SS Apapa was a defensively-armed British ocean liner built in 1914 by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast. At the time of her loss a century ago, the steamer of 7,832 tonnes was owned by Elder Dempster Lines Ltd., Liverpool.
SS Westlands was a defensively armed British steamer built in 1905. At the time of her loss, the cargo ship of 3,112 tonnes was owned by J. F. Wilson & Co., West Hartlepool.
SS Aros Castle was a British cargo ship built in 1901 by Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Glasgow. The steamer of 5,739 tonnes was owned, at the time of her loss during WW1, by the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co. Ltd., London.
British cargo vessel, SS Gasconia, was built by Irvine’s Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool in 1915. The Gasconia was owned by Walford L. & Co., London, at the time of her loss during WW1.
SS Prophet was a British cargo ship built in 1911 by the Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Willington. At the time of her loss a century ago, the Prophet was owned by John Gaff & Co., Glasgow.
The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society welcomes the BBC’s acknowledgement of the Merchant Navy’s contribution during its coverage of yesterday’s Ceremony of Remembrance.
Source: BBC
The acknowledgement comes during the year of the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the convoy system during WW1.
By the beginning of May 1917, Britain had lost over a thousand merchant ships and 6,000 lives. It had only six weeks’ supply of food left and was facing the prospect of starvation as well as losses of goods and raw materials that could not be sustained and risked us losing the war.
The introduction of the convoy system was crucial in ensuring the war came to a successful conclusion and that the country did not starve.
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SS Ballogie was a British merchant ship built in Sunderland in 1889 by Short Brothers Ltd. At the time of her loss 28 years later, the Ballogie was owned by Davidson J. & A. Ltd., Aberdeen.
British cargo vessel SS Suntrap was built in 1904 by the Sunderland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. At the time of her loss during WW1, the steamer of 1,353 tonnes was owned by Gas Light & Coke Co., London.
British cargo vessel, SS Jessie, was built in 1901 by Mcknight S. M. & Co., Ayr and was owned at the time of her loss by South Shield Steamship Co. Ltd., Grangemouth.
SS Estrellano was a British cargo vessel built in 1910 by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd., Leith. In 1917, at the time she was lost, the steamer of 1,161 tonnes was owned by Ellerman Lines Ltd., Liverpool.
