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WRECK ON THIS DAY...

21-05-1836 Stirling Castle (+1836) wreck

CAPT FRAZER, ELIZA and FRAZER ISLAND In May 1836, the Stirling Castle (Capt. James Frazer) with 17 passengers and crew set sail from Sydney to Singapore. Some days later, Stirling Castle ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef. As she started sinking slowly, they went into 2 boats. James Frazer, accompanied by his highly pregnant wife ELIZA decided to make it back southwards, to Moreton (now Brisbane). After a horrifying journey of 1 month at sea, during which Eliza gave birth to a child (that soon died), they decided to beach their badly leaking boat at Great Sandy Island, now known as FRAZER ISLAND . What exactly happened (dying from exposure and illness or slaughtering by the locals), we may never know. Fact is that Eliza was finally liberated by the escaped Irish convict John Graham and that Eliza married a new Captain and returned to England. She would spend years as a 'circus' attraction in Hyde Park where she would tell her story about slavery, murder and cannibalism for little money, keeping on exaggerating it every time.
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21-05-1940 Adroit (L'Adroit T23) (+1940) wreck

Launched 1st April 1927. This destroyer took part on the expedition of Flessingue 10th May. She was nominated twice in the French Army. Dimensions: 107,2x9,8 m. She was built in the 1923/24 period . She weighted 1.900 tons brt and had a speed of 33 knots. Armament: four 130mm, two 37mm A.A., six T.T. Complement: 7 officers and 133 crew. On May 20th, around 23hrs, she was waiting the exit of big petrol ship SALOME (finished in Chantiers de France) , in company of two other destroyers, when German planes attacked. One plane hit her with a bomb that transversed her and created an explosion just before the bridge. One third of the ship was ripped off and she was beached for Malo-les-Bains at 0h35 where she was on fire. As she had just been reloaded with ammunition and torpedoes for a mission on the Scheldt estuary, the crew abandonned ship and locals of Malo-les-Bains were also evacuated. At 2h30 the ship was destroyed by seven explosions. The impressive wreck was later the object of photographers. Captain Dupin de Saint-Cyr and crew joined fort Mardyck to continue service on the coast battery (194 mm). The Adroit was later heavily salvaged.
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21-05-1917 Lynton SV (+1917) wreck

Lynton, built by R. & J. Evans & Co., Liverpool in 1894 and owned at the time of her loss by Robert Mattson, Mariehamn, was a Russian bark of 2531 tons. On May 21st, 1917, Lynton, on a voyage from Pensacola to Clyde, was sunk by the German submarine U-48 (Karl Edeling), 50 miles southwest of Queenstown.
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21-05-1917 Lanthorn SS [+1917] wreck

Built for J. Westoll, Sunderland, as the MAGNUS MAIL, one of the last clipper stemmed tramp steamers to be built; Aquired by Gas Light & Coke Co in 1916; Same fleet as Lampada 2220/89, Suntrap 1353/04, Glow 1141/00, Phare 1282/06 and Ardens 1274/78, all sunk off the Yorkshire Coast during WW1 by German U-Boats, whilst transporting coal from Tyne to London (managed by Stepenson Clarke’s). Battersea 860/02 was lost in a collision off Robin Hood’s Bay in 1918. The LANTHORN was shelled and captured by UB-41 (some reports U-46) & scuttled with bombs, taken in tow by Whitby vessels before sinking half a mile South of Whitby Rock Bouy. The submarine was reported to have U-46 on her very high conning tower, approximately 300 feet long.
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21-05-1940 Effingham HMS (D-98) (+1940) wreck

EFFINGHAM HMS, British Navy, cruiser; 1925; Portsmouth Dockyard; 9,770 tons; 605x58x20-5; 65,000 i.h.p.; 30-5 knots; turbine engines; Yarrow boilers; nine 6 in. guns, four 4 in., four 3pdr., two 2pdr., 11 m.g. The cruiser Effingham, Capt. J. M. Howson, was conveying the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers and other troops from Ankenes to Bodo in Norway, during the brief campaign in that country. On May 18th, 1940, when within one hour´s steaming of her destination, the cruiser struck an uncharted rock and became a total loss. There were no casualties among the ship´s company or the troops, and much of the military equipment was transferred to small craft and taken to Bodo.
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21-05-1799 Phoenix (Feniks) (+1799) wreck

Phoenix was a three-masted, 90 feet long, ship of 180 tons and was the first ship built in Russian America (now Alaska) for the Russian Shelikhov-Golikov Company (Baranov) under the direction of James George Shields, a British Mariner. She was launched in the summer of 1794 at Voskresenskaia Gavan (now Seward Town). She measured 73x23x13.5 feet, had two decks and three masts with the sails crafted from pieces of scavenged canvas found between the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kodiak Island. The Phoenix made three round trip voyages between Kodiak and Okhotsk from 1795 to 1799, transporting passengers, furs, ammunition, and supplies. On May 21st 1799, the Phoenix was on a return trip to Kodiak Island from Okhotsk, when she was wrecked in a storm presumed near Umnak Island. Eighty-eight crewmembers, including her Captain and builder James Shields, Archimandrite Ioasaf, the newly consecrated first bishop of America, and Russian Orthodox Church dignitaries, Heiromonk Makarii and Heirodeacon Stephen also perished.
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21-05-1854 Brahmin (+1854) wreck

BRAHMIN; 616 tons; Owned by J. Thompson & Co.; Built at J. Scott & Co. in 1842. Registered at Greenock. BRAHMIN (M. McEachearn) was on voyage from London UK to Sydney, New South Wales with a cargo of general and 5 passengers and a crew of 37, when she was lost off Whistler Point, King Island. 17 died.
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21-05-1893 Almirante Barroso (+1893) wreck

Sank in the vicinity of Ras Zeith in the Red Sea and the castaways rescued by english Gunboat Dolphin.
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21-05-1899 Paris SS (+1899) wreck

Ship recovered and renamed Yale for the US Navy. Ended service as Philadelphia ( BU 1923 ) for International Navigation Co. A Philadelphia based holding company.
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21-05-1915 Glenholm [+1915] wreck

Glenholm, built by A. Rodger & Co., Port Glasgow in 1896 and owned at the time of her loss by W. Price & Co, Liverpool, was a British sailing vessel of 1968 tons. On May 21st, 1915, Glenholm, on a voyage from Iquique to Falmouth with a cargo of nitrate, was sunk by the German submarine U-27 (Bernd Wegener), 16 miles WSW of Fastnet. There were no casualties.
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21-05-1917 Jupiter SS [+1917] wreck

Jupiter SS was a British Merchant Cargo steamer of 2,124grt built for Hessler Shipping Co. (Jacob Hessler & Co,), West Hartlepool by Greenock & Grangemouth Dockyard Co, Greenock. In 1915 she was purchased by W. R. Bradley, Hull. She was powered by a triple expansion engine of 222nhp giving 10 knots. On the 21st May 1917 when on route from Dieppe for Manchester in ballast she was torpedoed by German submarine UB-40 and sunk when 15 miles west of Beachy Head, Sussex. 19 dead.
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21-05-1917 Madura (+1917) wreck

Madura, built by Barclay, Curle & Co., Glasgow in 1869 and owned at the time of her loss by A/S Bruusgaard (Karl og Sigurd Bruusgaard), Drammen, was a Norwegian iron bark of 1096 tons. On May 21st, 1917, Madura, on a voyage from Gulfport to Cardiff with a cargo of timber, was scuttled by the German submarine U-48 (Karl Edeling), 50 miles southwest from Queenstown. 2 persons were lost.
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21-05-1923 Marvale SS (+1923) wreck

Marvale SS was a British Passenger Vessel of 11,419 tons built in 1907 by Barclay Curle & Company Glasgow, Yard No 467 for the Allan Line S.S Co Ltd (J & A Allan), Glasgow as the CORSICAN. She was powered by a steam, triple expansion engine of 917nhp giving 16 knots. Her Maiden voyage was on the 31st Octobert 1907, from Liverpool to St John, New Brunswick. She was Chartered by the Canadian Pacific Line from 1908 to 1914. In 1912 she hit an iceberg with little damage. She Began the Glasgow - Quebec and Montreal sailings on the April 4th 1914. In August 1914 she began trooping duties and was taken over by Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd, Glasgow. In 1922 she was refitted and the name changed to MARVALE. On the 21st May 1923 in dense fog she ran on Freel´s Rock, off Pine Point, Newfoundland. The discipline on board was excellent and within 25 minutes 437 persons were transferred to the boats without the loss of a single life.
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21-05-1937 Delfina FV (+1937) wreck

Chalutier réquisitionné et transformé en dragueur de mines (D-18) par le gouvernement basque au début de la guerre civile espagnole. Entré en collision accidentellement avec le destroyer Císcar et coulé Trawler commandeered and turned into a minesweeper (D-18) by the Basque Government at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. Collided accidentally with the destroyer Ciscar and sunk Arrastre requisado y convirtido en dragaminas (D-18) por el Gobierno Vasco al inicio de la Guerra Civil española. Chocó accidentalmente con el destructor Císcar y hudió Trainera requisitada e transformada em caça-minas (D-18) pelo Governo basco, no início da Guerra Civil Espanhola. Entrou em colisão com o destroyer Ciscar et afundou
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21-05-1940 Pavon SS [+1940] wreck

Pavon SS was a French Cargo Steamer of 4,218 tons built in 1930 by Napier & Miller, Old Kilpatrick, Yard No 273 for Cie de Orbigny, La Rochelle, France. She was powered by a steam triple expansion engine. On the 20th May 1940 she was bombed and sunk by aircraft near Calais.
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21-05-1940 Maid of Kent HMHS (+1940) wreck

Maid of Kent SS was a British Passenger Vessel of 2,693 tons used as a cross Channel Ferry built in 1925 by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, Yard No 1174, for the Southern Railway Co, London. She was powered by twin screw, 2 x 2 Parsons steam turbines giving 800nhp and 21 knots. Engines by shipbuilder. In September 1939 she was requisioned by the Admiralty as a Hospital Ship. On the 21st May 1940 she was bombed by aircraft and sunk in Dieppe harbour.
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21-05-1940 Pembroke Coast MV (+1940) wreck

The PEMBROKE COAST was the forth ship ordered for Coast Line’s Shipping Company. She was a twin screw Motor Cargo vessel, designed and built for the trade routes around the British Isles and other short sea route trading. They were the most modern of design for the time, and were to establish a new standard of efficiency and economy. The Coast line vessels were to be called up early to serve in the coming World War 2. She was the smallest of the four ship order at some 40 feet shorter than her three previous sister ship’s “British Coast” and “Atlantic Coast” and “Ocean Coast” at 625 tons with a length overall of 190 feet and a beam of 34 feet. The PEMBROKE COAST was to have a some what short but eventful war service, and was eventually lost to enemy action in Norway on the 21/05/1940.
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21-05-1940 Ophélie SS (Ophelie aka Orphélie) (+1940) wreck

The French tanker Ophélie was bombed by German aircraft and sank in Boulogne Roads. ( 251°, 4265 yards from Dique Carnot North Lt.)
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21-05-1941 Marconi SS (+1941) wreck

Marconi SS was a British Cargo Steamer of 7,402 tons built in 1917 by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Govan, Glasgow for Liverpool, Brazil & River Plate SN Co. (Lamport & Holt), Liverpool . She was powered by a steam, quadruple expansion engine of 887 nhp giving 17.5 knots. In 1934 she was purchased by Lamport & Holt Ltd and in 1937 by Marconi Steamship Co Ltd (Kaye Son & Co Ltd). On the 21st May 1941 when on route from Manchester to Rio Grande & the River Plate in ballast and in CONVOY OB-322 she was torpedoed by German submarine U-98 and sunk 270 miles SE of Greenland. 22 lost from a complement of 78
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21-05-1941 Juno HMS (F46) [+1941] wreck

Juno HMS (F46) was a British Royal Navy Destroyer Type Class J built in 1937 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co of Govan, Scotland. On the 21st May 1941 while operating in the Kaso Strait, SE of Crete she was attacked by Italian Cant Z1007bs and hit by three high level bombs. She split in two abaft the bridge and sank in 97 seconds. Casualties were high, 116 presumed killed.
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21-05-1941 Elusa MV (+1941) wreck

An interesting consequence of the sinking of the Elusa is related by Lt. Pat Jackson RN in "Lost Voices of the RN". Lt. Jackson was flying a Swordfish aircraft from HMS Victorious on the 25th May 1941, searching for the Bismark battle group. On completion of their search, they were unable to find Victorious , with their fuel gauge reading empty they were resigned to a cold death in the north Atlantic when they spotted below them an empty, waterlogged, lifeboat. At this, they decided to ditch their aircraft next to the lifeboat, before the fuel ran out. The three of them clamboured aboard and bailed it out with there flying boots before noticing that it came from the Elusa . As well as having furled sails it also contained ships biscuits, 50 waterlogged cigarettes and a bottle of 1890 Napolean brandy! They spent the next 9 days at the mercy of the wind & waves before being rescued by an Icelandic ship which landed them at Reykjavik. I guess the Gods were smiling upon them.
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21-05-1941 Robin Moor SS (+1941) wreck

At 05.25 hours on 21 May, 1941, the unarmed and neutral Robin Moor (Master Edward W. Myers) was stopped by blinker light by U-69 about 700 miles off the west coast of Africa. After questioning the chief mate that came aboard the U-boat, Metzler told him that he has to sink the ship according to the prize rules and ordered the crew to leave their ship in 30 minutes. The nine officers, 29 crewmen and eight passengers (four men, three women and one child) abandoned ship in four lifeboats. At 09.49 hours, the U-boat fired a stern torpedo that hit in the port side and sank her with 30 rounds from the deck gun. The survivors were provided with rations before the Germans left the area. The boats stayed together for three days, but one of them became separated. The survivors in three boats were picked up on 2 June by a British merchant and landed at Capetown. The ten crew members and one passenger in the fourth boat were picked up on 8 June by the Ozório in 00°16N/37°37W and landed at Recife, Brazil
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21-05-1941 Tewkesbury SS (+1941) wreck

At 23.42 hours on 21 May 1941, U-69 fired a G7a torpedo and hit the bow of the unescorted Tewkesbury (Master Theodore Pryse OBE) southwest of Monrovia. The U-boat then opened fire with the deck gun but none of the 21 incendiary rounds ignited upon impact, so at 00.36 hours a coup de grâce was fired that sank the vessel. The master and 19 crew members were picked up by the American merchant Exhibitor, transferred to HMS Cilicia (F 54) (Capt V.B. Cardwell) and landed at Freetown. 22 crew members were picked up by Knoxville City and landed at Capetown.
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21-05-1942 Torondoc SS (+1942) wreck

The Canadian cargo SS TORONDOC operated on the Great Lakes, carrying grain, coal and pulpwood until requisitioned by the Canadian Government in 1941. On May 21st 1942, the unescorted steamer TORONDOC (Capt. François Xavier Daneau) with a cargo of bauxite, was hit amidships by a torpedo from U-69 (Ulrich Gräf) and sank, 60 miles northwest from Martinique. The crew went for the 4 lifeboats and two rafts, but none of the 21 crew were ever heard of again.
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21-05-1942 Troisdoc SS (+1942) wreck

Troisdoc SS was a Canadian Cargo Steamer of 1,925 tons built in 1928 by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend, Sunderland for the Paterson Steamships Ltd, Fort William, Ontario. On the 21st May 1942 when on route from Mobile to Georgetown, British Guiana with a general cargo, including cement she was torpedoed German submarine by U-558. The U-boat then surfaced and shelled the ship that sank by the bow about 40 miles northwest of Jamaica at 19.17 hours. The master and 17 crew members were picked up by the US Coast Guard cutter USS Mohawk (WPG 78).
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21-05-1942 Faja De Oro SS (+1942) wreck

On 1 Jun, 1942, Mexico declared war on Germany after two 'Mexican' tankers had been sunk by U-boats: Potrero del Llano on 14 May by U-564 (Suhren) and Faja de Oro on 21 May by U-106 (Rasch).
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21-05-1942 Presidente Trujillo SS (+1942) wreck

At 18.29 hours on 21 May, 1942, the unescorted SS Presidente Trujillo was hit aft by a G7a torpedo from German submarine (Werner Hartenstein) U-156 just after leaving Fort de France, Martinique andon route for San Juan, Porto Rico with a general cargo, including beer, machinery and forage. She sank within four minutes. The ship was armed with one 75mm gun and three AA machine guns.
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21-05-1942 New Brunswick SS [+1942] wreck

At 03.23 and 03.24 hours on 21 May, 1942, U-159 fired four torpedoes at a group of five ships in the convoy OS-28 about 140 miles east-southeast of Santa Maria, Azores and heard four detonations and saw a column of fire. Three ships were seen sinking, one of them burning. One of the damaged ships was then hit by another torpedo from a second spread of two torpedoes at 03.25 hours. However, only the New Brunswick and Montenol were hit and sunk. Two crew members and one gunner from the New Brunswick (Master Cyril Malcolm Whalley) were lost. The master, 53 crew members and five gunners were rescued. Twelve survivors by HMS Totland (Y 88) (LtCdr S.G.C. Rawson, RN), ten survivors by HMS Wellington (L 65) (LtCdr W.F.R. Segrave, RN), the master and six crew members by HMS Weston (L 84) (Cdr J.G. Sutton (retired), RN), five survivors by HMS Woodruff (K 53) (LtCdr F.H. Gray) and 25 survivors by the British merchant Inchanga and landed at Freetown.
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21-05-1944 LST-69 (+1944) wreck

On May 21st 1944, an accidental explosion occurs in the tank landing ship LST-353 as she is being loaded with mortar ammunition at West Loch, Pearl Harbor. The cataclysmic blasts result in the loss of LST-39, LST-43, LST-69, LST-179, LST-353, and LST-480, tank landing craft LCT-961, LCT-963, and LCT-983, 17 tracked landing vehicles (LVT) and eight 155-millimeter guns. LST-205 and LST-225 are damaged. During firefighting efforts, big harbor tugs Osceola (YTB-129) and Hoga (YTB-146), medium harbor tug Geronimo (YTM-119), little harbor tugs YTL-233, YTL-306, YTL-307, YTL-308, YTL-309, and YTL-339, net tender (tug class) Tamaha (YTM-12) and Navy-chartered tug Mikioi suffer varying degrees of damage.
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21-05-1944 LST-480 (+1944) wreck

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