Remembering British merchant and fishing ships sunk in June, 1917

On this day (27 June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Ultonia (1898-1917)

SS Ultonia was a British ocean liner, built by Swan & Hunter Ltd. in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1898. At the time of her loss during WW1, the vessel of 10,402 tonnes was owned by the Cunard Steam Ship Co. Ltd., Liverpool.

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On this day (22nd June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Miami (1904-1917)

British cargo ship, SS Miami, was built in Glasgow in 1904 by Barclay Curle & Co. Ltd. At the time of her loss during WW1, the steamer of 3,762 tonnes was owned by Elders and Fyffes Ltd., Garston.

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Centenary of introduction of merchant ship convoying in World War One

National maritime charity, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, is marking the centenary of the introduction of the ocean convoying of merchant ships in World War One by launching a video detailing the history and impact of the convoy system.

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 video, produced by the society, explores how convoying had been rejected by the Admiralty and Ship owners as late as February 1917 but dire circumstances forced a change of policy. Following the success of an experimental convoy from Gibraltar to Plymouth in early May, the first transatlantic convoy of 12 vessels left Hampton Roads, Virginia. With the protection provided by the Royal Navy and the United States Navy, only one ship failed to reach its destination.

In addition to food, raw materials, manufactured goods, oil, military equipment and munitions, more than one million American troops were transported across the Atlantic in convoy. It was found that merchant ship losses in convoy were ten per cent of those suffered by ships making independent passage, and the number of German submarines sunk increased.

During the First World War, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society assisted more than 50,000 merchant mariners, fishermen and their dependants, passengers and military personnel by providing clothing, food, accommodation and rail warrants, while also supplying financial assistance to widows, orphans and aged parents of lost mariners.

Now in its 178^th year, the charity continues to support seafarers in need and last year provided assistance in over 2,000 cases of financial hardship at a cost of £1.4m.

Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Commodore Malcolm Williams, said: “The introduction of the convoy system was a late but vital decision which ensured the war was prosecuted to a successful conclusion and the country did not starve. It saved many lives too. This is something not a lot of people know about these days and we are hopeful our film will go some way to raising awareness of the sacrifice of our merchant seamen and the importance of convoying, without which the outcome of the war could have been very different.”

The decisive role and sacrifice of the men of the Mercantile Marine in World War One was recognised by King George V in conferring on them the title of the ‘Merchant Navy’, the fourth service.

On this day (20th June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Ruperra (1904-1917)

SS Ruperra was a British cargo ship of 4,232 tonnes, built in 1904 by Short Bros. Ltd., Sunderland. At the time of her loss, a century ago, she was owned by John Cory & Sons Ltd., Cardiff.

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On this day (15th June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Westonby (1901-1917)

Built in 1901 by the Ropner Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. in Stockton, SS Westonby was a British cargo ship of 3,795 tonnes. At the time of her loss during WW1, the steamer was owned by Sir R. Ropner & Co., Sunderland.

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On this day (13th June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Darius (1903-1917)

SS Darius was a British cargo ship of 3,426 tonnes, built in 1903 by Joseph Thompson & Sons, Sunderland. She was owned by the Tempus Shipping Co. Ltd., Cardiff, at the time of her loss.

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On this day (8th June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Cheltonian (1911-1917)

British cargo ship, SS Cheltonian, was built in 1911 by Bartram & Sons Ltd., Sunderland, and at the time of her loss during WW1, she was owned by Cambrian Steam Navigation Co., Cardiff.

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On this day (6th June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Parthenia (1901-1917)

SS Parthenia was a British cargo ship built in 1901 by Furness Withy & Co. Ltd., Sunderland. At the time of her loss a century ago, Parthenia was owned by the Donaldson Line, Glasgow.

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On this day (1st June) WW1 Shipwreckollections

SS Cavina (1915-1917)

British merchant vessel, SS Cavina, was built in 1915 by Clark Workman & Co. Ltd., Belfast. At the time of her loss a century ago, the cargo ship of 6,539 tonnes was owned by Elders & Fyffes Ltd., Garston.

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