral Transportation Co
(Edgar), Liverpool (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
FRIMAIRE, ex-Corso, 1,778/1900, Plisson Steam
Navigation Co, London, armed, sailing St Nazaire for
Bayonne (te - Glasgow for St Nazaire) in ballast.
Torpedoed by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel), sank 21
miles SSE of Belle Ile, W of St Nazaire (te/un - in
47.03N, 02.26W); 12 lives lost including master. Note:
attacked 15 July 1915 while bearing name Corso
according to HMSO index (H/L/dk/te/un)
Friday, 16 March 1917
German commerce raider Leopard, 4,652grt,
ex-British Yarrowdale captured 11/12/16 by raider
Möwe, 5-5.9in/4-3.45in/2tt sailed from Germany, sunk
in the North Sea near the Faeroes by armoured cruiser
Achilles and armed boarding steamer Dundee. Went down
with all hands including Dundee's boarding party of
one officer and five men.
English Channel
SIR JOSEPH, wood ketch, 84/1879, J J Nash,
Plymouth-reg, Mr A Brown, Granville for Plymouth in
ballast. Captured by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), sunk by
bombs 30 miles SSE of Start Point, Devon (wi - 49.48N,
03.14W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
NORMA PRATT, 4,416/1907, Brantingham SS Co,
Havre for New York with hides, wine. Captured by U.70
(Otto Wünsche), sunk by torpedo 150 miles W of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (te - in 48.53N 09.53W); chief officer,
3rd engineer taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two vessels captured by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien) and
sunk by bombs off Co Waterford:
PENCAER,
ketch-rigged sailing smack, 46/1915, Milford owner,
Milford-reg M25, Brixham crew, fishing. Sunk 8 miles
SE of Mine Head LH, S of Dungarvan (wi - in 51.56N,
07.23W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
WILLIAM MARTYN
or William Martin, schooner, 104/1878, A William
Corney, Barnstaple-reg, 4 crew, Mr A Correy, Newport
(Mon) for Cork with coal. Ship’s stores taken off,
sunk 9 miles S by W 1/2 W of Ram Head, Youghal (wi - 9
miles S by W of, in 51.47.30N, 07.40W at 1610)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
NARRAGANSETT, bulk petroleum tanker,
9,196/1903, Anglo-American Oil, Greenock-reg, armed,
Mr C Harwood, New York for London with lubricating
oil. Torpedoed and sunk by U.44 (Paul Wagenführ)
(te/wi - in 50.12N, 17.34W); 46 crew lost including
master (H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW France
Raymond, brigantine, 200grt, sailing Quimper
for Fowey in ballast. Gun attack off Ushant (L - 3
miles N by W of Penmarc’h Pt), rescued, put into
Brest, damaged according to Lloyds. Not listed in
Uboat.net as damaged (H/L/Lr)
Saturday, 17 March 1917
North Sea
British trawler (and two more British fishing
vessels sailing to fit out for naval service), sunk by
surfaced UC.50 (Rudolf Seuffer):
KESTREL (2),
trawler, 181/1898, A Bannister, Grimsby-reg, fishing.
Captured, sunk by gunfire 20 miles E by S of Longstone
(H/L/Lr/gy/un)
St George's Channel
Two vessels sunk by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien) off
Coningbeg LV, off Saltee Is, Co Wexford:
ANTONY,
passenger ship, 6,446/1907, Booth SS Co,
Liverpool-reg, 1-6in QF, 126 crew, Mr A Stoker, Para
for Liverpool with rubber bales, general cargo, 4
passengers. Torpedoed, sank 19 miles W by N of (L - 14
miles SW of; te/wi - in 51.56N, 07.09W); 55 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wd/wi)
GUARD,
ketch-rigged sailing smack, c38/1908, built for
William Blackmore (died 14/11/14) of Lowestoft, owned
by his widow Dorothy Kate Blackmore, Brixham-reg
BM280, fishing. Captured, sunk by gunfire 8 miles SW
of (wi - in 51.57.45N, 06.50W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Ruahine, passenger & cargo ship,
10,758/1909, New Zealand Shipping Co, Plymouth, armed.
U-boat attack 167 miles SW by S of Fastnet, torpedo
missed (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Baygitano, 3,073/1905, Bay SS Co, armed.
U-boat attack W of Ushant, torpedo missed. Sunk 18
March 1918 (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
TASSO, 1,859/1904, Bolivian General
Enterprise, sailing Manchester for La Pallice with war
materials. Originally believed torpedoed, now
confirmed mined, laid by UC.70 (Werner Fürbringer)),
sank 5 miles S of lle de Groix, off Lorient; 19 lives
lost including master (H/L/te/un) RN
cas
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Anglo-Egyptian,
7,379/1912, Nitrate Producers’ SS Co (Lawther, Latta),
London. Chased, escaped (H/ms)
Karmala, 8,983
(ms – 8,947)/1914, Peninsular & Oriental Steam
Navigation Co (P&O), Liverpool. Torpedo/gun
attack, torpedo missed, saved by defensive gunfire
(H/ms)
Sunday, 18 March 1917
German Destroyer Raid on Dover Straits
GREYPOINT, 894/1889, W A Massey, Hull-reg,
sailing Rouen for Tyne in ballast, engine trouble,
anchored just outside the entrance to the Downs.
Torpedoed by a destroyer of 2nd Zeebrugge Half
Flotilla, 2 miles SE by E of Broadstairs Landing (L -
2 to 2 1/2 m SE by E of Broadstairs Pier); crew
rescued by drifter R.R.S. (H/L/Lr/Rn/Mn/ap)
Atlantic off SW England
JOSHUA NICHOLSON, 1,853/1880, Joshua
Nicholson SS, North Shields-reg, armed, sailing London
for Alexandria with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.70
(Otto Wünsche), sank off Wolf Rock, off Lands End
(te/wi - in 49.37N, 06.37W); 26 lives lost including
master (H/L/dk/te)
Monday, 19 March 1917
Atlantic W of SW England & NW France
Two more armed steamships torpedoed and sunk by
U.81 (Raimund Weisbach):
ALNWICK CASTLE,
passenger ship, 5,900/1901, Union Castle Mail SS Co,
London-reg, served as troopship, returned to
mercantile service, London/Plymouth for Cape Town with
passengers, general cargo, one day out on the 18th
picked up survivors from SS Trevose, total of 139
people on board. Sunk 310 miles W 1/2 S of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (L/te/wd - in 47.38N, 13.24W; but wd -
310 miles SW of); 40 lives lost including three from
Trevose. After abandoning ship, lifeboats became
separated in worsening weather, two were never seen
again, remaining four drifted between five and ten
days and a number of people died from exposure. One
boat was rescued by Spanish fishermen near Cape
Ortegal, and a second out at sea by liner Venezia
(H/L/Mn/ge/te/un/wd)
FRINTON,
4,194/1912, J A Mango, sailing Cartagena for
Middlesbrough with government stores (te - iron ore).
Sunk 320 miles W by N 1/2 N of Ushant (L - 350 miles W
of Scillies; te - in 48.00N 13.00W); 4 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 20 March 1917
English Channel
HAZELPARK, 1,964/1916, Denholm Line, armed,
Tyne for La Rochelle with coal. Torpedoed by UC.66
(Herbert Pustkuchen), sank 3 miles S by E of Start
Point, Devon (L - 3 to 3 1/2 m SE of; te - in 50.11N,
03.35W) (H/L/te)
Indian Ocean
Danubian, tanker, 5,064/1909, Petroleum SS Co
(Lane & MacAndrew), London, sailing Perim for
unknown destination. Mined 11 miles S by W of Asses
Ears, Aden (L - on 22nd, 11 miles S16ºW of Ass’s Ear),
probably laid by raider Iltis (captured British SS
Turritella) night of 4th/5th, reached Aden (H/L/kp/ms)
Wednesday, 21 March 1917
English Channel
Two vessels attacked by UC.66 (Herbert
Pustkuchen):
Asturias,
hospital ship, passenger ship, 12,002/1908, Royal Mail
Steam Navigation Co, Belfast, in War Office service,
sailed from Malta, landed wounded at Avonmouth, now
heading for Southampton fully illuminated. (tr/www –
around midnight on 20th; mh – on 21st) - Torpedoed
aft, stern blown off and badly damaged 5 miles S of
Start Point (L - 6 miles S of), beached near Bolt Head
at entrance to Salcombe Harbour with steering gear and
starboard propeller shaft wrecked, declared total
loss; 35 lives lost including MN stewardess (tr - 43
lives, suggesting 8 medical staff after allowance for
the 35 crew listed in HMSO; ge/www - 41 lives). Bought
by the government, salvaged, arrived Plymouth 19/4/17,
used as ammunition hulk at Plymouth, later rebuilt for
mercantile service (H/L/Mn/ge/me/mh/tr/un/www)
AVANCE,
sailing smack, c60grt, fishing. Captured, sunk by
gunfire about 25 miles WSW of Portland Bill (wi - in
50.25.30N, 02.45W) (H/L/un/wi)
__________
Huntscape, ex-German, 2,933/1911, Elder
Dempster & Co (ms – British Government), armed,
sailing Boulogne for Portsmouth in light condition.
Originally listed as torpedoed, but now as mined, laid
by UC.17 (Ralph Wenninger) in 49.39N, 00.00 (un – off
Beachy Head), damaged, reached port. Sunk in WW2
(H/L/ms/un)
RIO SOROCABA,
4,307/1906, Leander SS Co, London-reg, 35 crew, Port
Louis for Havre with 6,400t sugar. Captured by UC.48
(Kurt Ramien), sunk by bombs 10 miles S of The
Eddystone, off Plymouth (te - in 50.04N, 04.13W; L/wi
- 10 miles E of, in 49.59.20N, 04.16.10W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
off SW Britain
ACTON, 207/1917, Acton SS Co, London-reg,
sailed Liverpool 15th for St Malo with general cargo,
sighted off Fishguard 21st, went missing, posted by
Lloyds 2/5/17. On or after 21th - sunk by U-boat, not
known how; 6 lives lost including master (un –
possibly on 22nd when UC.17 may have been in the area)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
STANLEY, 3,987/1914, Pyman SS Co, armed,
Newport News for Cherbourg with oats, iron ore (te -
grain). Torpedoed by U.24 (Walter Remy), sank 230
miles W by N of Fastnet (L/te - in 50.50N, 16W); 8
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
HINDUSTAN, 3,692/1912, Hindustan SS Co,
sailing Beaumont (te - Newport News/Halifax (NS)) for
Queenstown with timber. Torpedoed by U.46 (Leo
Hillebrand), sank 150 miles WNW of Fastnet (L - 130 to
135 miles W true of Mizen Head; te - in 51.25N,
13.30W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 22 March 1917
German commerce raider Möwe returned to Germany
from her second cruise (Cn - total of 40 ships of
182,785grt; kp - 38 ships of 165,340grt plus one more;
nh - 39 ships of 173,004grt)
North Sea
RIO COLORADO, 3,565/1903, London-American
Maritime Trading Co, London-reg, 28 crew, Mr A
Cromach, La Plata/Montevideo for Newcastle with wheat,
carrying pilot, approaching examination vessel in
heavy seas. Mined amidships at 0545, laid by UC.50,
sank at 0625 in entrance to River Tyne (L/wi - 15 to
40yd off North Pier, in 55.00.57N, 01.22.38W); 10 crew
lost, including chief officer, boatswain, 2 seaman aft
drowned, 2nd engineer and three fireman reported
missing, master drowned swimming to examination
vessel, survivors and pilot picked up by examination
vessel, landed at New Quay, North Shields (H/L/te/wi)
English Channel
Two vessels sunk by UC.17 (Ralph Wenninger):
ROTORUA,
passenger ship, 11,140/1910, New Zealand Shipping Co,
Plymouth-reg, 1-4.7in, 148 crew, from Wellington via
Newport News with 238 passengers, 5,600t New Zealand
produce, arrived Plymouth 21st, landed all passengers,
left next day for London, steaming at 13kts.
Torpedoed, sank 24 miles E of Start Point, Devon (L -
50.18N, 02.56.30W; te - in 50.17N, 03.07W; wi - in
50.18.26N, 02.59.40W); one life lost - steward fell
overboard and drowned (H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
CURLEW (2),
ketch-rigged sailing smack, 51/1904, Joseph Whicher,
Brixham-reg BM227, sailed Brixham for fishing.
Captured, sunk by bomb 14 miles S of Berry Head (wi -
in 50.10N, 03.26W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
__________
Perseverance (2), sailing smack, 30grt,
Ramsgate-reg R118, fishing. Attacked and damaged, put
into Plymouth (L/bm)
English Channel and St George's Channel
Two steamships sunk by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien):
CHORLEY,
3,828/1901, Brys & Glysen, London-reg, 27 crew,
Norfolk (Va) for Havre with 6,525t munitions and
general cargo. Torpedoed, sank 25 miles E by S of
Start Point (L - 23 miles E by S of; te - in 50.14N,
03.02W; wi - 28 miles E by S of; both L/wi - in
50.18N, 03.02W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
PROVIDENCE,
2,970/1903, The Admiralty (T B Royden), London, armed,
Cork for France with hay. Originally listed as
torpedoed, now mined, laid by UC.48 on unknown date,
sank 1 1/2 m S by W 1/2 W of Barrels LV, off Co
Wexford (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off W Ireland
STUART PRINCE, 3,597/1899, Prince Line,
armed, Manchester/Belfast for Alexandria with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.66 (Thorwold von Bothmer), sank
85 miles N by W of Broad Haven, Co Mayo (L/te - in
55.28N, 11.20W); 20 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
South Pacific, 3,661/1913, Pacific Shipping
Ltd, Sunderland, armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire
(H/ms)
Friday, 23 March 1917
North Sea
Two unarmed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
torpedoes missed:
Genesee (1),
2,892 (ms – 2,899)/1900, Anglo-Algerian SS Co (1896)
Ltd (Strick), Swansea (H/ms)
Sagenite,
712/1905, W Robertson, Glasgow. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
English Channel
Three steamships sunk by UB.39 (Heinrich
Küstner):
ACHILLE ADAM,
460/1887, South Eastern & Chatham Railway
Companies Managing Committee, London-reg, 14 crew, Mr
R Kilbie, St Valery for Newhaven, just 3 passengers.
Captured, sunk by bombs 31 miles SE by S of Beachy
Head, near Eastbourne (wi - 50.30.20N, 00.47E); 6
lives lost (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
CLAN MACMILLAN,
4,525/1901, Clan Line, Glasgow-reg, 1-4.7in, 91 crew,
Mr George Young, Chittagong via London for Glasgow
with coir matting. Torpedoed, sank 5 miles SW of
Newhaven (te - 10 miles W of Beachy Head, in 50.41N,
00.01W; wi - in 50.43.34N, 00.00.43E) (H/L/te/un/wi)
EXCHANGE,
279/1884, Manchester, Liverpool & North Wales SS
Co, Liverpool-reg. Captured, sunk by gunfire 30 miles
NW of Cayeux, Somme estuary; 8 lives lost (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
Two steamships accounted for by UC.17 (Ralph
Wenninger):
Mexico,
passenger ship, 5,549/1902, Pacific Steam Navigation
Co, Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool/London for
Valparaiso with general cargo. Originally listed as
torpedoed off Dungeness, now mined, laid by UC.17
(Ralph Wenninger) off Beachy Head, not known when
laid, damaged, towed into Tilbury Docks on 26th
(H/L/ms/un)
MAINE,
3,616/1905, Atlantic Transport Line, London-reg,
1-4.7in, 43 crew, London for Philadelphia with chalk
and general cargo. Torpedoed, sank 11 miles SE by E of
Start Point, Devon (L - 50.12N, 03.53W; un – 9
1/2 miles SSW of Dartmouth; wi - 50.12.45N,
03.50.53W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic W of SW England
Crown of Granada, 2,746/1902, Crown SS Co
(Prentice, Service & Henderson), Glasgow, armed,
sailing London for Barbados. Gun attack (L - in 49N,
15.50W), saved by own gunfire, damaged according to
Lloyds. Not listed in Uboat.net as damaged (H/L/Mn/ms)
Central Mediterranean
EPTALOFOS, 4,431/1911, Lydford SS, armed,
sailing Malta for Kingston (Ja) in ballast. Torpedoed
by U.64 (Robert Moraht), sank 47 miles NW of Malta;
master, 2 officers, 4 engineers and gunner taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 24 March 1917
English Channel
Nine sailing smacks fishing captured by UC.17
(Ralph Wenninger) and sunk with bombs off Eddystone
Rock, off Plymouth:
BOY WALTER,
43grt. Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi - in 50.03N, 03.56W)
(H/L/un/wi)
ENIGMA, 24grt.
Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi - in 50.03N, 03.56W) (H/L/wi)
MAYFLOWER,
ketch-rigged, 38/1889, G S Pease, ex-Dartmouth DH283,
now Plymouth-reg or based. Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi -
in 50.03N, 03.56W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
QUI VIVE (2),
cutter-rigged, 22/1900, W G Easton, ex-Ramsgate R22,
now Brixham-reg BM349. Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi - in
50.02N, 03.56W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
H. C. G.,
24grt. Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi - in 50.02N, 03.57W)
(H/L/un/wi)
ENDEAVOUR (1),
ketch-rigged, 25/1894, Thomas Walter Chapman,
Ramsgate-reg R126. Sunk 15 miles SE of (wi - in
50.02N, 03.58W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
REINDEER (2),
ketch-rigged, 28/1889, R Brenchley, Ramsgate-reg R62.
(bm - 27th) - Sunk 15 miles S of (H/L/un/bm)
ALICE, 61grt.
Sunk 12 miles SSW of (wi - in 49.59N, 04.17W)
(H/L/un/wi)
SATANITA,
30grt. Sunk 12 miles SSW of (wi - in 49.59N, 04.16W)
(H/L/un/wi)
__________
Ionian, 8,268 (ms – 8,265)/1901, Allan Line
SS Co, Glasgow, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 20 October
1917 (H/ms)
Irish Sea & St George's Channel
Three British vessels captured by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) and sunk by bombs:
FAIREARN,
592/1915, James Inglis, Glasgow-reg, 13 crew, Mr A
Robertson, sailing Garston for Cork with coal. Sunk 16
miles WNW of South Stack Rock, Holy Is, Anglesey (L/wi
- 17 miles WNW of, in 53.30N, 05W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
ENNISTOWN,
ex-Eimstad, 689/1908, Town Line (Harrison, Sons &
Co), London, Cardiff-reg, 14 crew, Mr T Tippett,
Dublin for Cardiff in ballast. Sunk 10 miles SE of
South Arklow LV, off Co Wicklow (wi - in 52.35N,
06.44W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
HOWE, 3-mast
schooner, 175/1871, K Pedersen, Gloucester-reg, 6
crew, Mr H Chapple, Garston for Cork with coal. Sunk 4
miles NE of North Arklow LV (L - 4 miles NE by N of
South Arklow LV, in 52.42N, 06.03.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW
Ireland
Coronado, passenger & cargo ship,
6,539/1915, Elders & Fyffes, Belfast, armed. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic
Shimosa, 4,221/1902, New York & Oriental
SS Co (Barber), Liverpool, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire. Sunk 30 July 1917 (H/ms)
Sunday, 25 March 1917
North Sea
PRINCE OF WALES, trawler, 158/1891, J
Pattison, Skipper E George, on fishing grounds.
Captured by UC.77 (Reinhard von Rabenau), sunk by
bombs (un – also possibly mined 1/2 ) 17 miles E
Hartlepool-reg, by S of Girdle Ness (un – in 57.10N,
01.32W; wi - 57.09N, 01.13W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Three trawlers on fishing grounds captured by UC.75
(Johannes Lohs) and sunk by bombs off Aberdeen:
MEDIAN,
214/1908, Onward Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg GY384,
Skipper J Brown. Sunk 30 miles E by S of (wi - in
57.10N, 01.07W) (H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
ROSSLYN,
113/1892, Rosslyn Fishing, Leith-reg. Sunk 54 miles E
1/2 S of Girdle Ness (L - 54 miles E 1/2 S of)
(H/L/Lr/un)
INDUSTRIA,
133/1887, F & T Ross, Hull-reg H14. Originally
listed as reportedly captured by U-boat, not known how
sunk or when (H - listed with other trawlers at end of
April; L – 12 April but uncertain), now confirmed sunk
by UC.75 on this date (H/L/Lr/hw/un)
__________
Hornchurch, 2,159/1916, J Hudson & Co,
London, sailing London for Sutherland in ballast.
Mined 6 miles SW of Shipwash LV. Sunk 3 August 1917
(L/ms only)
English Channel
Two sailing vessels captured by UC.69 (Erwin
Wassner) and sunk by bombs off Beachy Head, near
Eastbourne, Sussex:
MARY ANNIE
(1), 3-mast schooner, 154/1893, H P Thomas,
Carnarvon-reg, 6 crew, Mr G Jones, Glasgow for Treport
with coal. U-boat surfaced half a mile off at 0545,
fired one shot to make her heave to, then went off to
sink S/V Huntleys. On returning, the U-boat crew
boarded, took away food and equipment, and placed
scuttling charges, sinking her at 0620, 28 miles SSW
of (wi - in 50.19N, 00.14W), ship’s papers burnt by
the master; crew picked up at 1300 by SS Presto,
(H/Lr/un/wi)
HUNTLEYS,
brigantine, 186/1865, J K Morris, Faversham-reg, Mr A
Martin, 6 crew, Bristol for Dieppe with 310t pitch.
Sunk 28 miles SSW of (wi - 50.18.15N, 00.01W), U-boat
then returned to sink Mary Annie; survivors made off
in own boat, also picked up by SS Presto at 1300, both
crews transferred to torpedo boat or destroyer, landed
at Newhaven (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
St George's Channel
Two vessels sunk by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck):
ADENWEN,
3,793/1913, W & C T Jones SS Co, Cardiff-reg,
1-12pdr, 33 crew, Mr W Ladd, Cienfuegos/Queenstown for
Liverpool with sugar. Torpedoed, sank 6 miles SE by E
of North Arklow LV, off Co Wicklow (L - 6 miles SW by
S of West Arklow LV; te/wi - in 52.36N, 05.37W); 10
crew lost (H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
BRANDON,
barque, 130/1862, J Crooks, Barrow-reg, sailing
Portmadoc for Waterford with slates. Originally listed
as possibly lost on the 25th (L - 25th), reported sunk
by U-boat presumably in St George's Channel area but
not known how. Now confirmed sunk by UC.65 off Codling
Bank; 4 lives lost including master (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Manhattan (1), passenger ship, 8,004/1898,
National SS Co, Belfast, armed. Gun attack W of
Scillies, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
BAYNAEN, 3,227/1904, Bay SS Co, London-reg,
armed, Tegal/Dakar for Havre/Nantes with sugar.
Torpedoed by UC.36 (Gustav Buch), sank 20 miles NW by
W of Belle Ile (L/te - in 47.30N, 03.41W); 5 lives
lost (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Thessalia, 3,691/1912, International Line SS
Co (Marwood), Whitby, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk in
WW2 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
QUEEN EUGENIE, 4,358/1909, Dunlop SS Co,
armed, New York for Calcutta with general cargo.
Torpedoed by UC.67 (Karl Neumann), sank 23 miles NNE
of Cani Rocks, off Bizerta, Tunisia; 35 lives lost
including master, apprentice and gunner taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)RN CAS
BERBERA,
4,352/1905, British India Steam Navigation Co,
Sunderland-reg, armed, Bombay for Marseilles with
cotton, grain and manganese ore. Torpedoed by U.64
(Robert Moraht), sank 60 miles E of Catania, Sicily (L
- 37.32N, 15.08E); one life lost, 2nd officer and two
cadets taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Monday, 26 March 1917
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Kelsomoor, 3,174/1914, Moor Line (Runciman),
London. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Loos,
2,787/1901, Union Shipping & Trading Co. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire under cover of smoke
screen. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Trecarne,
4,196/1915, Hain SS Co, St Ives. Chased, escaped
(H/ms)
Tremorvah,
3,654/1905, Hain SS Co, St Ives. Torpedo missed. Sunk
11 April 1917 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
LEDBURY, 3,046/1892, Alexander Shipping,
armed, Karachi for UK (te - Italy) with barley, maize
and peas. Torpedoed by UB.43 (Hans von Mellenthin),
sank 90 miles N by E of Ben Ghazi/Benghazi, Libya; 3
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 27 March 1917
North Sea
GALATIA, trawler, 150/1896, Great Grimsby
& East Coast Steam Fishing Co, Grimsby-reg,
Skipper E Fenner, fishing. (H – 28th) – Captured by
UC.77 (Reinhard von Rabenau), sunk by bomb 30 miles
SSW of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead (wi - in 57N, 02W)
(H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
Irish Sea
KELVINHEAD, 3,063/1905, Glasgow SS Co,
Glasgow-reg, armed, Mr H Colley, sailing
Clyde/Liverpool for Buenos Aires with general cargo.
Mined, laid by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), sank in
Mersey estuary 1/2 m WSW of Liverpool Bar LV (wi
- 250yd SW of Q.2 Buoy, in 53.31.36N, 03.14.54W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
One, possibly two steamships attacked by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg) off The Skelligs
rocks, off Co Kerry:
HOLGATE,
2,604/1896, London & Northern SS Co, London-reg,
1-12pdr, 26 crew, Mr W Williams, Almeria for Barrow
with 3,900t iron ore, one passenger, steaming at 8kts.
Torpedoed by U.57, sank 10 miles NW of (L/wi - 12
miles W of; te - in 51.43N, 10.48W); master taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un/wi)
Ventura de Larrinaga,
4,618 (ms – 4,648)/1908, Miguel de Larrinaga SS Co,
Liverpool, armed, sailing Galveston for Manchester
with general cargo. U-boat gun attack 10 miles N of
Great Skelligs, escaped, damaged according to Lloyds,
put into Cahirsiveen. Not listed in Uboat.net as
damaged (H/L/ms)
__________
NEATH, 5-mast auxiliary steel barque,
5,548/1906, was Bremerhaven-reg, detained at Hull on
outbreak of war, requisitioned by Admiralty,
London-reg, 46 crew, sailing Mauritius for Havre with
7,100t sugar. Torpedoed by U.66 (Thorwald von
Bothmer), sank 28 miles S by E of Fastnet (L - 30
miles SE; wi - in 51 N, 09.15W); master taken prisoner
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
GLENOGLE,
7,682/1916, Glen Line Ltd, armed, sailing Tees/London
for Yokohama with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.24
(Walter Remy), sank 207 miles SW of Fastnet (L/te - in
48.20N, 12W) (H/L/te/un)
Baron Napier,
4,943/1909, Hogarth Shipping Co, Ardrossan, armed.
Torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Andree, 3,689/1916, Green Star Shipping Co,
Cardiff. U-boat attack off Ushant, torpedo missed.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
THRACIA, 2,891/1898, Cunard SS Co, armed,
Bilbao for Ardrossan with iron ore. Torpedoed by UC.69
(Erwin Wassner), sank 12 miles N of Belle Ile (L/te -
in 47.32.30N, 03.19W); 36 lives lost including master
(H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
Le Coq,
tanker, 3,419 (ms – 3,399)/1895, H F Swan (Lane &
MacAndrew), Newcastle. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Kurmark, ex-German, 5,137/1912, presumably
British Government, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Wednesday, 28 March 1917
North Sea
RUBY (1), 234/1882, William Cooper,
Kirkwall-reg, 7 crew, Mr W Meason, Leith for Kirkwell
with general cargo. (L/wi - 29th) - Mined around 1010,
laid by UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns), sank 2 1/2 m from
Auskerry island, S of Stronsay island, Orkneys (wi -
in 59.04N, 02.35.30W); 6 lives lost including master.
The only survivor was a deckhand working in the ship’s
galley who jumped into the sea, got into the ship’s
boat which had floated off, picked up by patrol vessel
30min later and landed at Kirkwall (H/L/un/wi)
MOULMEIN,
trawler, 151/1895, Devon Steam Trawling,
Fleetwood-reg, fishing. Captured by UC.77 (Einhard von
Rabenau), scuttled 25 miles NE from Longstone, Farne
Is (H/L/Lr/fd/un)
HERO (1),
steam screw tug, 66grt, Tees Tug, 4 crew, sailing
Sunderland for Middlesbrough. Heading out of
Sunderland, mined at 1500, laid by UC.40 (Gustav
Deuerlich), sank in six minutes at entrance to River
Wear (wi - in 54.55N, 01.21W); the master was below at
the time and never seen again, another tug took off
the rest of the crew, searched for the master for an
hour, then landed survivors at Middlesbrough
(H/L/un/wi)
OAKWELL,
248/1887, United Glass Bottle Manufacturer's,
Stockton-reg, 9 crew, Mr W Chilvers, Seaham Harbour
for London with empty glass bottles. Originally
believed mined, U-boat-laid, now torpedoed by UB.22
(Bernhard Putzier) at 1140, sank rapidly 3 miles NE of
North Cheek, Robin Hood Bay, S of Whitby (wi - in
54.25.16N, 00.25.04W); 4 crew lost, master and four
crew stayed afloat on wreckage, picked up by British
destroyer, landed at North Shields (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
EXPEDIENT,
145/1893, Hull-reg H219, Great Northern SS Fishing.
Originally listed as reportedly captured by U-boat,
not known how sunk or when (H - listed with other
trawlers at end of April; L – 12 April but uncertain),
now confirmed sunk by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs) on this
date off English East Coast, but not known where
(H/L/Lr/hw/un)
St George's Channel
Four British vessels (and an Admiralty collier)
sunk by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck):
ARDGLASS (1),
778/1914, Ard Coasters, Greenock-reg, 12 crew, Mr N
McQuarrie, Port Talbot for Belfast with steel
material, bar/rod/sheet, steaming at 9kts. (L - 27th)
- Captured, sunk by bombs 4 miles E of South Arklow
LV, Co Wicklow (L - c4 miles SSW of; te - in 52.41N,
05.51W; wi - 4 miles SSW of) (H/L/te/un/wi)
SOUTH ARKLOW
LIGHTVESSEL, Irish Lights Commissioners,
Dublin-reg, 7 crew, at moorings. Boarded from UC.65,
sunk by bombs 10 miles SE by S 1/2 S of (L/wi - 3
miles SSW of South Arklow Bank, in 52.40N, 05.58W)
(H/L/un/wi)
HARVEST HOME,
schooner, 103/1882, G Devereux, Wexford-reg, 5 crew,
Mr J Carrall, sailing Wexford for Garston with timber.
Captured, sunk by gunfire 4 miles NE of South Arklow
Bank (wi - in 52.38N, 05.52W) (H/L/Lr/wi)
SNOWDON RANGE,
4,662/1906, Neptune Steam Navigation Co (Furness Withy
& Co), armed, sailing Philadelphia for Liverpool
with explosives and general cargo. Torpedoed, sunk 25
miles W of Bardsey Island (un – in 52.36N, 05.34W); 4
lives lost (H/un)
__________
Borderer, 4,372/1904, Border Union SS co
(Little), Glasgow, armed. Gun attack, escaped under
cover of nightfall. Lost in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CANNIZARO, 6,133/1914, Wilson Line, Hull-reg,
armed, New York for Hull with government stores,
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.24 (Walter Remy), sank
145 miles SSW of Fastnet (L/te - in 49N, 10W)
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Kurdistan, 3,720/1914, Hindustan SS Co
(Common Bros), Sunderland, armed. Two torpedoes
missed. Sunk 20 September 1917 (H/ms)
Thursday, 29 March 1917
North Sea
KATHLEEN LILY, ex-Eidsvaag, ex-Alban,
ex-Adelaer, ex-Bjorn, ex-Jemtland, ex-Brage, 521/1872,
Bargate SS Co, Grimsby-reg, 14 crew, sailing Shields
for Boulogne/Rouen with coke. Mined, laid by UC.31
(Otto von Schrader), sank 2 miles E of North Cheek,
Robin Hood Bay, Yorkshire (L - 2 1/2 to 3 miles
N of Robin Hood’s Bay; te - in 54.27.30N, 00.28W; wi -
54.28.26N, 00.27.13W); 4 crew lost including master.
Note: an example of the many name and ownership
changes some vessels went through (H/L/te/un/wi)
BYWELL,
1,522/1913, Screw Collier Co, Newcastle-reg, 1-6pdr,
20 crew, Mr W Chipchase, Shields for Rouen with coal,
steaming at 8kts. Torpedoed by UB.21 (Franz Walther)
at 1340, sank in 6min, 3 miles E of Scarborough ( L -
3 miles ESE of; te - in 54.17N, 00.18W; wi -
54.15.51N, 00.13.33W); crew picked up by armed trawler
at 1515 and landed at Scarborough (H/L/te/un/wi)
MASCOTA,
674/1890, was Marina Mercante, Bahia Blanca,
Argentina-reg, 1-6pdr HA, 14 crew, Mr P Consiglieri,
Treport for Newcastle in ballast. (L - 28th/29th; wi -
28th) - Captured by German torpedo boat/destroyer,
sunk 8 miles E of Lowestoft, Suffolk (wi - in
52.29.01N, 01.57.52E), presumably by gunfire or
scuttling charges; 7 crew lost, 7 taken prisoner
(H/L/Lr/Mn/dk/wi)
English Channel
CONOID, schooner, 165/1865, Whitstable
Shipping Co, Faversham-reg, sailing Fowey for Rouen
with china clay. Captured by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt),
sunk by gunfire 3 miles N of Cape Barfleur, near
Cherbourg (L - 3 1/2 m N of Barfleur Light)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed and sunk by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg) off Hook Point, Co
Wexford:
LINCOLNSHIRE,
3,965/1899, Helmsdale SS Co, Glasgow-reg, Mr E Hart,
New York for Havre with 5,500t general cargo,
including copper ingots, brass bar/rod/sheet, zinc and
other metals, steaming at 10kts. Sank 8 miles SW by S
of (L/wi - 8 miles S 36 W of; te - in 52N, 07W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
CRISPIN,
3,965/1907, Booth SS Co, Liverpool-reg, 1-12pdr, 112
crew, Mr G Trinick, Norfolk (Va)/Newport News for
Avonmouth with 700 horses for military use in France.
Sank 14 miles S of (te/wi - in 51.54N, 06.49W); 8 crew
lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
torpedoes missed:
Geo,
3,048/1915, Preston Steam Navigation Co (Becker),
London. Sunk 29 January 1918 (H/ms)
Khiva,
passenger & cargo ship, 8,947/1914, Peninsular
& Oriental Steam navigation Co (P&O),
Liverpool (H/ms)
Friday, 30 March 1917
North Sea
PETREL (2), trawler, 151/1893, J Hall,
Sunderland-reg SD5, hired 8/14 as minesweeper,
returned to fishing 11/14, fishing. Captured by UC.77
(Reinhard von Rabenau), sunk by gunfire 120 miles E of
Aberdeen (L/un - in 57N, 01.30E) (H/L/Lr/D/un)
HARBERTON,
1,443/1894, Cory Colliers Ltd, sailed Blyth 29th for
London with coal, went missing, posted by Lloyds
9/5/17. Originally believed torpedoed, possibly on the
30th, now confirmed mined, laid by UC.31 (Otto von
Scharder); 15 lives lost including master, no
survivors (H/L/te/un)
Amsterdam (1),
passenger ship, 1,777 (ms – 1,745)/1894, Great Eastern
Railway Co, Harwich. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
English Channel
Edernian, 3,588/1906, SS Demetian &
Ordovician Co (O & W Williams & Co), Cardiff,
armed, sailing Havre for Cardiff in ballast. Mined,
laid by UC.71 (Hans Valentiner) 3 1/2 m NE of St
Valery, damaged, towed into Dieppe on 31st. Sunk 20
August 1917 (H/L/ms/un)
SOMME,
1,828/1916, Normandy Shipping, armed, sailing Newport
(Mon) for Rouen with coal. (L - 29th) - Torpedoed by
UB.40 (Hans Howaldt), sank 20 miles E by N of Cape
Barfleur, Cherbourg peninsular (te - in 49.48N,
00.41W); 5 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Parklands,
1,607grt, armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire (ms –
believed 1,689/1880, R Ropner & Co, West
Hartlepool. Lost in WW2) (H/ms)
Indian Ocean
DEE, 3-mast iron barque, 1,169/1885, Le
Nouveau Chantier, Port Louis-reg, Mr John Rugg,
sailing Port Louis for Bunbury in ballast. (kp - 31st)
- Captured by raider Wolf, sunk by bombs 410 miles W
by S true of Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia
(H/L/Lr/Mn/kp)
Saturday, 31 March 1917
North Sea
Two steamships attacked by aircraft, bombs
missed:
Amulet,
1,018/1876, Dutch-owned, presumably chartered by
British Government. Sunk in collision 14 March 1918
(H/ms)
Quentin,
1,274/1892, G Gibson & Co (H/ms)
English Channel
Five vessels attacked by UB.32 (Max Viebeg):
Gloucester Castle,
hospital ship, ex-passenger & cargo ship,
7,999/1911, Union Castle Mail SS Co, London. (L -
30th-31st) - Torpedoed and badly damaged, Isle of
Wight area, towed into Portsmouth; 3 lives lost. Sunk
in WW2 (H/L/Mn/ge/me/ms/tr/un)
ENDYMION,
sailing vessel, 67grt. (H – 30th) – originally
reported sunk by U-boat, but not known how, confirmed
by UB.32, 32 miles SE of Start Point; 4 lives lost
including master (H/un)
BOAZ, wood
ketch, 111/1908, J Harvey, Ipswich, sailing Ouistreham
for Poole in ballast. Captured, sunk by bombs 15 miles
NE of Cape Barfleur, near Cherbourg (H/L/Lr/un)
GIPPESWIC (un
– Gippeswie), wood ketch, 116/1912, F B Garnham,
Ipswich, sailing Caen for Poole in ballast. Captured,
sunk by bombs 15 miles NE of Cape Barfleur, near
Cherbourg (H/L/Lr/un)
Queen Louise,
cargo ship, 4,879/1912, Dunlop SS Co, Glasgow, armed,
sailing Philadelphia for Dunkirk with locomotives and
steel billets. Torpedoed 3 miles N of Cape Barfleur,
arrived Havre on 1/4/17 (H/L/ms/un)
__________
PRIMROSE (3), schooner, 113/1886, J Gordon,
Southampton-reg, sailing Granville for Fowey in
ballast. Sunk by gunfire of UC.71 (Hans Valentiner) 35
miles SE of Start Point, Devon; one life lost
(H/L/Lr/Mn/un)
Valacia, cargo
ship, 6,526/1910, Cunard SS Co, armed, London for
Portland (Me) with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.59
(Wilhelm von Fircks) 5 miles S19ºE true of Eddystone
LH (un – 50.06N, 04.15W), damaged, towed into Plymouth
1 April. Sunk in WW2 (H/L/ms/un)
Three more steamships attacked by
U-boat(s):
Parklands,
1,607grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (ms
– believed 1,689/1880, R Ropner & Co, West
Hartlepool. Lost in WW2) (H/ms)
Penmorvah,
4,323/1913, Penmorvah SS Co (Chellew), Falmouth.
Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Sofie,
354/1907, Stephenson Clarke & Co, London. Gun
attack, saved by weather. Sunk 2 February 1918 (H/ms)
Bristol Channel
BRAEFIELD, 427/1892, Bray SS Co, Dublin-reg,
sailed Cork 30th for Cardiff in ballast, passed Roches
Point same day, went missing, posted by Lloyds 9/5/17,
“presumed by Admiralty to have been sunk by submarine
in the Bristol Channel”. Originally listed as possibly
torpedoed, possibly on the 31st, now confirmed sunk by
U.57 (Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg) off Milford
Haven, West Wales; 10 lives lost including master
(H/L/Lr)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Ocean Monarch, 4,511/1904, Monarch SS Co
(Raeburn & Verel), Glasgow, armed. Torpedo failed
to explode (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Ariosto, 4,313/1910, Thomas Wilson, Sons
& Co, Hull, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
BRODNESS, 5,736/1894, Blue Star Line,
London-reg, armed, sailing Genoa for Port Said/Nankin
in ballast. Torpedoed by UC.38 (Alfred Klatt), sank 5
miles WNW of Port Anzio, S of Rome (H/L/te/un)
APRIL 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in April: 169 merchant ships totalling 545,282grt -
155 of 516,394grt to submarines, 14 of 28,888grt to
mines, plus 41 fishing vessels totalling 5,920grt, all
to submarines (H).
Allied and Neutral nations, in total, suffered
equally. Uboat.net lists 474 ships sunk and 30 damaged
in April - 251 British and 10 American, 1 Argentine, 4
Belgian, 1 Brazilian, 36 Danish, 2 Egyptian, 1
Finnish, 32 French, 16 Greek, 48 Italian, 8 Dutch, 68
Norwegian, 5 Portuguese, 9 Russian, 6 Spanish, 5
Swedish and 1 Uruguayan.
U-boat Warfare - First successful directional
hydrophones or passive listening sonar issued to
Auxiliary Patrol bases in April; first
hydrophone-equipped Motor Launch hunting flotillas
established in June. Development started in 1915 at
the Hawkcraig Experimental Station which came under
the new Anti-Submarine Division at the end of 1916.
Even by January 1917 the Admiralty was still waiting
for a suitable hydrophone but by the end of the year,
they were being fitted to large number of vessels.
Although not very reliable, they remained the only
operational method for locating submerged submarines.
Sunday, 1 April 1917
Austro-Hungarian submarine U.XXX went missing
either in Straits of Otranto or between Malta and
Crete during the month
English Channel
SILVIA (2), 3-mast schooner, 164/1871, W R
Tyzzer, Fowey-reg, 5 crew, Mr J Pappin, Par via St.
Helens for Rouen with china clay, close hauled on
starboard tack at 4 1/2 kts. Captured by UB.39
(Heinrich Küstner), sunk by bombs 15 miles SSE of the
Owers LV, off Selsey Bill (L - in 50.19N, 00.28W; wi -
in 50.26.25N, 00.31W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
EASTERN BELLE,
ketch barge (wi - Thames spritsail barge), 97/1883,
England & Continental Shipping Co, London-reg, Mr
T Jarrett, Portsmouth for Cherbourg with pitch.
Captured by UC.72 (Ernst Voigt), sunk by bombs 30
miles SW of St Catherine's Point, IoW (wi - in 50.08N,
01.40W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Western Mediterranean
KASENGA, 4,652/1907, Ellerman & Bucknall
SS Co, armed, Newport News for Marseilles with general
cargo. Torpedoed by unknown submarine, sank 2 miles
from Hormigas Rock, Cape de Palos, E of Cartagena,
Spain (L - 1 1/2 m E of) (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
WARREN, 3,709/1899, A D Axarlis, London,
armed, sailing Karachi for Civitavecchia/Spezia with
grain and general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.38 (Alfred
Klatt), sank 20 miles SW of Civita Vecchia, NW of
Rome; 3 lives lost, master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Monday, 2 April 1917
North Sea
LORD SCARBOROUGH, trawler, 158/1897, Beacon
Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg, fishing. Captured by UB.35
(Rudolf Gebeschus), scuttled 100 miles E of May Is,
Firth of Forth (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
Bay of Biscay
Wandby, 3,981/1899, R Ropner & Co, West
Hartlepool, armed, sailing Bilbao for Newport with
iron ore. Gun attack (L - in 44.32N, 10.36W), saved by
own gunfire, listed as damaged in Lloyds. Not listed
in Uboat.net as damaged (H/L/Mn/ms)
Central Mediterranean
BRITANNIA (3), 3,129/1885, Papayanni Line,
Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing Alexandria for Liverpool
with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.65 (Hermann von
Fischel), sank 22 miles WNW of Pantellaria Is (L/te -
in 36.35N, 11.28E); master and wireless operator taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 3 April 1917
Bay of Biscay
ELLEN JAMES, 3-mast schooner, 165/1904, J
Jones, Carnarvon-reg, sailing Huelva for Penryn with
pyrites. Captured by UC.71 (Hans Valentiner), sunk by
gunfire W of Ushant; 5 lives lost including master
(H/L/Lr/un)
Mediterranean
Brodliffe, passenger & cargo ship, 5,893
(ms – 5,576)/1898, Blue Star Line, armed. Torpedo
missed (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
ARDGASK, 4,542/1917, SS Ardgarry Co,
Greenock-reg, armed, Bombay for Hull with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld del la
Perière), sank about 15 miles SW of Cape Rosello, near
Agrigento, Sicily; one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Two steamships damaged by UC.22 (Heino von Heimburg)
off Cape Bon, Tunisia:
Cloughton,
4,221/1911, London & Northern SS Co (Pyman Bros),
London, armed. Mined, laid off Cape Bon, Tunisia,
towed in (H/ms/un)
Oberon,
tanker, 5,142/1907, Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co (ms –
Bear Creek Oil & Shipping Co (Bowring), Liverpool
until 1917, then renamed Argonauta, owned by
Anglo-Saxon/Shell), armed, sailing Toulon for Port
Said in ballast. Torpedoed 8 miles NNE true of Cap
Bon, arrived Malta on 6th (H/L/ms/un)
Wednesday, 4 April 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured and
sunk by UB.35 (Rudolf Gebeschus):
GIBRALTAR,
188/1908, Hull Steam Fishing & Ice, Hull-reg
H1000, Skipper W H Cranwick. Sunk by bomb 20 miles ENE
of Rattray Head, near Peterhead (wi - in 57.44N,
01.14W) (H/L/Lr/hw/un/wi)
MAGGIE ROSS,
183/1901, Ross Steam Trawler Fishing, Aberdeen-reg,
Skipper P Quinlan, sailed Aberdeen for fishing. Sunk
by gunfire 70 miles NE of Aberdeen (wi - between 60
and 70 miles NE of Girdle Ness) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
HUNSTANTON, 4,504/1903, The Admiralty,
London-reg, armed, Geelong for London with wheat (wi -
serving as Admiralty collier). Torpedoed by UC.30
(Heinrich Stenzler), sank 36 miles W of Scillies (te -
in 49.50N, 07.40W; wi - in 50N, 07W) (H/L/te/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Hyacinthus, 5,756/1902, British & South
American Steam Navigation Co (Houston), Liverpool,
armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Atlantic
Southerndown, 4,431/1915, St Andrews
(Cardiff) Ltd (R E Morel), London. Chased, escaped
(H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Kanawha, 3,884 (ms – 3,886)/1893, Chesapeake
& Ohio SS Co, Liverpool, armed. Gun attack off
Ushant, escaped (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Dundrennan,
4,248/1912, Scottish Navigation Co (Glen & Co),
Glasgow. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (H/Mn/ms)
Queensland Transport,
4,663 (ms – 4,669)/1913, Empire Transportation Co
(Houlder Bros), Newcastle. Torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2
(H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
PARKGATE, 3,232/1906, Turnbull, Scott, armed,
sailing Malta for Gibraltar in ballast. Captured by
U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld del la Perière), sunk by
bombs 80 miles NE of Cap de Fer, NE of Phillipeville,
Algeria (L/te - in 38.12N, 08.10E; ge - S of Sicily);
16 lives lost, master taken prisoner (H/L/ge/te/un)
NW Mediterranean
CITY OF PARIS, passenger ship, 9,239/1907,
City Line Ltd, Glasgow-reg, armed, Karachi for
Marseilles/Liverpool with passengers, general cargo,
warned that U-boats were in the area and zigzagging at
the time. Torpedoed by UC.35 (Ernst von Voigt; ge/wd -
by U.52, returning to Germany), U-boat surfaced and
started shelling as she was being abandoned, then
fired second torpedo, sank 46 miles S by E of Cap
d’Antibes, near Nice (L/wd - in 42.47N, 07.56E; un –
42.54N, 07.38E)); 122 lives lost including 2 MN
stewardess', everyone on board, French patrols arrived
36 hours later, found three boats with 29 dead Lascars
in them, another drifted ashore with 12 dead, two
boats never heard of again (H/L/dk/ge/te/tr/un/wd)
Thursday, 5 April 1917
English Channel
GOWER COAST, 804/1899, Ford Shipping, sailed
Tyne 31/3/17 for Tréport with coal, at Boulogne on
4th, went missing, posted by Lloyds 23/5/17, “presumed
by Admiralty to have been sunk by mine in the
Channel”. Originally believed mined, possibly on the
5th (te – 4th) of Tréport, near Dieppe, now listed as
believed mined, laid by UC.71 (Hans Valentiner); 15
lives lost including master (H/L/te)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CANADIAN (1), passenger ship, 9,309 (ms –
9,301)/1900, Leyland Line, Liverpool-reg, 1-4in QF,
154 crew including 65 American horsemen, Mr W Bullock,
Boston (Mass) for Liverpool with horses, 9,000t
general cargo, steaming at 12kts. (L/wi - 4th) -
Torpedoed by U.59 (Wilhelm von Fircks), sank 47 miles
NW by W of Fastnet (L - 45 miles W of; te - in 51.36N
10.48W; wi - 51.32N, 10.45W); master lost his life
(H/L/ms/un/wi)
BENHEATHER,
4,701/1913, Steam Transport Co, Liverpool-reg, armed,
Halifax (NS) for Cherbourg/Falmouth with timber.
Torpedoed by U.46 (Leo Hillebrand), sank 110 miles WNW
of Fastnet (L - 140 miles SW of; te - in 51.20N,
12.30W) (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Kangaroo (1), 4,348/1915, Government of
Western Australia, Fremantle, armed, sailing Barry for
Port Said with coal. (L - 5 March) - Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire, damaged according to Lloyds. Not
listed in Uboat.net as damaged. Sunk in WW2
(H/L/Mn/ms)
Central Mediterranean
CALLIOPE (1), 3,829/1901, Gladstone &
Co, West Hartlepool-reg, armed, sailing Barry for
Malta with coal. Torpedoed by U.65 (Hermann von
Fischel), sank 35 miles SW of Ustica Is, off NW
Sicily; 6 lives lost including master, 1st, 2nd
officers, 3rd engineer taken prisoner (H/L/dk/te/un)
Friday, 6 April 1917
United States declared war on Germany
U.22 damaged in British minefield in North Sea off
Horns Reef off Denmark, decommissioned
North Sea
Two Grimsby-reg trawlers on fishing grounds
captured by UC.27 (Gerhard Schulz) and sunk by gunfire
off North Ronaldshay island, NE
Orkneys:
NARBERTH CASTLE,
168/1898, W Richmond. Sunk 30 miles NNW of Dennis Head
(H/L/Lr/gy/un)
NESTOR,
176/1898, Orient Steam Fishing, GY466, sailed Grimsby
for fishing and return. Sunk 20 miles NW by N 1/2 N of
(wi - in 59.39N, 02.47W) (H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
__________
Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured by
UB.35 (Rudolf Gebeschus) and sunk by bombs off
Kinnairds Head, Fraserburgh:
LORD KITCHENER,
158/1899, A Walker, Aberdeen-reg, Skipper J Morrice.
(wi - 6 May) - Sunk c45 miles N by E of (wi - in
58.25N, 01.50W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
RECTO,
177/1904, G J Sleight, Grimsby-reg (wi - also
Grimsby-reg, but numbered ST177 for Stockton), Skipper
W Bons. Sunk c45 miles N by E of (wi - 45 miles W by E
of, in 56.26N, 01.55W)
(H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
__________
PRESTO, 1,143/1905, Pelton SS Co,
Newcastle-reg, 1-6pdr, Mr Lowery, London for Newcastle
in ballast. Mined, laid by UC.40 (Gustav Deuerlich),
sank 4 miles E of Roker Point, Sunderland (L -
1/2 m E by N of Roker LH; wi - in 54.56.15N, 01.15W);
6 crew killed by explosion (H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
VINE BRANCH, 3,442/1896, Nautilus SS Co, 44
crew, armed, sailed Dakar 23/3/17 for Liverpool with
nitrate (te - from Valparaiso with nitrate and frozen
meat), went missing, no trace ever found, posted by
Lloyds 4/7/17, originally considered possibly lost on
11th. Now confirmed torpedoed on the 6th by U.55
(Wilhelm Werner) around 50N, 14W; 44 lives lost
including master, no survivors (H/L/dk/ge/te/un)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Ethelaric,
3,232/1917, Harrowing SS Co, Whitby. Torpedo missed.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Hillhouse,
3,049 (ms – 3,034)/1905, Seville & United Kingdom
Carrying Co (J Cory), Cardiff. Torpedo/gun attack,
torpedo missed, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Eastern Mediterranean
SPITHEAD, 4,697/1899, Clyde Shipping, armed,
sailing Alexandria for Rangoon in ballast. (L - 5th) -
Torpedoed by UC.34 (Robert Sprenger), sank 12 miles N
by W of Damietta Light, E Nile delta (L/te - in
c31.44N, 31.46E); one life lost, master and chief
engineer taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off Canaries
Lime Branch, 5,379/1902, Nautilus SS Co
(Ritson), Sunderland. Chased, escaped (H/ms)
Saturday, 7 April 1917
Irish Sea
Lapland, passenger & cargo ship,
18,565/1908, International Navigation Co (ms –
Belgian-owned, presumably chartered by British
Government), armed, sailing New York for Liverpool
with general cargo. Mined, laid by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) off Liverpool Bar LV, damaged, reached
port; 2 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
SALMO, 1,721/1900, Wilson Line, armed,
sailing Oporto for Liverpool with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sank 210
miles NW of Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork (L/te - in
52.30N, 14.40W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Western
Mediterranean
MAPLEWOOD, 3,239/1915, Joseph Constantine,
armed, sailing La Goulette for West Hartlepool with
iron ore. Captured by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld del la
Perière), sunk by torpedo 47 miles SW of Cape Sperone,
SW Sardinia (L - 25 miles off); master taken prisoner
(H/L/ge/te/un)
Sunday, 8 April 1917
Atlantic off SW England
Carmarthenshire, passenger & cargo ship,
7,823/1915, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast,
armed. Gun attack off entrance to English Channel,
saved by own gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/Mn/ms)
Atlantic W of NW France
Three armed steamships torpedoed and sunk by
U.55 (Wilhelm Werner):
TORRINGTON,
turret hull steamer, 5,597/1905, Tatem Steam
Navigation Co (W J Tatem), Cardiff, sailing Savona for
Barry Roads in ballast. (L - 9th) - Sank 150 miles SW
of the Scillies (te - in 49.11N, 09.58W); 34 lives
lost, master taken prisoner. Werner was on British
list of war criminals for sinking Torrington without
warning, progressed post-war as Naval Case No.11 but
his whereabouts were unknown, case did not go to court
(H/L/Mn/ge/os/te/un)
PETRIDGE,
1,712/1913, Power SS Co (J Power & Co), London,
sailing Mogador for London with general cargo. Sank
200 miles WNW of Ushant island, off NW Britanny (L/te
- in 48.41N, 10.10W); master and gunner taken prisoner
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
UMVOTI,
2,616/1896, Natal Line (un – Bullard, King & Co,
London), sailing Cape Town for London with general
cargo. Sank 200 miles NW by W of Ushant island, off NW
Britanny (L/te - in 48.48N, 10.15W); 4 lives lost,
master and gunner taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
GEILAN BAHRI, sailing vessel, probably
Egyptian, 19grt. Captured by UC.34 (Robert Sprenger),
sunk by bomb 54 miles off Alexandria, W Nile delta
(H/L/un)
Monday, 9 April 1917
North Sea
KITTIWAKE, passenger ship, 1,866/1906, Cork
SS Co, Cork, sailing Liverpool for Rotterdam with
general cargo. Torpedoed by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber),
sank 25 miles NW of the Maas LV near Hook of Holland
(L/te - in 52.15N, 03.18E); 7 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
English Channel
Neto, 1,696/1882, armed. Torpedo missed
(H/ms)
Mediterranean
Lord Derby, 3,757/1905, J Herron & Co,
Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed, attacker kept off
with stern gun. Sunk 28 December 1917 (H/ms/wi)
Tuesday, 10 April 1917
North Sea
PLUTO, 1,266/1897, Bristol Steam Navigation
Co, Bristol-reg, 19 crew, Mr H Muirhead, sailing
Rotterdam for Bristol with general cargo. Torpedoed by
UB.20 (Herman Glimpf), sank 32 miles SE by E of
Lowestoft (L/te/wi - in 52.19N, 02.34E) (H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Hospital ship (and attending patrol boat) mined
in field laid by UC.26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow):
SALTA,
hospital ship, 7,284/1911, The Admiralty (Union Castle
Mail SS Co), Southampton for Havre with medical staff
and hospital stores, no patients on board. Sank
1/2 m N of Whistle Buoy, Havre Roads, Seine estuary;
79 lives lost including 1 MN stewardness (ge - total
of 130 lives, including 5 officers and 37 other ranks
RAMC, 9 nurses, as well as 79 crew listed in HMSO; un
– 86 lost) (H/L/Mn/dk/ge/me/te/tr/un)
Central Mediterranean
DALTON, 3,486/1904, Webster &
Barraclough, West Hartlepool-reg, armed, sailing
Salonica for Malta in ballast. Torpedoed by Austrian
U.XXIX (Leo Prásil), sank 25 miles S by W of Cape
Matapan, Greece (L - 24 miles S11ºW of; te - in
36.00N, 22.40E); 3 lives lost, master taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 11 April 1917
North Sea
QUAGGY, 993/1904, South Metropolitan Gas Co,
London-reg, 1-6pdr, 19 crew, Mr MacFarlane, sailing
London for Tyne in ballast. Mined, laid by UC.31 (Otto
von Schrader), sank 3 miles E of North Cheek, Robin
Hood’s Bay, S of Whitby (L - 3 1/2 m E of; wi - in
54.28.11N, 00.25.55W); 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Troilus (2),
7,625/1917, Ocean SS Co (Alfred Holt), Liverpool,
armed. Chased and escaped. Sunk 2 May 1917 (H/ms)
English Channel
Two vessels (and an Admiralty trawler) attacked
by UC.26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow) off Normandy:
DUCHESS of CORNWALL
(2), 1,706/1889, Duchess of Cornwall SS Co (R B
Chellew), Falmouth, armed, sailing London for Havre.
Torpedoed, sank 5 miles N of Cape Barfleur; 23 lost
including master (H/L/dk/te/un)
Branksome Hall,
4,262/1904, Ellerman Lines (Hall Line Ltd (ms – R
Alexander)), Liverpool, armed, sailing Cork for
Cherbourg with hay, oats. Torpedoed and damaged off
Cherbourg (L - in 49.43N, 01.42W), towed into port.
Sunk 14 July 1918 (H/L/Mn/ms/un)
__________
PRECEDENT, ketch-rigged sailing smack,
c36/1912, Charles Stanley Howe, Brixham, Brixham-reg
BM324, fishing. Captured by UB.38 (Wilhelm Amberger)
12 miles ESE of Berry Head, Brixham, submarine captain
asked for fish before sinking her with bombs in
50.22N, 03.11W; crew towed in punt to a smack that was
allowed to stay afloat (H/L/bm/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Cyclops, passenger & cargo ship,
9,033/1906, Ocean SS Co (Alfred Holt), Liverpool,
armed. U-boat attack W of Scillies, torpedo missed.
Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Monsaldale, 2,805/1905, Dale SS Co (Lucas),
Bristol, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire under
cover of smoke screen. Lost in collision 12 May 1917
(H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
MISS MORRIS, 3-mast schooner, 156/1896, W
Morris, Carnarvon-reg, sailing Genoa for Malaga in
ballast. Captured by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la
Perière), sunk by bomb 20 miles SE of Garrucha, SW of
Cartagena, Spain (un – 36.57N, 01.50W) (H/L/Lr/un)
TREMORVAH,
3,654/1905, Hain SS Co (E Hain & Son), St Ives,
armed, sailing Melbourne (te - Malta) for Gibraltar in
ballast. Captured by U.65 (Hermann von Fischel), sunk
by gunfire 70 miles NNW of Cape Bougaroni, near
Philippeville, Algeria (L - in 38.05N, 05.45E; un –
also 38.15N, 05.55E); master, chief engineer and two
gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
CYFARTHFA, 3,014/1904, Cyfartha SS Co (R E
Morel Ltd), Cardiff-reg, armed, Oran for Salonica with
hay, wine, general cargo. Torpedoed by UB.47 (Hans
Hermann), sank 32 miles WSW of Cerigotto
Is/Antikythira, off NW Crete (L - 35 miles SW by W of
Cerigo Channel; un – 35.29N, 22.30E)); master taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
IMPERIAL TRANSPORT, 4,648/1913, Empire
Transport Co (Houlder Bros & Co), West Hartlepool,
armed, sailing Port Said for Phillippeville in
ballast. Torpedoed by UC.34 (Robert Sprenger), sank
140 miles NW by N 1/2 N of Alexandria (L/te - in
33.11N, 28.30E; un – also 33.16N, 28.35E)); master
taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 12 April 1917
North Sea
Eight trawlers fishing captured by UC.76
(Wilhelm Barten) and sunk by gunfire off NE Scotland,
all crews allowed to abandon ship, no lives listed as
lost:
EQUERRY,
168/1899, Great Northern Steam Ship Fishing, Hull-reg
H36, Skipper C M Foot, from Hull. Sunk 35 miles NE of
Kinnairds Head, Fraserburgh (L/wi - 30-35 miles NE of,
in 58.09N, 01.17W) (H/L/Lr/hw/un/wi)
FIFE NESS,
123/1897, T Davidson, Aberdeen-reg. Sunk 23 miles ENE
of Fraserburgh (H/L/Lr/un)
CHINKIANG,
125/1896, J Craig Jnr, Aberdeen-reg, Skipper G W King,
from Aberdeen. Sunk 30 miles NE of Buchan Ness, near
Peterhead (wi - in 57.52N, 01.13W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
CALIBAN,
215/1911, Hellyers Steam Fishing, Hull-reg H313,
Skipper H L Manthorpe. Sunk 45 miles NE by N of
Rattray Head, N of Peterhead (wi - 8 miles NE 1/2 E of
Kinnairds Head, in 57.47N, 01.49W) (H/L/Lr/hw/un/wi)
LARGO BAY,
125/1897, North Star Steam Fishing, Aberdeen-reg,
Skipper A Craig, from Aberdeen. Sunk 30 miles NE by E
of Buchan Ness (wi - in 57.45N, 01W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
CROWN PRINCE,
c103/1890, J Strachan, Aberdeen-reg, Skipper W G
Payne, from Aberdeen, in company with Lillian and
Osprey following. Sunk 45 miles NE by E of Girdle
Ness, near Aberdeen (wi - in 57.37N, 01W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
LILLIAN,
120/1894, A Clark, Banff-reg, Skipper J Christie, from
Aberdeen. Sunk 45 miles NE by E of Girdle Ness (wi -
in 57.37N, 01W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
OSPREY (3),
106/1883, L B Huss, Scarborough-reg, Skipper R Baxter,
from Aberdeen. Sunk 45 miles NE by E of Girdle Ness
(wi - in 57.37N, 01W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Eagle, trawler, 146/1891, Grimsby-reg GY378,
fishing. Attacked by submarine, damaged 120 miles NE
1/2 E of River Tyne, towed to Hull on 15th. Not listed
in Uboat.net as damaged (L/D)
English Channel
LISMORE, 1,305/1905, City of Cork Steam
Packet Co, Cork, armed, sailing Rouen for Portishead
in ballast. Torpedoed by UB.38 (Wilhelm Amberger),
sank 22 miles NW by N 1/2 N of Havre, Seine estuary (L
- 19 miles NW by N 1/2 N of Whistle Buoy; te - in
49.48N, 00.19W; un – 49.48N, 00.18W); 5 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic W of NW France
TORO, 3,066/1904, Ellerman’s Wilson Line,
Hull, armed, sailing Alexandria for Hull with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner), sank 200
miles WNW of Ushant (L/te - in 48.30N, 10W); 14 lives
lost, master and gunner taken prisoner
(H/L/Mn/ge/os/te/un)
Western Mediterranean
GLENCLIFFE, 3,673/1910, National SS Co
(Fisher, Alimonda & Co), Whitby, armed, sailing
Clyde for Genoa with coal and general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.52 (Hans Walther), sank 2 1/2 m SE of Tabarca, S
of Alicante, Spain (L - 2 1/2 m NW 1/2 W of; un –
38.07N, 00.22W); one life lost, chief engineer (un –
Master) and two gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
KILDALE, 3,830/1906, Rowland & Marwood SS
Co (Headlam & Rowland), Whitby, armed, sailing
Barry for Malta with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.32
(Kurt Hartwig), sank 40 miles E by S of Pantellaria
island between Tunisia & Sicily (L - 25 to 30
miles NE of; un – 36.44N, 12.32E); one life lost
(H/L/te/un)
Friday, 13 April 1917
North Sea
ZARA, 1,331/1897, Ellerman’s Wilson Line,
Hull, armed, sailing London for Trondhjem/Drontheim in
ballast. Torpedoed by U.30 (Franz Grünert), sank 90
miles W 1/2 W of Hellisos, Fedje island, S of
Sognefiord (L/te - in 60.08N, 01.52E; un – also
60.14N, 01.55E); 27 lives lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Two trawlers attacked by UC.41 (Kurt Bernis) off St
Abb’s Head, SE Scotland:
STORK,
trawler, 152/1893, Dundee Fishing, Dundee-reg, Skipper
T Henry, sailed Dundee for fishing & return.
Captured, sunk by bombs 20 miles E 1/2 S of (wi - in
55.54N, 01.34W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Breadalbane,
trawler, 112/1891, Granton-reg GN32, fishing. Attacked
and damaged (un – sunk) about 16 miles off, towed to
Granton on 16th (L/D/un)
English Channel
MARIA, schooner, 175/1865, W V Kellow,
Fowey-reg, Mr W Lewis, Glasgow/Fowey for Cherbourg
with coal. Captured by UB.38 (Wilhelm Amberger), sunk
by bombs 25 miles S by W of Portland Bill, Dorset (wi
- in 50.05.35N, 02.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off Orkneys
STRATHCONA, 1,881/1900, Canada Steamship
Lines, Hamilton, Ontario, sailing Tyne for Marseilles
with coal. Captured by U.78 (Otto Dröscher), sunk by
bombs 145 miles WNW of Ronaldshay (L - 145 miles NNW
of; te - in 59.35N, 05.49W); 9 lives lost, master,
chief and 3rd engineers taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
off NW Scotland
Echunga, tanker (ms – cargo ship),
4,589/1907, Adelaide SS Co, London, armed. Gun attack,
rescued. Admiralty chartered oiler when sunk 5
September 1917 (H/Lr/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
BANDON, 1,456/1910, City of Cork Steam Packet
Co, Cork-reg, 1-3pdr, 32 crew, Mr P Kelly, sailing
Liverpool for Cork with 1,050t general cargo,
proceeding at 12 1/2 kts. Originally believed
torpedoed (te - by UC.33), now mined in field laid by
UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) on 6 March 1917, sank 2 1/2
m SW of Mine Head, Co Waterford (te - in 51.56N,
07.36W; wi - 2 1/2 m SW of, in 51.57.58N, 07.38.15W);
28 crew lost (H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England/W of NW France
Two cargo steamships torpedoed by U.84 (Walter
Roehr):
ARGYLL,
3,547/1901, Sutherland SS Newcastle-reg, (ms –Routhi
SS Co (Lykiardopulo & Co), London), armed, sailing
Port Kelah for Middlesbrough with iron ore. Sank 110
miles W of Bishop Rock, Scillies (te - in 49.23N,
09.07W); 22 lives lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Lime Branch,
5,379/1902, Nautilus SS Co (Ritson), Sunderland,
sailing Callao for London with nitrate and general
cargo. Damaged W of Ushant (L - in 48.27N, 08.30W),
arrived Plymouth (H/L/Mn/un)
Atlantic W of NW France
KARIBA, 3,697/1904, Unison SS Co (R Gordon
& Co), London, armed, sailing Java/Dakar for
Falmouth with sugar. Torpedoed by UC.27 (Gerhard
Schultz), sank 260 miles WNW of Ushant (L/te - in
48.30N, 11.28W); 13 lives lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Saturday, 14 April 1917
Shetlands
ANDROMACHE, trawler, 313/1914, A & M
Smith Ltd (J I Wright), Grimsby-reg, sailing Hull for
Iceland fishing grounds. Originally listed as some
time in April - Captured, not known how sunk, listed
by HMSO at end of April (L - 12th, “off Portland
(Iceland)”); skipper taken prisoner. Confirmed by
uboat.net as sunk by U.78 (Otto Dröscher) W of
Shetlands; no lives lost (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
North Sea
SPRAY, 1,072/1891, Ellis & McHardy,
Aberdeen-reg, 17 crew, Mr C Lawrence, sailing Aberdeen
for Sunderland in ballast, steaming at 10kts. Mined,
laid by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader), sank 3 1/2 m NE of
Tyne Pier, Tynemouth (wi - in 55.04.03N, 01.18.56W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Ajana, passenger & cargo ship,
7,759/1912, Australind SS Co (Trinder, Anderson),
London, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
St George's Channel
HERMIONE, passenger ship, 4,011/1891, British
& South American Steam Navigation Co (R P Houston
& Co), Liverpool-reg, 1-4.7in, 43 crew, Mr J
Morrison, sailing Buenos Aires for Liverpool with 57
horses and 4,000t general cargo, steaming at 11kts.
Mined, laid by UC.33 (Martin Schelle), sank 1 1/2 m S
of Coningbeg LV, SE of Waterford Harbour (wi - in 52N,
06.39W) (un – beached in Dunmore Bay, near Waterford,
total loss and broken up) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW France
Tarantia, 4,754/1911, Kirkfield SS Co
(Cuthbertson), Glasgow, armed. U-boat attack W of
Ushant, torpedo missed. Scuttled in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
PATAGONIER, 3,832/1910, Brys & Glysen
Ltd, London, sailing Gibraltar for Kingston (Ja) in
ballast. Captured by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld de la
Perière), sunk by gunfire 135 miles W of Gibraltar
(L/te - in 36N, 09W); master taken prisoner. Note:
because of shortage of guns at this time, ships
leaving Gibraltar for North American ports were
ordered to dismount their guns, Patagonier was thus
unarmed (H/L/ge/te/un)
Mediterranean
Boveric, 4,445/1906, Bank Line (Andrew Weir),
Glasgow, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Sunday, 15 April 1917
North Sea
Two Boston-reg trawlers owned by Boston Deep
Sea Fishing & Ice Co and on fishing grounds,
captured by UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) and sunk with
bombs:
SUTTERTON,
160/1893. Sunk 65 miles ESE of St Abb's Head, SE
Scotland (L - in 55.45N, 00.15W); one life lost
(H/L/Lr/un)
DALMATIAN,
186/1900, BN83, hired 1/15 as auxiliary patrol vessel,
returned to fishing 2/15. (L - on 30th, initially
missing, posted by Lloyds 27/6/17); 9 lives lost
including Skipper (H/L/Lr/D/un)
__________
BROTHERTOFT, trawler, 155/1891, Boston Deep
Sea Fishing & Ice, Boston-reg, on fishing grounds.
Fate originally unknown, listed by HMSO with two other
trawlers at the end of April. Uboat.net confirms sunk
on 15th by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader) in c55.50N,
01.30E (H/Lr/un)
Adala
(probably Adalia), 3,847/1899, Papayanni SS Co,
Liverpool, armed. Gun attack, saved by the weather (SS
Adalia, same tonnage and probably same vessel, sunk 29
July 1917 confirmed by Miramar ship Index) (H/ms)
Dover Straits
ALERT (2), lighthouse tender, 777/1911, The
Corporation of Trinity House, London-reg, sailing
London for Dover, on loan to Dover Patrol for anchor
work for net and mine barrages. Mined, laid by unknown
UC-boat off Dover (L/un - 3 1/2 m ESE of No.7
Ruytingen Buoy, off Calais); 11 lives lost
(H/L/ge/te/un)
in Bay of Biscay
GRETASTON, 3,395/1901, Ellaston SS, armed,
sailed Huelva 11th for Garston with copper ore, went
missing, posted by Lloyds 6/6/17, note added in 1937
about her fate - torpedoed by UC.72 on 30 April, sank
S of Gironde estuary (L/te - in 45.26N, 01.37W); 29
lives lost including master. Uboat.net describes
original fate as incorrect – should be sunk on 15th by
UC.27 (Gerhard Schulz) off Iberian coast in 43.08N,
11.32W (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
CAMERONIA, troopship/transport, passenger
ship, 10,963/1911, Anchor Line (Henderson Bros),
Glasgow-reg, armed, on government Service from 1917,
sailing Marseilles for Alexandria with c2630 troops
and government stores, escorted by two destroyers.
Torpedoed by U.33 (Gustave Siess), sank 150 miles E of
Malta; various sources quote totals of 129, 140 and
even 210 lives lost usually including 11 crew and/or
129 troops. H/un only lists 11 crew
(H/L/ge/me/te/un/wd)
MASHOBRA, passenger ship, 8,236/1914, British
India Steam Navigation Co, London-reg, served as troop
transport then returned to commercial service, armed,
Mr H Brooks, Calcutta for London with general cargo.
Torpedoed by Austrian U.XXIX (Leo Prásil), crew
abandoned ship, U-boat surfaced and finished her off
with shellfire 140 miles SW of Cape Matapan, Greece
(L/te/wd - in 35.34N, 20.40E); 8 engine-room crew
killed by torpedo explosion, master taken prisoner,
survivors picked up by trawlers, landed Malta next day
(H/L/te/wd)
Aegean Sea
ARCADIAN, troopship/transport, passenger
ship, 8,939/1899, Royal Mail Steam Packet Co,
Belfast-reg, c335 crew, armed, Salonica for Alexandria
(te - France), total of 1,335 crew and troops on
board. Torpedoed by UC.74 (Wilhelm Marschall) and
extensively damaged, sank in only five minutes,
capsizing 26 miles NE of Milo Is, S of Athens (L/wd -
in 36.50N, 24.50E). Attack took place just after
life-boat drill with most still on deck, enabled 1,058
people to be saved but 277 lives lost - 19 Army
officers, 214 other ranks, 10 naval ratings, 34 crew
(ge - 242 troops, 35 crew), many killed by spars and
wreckage shooting to the surface when she turned over
under water. HMSO lists 35 crew. Vessel not to
be confused with Acadian 2,305grt, sunk 16/9/18
(H/L/dk/ge/me/te/un/wd)
Monday, 16 April 1917
Western Front - Nivelle Offensive, Third Battle
of Champagne to 20th
North Sea
LORD CHANCELLOR, trawler, 135/1888, W Grant,
Grimsby-reg, fishing. Captured by UC.41 (Kurt Bernis),
sunk by bombs 50 miles NE of Longstone, Outer Farne
Is, off Northumberland (H/L/Lr/un)
Dover Straits
Two vessels sunk by gunfire of UB.36 (Harald
von Keyserlingk) off Cape Gris Nez, near Calais:
MARDEN,
297/1909, L S Carr & Co, Newcastle -reg, sailing
Tréport for Newcastle in ballast. Sunk 6 miles NW of;
master lost his life (H/L/Lr/un)
ROCHESTER CASTLE,
sailing vessel, 102grt, Dieppe for London in light
condition. Captured first, sunk 5 miles WSW of (L - 7
miles NW of) (H/L/un)
English Channel
Two vessels sunk by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt) off
Beachy Head, Sussex:
CAIRNDHU,
cargo ship, 4,019/1911, Cairn Line, Newcastle-reg,
1-13pdr, 39 crew, Mr R Purvis, South Shields for
Gibraltar with coal, steaming at 9kts. (H – 15th) -
Torpedoed, sank 25 miles W of Beachy Head, Sussex (wi
- in 50.37.27N, 00.26.15W); 11 crew lost
(H/L/Mn/dk/te/wi)
VICTORIA (3),
schooner, 165/1897, W Garthwaite, Barnstaple-reg, 5
crew, Mr J White, Greenwich for Cherbourg with coal
tar, oil and pitch. U.40 opened fire from 2 miles at
0435 hitting her several times, crew abandoned ship,
U-boat approached and questioned them about ship’s
name and cargo, boarded and placed explosive scuttling
charges, sank 30 miles SW of (wi - in 50.19N 00.21W);
survivors picked up at 1100 by destroyer or torpedo
boat (H/L/un/wi)
__________
EDUARD, ex-German, 3-mast steel schooner,
476/1898, was Bremen-reg, seized at Liverpool, The
Admiralty (Fisher, Alimonda & Co), London-reg, 10
crew, sailing London for Port Talbot in ballast.
U-boat appeared two miles off at 0830 on starboard
quarter and opened fire, ship abandoned, firing
continued. UC.70 (Werner Fürbringer) approached,
boarded and placed scuttling charges sinking her at
0945, 12 miles SW of Beachy Head (L/un/wi - in 50.34N,
00.05E); crew picked up by patrol vessel about 1330,
landed at Newhaven (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
City,
2,893/1892, Durham SS Co (J White), Newcastle. Torpedo
missed (H/ms)
Highcliffe,
3,238/1909, Cliffe SS Co (G T Readhead), South
Shields. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 3
September 1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
TOWERGATE, 3,697/1906, Anglier SS Co (Brys
& Gylsen), London, sailing Galveston for Liverpool
with beef, cotton, lard and general cargo. Captured by
U.43 (Hellmuth Jürst), sunk by torpedo 250 miles NW by
W of Fastnet (L/te - in 52.10N, 16.16W) (H/L/te/un)
QUEEN MARY,
5,658/1915, Dunlop SS Co (Thomas Dunlop & Sons),
Glasgow, sailing New York for Havre with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sank
180 miles NW by W of Fastnet (L/te - in 51.48N,
14.52W); 9 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 17 April 1917
North Sea
Winifredian, passenger ship, 10,422 (ms –
10,404)/1899, F Leyland & Co (1900) Ltd,
Liverpool, armed, sailing Hull for Boston in ballast.
Mined, laid by UC.76 (Wilhelm Barten) 7 miles N by E
of Noss Head, reached port
(H/L/ms/un)
U. S. A.,
trawler, 182/1903, Dundee Steam Trawling (un – H
Smethurst, Grimsby), Dundee-reg, fishing. Captured by
UC.41 (Kurt Bernis), sunk by bombs 16 miles ENE of
Longstone, Farne Is (wi - in 55.45N, 01.10W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
English Channel
LANFRANC, hospital ship, ex-passenger ship,
6,287/1907, Booth SS Co, Liverpool-reg, 123 crew,
sailing Havre for Southampton with 52 medical staff,
234 British and 167 German wounded, total of 576
people on board. Torpedoed by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt),
sank 42 miles N 1/2 E of Havre (L/wd - 49.56N, 00.20W;
te/un - in 50.11N, 00.12E); 34 lives lost - 14
British, 15 German prisoners and 5 crew, survivors
picked up by escorting warships. HMSO only lists the 5
crew (tr - 387 patients on board, 220 British, 167
German with 17 British and 17 German lost)
(H/L/Mn/ge/me/te/tr/un/wd)
DONEGAL,
auxiliary hospital or ambulance ship, ex-passenger
ship, 1,885 (ms – 1,997)/1904, Midland Railway Co,
Belfast (H - armed, but as a hospital ship 1/2
un – "armed ambulance transport"), sailing Havre for
Southampton with British wounded. Torpedoed by UC.21
(Reinhold Saltzwedel), sank 19 miles S of Dean LV, off
Spithead (L - 19 miles S 1/2 E of; te/un - in 50.26N,
01.00W); 11 lives lost (tr - 12 crew and 29 of the
wounded on board; un – 40 lives lost)
(H/L/dk/ge/me/ms/te/tr/un)
Nirvana, cargo
& passenger ship, 6,021 (ms – 6,031)/1914. British
India Steam Navigation Co, Glasgow, armed, sailing
Havre for Southampton with government stores. (L -
7th) – Mined, laid by UC.70 (Werner Fürbringer) 4
miles S of Nab LV, damaged, put into St Helens Roads
(H/L/ms/un)
Clan Sutherland,
2,820/1896, Clan Line Steamers (Cayzer, Irvine &
Co), Glasgow, armed, sailing Cochin for London with
general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen)
18 miles SE of Start Point, damaged, beached at
Dartmouth, later refloated; 12 lives lost (H/L/ms/un)
off NW Scotland
Gisella, cargo ship, 2,502/1904, SS Mary Co
(Alexander & Mair), London (ms – Groedel Bros SS
Co), armed, sailing from Cardiff. (L - 27th) – Mined,
laid by U.80 (Alfred von Glasenapp) off Isle of Lewis
(L - in 57.57N, 06.25W; un – E of, in 57.59N, 06.22W,
Barrage 35), damaged, arrived in port; one life lost.
Admiralty collier when sunk on 18 November 1917
(H/L/ms/un)
Bristol Channel
Two schooners captured by UC.47 (Paul Hundius)
and sunk by bombs 30 miles S by W of St Ann's Head, W
entrance to Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire (wi - in
51.12N, 05.10W):
DANTZIC,
108/1871, G M Beer, Banff-reg, Mr G M Beer, sailing
Lancaster for St Brieuc with coal tar and pitch
(H/L/un/wi)
WILLIAM SHEPHERD,
3-master, 143/1870, W P Langmaid, Fleetwood-reg, Mr E
Rickard, sailing Glasgow for St Valery with coal
(H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
ABURI, cargo & passenger ship,
3,730/1906, African SS Co (Elder, Dempster & Co),
London-reg, armed, sailing Liverpool for Dakar with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann),
sank 125 miles NW of Tory Is (te - in 56.15N, 11.30W;
L - 56.15N, 10W); 25 lives lost, 25 survivors
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Benguela, 5,520/1910, Elder, Dempster &
Co, Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CAIRNHILL, 4,981/1912, Macbeth & Co,
Glasgow-reg, sailing New York for Havre with general
cargo. Captured by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner), sunk by
bombs 160 miles NW of Fastnet (L/te - in 52.09N,
13.16W); master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
KISH,
4,928/1902, Clyde Shipping Co, Glasgow, armed, sailing
lquique via Norfolk (Va) for Newport (Mon) with
nitrate. Torpedoed by U.67 (Hans Nieland), sank 160
miles NW by W of Fastnet (L - 143 miles W of Skelligs;
te - in 51.40N, 14.28W); 6 lives lost (H/L/dk/te/un)
Atlantic off Gibraltar
Three steamships captured by U.35 (Lothar von
Arnauld de la Perière) and sunk by bombs W of
Gibraltar:
BRISBANE RIVER,
4,989/1914, British Empire Steam Navigation Co
(Houlder Bros & Co), West Hartlepool-reg, sailing
Malta for Baltimore in ballast. Sunk 140 miles off
(L/te - in 35.30N, 08.10W); master taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)
FERNMOOR,
3,098/1894, Moor Line Ltd (ms – W Runciman & Co,
Newcastle), sailing Baltimore for Genoa with iron and
steel. Sunk 150 miles off (L/te - in 35.30N, 08.18W)
(H/L/te/un)
CORFU,
3,695/1907, Corinthian Shipping Co (R Nicholson &
Sons), Liverpool-reg, sailing Philadelphia for Genoa
with scrap iron and steel billets. Sunk 160 miles off
(L - in 35.14N, 08.25W); 3 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Mediterranean
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Khephren,
2,774/1905, Moss SS Co (J Moss), Liverpool. Torpedo
missed. Sunk 16 July 1917 (H/ms)
Lanuvium,
4,417/1906, Fisher Alimonda & Co. Chased, saved by
own gunfire (H/ms)
Ryton,
3,991/1913, Red “R” SS Co (Stephens, Sutton &
Stephens), Newcastle. Torpedo missed. Attempted to ram
U.39 on 5 August 1917, damaged and sunk
(H/ms/un)
Wednesday, 18 April 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured by
UC.41 (Kurt Bernis) and sunk off St Abb's Head, SE
Scotland:
JOHN S BOYLE,
143/1898, Clarence Steam Trawling, Scarborough-reg,
Skipper W McPherson (un – operated by W McPherson,
Aberdeen), sailed from Scarborough. Sunk by bombs 25
miles E by S of (un – in 56.16N, 01.33W; wi - 55.56N,
01.23W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
RAMESES,
155/1894, Roberts & Ruthven, Grimsby-reg, Skipper
J Cammish, sailed from Grimsby. Sunk by bombs 60 miles
NE of Blyth (L/wi - about 45 miles E of St Abbs Head,
in 55.56N, 01.23W) (L - Damaged 16/12/14)
(H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
__________
WITHAM, trawler, 144/1885, Boston Deep Sea
Fishing & Ice, Boston-reg. Captured by UC.50
(Rudolf Seuffer) and sunk by gunfire 125 miles E by S
1/2 S of St Abb's Head, SE Scotland (L/un - in 55.56N,
01.36E; un – also N of Dogger Bank) (H/L/Lr/un)
Bristol Channel
Nigaristan, 4,345/1913, Strick Line, Swansea,
armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk WW2
(H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Two steamships torpedoed by U.84 (Walter Roehr)
off Bishop Rock, Scillies:
CRAGOSWALD,
3,235/1899, Lunn & MacCoy, Newcastle-reg, armed,
sailing Buenos Aires/Rosario for London with maize.
Sank 60 miles W by S of; 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
ROWENA,
3,017/1899, Herskind & Co, West Hartlepool, armed,
sailing Alexandria for Hull with general cargo. Sank
95 miles W by S 1/2 S of (te - in 49.03N, 08.25W); one
life lost (H/L/te/un)
__________
Frankier, 3,836/1906, Brys & Gylsen,
armed. U-boat attack at entrance to English Channel,
torpedo missed (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
CASTILLIAN, 1,923/1890, Papayanni Line (ms –
Ellerman Lines (F Swift), London), London-reg, armed,
sailing Liverpool for Genoa with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann), sank 110 miles
NW by N of Tory Is (L/te - in 56.20N, 10.45W); 10
lives lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two armed steamships sailing for Liverpool
torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose) NW by W of Fastnet Rock:
SCALPA,
1,010/1902, Leith, Hull & Hamburg Steam Packet Co
(J Currie & Co), Leith, departed from
Marseilles/Valencia with oranges and onions. Sank 150
miles off (L/te - in 52.05N, 13.26W; un – also 51.57N,
13.01W) (H/L/te/un)
SCULPTOR (1),
3,846/1911, Charente SS Co (T & J Harrison),
Liverpool, armed, from New Orleans with general cargo.
Sank 120 miles off (L/te - in 52N, 13W; un - 51.56N,
12.50W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
__________
RHYDWEN, 4,799/1914, W & C T Jones SS Co
(W & C T Jones), Cardiff, armed, sailing Galveston
for Cardiff with wheat. Torpedoed by U.67 (Hans
Nieland), sank 170 miles NW by W 1/2 W of Fastnet (te
- in 51.40N, 14W); 6 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic
Clan Sinclair, 5,215/1907, Clan Line Steamers
(Cayzer, Irvine), Glasgow, armed. Torpedo/gun attack,
torpedo missed, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Portugal
THOMAS, 3-mast schooner, 132/1908, A S
Rendell, Shelborne (NS)-reg, sailing Cadiz for Rose
Blanche with salt. Captured by UC.27 (Gerhard Schulz),
sunk by bombs 40 miles SE of Cape St Vincent
(H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off Gibraltar
TREKIEVE, 3,087/1898, Hain SS Co (E Hain
& Son), St Ives, armed, sailing Barry for
Gibraltar with government stores (te - Cardiff for
Genoa with coal). Torpedoed by U.35 (Lothar von
Arnauld de la Perière), sank 100 miles W of Gibraltar
(L/te - in 35N, 09.45W); 3 lives lost, master taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Hurst,
4,718/1910, Clyde Shipping Co, Glasgow, armed. Gun
attack W of Gibraltar, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 3
October 1917 (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
RINALDO, 4,321/1908, Ellerman’s Wilson Line,
Hull, armed, sailing Tees/Hull for Bombay with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.32 (Kurt Hartwig), sank 18 miles
W by N of Cape Shershel/Cherchel, W of Algiers (L - 22
miles E of Cape Tenes; un – 36.35N, 01.48E)
(H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 19 April 1917
U-boat Warfare - Peak of merchant shipping
sinkings by U-boats and mainly U-boat laid mines. By
the beginning of 1917 Germany had about 100 U-boats in
operation and increasing. British losses alone from
all causes were 49 merchant ships of 154,000grt in
January, 105 of 313,000 in February, 127 of 353,000grt
in March, reaching a peak of 169 ships of 545,000grt
in April. On this day alone, 13 merchantmen were sunk
and three damaged by enemy action. Such losses could
not be sustained for more than 5 months without
totally crippling Britain
North Sea
POLTAVA, ex-German, 945/1889, "K" SS Co (un –
Kaye, Son & Co, London), sailing from Tyne with
coal. Mined, laid by UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) the
previous day, sank 3 miles ENE of Souter Point LH,
South Shields, Co Durham (H/L/te/un)
BETHLEHEM,
motor vessel, 379/1896, Theodor Shipping,
Newcastle-reg, sailing Calais for Grimsby, light
condition. Mined, laid by UC.55 (Karl Neureuther),
sank 1/2 m E of South Holm Buoy, off Lowestoft;
one life lost (H/L/Lr/un)
Lumina (2),
tanker, 5,856/1912 (ms – 1912), Lumina SS Co (H E Moss
& Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing Thames Haven for
Cardiff in ballast. Mined, laid by UC.6 (Werner von
Zerboni di Sposetti) about 3 miles N of Elbow Buoy,
off Kent, damaged, towed in to Gravesend (H/L/ms/un)
English Channel
SENATOR DANTZIGER, ex-German steel schooner,
164/1912, seized at Tralee, requisitioned by
Admiralty, London-reg, 6 crew, Dublin/Newhaven for
Dieppe with carbon retorts. Captured by UC.26
(Matthias Graf von Schmettow), sunk by gunfire, 15
miles S by E 1/2 E of Newhaven, Sussex (L - 15 miles
SE 1/2 E of; un – 15 miles S of; wi - in 50.32.15N,
00.11.20E;) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Aungban,
tanker, 5,125/1917, Burmah Oil Co, Newcastle, New
York/Calais for Rouen. Mined off Dieppe. Sunk in WW2
(L/ms only)
Atlantic off SW England/S Ireland
Two vessels (and an Admiralty trawler) sunk by
UC.47 (Paul Hundius) and possibly a fourth attacked:
GOLD COAST,
4,255/1900, was Hamburg-reg, captured in Cameroon
River by Royal Navy, now Elder Line (Elder, Dempster
& Co), Liverpool-reg, 1-12pdr, 53 crew, Mr E
Allen, sailing Dakar for Liverpool with general cargo,
two passengers. Torpedoed by UC.47, sunk 14 miles S of
Mine Head Light, off Co Waterford (te/wi - in
51.45.30N, 07.28W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
JEWEL,
brigantine, 195/1867, R Gregory, Dublin-reg, 6 crew,
Mr Richard Gregory, sailing Waterford for Cardiff with
timber/pit wood. Captured by UC.47, sunk by bombs 20
miles SE of Coningbeg LV, SE of Waterford Harbour (wi
- in 51.52N, 06.14W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Old Head,
schooner, 105grt, sailing Kinsale for Newport with
scrap iron. Captured by U-boat and damaged by gunfire
off Coningbeg LV (un – by unidentified U-boat, 15
miles SE of Coninsby (sic) LV; possibly UC.47), towed
into Rosslare (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off W Ireland
ANNAPOLIS, 4,567/1911, Furness, Withy &
Co, Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing Halifax (NS) for
London with general cargo. Torpedoed once and damaged
by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann) late on the 19th, 74 miles
NW 1/2 N of Eagle Is, off Co Mayo (L/te - in 54.55N,
11.45W); finished off on the 20th by U.69 (Ernst
Wilhelms) with two more torpedoes
(H/L/te/un)
Thermidor,
3,788/1901, Plisson & Co, armed. Chased, escaped
(H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
HOWTH HEAD, 4,440/1906, Head Line (ms –
Ulster SS Co (G Heyn & Sons), Belfast), armed, New
Orleans and Norfolk (Va) for Dublin with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sank
158 miles NW of Fastnet (L - in 52.02N, 13.38W); 2
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
TEMPUS,
2,981/1904, Tempus Shipping Co (W H Seager), Cardiff,
armed, sailing Cartagena for Garston with iron ore and
oranges. Torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose), sank 130 miles
NW by W 1/2 W of Fastnet (L/te - in 51.45N, 12.58W; un
– also 51.50N, 12.50W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
AVOCET (1),
1,219/1885, Avocet SS Co (Yeoward Bros) (tl –
purchased in 1907 from Cork SS Co), Liverpool-reg,
armed, Lisbon for Liverpool with cork wood and general
cargo. Captured by U.50 (Gerhard Berger), sunk by
torpedo 100 miles WNW of Fastnet (L - in 51.19N
12.03W; un – 51.19N, 12.30W) (H/L/te/tl/un)
Bristol City,
2,511/1899, Chas Hill & Sons, Bristol, armed.
Torpedo missed. Sunk 16 December 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
ELSWICK MANOR, 3,943/1901, Elswick SS Co
(Weidner, Hopkins & Co), Newcastle, armed, sailing
Tyne for Naples with coal. Torpedoed by U.84 (Walter
Roehr), sank 180 miles W of Ushant, off NW Brittany (L
- 184 miles S 42 W of Bishop Rock; te/un - in 47.36N,
09.32W) (H/L/te/un)
Bay of Biscay
CILURNUM, 3,126/1902, Hall Bros SS Co (Hall
Bros), Newcastle-reg, armed, sailing Cardiff for La
Pallice with coal. Torpedoed by UC.21 (Reinhold
Saltzwedel), sank 5 miles SW of Penmarch Point, to W
of Lorient (L/te - in 47.45N, 04.30W); one life lost
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW Spain
CAITHNESS, 3,500/1898, Sutherland SS Co (A M
Sutherland), Newcastle-reg, armed, sailing from Tyne
with coal. (dk/te/un - 20th) - Torpedoed by U.52 (Hans
Walther), sank 130 miles NW by N of Cape Ortegal (te -
in c44.00N, 10.00W; un – 45.48N, 11.07W); 47 lives
lost including master (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
Atlantic off Gibraltar
SOWWELL, 3,781/1900, Sowwell SS Co
(Galbraith, Pembroke & Co), London, armed, sailing
Sagunto for Glasgow with iron ore. Torpedoed by U.35
(Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière), sank 170 miles W
1/2 S of Gibraltar (L - 135 miles S71ºW of Cape
Spartel; ge - 180 miles from Cape Spartel); 21 lives
lost including master (H/L/dk/ge/te/un)
Friday, 20 April 1917
North Sea
Two trawlers on fishing grounds, captured by
UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns) and sunk with bombs:
ERITH,
168/1899, Great Northern SS Fishing, Hull-reg H457.
Sank 40 miles S 1/2 W of Girdle Ness, near Aberdeen (L
- 40 miles S by W of 1/2 W of) (H/L/Lr/hw/un)
GRECIAN,
119/1896, T Robinson( 1/2 ), Grimsby-reg GY15, hired
1/15 by Admiralty, returned to fishing 7/15, Skipper W
Ilett. Sank 22 miles NE by E of Longstone, Farne Is
(wi - in 55.52N, 01.05W) (H/L/Lr/D/wi)
__________
British steamship (and an Admiralty trawler)
sunk by UC.41 (Kurt Bernis):
BALLOCHBUIE,
921/1905, Aberdeen Lime Co, Aberdeen-reg, 16 crew, Mr
A Mitchell, sailing Aberdeen for Sunderland in
ballast. Torpedoed, sank 7 miles E of May Is, entrance
to Firth of Forth (L - 8 miles E of; wi – in
56.13.46N, 02.23.36W, also ranging from 6-9 miles E
of); master and two seamen drowned (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
MALAKAND, 7,653/1905, Anchor-Brocklebank
Line/T & J Brocklebank, Liverpool, armed, sailing
Calcutta for Dundee with jute and general cargo.
Captured by U.84 (Walter Roehr), sunk by torpedo 145
miles W 1/2 N of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/te/un - in
49.20N, 10.00W); one life lost
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
TORR HEAD, 5,911/1894, Head Line (ms – Ulster
SS Co (G Heyn & Sons), Belfast, armed, sailing St
John (NB) for Dublin with general cargo. Torpedoed by
U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sank 160 miles NW by W of
Fastnet (te - in 52.10N, 14.00W) (H/L/te/un)
PORTLOE,
3,187/1912, Portloe SS Co (W E Hinde & Co),
Cardiff, armed, sailing Bougie for Clyde with
phosphate. Torpedoed by U.67 (Hans Nieland), sank 160
miles WNW of Fastnet (te - in 51.13N, 14.10W; L - 51N,
14W): 24 lives lost including master (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
SAN HILARIO,
bulk petroleum tanker, 10,157/1913, Eagle Oil
Transportation, London, armed, sailing Puerto Mexico
for Queenstown with petroleum. Captured by U.43
(Hellmuth Jürst), sunk by torpedo 270 miles W by N of
Fastnet (L - 220 miles W of Queenstown; te/un - in
50.55N, 16.28W); master taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/te/un)
EMMA (1),
2,520/1898, Turnbull Bros Shipping Co (Turnbull Bros),
Cardiff, sailing Baltimore and Fayol for Clyde with
maize. Torpedoed by U.50 (Gerhard Berger), sank 200
miles SW by S of Fastnet (L - in 49.55N, 14.04W); 2
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Two armed tankers attacked by U-boat(s), torpedoes
missed:
Oriflamme,
3,764/1899, Desmarais Freres, London. Sunk 25 November
1917 (H/ms)
Terek,
3,710/1899, Caucasian SS Co (Lane & MacAndrew),
London. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic
Suwanee, tanker, 2,748 (ms – 2,736)/1888,
Kasbek SS Co (Lane & MacAndrew), London, armed.
Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
One steamship sunk (together with an Admiralty
collier) and one damaged by U.35 (Lothar von Arnauld
de la Perière), with possibly a fourth attacked, all
off Gibraltar:
NENTMOOR,
3,535/1903, Moor Line (W Runciman & Co),
Newcastle, sailing Rosario for Gibraltar with wheat.
Captured by U.35, sunk by gunfire 140 miles W of (L/te
- in 35.25N, 08.02W) (H/L/ge/te/un)
Leasowe Castle,
passenger ship, 9,737/1915, The Shipping Controller
(Union-Castle Mail SS Co), London, sailing Liverpool
for unknown destination. Torpedoed by U.35, W of (un –
90 miles W by N of), damaged, reached port (H/L/Mn/un)
Inverness,
3,734/1902, Sutherland SS Co, Newcastle. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Ikalis, 4,329/1900, Leyland Shipping Co (R W
Leyland), Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 7
June 1917 (H/ms)
Saturday, 21 April 1917
UC.30 sunk in British minefield in North Sea
off Horns Reef
Atlantic off Shetlands
Two Grimsby-reg trawlers owned by Consolidated
Steam Fishing & Ice Co, sailed Grimsby for
fishing, captured by UC.33 (Martin Schelle) and sunk
by bombs 35 miles NNW of Foula island, W of Shetlands
(wi - in 60.40N, 02.30W), crews allowed to get away:
JEDBURGH,
165/1897, GY451, Skipper T Olsen (H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
YEOVIL,
164/1898, GY575, Skipper P Mallinder. One life lost
(H/L/Lr/gy/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
SEBEK, 4,601/1909, Moss SS Co (J Moss &
Co), London, armed, sailing Liverpool for Alexandria
with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.70 (Otto Wünsche),
sank 145 miles NW of Tory Is (L/te/un - in 56.12N,
12.20W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic SW of Ireland/W of France
PONTIAC (1), 1,698/1879, Atlantic &
Eastern SS Co (J Glynn & Son), Liverpool, armed,
sailing Liverpool for Genoa with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose), sank 56 miles SW 1/2 S
of Fastnet (L/te - in 50.30N, 10W; un – 50.31N,
10.09W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
DIADEM (2),
4,307/1916, Hall Bros SS Co (Hall Bros), Newcastle,
armed, sailing Bassein and Dakar for London with rice.
Torpedoed by U.50 (Gerhard Berger), sank 200 miles SW
by W of Fastnet (L/te - in 48.37N, 12.40W; un – also
49.10N, 11.10W) (H/L/te/un)
Four armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s), escaped
or saved:
Crown of Toledo,
5,806/1911, Crown SS Co (Prentice, Service &
Henderson), Glasgow. Chased (H/ms)
Elysia,
6,368/1908, Anchor Line (Henderson Bros), Glasgow.
Torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Roumanian Prince,
tanker, 4,147/1913, Prince Line (Knott), Newcastle.
Gun attack (H/Mn/ms)
Wapello,
tanker, 5,576 (ms – 5,593)/1912, Tank Storage &
Co. Gun attack, own gunfire. Admiralty chartered oiler
when sunk 15 June 1917 (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
WARRIOR, 3,674/1901, Thos. Turnbull & Son
Shipping Co (T Turnbull & Son), Whitby, armed,
sailing Cardiff for Algiers/Alexandria with coal.
Mined, laid by UC.37 (Otto Launburg), sank 7 miles N
of Fratelli Rocks, near Bizerta, Tunis (L - 4 miles N
by 20 E of); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Sunday, 22 April 1917
North Sea
NIGHTINGALE, fishing vessel (L/wi - trawler),
91/1892, A Walker (un – J Myles, Glasgow),
Aberdeen-reg A556, Skipper G Robb, fishing. Captured
by UC.44 (Kurt Tebbenjohanns), sunk by bomb 26 miles S
of Aberdeen (wi - in 57.42N, 01.56W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
NEEPAWAH, 1,799/1903, Canada Steamship Lines,
Hamilton, Ontario, armed, sailing Huelva for Rouen
with iron pyrites. Captured by U.53 (Hans Rose), sunk
by bombs 120 miles W of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/te -
in 49.10N, 09.20W; also 49.07N, 09.27W) (H/L/te/un)
Karroo,
6,127/1913, Bucknall SS Lines, North Shields, armed.
Torpedo/gun attack W of Scillies, two torpedoes
missed, rescued (H/ms)
Atlantic
off SW Ireland
Two armed steamships chased by U-boat(s), rescued or
saved:
Austrian,
3,127/1894, Burmah SS Co (P Henderson), Glasgow (H/ms)
Valeria,
5,865/1913, SS Den of Airlie Co (Barrie), Dundee. Own
gunfire. Wrecked 21 March 1918 (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
CAPENOR, 2,536/1890, Steel, Young & Co,
London-reg, armed, sailing Nantes for Bilbao in
ballast. Mined, laid by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel),
sank at entrance to La Pallice Roads, near La Rochelle
(L - 400yd S of Chevaux Buoy, La Pallice Roads; te -
in 46.06N, 01.17W) (H/L/te/un)
Izaston,
3,060/1898, W S Miller & Co, armed. Torpedo
missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Monday, 23 April 1917
UB.39 possibly sunk in British minefield in
Dover Straits
North Sea
AURIAC, 871/1890, Thomas C Steven, Leith-reg,
16 crew, Mr Jones, sailing Rouen for Leith with empty
oil drums/in ballast. Captured by UC.44 (Kurt
Tebbejohanns), sunk by gunfire 5 miles ESE of St Abbs
Head, SE Scotland (L/wi - 10 miles E of Eyemouth, in
55.57N, 01.35W; wi - also possibly 19 miles E of St
Abbs Head); one crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Two small vessels attacked with gunfire,
possibly by same U-boat near St Ives, Cornwall:
Nephrite,
673/1896, W Robertson, Glasgow, armed, sailing St
Servan for Cardiff in ballast. Attacked 10 miles NE
1/2 E of Godrevy Is, saved by own gunfire, damaged
according to Lloyds. Not listed in Uboat.net as
damaged (H/L)
Tommi (1),
steel schooner, 138grt, sailing Charlestown, Cornwall
for Preston with sugar. Captured (un – by UC.47 (Paul
Hundius)) and damaged off St Agnes, escaped and towed
into St Ives (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
LENA, 2,463/1904, Whitefield SS Co (James,
Muers & Griffin), Cardiff, armed, sailing Huelva
for Bristol with government stores. Torpedoed by U.61
(Victor Dieckmann), sank SW of Scillies (te/un - in
48.45N, 08.30W); 25 lives lost including master, no
survivors. Oringally posted as missing. HMSO dates her
loss as possibly the 18th, Lloyds the 14th, both
location unknown (H/L/dk/te/un)
EPTAPYRGION,
4,307/1914, Ognam Shipping Co (J A Mango), London,
armed, Montevideo for Falmouth (te - Cherbourg) with
meat, oats and tinned meat. Torpedoed by U.53 (Hans
Rose), sank 150 miles W by S of Scillies (L - 130
miles SW of Wolf Rock; te - in 48.28N, 09.40W)
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
IMATAKA, 1,776/1911, Imataka SS Co (Booker
Bros, McConnell & Co), Liverpool-reg, 1-12pdr, 36
crew, Mr C Hendry, sailing Demerara for Havre with
frozen meat, rum, sugar and general cargo, and 4
passengers, proceeding on her own at 8 1/2 kts.
Torpedoed by UC.47 (Paul Hundius), sank 15 miles SSW
of Daunts Rock LV, off Co Cork (L - 12 miles S of
Daunt Rock LV; wi - in 51.29.30N, 08.19.30W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off W Ireland
ARETHUSA, steel barque, 1,279/1891, Ship
Arethusa Co (Iredale & Porter Ltd), London,
Greenock-reg, 19 crew, Mr B Erickson, sailing Guepport
(un/wi - Gulfport) for Clyde with 1,900t pitch
pine/general softwood, lying becalmed. (un – 22nd, or
early on 23rd) – Captured by UC.66 (Herbert
Pustkuchen), sunk by bombs 15 miles NW of Eagle Is
Light, off Co Mayo (wi - in 54.24N, 10.28W), picked up
by patrol vessel the same day at 1800, landed at
Killybegs (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Two cargo ships torpedoed and sunk by U.50 (Gerhard
Berger), both probably on the 23rd off Fasnet:
DYKLAND,
4,291/1914, J. F. Drughorn Ltd, London, armed, sailing
Halifax (NS) for Falmouth with timber. (H/L – 22nd) -
Sank 200 miles WNW of (L/te - in 51.04N, 14.06W; un –
also 50.52N, 13.45W) (H/L/te/un)
OSWALD,
5,185/1915, Booth SS Co, Liverpool, sailing Sabine,
Texas for Liverpool with sulphur. Sank 200 miles SW of
(L/te - in 51.10N, 14.15W; un – also 51.13N, 14.27W);
one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
Normanby, 4,219/1911, London & Northern
SS Co (Pyman Bros), London, armed. Gun attack, escaped
under cover of smoke screen (H/ms)
Tuesday, 24 April 1917
North Sea
UPTON CASTLE, trawler, 145/1896, J Smart Jnr,
Swansea-reg, sailed Aberdeen for fishing. Captured by
UC.29 (Ernst Rosenow), sunk by bomb 60 miles E of
Longstone, Farne Is (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
UC.50 (Rudolf Seuffer) attacked Grimsby fishing
fleet, escorted by armed trawlers Gaul and Margate, on
the fishing grounds off Spurn LV, Humber estuary on
24th, presumably using both deck guns. When 4 miles SW
of Gaul the submarine was sighted opening fire on
trawler Mayfly. HMS Gaul subsequently damaged and HMS
Margate sunk. Three other trawlers (Mn - four; L - on
25th) were set on fire and damaged but saved and
arrived Grimsby. The action ended when fog came down:
MAYFLY,
191/1899, J W Smethurst, Grimsby-reg, sailed from
Grimsby. Sunk 70 miles NE by N of (L - 75 miles NE by
N of Scarborough; Mn - 10 miles NE by N of Spurn); 3
lives lost, including Skipper (H/L/Lr/Mn/un)
The three identified trawlers damaged were:
Euthamia,
142grt, Grimsby-reg GY285 (L/Mn/D/gy)
Hvularia,
207grt (L/Mn)
Niblick,
154grt, Grimsby-reg GY520 (L/Mn/D)
English Channel
Huntsholm, ex-German, 2,073/1914, British
Government. Torpedo missed. Sunk 11 June 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Fishing vessel (and an Admiralty collier) sunk by
UC.47 (Paul Hundius):
HEATHER,
fishing vessel (L/wi - trawler), 58grt, fishing.
Captured, sunk by bombs 14 miles W by N of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (wi - in 49.52N, 06.48W) (H/L/un/wi)
Two armed steamships torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose) off
Bishop Rock:
FERNDENE,
3,770/1899, Dene SS Co (J T Lunn & Co), Newcastle,
sailing Cape Town for London with graphite and mealies
(maize). Sank 150 miles W of (L - 180 miles W of
Scillies; te - in 49.03N 10.00W; un – also 48.40N,
10.08W); 9 lives lost including master (H/L/te/un)
ANGLESEA,
4,534/1914, Cardiff-reg, Cardigan SS Co (Jenkins
Bros), Boston for Havre with steel, oats. Sank 160
miles W of (L - 150 miles W by S of Scillies; te - in
48.56N, 10.17W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off N Ireland
AMULREE, steel barque, 1,445/1892, John
Stewart & Co, London-reg, 29 crew, Mr G Cooper,
sailing Liverpool for Santos with 2,289t coal, lying
becalmed. Gun attack by U.81 (Raimund Weisbach) at
1700, immediately abandoned and boarded, stores and
provisions taken off, not seen to sink, but went down
50 miles N by E of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/wi - in
56.10N, 08.40W); survivors rowed for 60 miles, picked
up by drifter, landed at Larne (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
THISTLEARD, 4,136/1912, Albyn Line (Allan,
Black & Co), Sunderland, armed, sailing Tocopilla
for Glasgow with nitrate. Torpedoed by U.82 (Hans
Adam), sank 135 miles WNW of Tory Is (L/te - in
55.10N, 12.00W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
ABOSSO, passenger ship, 7,782/1912, African
SS Co (Elder, Dempster & Co), London-reg, armed,
sailing Bathurst/Lagos for Liverpool with passengers,
mail and general cargo. (te/un - 25th; un – also late
on 24th, British time) - Torpedoed by U.43 (Hellmuth
Jürst), sank 180 miles W by N of Fastnet (te - in
57.10N, 14.58W; L/wd - 50.50N, 15W); 65 lives lost
(H/L/Mn/dk/ms/te/un/wd)
Atlantic
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Drumcliffe,
4,073/1905, SS Drummon Co (Chadwick), Liverpool.
Chased, rescued. Sunk as Kelvinbank (2) 13 June
1917 (H/ms)
Thirlby,
2,009/1898, Sir R Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool,
sailing Gibraltar for Dunkirk in light condition.
Torpedo fired by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann) missed,
damaged according to Lloyds (un – by gunfire). Sunk 2
July 1917 (H/L/Mn/ms/un)
Atlantic off NW France
KENILWORTH, 2,735/1895, Dalgliesh SS (Co (R S
Dalgliesh), Newcastle, armed, sailing Cardiff for La
Pallice with benzene and patent coal fuel. Mined, laid
by UC.36 (Gustav Buch), sank 3 1/2 m SW by S of St
Mathieu Point, W of Brest (L - 3 1/2 m S 30 W of; un –
48.17N, 04.48W) (H/L/te/un)
Bay of Biscay
BARNTON, 1,858/1904, Barnton SS Co (Gillespie
& Nicol), Grangemouth-reg, sailing Bilbao for Tyne
with iron ore. Torpedoed by UC.21 (Reinhold
Saltzwedel), sank 40 miles W by S of Chassiron Light,
Ile d'Oleron, off La Rochelle (te - in 45.40N,
02.12W); 14 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 25 April 1917
Dover Straits
Bideford, 3,562/1910, Tatem Steam Navigation
Co (W J Tatem), Cardiff, armed. Gun attack by German
torpedo boats/destroyers off Dunkirk, slightly
damaged. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
BALLARAT, troopship/transport, passenger
ship, 11,120/1911, P & O Branch Service/Peninsular
& Oriental Steam Navigation Co, Greenock-reg,
1-6in QF, 140 crew, Mr F Hansen, Melbourne/Cape Town
for London with 1,620 personnel/troops and general
cargo including copper ingots, antimony ore, bullion
(wd - total of 1,752 on board), steaming at 10 1/2 kts
in escorted convoy. Torpedoed aft by UB.32 (Max
Viebeg) at 1400, 24 miles S by W of Wolf Rock
(L/te/un/wd - in 49.33N, 05.36W), starboard propeller
blown off, taken in tow by destroyer assisted by HM
Drifter Midge, sank at 0430 next morning, 7 miles SW
of Lizard Point, Cornwall (un/wi - in 49.51.45N,
05.19W); all passengers and crew taken off in the
ship’s boats, picked up by various naval and patrol
vessels, including escorting destroyers
(H/L/Mn/ge/te/un/wd/wi)
Lynorta, 3,684
(ms – 3,668)/1902, Liver Shipping Co (Johnson,
Sproule), Liverpool, armed. Gun attack off entrance to
English Channel, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 11 August
1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Two steel barques probably captured by U.81
(Raimund Weisbach) and sunk by bombs off Eagle Is, off
Co Mayo:
INVERMAY,
1,471/1895, G Milne & Co, Aberdeen-reg, 24 crew,
Mr H Lawrence, sailing Buenos Aires for Londonderry
with 2,383t maize. Sunk 40 miles NW by N of (L - in
54.40N, 11W; wi - in 54.38N, 11W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
HEATHFIELD,
1,643/1894, J A Russell, Port Glasgow-reg, 23 crew, Mr
W Cadwalader, sailing Guepport (wi - Gulf Port) for
Liverpool with timber, lying becalmed. Sunk 53 miles W
by N of (wi - in 54N, 11.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Baltic, 23,876/1904, Oceanic Steam Navigation
Co (Ismay, Imrie), Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed
(H/Mn/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst
Wilhelms) off Fastnet, possibly one of them on the
26th:
HESPERIDES,
3,393/1899, British & South American Steam
Navigation, sailing Buenos Aires for Liverpool with
general cargo. Sank 130 miles NW 1/2 W of Fastnet
(L/te - in 52.00N, 13.50W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
VAUXHALL,
3,629/1900, Lewis Trading Co (T Lewis), Cardiff,
armed, sailing Sfax for Dublin with phosphate rock.
(te/un - 26th; un – possibly with Rio Lages, which was
sunk on the 26th) - Sank 110 miles NW by W of (L/te -
in 51.45N, 12.30W), 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
__________
STEPHANOTIS, ex-Hackensack (L/un - listed as
Hackensack; un – also sold and renamed Hackensack in
1917), 4,060/1904, Hackensack SS Co (Brown, Jenkinson
& Co), London, armed, sailing Cienfuegos via
Halifax for Queenstown with sugar. (un – also early on
26th) - Sunk by U.82 (Hans Adam), 180 miles NW by W of
Fastnet (L/te - in c51.40N, 14.23W; un – also 52.06N,
14.00W); 6 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
LAURA (1),
3-mast schooner, 335/1901, A H Kempton, Bridgetown,
Barbados-reg, sailing Halifax for Liverpool with
deals. Captured by U.53 (Hans Rose) and sunk by bombs
150 miles WNW of (L - in 51.20N, 13.30W) (H/L/Lr/un)
SWANMORE,
6,373/1913, Johnston Line (Furness, Withy & Co),
Liverpool, armed, sailing Baltimore for Liverpool with
ordnance, general cargo. Torpedo/gun attacks by U.43,
U.50, U.93 (un – damaged by gunfire by U.43 and U.93
earlier in the day, torpedoed and sunk by U.50
(Gerhard Berger)), sank 230 miles WNW of Fastnet (L/te
- in 51.11N, 15.37W; un – also 51.30N, 15.15W); 11
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
__________
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
saved by own gunfire
Flaxmere,
1,525/1915, Watson SS Co, Manchester. Chased (H/ms)
Martaban,
5,106/1904, British & Burmese Steam Navigation Co
(P Henderson), Glasgow. Gun attack (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
HIRONDELLE, passenger ship, 1,648/1890,
General Steam Navigation Co, London-reg, hired 8/14 by
Admiralty as squadron supply ship/store carrier,
armed, Admiralty No.Y9.17, believed returned to
mercantile service 11/15 (D - listed as “BDV water
carrier” from 6/15 & implies still in Admiralty
service when lost), sailing London for Bordeaux with
general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.36 (Gustav Buch), sank
13 miles S by E of Belle Ile, W of St Nazaire
(H/L/D/te/un)
Mediterranean
Florrieston, 3,366/1901, Bridge SS Co (Moore,
Innes), London, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 20 April
1918 (H/ms)
Thursday, 26 April 1917
North Sea
ACTIVE (2), trawler, 149/1892, Horace E
Stroud (un – Aberdeen), Fleetwood-reg, fishing.
Captured by UC.50 (Rudolf Seuffer), sunk by bomb 80
miles ESE from St Abb's Head, N of Eyemouth (L/un - 65
miles E by S of Longstone, Farne Is) (H/L/Lr/un)
Dover Straits
ALHAMA, 1,744/1899, Bolivian General
Enterprise Ltd (Leopold Walford (London) Ltd),
Glasgow-reg, armed, sailing Bayonne for Dunkirk with
pit props. Mined, laid by UB.12 (Ernst Steindorff),
sank 1 1/2 m N of Calais Pierhead (H/L/te/un)
English Channel
Two British vessels captured and sunk by UC.65
(Otto Steinbrinck):
ATHOLE (2),
motor barge (un – fishing vessel), 150/1892, Forbes,
Abbot & Lennard, Shoreham-reg, 5 crew, sailing
Havre for Shoreham in ballast. Sunk by gunfire 20
miles S of Owers LV, off Selsey Bill (wi - in 50.20N,
00.50.50W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
AGNES CAIRNS,
brigantine, 146/1873, J Penaliggon, Guernsey-reg,
sailing Portsmouth for Guernsey with coal. Sunk by
bombs 8 miles NE of Alderney, Channel Is (H/L/Lr/un)
__________
BOY DENIS (bm/wi - Boy Dennis), ketch-rigged
sailing smack, c41/1907, Emmanuel Harris, Brixham-reg
BM274, fishing. Captured by UC.21 (Reinhold
Saltzwedel), sunk by bomb 12 miles SSW of Start Point,
Devon (un – 10 miles SSW of; wi - 50.02N, 03.43W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
Two steamships shelled by U-boat(s), escaped or
saved:
Karnak,
3,171/1906, Moss SS Co (J Moss), Liverpool (H/ms)
Polzeath,
882/1911, Lynn & Hamburg SS, armed. Own gunfire
(H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Ascania, 9,121 (ms – 9,111)/1911, Cunard SS
Co, Liverpool, armed. Gun attack W of Scillies, saved
by own gunfire. Wrecked 13 June 1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic W of Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked and sunk by U.70
(Otto Wünsche) off Fastnet:
HARFLETE,
4,814/1913, J & C Harrison Ltd, London, sailing
Cienfuegos for Queenstown with sugar. Gun attack, then
sunk by torpedo 200 miles NW by W of (L - 51N, 14.40W;
te/un - in 51.54N, 14.48W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
MANCHESTER CITIZEN,
4,251/1912, Manchester Liners Ltd, Manchester, sailing
St John (NB) for Manchester with general cargo. (te/un
- 27th; un – also late on 26th) - Torpedoed 240 miles
NW of (L/te - in 52.30N, 15.47W); one life lost
(H/L/te/un)
__________
Pontwen, 4,796/1914, W & C T Jones SS Co,
Cardiff, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire under
cover of smoke screen. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Quantock, 4,470/1910, Tatem Steam Navigation
Co (W J Tatem & Co), Cardiff, sailing from St John
(NB) for unknown destination with timber. (L/un -
27th; un – also late on 26th, British time) –
Torpedoed by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen) about 8 miles
off Mizzen Head, towed into Castletown (Berehaven); 2
lives lost. Lost in WW2 (H/L/ms/un)
RIO LAGES, 3,591/1900,
Lewis SS Co (T Lewis), London, armed, sailing
Cienfuegos for Queenstown with sugar. Torpedoed
by U.69 (Ernst Wilhelms) (un - possibly also
sank SS Vauxhall on this day, but she is listed on
25th), sank 155 miles NW by W of Fastnet (L/te - in
51.38N, 12.52W); 3 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Knight of the Thistle,
6,675/1903, Knight SS Co (Greenshields, Cowie),
Liverpool. Chased and escaped. Foundered 10 December
1917 (H/ms)
Baltic,
23,876/1904, Oceanic Steam Navigation Co (Ismay,
Imrie), Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
NW Mediterranean
MONITOR, schooner, c120 (un – 136)/1901, P
Templemen, St John's (NF)-reg, sailing Leghorn for
Cadiz in ballast. Captured by U.33 (Gustav Siess),
sunk by bombs 20 miles S by E of Cape Antibes, near
Cannes (L - in 43.12N, 07.20E; un – Gulf of Genoa)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Friday, 27 April 1917
English Channel
GOOD HOPE (1), sailing vessel, 77grt,
sailing Isigny for Cardiff. Sunk by gunfire of UC.72
(Ernst Voigt) about 15 miles NNW of Cape Barfleur,
near Cherbourg (H/L/un)
Amelia & Jane,
schooner, 62grt, Granville for Southampton. Captured
by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien), damaged by gunfire 14 miles
NNW of W Fort Cherbourg, towed into Cherbourg
(H/L/Lr/un)
JESSIE (1),
schooner, 108/1878, R Grimes, Fowey-reg, 5 crew, Mr W
Dunne, Cardiff for Carentan with coal. Captured by
UB.38 (Wilhelm Amberger), sunk by bombs 7 miles W 1/2
S of Portland Bill, Dorset (wi - in 50.28.45N,
02.37.50W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
BURROWA, 4-mast steel barque, 2,902/1890,
requisitioned by Admiralty, London, sailing Bordeaux
for Newport in ballast. Captured by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck), sunk by bombs 60 miles W of Scilly
Islands (H/L/Lr/un)
Clan Macarthur,
7,382grt, armed. Chased off Scillies, escaped (ms –
presumably 5,815/1912, Cayzer, Irvine & Co,
Glasgow. Sunk in WW2) (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
DROMORE (1), 4,398/1913, Johnston Line
(Furness, Withy & Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing
Liverpool for Baltimore with general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.58 (Kurt Wippern), sank 140 miles NW by N of Tory
Is (L/un - in 56.30N, 11.20W) (H/L/te/un)
Two vessels sunk by U.62 (Ernst Hashagen):
DUNMORE HEAD,
2,293/1889, Head Line (un – Ulster SS Co (G Heyn &
Sons), Belfast), armed, sailing Manchester for Genoa
with coal and ammunition. Torpedoed sank 135 miles NW
of Tory Is (L/te - in 56.12N, 12W) (H/L/te/un)
INVERAMSAY,
3-mast steel barque, 1,438/1891, Munro, Brice & Co
(www – George Milne & Co, Aberdeen), sailing
Gulfport for Fleetwood with pitch pine. Sunk by
gunfire NW of Ireland in 56.00N, 11.30W; lost with all
hands and posted missing (un/www only)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Headcliffe, 3,654/1915, Cliffe SS Co (G T
Readhead), South Shields, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire. Total loss in WW2 (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
Two armed steamships torpedoed and sunk by
UC.67 (Karl Neumann) off Cape Sigli, E of Algiers:
GLENCLUNY,
4,812/1909, Western SS Co (J Gardiner & Co),
Glasgow, sailing Bombay for Hull with general cargo.
(L - 28th) - Sank 4 miles NW of (L/te/un - in 36.58N,
04.42E); 4 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
KARUMA,
2,995/1910, Unison SS Co (R Gordon & Co), London,
sailing Malta for UK with Admiralty stores. (L - 28th)
- Sank 5 miles N of (un – 37.09N, 04.50E); 2 lives
lost (H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 28 April 1917
English Channel
MEDINA, passenger ship, 12,350/1911,
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation, Greenock,
London-reg, 1-4.7in QF, 358 crew, Mr F Notley, sailing
Sydney and Indian ports for London with 53 passengers,
general cargo including tin and Australian meat,
proceeding up-Channel after calling at Plymouth.
Torpedoed starboard side by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber),
engine-room flooded leaving her stopped and sinking,
went down in less than an hour 3 miles ENE of Start
Point, Devon (te - in 50.15N, 03.30W; wi - 50.12.25N,
03.32.11W); engineer officer and five firemen killled
by torpedo explosion, survivors towed in lifeboats by
naval vessels to Dartmouth and Brixham. Much of the
tin was salvaged in 1932 & 1984 (H/L/te/wd/wi)
English Channel
PURSUE, ketch-rigged sailing smack, c37/1914,
Charles Scott of Brixham, Brixham-reg BM56, sailed
Brixham for fishing & return. Captured by UB.32
(Max Viebeg), sunk by bomb 12 miles SW of Bolt Head,
near Salcombe, Devon (wi - in 50.02N, 03.56W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
Freighter,
297/1910, Robinson Brown. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
St George's Channel
Rob Roy (1), sailing vessel, 93grt. Captured,
rescued
Atlantic off SW England
Two armed steamships chased and attacked by
U-boat(s) at entrance to English Channel, both saved
by own gunfire:
Bernard,
3,682/1900, Turnbull Bros, Cardiff. Sunk 15 December
1917 (H/ms)
Sheaf Blade,
2,378/1903, W A Souter & Co. Sunk 25 October 1917
(H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two cargo steamships sunk by U.81 (Raimund
Weibach) off Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork:
TERENCE,
4,309/1902, Liverpool, Brazil & River Plate Steam
Navigation Co (Lamport & Holt), Liverpool, armed,
sailing Buenos Aires for Liverpool with meat, wheat
and general cargo. Gun attack by U.81, sunk by torpedo
150 miles NW by W of (L - in 53.55N, 15W; te/un -
c52.40N 12.55W); one life lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
JOSE DE LARRINAGA,
5,017/1913, Miguel de Larrinaga SS Co (Larrinaga &
Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing Galveston for
Manchester with general cargo. Torpedoed, sank 150
miles WNW of (te/un - in 51.32N, 13.20W); 12 lives
lost including master (H/L/dk/te/un)
__________
PORT JACKSON, 4-masted iron barque,
2,309/1882, Swift SS/Hessler & Co, West
Hartlepool-reg, sailing Buenos Aires for Cork with
maize. Torpedoed by U.67 (Hans Nieland) and sunk 180
miles W by N of Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork (L/un - in
51.00N, 14.02W); 14 lives lost including master
(H/L/Lr/un)
Central Mediterranean
PONTIAC (2), 3,345/1903, Pontiac SS Co (J W
Carmichael & Co), Glasgow, armed, sailing Karachi
for Italy with barley, maize and peas. Torpedoed by
UC.74 (Wilhelm Marschall), sank 70 miles N by E of
Marsa Susa, Libya (L - in 34.04.30N, 22.06E); one life
lost, master, chief engineer and 2 gunners taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Sunday, 29 April 1917
North Sea
DILSTON CASTLE, trawler, 129/1900, R Irvin
& Sons, North Shields-reg, Skipper G Houghton,
Aberdeen for fishing. Captured by UB.22 (Karl Wacker),
sunk by bombs 16 miles E by S of Aberdeen (un – in
57.10N, 01.32W; wi - 57.08N, 01.34W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
VICTORIA (4),
1,620/1887, SS Victoria Co (MacLay & McIntyre),
Glasgow-reg, 19 crew, Mr W Falconer, sailing Jarrow
for Bayonne with coal. Torpedoed port side amidships
at 1607 by UB.21 (Franz Walther), crew abandoned ship
but did not see her sink, went down 5 miles NE by N of
Scarborough (wi - in 54.22.15N, 00.20W); fireman
killed by explosion, survivors reached shore, landed
at Scarborough (H/L/te/un/wi)
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s), saved by
own gunfire:
Gena,
2,784/1893, T Turnbull & Son, Whitby. Gun attack.
Admiralty collier when sunk 1 May 1917 (H/ms)
Princess Helena,
677 (ms – 733)/1905, M Langlands & Sons, Glasgow.
Gun attack. Lost at Dunkirk 1940 (H/ms)
Nantes, 1,640
(ms – 1,580)/1917, European Gas Co (Brightman),
London. Chased. Sunk 7 May 1918 (H/ms)
__________
Highgate, 1,780/1899, W Cory & Son,
London. Attacked by German aeroplane, bombs missed.
Sunk 5 December 1917 (H/ms)
English Channel
Two sailing vessels sunk by UB.32 (Max Viebeg):
MERMAID,
c76grt, 4 crew, sailing St Malo for Plymouth, in
ballast. Captured and sunk by bombs 18 miles SSW of
Anvil Point, S of Poole, Dorset (wi - in 50.17.30N,
02.01W) (H/L/wi)
ELLEN HARRISON,
schooner, 103/1878, R L Berkin, Barrow-reg, sailing
Cardiff for Isigny with coal. Sunk by gunfire 7 miles
NW of Cherbourg, Normandy (un – date may have been 30
April, in 49.51N, 01.51W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic W of SW England
Two armed steamships sailing St John (NB) for
Falmouth torpedoed by U.93 (Edgar von Spiegel von und
zu Peckelsheim) off Bishop Rock, Scillies:
COMEDIAN,
4,889/1903, Charente SS Co (T & J Harrison),
Liverpool-reg, carrying government stores. Sank 200
miles W by S of (L - 40.06N, 10.45W - this latitude,
off Portugal, is probably an error; te/un - in 48.06N,
10.45W); 3 lives lost, gunner taken prisoner
(H/L/dk/te/un)
IKBAL,
5,434/1894, Elder, Dempster & Co, Liverpool,
carrying ammunition. Sank 200 miles W by S of (L - 250
miles W of Ushant; te/un - in 48.43N, 12.35W); master
and 2 gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
__________
Palma, 7,632/1903, Peninsular & Oriental
Steam Navigation Co (P&O), Belfast, armed. Gun
attack W of Scillies saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
DALEBY, 3,628/1900, Sir R Ropner & Co,
West Hartlepool-reg, armed, sailing Huelva for Garston
with copper and silver ore. Torpedoed by U.70 (Otto
Wünsche), sank 180 miles NW of Fastnet (L - c150 miles
SE of Cape Clear); 25 lives lost including master.
Note: if sailing for Garston through the Irish Sea,
the HMSO position might be the bearing to Fastnet
(H/L/Mn/te/un) RN CAS
Atlantic off NW France
Lord Downshire, 4,808/1900, Irish Shipowners’
Co (Dixon), Belfast, armed. Chased west of Ushant,
escaped (H/ms)
Central Mediterranean
KARONGA, 4,665/1907, Ellerman & Bucknall
SS Co, North Shields, armed, sailing Newport (Mon) for
Bombay with general cargo. (L/dk/te/un - 28th) -
Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto Schultze), sank in Strait of
Messina, Italy (L/un - 2 miles SSE of Cape Schio; un –
in 37.48N, 15.17E); 18 lives lost, master taken
prisoner (H/L/Mn/dk/ms/te/un)
Monday, 30 April 1917
North Sea
ARGO, trawler, 131/1896, W Meff, Aberdeen-reg
A196, Skipper G Williamson, from Aberdeen for fishing.
Captured by UB.22 (Karl Wacker), sunk by gunfire 15
miles E 1/2 S of Buchan Ness, near Peterhead (wi - in
57.29N, 01.19W) (H/L/Lr/wi)
English Channel
British schooner (and an Admiralty trawler)
sunk by UC.61 (Georg Gerth):
LITTLE MYSTERY,
schooner, 114/1887, Fowey-reg, E Stephens, Mr J Greet,
Cardiff for Cherbourg with 168t coal. Captured and
sunk by bombs 25 miles SSE of Portland Bill, Dorset (L
- 20 miles SSE of; wi - in 50.10N, 02.06W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Two steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Oilfield,
tanker, 4,005/1896, Hunting & Son, Newcastle. Gun
attack, rescued. Admiralty chartered oiler when lost
16 March 1918 (H/ms)
Vestalia,
5,528/1912, Vestalia SS Co (Gow, Harrison), Glasgow,
armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire. Sunk Crete in
1941 (H/ms)
Bristol Channel
Arranmoor, 4,008/1915, Moor Line (Runciman),
London, armed. Gun attack, escaped. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Huntsmoor, ex-German, 4,957 (ms –
4,972)/1901, British Government, armed. Gun attack W
of Scillies, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 20 February
1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
DELAMERE, 1,525/1915, Bromport SS Co (H R
Greenhalgh), Manchester-reg, armed, sailing Matadi for
Liverpool with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.70 (Otto
Wünsche), sank 110 miles W by N of Fastnet (L - in
51.04N, 13.00W; un – 51.40N, 13.00W); 10 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
HORSA,
2,949/1894, Herskind & Co, West Hartlepool, armed,
sailing Port Breira for Cardiff with iron ore.
Torpedoed by U.93 (Edgar von Spiegel von und zu
Pecklesheim), sank 195 miles SW by W of Fastnet (L -
c200 miles W of Bishop Rock; te/un - in 48.43N,
12.35W); 11 lives lost including master and gunner
taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Pretorian,
6,948 (ms – 6,436)/1901, Allan Line SS Co, Glasgow.
Chased, escaped (H/ms)
Sutlej, passenger & cargo ship, 3,549/1908, James
Nourse Ltd, London. Torpedo missed
(H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Kamouraska, 4,903/1911, Sydney, Cape Breton
& Montreal SS Co (E F & W Roberts), Liverpool,
armed. Gun attack off Ushant, saved by own gunfire
(H/ms)
MAY 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in May: 122 merchant ships totalling 352,289grt - 1 of
819grt to surface ships, 106 of 320,572grt to
submarines, 14 of 28,114grt to mines, 1 of 2,784grt to
aircraft, plus 19 fishing vessels totalling 1,448grt -
17 of 1,054grt to submarines, 2 of 394grt to mines (H)
Tuesday, 1 May 1917
U.81 sunk by British submarine E.54 SW of
Ireland
North Sea
FIRELIGHT,
1,143/1896, Gas Light & Coke (S Clarke & Co),
London-reg, sailing Newcastle for London with coal.
Torpedoed by UC.29 (Ernst Rosenow), sank 1 1/2 m E of
N Tyne Pier (L/wi - 1 mile E of Tyne Piers, in
55.01.20N, 01.21W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Haslingden,
1,934/1895, Murrell & Yeoman, West Hartlepool.
Torpedo missed. Sunk 12 May 1918 (H/ms)
Querida,
1,175/1909, Donald SS Co (T L Evans), Bristol. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
English Channel/Atlantic off NW France
Two British vessels sunk by UC.66 (Herbert
Pustkuchen):
JOHN W PEARN,
sailing vessel, 75grt, sailing Granville for Plymouth
in ballast. Captured, sunk by bombs 40 miles SSE of
Start Point, Devon (un – NW of Guernsey, in 49.42N,
02.58W) (H/L/un)
BAGDALE,
3,045/1904, Whitby-reg, Thomas Smailes & Son's
Steamship Co, armed, sailing Clyde for Nantes with
coal. Torpedoed, sank 13 miles N by E 1/2 E of Creac'h
Pt, near Ushant (te/un - in 48.41N, 05.08W); 23 lives
lost including master (H/L/dk/te/un)
North Channel
Three small coasting vessels captured by UC.65
(Otto Steinbrinck) and sunk off Galloway, SW Scotland:
HELEN,
322/1904, R Neill & Sons, Belfast-reg, Mr J Cowan,
sailing Garston for Bangor, Co Down) with coal. Sunk
by bombs 11 miles W of Mull of Galloway (L/wi - 12
miles SE of Copelands, off Co Down, in 54.22.45N,
05.18W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
W. D. POTTS,
schooner, 112/1878, W J Slade, Carnarvon-reg, sailing
Falmouth for Glasgow with china clay. Sunk by gunfire
10 miles SW of Portpatrick (H/L/Lr/un)
DORA,
296/1900, Aberdovey & Barmouth SS Co (Robert Owen
& Co), Liverpool-reg, Mr D Williams, sailing
Belfast for Liverpool in light condition/ballast. (un
– 2nd, or late on 1st, British time) - Sunk by bombs
11 miles west of Mull of Galloway (wi - in 54.36N
05.10W) (H/L/un/wi)
Irish Sea
Devonshire, 500/1894, SS Devonshire Co
(Mack), Liverpool, armed. Gun attack, saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
LADYWOOD, 2,314/1910, Wm France, Fenwick
& Co, London-reg, 24 crew, Port Nolloth for
Swansea with 2,700t copper ore. Captured by UB.38
(Wilhelm Amberger), sunk at 0600 by bombs 15 miles SW
of Wolf Rock, off Lands End (L/te/un/wi - in 49.52N,
05.59W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Cordova,
2,284/1894, J Tully & Sons, Sunderland, armed.
U-boat attack off entrance to English Channel, torpedo
missed. Sunk 12 December 1917 (H/ms)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Quarrydene, 2,883/1905, London & Northern
SS Co (Pyman Bros), London, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two armed steamships torpedoed by U.81 (Raimund
Weisbach):
SAN URBANO,
bulk petroleum tanker, 6,458/1913, Eagle Oil
Transportation, London, sailing Puerto Mexico for
London with naphtha. Sank 180 miles NW by W of Fastnet
(L/te - originally in 52N, 14.20W, later amended to
51.33N, 13.38W); 4 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Dorie,
3,264/1911, Dorie SS Co (Burdick & Cook), London,
sailing Antigua for Queenstown with sugar. Damaged
(L/un - in 51.43N, 13.45W), towed in (H/L/ms/un)
Mediterranean
Nellore, passenger & cargo ship,
6,853/1913, Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation
Co, Greenock, armed. Chased and escaped. Sunk in WW2
(H/ms)
Wednesday, 2 May 1917
Orkneys
San Melito, tanker, 10,160/1914, Eagle Oil
Transportation Co, London, armed. Chased, saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
North Sea
Hambleton Range, 3,682/1914, Neptune Steam
Navigation Co (Furness, Withy), West Hartlepool,
armed. Chased, escaped (H/ms)
English Channel
Two steamships torpedoed by UB.18 (Claus
Lafrenz) off Cape Barfleur, near Cherbourg:
JUNO,
passenger ship, 1,384/1882, Bristol Steam Navigation
Co, Bristol, sailing Rouen for Cardiff in ballast.
Sank 17 miles E 1/2 S of (L - Cape Barfleur Lt,
bearing W 1/2 N of, 17 miles off; te/un - in 49.48N,
00.51W; un – also 17 miles E 1/2 N of LH); one life
lost (H/L/te/un)
TELA,
7,226/1916, Robert Clark & Service, Glasgow,
armed, sailing Havre for Cardiff in ballast. (L -
1st/2nd) - Sank 16 miles NE 1/2 E of (L - 25 miles NW
of Cape La Heve; te/un - in 49.50N, 00.50W)
(H/L/te/un)
__________
Archbank, 3,767/1905, Peareth SS Co
(Beckingham), Newcastle, armed. Gun attack, rescued.
Sunk 5 June 1918 (H/ms)
North Channel/Irish Sea
Five small coasting vessels captured by UC.65
(Otto Steinbrinck) and sunk by bombs off Co Down
(Uboat-net lists a sixth British coasting vessel – SS
Dora - sunk on the 2nd, or late on the 1st, British
time):
DERRYMORE,
485/1905, R McCowen & Sons, Tralee-reg, 11 crew,
Mr J Mahony, sailing Dublin for Troon in light
condition/ballast. Sunk off Ballyhalbert, S of Belfast
Lough (wi - in 54.30N, 05.27.15W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
MORION,
299/1894, William Robertson, Glasgow-reg, 8 crew, Mr G
Wilkinson, sailing Dublin for Cairnlough, in ballast.
Sunk Ballyhalbert Bay (L/un - 4 miles SE of Skulmartin
LV; wi - in 54.30N, 05.27.15W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
ERNEST,
probably schooner, 111/1884, Ferguson & McKee, 4
crew, Ardrossan for Dublin with coal. Sunk 6 miles SE
of Skulmartin LV, off Ballywalter (L/un - 6 miles SE
by S; wi - in 54.30N, 05.15W) (H/L/un/wi)
AMBER,
401/1892, J Henderson, Glasgow-reg, sailing Troon for
Waterford with coal, Mr H Montgomery. Sunk around 2
miles off Ballyhalbert (wi - in 54.29N, 05.24.30W)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
SAINT MUNGO,
402/1907, T Heiton & Co (R Harper), Dublin-reg, 12
crew, Mr D Kerr, sailing Troon for Dublin with 400t
coal. Sunk in Ballyhalbert Bay (L/un/wi - 2 miles NNE
of South Rock LV, in 54.25.30N, 05.21W; wi - suggests
attacked in this position but did not sink
immediately, drifted into Ballyhalbert Bay before
foundering); crew rowed ashore (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Isla, 222grt, armed. Gun attack in Irish Sea,
saved by escort (ms – possibly 518/1903, J Brewster
& Sons, Whitehaven) (H/ms)
Bristol Channel
Gorsemore, 3,079/1899, SS Glenmore
(Johnston), Liverpool, armed. Torpedo missed.
Admiralty collier when sunk 22 September 1918 (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW England
Two vessels sunk by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien) off
north Cornwall:
WARNOW,
1,593/1883, Warnow SS Co (James Mitchell & Sons),
Dundee-reg, sailing from Penarth with railway
material/components under sealed orders. Torpedoed by
UC.48 (un - at 0300), sank c6 miles W of Trevose Head
(te/wi - in 50.30N, 05.10W); 14 crew lost including
master (H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
UNITED,
sailing smack, 61grt, Padstow for Lowestoft with
fishing tackle/gear. At the time, reportedly captured
by U-boat, sunk by bomb 5 miles NW of Godrevy LH, St
Ives Bay (L - bearing 5 miles SE from; un/wi - 5 miles
SW of, in 50.13N, 05.53W; wi - also “whether by
scuttling charge, torpedo or gunfire is not recorded”)
(H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
TROILUS (2), 7,625/1916, Ocean SS Co (A Holt
& Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing Clyde for
China/Japan (te - Yokohama for Liverpool) with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst Wilhelms), sank 140
miles WNW of Malin Head, Co Donegal (L - 140 miles
N50ºW of Inishtrahull; te - in 55.22N, 15.52W; un –
53.22N, 15.52W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BEESWING, steel barque, 1,462/1893, J B
Walmsley & Co, Liverpool-reg, sailing Pensacola
for Liverpool with timber. Captured by U.58 (Kurt
Wippern), sunk by gunfire 140 miles W by N of Fastnet
(un/wi - in 50.50N, 13W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Western Mediterranean
Camerata, 3,723/1910, La Tunisienne Steam
Navigation Co (F C Strick & Co), Swansea, armed,
sailing Avonmouth for Alexandria with military stores.
Torpedoed by UC.37 (Otto Launburg) 9 miles N of
Djidjelli, damaged, beached near there on 3rd,
refloated (H/L/ms/un)
Thursday, 3 May 1917
Western Front - Battles of Arras, Third Scarpe
to 4th
Barents Sea
Palm Branch, 3,891/1897, Nautilus SS Co (F
& W Ritson), Sunderland, armed. Torpedo/gun attack
by U.45 (Erich Sittenfeld) in Arctic Sea, torpedo
missed, damaged by shelling, but saved by own gunfire
(H/L/Mn/ms/un)
North Sea
GLEN TANAR (may be spelt Glen Tamar),
817/1909, John Cook & Son, Aberdeen-reg, Mr G
Stephen, sailing Seaham Harbour for Aberdeen with
coal. Mined, laid by UC.77 (Reinhard von Rabenau) sank
1 mile NE of Girdle Ness, near Aberdeen (wi - in
57.09.45N, 02.01.45W) (H/W/L/te/un)
City of London,
225grt. Gun attack, missed (ms – possibly 245/1897 or
351/1891, D C Thomas & Son, London) (H/ms)
English Channel
CLODMOOR, turret hull steamship, 3,753/1902,
Moor Line (W Runciman & Co), London-reg, 1-12pdr,
30 crew, Mr W MacDawson, sailing Bahia Blanca for
Newcastle with wheat. Torpedoed by UB.48 (un – UB.40
(Hans Howaldt), sank 5 miles SW of Newhaven, Sussex
(L/wi - 5 miles S of, in 50.43.40N, 00.00.30W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
USSA,
2,066/1913, J Holt & Co (Liverpool) Ltd,
Liverpool, armed, sailing Manchester for Cherbourg
with hay and wagons. Mined, laid by UC.26 (Matthias
Graf von Schmettow), sank 2 1/2 m NW of Western Fort,
Cherbourg harbour (te/un - in 49.41N, 01.39W)
(H/L/te/un)
Six sailing smacks (wi - all tonnages are net) on
fishing grounds captured by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs), all
but one sunk by bombs off The Stags rocks, off Lizard
Point, Cornwall. A seventh was sunk by bombs off
Ireland :
ELEANOR (1),
31grt. Sunk 13 miles S of (wi - in 49.44N, 05.07W)
(H/L/un/wi)
FASTNET,
31grt. Sunk 13 miles S of (un – in 49.57N, 05.07W; wi
- 49.44N, 05.07W) (H/L/un/wi)
NORTH STAR,
15grt. Sunk 13 miles S of (un – in 49.45N, 05.05W; wi
- 49.44N, 05.07W) (H/L/un/wi)
CARBERY KING,
21grt. Sunk 14 miles S of (un/wi - in 49.44N, 05.07W)
(H/L/un/wi)
SIR EDWARD BIRKBECK,
23grt. Sunk 16 miles SE of (wi - in 49.41N, 05.07W)
(H/L/un/wi)
LUCKY LASS,
10grt, Baltimore for fishing. Scuttled 15 miles S of
(un – 49.34N, 05.07W; wi - 49.43N, 05.07W) (H/L/un/wi)
also
HIBERNIA,
sailing smack, 21grt, fishing. Captured, sunk by bomb
14 miles SE of Baltimore Harbour, Co Cork (wi - in
51.18N, 09.09W) (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
FREDERICK KNIGHT, 3,604/1898, W & C T
Jones SS Co (W & C T Jones), Cardiff, armed,
sailing Norfolk (Va) for UK with sugar. Torpedoed by
U.62 (Ernst Hashagen), sank 115 miles NW by W of
Fastnet (L/te/un - in 51.43N, 12.21W) (H/L/te/un)
NW Mediterranean
WASHINGTON, 5,080/1907, Evan Thomas,
Radcliffe/Anthony Radcliffe SS Co & Ethel
Radcliffe SS Co (Thomas Radcliffe & Co), Cardiff,
sailing New York for Leghorn/Naples with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto Schultze), sunk off
Rapallo Bay, E of Genoa (L/un - 1 1/2 m abreast of
Caniogli, near Genoa; un – also in 44.14N, 09.07E)
(H/L/te/un)
Friday, 4 May 1917
U-boat Warfare - First US Destroyer Division of
6 ships arrived at Queenstown, Ireland for trade
protection
North Sea
Wolseley, trawler, 1903, 159grt, North
Shields-reg SN345, fishing. Attacked by U-boat,
damaged 30 miles NE by N of N Pier, River Tyne. Not
listed in Uboat.net as damaged (L/D)
English Channel
JOSEPH, brigantine, 205/1879, Faversham-reg,
Whitstable Shipping, Tyne for Caen with coal. Captured
by UB.38 (Wilhelm Amberger), sunk by bombs 20 miles W
by N of Caen Harbour, Seine Bay (20 miles N by W of;
un – in 49.39N, 00.38W) (H/L/Lr/un)
St George's Channel
Three vessels (and a Q-ship smack) sunk by
UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck):
VICTORIOUS
(2), ketch-rigged sailing smack, c39/1905, Anne
Llewellin and others, Brixham-reg BM255, Milford crew,
sailed Milford Haven for fishing. Captured, sunk by
bomb 10 miles NNE of Strumble Head, near Fishguard (wi
- in 52.11N, 05W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
PILAR DE LARRINAGA,
4,136/1902, Miguel de Larrinaga SS Co (Larrinaga &
Co), Liverpool, London-reg, 1-12pdr, 38 crew, Mr C de
Fovuria, sailing Galveston for Manchester with wheat,
general cargo and one passenger. Torpedoed, sank 2
miles SE by S of the Tuskar LV, off Co Wexford (te/wi
- in 52.10.45N, 06.08W); 20 crew lost including master
(H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
NEW DESIGN NO.2,
sailing vessel, 66grt, sailing Bridgewater for Dublin
with bricks. Captured, sunk by bombs 15 miles E by S
of Tuskar Rock (L/un/wi - 25 miles N by W of South
Bishop LH, in 52.14N, 05.40W) (H/L/un/wi)
__________
Two vessels attacked by U-boat(s):
Maidan,
8,205/1912, T & J Brocklebank, Liverpool, armed.
Chased, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Yorkshire,
394/1893, J S Mack, Liverpool. Gun attack, rescued
(H/ms)
Atlantic
Monmouthshire, 5,097 (ms – 5,092)/1902,
Jenkins & Co, London, armed. Chased, saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Ben Lomond, 2,814/1906, Morrison Shipping Co,
Newcastle, armed. Torpedo missed. Sunk 8 July 1918
(H/ms)
NW Mediterranean
TRANSYLVANIA, troopship/transport, passenger
ship, 14,315/1914, Anchor Line (Henderson Bros) Ltd,
Glasgow-reg, armed, Mr S Brennel, Marseilles for
Alexandria with 200 officers, 2,800 troops, government
stores, escorted by Japanese destroyers Matsu and
Sakaki. Torpedoed port side in engine-room by U.63
(Otto Schultze), headed for shore, second torpedo just
missed Matsu and hit Transylvania which soon sank 2
1/2 m south of Cape Vado, Gulf of Genoa (L/te/un/wd -
in 44.15N, 08.30E); total of 414 lives lost including
11 crew & master, survivors taken off by the
destroyers. HMSO only lists the 12 crew (un – 270
lives lost) (H/L/Mn/dk/ge/me/te/un/wd)
Saturday, 5 May 1917
North Sea
ANGELA, sailing vessel, 122grt, 5 crew,
sailing Thames for Newcastle with burnt ore. A vessel
believed to be the Angela was seen to blow up at 2053,
mined, laid by UC.42 (Otto Heinrich Tornow) 3 miles SE
of South Tyne Pier (wi - in 55.01.15N, 01.19W); all
five crew including the master killed (H/L/un/wi)
EDITH CAVELL,
motor fishing vessel, 20grt, fishing. Captured by
UB.21 (Franz Walther), sunk by bomb 7 1/2 m E of Robin
Hood's Bay, near Whitby, Yorkshire (wi - in 54.31N,
00.26W) (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW
England
Mahanada, 7,196/1914, T & J Brocklebank,
Liverpool, armed. Chased off Scillies, saved by own
gunfire. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two steamships sunk by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien):
FELTRIA,
ex-Uranium, ex-Avoca, ex-Atlanta, ex-Avoca, ex-San
Fernando, ex-Avoca, cargo-passenger ship, 5,254/1891,
Cunard SS Co, Liverpool, London-reg, 1-3in HA, 69
crew, Mr W Price, sailing New York for Avonmouth with
government stores and general cargo. Torpedoed, sank 8
miles SE of Mine Head, off Co Waterford (te/un/wi - in
51.56N, 07.24W); 45 crew lost including master
(H/L/Mn/dk/ge/te/un/wi)
GRETA,
297/1903, J Monks & Co, Liverpool-reg, 7 crew, Mr
H Johnson, sailing Cork for Neath Abbey, in ballast.
Captured, sunk by gunfire 11 miles SE of Mine Head (wi
- in 51.51.45N, 07.22.45W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
LODES, 396/1898, M A Morris, Pilltown, Co,
Kilkenny, Middlesbrough-reg, 9 crew, sailing Newport
for Cork with coal. Mined, laid by UC.33 (Martine
Schelle), blown in two, sank 4 miles SE of
Ballycottin/Ballycotton, Co Cork (wi - in 51.49N,
07.51W); 7 crew lost including master whose body was
picked up, two survivors asleep below, came to
clinging to a piece of wreckage and picked up by
Ballycotton lifeboat (H/L/Lr/wi)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Bengore Head,
2,490/1884. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 20
June 1917 (H/ms)
Norton,
1,825/1908, Furness, Withy & Co, West Hartlepool.
Chased, escaped (H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Photinia, 4,583/1913, Stag Line (Robinson),
North Shields, armed. U-boat attack W of Ushant,
torpedo missed. Sunk in WW2 (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
HARMATTAN, 4,792/1911, J & C Harrison,
London, armed, sailing from Avonmouth/Gibraltar with
part cargo of government stores. Mined, laid by UC.37
(Otto Launburg), sank 7 miles N of Cape Rosa, near
Annaba, E Algeria (te/un - 30 miles off Cape Bon); 36
lives lost including master (H/L/dk/te/un)
Talawa, turret
hull steamship, ex-German, 3,834/1907, Australian
Commonealth Government, London, armed, sailing Cardiff
for Leghorn with coal. Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto
Schulze) in Gulf of Genoa, damaged, beached off
Alassio, refloated (H/L/ms/un)
Sunday, 6 May 1917
English Channel
Katie Cluett, 3-mast schooner, 136grt,
sailing Dieppe for Runcorn with flints. Gun attack 28
miles NW by N of Dieppe, escaped, towed in to St
Helen’s Road, damaged according to Lloyds. Not listed
in Uboat.net as damaged (H/L/Lr)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
ADANSI, 2,644/1901, British & African
Steam Navigation Co (Elder, Dempster & Co),
Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing Sierra Leone for
Liverpool with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.21 (Otto
Hersing), sank 80 miles W 1/2 N of Fastnet (L -
Fastnet bearing true N77ºE 80 miles off; te/un - in
50.40N 11.05W) (H/L/te/un)
Monday, 7 May 1917
North Sea
New Abbotshall, 783/1912, Stocks, Turnbull
& Co, Kirkcaldy, armed. Gun attack, saved by own
gunfire (H/ms)
English Channel
LOWMOUNT, 2,070/1888, Capel & Co (W L
Scott, manager), Leith-reg, 22 crew, sailed from
Bilbao with iron ore, arrived St. Helen’s Roadstead on
7th, left within four hours for Stockton-on-Tees.
Mined, laid by UC.70 (Werner Fürbringer), sank 4 miles
SE of Nab LV, off IoW (L - 4 miles NW of Owers LV;
te/un - 4 miles N of Owers LV; wi - in 50.38N,
00.53W); 5 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
St George's Channel
MAUDE, schooner, 93 (un – or 98)/1894, J H
Lamey, Bideford-reg, sailing Padstow for Manchester
with china clay. Captured by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck),
sunk by bombs about 8 miles SW of Bardsey Is, off W
Caernarvonshire (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off SW England
KINROSS, 4,120/1911, Sutherland SS Co (A M
Sutherland), Newcastle-reg, armed, 34 crew, Mr E
Trebilcock, sailing Fremantle for London with wheat,
steaming at 6kts. Torpedoed in starboard bow by UC.48
(Kurt Ramien), finished off by gunfire at 0155, 10
miles E of the Wolf Rock, near Lands End (L - 8 miles
E by N of; te - in 49.59N, 05.35W; un – 49.49N,
05.33W; wi - 49.58.55N, 05.33.15W); three boats got
away - master’s picked up by SS Crohan and landed at
St Ives, second boat by SS Forfar and landed at
Penzance, third boat by a patrol vessel, also landed
at Penzance (H/L/te/un/wi)
POLAMHALL,
4,010/1901, West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co, West
Hartlepool, armed, sailing Alexandria for Hull with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.62 (Ernst Hashagen),
sank 80 miles WSW of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L/un - in
49.02N, 08.04W) (H/L/te/un)
Southwaite,
3,618/1904, Raithwaite SS Co (J W Pyman), Cardiff,
armed. U-boat attack off entrance to English Channel,
torpedo missed (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Griqua, 3,344/1902, Bucknall SS Lines,
London, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
Crown of Leon, 3,391/1894, Crown SS Co
(Prentice, Service & Henderson), Glasgow, armed,
sailing Cardiff for Civita Vecchia with coal.
Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto Schultze) in Gulf of Genoa (un
– in 44.04N, 08.14E), damaged, beached near Albenga,
along the coast from Genoa, refloated; one life lost
(H/L/Mn/ms/mun)
Tuesday, 8 May 1917
English Channel
IRIS, sailing vessel, 75grt. (H - "8th 1/2 ")
– Captured by UC.26 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow),
sunk by bombs off Cherbourg; 4 lives lost including
master (H/un)
Atlantic off SW England
San Patricio, tanker, 9,712/1915, Eagle Oil
Transport Co, London, armed, sailing Puerto Mexico for
Sheerness with oil fuel. Torpedoed by UC.65 (Otto
Steinbrinck) off Trevose Head, damaged, arrived
Avonmouth. Sunk in WW2 (H/L/ms/un)
PETUNIA,
1,749/1889, James Cormack & Co, Leith, armed,
sailing Bathurst/River Gambia for Leith with
groundnuts. Torpedoed by U.49 (Richard Hartmann), sank
45 miles W of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L - 90 miles W of
Scillies; te/un - in 49.26N, 08.36W; un – also 49.40N,
07.34W); 2 lives lost, master and 2 gunners taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
KILLARNEY, iron barque, 1,413/1892, J B
Walmsley & Co, Liverpool-reg, sailing Brunswick
for Liverpool with timber. Captured by U.21 (Otto
Hersing), sunk by gunfire 200 miles W by N of Fastnet
(L/un - in 50.55N, 14.44W; un – or about 50.20N,
12.30W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Wednesday, 9 May 1917
North Sea
WINDWARD HO!, trawler, 226/1902, S T White,
Hull-reg H692, Skipper G Eddom, Hull for fishing.
Mined, laid by UC.49 (Alfred Arnold), sank 3 miles S
of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire (wi - in 57.26N, 01.45W);
explosion killed 8 men including Skipper
(H/L/Lr/hw/un/wi)
KITTY,
trawler, 181/1898, G F Sleight (un – Alliance Steam
Trawling Co (Scarborough) Ltd (J S Ellis),
Scarborough), Grimsby-reg, Skipper J Sandham, sailed
from Peterhead for fishing. Captured by UC.42 (Otto
Heinrich Tornow), sunk by bomb 25 miles ENE of St
Abb's Head, SE Scotland (L/un - 30 miles ENE of; un/wi
- in 56.11.39N, 01.45W;), skipper and chief engineer
taken prisoner (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Malda,
passenger & cargo ship, 7,884/1913, British India
Steam Navigation Co, Glasgow, armed. Torpedo missed.
Sunk 25 August 1917 (H/Mn/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Astyanax, 4,872/1906, China Mutual Steam
Navigation Co (Alfred Holt), Liverpool, armed. Chased
and escaped. Scuttled Singapore 1942 (H/ms)
NW Mediterranean
HARPAGUS, 5,866/1910, J & C Harrison,
London, armed, sailing New York for Marseilles with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.34 (Johannes Klasing),
sank 62 miles SW of Planier Is, off Marseilles (L - 62
miles S57ºW of Marseilles; un – in 42.32N, 04.39E); 3
lives lost, master and chief engineer taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 10 May 1917
U-boat Warfare - First trial convoy sailed from
Gibraltar for UK, 16 ships escorted by submarine
decoy/Q-ships Mavis (Q.26) and Rule (Q.35), convoys
started regularly in July
North Sea
Hessle, 952/1907, Wetherall SS Co, Goole,
armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
English Channel
Treverbyn, 4,163/1910, Hain SS Co, St Ives,
armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 3
September 1917 (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Clan MacNab,
4,675/1905, Sir C W Cayzer (Cayzer, Irvine), Glasgow.
Torpedo missed. Sunk 4 August 1918 (H/ms)
Kassanga,
3,015/1899, MacLay & McIntyre. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire under cover of smoke screen. Sunk 20
March 1918 (H/ms)
Putney,
3,232/1899, Watts, Watts & Co. Torpedo missed
(H/ms)
Friday, 11 May 1917
English Channel
TARPEIA, 538/1905, Care & Eidman, sailing
Alderney for Treport with stores (te - stone).
Captured by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), sunk by bombs 9
miles N of Port en Bessin, near Caen (L - 10 miles NE
of Havre; te/un - in 49.30N, 00.49W; un – at 0445)
(H/L/ms/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CALCHAS, 6,748/1899, Ocean SS Co (A Holt
& Co), Liverpool-reg, 1-4.7in QF, 68 crew, Mr R
Jon, sailing New York for Liverpool with 6,700t
general cargo including food and ammunition, steaming
at 12 1/2 kts. Torpedoed by U.80 (Alfred von
Glasenapp), sank 5 miles W by S of Tearaght Is, off
Dingle Bay (te/wi - in 52.00N 10.45W; un – 3 miles W
by S of, in 52.00N, 10.40W; wi - also 5 miles W of)
(H/L/te/unwi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
BARRISTER (1), 3,679/1915, Charente SS Co (T
& J Harrison), Liverpool-reg, 1-12pdr, 44 crew, Mr
J Richards, sailing Pernambuco for Liverpool with
2,150t sugar, 300t maize and general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.49 (Richard Hartmann), sank 7 miles SW of Mine
Head, Co Waterford (te/un - in 51.48N, 07.46W; un –
also 51.46N, 07.34W; wi - in 52.55N, 07.43.15W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Western Mediterranean
Hindoo, 4,915/1906, Ellerman’s/Thomas Wilson,
Sons & Co, Hull, armed, sailing Karachi for Hull
with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.47 (Heinrich
Metzger) (L/un - in 36.37N, 01.55E; un – between
Algiers and Tenes, also 36.41N, 01.53E), beached
outside Hagha, Algeria, refloated (H/L/ms/un)
Central Mediterranean
LIMASOL, sailing vessel, 100grt, sailing
Genoa for Cyprus, cargo not listed. Captured by UC.35
(Ernst von Voigt), sunk by bombs 18 miles SW by W of
Monte Cristo island, S of Elba island, off W Italy
(H/L/un)
Saturday, 12 May 1917
Italian Front - Tenth Battle of the Isonzo to 8
June
Norwegian Sea
WIRRAL, 4,207/1911, Wirral Transport Co (J
Edgar & Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing London for
Archangel with munitions. Torpedoed by U.19 (Johannes
Spiess), sank 23 miles NW of Utvaer Is, W of Sula
island, off Sognefiord (L/te/un - in 61.12N, 03.47E;
un – also 61.06N, 03.51E); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
North Sea
Waterville, 1,968/1891, Balls &
Stansfield, North Shields (un - New Line SS Co (R
Mackie & Co), Leith), sailing Dunston for Havre
with coke. Mined, laid by UC.6 (Werner von Zerboni di
Sposetti) off Elbow Light Buoy, damaged, beached at
Deal, refloated. Wrecked 26 November 1917 (H/L/ms/un)
English Channel
Two vessels sunk by UC.17 (Ralph Wenninger):
GALICIA (1),
passenger & cargo ship, 5,922/1901, Pacific Steam
Navigation Co, Liverpool-reg, 1-12pdr, 63 crew, Mr E
Pape, sailing Liverpool/London for Valparaiso with
mails and general cargo. Mined, laid by UC.17 but not
known when, foundered 3 miles E of Teignmouth Pier,
Devon (te/un - in 50.32N, 03.24W; wi - in 50.33.16N,
03.26.17W) (H/L/te/un/wd)
G. L. C.,
sailing smack, 24grt, fishing. Captured, sunk by bomb
6 miles SE of Eddystone Rock, off Plymouth (L/wi - 16
mile SE of, in 50.02N, 03.55W) (H/L/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
REFUGIO, 2,642/1905, Orders & Handford SS
Co, Newport (Mon), armed, sailing Ardrossan for Huelva
with coal (te - in ballast). Captured by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg), sunk by gunfire 115
miles NW 1/2 W of Tory Is (L/te/un - in 55.10N,
11.35W); one life lost. Von Georg was on British list
of war criminals for this sinking, case did not go to
court (H/L/ge/os/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Cuthbert, passenger & cargo ship,
3,834 (ms – 3,563)/1906, Booth SS Co, Liverpool,
armed. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Mediterranean
Four armed steamships attacked by
U-boat(s):
Calabria,
passenger & cargo ship, 4,376/1901, Anchor Line
(Henderson Bros), Glasgow. Chased, escaped (H/ms)
Cliffside,
5,850 (ms – 4,969)/1917, J Priestman, Newcastle.
Torpedo missed. Wrecked in WW2 (H/ms)
Ismailia,
passenger & cargo ship, 3,704 (ms – 3,660)/1881,
Khedivial Mail SS Co, London. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Rio Claro,
3,687/1904, Petersen & Co. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Western Mediterranean
ZANONI, 3,851/1907, Turner, Brightman &
Co, London-reg, armed, sailing Tyne for Genoa with
coal. Captured by U.34 (Johannes Klasing), sunk by
torpedo 12 miles NE by E of Cape Oropesa, NE of
Castellon, Spain (un – in 40.16N, 00.27E); one life
lost (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
LOCKSLEY HALL, passenger ship, 3,635/1893,
Hall Line (R Alexander & Co), Glasgow, armed,
sailing Madras for London with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.32 (Kurt Hartwig), sank 30 miles SE by
S of Malta (L/te/un - in 35.23N, 14.56E); 6 lives lost
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
EGYPTIAN PRINCE,
3,117/1902, Prince Line (Furness, Withy & Co),
Newcastle, armed, sailing Alexandria for Manchester
with general cargo. Captured by U.38 (Max Valentiner),
sunk by bombs 240 miles SSE of Malta (un – in 34.20N,
18.52E) (H/L/te/un)
Sunday, 13 May 1917
North Sea
Fiscus, 4,170 (ms – 4,782)/1917, Tempus
Shipping Co (Seager), Cardiff, armed. Torpedo missed.
Sunk 20 December 1917 (H/ms)
English Channel
Galtee, 565 (ms – 508)/1881, Waterford SS Co,
Waterford. Torpedo missed (H/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
JESSMORE, 3,911/1911, Johnston Line (Furness,
Withy & Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing Baltimore
for Manchester with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.48
(Karl Edeling), sank 180 miles WNW of Fastnet (L/te/un
- in 51.18N, 14.20W; un – also 41.28N, 13.48W)
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
Neilrose,
3,568 (ms – 3,542)/1906, J Holman & Sons, armed.
Torpedo missed (H/Mn/ms)
Mediterranean
Two steamships shelled by
U-boat(s):
Anglo-Chilean,
6,900grt, armed, Mr Stanley Lord, master of SS
Californian at the time of the loss of the Titanic.
Saved by own gunfire (ms – probably 9,097/1916,
Nitrate Producers’ SS Co (Lawther, Latta), London.
Sunk in WW2) (H/ms/www)
Trevaylor,
4,249grt. Rescued
Monday, 14 May 1917
U.59 sunk in German minefield in North Sea off
Horns Reef off Denmark
North Sea
BEL LILY, trawler, 168grt, Baynton &
Jagger, Grimsby-reg GY1000, Skipper W Wood, Grimsby
for fishing. Mined, laid by UC.49 (Alfred Arnold),
foundered 1 1/2 m E by N of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
(wi - 1 1/2 m NNE from, in 57.31N, 01.43W); 10 lives
lost, including Skipper (H/L/gy/un/wi)
English Channel
ELIZABETH HAMPTON, schooner, 108/1863, W H
Robertson, Plymouth-reg, Mr C Bate, 4 crew, sailing
Cardiff for Carentan with 151t coal, weather-bound at
Falmouth for a month before arriving St Helen’s Road
on 2nd for sailing orders, departed on 12th. Stopped
at 1200 by UB.18 (Claus Lafrenz), stores and food
taken off, bombs placed, sank 25 miles S by W of St
Catherine's, IoW (un – 25 miles S of, or 20 miles SW
1/2 W of Dunose Point; wi - in 50.19N, 01.48W); crew
picked by torpedo-boat/destroyer and landed at
Portsmouth (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
FARLEY, 3,692/1916, Mitre Shipping Co
(Houlder, Middleton & Co), London, armed, sailing
Cardiff for New York in ballast. Torpedoed by UC.17
(Ralph Wenninger), sank 70 miles SW 1/2 W of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (L - 75 miles SSW of; te/un - in
48.56N, 07.22W) (H/L/te/un)
Two armed steamships chased (s) off entrance to
English Channel, saved:
Grelhame,
3,740grt. By own gunfire
Upcerne,
2,984grt. By the weather
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Arlington Court, 4,346/1905, Mitchell SS Co
(G H Mitchell), London, armed, sailing St John (NB)
for Cherbourg with timber. Torpedoed by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg) (L/un - in 51.24N,
11.20W), damaged, towed in to Castletown (Berehaven).
Von Georg was on British list of war criminals for
this attack, case did not go to court (H/L/ge/un)
CARNMONEY,
iron barque, 1,299/1884, J Stewart (un – Marine
Navigation Co of Canada Ltd, Montreal), Belfast-reg,
sailing Buenos Aires for UK with maize. Captured by
U.49 (Richard Hartmann), sunk by bombs 150 miles W of
Fastnet (L/un - in 50.20N, 13.10W; un – also 50.38N,
13.10W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Mediterranean
Canara, 6,012grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Central Mediterranean
Volga, 4,404/1903, Volga SS Co (Gow, Harrison
& Co), Glasgow, armed, sailing Karachi for unknown
destination, laden. Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto Schultze)
(un - E of Sicily, in 37.08N, 15.15N), damaged,
beached at Messina, Sicily, refloated (H/L/Mn/un)
Tuesday, 15 May 1917
English Channel
CUBA, barquentine, 271/1875, Shaw &
Rowles Sailing Co, Guernsey-reg, 7 crew, Mr R Kearon,
Teignmouth for Tréport with clay. Gun attack by UB.40
(Hans Howaldt) at 1900, shells went through mainsail
and into hull, crew abandoned ship at 1905, U-boat
came alongside, planted bombs, Cuba sank 18 miles ESE
of Owers LV, off Selsey Bill, Sussex (L/wi - 18 1/2 m
ESE of, in 50.30.12N, 00.13.50W; un – 19 miles S83°W
of); two crew wounded by the shelling, survivors
landed ashore from own boat (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
POLYMNIA,
2,426/1903, "K" SS/Kaye, Son & Co, London-reg,
1-3pdr MkV, 27 crew, Mr R Baker, sailing Huelva/Lisbon
for Cherbourg/Falmouth with fresh fruit and iron ore,
steaming at 9kts. Torpedoed just abaft the engine room
by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs) (un – at 0800), sank 15 miles
W of Lizard Point, Cornwall (te/un - in 49.54N,
05.34W; wi - in 49.56N, 05.35W); 8 crew
drowned(H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Baychattan,
3,758grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Ibex, 951grt.
Torpedo missed
Mediterranean
Nellore, 6,853grt, armed. Gun attack by
U-boats, saved by own gunfire
Western Mediterranean
Pancras, 4,436/1911, Booth SS Co, Liverpool,
armed, sailing Cardiff for Almeria with coal. Gun
attack by U.47 (Heinrich Metzger) off Punta Sabinal,
Spain, damaged, beached 2 miles W of Adra, near
Almeria, refloated (H/L/un),
TUNG SHAN,
3,999/1899, Sale & Co. London, armed, sailing Tyne
for Genoa with coal. Captured by U.34 (Johannes
Klasing), sunk by bombs 7 miles due N of Cape San
Antonio, Gulf of Valencia, Spain (un – in 39.02N,
00.19E, at 1700); one life lost, master, chief
engineer and gunner taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 16 May 1917
UC.36 went missing in central English Channel
sometime after the 16th
English Channel
Two armed steamships torpedoed by UB.40 (Hans
Howaldt) off Sussex:
PAGENTURM,
5,000/1909, The Admiralty (Grahams & Co),
London-reg, 1-4in QF, 83 crew, sailing
London/Sheerness for Barry with military stores,
general cargo and one passenger. Sank 16 miles W of
Beachy Head, near Eastbourne (te/un - in 50.40N,
00.10W; wi - in 50.38.01N, 00.12.56W); 4 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
HIGHLAND CORRIE,
passenger cargo ship, 7,583/1910, Nelson Steam
Navigation Co (H & W Nelson), London,
Liverpool-reg, armed, sailing La Plata for London with
frozen meat and a few passengers. Sank 4 miles S of
Owers LV, off Selsey Bill (te/un - in 50.28N, 00.38W);
5 crew lost (H/L/dk/te/un/wd)
__________
KILMAHO, 2,155/1898, Seville & United
Kingdom Carrying Co (J Cory & Sons), Cardiff-reg,
1-12pdr, 22 crew, sailing Cardiff for Dunkirk with
railway material/components. (L/dk/te/un - 17th; un –
possibly 2300 on 16th) - Torpedoed by UB.20 (Hermann
Glimpf), sank 10 miles WNW of Lizard Point, Cornwall
(te - in 49.58N, 05.28W; un/wi - in 49.58.35N,
05.19.40W); 21 crew lost including master
(H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
MIDDLESEX, 8,364 (un – 7,265)/1914, Federal
Steam Navigation Co, Liverpool-reg, armed, Mr A
Flemying, sailing Manchester for Australia with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.30 (Franz Grünert), sank
150 miles NW of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te/un/wi -
in 56.03N, 12.30W) (H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
Western Mediterranean
DOROTHY DUFF, 3-masted schooner, 186/1906,
Sydney (CB)-reg, W Duff & Sons, sailing from
Gibraltar. Captured by U.34 (Johannes Klasing), sunk
by bomb 14 miles off Cape Cullera, S of Valencia,
Spain (H/L/Lr/un)
Thursday, 17 May 1917
U-boat warfare - Admiralty convoy committee set
up; second US destroyer division arrived at Queenstown
North Sea
CITO, 819/1899, Wilson Line & North
Eastern Railway Shipping, Hull-reg, sailing Hull for
Rotterdam with general cargo. Shelled by German
torpedo boats/destroyers, sank 20 miles E of North
Hinder LV, W of Hook of Holland; 11 lives lost
including master (H/L/Lr/ms)
Chiswick,
3,246grt, armed. Gun attack by U-boat, saved by own
gunfire
English Channel
FLORENCE LOUISA, schooner, 115/1876, J Reney,
Chester-reg, 4 crew, Mr C Savage, sailing Rouen for
Briton Ferry with scrap steel (wi - soda). Captured by
UB.40 (Hans Howaldt), sunk by bombs 8 miles S of The
Needles, IoW (wi - 50.32N, 01.32W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Huntsholm,
2,073grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off W Ireland
LEWISHAM, 2,810/1898, Britain SS Co (Watts,
Watts & Co), London, armed, sailing New York for
Havre with wheat. (H – 14th, but date uncertain) -
Torpedoed by U.46 (Leo Hillebrand), sunk (L/te/un - in
53.25N, 13.30W; un – also 53.28N, 13.25W); 24 lives
lost, master and 2 gunners taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
GEORGE PYMAN, 3,859/1900, Pyman SS Co (G
Pyman & Co), West Hartlepool-reg, armed, Mr H
Hill, sailing Cienfuegos for Queenstown with sugar.
Torpedoed by U.49 (Richard Hartmann), sank 130 miles
NW of Tearaght Is (L/te/un/wi - in 52.55N, 13.56W; un
– also 53.00N, 13.42W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Friday, 18 May 1917
English Channel
Two vessels mined in field laid by UC.36
(Gustav Buch):
ELFORD,
1,739/1915, Sharp SS Co (Sharp & Co),
Newcastle-reg, 21 crew, sailing Chatham for Cherbourg
with government stores, including railway rolling
stock. Mined at 0200, laid by UC.36, sank 2 miles S of
the Nab LV, off IoW (L - about 4 1/2 m N by E of; wi -
in 50.38.08N, 00.58.29W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
CAMBERWELL,
4,078/1903, Well Line (T & J Brocklebank Ltd,
Liverpool), Sunderland-reg, 1-4.7in QF, 65 crew, Mr F
Adamson, sailing Tees and London for Calcutta (wi -
Colombo) with general cargo. Divers recently
discovered she was also sailing with “quantities of 10
Rupee banknotes and HM government prepaid &
stamped postcards, destined for use by British troops
in India”. Warned by patrol vessel she was passing
through a mined area and ordered to “keep out a bit”,
sighted a floating mine, then at 0715 struck a moored
contact mine under the starboard bow, laid by UC.36,
took heavy list to starboard, sank quickly 6 miles SE
by S of Dunnose Head, IoW (te/wi - in 50.35N, 01.03W);
seven crew drowned when one of the boats capsized in
lowering, the others got away, picked up by patrol
vessels, landed at Portsmouth (H/L/te/un/wi)
__________
Two vessels captured by UC.70 (Werner
Fürbringer) and sunk by gunfire:
DROMORE (2),
268/1903, S W Oakley, London-reg, sailing St Malo for
Swansea in ballast. Sunk 6 miles S of St Martins
Point, SE Guernsey (H/L/Lr/un)
C. E. C. G.,
wood ketch, 47/1869, J F Picot, Jersey-reg, 4 crew (L
- fishing at the time; wi - St Helier for Par in
ballast). Stopped at 1500, ordered to abandon ship and
questioned by the U-boat crew, sunk 30 miles SSE of
Start Point, Devon (un – in 50.48N, 04.48W; wi -
49.48.30N, 03.12W); crew landed in own boat at
Dartmouth (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
__________
Denetown, 653grt, armed. Gun attack, rescued
Atlantic off SW England
MARY BAIRD, 1,830/1908, Page Shipping Co,
Cardiff, West Hartlepool-reg, 1-6pdr HA, sailing Rouen
for Newport (Mon) in ballast. Mined, laid by UC.47
(Paul Hundius) sank 2 1/2 m W 1/2 N of Pendeen
Cove/LH, near St Just, Cornwall (L - 6 miles S of
Pendeen; wi - in 50.10.15N, 05.43.45W); 7 lives lost
(H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
Two fishing vessels (L - trawlers) on fishing grounds,
captured by UB.20 (Hermann Glimpf) and sunk by
gunfire:
ADVENTURE,
50grt. Sunk 49 miles W by S of Wolf Rock, near Lands
End (un – 25 miles SW of Bishop Rock) (H/L/un)
PRIMROSE (4),
62grt. Sunk 22 miles W by S 1/2 S of Bishop Rock,
Scillies (un – 22 miles S 1/2 W of) (H/L/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two armed steamships torpedoed by U.46 (Leo
Hillebrand), both masters taken prisoner:
LLANDRINDOD,
3,841/1900, Llandrindod SS Co (E Thomas, Radcliffe
& Co), Cardiff, London-reg, Mr S Owen, sailing
Port Natal for Glasgow with corn/maize. Sank 165 miles
NW by W of Fastnet (L - in 51.35N, 13.58W; un –
51.45N, 13.58W; wi - 130 miles WNW of Blasket Is, in
51.55N, 13.58W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
PENHALE,
3,712/1911, Penhale SS Co (R B Chellew), Falmouth-reg,
armed, Mr J Lowry, Jucaro/Halifax (NS) for Queenstown
with sugar. Sank 72 miles NW by N 1/2 N of Tearaght
Is, Co Kerry (L/te/un/wi - in 52.48N, 12.15W; un –
also 53.01N, 12.44W; wi - but 80 miles WNW of Loop
Head, Co Clare); one crew killed by explosion
(L/te/un/wi)
Saturday, 19 May 1917
English Channel
Kumu, trawler, 315/1913, Clifton Steam
Trawler, Fleetwood-reg FD176, fishing. Mined off
Teignmouth, beached on Addicombe Beach, refloated. Not
listed in Uboat.net, so possibly not U-boat-laid mine
(L/fd)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
FARNHAM, 1898, 3,102grt, Thompson SS Co (V T
Thompson & Co), Sunderland, armed, sailing Bizerta
for Glasgow with iron ore. Torpedoed by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg), sank 90 miles NW of
Fastnet (L/te - 10 miles W of Brow Head, near Mizen
Head, Dunmanus Bay, in c51.23N, 09.58W; un – also
51.28N, 10.16W); 17 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
Celtic,
20,904grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic
Kwarra, 4,441grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
Karagola, 7,000grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire under cover of smoke screen
Western Mediterranean
MARDINIAN, 3,322/1913, Papayanni Line (un –
Ellerman Lines, Liverpool), armed, sailing Calicut for
London with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.34 (Johannes
Klasing), sank 4 miles S by W of Tabarca Is, S of
Alicante, Spain (un – in 38.05N, 00.31W, also 9 miles
S of Cabo Santa Pola) (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
MORDENWOOD, 3,125/1910, Joseph Constantine,
Middlebrough, armed. (L - 18th) - Torpedoed by
Austrian U.XXIX (Leo Prásil), sank 90 miles SE by S
1/2 S of Cape Matapan, Greece (te/un - in 35.02N,
22.05E); 21 lives lost, master either killed or taken
prisoner (H/L/dk/te/un)
Sunday, 20 May 1917
North Sea
Birchgrove, 2,821grt, armed. Torpedo and
machine gun attack by German seaplanes, torpedoes
missed, saved by own gunfire
English Channel
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier)
torpedoed by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt), 16 miles W by S of
Beachy Head, Sussex:
TYCHO,
3,216/1904, Ellerman’s Wilson Line, Hull-reg, 1-3pdr
MkV, 33 crew, sailing Bombay via Falmouth for Hull
with general cargo. Hit abreast No.2 hatch at 1810,
sank at 1840 (L - c16m; un – 16 miles W 1/2 S of; wi -
in 50.37.20N, 00.08.30W); 15 crew lost including
master, survivors apparently picked up by SS
Porthkerry (following) (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un/wi)
__________
Two sailing vessels heading from St Malo for
Fowey in ballast, captured by UC.36 (Gustav Buch) and
sunk by bombs 25 miles N of Les Hanois rocks,
Guernsey, Channel Is (L/un - 20 miles NW of Guernsey):
DANA,
brigantine, 182/1874, C Thompson, Hull-reg (H/L/Lr/un)
MIENTJI,
120grt (H/L/un)
__________
Southwestern Miller, 6,514grt, armed. Chased,
saved by escort
Western Mediterranean
CASPIAN, 3,606/1894, Mitre Shipping Co
(Houlder, Middleton & Co), London-reg, armed,
sailing Antofagasta for Savona with nitrate. Captured
by U.34 (Johannes Klasing), sunk by torpedo 3 1/2 m E
of Cape Cervera, near Alicante, Spain (L - about 12
miles NE of Cape Palos; un – in 37.53N, 00.22W); 25
lives lost including master, chief engineer, 2nd
officer and gunner taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/dk/te/un)
Monday, 21 May 1917
UB.36 rammed and sunk by French steamer Moliere
in English Channel off Ushant
North Sea
Highgate, 1,780grt. Torpedo missed
English Channel
JUPITER, 2,124/1901, W C (or R) Bradley, West
Hartlepool, Hull-reg, 1-3pdr MkV, 25 crew, sailing
Dieppe for Manchester in ballast. Torpedoed by UB.40
(Hans Howaldt), sank 15 miles W of Beachy Head, Sussex
(te/un - in 50.38N, 00.05W; wi - in 50.40.20N,
00.08W); 19 crew lost including master
(H/L/dk/te/un/wi)
CITY OF CORINTH,
5,870/1913, Ellerman’s Lines (Hall Line Ltd),
Liverpool-reg, 1-13pdr, 68 crew, sailing Singapore for
London with 8,500t general cargo, steaming at 12 1/2
kts. Torpedoed by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber), sank 12 miles
SW of Lizard Point, Cornwall (L/wi - 10 miles SW of;
te/un/wi - in 49.54N, 05.30W; un – at 1540)
(H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Medora,
5,135grt. Torpedo missed off Lizard Point
Karroo,
6,127grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Austrian, 3,127grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Central Mediterranean
British steamship (and an Admiralty collier),
both sailing South Wales for Alexandria sunk by U.65
(Hermann von Fischel):
DON DIEGO,
3,632/1906, sailing Buenos Aires & Pacific Railway
Co (G Dodd), London, sailing from Swansea with
government stores. Captured, sunk by gunfire 40 miles
E by S of Linosa Is, between Malta and Tunisia
(L/te/un - in 35.50N, 13.40E; un – also 35.56N,
13.45E); 5 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 22 May 1917
U-boat Warfare - First trial Mediterranean
convoy sailed from Malta for Alexandria, controlled
and directed locally
North Sea
LANTHORN, 2,299/1889, J Westoll (un – Gas
Light & Coke Co (S Clarke & Co), London),
Sunderland-reg, 18 crew, Mr W Shewan, sailing London
for Tyne in ballast. Captured by UB.41 (Günther
Krause), sunk by bombs 3 miles E of Whitby, Yorkshire
(wi - in 54.30.05N, 00.28.55W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Ioanna, 3,459grt, armed. Chased,
rescued
Atlantic
Myrtle Branch, 3,741grt, armed. Torpedo
missed
Mediterranean
Marie Suzanne, 3,106grt, armed. Torpedo
missed. Admiralty collier when sunk 19 August
1918
Wednesday, 23 May 1917
Atlantic off Faeroes
Two Grimsby-reg trawlers fishing captured and
sunk by UC.33 (Martin Schelle) on Faroe Banks, off N
end of Sudero island/Suduroy, S Faeroes:
OLEARIA,
209/1899, North Eastern Steam Fishing. Sunk by bombs
65 miles WSW of (H/L/Lr/gy)
SISAPON,
211/1905, Standard Steam Fishing, Grimsby-reg.
Captured 60 miles WSW of, fate not listed (H/L/Lr/gy)
English Channel
Carperby, 2,104grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off SW England
Nellore, 6,853grt, armed. U-boat attack at
entrance to English Channel, torpedo missed
Atlantic off S Ireland
Chicago City, 2,324/1892, Chas Hill &
Sons, Bristol, armed, sailing New York for Bristol
with general cargo. (un – 24th, or late on 23rd,
British time; L – 23 May 1918) - Torpedoed by
UC.62 (Max Schmitz) off Kinsale, damaged, towed into
Queenstown, beached; 2 lives lost (H/L/un),
Bay of Biscay
LESTO, 1,940/1916, Pelton SS Co, Newcastle,
armed, sailing Bilbao for Garston with iron ore.
Torpedoed by UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel) sank 8 miles
W of Ile du Pilier, off Loire estuary (L - 10 miles W
of Le Blanc LH; te/un - in 46.57N, 02.30W); 4 lives
lost (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
ELMMOOR, 3,744/1910, Moor Line Ltd (W
Runciman & Co), London, armed, sailing Karachi for
Leghorn with wheat. Torpedoed by UC.67 (Karl Neumann),
sank 36 miles E by S of Syracuse, Sicily (un – in
36.45N, 16.09E; te - 37.00N, 16.20E); master taken
prisoner (H/L/Mn/ge/te/un)
Thursday, 24 May 1917
U-boat Warfare - First trial Atlantic HH convoy
sailed from Hampton Roads for UK, 12 ships escorted by
armoured cruiser Roxburgh and met by 8 destroyers,
arrived successfully; third US Destroyer Division
reached Queenstown; UC.24 sunk by French submarine
Circe in southern Adriatic
Atlantic off W Scotland
JERSEY CITY, 4,670/1914, St Just SS (un –
Great City SS Co (W Reardon Smith & Sons),
Bideford), armed, sailing Pensacola for Stornoway (te
- Hull) with wheat. Torpedoed by U.46 (Leo Hillebrand)
(ge/os - by U.57 commanded by Carl-Siegfried Ritter
von Georg), sank 35 miles NW of the Flannan Isles, W
of Lewis island, Outer Hebrides (te/un - in 58.30N,
08.36W; un – also 58.38N, 08.21W); master taken
prisoner. Von Georg was on the British list of war
criminals for this attack, the case did not go to
court. Leo Hillebrand was not on the list
(H/L/ge/os/te/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Madura, cargo steamship, 4,484/1901, Glasgow
Navigation Co (Maclay & McIntyre), Glasgow, armed.
U-boat attack at entrance to English Channel, two
torpedoes fired, one missed and one failed to explode.
Sunk 18 October 1917 (H/L/ms)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BELGIAN, 3,657/1900, Liverpool-reg, F Leyland
& Co (1900), armed, Mr W Atkinson, sailing New
Orleans for Liverpool with general cargo. Torpedoed by
U.57 (Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg), sank 50 miles
W 1/2 S of Fastnet (L/te/un/wi - in 50.59N, 10.42W; wi
- also 50 miles W by S of); 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
McCLURE, 3-mast schooner, 220/1900, Picton
(NS)-reg, I A Hopkins, sailing St John's (NF) for
Naples with codfish. Captured by UC.35 (Ernst von
Voigt), sunk by bombs 30 miles E by S of Cape
Carbonara, SE Sardinia (H/L/Lr/un)
Friday, 25 May 1917
English Channel
SJAELLAND, 1,405/1872, was Copenhagen-reg,
now Newcastle-reg, R S Dalgliesh, 18 crew, Mr C
Svarrer, sailing Havre for Swansea/Barry Roads in
ballast. Captured by UC.66 (Herbert Pustkuchen), sunk
by gunfire 18 miles E by N of Start Point, Devon (wi -
in 50.19.10N, 03.12W); master lost his life
(H/L/te/unwi)
New Pioneer,
722grt. Chased, escaped
Atlantic off W Ireland
Two steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Manchester Inventor
(2), 4,112grt. Chased, escaped
Myrtle Branch,
3,741grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off S Ireland
Rabymere, 1,776grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Mediterranean
Atlas (1), 3,090grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Eastern Mediterranean
KOHINUR, 2,265/1905, Asiatic Steam Navigation
Co, Liverpool, armed, sailing Salonica for Karachi in
ballast. Torpedoed by U.38 (Max Valentiner), sank 150
miles N of Alexandria (un – in 33.20N, 29.50E); 37
lives lost including master (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Saturday, 26 May 1917
North Sea
Baku Standard, tanker, 3,708grt. Chased,
saved by escort (Admiralty chartered oiler when sunk)
Atlantic off SW England
Inverness, 3,734grt, armed. U-boat attack off
Scillies, torpedo missed
Atlantic off N Ireland
SAINT MIRREN, full-rigged steel sailing ship,
1,956/1892, Glasgow-reg, Ship Conway Castle Co (R
Thomas & Co), 27 crew, Mr J Williams, sailing
Clyde for Santos with patent coal fuel. Captured by
U.87 (Rudolf Schneider), sunk by gunfire 45 miles NW
of Inistrahull, off Co Donegal (un – in 55.55N,
08.25W; wi - 55.50N, 08.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Inca, 3,593grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Mediterranean
Clan Graham, 5,213grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
Western Mediterranean
DOVER CASTLE, hospital ship, ex-passenger
ship, 8,271/1904, London-reg, Union Castle Mail SS Co
(D Currie & Co), sailing Malta for Gibraltar with
hospital staff and stores, 832 patients, medical
staff, crew on board, in company with hospital ship
Karapara, escorted by destroyers Camelon and Nemesis.
Torpedoed by UC.67 (Karl Neumann), Cameleon took off
wounded, hospital staff and most of the crew except
those who stayed with the ship, then hit by second
torpedo and sank soon after, 50 miles N of Bona,
Algeria (te/un - in 37.54N, 07.36E); 7 engine-room
crew killed in initial explosion (tr - all patients
and crew saved), most patients taken to Gibraltar on
Karapara. Neuman was on British list of war criminals
for sinking a hospital ship, tried at Leipzig June
1921, but acquitted on grounds he was obeying orders
(H/L/Mn/me/ge/os/te/tr/un/wd)
Central Mediterranean
UMARIA, 5,317/1914, British India Steam
Navigation Co, Glasgow, armed, sailing Calcutta for UK
with general cargo. Captured by U.65 (Hermann von
Fischel), sunk by torpedo 20 miles SW by S of
Policastro, SE of Salerno, Italy (L - 10 miles SE of
Cape Palinuro; un – in 39.48N, 15.12E); 5 lives lost,
chief engineer, 2nd officer and cadet taken prisoner
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
Sunday, 27 May 1917
English Channel
Indian Transport, 4,111grt, armed, Havre for
Barry Roads in ballast. Gun attack (L - in 50.14N,
01.07W), saved by own gunfire, damaged according to
Lloyds (H/L)
Atlantic off SW England
Meaford, 1,889grt, armed. Chased off entrance
to English Channel, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off SW Ireland
DARTMOOR, 2,870/1892, South Shields-reg, J
& P Hutchinson, armed, sailing Bona/Gibraltar for
Garston with iron ore. Torpedoed (gs/os - by UB.64
commanded by Otto von Schrader; te/un - UC.50 by
Rudoph Seuffer), sank 35 miles SE of Fastnet (te/un -
in 51.09N, 08.46W); 25 lives lost including master.
Von Schrader was on British list of war criminals for
this sinking, case did not go to court. Note: UB.64
was not commissioned until August 1917 and von
Schrader did not take over command until February
1918, whereas UC.50 commissioned December 1916
(H/L/ge/os/te/un)
Bay of Biscay
Cymric Vale, 3,580grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
Monday, 28 May 1917
Atlantic off SW England
Two armed steamships torpedoed by U.86
(Friedrich Crüsemann) off Bishop Rock, Scillies:
LIMERICK,
cargo ship with passenger accommodation and
refrigerated cargo capacity, 6,827/1898, Union SS Co
of New Zealand, London, sailing Sydney for London with
frozen meat and general cargo. Sank 140 miles W 1/2 S
of (L/te/un - in 48.53N, 09.45W); 8 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
ANTINOE,
2,396/1907, London-reg, Egypt & Levant SS Co (T
Bowen Rees & Co), sailing Seville for Newport with
iron ore. Sank 150 miles WSW of (L - 60-80 miles SW of
Scillies; te/un - in 48.50N, 10.10W); 21 lives lost
including master (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Cresswell, 2,829grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire
Atlantic off NW France
ANCONA, 1,168/1888, J Hall Jnr & Co,
London, sailing Falmouth for Lisbon and Spanish ports
with general cargo. Listed as missing by Lloyds,
uboat.net confirms torpedoed and sunk by UC.70 (Werner
Fürbringer), 110 miles WSW of Ushant; no survivors (un
only) RN CAS
DETLEF WAGNER,
3-mast iron schooner, 225/1891, Dublin-reg, Job
Tyrrell, Lisbon for Jersey with wine. Captured by
UC.72 (Ernst Voigt), sunk by bombs 5 miles W of Armen
Rock or LH, off Ile de Sein, SW of Brest (L - 6 miles
W by N of) (H/L/Lr/un)
Tuesday, 29 May 1917
North Sea
Grangetown, 1,640grt, armed. Torpedo missed
English Channel
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
saved by own gunfire:
Peebles,
4,284grt, Tyne for Genoa with coal. Gun attack (L - in
50.32N, 00.23W), damaged according to Lloyds, put into
Falmouth on 30th (H/L)
Hyson,
6,608grt. Chased
Atlantic off SW England
OSWEGO, 5,793/1916, Ellerman’s Wilson Line,
Hull, armed, sailing New York for Hull with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.86 (Friedrich Crüsemann), sank
175 miles W 1/2 S of Bishop Rock (L - in 48.45N,
10.15W; un – 48.44N, 10.15W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CLAN MURRAY, turret hull steamship,
4,835/1897, Glasgow-reg, Clan Line/Cayzer, Irvine
& Co, armed, sailing Port Pirie for Belfast with
wheat. (L - 28th) - Torpedoed (te/un - by UC.55,
Theodor Schultz; ge/os - U.152, Constantin Kolbe),
sank 40 miles W by S of Fastnet (L - about 30 miles S
of the LH; te - in 50.57N, 10.12W; un – 50.57N,
10.21W); 64 lives lost including master, 3rd officer
and probably 3rd engineer taken prisoner. The original
British list of war criminals held Constantin Kolbe
responsible for this sinking, but U.152 was not
commissioned until 10/17; Schultz was not listed
(H/L/Mn/dk/ge/os/te/un)
Pavia,
2,945grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Wednesday, 30 May 1917
English Channel
LISBON, 1,203/1910, Liverpool-reg, Papayanni
Line/Ellerman Lins Ltd (F Swift), 1-6pdr, 25 crew,
sailing Newhaven for Boulogne with government stores
and general cargo, 3 passengers. Mined, laid by UC.62
(Max Schmitz), sank about 5 miles S of Royal Sovereign
LV, off Eastbourne, Sussex (wi - in 50.41.13N,
00.32.20E); one crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
CORBET WOODALL,
917/1908, London-reg, Stephenson, Clarke & Co,
1-4.7in QF, 16 crew, Mr J Thompson, sailing South
Shields for Poole with coal. Mined starboard-side
amidships at 1030, laid by UC.36 (Gustav Buch), sank
within 5min, 1 1/2 m E of Nab LV off IoW (wi - in
50.40.42N, 00.55.30W); crew saved by patrol vessel and
landed at Portsmouth (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Two steamships sunk by U.87 (Rudolf
Schneider) off Bishop Rock, Scillies:
BATHURST,
passenger ship, 2,821/1893, Liverpool-reg, British
& African Steam Navigation Co (Elder, Dempster
& Co), Glasgow, sailing West Africa for Hull
with mahogany logs and palm kernels. Gun attack,
stopped and sunk by torpedo 90 miles W of (L - 90
miles W of Scillies; te/un - in 49.23N 08.43W); crew
rescued by armed trawler (H/L/Mn/te/un)
HANLEY,
3,331/1902, Lewis SS Co (T Lewis), Cardiff, armed,
sailing Bahia Blanca for Falmouth with oats.
Torpedoed 95 miles W of (L/te/un - in 49.23N,
08.43W); one life lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Atlantic off NW
Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
El Uruguayo,
8,361grt. Chased, escaped
San Ricardo,
tanker, 6,465grt. Gun attack, saved by escort (H/Mn)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Fernley, 3,820/1901, Christian Salvesen &
Co, West Hartlepool, armed, sailing Havana for
Queenstown with sugar. Torpedoed (ge - by U.152
commanded by Constantin Kolbe; un – by UC.55 (Theodor
Achultz) off Dingle Bay in 51.35N, 10.40W, damaged,
towed in to Castletown (Berehaven). Note: Kolbe was on
British list of war criminals for this attack but
U.152 was not commissioned, with Kolbe in command,
until 10/17 (H/L/ge/un)
Mediterranean
Cairnross, 4,016grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Thursday, 31 May 1917
Atlantic off NW Ireland
ESNEH, 3,247/1909 (un – 1908), Moss SS Co (J
Moss & Co), Liverpool-reg, armed, Mr J Anderson,
sailing Liverpool for Alexandria with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst Wilhelms), sank 190 miles NW
by W of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te/un/wi - in
55.50N, 13.50W; un – also in 55.27N, 14.00W)
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Central Mediterranean
ROSEBANK, 3,837/1901, Pyman SS Co (G Pyman
& Co), West Hartlepool, armed, sailing Port Said
for Malta with part cargo of wine/in ballast.
Torpedoed by UC.73 (Kurt Schapler), sank 120 miles N
of Ben Ghazi/Benghazi, Libya (L/te/un - in 34.09N,
19.35E); 2 lives lost, master taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
Ozarda, 4,791/1913, British India Steam
Navigation Co, Glasgow, armed, sailing Karachi for
Salonica with grain and flour. (L - 30th) – Torpedoed
(un – mined, laid by UC.34 (Robert Sprenger)) near
Port Said in 32N, 32.18E, damaged, beached E of outer
breakwater Port Said, refloated (H/L)
JUNE 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in June: 122 merchant ships totalling 417,925grt - 1
of 3,947grt to surface ships, 116 of 391,004grt to
submarines, 4 of 19,256grt to mines, 1 of 3,718grt to
aircraft; plus 21 fishing vessels totalling 1,342grt -
20 of 1,296grt to submarines, 1 of 46grt to mines (H)
Friday, 1 June 1917
Barents Sea
Cotovia, 4,020grt, armed. Gun attack in
Arctic, saved by own gunfire
English Channel
Antinous, 3,682grt, armed. U-boat attack off
Lizard Point, torpedo missed
Atlantic off Orkneys
TEAL (3), trawler, 141/1893, Aberdeen-reg,
Standard Fishing Co, fishing. Captured by U.57
(Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg), sunk by gunfire 57
miles NW by N of Sule Skerry island, W of Orkneys (un
– in 59.13N, 04.16W). Von Georg on British list of war
criminals for this sinking, case did not go to court
(H/L/Lr/ge/os/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
CAVINA, 6,539/1915, Belfast-reg, Elders &
Fyffes Ltd, 1-4.7in QF, 86 crew, Mr O Jones, sailing
Port Limon/Santa Marta for Avonmouth with bananas,
hardwood logs and 9 passengers, steaming at 15kts.
Torpedoed by U.88 (Walther Schwieger), sank 45 miles W
by S of Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork (L/te/un/wi - in
50.56N, 10.35W; wi - also 45 miles W of)
(H/L/te/un/wi)RN CAS
Turnbridge, 2,874grt, armed. Gun attack,
escaped (Admiralty collier when
sunk)
Atlantic
Cymric Vale, 3,580grt, armed. Chased, escaped
(H/Mn))
Central Mediterranean
Kingstonian, 6,564grt, armed. Ashore near
Cape Granitola, Sicily, U-boat attacked, torpedo
missed
Saturday, 2 June 1917
Atlantic off Faeroes
HOLLINGTON, 4,221/1912, F S Holland, London,
armed, sailing Liverpool for Archangel in ballast.
(te/un - 3rd) - Torpedoed by U.95 (Athalwin Prinz),
sank 14 miles S of; 30 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
English Channel
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Tonawanda,
tanker, 3,421/1893, Anglo-American Oil Co, London,
sailing Dover for Maryport in ballast. Torpedoed by
UC.21 (Reinhold Saltzwedel) 10 miles W of Beachy Head,
damaged, put into Newhaven Bay
(H/L/un)
Waiwera,
6,237grt. Torpedo missed off Lizard Point
Atlantic off Orkneys
Two trawlers on fishing grounds captured by
U.96 (Heinrich Jess) and sunk by gunfire:
SHAMROCK (2),
170/1904, Glasgow-reg, J S Boyle. Sunk 66 miles NNE of
Sule Skerry islet, W of Orkneys (H/L/Lr/un)
ST BERNARD,
186/1900, Grimsby-reg, John L Green. Sunk 65 miles N
by W of Noup Head, Westray island (L - 60 miles N by W
of) (H/L/Lr/gy/un)
Atlantic
Hypatia, 5,663grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Mediterranean
Snowdonian, 3,870grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by smoke screen (Admiralty collier when sunk)
Eastern Mediterranean
CAMERONIAN, troopship/horse transport,
ex-German cargo steamship, 5,861/1913, Hamburg-Amerika
Line, found by Royal Navy abandoned in Cameroon River
in 1915, now Liverpool-reg, Leyland Line, armed,
sailing Liverpool/Suda Bay for Alexandria with (84 1/2
) troops, mails and consignment of mules. Torpedoed by
UC.34 (Robert Sprenger), sank 50 miles NW by N 1/2 N
of Alexandria (L/te/un - in 31.53N, 29.19E); 52
soldiers, 10 crew lost (H - 11 crew only, including
master; un – 42) (H/L/Mn/dk/ge/me/te/un/www)
South Pacific
WAIRUNA, 3,947/1904, London-reg, Union SS Co,
Auckland for San Francisco with coal, mixed cargo
including copra, kauri gum, pelts. Wolf was anchored
off Sunday Is, Kermadec group, NE of New Zealand for
maintenance with one boiler down, smoke spotted,
Friedrichshafen FF.33e seaplane “Wolfchen” took off at
1530 and dropped weighted bag to Wairuna with
instructions to head for Wolf’s position, the British
ship failed to stop completely and a bomb was dropped
to emphasise the orders. On reaching Sunday Is,
Wairuna anchored and stores were trans-shipped until
the 7th. Prepared for scuttling, she steamed out late
on the 16th, sunk next day around 0745 by opened
sea-cocks, bombs and 16-5.9in shells fired into the
waterline. The delay in sinking was caused by an
American schooner arriving which was stopped and
captured (H/L/Mn/kp)
Sunday, 3 June 1917
Norwegian Sea
MERIONETH, 3,004/1916, Harrogate SS Co
(Jenkins Bros), Cardiff, armed, sailing Cardiff for
Archangel with coal. Captured by U.28 (Georg Schmidt),
sunk by gunfire 105 miles N by W of Tromso (L/un - in
71.20N, 16.20E) (H/L/Mn/te/un)
North Sea
VIRGILIA, trawler, 209/1900, Grimsby-reg,
North Eastern Steam Fishing, Skipper A Rawlings,
sailing for Grimsby. Captured by UC.77 (Reinhard von
Rabenau), sunk by bombs 5 miles E of Girdle Ness, near
Aberdeen (wi - in 57.10N, 01.51W); Skipper taken
prisoner (H/L/Lr/Mn/gy/un/wi)
GERALDA,
sailing smack, 46grt (L - Giralda, 58grt), fishing.
Mined, laid by UC.4 (Georg Reimarus), sank 22 miles NE
1/2 E of Cromer, Norfolk (L/un/wi - 20 miles NE 1/2 E
of, in 53.09.30N, 01.43E; un – also NE of Aldeburgh,
in Barrage 343) (H/L/un/wi)
English Channel
PRUDENCE, sailing smack, c25grt, fishing.
Captured by UB.23 (Hans Ewald Niemer), sunk by gunfire
15 miles WSW of Eddystone Rock, off Plymouth (wi - in
50N, 04.32W) (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
San Lorenzo, tanker, 9,607/1914, Eagle Oil
Transport Co, London, armed, sailing Greenock for
unknown destination, in ballast. Torpedoed by U.54
(Kurt Heeseler) c120 miles NW of Tory Is (un – in
56.05N, 12.10W), damaged, put into Lough Swilly
(H/L/un)
Western Mediterranean
Two colliers (one Admiralty chartered) captured
by U.33 (Gustav Siess) off Cape Falcon, near Oran,
Algeria:
GREENBANK,
turret hull steamship, 3,881/1905, G B Harland &
Co, West Hartlepool, armed, sailing Cardiff for
Alexandria with coal. Sunk by torpedo 12 miles N of
(L/te - in 36N, 00.50W; un – 36.05N, 01.04W); one life
lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Monday, 4 June 1917
Atlantic off N Scotland
Cornhill, 900grt. Gun attack off Cape Wrath,
rescued
Atlantic off NW Ireland
CITY OF BARODA, 5,541 (un – 5.032)/1911,
Liverpool-reg, Ellerman Lines (Hall Line), armed, Mr E
Mason, sailing Liverpool for Calcutta with general
cargo. Torpedoed by UC.53 (Kurt Albrecht), sank 90
miles NW 1/2 N of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te/un/wi
- in 56N, 10.20W); 6 crew lost (H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
SOUTHLAND,
troopship/transport, passenger ship, 11,899/1900,
American Line (ms/un – International Navigation Co),
Liverpool-reg, armed, Mr J Kelk, Liverpool for
Philadelphia with general cargo. Torpedoed twice by
U.70 (Otto Wünsche), sank 140 miles NW 1/2 W of Tory
Is (L/wd/wi - in 56.01N, 12.14W; ms/un – 56.10N,
12.14W); 4 crew lost (H/L/Mn/ms/te/un/wd/wi)
Atlantic off W Ireland
PHEMIUS, 6,699/1913, Ocean SS Co (A Holt
& Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for
Hong Kong with general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.45
(Hubert Aust), sank 80 miles NW 1/2 N of Eagle Is, Co
Mayo (L - 100 miles WNW of Lough Swilly; te/un - in
54.56N, 12.07W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic
Two armed steamships shelled by U-boat(s),
saved by own guns:
Manchester Port,
4,093grt (H/Mn)
Miniota,
4,928/1914, London & Northern SS Co (Pyman Bros),
London. Sunk 31 August 1917 (H/Mn/ms)
Central Mediterranean
MANCHESTER TRADER, 3,938/1902, Manchester
Liners, Manchester, armed, sailing Suda Bay for
Algiers in ballast. Chased by U.65 (Hermann von
Fischel; Mn - by UC.67), for over 4 hours before
capture, sunk by gunfire 8 miles SE of Pantellaria Is
(L - about 50 miles E of; un – in 36.58N, 12.36E); one
life lost, captain changed into dungerees and 2nd
officer taken prisoner instead (H/L/Mn/ge/te/un)
Tuesday, 5 June 1917
U-boat Warfare - The Allied Submarine Detection
“Investigation Committee” (ASDIC - the meaning of the
“IC” is still questioned) approved the development of
the first active sonar using transmitted sound. The
first trials were carried out at Harwich and although
a number of vessels had been equipped by the end of
the war, ASDIC did not become operational in WW1
English Channel
LAURA ANN, schooner, 116/1855, Yarmouth-reg,
R G Foster, 4 crew, Treport for Runcorn with granite
boulders. Captured by UB.23 (Hans Ewald Niemer), sunk
by gunfire 20 miles SSE of Beachy Head, near
Eastbourne (L/wi - 20 miles SW of, in 50.27N, 00.00);
master lost his life (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Graciana, 3,536grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire
Atlantic off SW Ireland
MANCHESTER MILLER, 4,234/1903, Manchester
Liners, Manchester, armed, sailing Philadelphia for
Manchester with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.66
(Thorwold von Bothmer), sank 190 miles NW 1/2 N of
Fastnet (L/un - 52.49W, 14.07W); 8 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
NW Mediterranean
KALLUNDBORG, 1,590/1898, Sir Edward Hain
& Son, St Ives, armed, sailing Genoa for Bougie in
ballast. Captured by U.64 (Robert Moraht), sunk by
bombs 80 miles SSW of Toulon (L - 70 miles off Cape
Sicie; un – in 42.58N, 05.38E); one life lost
(H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 6 June 1917
U-boat Warfare - After months of debate about
the pros and cons of convoying merchant ships, the
Admiralty set up a Convoy Committee in mid-May, which
now reported with detailed proposals. Following the
trial Gibraltar and Atlantic convoys, these were
approved on 14/6/17 for implementation as soon as the
escort forces were available
Atlantic off SW England
PARTHENIA, 5,160/1901, Donaldson Line
(Donaldson Brors), Glasgow, armed, sailing New York
for London with general cargo, oats and steel.
Torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst Wilhelms), sank 140 miles W
by N of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L - 140 miles W of
Scilly; un – in 49.28N, 09.15W); 3 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Tuskar, 1,159grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire
Central Mediterranean
Mitra, tanker, 5,592/1911, Anglo-Saxon
Petroleum Co, London, armed, sailing Hurghada for
Genoa with oil fuel. (L - 5th; un – or 5th) – mined,
laid by UC.25 (Johannes Feldkirchner; H - torpedoed),
4 miles S54ºE of Cape Passaro, damaged, put into
Syracuse (H/L/un)
Thursday, 7 June 1917
North Sea
GOLDEN HOPE, fishing vessel, 22/1903 (L/un/wi
- trawler, 67grt), James Murray, fishing. Captured by
UC.45 (Hubert Aust), sunk by bombs about 30 miles E of
Kinnairds Head, Fraserburgh (wi - in 57.43N, 01.04W).
Aust was on British list of war criminals for this
sinking, the case did not go to court
(H/L/ge/os/un/wi)
SIR FRANCIS,
1,991/1910, London-reg, Cory Colliers, 1-3pdr MkV, 22
crew, Mr R Strickland, sailing London for Tyne in
ballast, steaming at 10kts. Torpedoed by UB.21 (Franz
Walther) in No.3 hold at 0440, started to go down by
the stern, sank 2 miles NE of Scarborough, Yorkshire
(L - 3 miles NE of; te/un - in 54.19N, 00.22W; wi - in
54.19N, 00.20W); 10 crew lost including master
(H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Two armed steamships sailing London for
Philadelphia, torpedoed and damaged by UB.40
(Hans Howaldt) off Sussex:
Oldfield Grange,
4,653/1913, Houlder Line (Houlder Bros & Co), West
Hartlepool, in ballast. Hit about 11 miles E of Owers
LV, off Selsey Bill, beached off Worthing on 8th,
later refloated (H/L/un)
Mahopac,
3,216/1887, Atlantic Transport Line, London, loaded
with general cargo. Torpedoed in 50.44N, 00.12W,
beached 2 1/2 m SE of Worthing Pier on 8th, refloated,
arrived Southampton Water (H/L/un)
__________
WILHELM, ex-German 3-mast steel schooner,
187/1909, seized at Fowey, London-reg, requisitioned
by Admiralty, 5 crew, Glasgow for Lannion with 260t
coal, making 2kts. Captured by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs),
hit by gunfire 20 miles SE by S of Lizard Point,
Cornwall (L - 18 miles SE of; wi - in 49.46.30N,
04.46W), abandoned while still afloat, not seen again
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships torpedoed by U.66 (Thorwold von
Bothmer):
Cranmore,
3,157/1905, Johnston Line (Furness, Withy & Co),
Liverpool, armed, sailing Baltimore for Manchester
with general cargo. Damaged in 52.46N, 14.24W (un –
also about 150 miles NW of Fastnet), beached,
refloated (L - arrived Galway on 8th) (H/L/un)
IKALIS,
4,329/1900, Leyland Shipping Co (J H Weslford
& Co), Liverpool, armed, sailing New York for
Liverpool with wheat. Sank 170 miles NW 1/2 W of
Fastnet (L/te/un - in 52.19N, 13.57W) (H/L/te/un)
__________
JONATHAN HOLT, 1,522/1910, J Holt & Co,
Liverpool, armed, Sierra Leone for Liverpool with palm
oil and kernels. Torpedoed by U.54 (Kurt Heeseler),
sank 130 miles NW by W 1/2 W of Fastnet (L/te/un - in
51.42N, 14.10W; un – also 51.38N, 14.05W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW France
Imani, 4,590grt, armed. Gun attack W of
Ushant, saved by own gunfire
Bay of Biscay
Two armed steamships shelled by U-boat(s),
saved by own gunfire:
Cape Transport,
4,109grt
Jerseymoor,
5,662grt
Western Mediterranean
Errington Court, 4,461/1909, Court Line
(Haldin & Co), London, armed, sailing Blyth for
Genoa with coal. Mined, laid by U.72 (Ernst Krafft) 2
miles off Port La Nouvelle, France (un – Barrage 586),
damaged, beached at La Nouvelle, refloated, arrived
Cette (H/L/un)
Eastern Mediterranean
Liliana, sailing vessel, 70grt. Sunk by UC.34
(Robert Sprenger) off Alexandria (un only)
Friday, 8 June 1917
Barents Sea
Manchester Engineer (2), 4,465/1905,
Manchester Liners, Manchester, armed, sailing
Manchester for Archangel with munitions. Chased by
U.28 (Georg Schmidt) in 68.30N, 38.28E (NE of Vardö),
damaged by gunfire, rescued. Sunk 16 August 1917
(H/L/un)
English Channel
PHANTOM, barquentine, 251/1867, South
Shields-reg, Plisson Steam Navigation, Cardiff for
Fecamp with coal. Captured by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt),
sunk by gunfire 25 miles NNW of Cape La Heve, near
Havre; 3 lives lost (H/L/Lr)
Four Brixham-reg and owned, ketch-rigged sailing
smacks, sailed Brixham for fishing, captured by UB.18
(Claus Lafrenz) and sunk by bombs E by S of Start
Point, Devon:
CARIAD,
38/1904, BM225, Samuel Partridge. Sunk 6 miles off (wi
- in 50.12N, 03.29W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
TORBAY LASS,
38/1906, BM264, George Eveleigh. Sunk by bombs 9 miles
off (wi - in 50.11N, 03.25W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
OCEAN’S PRIDE,
42/1901, BM48, Edward Rouse Cocker. Sunk 9 miles off
(un – 9 miles E of; wi - in 50.10N, 03.25W)
(H/L/bm/un/wi)
ONWARD (2),
39/1907, BM265, Edward Davis. Sunk 9 miles off (wi -
in 50.09N, 03.26W) (H/L/bm/un/wi)
__________
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Addington,
1,613grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire under cover
of smoke screen
Chevington,
3,876grt, Q-ship 9/15-6/16, now back in commercial
service. Chased, escaped (H/qs)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Two steamships heading for Queenstown with
sugar, torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst Wilhelms) off Fastnet:
SARAGOSSA,
3,541/1916, Century Shipping Co (Harris & Dixon),
Newcastle, armed, sailed from Cuba and Halifax (NS).
Sunk 178 miles NW of (L/te/un - in 52.23N, 14.12W; un
– also 52.07N, 14.10W) (H/L/te/un)
ENIDWEN,
3,594/1899, W & C T Jones SS Co (W & C T
Jones), Cardiff, sailed from Cuba. Sunk 170 miles NW
of (L - 130 miles NW of Blaskets; un – in53.09N,
13.53W) (H/L/te/un)
__________
ORATOR, 3,563/1905, Charente SS Co (T & J
Harrison), Liverpool, armed, sailing Pernambuco for
Liverpool with general cargo. Torpedoed and sunk by
U.96 (Heinrich Jess), 84 miles WNW of Fastnet (L - 84
miles S 82 W of the LH; un – in 51.02N, 11.45W); 5
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Russian Prince,
tanker, 4,158/1912, Prince Line (James Knott),
Newcastle, armed, sailing Queenstown for unknown
destination with oil. Torpedoed by U.55 (Wilhelm
Werner) off Fastnet, in 51.25N, 10W (un – also 51.22N,
09.45W)), damaged, put into Castletown (Berehaven)
(H/L/un)
Atlantic off NW Morocco
Two steamships (and two naval ML's) lost in
attacks by U.39 (Walter Forstmann) off Cape Spartel,
near Tangier:
HUNTSTRICK,
8,151/1902, Shipping Controller (F C Strick & Co),
London, armed, sailing London for Salonica with
troops, government stores and naval motor launches
ML.540 and ML.541 (both lost). Torpedoed and sunk 80
miles WNW of (L - 53 miles NW of; un – in 35.52N,
06.47W); 15 lives lost including master (H/L/te/un)
ISLE OF JURA,
3,809/1906, Isles SS Co (B J Sutherland & Co),
Sutherland, armed, sailing Middlesbrough for Savona
with government stores, munitions and coal. (L - 9th)
- Captured and sunk by bombs 15 miles WSW of (L - 25
miles WSW of; un – in 35.44N, 06.25W); 2 lives lost
(H/L/te)
Mediterranean
Freshfield, 3,445grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
NW Mediterranean
CHELTONIAN, 4,426/1911, London-reg, Cambrian
Steam Navigation Co (J Mathias & Sons), armed,
sailing Genoa for Oran in ballast. Captured by U.72
(Ernst Krafft), sunk by gunfire 54 miles W by S of
Planier LH, off Marseilles (L - 60 miles W by S of; un
– in 42.46N, 04.40E); master and gunner taken prisoner
(H/L/te/un)
Saturday, 9 June 1917
North Sea
CLAN ALPINE, 3,587/1899, Glasgow-reg, Clan
Line, armed, Mr F Mee, Tyne for Archangel. (te/un -
10th) - Torpedoed by U.60 (Karl George Schuster), sank
40 miles N by E 1/2 E of Muckle Flugga rocks, off
North Unst island, Shetlands (L - 40 miles N by E 1/2
N of; wi - in 61.15N, 00.15E;); 8 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
MARJORIE, motor vessel (L – trawler; un –
fishing vessel), 119grt, fishing. Captured by UB.18
(Claus Lafrenz), sunk by bombs 30 miles SE by S of
Lizard Point, Cornwall (un – in 49.36N, 04.41W)
(H/L/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Ceramic, 18,481grt, armed. U-boat attack at
entrance to English Channel, torpedo missed
Atlantic W of Ireland
HAULWEN, 4,032/1903, W & C T Jones,
armed, Montreal for Manchester with wheat. (te/un -
10th) - Torpedoed by U.43 (Waldemar Bender), sank 250
miles NW of Fastnet (L/te - in 52.48N, 16W); 4 lives
lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
ACHILLES (2), 641/1900, Glasgow-reg, J &
P Hutchinson, armed, Cadiz for Liverpool/Glasgow with
general cargo. Captured by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner) and
U.95, sunk by gunfire 75 miles W by S of Fastnet Rock
(un – 51.10N, 10.15W); master and gunner taken
prisoner (H/L/te/un)
BARON CAWDOR,
4,316/1905, Ardrossan-reg, Hogarth Shipping, armed,
Rangoon for London (te - Avonmouth) with maize, rice.
Torpedoed by U.96 (Heinrich Jess), sank 150 miles SW
by S 1/2 S of Fastnet (L/te - in 48.56N, 10.09W); 3
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Three armed steamships torpedoed by U.70 (Otto
Wünsche):
APPLEDORE,
3,843/1901, Cardiff-reg, Tatem Steam Navigation,
Sagunto for Middlesbrough with iron ore. Sank 164
miles S by W of Fastnet (L/te - in 48.42N, 08.56W)
(H/L/te/un)
HARBURY,
4,572/1913, J & C Harrison, London, sailing Buenos
Aires for Brest/Cherbourg with maize, oats. Sank 170
miles W 1/2 N of Ushant (L/te - in 47.47N, 09.16W); 12
lives lost including master (H/L/te/un)
EGYPTIANA,
3,818/1905, Furness, Withy, West Hartlepool, sailing
London for Halifax (NS) with part cargo. Torpedoed by
U.70, sank 120 miles WSW of the Scillies
(H/L/te/un)
Two armed steamships attacked by
U-boat(s):
Akabo,
3,814grt; three torpedoes missed (H/Mn)
Sapele,
3,152grt. Chased, escaped
Atlantic
Gaboon, 3,297grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire (possibly the 8th)
Mediterranean
Itola, 5,257grt, armed. Torpedo missed
NW Mediterranean
GENERAL LAURIE, 3-mast schooner, 238/1908,
Bridgetown, Barbados-reg, W McMillan, Bahia for
Marseilles with cocoa beans. Captured by U.72 (Ernst
Krafft), set on fire and sank 70 miles SW by S of
Planier LH, off Marseilles (L - 75 miles SW of
Marseilles; un – 75 miles W by S of Marseillies)
(H/L/Lr/un)
Sunday, 10 June 1917
Barents Sea
Two armed steamships sunk by U.28 (Georg
Schmidt) off Cape Teriberski, near Murmansk:
PERLA,
5,355/1912, The Admiralty, London, sailing Genoa for
Archangel with coal and motor cars. Captured 130 miles
N 1/2 W of (L/te - in 71.23N, 35.26E), not known how
sunk; 4 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
MARIE ELSIE,
2,615/1895, London American Maritime Trading, armed,
Penarth for Archangel with coal. Torpedoed 125 miles N
by W of (L/te - in 71.21N, 34.16E); 3 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
North Sea
DULWICH (2), 1,460/1916, London-reg, South
Metropolitan Gas, armed, Seaham Harbour for London
with coal. Mined, laid by UB.12 (Ernst Steindorff),
foundered 7 miles N by E 1/2 E of Shipwash LV, off
Orford Ness, Suffolk (wi - in 52.08.45N, 01.45.15E); 5
crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
English Channel
Harpathian, 4,588grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off N Scotland
RIBERA (2), 3,511/1915, Globe Shipping,
armed, Penarth/Cardiff for Archangel with coal.
Torpedoed by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann), sank 70 miles N
of Cape Wrath, Sutherland (H/L/te/un)
"Irish Channel"
KEEPER, 572/1906, J Bannatyne & Sons,
Limerick, sailed Belfast 9th for Limerick with grain,
passed Aranmore on 10th, went missing, "presumed by
Admiralty to have been sunk by submarine in the "Irish
Channel"". In some sources, confirmed as torpedoed by
UC.66, but considered unlikely by Uboat.net; 12 lives
lost including master (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW England
ANGLIAN, 5,532/1896, West Hartlepool-reg,
Leyland Line, armed, Boston for London with general
cargo. (te/un - 11th) - Torpedoed by UC.75 (Johannes
Lohs), sank 43 miles SW by W 1/2 W of Bishop Rock,
Scillies (L/te - in 49.22N, 07.12W); one life lost
(H/L/Mn/te/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
BAY STATE, 6,583/1915, Liverpool-reg, White
Diamond SS, armed, Boston for Liverpool with general
cargo. Torpedoed by U.66 (Thorwold von Bothmer), sank
250 miles NW of Fastnet (L/te - in 53N, 16.09W)
(H/L/te)
SCOTTISH HERO,
2,205/1895, Hero SS, also Merchants Mutual Lake Line,
Montreal, armed, Sydney (CB) for Havre with steel
goods. Captured by U.155 (Karl Meusel), sunk by
gunfire 440 miles W by S 1/2 S of Fastnet (L/te - in
46.59N, 18.12W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
GALICIA (2), 1,400/1899, John Hall Jnr,
armed, Malaga for London with general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.70 (Otto Wünsche), sank 140 miles SW by S 1/2 S
of Fastnet (L - in 49W, 10W; te - 48.55N, 10.00W); 4
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic W from Gibraltar
Two armed steamships shelled by U-boat(s),
saved by own gunfire:
Loch Lomond
(2), 2,619grt, sailing Havre for unknown destination.
Also under cover of smoke screen, damaged according to
Lloyds (H/L/Mn/ge)
Acadian (2),
2,305grt
Mediterranean
Lautaro, 3,476grt, armed. Chased, saved by
own gunfire
Monday, 11 June 1917
English Channel
Three armed steamships torpedoed by UB.40 (Hans
Howaldt) off Sussex:
HUNTSHOLM,
2,073/1914, Shipping Controller, Dieppe for
Southampton in ballast. Sunk about 4 miles E by S of
Owers LV, off Selsey Bill (H/L/te/un)
Eustace,
3,995/1913, Pyman SS Co (G Pyman & Co), West
Hartlepoo, sailing London for Barry Roads in ballast.
Torpedoed near Ower LV (L/un - in 50.36N, 00.22W),
damaged, reached port and beached, refloated (H/L/un)
Margarita (2),
2,788/1903, Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway Co (A
Holland & Co), London, sailing Hull for Madras
with coal. Torpedoed 16 miles SW of Brighton, damaged,
arrived Stokes Bay (H/L/un)
__________
Knight Companion, 7,241/1913, Knight SS Co
(Greenshields, Cowie & Co), Liverpool (Note: may
have already been sold to Ocean SS Co, Liverpool, by
this time), armed, Dunkirk for Barry Roads. (un –
possibly early on 12th) - torpedoed by UB.20 (Hermann
Glimpf), 10 miles W of Lizard Point, damaged, towed
into Falmouth on 12th (H/L/un)
Atlantic off SW England
SOUTH POINT (2), 4,258/1914, London-reg,
Norfolk & North American SS, armed, Mr D Bowen,
London for Newport News in ballast, in convoy.
(te/un/wi -12th) - Torpedoed by UB.32 (Max Viebeg),
sank 30 miles SW 1/2 S of Bishop Rock, Scillies (L -
30 miles S 20 W true of the Light; wi - 30 miles SW by
S of, in 49.43N, 07W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s), torpedoes
missed:
Leafield,
2,539grt; at entrance to English Channel
Mackinaw,
3,204grt; W of Scillies
Atlantic NW of Ireland
Four armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Thessaly,
3,128 (un - 4,310)/1909, D MacIver, Sons & Co,
Liverpool, sailing Liverpool for Rosario with general
cargo. Gun attack by U.94 (Alfred Saalwächter) (L/un -
in 56.04N, 12.40W), damaged, saved by own gunfire; one
life lost (H/L) (H/Mn)
Athenia,
passenger ship, 8,668grt. Chased, escaped
Dominic,
2,966grt. Chased, saved by own gunfire under cover of
smoke screen (H/Mn)
Kerry Range,
5,856grt. Torpedo missed
Atlantic W of Ireland
TEVIOTDALE, 3,847/1894, Steel, Young, London,
armed, Havana/Halifax (NS) for Queenstown with sugar.
Torpedoed by U.43 (Waldemar Bender), sank 330 miles NW
by W of Fastnet (L/te - in 52.20N, 18.27W); one life
lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic SW of Ireland
Ausonia, passenger ship, 8,153/1909, Cunard
SS Co, Liverpool, armed, Montreal for Avonmouth with
general cargo. Torpedoed and damaged by U.55 (Wilhelm
Werner) (L/un - in 51.17N, 17.17W), arrived
Queenstown; one life lost (H/L/un)
POLYXENA,
5,737/1896, Liverpool-reg, Ocean SS, armed, Mr J
Ramsay, Australia for Queenstown (Cobh) with wheat.
(L/te/un/wi - 12th) - Torpedoed by U.95 (Athalwin
Prinz), sank 57 miles W of Fastnet (L - in 51.06N,
11.05W; wi - 51.06N, 11.50W); 7 crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
CITY OF PERTH,
3,427/1890, Glasgow-reg, City Line, armed, Alexandria
for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.70 (Ottp
Wünsche), sank 195 miles SSW of Fastnet (L - in
48.06N, 10.30W); 8 lives lost (H/L/te)
Three armed steamships attacked by
U-boat(s):
Holywell,
4,867grt. Gun attack, rescued (H/Mn)
Metagama,
12,420grt. Torpedo missed
Pathan,
4,956grt. Chased, rescued
Atlantic
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Eurymachus,
4,995grt. Chased, escaped
Minnie de Larrinaga,
5,046grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire (H/Mn)
Pentwyn,
3,587grt. Torpedo/gun attack, torpedo missed, saved by
own gunfire (H/Mn)
Central Mediterranean
BENHA (1), 1,878/1891, Khedival Mail
Steamship & Graving Dock, London-reg, armed,
Limassol for Leith with carobs (edible seed pods).
Captured by UC.74 (Wilhelm Marschall), sunk by bombs
50 miles N by E of Marsa Susa, Libya (L - in 33.45N,
22.04E) (H/L/te/un)
Indian Ocean
City of Exeter, passenger ship, 9,373grt,
armed, Liverpool for Bombay with general cargo. Mined,
laid by raider Wolf off Bombay
(L - in 18.40N, 72.38E), reached port (H/L/Mn)
Tuesday, 12 June 1917
UC.66 sunk by trawler Sea King in English
Channel off Cornwall
North Sea
ALWYN, wood ketch (wi - also steam trawler;
un – sailing vessel), 73/1885, Aberdeen-reg, W Wood
& J Hay, Portsoy, Banffshire, sailing Sunderland
for Banff with coal. Stopped by UB.41 (Günther
Krause), sunk by bombs 5 miles SE of Girdle Ness, near
Aberdeen (wi - in 57.04.30N, 01.55W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
English Channel
ALFRED, steel schooner, ex-German, 130/1904,
was owned by W Schuchmann, seized at Granton, sailing
Howdon-upon-Tyne for Cannes with coal. Captured by
UB.40 (Hans Howaldt), sunk by bombs 15 miles SW of
Boulogne (L - 15 miles SSE of) (H/L/Lr/Mn/un)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
AMAKURA, 2,316/1893, Liverpool-reg, Amakura
SS, armed, Liverpool for Demerara with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.94 (Alfred Saalwächter), sank 180 miles
NW 1/2 W of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te - in 56.10N,
13W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
Indian, 9,121grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Coronado,
refrigerated cargo vessel, 6,539/1915, Elders &
Fyffes, Belfast, sailing Montreal for Liverpool with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.55 (Wilhelm Werner),
damaged, 15 miles S of Galley Head, put into
Queenstown (H/L/un)
Haverford,
11,635grt. Torpedo missed
Atlantic
Quillota, 3,692grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
Bonvilston, 2,866grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
Wednesday, 13 June 1917
North Sea
SILVERBURN, 284/1914, Sunderland-reg, Durham
Steam SS, sailing Sunderland for Peterhead with coal.
Captured by UB.41 (Günther Krause), sunk by gunfire 4
miles SE of Cove Bay, just S of Aberdeen (H/L/Lr)
English Channel
Ivy, trawler, fishing. Attacked by submarine,
damaged off Salcombe, arrived Brixham (L)
Atlantic off SW England
Paris, 599grt, armed. U-boat attack at
entrance to English Channel, torpedo missed
Atlantic off N Scotland
KELVINBANK (2), ex-Drumcliffe, 4,072/1905,
Glasgow SS, armed, Liverpool/Glasgow for Archangel
with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.69 (Ernst
Wilhelms), sank 100 miles N of Cape Wrath (L/te - in
60.04N, 05.40W); 16 lives lost including master
(H/L/ms/te/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
DARIUS, 3,426/1903, Sunderland-reg, Tempus
Shipping, armed, Villaricos for Tyne with iron ore.
Torpedoed by U.54 (Kurt Heeseler), sank 210 miles SW
of Fastnet (te - in 48.08N, 11.32W); 15 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic
Kintuck, 4,639 (also 4,616; ms – 4,447)/1895,
China Mutual Steam Navigation Co, London, armed. Gun
attack, saved by own gunfire. Sunk 2 December 1917
(H/ms)
Atlantic off NW France
Lorle, 2,686grt, armed. U-boat attack off
Ushant, torpedo missed
Central Mediterranean
ST ANDREWS, 3,613/1906, St Andrew's (Cardiff)
Ltd (R E Morel & Co), Cardiff, armed, sailing
Karachi for Marseilles with grain. Torpedoed by UC.38
(Alfred Klatt), sank 4 miles W of Cape Spartivento, S
Italy; 3 lives lost (not to be confused with hospital
ship St Andrew 2,528grt, attacked 25/2/15) (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 14 June 1917
Barents Sea
Nascopie, 1,870grt, armed. Gun attack in
Arctic, saved by own gunfire
North Sea
Two armed steamships attacked by German
seaplanes:
KANKAKEE,
3,718/1899, London-reg, The Admiralty, Newcastle for
London with coal. Torpedoed and sunk 2 miles NE of
Sunk LV, off Harwich, Essex (L/wi - about 1 mile N of
Sunk Head Buoy, in 51.46.37N, 01.29.13E); 3 crew lost
(H/L/Lr/wi)
Canto, cargo
steamship, 1,202/1904, Pelton Steam Shipping Co
(Gardner & Reay), Newcastle, armed.
Torpedo/machine gun attack, three torpedoes missed
(H/ms)
English Channel
WEGA, 839/1885, ex-German, London-reg, The
Admiralty (managed by Everett & Newbigin), 17
crew, Mr R Thoburn, Hartlepool for Cowes with 940t
coal. Torpedoed at 2145 by UC.71 (Reinhold
Saltzwedel), sank within two minutes c20 miles W by S
of Royal Sovereign LV, off Sussex (wi - in 50.37N,
00.02W); 5 crew lost, survivors got away on a
liferaft, picked up by patrol vessel, landed at
Newhaven (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Two steamships sunk by U.82 (Hans Adam), WSW of
Bishop Rock, Scillies:
HIGHBURY,
4,831/1912, Britain SS Co (Watts, Watts & Co),
London, sailing Antogagasta for Birkenhead with
nitrate. Originally listed as missing, confirmed as
sunk by U.82 about 100 miles WSW of (un – in 48.25N,
10.28W), 40 lives lost, all those onboard (dk/un)
ORTOLAN,
1,727/1902, General Steam Navigation, armed,
Palermo/Genoa for London with general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.82, sank 100 miles WSW of (L/te - in 48N, 10W); 3
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off N Ireland
CARTHAGINIAN, passenger ship, 4,444/1884,
Glasgow-reg, Allan Line SS, 1-4in QF, 57 crew, Mr A
Ogilvie, Clyde for Montreal with general cargo. Mined,
laid by U.79 (Otto Rohrbeck), No.2 hold filled with
water by 2140, crew abandoned ship, sank early next
morning at 0130, 2 1/2 m NW of Inishtrahull island LH,
off Co Donegal (wi - in 55.28N, 07.20W, mining
position given as 9 miles NE of Malin Head); British
warship responded to SOS, landed survivors at
Buncrana. (H/L/te/un/wd/wi)
Atlantic off S Ireland
DART, 3,207/1898, London-reg, Mercantile SS,
1-15pdr, 28 crew, Mr Mitchell, Huelva for Garston with
4,700t iron ore/pyrites, steaming at 8 1/2 kts.
Torpedoed by UC.47 (Paul Hundius), sank 6 miles SSW of
Ballycottin LH, off Co Cork (wi - in 51.43.30N,
08.02W); 4 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic
Ramore Head, 4,444grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic W of NW Spain
AYSGARTH, 3,118/1896, Newcastle-reg, Garth
Shipping, armed, Aguilas for Clyde with iron ore.
Captured by U.155 (Karl Meusel), sunk by bombs 430
miles WNW of Cape Finisterre (L - 42.50N, 18.52W); 3
lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Western Mediterranean
Lowther Castle, 4,439/1914, Lancashire
Shipping Co (J Chambers & Co), Liverpool, armed,
Cardiff for unknown destination with coal. Mined, laid
by UC.67 (Karl Neumann) W of Algiers, damaged, put
into Algiers (H/L/un)
Friday, 15 June 1917
North Sea
Scartho, 569grt. Torpedo missed
English Channel
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Teesdale,
2,470/1904, Sir Robert Ropner, West Hartlepool,
sailing West Hartlepool for Gibraltar with coal.
Torpedoed by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber), damaged, 2 miles
off Bolt Head, towed into Plymouth on 16th, beached
and refloated. Foundered on 2 August while on passage
for repairs (H/L/un)
Branksome Hall,
4,262grt. Torpedo missed
Queen Alexandra,
785grt. Chased, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off SW England
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s) off
entrance to English Channel:
Camito,
6,611grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Crane,
2,033grt. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off SW Ireland
WESTONBY, 3,795/1901, Sir R Ropner, West
Hartlepool, armed, Huelva for London with pyrites and
lead. Torpedoed by U.82 (Hans Adam), sank 195 miles SW
by S of Fastnet Rock, off Co Cork (L - 220 miles W 1/2
S of Scilly) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s),
torpedoes missed:
Collegian,
7,237grt (Admiralty collier when sunk)
Winamac,
tanker, 5,767grt
Bay of Biscay
ADDAH, 4,397/1905, Liverpool-reg, British
& African Steam Navigation, armed, Mr Clarke,
Montreal for Cherbourg with general cargo. Torpedoed
by UC.69 (Erwin Wassner), sank 35 miles SW of Pte de
Penmarch to the W of Lorient (te - in 47.24N 05.00W);
9 lives lost. According to “Merchant Fleets - Elder
Dempster Lines” the torpedo explosion killed eight
men, Mr Clarke and a Gunner Swan stayed on board and
manned the stern gun, hitting the U-boat which
returned fire. When Addah sank, they were picked up by
a lifeboat, apparently rammed by UC.69 before opening
fire on men in the water killing a further nine. A
French destroyer arrived and presumably picked up the
survivors. An internet source confirms a total of 17
lives lost, rather than the nine in HMSO. “Outrage at
Sea” also confirms the incident; Wassner was on the
list of British war criminals for firing on boats and
killing nine men, progressed post-war as Naval Case
No.16, but did not go to court (H/L/Lr/ed/ge/os/te/un)
Deddington,
2,827grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Central Mediterranean
Two armed steamships torpedoed by UC.38 (Alfred
Klatt) off Straits of Messina, Italy:
PASHA,
5,930/1902, Asiatic Steam Navigation, Karachi for
Spezia with grain. Torpedoed by UC.38, sank in
southern entrance to (L - in 37.57N, 15.27E); 3 lives
lost (H/L/te/un)
Elvaston,
4,130/1913, Century Shipping Co (Harris & Dixon),
London, sailing Famagusta for Cette with locust beans.
Torpedoed 3 miles S by E of Taormina, damaged, arrived
Messina on 16th; 3 lives lost (H/L/un)
Saturday, 16 June 1917
Atlantic W of SW England
JESSIE (2), 2,256/1891, C Nielsen & Sons,
Hartlepool, armed, sailing Alexandria for Hull with
cottonseed. Torpedoed by U.82 (Hans Adam), sank 260
miles W 1/2 S of Bishop Rock, Scillies (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off S Ireland
Three steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Fallodon,
3,012/1903, St Just SS Co (W Reardon Smith &
Sons), London, armed, Cork for Cherbourg with hay.
Torpedoed by U.61 (Victor Dieckmann) 9 miles ESE of
Mine Head, damaged, towed in, beached Queenstown on
17th, refloated. Sunk 28 December 1917 (H/L/un)
Ardmore,
1,304grt. Chased, rescued
Elysia,
6,397grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Bayford,
4,113grt. Torpedo missed
Rutherglen,
4,214grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off NW France
CARRIE HERVEY (un – or Carrie Harvey),
schooner, 111/1881, Plymouth-reg, I Tregaskes (un – E
Stephens, Fowey), sailing Fowey/Brest for Pasajes with
china clay. Captured by U.50 (Gerhard Berger), sunk by
gunfire 52 miles SE by S of Armen Rock, off Ile de
Sein, SW of Brest (un – in 47.16N, 04.03W)(H/L/Lr/un)
Sunday, 17 June 1917
English Channel
STANHOPE, 2,854/1900, Middlesbrough-reg,
English SS, 1-12pdr, 26 crew, Mr H Sundal, sailed
Barrow via Falmouth, left 16th for Dunkirk with steel
rails. Torpedoed by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber; wi - U.60)
at 0045, sank 7 miles SW by W of Start Point, Devon
(te/wi - in 50.08.36N, 03.45.25W); 22 crew killed by
the explosion or drowned as she sank, master, three
seamen spent 90min clinging to wreckage before being
picked up a patrol vessel and landed at Portsmouth
(H/L/te/un/wi)
TYNE,
2,909/1900, Glasgow-reg, Royal Mail Steam Packet,
1-12pdr, 35 crew, Mr H Robson, Penarth for La Pallice
with 3,900t coal and benzole/benzine, in convoy,
steaming at 8kts. (te/un – 18th; un – or 17th) -
Torpedoed by UC.48 (Kurt Ramien) on starboard quarter,
sank 18 miles SW of Lizard Point, Cornwall (te - in
49.42N, 05.25W; wi - in 49.42N, 05.25W); crew picked
up by escorting trawler (H/L/te/un/wi)
St George's Channel
RALOO, 1,012/1898, Belfast-reg, Shamrock
Shipping, 1-3pdr HA, 16 crew, Mr J McBride, sailing,
Newport for Cork with coal. Torpedoed by U.61 (Victor
Dieckmann), sank 6 miles SE by E of Coningbeg LV, off
S Co Wexford (L - c5 miles SE by E of; wi - in
51.58.15N, 06.33.30W); 3 crew lost including master
(H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Alban, 5,223grt, armed. Torpedo missed (H/Mn)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
LIZZIE WESTOLL, 2,855/1895, Sunderland-reg,
Westoll Line, armed, Mr J Forster, sailing Port Signa
to Garston with magnesite ore and volonea (for leather
tanning). Torpedoed by UC.42 (Otto Heinrich Tornow),
sank 120 miles NW by W of Fastnet (te/wi - in 51.39N,
12.44W) (H/L/te/wi)
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
Kaiser-i-Hind, passenger ship, 11,430grt,
armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off NW Morocco
Claveresk, 3,829grt, armed. U-boat attack off
Casablanca, torpedo missed
Monday, 18 June 1917
English Channel
GAUNTLET, wood ketch, 58/1875, Guernsey-reg,
J C Renoui, sailing St Malo for Par in ballast.
Captured by UC.65 (Otto Steinbrinck), sunk by bombs 30
miles NW of Les Hanois LH, off Guernsey (H/L/Lr/un)
St George's Channel
Three sailing vessels probably attacked by same
U-boat, UC.51 (Hans Galster):
VIOLET,
schooner, 158/1874, Bristol-reg, Mrs Letitia Tyrrell,
6 crew, Mr M Tyrrell, Waterford for Cardiff with
pitwood. Captured by UC.51, sunk by gunfire 9 miles
SSE of Coningbeg LV, SE of Waterford Harbour (L/un/wi
- 10 miles SSE of, in 51.57N, 06.26W; wi - also 9
miles SSE of, in 51.54N, 06.30W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
KANGAROO (2),
76grt, Cardiff for Ballyhack with coal. Captured by
UC.51, sunk by gunfire 20 miles S of Tuskar, off
Rosslare (wi - by scuttling charge, in 51.52N,
06.06W); 4 lives lost including master (H/L/un/wi)
Minnie Coles,
schooner, 116grt, armed, Youghal for Cardiff with
pitwood. Gun attack in "Irish Channel", 20 miles S of
Tuskar, escaped, towed into Passage East, damaged
according to Lloyds (H/L/Lr)
Atlantic off SW England
Kathlamba, 6,382/1913, Ellerman &
Bucknall SS Co, North Shields, armed, sailing
Melbourne for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by
UC.75 (Johannes Lohs) off entrance to English Channel
(L - 40N, 08.30W. If the attack took place in the
English Channel area, the latitude is probably 50º;
confirmed by Uboat.net), damaged, beached 1 mile S of
Crow Point, Devon on 19th, refloated (H/L)
Atlantic off N & W Scotland
Two steamships torpedoed by U.70 (Otto
Wünsche):
BUFFALO (1),
4,106/1907, Hull-reg, Wilson Line, armed, Hull for New
York with general cargo. (te/un - 19th) - Sank 80
miles NW by N 1/2 N of Cape Wrath (L - in 59.34N,
07.03W) (H/L/te)
QUEEN ADELAIDE,
4,965/1911, Dunlop SS, Glasgow, sailing Montreal for
Leith with wheat. Sank 13 miles NNE of St Kilda
island, W of Outer Hebrides (te/un - in 58.04N,
08.35W); 3 lives lost (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
Two armed steamships torpedoed by U.24 (Walter
Remy) off Fastnet:
ENGLISH MONARCH,
4,947/1906, Monarch SS, Clyde for Leghorn/Genoa with
coal. Sank 300 miles NW by W of (te - in 52.60N,
17.30W); 3 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
ELELE,
6,557/1913, British & African Steam, Boston for
Liverpool with munitions, wheat and general cargo.
Sank 300 miles NW 1/2 W of (L/te - in 52.20N, 17.30W)
(H/L/te/un)
__________
THISTLEDU, 4,032/1901, Albyn Line (Allen,
Black & Co), Sunderland, armed, sailing
Iquique/Newport News for Newport (Mon) with nitrate.
Torpedoed by U.82 (Hans Adam), sank 218 miles NW 1/2 W
of Fastnet (L/te/un - in 52.17N, 15.18W; un – or
52.25N, 16.33W); 4 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Marie Suzanne,
3,106grt. Gun attack, rescued (Admiralty collier when
sunk)
Palma,
7,632grt, New York for Liverpool, in convoy. Attacked
by two U-boats, three torpedoes missed (H/Mn)
Atlantic W of Gibraltar
Whateley Hall, 3,712grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire under cover of smoke screen
Mediterranean
Two armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Hazelwood,
3,120grt. Torpedo missed
Trevanion,
4,267grt; two torpedoes missed
Tuesday, 19 June 1917
English Channel
Two sailing vessels captured by UC.17 (Werner
Fürbringer) off Les Hanois LH, off SW Guernsey:
KATE AND ANNIE,
wood ketch, 96/1894, Gloucester-reg, T Stamp, sailing
Cardiff for St Malo with coal. Sunk by bombs c25 miles
NW by W of (H/L/Lr/un)
Mary Ann,
brigantine, 164grt, St Brieuc for Swansea with
pitwood. Damaged by gunfire and set on fire 20 miles
NW by W of, (un – 20 miles NNW of, or 21 miles NW by W
of, in 49.37N, 03.11W), towed into St Peter Port
Harbour. Not known if repaired (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off SW England
KELSO, 1,292/1909, Wilson Line, Hull, armed,
sailing Oporto/Lisbon for London with general cargo.
Sunk by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs), 33 miles WSW of Bishop
Rock, Scillies (L - 75 miles WSW of Scilly Is)
(H/L/te/un)
Great City,
5,525/1914, probably Great City SS Co (W Reardon Smith
& Son), Bideford at time of sinking, armed,
sailing Newport News for London with oats and steel.
Torpedoed by UC.47 (Paul Hundius) 30 miles W of Bishop
Rock, Scillies, damaged, towed in and beached St
Mary’s Roads, refloated; 4 lives lost (H/L/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BROOKBY, 3,679/1905, West Hartlepool-reg, Sir
R Ropner, armed, Sagunto for Middlesbrough with iron
ore. Captured by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sunk by
torpedo 155 miles S 1/2 W of Fastnet (L - 98 miles WSW
of Scilly Is) (H/L/te/un)
Baltic Sea
PENPOL, 2,061/1891, Falmouth-reg, Pendennis
SS (un – Penpol SS Co (R B Chellew), Falmouth),
sailing from Petrograd. (un – 20th) – Captured by
UC.57 (Friedrich Wissmann) in Gulf of Bothnia (un –
Raumo-Wasa area), taken as prize into Kiel, Germany;
released post-war (H/L/Lr/un)
Bay of Biscay
Morinier, 3,804grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire (H/Mn)
Atlantic
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Aylestone,
3,400grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Ganges (2),
3,497grt. Torpedo missed
Wonganella,
3,998grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Mediterranean
Hurst, 4,718grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Wednesday, 20 June 1917
English Channel
BENITA, schooner, 130/1862, Whitehaven-reg, R
Killen, sailing Cherbourg for Poole with stone.
Captured by UC.75 (Johannes Lohs), sunk by bombs 15
miles S of Portland Bill, Dorset (wi - in 50.16N,
02.23W) (H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Lancastrian, 5,120grt, armed. Chased off
entrance to English Channel, escaped
Atlantic off W Ireland
Nitonian, 6,381/1912, Fredercik Leyland &
Co, Liverpool, armed. Gun attack by U.61 (Victor
Dieckmann), saved by own gunfire, damaged, arrived
Liverpool (H/L/Mn/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
BENGORE HEAD, 2,490/1884, Belfast-reg, Head
Line, armed, Sydney (CB) for London with general
cargo. Captured by U.62 (Ernst Hashagen), sunk by
torpedo 150 miles NW of Fastnet (L/te - in 52.19N
13.39W) (H/L/te/un)
Valeria,
5,865grt, armed. Chased, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off NW France
Buranda, steamship, 3,651/1912, Buranda SS Co
(Burdick & Cook), London, armed. Gun attack off
Ushant, saved by own gunfire (H/ms)
Bay of Biscay
Devona, 3,779grt, armed. Gun attack, saved by
own gunfire (H/Mn)
Central Mediterranean
RUPERRA, 4,232/1904, British Steam Shipping
Co (J Cory & Sons), Cardiff, armed, sailing Port
Sudan for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by
UC.27 (Gerhard Schulz), sank 50 miles E by S of
Pantellaria Is, off Tunisia (L/un - in 36.44N, 13.06E)
(H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 21 June 1917
North Sea
BLACK HEAD, passenger & cargo ship,
1,898/1912, Belfast-reg, Head Line, sailing Drammen
for Lerwick with wood pulp. Torpedoed by U.19
(Johannes Spiess), sank 52 miles ESE of Out Skerries,
SE of Yell island, Shetlands (L - 64 miles E of
Lerwick; te - in 60.22N, 01.00E) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic W of Ireland
LORD ROBERTS (2), 4,166/1901, Irish
Shipowners' Co, Belfast, armed, sailing Montreal for
Belfast with flour, wheat. Captured by U.62 (Ernst
Hashagen), sunk by gunfire 270 miles NW by N of
Fastnet (L/te - in 53.38N, 15.58W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
ORTONA, 5,524/1916, Gulf Line, London, armed,
Philadelphia for London with general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.50 (Gerhard Berger), sank 140 miles SSW of
Fastnet (L/un - in 49.01N, 09.55W; un – also 48.50N,
09.49W); one life lost (H/L/te/un)
Friday, 22 June 1917
Atlantic off N Ireland
MELFORD HALL, 6,339/1911, Ellerman Lines
(Hall Line), Liverpool, armed, Liverpool for
Karachi/Bombay with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.100
(Degenhart von Loë), sank 95 miles N by W 1/2 W of
Tory Is, off Co Donegal (un – in 56.34N, 10.41W)
(H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
Charing Cross, 2,534grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off SW Ireland
MIAMI, 3,762/1904, Glasgow-reg, Elders &
Fyffes, 1-12pdr, Mr G Martin, New York for
Liverpool/Manchester with 3,700t general cargo, under
escort. Torpedoed by UC.51 (Hans Galster), sank 11
miles ESE of Fastnet (L/te/un/wi - in 51.21.30N,
09.19W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Sunday, 24 June 1917
Baltic Sea area
MEGGIE, 1,802/1889, London-reg, James Cormack
& Co. (L - 19th) – Captured by UC.57 (Friedrich
Wissmann) in Gulf of Bothnia (un – Raumo-Wasa area),
taken as prize to German occupied port of Libau,
released post-war (H/L/Lr/un)
Atlantic off SW England
SOUTH WALES, 3,668/1906, South Wales SS Co
(Gibbs & Co), Cardiff, armed, Rangoon/Bassein/Cape
Town for London with rice. Torpedoed by U.62 (Ernst
Hashagen), sank 128 miles W of Bishop Rock, Scillies
(L - 125 miles from Scillies); 2 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Three armed steamships torpedoed by UC.17 (Werner
Fürbringer) off Scillies:
CROWN OF ARRAGON,
4,500/1905, Glasgow-reg, Crown SS, Cardiff /Penzance
for Montreal with government stores. Sank 124 miles SW
1/2 W of Bishop Rock (L/te - in 48.10N, 08.14W); one
life lost (H/L/te/un)
CLAN DAVIDSON,
6,486/1912, Glasgow-reg, Clan Line, armed,
Brisbane/Sydney for London with general cargo
including butter, maize. Sank 130 miles SW by W 1/2 W
of (L - 130 miles S41ºW true of; te - in 48.16N,
08.36W); 12 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
SAXON MONARCH,
4,828/1912, Monarch SS, Glasgow, armed,
Bombay/Karachi/Cape Town for London with grain. (te/un
- 25th; un – or late on 24th, British time) - Sank 140
miles SW by W of (L - 140 miles S36ºW true of; te/un -
in 48.24N, 07.47W;); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
SYLVANIAN, 4,858/1914, Leyland Line,
Liverpool, armed, sailing Liverpool for St
Thomas/Kingston (Ja) with general cargo. Torpedoed by
U.94 (Alfred Saalwächter), sank 170 miles NW of Tory
Is (L/te/un - in 56.27N, 12.57W; un – also 56.12N,
12.56W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic
Celia, 5,004grt, armed. Chased, saved by own
gunfire (H/Mn)
Aegean Sea
CESTRIAN, troopship/transport, cargo
steamship, 8,912/1896, Liverpool-reg, Leyland Line,
armed, Salonica for Alexandria with 800 men plus
horses. Torpedoed by UB.42 (Kurt Schwarz), sank 4
miles SE of Skyro, off E Greece; 3 crew lost
(H/L/ge/me/te/un)
Arabian Sea
MONGOLIA, passenger ship, 9,505/1903,
London-reg, Peninsular & Oriental Steam
Navigation, armed, London for Bombay/Sydney with
passengers, mails, general cargo. (wd - 23rd) - Mined,
laid by Wolf mid-2/17, sank in 13min, 50 miles S by W
of Bombay (L/wd - 17 miles W of Jaujira, Bombay
coast); 24 lives lost, including 3 passengers, 3
engine-room crew, 17 other crew killed by the
explosion, survivors got away and reached the shore.
Note: contrary to some accounts she was not taken into
Admiralty service as an armed merchant cruiser unlike
sister ship Moldavia (H/L/Mn/kp/wd)
Monday, 25 June 1917
Bristol Channel
Lackenby, 2,108grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off SW England
GUILDHALL, 2,609/1898, Letricheux Line,
Swansea, armed, Bougie/Valencia for Cardiff with
oranges and ore. Torpedoed by U.62 (Ernst Hashagen),
sank 40 miles SW by W 1/2 W of Bishop Rock, Scillies;
12 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Western Mediterranean
Southern, 5,694/1916, Harris & Dixon,
London, armed, Swansea for Genoa with patent coal
fuel. Mined, laid by U.72 (Ernst Krafft) 4 miles NE of
La Nouvelle (un – Barrage 586), damaged and beached,
refloated. Note: presumably Port-la-Nouvelle, France
(H/L/un)
NW Mediterranean
ANATOLIA, 3,847/1898, Liverpool-reg, Hall
Line, armed, Liverpool for Genoa with general cargo.
Mined, laid by UC.35 (Ernst von Voigt), sank 1
1/2 miles off Genoa (L - 1 1/2 to 2 miles
S32ºW true of Castello Regio) (H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 26 June 1917
Atlantic off W Scotland
Haverford, passenger ship, 11,635/1901,
International Navigation, Co, Liverpool, armed,
Liverpool for Philadelphia with general cargo. (un –
27th German time) - Torpedoed by U.94 (Alfred
Saalwächter) (un - in 57.01N, 10.59W), damaged,
towed to Lough Swilly, beached Kinnegar on 29th,
refloated; 8 lives lost (H/L/un)
Atlantic off SW England
Three vessels attacked by U.62 (Ernst Hashagen)
off Bishop Rock, Scillies:
MANISTEE,
3,869/1904, Elders & Fyffes, Newcastle, armed, New
York for London with general cargo. Torpedoed by U.62,
sank 86 miles WSW of (L/te - in 49N, 07.54W; un – in
48.57N, 08.08W); 5 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
CATTARO,
2,908/1912, Hull-reg, Wilson Line, armed, Civita
Vecchia/Palermo for Hull with general cargo. Torpedoed
by U.62, sank 130 miles WSW of (L/te/un - in 48.50N,
07.47W) (H/L/te/un)
Gorsemore,
3,079/1899, Johnston Line (Furness, Withy & Co),
Liverpool, armed. Gun attack by at entrance to English
Channel, damaged, saved by own gunfire; one life lost
(Admiralty collier when sunk 22 September 1918) (H/un)
Atlantic off NW Ireland
SERAPIS, 1,932/1877, J Crass, Clyde for
Marseilles/Genoa with coal. Torpedoed by U.79 (Otto
Rohrbeck), sank 106 miles NNW 1/2 W of
Tory Is (L/te - in 56.20N, 10.45W); 19 lives lost,
master, chief officer taken prisoner (H/L/Mn/te/un)
Three armed steamships attacked by U-boat(s):
Aurania,
passenger ship, 13,936grt. Chased, saved by own
gunfire
Elysia,
6,397grt. Gun attack, saved by own gunfire
Swindon,
5,084grt; two torpedoes missed
Mediterranean
Skipton Castle, 3,823grt, armed. Gun attack,
saved by own gunfire
Western Mediterranean
BIRDOSWALD, 4,013/1892, Newcastle-reg, Lunn
& MacCoy, armed, Leghorn for Carthagena with hemp.
Torpedoed by U.63 (Otto Schultze), sank 25 miles E 1/2
S of Tarragona, SW of Barcelona (L - 7 miles off
Villanueva; un – in 41.07N, 10.51E); master and chief
engineer taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Wednesday, 27 June 1917
English Channel
SOLWAY PRINCE, 317/1890, Harwich-reg, Stone
& Rolfe, sailing Poole for Jersey in ballast.
Captured by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt), sunk by bombs 8
miles N of Alderney (H/L/Lr/un)
off NW Scotland
City of Hankow, 7,369grt, armed. Torpedo
missed
Atlantic off NW Ireland
BARON OGILVY, 4,570/1909, Ardrossan-reg,
Hogarth Shipping, armed, Montreal for Liverpool with
wheat. Torpedoed by U.93 (Helmut Gerlach), sank 172
miles NW of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te - in 56.13N,
13.40W); 2 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
ARMADALE,
troopship/transport, cargo steamship, 6,153/1909,
London-reg, Australind SS Co, armed, Manchester for
Salonica with troops and government stores. Torpedoed
by U.60 (Karl Georg Schuster), sank 160 miles NW of
Tory Is (L/un - 56.17N, 12.42W; te - in 56.00N,
12.00W); 3 lives lost. Note: according to "The German
Submarine War", this was the first troopship loss in
the Atlantic (H/L/ge/me/te/un)
Atlantic off W Ireland
Claveresk, 3,829grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire
Atlantic off SW Ireland
ULTONIA, passenger ship, 10,402/1898, Cunard
SS Co, Liverpool, armed, New York for London with
general cargo. Torpedoed by U.53 (Hans Rose), sank 190
miles SW of Fastnet (L/te/un/wd - in 48.25N, 11.23W;
un – also 48.22N, 11.28W); one life lost (wd - two)
(H/L/te/un/wd)
NW Mediterranean
TONG HONG, 2,184/1891, Tan Kah Kee,
Singapore, armed, sailed Marseilles for Saigon with
empty oil drums. Captured by U.63 (Otto Schultze), 75
miles SW of Cape Sicie, near Toulon (L - c6 miles off;
un - 55 miles S 3/4 W of Cape Sicie, in 42.09N,
05.40E. Position according to French trawler Vega
which tried to tow her, and then rescued the crew),
not known how sunk; master taken prisoner (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 28 June 1917
North Sea
CORONA, fishing vessel (L - trawler), 48grt,
fishing. Captured by UC.33 (Martin Schelle), sunk by
gunfire 65 miles E of Sumburgh Head, S Shetlands
(H/L/un)
Seven mainly Grimsby-reg motor fishing vessels on
fishing grounds, captured by UC.63 (Karsten von
Heydereck) and all but one confirmed sunk by bombs 10
miles NE of Spurn Head, Humber estuary:
ELSIE, 20grt
(H/L/gy/un)
FRANCES, 20grt
(H/L/gy/un)
GLENELG, (L -
trawler), 32grt, not known if Grimsby-reg. (L - 18
miles NE of) (H/L/un)
HARBINGER, (L
- trawler), 39grt. (L - 18 miles NE of) (H/L/gy/un)
ROSE OF JUNE,
20grt. (wi - in 53.42N, 00.17E) (H/L/gy/un/wi)
WILLIAM & BETTY,
21grt (H/L/gy/un)
FRIGATE BIRD,
motor vessel, 20grt. (un – 26th or 28th) – originally
not known where or how sunk but possibly with other
Grimsby boats off Spurn Point. Sunk by UC.63 (Karsten
von Heydereck) off Flamborough Head according to
Uboat.net (H/L/gy/un)
English Channel
Northfield, 2,099/1901, Harry Keep, London,
sailing from Portsmouth, partly loaded with timber.
Torpedoed by UB.40 (Hans Howaldt) (L - 35 miles W by N
of Shambles LV), towed to Dartmouth on 29th (Admiralty
collier when sunk) (H/L/un)
LIZZIE ELLEN,
schooner, 114/1874, Cardigan-reg, F J Evans, sailing
Jersey for Newport with scrap iron. Captured by UC.65
(Otto Steinbrinck), sunk by bombs 46 miles S of Start
Point, Devon (L - 30 miles NW of Roches Douvres LH; un
– also in 49.29N, 03.19W) (H/L/Lr/un)
Elsie, sailing
vessel, 165grt, armed. Gun attack, escaped under cover
of weather
Atlantic off SW
England
Two vessels sunk by UC.62 (Max Schmitz),
although original dates varied:
NEOTSFIELD
(1), iron-hulled sailing ship, 1,875/1889, London-reg,
Neotsfield Ship Co, sailing Newport (Mon) for Buenos
Aires with coal. (H - 25th) - Captured by UC.62, sunk
by bombs 112 miles SW by W of Bishop Rock (L/un - in
48.28N, 08.19W) (H/L/Lr/un)
DON ARTURO,
3,680/1906, Buenos Aires & Pacific Railway Co,
London, armed, sailing Algiers/Oran for Tees in
ballast, went missing, reportedly torpedoed on or
around 25th, probably by submarine in the Atlantic.
Confirmed as 28th - Torpedoed by UC.62, sank 90 miles
WSW of Scillies; 34 lives lost including master
(H/L/te/un)
Friday, 29 June 1917
North Sea
Two fishing vessels (L/wi - trawlers) fishing
together, captured by UC.33 (Martin Schelle) and sunk
by gunfire 18 miles E by S of Rattray Head, near
Peterhead (wi - in 57.38N, 01.15W):
GEM, 79grt
(H/L/wi)
MANX PRINCESS,
87/1908, C F Equer. (wi - by scuttling charges/bombs)
(H/L/wi)
English Channel
Cheyenne, tanker, 4,987grt, armed. Torpedo
missed
Atlantic off N Scotland
Morocco, 3,783grt, armed. Gun attack off Cape
Wrath, saved by own gunfire
Saturday, 30 June 1917
North Sea
Ardens, 1,274grt, armed. Torpedo missed
(H/Mn)
Two trawlers fishing probably attacked by same U-boat
and damaged around the 30th, arrived Grimsby:
Diligence (2),
185grt (L)
Frank, 176grt
(L)
English Channel
ILSTON, 2,426/1915, Swansea Steamers,
Swansea, sailing Swansea for Falmouth/France with
railway material. Torpedoed by UB.23 (Hans Ewald
Niemer), sank 4 miles SE of Lizard Point, Cornwall (un
– also in 49.56N, 05.07W); 6 lives lost (H/L/te/un)
Normandiet
(1), 1,843grt, armed. Torpedo missed (Normandiet (2)
1858grt, attacked 14/8/17 is probably the same vessel
although separately listed in HMSO index)
St George's Channel
LADY OF THE LAKE (2), wood ketch, 51/1862,
David Stevens, 3 crew, Cork for Newport (Mon) with
pitwood. Captured by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader), sunk
by bombs, 15 miles SSW of Hook Point, Waterford
(L/un/wi - 25 miles SE by E of Mine Head, in 52.42N,
07.14W) (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic
Purley, 4,500grt, armed. Torpedo missed
(Admiralty collier when sunk)
Mediterranean
Poldennis, 3,539grt, armed. Chased, escaped
Central Mediterranean
HAIGH HALL, 4,809/1908, E Nicholl (un – Haigh
Hall SS Co (Hansen Bros), Cardiff), sailing Bombay for
Naples with wheat. Torpedoed by Austrian U.XXVIII
(Zdenko Hudecek), sank 40 miles E of Malta (L - c48
miles E of; te/un - in 36.12N, 15.24E;) (H/L/te/un)
JULY 1917
British Merchant Vessels Lost to Enemy Action
in July: 99 merchant ships totalling 364,858grt - 88
of 319,931grt to submarines, 11 of 44,927grt to mines,
plus 18 British fishing vessels totalling 2,736grt -
17 of 2,679grt to submarines, 1 of 57grt to mines (H)
Sunday, 1 July 1917
off Shetlands
DON EMILIO, 3,651/1906, London-reg, Buenos
Aires & Pacific Railway Co, Mr W Narvard, sailing
Barry for Yukanski (Archangel) with coal. Torpedoed by
U.80 (Alfred von Glasenapp), sank 10 miles NW by W of
Esha Ness Skerry, N entrance to St Magnus Bay
(te/un/wi - in 60.33N, 02.08W); one crew lost
(H/L/te/un/wi)
off Orkneys
ECLIPSE (1), trawler, 185/1899,
Peterhead-reg PD364, Peterhead Trawling, fishing.
(L/pd – 30 June; un – or 30 June) – Captured by U.45
(Erich Sittenfeld), sunk by gunfire 100 miles N by W
of Brough of Birsa/Birsay islet, off Mainland island
(H/L/Lr/pd/un)
North Sea
RADIANCE, sailing smack, 57grt, fishing.
Captured by UC.63 (Karsten von Heydebreck), sunk by
bombs 3 miles N by E of North Leman Buoy, off Cromer,
Norfolk (L/un - 3 miles S by W of) (H/L/un) (Note:
UC.63 is also credited by Uboat.net with sinking the
two following vessels on the same day. Assuming the
North Leman Buoy is off Cromer, then the distance
UC.63 would have needed to sail, and through the
defended Dover Straits, would make this unlikely)
English Channel
Two sailing smacks, both owned by W H Podd,
Lowestoft and fishing together, captured by UC.63
(Karsten von Heydebreck) and sunk by gunfire off South
Owers Buoy, off Selsey Bill, Sussex:
ADVANCE,
44/1907. Sunk 5 miles SE of (wi - in 50.35N, 00.36W)
(H/L/un/wi)
GLEAM,
54/1903. Sunk 1/2 m ENE of (L/un/wi - 3 1/2 m
ENE of, in 50.40.24N 00.36.30W) (H/L/un/wi)
Atlantic
Tintoretto, 4,181grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Bay of Biscay
Demerara, passenger ship, 11,484/1912, Royal
Mail Steam Packet Co, Belfast, armed, sailing
Liverpool for Buenos Aires with general cargo.
Torpedoed by U.84 (Walter Roehr) 6 miles W of Sables
d’Olonne, damaged, beached Ile de Ré, refloated; one
life lost (H/L/un)
Monday, 2 July 1917
U-boat warfare - first regular Atlantic convoy
sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia
North Sea
Three vessels sunk by UC.33 (Martin Schelle),
but all on 1 June according to Uboat.net:
ARIEL, sailing
vessel, 108grt, sunk in 57.54N, 01.12W (un only)
and two fishing vessels (L/wi - trawlers) on fishing
grounds captured and sunk by gunfire 26 miles ESE of
Sumburgh Head, S Shetlands (un – 65 miles E of; wi -
in 59.50N, 00.21W):
GENERAL BULLER,
72grt (H/L/wi)
HAMNAVOE,
57grt (H/L/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
THIRLBY, 2,009/1898, Sir R Ropner & Co,
West Hartlepool, armed, sailing Seville/Bonanza for
Garston with copper and copper ore. Torpedoed by UC.31
(Otto von Schrader), sank 122 miles NW by W 1/2 W of
Fastnet (L/te/un - in 51.39N, 12.52W); 2 lives lost
(H/L/te/un)
Tuesday, 3 July 1917
English Channel
Bayvoe, 2,979grt, armed. Torpedo missed
Atlantic off S Ireland
ICELAND, 1,501/1903, Liverpool-reg, Liverpool
& Hamburg SS, 1-12pdr, 25 crew, Mr D Anderson,
sailing Valencia for Clyde/Glasgow with citrus fruit
and general cargo, steaming at 10kts. Torpedoed by
U.88 (Walther Schwieger), sank 10 miles SW of Galley
Head, near Rosscarbery Bay, Co Cork (wi - in
51.23.30N, 09.06W); 2 crew lost (H/L/te/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW Ireland
MATADOR, 3,642/1904, Liverpool-reg, Charente
SS, armed, Mr O Frank, New Orleans for Liverpool with
general cargo. Torpedoed by UC.31 (Otto von Schrader),
sank 115 miles W by N 1/2 N of Fastnet (L/te/wi - in
51.16N, 12.25W; wi - also 85 miles W by S of Bull
Rock); 2 crew lost (H/L/Mn/te/un/wi)
Western Mediterranean
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, 3,844 (tl - 3,788)/1882,
Ellerman's City Line (was G Smith/City Line),
Glasgow-reg, armed, Alexandria for Liverpool with
general cargo and passengers. Torpedoed by UC.67 (Karl
Neumann), sank 10 miles NW of Jidjelli/Djedjelli,
Algeria (L - in 36.55N, 05.33E) (H/L/te/un)
Central Mediterranean
MONGARA, passenger ship, 8,205/1914,
London-reg, British India Steam Navigation, armed,
Sydney for London with general cargo, on Port
Said-Messina leg, escorted by Italian destroyer and
armed trawler. Torpedoed by Austrian U.XXVIII (Zdenko
Hudecek), sank within a few minutes 1 1/2 m off
Messina Breakwater, Sicily (te - in 38.10N, 15.36E)
(H/L/Mn/ge/te/un/wd)
Wednesday, 4 July 1917
Atlantic off Faeroes
LOCH KATRINE, trawler, 151/1900,
Hartlepool-reg, A R Sutton, fishing. Captured by U.87
(Rudolf Schneider), sunk by gunfire 85 miles SSE of
Sando island, central Faeroes (L - 85 miles ESE of)
(H/L/Lr/un)
North Sea
Scandinavian Convoy Attack, sailing from
Lerwick. First week of July - U-boat attacked convoy,
armed yacht Amalthea and armed whaler Pilot Whale
opened fire, destroyer Arab dropped depth charges and
submarine driven off. No further attacks on the route
until loss of Mary Rose and Strongbow (ap)
CHRYSOLITE (2),
sailing smack, 57grt, fishing. Mined, laid by UC.4
(Oskar Steckelberg; Barrier 335)), sank 4 miles N of
Haisborough Sand LV, off Happisburgh, Norfolk (wi - in
53.04.15N, 01.32E); 5 lives lost (H/L/un/wi)
English Channel
Lingfield, 4,065grt, armed. Gun attack, saved
by own gunfire under cover of weather
Atlantic off N Scotland
HURSTSIDE, 3,149/1907, Charlton SS Co,
Newcastle, armed, sailing Barry for Archangel with
coal. Torpedoed by UC.54 (Heinrich XXXVII Prinz zu
Reuss), sank 108 miles NNE 1/2 E of Cape Wrath (L/te -
in 60.25N, 04.38W) (H/L/te/un)
Atlantic NW of Ireland
Two armed vessels shelled by U-boat(s), saved
by own gunfire:
Gladstone,
tug, 214grt
Miniota,
4,928/1914, London & Northern SS Co (Pyman Bros),
London. Sunk 31 August 1917 (H/Mn/ms)
Bay of Biscay
GOATHLAND, 3,044/1906, Headlam & Rowland,
Whitby, armed, Capt Thornton, sailing St Nazaire for
Gulf of Mexico in ballast, steaming unescorted.
Torpedoed by U.84 (Walter Roehr), sank within 2 mins,
10 miles S of Belle Ile, W of St Nazaire (L - 30 miles
SW of St Nazaire; te - in 47.15N, 03.15W; un – 6.32
miles SSE of Pointe du Skeul, Bellie Ile, in 47.11N,
03.08W); 21 lives lost including master (H/L/te/un)
Thursday, 5 July 1917
English Channel
OCEAN SWELL, barquentine, 195/1875,
Fowey-reg, E Stephens, 6 crew, Mr C Deacon, Granville
for Fowey with 34t wooden barrel/cask hoops. Captured
by UB.31 (Thomas Bieber), sunk by gunfire 15 miles SE
of Start Point, Devon (L/wi - 15 miles S by E of)
(H/L/Lr/un/wi)
Atlantic off SW England
Clan Macintosh, 4,774grt, armed. Gun attack
at entrance to English Channel, saved by own gunfire
Atlantic off NW Ireland
CUYAHOGA, bulk petroleum tanker, 4,586/1914,
Greenock-reg, Anglo-American Oil, armed, Mr Cabot,
Manchester/Liverpool for Philadelphia in ballast.
Torpedoed by U.57 (Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg),
sank 130 miles WNW of Tory Is, off Co Donegal (L/te/wi
- in 55.12N, 12.10W) (H/L/te/un/wi)
Central Mediterranean
