Events that occurred to Irish ships during World War II From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Below is the timeline of maritime events during the Emergency,[note 1][1] (as World War II was known in Ireland). This period was referred to as The Long Watch by Irish Mariners. This list is of events which affected the Irish Mercantile Marine,[note 2] other ships carrying Irish exports or imports, and events near the Irish coast.
Inver tankers fleet transferred to British register.[4] There were plans to build an oil refinery in Dublin Port. In the event, this refinery was not built. Nonetheless seven oil tankers were built in Germany for Inver Tankers Ltd. Each 500 feet (150m) long and capable of carrying 500 tons were on the Irish register.[5] "In a manner reminiscent of Chamberlin’s handover of the ports to de Valera, two days after the outbreak of war, de Valera himself transferred the tankers to the British registry without getting any promise of fuel supply in return.[6][7] Earlier, Britain had asked Ireland to requisition the tankers.[8][9] The entire fleet was lost.
ST Rudyard Kipling was stopped and sunk 40 miles West of Clare Island, County Mayo by U-27. U-27 took the crew of 13 aboard and put them in lifeboats 5 miles from land[11]
4October1939(1939-October-04)
U-35 lands survivors from Diamantes (Greek) at Ballymore, Dingle[12]
15December1939(1939-December-15)
U-48 stopped the neutral Greek freighter Germaine inward from Albany New York (USA had not yet joined the war) to Cork with a cargo of maize. U-48 sank her falsely claiming that she was en route to England[13]
1940
17January1940(1940-January-17)
Enid (Captain Wibe) of neutral Norway sailing from Steinkjer to Dublin, 10 miles north of Shetland, went to assist SSPolzella (British) which had been torpedoed by U-25, U-25 then shelled and sank Enid.[14]Enid's crew survived. Polzella's crew were lost.
22January1940(1940-January-22)
Songa (Captain Lie) of neutral Norway sailing from neutral New York City to neutral Rotterdam, with a cargo of Empty barrels, sponges, motor tyres, copper, beans, coffee, cotton and tin. Torpedoed and sunk by U-25 as she was to sail through the English channel and might divert to an English port. The crew were in two lifeboats 200 miles from Ireland. One was rescued by the trawler Loddon and Landed in Kinsale. The other was guided to safety by the lighthouse keepers on Rock Island who accommodated them in their own cottages. All 24 crew survived.
2February1940(1940-February-02)
Munster (Capt. R. Paisley) mined and sunk while entering Liverpool. One death.[15]
9February1940(1940-February-09)
Abwehr II agent Ernst Weber-Drohl landed at Killala Bay, County Sligo aboard U-37. He was equipped with a 'UFA' transmitter, a large amount of cash, and instructions for Seamus (Jim) O'Donovan, the chief IRA contact for Abwehr I/II.[16]
3March1940(1940-March-03)
Cato (Capt. Richard Martin), British, from Dublin to Bristol, struck a mine laid by U-29 2.5miles west of Nash Point. Thirteen died, 2survived.[17]
9March1940(1940-March-09)
Trawler Leukos sunk by gunfire from U-38, NW of Tory Island. Eleven died. (She may have moved between the surfacing U-boat and English trawlers, in the hope that the tricolour would protect her while the English escaped)[18]
11March1940(1940-March-11)
City of Bremen rescues crew of Amor (Dutch) in the North Sea. Thirty-three saved.[19]
Violando N Goulandris of then-neutral Greece sailing from Santa Fe to Waterford with a cargo of wheat was torpedoed by U-48 off Cape Finisterre. Six died. Twenty-two survived.[21] An explanation was sought from Germany.[22]
12June1940(1940-June-12)
U-38 landed a German spy, Karl Simon, in Dingle. He was promptly arrested and interned for the duration.[23][24]
Moyalla rescues survivors from Athellaird (British) off Cape Clear Island. Twenty saved.
12July1940(1940-July-12)
Ia of Greece, inward Rosario to Cork with a cargo of wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-99. Three died. Twenty-seven survived.[29]
14July1940(1940-July-14)
Thetis A of Greece, inward Rosario to Limerick with a cargo of grain, torpedoed and sunk by U-52. Nine died. Twenty survived. An explanation was sought from Germany.[22]
15July1940(1940-July-15)
City of Limerick (Capt. R. Ferguson) Cartagena to Liverpool, bombed by aircraft and sunk in Bay of Biscay, 48°46′N12°22′W[30] 700 miles west of Ushant, .. Two died.[15]
15July1940(1940-July-15)
Naftilos of Greece, inward San Nicholas to Dublin with a cargo of grain, torpedoed and sunk by U-34. One death Twenty-seven survived.[31] An explanation was sought from Germany.[22]
20July1940(1940-July-20)
City of Waterford (Capt. T. Freehill) shelled by submarine in North Atlantic - escaped[15]
30July1940(1940-July-30)
Kyleclare rescues survivors from Clan Menzies (British) 150 miles west of Loop Head, torpedoed and sunk by U-99. Six died. Eighty-eight survivors brought to Enniscrone.[32] The British government expressed thanks and appreciation.[33]
1August1940(1940-August-01)
Collier SS Kerry Head (Capt. C Drummond) Inbound Swansea to Limerick. Bombed off Kinsale, survived this attack (but, see 22 October). Responsibility was admitted by German Government and compensation paid.[18][34]
MV Lock Ryan (Capt. J. Nolan). Inbound Falmouth to Arklow. Bombed off Land's End. Survived.[35]
20August1940(1940-August-20)
German Bomber attacked SS Macville causing damage and apparently at least one casualty.[36] The attack also damaged the lighthouse on Blackrock Island off the coast of Mayo. Lighthouse keepers unhurt.[37]
24August1940(1940-August-24)
City of Waterford (Capt. T. Freehill) bombed in Irish Sea. Survived.[15]
26August1940(1940-August-26)
Campile town was bombed, probably to stop Irish exports to Britain. Three killed.[38]
27August1940(1940-August-27)
Lanahrone rescues survivors from Goathland (British) off County Kerry coast. Eighteen saved.[33]
Trawler SS Kosmos machine-gunned by Luftwaffe north of Scotland.[15][18]
8October1940(1940-October-08)
Delphin (Greece) Inward Montreal to Cork with maize and wheat, torpedoed and sunk by U-103. All survived.[40]
17October1940(1940-October-17)
MV Edenvale (Capt. N. Gillespie) Limerick to Dublin. Three miles off Helvic Head, Waterford. Attacked by Luftwaffe off the coast of Waterford.[41]
22October1940(1940-October-22)
Kerry Head (Capt. C. Drummond). Bombed again, all 12 hands lost, in full view of watchers on Cape Clear Island.[15]
31October1940(1940-October-31)
SS Hillfern (British) Inbound Sunderland to Cork with a cargo of coal sunk by Luftwaffe NE of Kinnaird Head.[42]
11November1940(1940-November-11)
Ardmore (Capt. T. Ford) struck a mine and sank, off the Saltee Islands. Twenty-four died.[15]
11November1940(1940-November-11)
Survivors of the Norwegian DT Davanger which had been sunk by U-48 on 11 October with the loss of 17 lives were seen off the Mayo coast. Locals went out to assist them. Two hours later they landed at Broadhaven. All were admitted to Belmullet hospital.[43]
Isolda (Capt. A. Bestic) a lightship tender, was sunk by Luftwaffe bombers, within sight of Carnsore Point. Six killed. Seven wounded.[18]
20December1940(1940-December-20)
Cambria (British-flagged), a passenger ferry had just left Dún Laoghaire for Holyhead was attacked by Luftwaffe which had bombed Sandycove railway station injuring three.[45]Hibernia (British-flagged) was berthing in Dún Laoghaire, a bomber swooped down, lights were extinguished and the bomber flew away.[46]
20December1940(1940-December-20)
SS Lanahrone. At anchor in Liverpool docks. Damaged by falling masonry during an air-raid.[18]
20December1940(1940-December-20)
21December1940(1940-December-21)
MV Innisfallen (Capt. George Firth) - while leaving Liverpool with 157 passengers and 63 crew. She survived an air raid on the 20th, but on departing on the following afternoon, she hit a mine off Wirral shore near New Brighton and sank. Four died.[47]
Nailsea Lass (British) was sunk by U-48. The second officer E.J. Knight and 18 crew members landed at Ballyoughtraugh, County Kerry and the third officer and nine crew members near Berehaven, County Cork.[48]
SS Glencree (Capt. Douglas McLean) Barry to Dublin. Strafed by Luftwaffe six miles northwest of Helwick Lighthouse, Rhossili.[18]
21March1941(1941-March-21)
Irish Shipping was formed as a company 51% owned by the state.
22March1941(1941-March-22)
CollierSaint Fintan (Capt. N. Hendry) Drogheda to Cardiff attacked by two Luftwaffe bombers, off the coast of Pembrokeshire and sunk with all hands. Nine dead.[18]
26March1941(1941-March-26)
Edenvale (Capt. T. Tyrrell) bombed and strafed by four Luftwaffe planes at the entrance to the Bristol Channel.[15]
27March1941(1941-March-27)
SS The Lady Belle (Capt. T. Donohue) Outward Dungarvan to Cardiff. Bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe in Irish Sea.[18]
2April1941(1941-April-02)
MV Edenvale (Capt. T. Tyrrell) Inward Cardiff to Rosslare. Bombed and strafed (again) by Luftwaffe in Bristol Channel.[18]
SS Glenageary (Capt R. Simpson) Inward Barry to Dublin, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast.[18]
19May1941(1941-May-19)
SS City of Waterford (Capt. W. Gibbons) Outward Dublin to Cardiff, bombed and machine-gunned by Luftwaffe off Welsh coast. One wounded[15]
30May1941(1941-May-30)
SS Kyleclare (Capt. T. Hanrahan) Outward from Limerick to Liverpool, bombed off Waterford coast.[18]
13June1941(1941-June-13)
FerrySaint Patrick (Capt. Jim Faraday), British flagged. Outward Rosslare for Fishguard, 12 miles from Strumble Head Lighthouse, bombed by Luftwaffe. Thirty died.
22August1941(1941-August-22)
SS Clonlara (Capt. Joseph Reynolds) Cardiff to Lisbon, in convoy OG71 ("Nightmare Convoy") rescued 13 from the Scottish ship Alva, but was later torpedoed and sunk by U-564 off the coast of Spain. Thirteen survivors and 11 dead.[18]
SS City of Waterford (Capt T. Alpin) in convoy OG-74, collided with the DutchtugThames and sank in the North Atlantic, the crew were rescued by HMS Deptford and transferred to the Walmer Castle. Two days later Walmer Castle was bombed, killing five of the survivors from City of Waterford.[15]
7October1941(1941-October-07)
MVKerlogue Inward Swansea to Wexford, struck a mine in Cardigan Bay.[18]
16October1941(1941-October-16)
MV Edenvale Outward Cork to Lisbon, off the Cork coast, aerial attack, presumed Luftwaffe.[18]
25October1941(1941-October-25)
SS Glenageary (Capt. N. Kelly) Inward Barry to Dublin, aerial attack[18]
SS Glencullen (Capt A Jones) Inward Barry to Dublin. Strafed in the Irish Sea.[18]
1942
7March1942(1942-March-07)
Schooner Lock Ryan wrecked on Donegal coast.
2June1942(1942-June-02)
SS City of Bremen inbound Lisbon to Dublin, bombed in the Bay of Biscay.[18]
11August1942(1942-August-11)
Irish Rose rescues survivors from Wawaloam (American), sunk by U-86 in Atlantic. All 7 crew saved.[49]
13August1942(1942-August-13)
Irish Pine rescues survivors from Richmond Castle (British), sunk by U-176 in Atlantic. Nineteen saved.[50]
26August1942(1942-August-26)
Irish Willow rescues survivors from Empire Breeze (British), sunk by both U-438 and U-176 at 49°22′N35°52′W while in convoy ON-122, in Atlantic. Forty-seven saved. One lost.[51]
17September1942(1942-September-17)
Irish Larch rescues survivors from Stone Street (Panamanian), from convoy ON-127, sunk by U-594 in Atlantic. Forty saved. Thirteen lost.[52]
Monmouth Coast (Capt. Albert Henry Standen) (British) Sligo to Liverpool, 80 miles from Sligo, torpedoed and sunk by U-1305. Sixteen died. One survived.[59]
2May1945(1945-May-02)
Motor Trawler FS Naomh Garbhan; off the Wexford Coast, struck a mine and sank. Three died.[18]
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"Dáil Éireann - Volume 77". Sinking of Ships. Parliamentary Debates -. 27 September 1939. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
"Dáil Éireann - Volume 77". Sinking of Ships. Parliamentary Debates -. 27 September 1939. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2009. No casualties
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"Dáil Éireann - Volume 81". Bombing of Motor Vessel. Parliamentary Debates -. 5 February 1941. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
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