TIME-LINE
Merchant and Navy Ship events
1914 - 1918 (WWI)

1914

 

16/1 1914 The English submarine A-7 becomes trapped in the mud in Whitsand Bay.  11 crewment lost.

Norwegian steamer Spring went down in the Hjeltefjorden after an collision with S/S Herdla. The vessel was on a journey from Newcastle to Trondheim with a cargo consisting of coal when the accident occurred. Spring took in lots of water after the accident, and the captain on the vessel set course for Ramsøy to set the vessel ashore. Unfortunately for Spring the vessel took in more water than the pumps could manage, and in the situation that occurred to save vessel and cargo, they drove right in to a mountain wall. (s/s SPRING; ex:ISLE OF ELBA-?; A/S Spring (Jacobsen & Co.,Langesund; Build 1883.07 at T.& W. Smith, N. Shields; 903 grt, 562 nrt; 210.9 x 32.4 x 14.6 ft; C.2-cyl 120 nhp, Wallsend SlipwayCo. Ltd., Newcastle; s/s HERDLA; ?)

6/2 1914

The British destroyer ERNE wrecked on East Scottish or British Coast.

15/3 1914 Swedish barque TRIFOLIUM stranded 06:00 at Sennen Cove (Whitesand Bay) on Land´s End  beacuse shifted cargo and was wrecked. Master and four of the crew killed, the rest survived.
21/1 1914

The British steamship Alexandra was wrecked three miles N.E. of Sagres, while on a voyage from Odessa to Antwerp. (C. Nielsen & Sons; 1906; W. Gray & Co.; 3,001 tons; 331 x 46,1 x 21,9; 280 n.h.p.; triple-expansion engines.)

23/4 1914 First diesel-powered ship to be built on Puget Sound is launched
21/5 1914 Komagata Maru arrives in Vancouver with 396 Sikh immigrants aboard; not allowed to land under Canadian immigration laws; sails away on July 23.
28/7 1914 Britain declares war on Germany and Austro-Hungary after Austria declares war on Serbia, beginning the First World War; Britain's declaration automatically includes Canada, as part of the British Empire.
29/5 1914

Canadian Pacific ocean liner Empress of Ireland outbound from Quebec is hit by a Norwegian collier ship Storstad at 1:55 am in Gulf or St. Lawrence; three minutes later water reaches the dynamos, dousing power and light, and the ship sinks in 11 minutes later when Storstad backs out of the hole in the hull; 1,024 lives are lost, 464 saved; $1 million in silver bars later recovered by divers (s/s STORSTAD; A/S Maritim (A. F. Klaveness & Co.), Christiania; Build 1910 at Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Newcastle; 6.028 grt, 3.561 nrt; 140.0 x 58.1 x 24.6 ft; T.3-cyl., 447 nhp, build by N. E. Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., Newcastle)

1/7 1914

Cruiser HMCS Rainbow and SS Komagata Maru with a load of illegal immigrants to leave Vancouver

1/8 1914 World War I starts.

German steamer PRIAMUS seized by the Russian at Riga. (completed as yard No.181 in Aug 1911 by Akt. Ges. "Weser", Bremen. 660-gross tons for Dampsfschifffahrts Ges. "Neptun", Bremen Dimensions of 180.0 x 28.2. 3-cyl triple expansion engine)

2/8 1914 The Seeadler was the most famous German auxiliary cruiser in World War I. The former British sailing ship Pass of Balmaha was captured in July 1915 by U-36 . In early 1916 it was considered to use this ship as an auxiliary cruiser and it was equipped with guns and other equipment. Camouflaged as a Norwegian ship, it left German in December 1916. In the following 10 months, the Seeadler was able to capture or sink 14 ships, mainly sailing ships. On 02.08.1914, the ship beached at the Island of Mopelia near Tahiti. During its operations, the Seeadler sunk a total of 14 ships. (PASS OF BALHAMA; Ship Pass of Balhama Co. Ltd. (River Plate Shipping Co. Ltd), Glasgow; Build 1888.08. at R. Duncan & Co., Port Glasgow; 1.571 grt, 1.498 nrt; 245.4 x 38.8 x 22.5 ft)
3/8 1914 Germany invades Belgium & declares war on France in WW I..

Complete mobilization of the Royal Navy.

German S138 class Destroyer G143, Had a accidental boiler explosion in the Baltic Sea and sunk.

4/8 1914

German steamer GEORGE HARPER (1.586 grt / 1907). Seized by the British Government whilst discharging a cargo of timber at Grimsby. Requisitioned by the Admiralty and management allocated to Everett and Newbigin, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Registered at London. In May 1921 sold to Sweden and renamed B. O. BÖRJESSON. (s/s GEORGE HARPER; Dampschiff GmbH „George Harper“ (Otto Zelk), Rostock; built 1907 at A.G. „Neptun“, Rostock; 1.612 grt, 990 nrt; 261.4 x 38.1 x 16.5 ft; T.3-cyl. 132 nhp build by the yard.)

The former Russian steamer RiAsan was captured by the small cruiser Emden on 04.08.1914. Sent to Tsingtau, the ship was renamed to Cormoran and equipped with the guns of the old gunboat Cormoran . Ordered to operate in the South Pacific, the ship had no success in attacking allied ships. Because of coal shortages, it went to Guam where it was interned by the USA. When the USA entered the war in 1917, the ship was scuttled after a fight with American troops on 07.04.1917. (s/s RIASAN; Russian Volonteer Fleet Association, Vladivostok; build 1909.11. by F. Schichau, Danzig; 3.522 grt, 1.962 nrt; 338.0 x 45.0 x 29.7 ft; T.3-cyl. 654 nhp, F. Schichau, Elbing)

5/8 1914

The light cruiser Amphion, carried a complement of 290 officers and men. At the outbreak of the First World War the ship was engaged in sweeping operations along the Dutch coast, being in company with the Second Destroyer Flotilla. On the morning at 10.40 the British ships sighted the German steamship, Konigin Luise, engaged in minelaying about 30 miles E. of the Suffolk coast. The Amphion and the destroyers Lance and Landrail immediately brought the Konigin Luise to action and sank her at 12.20 p.m. without loss to themselves. Prior to this the German ship had laid her mines, 200 in number, being of the heavy variety anchored at 11 feet below the surface. The position of these mines was not known accurately to the British and in the course of the day two destroyers, steaming at 30 knots, passed over the minefield in safety. The flotilla continued its operations for the rest of the day with­out incident and in the small hours of August. 6th turned about for home. The course set led the Amphion immediately over the mines laid by the Konigin Luise and at about 6.30 a.m., when all on board thought themselves clear of the danger, the ship struck a mine which exploded below her fore-bridge. The fore part of the cruiser was wrecked and nearly all those in it were killed, including 18 prisoners from the German vessel. Capt. Fox was stunned by the explosion, but recovered consciousness m time to order "Abandon ship". While the boats were being lowered another explosion, caused either by the flames reaching the magazine or by a second mine, completed the Amphion's destruction. The loss of life was one officer and 150 men, and 18 German prisoners. Capt. Fox was among the survivors, who numbered 139 officers and men. (British Navy, light cruiser; 1911; Pembroke Dockyard; 3,440 tons; 385 x 41,5 x 14; 18,000 i.h.p.; 25,4 knots; turbine engines; Yarrow boilers; ten 4 in. guns, four 3 pdr., 2 T. T.)

6/8 1914 The British light cruiser HMS Amphion, sunk by mine from the German auxiliary mine-layer König Luise in the English Channel.  Amphion had sunk the German ship the previous day.  Mine exploded under the bridge and soon after the ship was abandoned a magazine exploded sinking the ship.  132 British sailors were killed, as were all of the German prisoners rescued from König Luise.

British steamer City of Winchester, 6,601grt, captured by German light cruiser Konigsberg and scuttled 280 miles E from Aden

7/8 1914 British cruiser GLOUCESTER attacked and shadowed German cruiser GOEBEN and BRESLAU in Mediterranean.

British sailing vessel Frau Minna Petersen, 176grt, captured by torpedo boat 5 miles NW from Osterems Port Buoy, taken to Emden.

9/8 1914 The German battlecruiser Goeben and light cruiser Breslau safely entered Turkish waters at the Dardanelles, having embarrassingly escaped the British Mediterranean Fleet. The ships acted as a catalyst for the Ottoman entry into the war and remained a thorn in the side of the Allies for the rest of the war.

German submarine U-13 mined and sunk off Heligoland.

German submarine U-15 rammed off Fair Isle by the British cruiser BIRMINGHAM.

11/8 1914 British steel barque GLADYS, Bristol, Crew 19 Taltal for Rotterdam with nitrate of sodium Steering compass carried away, 1 life lost, 60 miles S of Falkland Islands. (GLADYS; Off.no: 98824; 1.363 grt, 1.345 nrt; Taltal Shipping Co. Ltd. (Cheney, Eggard & Forrester), Bristol; built 1891.09. by C. Hill & Sons, Bristol; 237,5 x 36.3 x 21.2 ft)
13/8 1914

One of the best German cruisers, Magdeburg, ran aground in the fog on the reefs off Odensholm Island. The Russian sailors from the Pallada and Bogatyr captured the Magdeburg's commander and 56 crewmen.

Dar-es-Salaam shelled by the British HMS ASTREA and PEGASUS.

15/8 1914 British steamer Hyades, 3,352grt, captured by light cruiser Dresden, 180 miles NE ¼ N from Pernambuco, sunk by gunfire.
16/8 1914

Austrian Cruiser ZENTA (1899, 2,300t, 8-12cm). As units of the French Navy continue to escort troop transports from North Africa across to the south of France, the main battlefleet transfers its base to Malta from where the Austrian Fleet can be more easily blockaded in the Adriatic. The French, under Adm Lapeyrère, and accompanied by Adm Troubridge's cruisers, shortly make a sweep into the Adriatic on the lookout for Austrian ships themselves blockading the Montenegran coast. On the 16th, off Antivari, the old protected cruiser Zenta is surprised and sunk in a one hour action with the French battleships. Escorting destroyer Ulan escapes.

British steamer Kaipara, 7,392grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Wilhelm der Grosse, 170 miles S by W from Tenerife, sunk by gunfire.

16/8 1914:     British steamer Nyanga, 3,066grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Wilhelm der Grosse, 240 miles S ¼ E from Tenerife, and scuttled.
18/8 1914 British steamer Bowes Castle, 4,650grt, captured by light cruiser Karslruhe 350 miles N by W ½ W from Cape Orange, and scuttled.
20/8 1914 German naval code books were recovered by the Imperial Russian Navy from the wreck of the light cruiser Magdeburg, and passed to the Royal Navy - one of the most important intelligence coups of the First World War. The Royal Navy's cryptographers in Room 40 were able to read German naval wireless signals for a considerable period of time thereafter, Royal Navy ships often being able to put to sea before German raiders had even left harbour.

The Dutch steamship Alice H. struck a mine and sank in the Baltic. (Stoomv. Maats. Sophie H.; 1911; Rotterdam Droogdok Maats.; 3,052 tons; 325,3 x 47,3 x 21,8; 249 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

21/8 1914  
23/8 1914 Japan declared war on Germany in World War I..

Austro-Hungarian, Torpedo Boat Flamingo (TB 26), mined and sunk in the Adriatic.

26/8 1914 German cruiser MAGDEBURG (1912, 4,570t, 12-10.5cm). German light cruisers Augsburg and Magdeburg continue minelaying and other sorties into the northern Baltic. Early on the 26th, in thick fog, Magdeburg runs hard aground on the island of Odensholm at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Finland (59-18N, 23-21E). Escorting destroyer V-26 tries to tow her off, but without success. The crew attempt to scuttle, but Russian cruisers Bogatyr and Pallada come up and opened fire. Magdeburg is only partly destroyed and the Russians recover three sets of the main German naval codes, complete with the current key. One of the sets makes its way quickly to the Royal Navy’s 'Room 40' in London. Added to other British captures, German naval codes are soon broken and give the Allies a major advantage at sea.

The battleship HMS Bulwark was destroyed by an internal explosion whilst moored at Sheerness, with the loss of 730 crew. Faulty ammunition was probably to blame.

British cruiser HIGHFLYER sank German commerce raider KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE.

British steamer Holmwood, 4,223grt, captured by German light cruiser Dresden, 170 miles S ½ W from Cape Santa Marta Grande and sunk by bombs.

28/8 1914

The first major naval battle of the First World War was fought, in the Heligoland Bight. The Royal Navy's Harwich Force of light cruisers and destroyers under Commodore Tyrwhitt, supported by submarines under Commodore Keyes, attempted to surprise German patrols off Helgoland. But the Germans only lost one destroyer (V187) before their cruisers arrived on the scene and threatened to turn the tables. The Harwich Force was saved by the appearance of Sir David Beatty's battlecruiser force, which sank three light cruisers, ARIADNE, MAINZ, COLN and drove the rest off.

Russian torpedoboat 272 in collision.

British battleship HMS BELLEROPHON in collision with British steamer ST. CLAIR.

31/8 1914 British steamer Strathroy, 4,336grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe 100 miles NNE (true) from Cape St Roque, and scuttled
2/9 1914

Swedish merchant steamer ST. PAUL, mined and sunk 28 nm. ONO Tyne. The crew was saved by the Norwegian merchant steamer BRUSE which landed them at North Shields. (ST. PAUL; Ångf. AB St. George (Th. Willerding), Gothenburg; build 1906.05 at J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland; 2.534 grt, 1.554 nrt; 310.0 x 44.0 x 20.9 ft; T.3-cyl. 271 nhp build by J. Dickinson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland)

3/9 1914

The British torpedo-gunboat SPEEDY mined and sunk in the North Sea [another source says “torpedoed off Humber”].

Japanese, Asakaze class Destroyer Shirotaye, wrecked during battle with the German gunboat Jaguar in Kiao-Chau Bay.

British steamer Maple Branch, 4,338grt, German captured by light cruiser Karslruhe, 250 miles S W ¼ S (true) from St Paul Rocks and sunk by bomb.

4/9 1914 British steamer Indian Prince, 2,846grt, German captured by auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm, 210 miles E by N ½ N from Pernambuco and sunk by bomb.
5/9 1914

HMS PATHFINDER. British Light cruiser torpedoed and sunk out from the Firth of Forth by German submarine U-21.

British steamer Runo, 1,679grt, mined and sunk, about 22 miles E by N from Tyne, 29 lives lost.

8/9 1914

OCEANIC. A White Star Liner, built in 1899. She was the first ship to exceed the length of the Great Eastern, at 704 ft overall. After being requistioned on the outbreak of the First World War as an armed merchant cruiser, she was attached to the 10th cruiser squadron of the Royal Navy. On the 8th September, in thick fog, she ran aground on rocks on Foula Island, Shetlands where she became a total loss and was eventually broken up. She had a crew of 400 on board at the time of her accident, all of whom were resqued by the Trawler Glenogil.

9/9 1914

Swedish composit steamer TUA Sunk after been in collision with a British Naval ship in the North Sea about 54 miles from Peterhead. 1 crew and 1 passenger killed. (s/s TUA; Ångf. AB Trio (C. L. Larsson), Gothenburg; build 1890 at J. A. Svensson, Södra Garn; 342 grt, 212 nrt; 129.0 x 24.0 x 12.3 ft; C.2-cyl.,21 nhp build by P.Larsson, Thorskog)

10/9 1914

British steamer Indus, 3,413grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 240 miles SE by E from Madras and sunk by gunfire.

11/9 1914 British steamer HAWNBY was wrecked at Johnshaven, near Montrose due to the absense of coastal lights. (R. Ropner & Co., Stockton; build 1895.03. by Ropner & Son, Stockton; 2.136 grt, 1.361 nrt; 280.0 x 40.0 x 15.6 ft; T.3-cyl. 187 nhp build by Blair & Co (Ltd), Stockton)

British steamer Lovat, 6,102grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 260 miles E ½ N from Madras and sunk by gunfire.

British Steamer Elsinore, 6,542grt, captured by German light cruiser Leipzig, 80 miles SW by W from Cape Corrientes and sunk by gunfire.
13/9 1914

German light cruiser HELA torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine E-9 off Heligoland in the North Sea. (Danziger Dampfschiff & Seebad A.G. „Weichsel“, Danzig; build 1910 by J. W. Klawitter, Danzig; 411 grt, 188 nrt; 164.2 x 25.2 x 11.3 ft; T.6-cyl. 79 nhp build by the yard)

British steamer Killin, 3,544grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 410 miles NE by E from Madras and sunk by gunfire.

British steamer Diplomat, 7,615grt, captured byGerman light cruiser Emden, 480 miles NE ½ E from Madras and sunk by gunfire
14/9 1914

The Australian submarine AE-1 believed to have accidentally founderedin the Pacific.

At the outbreak of World War I, the German Cap Trafalgar was interned in Buenos Aires. Being able to leave Argentina, the ship meet with the old gun boat Eber at the island of Trinidad, where it was equipped with the guns of the non-combat ready gunboat until 31.08.1914. After an unsuccessful two week raid in the South Atlantic, the ship returned to the island to resupply, but was surprised by the British auxiliary cruiser Carmania (former British liner) . Being much better armed as the German ship, the Cap Trafalgar was sunk in an one hour battle.

British steamer Trabboch, 4,028grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 70 miles SW by S from Pilots Lt, Mouth of Hooghli and sunk by gunfire.

British steamer Clan Matheson, 4,775grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 60 miles SW by S from Pilots Lt, Mouth of Hooghli and sunk by bombs.

British steamer Highland Hope, 5,150grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe 190 miles SW ½ W from St Paul Rocks and scuttled.

15/9 1914 British submarine E.16 sank German submarine U6 off Norway.
17/9 1914

British steamer Indrani, 5,706grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe 145 miles N by W (true) from Cape St Roque, and scuttled

19/9 1914 Australian submarine A.E.1 lost in the Pacific.
20/9 1914

The British light cruiser PEGASUS driven ashore after being disabled by gun-fire of German light cruiser Konigsberg off Zanzibar.

21/9 1914 British steamer Cornish City, 3,816grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 245 miles SW ¼ S (true) from St Paul Rocks and sunk by bombs.
22/9 1914

The British armoured cruiser  HMS ABOUKIR was torpedoed by the German submarine U-9, as she patrolled without cruiser protection off the Dutch coast. Suspecting a mine rather than a submarine because there was no indication of any enemy activity, the armoured cruiser CRESSY and the HOGUE came to the aid of the survivors, but they too were torpedoed by the same U-boat almost immediately. All three were lost, with just over 800 being saved.

British steamer Rio Iguassu, 3,817grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 155 miles SW ½ Wfrom St Paul Rocks and sunk by bombs.

25/9 1914

British steamer King Lud, 3,650grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 25 miles SSW from Point de Galle and sunk by bombs.

British steamer Tymeric, 3,314grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 50 miles W by N from Colombo and sunk by bombs.

British steamer Bankfields, 3,763grt, captured by German light cruiser Leipzig, in Gulf of Guayaquil and sunk by gunfire.

27/9 1914:

British steamer Buresk, 4,337grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 180 miles W by N ¾ N from Colombo, sunk by HMAS Sydney on 9th Nov 1914

British steamer Ribera, 3,500grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 210 miles W by N from Colombo and sunk by gunfire.

British steamer Foyle, 4,147grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden 300 miles W ¾ N from Colombo, and scuttled.

28/9 1914

Austrian-Hungarian monitors Temes (I), Körös, the auxiliary mine sweeper Andor, and patrol boat b, coming from the Danube, broke through a Serbian mine barrage and entered the Save River, despite heavy shelling.

German light cruiser CORMORAN and torpedoboat TAKU scuttled at Tsing Tao.

German gunboat ILTIS and LUCHS scuttled in Tsing Tao.

German torpedoboat T 50 foundered in the Baltic Sea.

29/9 1914

French gunboat ZELEE scuttled.

30/9 1914 British steamer Selby, 2,137grt, mined and sunk 34 miles SE by S from Newarp LV.
1/10 1914

The Turkish steamer MERSIN hits one of the newly laid mines off Canakkale and has to be beached. (Administr. De Nav. A Vap. Ottomane, Constantinople, Turkey; build 1899.02. by J. Duthie & Co., Montrose; 361 grt, 195 nrt; 130.5 x 25.0 x 11.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 52 nhp build by Hall-Brown, Buttery & Co., Glasgow)

2/10 1914

Swedish steamer GERTRUD grounded on Scroby Sand off Yarmouth. The steamer was refloated later the same day. (Ex: MAUD HARTMAN; Ångf. AB Nordsjön (A. Bratt & Co), Gothenburg; build 1881.07 by Schlesinger Davis & Co., Newcastle; 1.619 grt, 983 nrt; 260.2 x 35.2 x 20.9 ft; C.2-cyl. 187 nhp, build by T. Clark & Co., Newcastle)

3/10 1914 British submarine D.5 mined in the North Sea.

British steamer Dawdon, 1,310grt, mined and sunk, 10 miles NW by W from Wandelaar LV, 10 lives lost

5/10 1914 Royal Naval Division arrived at Antwerp.

British steamer Ardmount, 3,510grt, mined and sunk 3 miles E by S ½ S from Wandelaar LV,

6/10 1914 German torpedo boat destroyer T 116 was torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine E-9 in the North Sea. 11 crew lost.

German destroyer S13, had internal explosion in the North Sea and sunk.

British submarine E.9 sank a German submarine off Ems.

British steamer Niceto de Larrinaga, 5,018grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 100 miles S by W ¼ W from St Paul Rocks, and sunk by bombs

8/10 1914 British steamer Cervantes, 4,635grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 100 miles S ¾ W from St Paul Rocks, and sunk by bombs.
9/10 1914 British steamer Pruth, 4,408grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 90 miles S by W ¼ W from St Paul Rocks, and sunk by bombs
11/10 1914

Swedish steamer KARIN, stranded at Örnahusen on voyage Landskrona - Karlshamn in barlast and was a total wreck. Master on board was Captain Augustinos Adamson (ex: ELLIDA (F.M. Bruhn, Flensburg); A. K. Fernström, Sternö; build 1883 by Eriksbergs M.V. AB, Gothenburg; 559 grt, 295 nrt; 168.1 x 25.2 x 13.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 61 nhp build by the yard)

Russian armoured cruiser PALLADA (1911, 7,800t, 2-20.3cm). Three German U-boats have been sent to patrol the waters off the Gulf of Finland. The Russians are also patrolling the area using unescorted cruisers, and apparently unaware of the hard lessons the Royal Navy is learning about the danger from submarines. Armoured cruiser Pallada is hit by a single torpedo from U-26, her magazines exploded and the entire crew of 600 men killed.

British steamer Condor, 3,053grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe 215 miles N by E ¾ E from Cape St Roque, and scuttled

14/10 1914

British destroyer Lance, Lennox, Legion and Loyal with flotilla leader, light cruiser Undaunted sank German torpedo boats S 115, S 117, S 118 and S 119 off Texel

15/10 1914 The British armoured cruiser HAWKE torpedoed while on patrol duty off East Scottish Coast by German submarine U-9. The torpedo hit amidships and Hawke capsized within 10 minutes.  The destroyer Swift and the steamer Modesta picked up 71 survivors but about 500 crew were lost.
16/10 1914

British steamer Clan Grant, 3,948grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 150 miles W ¼ S from Minikoi, and sunk by gunfire

British steamer Benmohr, 4,806grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden 65 miles NW ½ W from Minikoi, and scuttled.

British steam dredger Ponrabbel, 473grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 20 miles NW from Minikoi, and sunk by gunfire
17/10 1914

Japanese former protected cruiser TAKACHIHO, now minelayer, was torpedoed and sunk by the German destroyer S 90 while taking part in the attack on Tsing Tao.

German destroyer S 90 wrecked on China coast.

British destroyers and cruiser sink the German torpedo boat destroyers T 115, T 117, T 118 and T 119. The four torpedo boats were making a mine laying raid on the mouth of the River Thames when they were intercepted by the British cruiser Undaunted and the destroyers Lance, Lennox, Legion and Loyal in the North Sea.  The British force overwhelmed the German torpedo boats in about 1.5 hours of firing and only 36 crew were saved.

18/10 1914

The British submarine E.3 sunk by German destroyers near Heligoland.

The British submarine E.5 sunk in the North Sea.

British steamer Troilus, 7,562grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 170 miles E from Minikoi, and sunk by gunfire

British steamer Glanton, 3,021grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe, 195 miles SW from St Paul Rocks, and sunk by bomb

19/10 1914

French steamer VOSGES,  wrecked after striking submerged object at Ponta Negra, 20 miles off Les Chatz Point, Isle de Groia on voyage Cardiff- Rio de Janeiro with a cargo of coal. (Cie. De Nav. dÓrbigny (A. Capelle) La Rochelle; build 1909 by Bartram & Sons, Sunderland #214; 3.834 grt, 2.490 nrt; 346.5 x 50.8 x 23.2 ft; T.3-cyl. 308 nhp. Build by J. Dickinson & Sons Ltd., Sunderland)

British steamer Chilkana, 3,244grt, captured by German light cruiser Emden, 110 miles ENE from Minikoi, and sunk by gunfire

20/10 1914

British steamer Glitra Captured and scuttled in the North Sea 14 miles W.S.W.from Skudesnes by the German submarine U-17 whilst on a voyage from Grangemouth to Stavanger with a cargo of coal. She was the first British merchant vessel to be sunk by submarine in the WW I. (Christian Salvesen & Co, Leith, ex: Saxon Prince, built 1881, 866 grt.)

The Persian steamer SHIRAZ hits a mine near the second barrage in the Bosporus and sinks near Rumelihisari. (785 grt / 1867)

21/10 1914 Swedish Schooner PEROLA on voyage in barlast from Fredrikshavn to Ystad, stranded and wrecked about 100 meter NO Udbyhöj båk. (Olof Knopp and others, Käringön)

British steamer Cormorant, 1,595grt, mined and sunk 4 miles E from West Gabbard LV.

22/10 1914

The Swedish steamship Alice struck a mine and sank in the North Sea on a voyage London – Gothenburg with a cargo of coal. (Angf. AB Jernborden; 1883; R. Dixon & Co.; 1,461 tons; 250 x 36 x 17,5; 145 n.h.p.; compound engines.)

23/10 1914

Austrian-Hungarian monitor Temes (I) sank after hitting a mine in the Save. The ship was salvaged some time later, repaired and re-commissioned at Budapest on April 23, 1917.

British steamer Hurstdale, 2,752grt, captured by German light cruiser Karslruhe 205 miles SW ¼ W from St, Paul Rocks, and scuttled

24/10 1914

Belgian steamer MARIE HENRIETTE  ran ashore on Sands "Les Casquets" off Barfleur during the night. Lights and beacons having been shut and captain Rombouts not advised of this. Was used as hospital ship for the casualties of the Yser Battle. (1525 grt/1892, built by J. Cockerill, Hoboken and owned by Belgian State Line, Ostend)

British destroyer BADGER sank a German submarine off Dutch coast.

26/10 1914

The French liner Amiral Ganteaume left Ostend for Havre with 2,000 Belgian refugees. On October 26th, 1914, she called at Calais and on the same day, when off Cap Gris Nez, was torpedoed without warning by the submarine U-24. Fortunately the liner did not sink and most of her 2,000 passengers were trans­ferred to the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Co.'s steamship Queen, 1,650 tons. The Amiral Ganteaume was then taken in tow and brought safely to Boulogne. Thirty of the refugees, who were mostly women and children, lost their lives. (Chargeurs Reunis; 1902; Napier & Miller; 4,590 tons; 385 X 50 x 25,7; 2,200 i.h.p.; 10 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

British steamer Vandyk, 10,328grt, captured by German light cruiser Karlsruhe, 690 miles W by S from St Paul Rocks, not known how sunk

27/10 1914 Swedish (composit) steamer ÖRNEN mined and sunk in the North Sea whilst on a voyage Gothenburg - Groningen with a cargo of wood. 5 men and 1 woman lost. (Ångf. AB Örnen, Gothenburg; build 1901 by S. Groth, Sjötor; 191 grt, 92 nrt; 100.2 x 22.8 x 10.5 ft; C.2-cyl. 14 nhp, build by Lundbys M.V, Gothenburg)

British battleship HMS AUDACIOUS struck a mine off North Irish Coast near Loch Swilly and sank after unsuccessful towing attempts. The minefield had been laid down by the German auxiliary cruiser BERLIN.

British steamer Manchester Commerce, 5,363grt, mined and sunk, 20 miles N ¼ E from Tory Island, 14 lives lost including Master

28/10 1914 French destroyer MOUSQUET shelled by gunfire of German cruiser EMDEN in Malay waters, off entrance to Penang harbour in Strait of Malacca (05.38 N, 100.25 E). On patrol off north entrance to Penang harbour during the Allied ocean-wide hunt for the German cruiser Emden. Among the ships at anchor was Russian cruiser Zhemchug. As Emden totally surprised and sank her, Mousquet returned to the sound of gunfire and was herself destroyed by the Emden’s guns around 07.44hrs; many of her crew died including the CO, Lt Théroinne.

Royal Navy destroyer flotilla sank four German torpedo boats off the Texel.

German steamer MICHAEL JEBSEN scuttled at Tsingtao (Qingdao) with Ellen Rickmers and Dorendart. MICHAEL JEBSEN was raised by the Japanese in 1915, commissioned as transport Koshu. From 1922 became an icebreaker and survey vessel. Deleted from the active list in 1939. (built by Howaldtswerke, Kiel, 1904-1905 for Michael Jebsen Apenrade; 1521 tgr, 2080 ts displacement, dimensions: 76,96 x 10.97 x 3,71.)

29/10 1914

Swedish steamer BLANKA on voyage Umeå - Hull with a cargo of wood, grounded and wrecked at Rattray Head on the Scottish eastcoast. (ex: Mersario; Ångf. AB Småland (T. Linnell), Oskarshamn; off.no: 4229; build 1889 by Tyne I.S.B. Co. Ltd., Newcastle; 1.417 grt, 846 nrt; 245.5 x 35.0 x 1.53 ft; T.3-cyl. 138 nhp build by Hawtorn & Co., Leith)

Turkish/German attack on the Russian Fleet - Sailing on the 27th, the few seaworthy ships of the mixed Turkish/German fleet under the command of Adm Souchon, sail across the Black Sea to attack Russian bases without any declaration of war. Early on the 29th, Turkish destroyer GAIRET attack Odessa sinking the Russian gunboat DONETZ (or Donec, 1890, 1,200t, 2-15.2cm, later raised) and other shipping. Goeben shells Sevastopol in the Crimea, and according to Russian sources was damaged by the return fire of the shore batteries. Shortly she encounters the laden Russian minelayer PRUT (or "Pruth", 1879, 5,400t, c800 mines), which apparently scuttles herself under fire. Turkish cruiser Hamidiye shells Feodosia, also in the Crimea, while the Breslau and a Turkish cruiser bombard Novorossisk further east. Various minelaying operations, typical of both the Baltic and Black Sea theatres, accompany the attacks.

German gunboat TIGER scuttled in Tsing Tao.

30/10 1914

Rohilla. Hospital ship, en-route from Leith, Scotland to Dunkirk in Belgium. Built for the British India Line in 1906 by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, and intended to have been a passenger and cruise liner, she was of 7,144 gross tonnage and prior to her hospital ship role she had been used as a troop transport between Southampton, England and Karachi, India. At around 4.00 am she ran aground at Saltwick Nab, just to the east of the entrance to Whitby Harbour, Yorkshire, with 229 people on board. She may have struck a mine but the weather was very bad at the time and this may have been the cause. Her back was broken and although three lifeboats went to her aid the extreme weather made early rescue of passengers impossible. Eventually however 143 were saved, including 60 who got ashore. The Master of the ship Captain Neilson was among those who survived, along with the entire complement of nurses. Fortunately she was on her way to collect wounded and none were on board when she was wrecked.

31/10 1914

Swedish steamer TORGRIM, stranded and wrecked at Rattary Head, Scottish east coast. (Rederi AB Perciwal (A.H.S. Person), Landskrona).

The British light cruiser HERMES converted to Seaplane Carrier. Torpedoed by German submarine U27 whilst acting as an aircraft transport between Dover and France. First torpedo struck from a range of c.300 yards and as the cruiser was sinking by the stern a second torpedo hit her and she then sank quickly.

?/11 1914

British steel barque Inverurie. From Belfast to Sydney, wrecked near Bally Ferris Point, Antrim, on the east coast of Ireland, November 1914. (1417 tons. Built by Hall of Aberdeen, 1889 for Inver Line, owned by G. Milne & Co.of Aberdeen. Lbd 242.2 x 37.1 x 21.6 ft.)

1/11 1914 The British armoured cruiser GOOD HOPE and MONMOUTH sunk off Coronel, Chilian Coast, by gunfire of the German armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

The British WOLVERINE and SCORPION enter the Gulf of Izmir and sink the Turkish survey vessel BEYRUT off Urla and the Turkish steamer KINAHADA (297 grt / 1883). The crew of both ships aregiven time to abandone before the vessels are sunk by gunfire.

Belgian steamer ELLA  captured by the Turks in Eumer Fahri and renamed DJEHOUN. 7/6 1915 Torpedoed and sunk by British submarine E 11 off Mouss Yatiki (Sea of Marmara) (3510 grt/1890, built by Caird & Co Ltd, Greenock and owned by R. Contean & M. Gumuchdjian, Constantinople, Belgian flag)

2/11 1914 Austria-Hungari protected cruiser KAISERIN ELISABETH had her guns removed to provide a shore battery and then she was scuttled at Tsingtao.
3/11 1914 HM Submarine D-2. Mined off Great Yarmouth. Five crew saved by the trawler Faithfull.

HM Submarine D-5 mined off Yarmouth by mine thrown out by German warship

Bombardment of Dardanelles by Anglo-French squadron.

4/11 1914

German heavy cruiser YORCK accidentally ran into two German mines in the Jade estuary with 336 killed.

German light cruiser KARLSRUHE destroyed by internal explosion, 200 miles E of Trinidad.

5/11 1914

Norwegian steamer Drammen was a small cargo vessel which sank west of Steilene on the west side of Nesoddlandet in Akershus county after a collision with the French steamship Union III with a cargo of beer, wine and other goods. (UNION III; Cie. Mar. L´Union Belliloise, Palais, France; build 1898 by A. Blasse, Nantes; 155 grt; 98.8 x 20.0 x 8.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 36 nhp build by J. Jones & Sons, Liverpool)

6/11 1914

German torpedoboat T 25 sunk after being in collision with T 72 in the North Sea.

German large torpedoboat S 13 sunk by accident in the North Sea after having a torpedo explosion.

7/11 1914 German gunboat JAGUAR scuttled in Tsing Tao.

Australian cruiser SYDNEY sank German cruise EMDEN off Cocos Keeling Islands.

8/11 1914

Swedish steamer ATLE, Goteborg, mined and sunk about 7 miles. SO t. O from Cross Sands lightship, on avoyage London - Goteborg. 6 men killed. (Owner: Ångf. AB Thule)

British steamer TURRET CHIEF ashore near Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior when on a voyage Midland, Ontario – Fort William in barlast. Refloated in May 1915, declared as a total loss and sold to Turret Chief  Ltd, Canada and repaired.

9/11 1914 British sailing vessel Ayesha, 123grt, captured by crew of German light cruiser Emden, off N Keeling Island, later scuttled 15th Dec 1914
10/11 1914 The British destroyer LOUIS wrecked on Turkish Coast in Aegean Sea.

The german cruiser EMDEN destroyed at Cocos-Keeling Island after action with Australian cruiser SYDNEY.

11/11 1914

The British torpedo-gunboat NIGER torpedoed and sunk off Deal by unknown German submarine.

British auxiliary cruiser ORAMA sank supply ship of German raider.

16/11 1914

The Swedish steamship ANDREA, struck a mine and sank in the North Sea when on voyage Törefors - Hull with a cargo of wood. (Angf. AB Libra; 1883; J. Readhead & Co.; 1,412 tons; 249 x 36 x 17,5 ft; 139 n.h.p. ; compound engines.)

British steamer North Wales, 3,661grt, captured by German light cruiser Dresden, 360 miles SW ¼ W from Valparaiso, and sunk by bombs

17/11 1914

German cruiser FRIEDRICH CARL (1903, 9,700t, 4-21cm). On her way to bombard Libau, armoured cruiser Friedrich Carl, serving as a coastal defence ship, sinks on two mines in a Russian field laid by destroyers, west-southwest of Memel (54.41N, 20.11E). All except 8 members of the crew are rescued. The shelling of Libau by other cruisers goes ahead.

18/11 1914

Russian battleship Evstafi. Goeben and Breslau encounter the Russians off Cape Sarych, Crimea. Although outnumbered, they are soon in action. Goeben is hit once, but in return badly damages the Russian flagship, the four-year old Evstafi.

German Hilfskreuzer C., because of coal shortages, the ship sailed to Trondheim where it was interned on 18.11.1914. Sold to Britain in 1920, it was renamed to Arabic and used until 1931 when it was scrapped in Italy. (The passenger ship Berlin was commissioned as Hilfskreuzer C in September 1914. It was first planned to send the ship into the Atlantic, but because of its slow speed, this plan was abandoned. Instead, the ship was used to lay a mine filed off Glasgow and attack merchant shipping in the Barents Sea. Two ships, a post ship and the new battleship Audacious were sunk my the mines laid by the Berlin).

21/11 1914

Icebreaker HMCS Earl Grey sold to Russia for service at Archangel. Successively renamed Kanada III, International in 1920, & Fedor Litke in 1923. In 1923 she worked in the Baltic, in 1925-1928 in the Sea of Azov & in 1929-34 out of Vladivostok. She then returned to Murmansk via the Arctic route. In 1936 she made the trip back again to Vladivostok via the northern route, but spent WW II years working out of Archangel & Murmansk. In 1955 she sailed to within 400 NM of the North Pole, the closest a surface vessel had then come to the pole.

23/11 1914 British destroyer Garry took part in the sinking of U-18 off Scapa Flow, and UB-110 on the 19th July 1918 off the Yorkshire North Sea coast.

British steamer Malachite, 718grt, captured by submarine, 4 miles N by W from Cape la Hève, and sunk by gunfire

26/11 1914

The British battleship BULWARK. Exploded whilst lying at anchor at Sheerness with only 12 survivors.  During that day she had been taking on board ammunition and it was thought that the shells had been stacked too close together and too close to a boiler room which caused some of them to ignite and cause a magazine explosion.

British steamer Primo, 1,366grt, captured by submarine, 6 miles NW by N from Cape Antifer, and sunk by gunfire

27/11 1914 British steamer Khartoum, 3,020grt, mined and sunk 20 miles ESE from Spurn Point.
30/11 1914

German large torpedo boat S 124 (1904, 470t, 3-5cm, 3-45cm tt) sinks in collision with Danish steamer Anglodane off the German Baltic coast (55.22N, 12.11E). She was salvaged, and broken up at Kiel in 1915.

1/12 1914

Turkish ironclad MESSUDIEH moored as a stationary guardship in the Dardanelles off Charnak, was torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine B-11.

2/12 1914

Swedish steamer CARMA disapered in the North Sea with 14 men  and 1 woman whilst on voyage Amsterdam - Blyth in barlast. (ex: Paola; Otto Banck, Helsingborg; build 1882.02. by S. P. Austin & Sons, Sunderland; 1.035 grt, 609 nrt; 219.8 x 32.2 x 14.7 ft; C.2-cyl. 131 nhp, build by G. Clark, Sunderland)

British sailing vessel Drummuir, 1,844grt, captured by German light cruiser Leipzig, 70 miles E by N from Cape Horn, and sunk by bombs

4/12 1914: British steamer Bellevue, 3,814grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm 460 miles NE ¼ E from Pernambuco, and scuttled.
5/12 1914 British steamer Charcas, 5,067grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, 70 miles S by W ½ W from Valparaiso, and sunk by bombs.
6/12 1914

Swedish steamer EVERILDA mined and sunk about 6 - 7 miles SW Mäntyluoto whilst on a voyage Stockholm - Mäntyluoto. 10 men and 2 women lost. (Rederi AB Hyperion (A. L. Nilsson), Helsingborg; Off.no: 3258; build 1882.04 by T. Turnbull & Son, Whitby; 1.366 grt, 839 nrt; 243.0 x 34.0 x 17.9 ft; C.2-cyl. 156 nhp build by T. Richardson & Sons, Hartlepool)

Swedish passenger steamer LUNA mined and sunk about 6 - 7 miles SW Mäntyluoto while on a voyage Mäntyluoto - Stockholm, after she had rescued 6 survivors from EVERILDA of which 5 was killed at LUNA:s mining. The crew from LUNA and one survivor from EVERILDA was rescued by a Finnish tug. (Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, Stockholm; build 1905 at Fredrikstad M.V., Fredrikstad; 982 grt, 590 nrt; 216.5 x 32.7 x 13.9 ft; T.3-cyl. 126 nhp build by the yard; Off.no 4452)

7/12 1914 Swedish passenger steamer NORRA SVERIGE mined and sunk about 6 -7 miles SW Mäntyluoto at the same place as EVERILDA and LUNA. The crew, 20 men and 5 women lost. (Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, Stockholm; build1875 by Brynäsvarvet, Gefle; 723 grt, 539 nrt; 188.9 x 27.0 x 12.9 ft; C.4-cyl. 101 nhp build by the yard; Off.no: 455)
8/12 1914 German light cruiser STETTIN and LEIPZIG, heavy cruiser SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU sunk by gunfire off Falkland Islands by a force of two British battlecruisers, Invincible & Inflexible, under Vice Admiral Sturdee, and three County-class first class armored cruisers, Kent, Cornwall & GLASGOW, under Rear-Admiral Stoddart.
9/12 1914

Swedish steamer EMMA grounded and wrecked at the British eastcoast. (ex: Johannes Brun; Ångf. AB Emma, Gävle; build 1883.08. by Martens, Olsen & Co., Bergen; 665 grt, 382 nrt; 176.6 x 28.1 x 12.4 ft; C.2-cyl, 74 nhp build by the yard; Off.no: 4994)

German submarine U-11 mined and sunk in the Dover Straits.

12/12 1914

Russian destroyers ISPOLNITELNI and LETUCHI (1906, 400t, 2-45.7cm tt). The two Lovki class destroyers are lost in a snow storm off Odensholm during a planned minelaying operation southwest of Libau. Ispolnitelni sinks after one of her own mines explodes, and Letuchi capsizes trying to rescue the crew. Few if any men survive from the two ships.

British sailing vessel Kildalton, 1,784grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, 870 miles SW ¾ S from Valparaiso, and sunk by bombs.

13/12 1914

Turkish armoured ship MESUDIYE (MESSUDIEH) (1876, 9,200t, 12-15.2cm secondary only). In the face of strong currents, minefields, coastal batteries, and patrols, the small, old British submarine B-11 (Lt Holbrook), makes the first penetration of the Dardanelles reaching almost as far as Chanak, 15 miles in. The ancient Mesudiye moored as a stationery guard ship, is sighted and sunk with one 18 in torpedo. Under fire, B-11 returns and safely reaches the open sea.

16/12 1914

German warships bombarded Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby, inflicting considerable civilian casualties.

British steamer Elterwater, 1,228grt, mined and sunk, 3 miles E from Scarborough, 6 lives lost

British steamer Princess Olga, 998grt, mined and sunk 5 miles ENE from Scarborough.
18/12 1914

German submarine U-5 mined and sunk in the English Channel.

19/12 1914 British steamer Tritonia, 4,272grt, mined and sunk 22 miles NNE from Tory Island.
20/12 1914 French submarine CURIE (Q.87) damaged by defences and scuttled at northern Adriatic Sea, in Pola naval base. Curie (Lt Dupetit-Thouars, descendant of the Napoleonic war admiral), was caught in the Pola nets trying to break into the main Austrian base, surfaced and gunned by Austrian-Hungarian. destroyer SATELLIT. She was raised by the Austrians and commissioned as U 14; became one of the most successful A.-H. subs; in 1919 returned to France, renamed Curie; condemned on 29.3.1928.
21/12 1914

French dreadnought JEAN BART, damaged in southern Adriatic Sea in Strait of Otranto - torpedoed once by Austrian U-12. As the French battlefleet was carrying out a sweep into the Adriatic covering the transport of supplies to Montenegro, they experienced the power of the submarine to influence surface ship strategy and tactics. Adm Lapeyrère’s unscreened flagship Jean Bart was hit in the bow by a torpedo, reportedly abreast the wine-store and just before the forward magazine which remained intact. Although she stayed afloat and reached Malta safely, the French blockade of the Adriatic was moved south of the Otranto Straits and thus became more distant. Some sources, even recently published ones, describe Jean Bart as sunk in this attack.

23/12 1914

Norwegian steamer Lyra sank after she stranded on Flateguri, just outside Hankø in Østfold county. Lyra was on a journey from Wallsend On Tyne to Kristiania ( Oslo ). Norsk Bjergningskompani saved the cargo and other things and  their own boat Trold was lost during this work. Lyra had a crew of fifteen men and was loaded with 1600 tons of coal. (ex: Glen Dochart; A/S Lyra (C.T. Gogstad & Co), Christiania; build 1882 at Schlesinger Davis & Co, Newcastle; 1.189 grt, 744 nrt; 236.0 x 32.2 x 18.1 ft; C.2-cyl. 140 nhp build by Hawks, Crawshy & Sons)

25/12 1914 Therese Heymann left the Tyne on December 25th and was posted missing thereafter. No information about her fate is known but she may have been mined off  Filey, Yorkshire as was the fate of many other vessels. (Therese Heymann S.S. Ltd. (R. Ropner & Co.), London; build 1890.05. by Ropner & Son, Stockton; 2.393 grt, 1.550 nrt; 290.0 x 39.0 x 19.3 ft; T.3-cyl. 212 nhp build by Blair & Co (Ltd), Stockton).

British steamer Gem, 461grt, mined and sunk, 3 ½ miles SE by E ¼ E from Scarborough, 10 lives lost including Master.

26/12 1914 German battlecruiser Goeben. Late on the 21st, Russian minelayers, with long range cover provided by the Russian Battle Squadron, lay a field just off the Bosphorus. Two days later, the Russians attempt a blockship operation against Zonguldak. As German light cruiser Breslau sails to meet the Goeben returning from escorting troop transports to Trebizond, she encounters the blockships, sinking two. Goeben returns on her own to Constantinople, and as she does, hits two of the earlier-laid, Russian mines only a mile off the Bosphorus entrance on the 26th. Badly damaged, she is largely out of action until May 1915, a severe blow to the Turkish Navy.

British steamer Linaria, 3,081grt, mined and sunk 2 ½ miles NNE from Filey.

27/12 1914

British destroyer SUCCESS, ran aground and wrecked at Scottish North Sea coast, off Fife Ness at northern entrance to Firth of Forth (56.15’N, 02.30’W). Like many of the old, small destroyers, Success spent the first month's of the war on often solitary North Sea patrol, presumably serving with the Forth-based 8th Flotilla, on the lookout for German minelayers and raids on the British East Coast. She was the Royal Navy’s first destroyer loss of the Great War.

British battleship HMS CONQUEROR in collision with the British battleship HMS MONARCH

28/12 1914 British steamer Hemisphere, 3,486grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm 400 miles NE by E from Pernambuco, and scuttled
   
1915  
1/1 1915 The British battleship FORMIDABLE torpedoed by the German submarine U24 in the English Channel whilst on patrol and exercise with the 5th Battle Squadron.  The first torpedo hit on the starboard side near the forward funnel and the order to abandon ship was given soon afterwards.  Counter-flooding stabilised her but about 45 minutes after the original attack a second torpedo hit and she sank rapidly with the loss of 547 crew.  The 5BS had been steaming slowly (10knots), not zigzagging and were without destroyer escort and the Admiral in charge Lewis Bayly was dismissed from his position over the loss.
2/1 1915

H.M.S FOX and GOLIATH bombard Dar-es-Salaam.

4/1 1915

The British submarine C.31 lost of the Belgian coast.

6/1 1915

British battleship HMS AUSTRALIA sinks German steamer ELEONORE WOERMANN near Falkland Island.

7/1 1915 British steamer Elfrida, 2,624grt, mined and sunk 2 miles ENE from Scarborough.
8/1 1915

USS submarine C-1 (SS 9) Grounded in Almaranti Bay.

10/1 1915

The Turkish gunboat HIZIR REIS hits a mine near the third barrage while returning from patrol. The boat is seriously damaged forward and is towed to Istinye for docking and inspection. Repairs prove difficult and the boat is not returned to service until the middle of the year.

British steamer Potaro, 4,419grt, captured by auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm 560 miles E by N ¼ N from Pernambuco, and scuttled

13/1 1915

ROEBUCK. Formerly on the Channel Islands service, she was taken over for government service after the outbreak of war and renamed HMS Roedene under which name while at Scapa Flow on January 13th she dragged her anchor and fell across the bows of the battleship HMS Imperieuse, after which she sank. (Roebuck; Great Western Railway Co, Milford; build 1897 by Naval Con. & Arm. Co. Ltd., Barrow; 1.186 grt, 303 nrt; 280.0 x 34.5 x 16.8 ft; T.6-cyl. 643 nhp build by the yard).

HMS VIKNOR was lost off Tory Island in heavy weather in an area recently mined by the Germans. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was part of the 10th. Cruiser Squadron blockading the seas between the North of Scotland and Iceland. (She was a 5386 Ton Blue Star Line ship, formerly the Viking.)

14/1 1915

British steamer Highland Brae, 7,634grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm 630 miles NE by E ¼ E from Pernambuco, and scuttled

British sailing vessel Wilfrid M, 251grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm 625 miles NE by E ¼ E from Pernambuco, and attempted to sink by ramming

15/1 1915

French submarine SAPHIR (Q 44) ran aground at Turkish waters in the Dardanelles Narrows, off Nagara Point, gunned by Turkish shore batteries and scuttled by her officers.. A month after British submarine B.11 reached almost as far as Chanak in the Dardanelles and sank guardship Mesudiye, Saphir was the first to try to break right through to the Sea of Marmara. She passed Chanak and got as far as Nagara Point against the fierce currents and after passing under ten lines of mines before her luck ran out. At this point, sources vary. She probably ran aground trying to avoid the minefields, surfaced and and was either scuttled or destroyed by shore batteries. In some sources she was mined. Many of her crew were lost, reportedly 14 men killed and 13 survivors. (Other sources date her loss on the 17th January 1915).

USS submarine E-2 (SS-23) Battery explosion.

18/1 1915

The British submarine E.10 lost in the North Sea.

20/1 1915

Naval action in Dardanelles as a result of which the British monitors RAGLAN and M.28 were sunk and German cruisers GOEBEN and BRESLAU were mined. BRESLAU was beached.

21/1 1915

German submarine U-7 torpedoed in error by the German submarine U-22 in the North Sea.

British steamer Durward, 1,301grt, captured by a German submarine, 22 miles NW from Maas LV and sunk by bombs.

22/1 1915

Swedish steamer DROTT mined and sunk in the Bay of Finland. 5 men lost. The 13 survivers rescued by Swedish steamer BIRGIT. (ex: Raleigh, ex: Marzo; Rederibolaget Drott (E. Brodin), Gefle; build 1881.08. by Caird<& Purdie, Barrow; 1.286 grt, 747 nrt; 244.4 x 34.1 x 15.2 ft; C.2-cyl. 146 nhp build by Westray Copeland & Co., Barrow; Off.no: 1260).

24/1 1915

The capital warships of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet clashed for the first time in the First World War at the Dogger Bank in the North Sea. Vice Admiral Franz Von Hipper led out the battlecruisers of his First Scouting Group (Derfflinger, Seydlitz, and Moltke) to attempt another bombardment of British coastal towns. However, the battlecruiser Von der Tann was not available, having damaged herself in a collision whilst taking evasive action during the Royal Naval Air Service's pioneering air raid on Cuxhaven on Christmas Day 1914. Hipper therefore took with his force the powerful armored cruiser Blucher as a substitute. Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty with his Battlecruiser Force - Lion, Tiger, Princess Royal, New Zealand and Indomitable, successfully intercepted his force. Hipper prudently turned to withdraw, but Blucher's inferior speed allowed the British battlecruisers to close the gap. During the exchange of fire, Blucher took serious hits and Seydlitz came close to blowing up when a catastrophic ammunition fire destroyed both her stern gun turrets. Hipper was forced to abandon Blucher to her fate and run. However, Beatty's flagship HMS Lion had also been badly hit, and forced to withdraw from the fight. Badly phrased signals from Beatty (a serious failing he was to repeat at Jutland), and poor initiative on the part of the next most senior admiral, led to the other Royal Navy battlecruisers concentrating their efforts against the mortally damaged Blucher rather than pursuing Hipper. Thus although a tactical victory for the Royal Navy, Dogger Bank was mainly regarded by contemporaries as a missed opportunity.

25/1 1915

The Russian minelaying offensive continues to take a toll of German warships and merchantmen. German light cruiser Augsburg and the older Gazelle are damaged in separate cruiser-laid minefields near the Danish island of Bornholm on the night of the 24th/25th.

Battle of Dogger Bank with loss of German cruiser BLÜCHER.

27/1 1915

American steel 4-mast schooner William P. Frye captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich (commerce raider) in South Atlantic, southeast of Brazil. Sunk January 28, 1915; no casualties. (A. Sewall & Co., Bath, Me., USA; build 1901 by A. Sewall & Co.; 3.374 grt, 666 nrt; 332.4 x 45.4 x 26.2 ft)

30/1 1915 Turkish NEVSEHIR and the auxiliary motor minesweeper No. 3 begin work on the second mine barrage in the Bosporus. While the first mine is being raised the crane on No. 3 snaps and the mine drifts off towards Büyükdere. During recovery the mine drifts under the bow of both boats and explodes. Both vessels sank with light casualties.

British steamer Ben Cruachan, 3,092grt, captured by a German submarine, 15 miles NW from Morecambe Lt, and sunk by bombs

British steamer Linda Blanche, 369grt, captured by a German submarine, 18 miles NW ½ N from Liverpool Bar LV, and sunk by bombs

British steamer Kilcoan, 456grt, captured by a German submarine, 18 miles NW from Liverpool Bar LV, and sunk by bombs

British steamer Tokomaru, 6,084grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 7 miles NW from Havre LV, and sunk.

British steamer Ikaria, 4,335grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 25 miles NW from Havre, and sunk.

British steamer ORIOLE, 1,489grt, probably torpedoed without warning by a German submarine in English Channel, and sunk, 21 lives lost including Master
5/2 1915

Bombardment of Smyrna by the Anglo-French fleet.

6/2 1915

British destroyer HMS ERNE, aground and wrecked at Scottish North Sea coast, on Rattray Head, NE Aberdeenshire (c 57.40’N, 01.50’W). A severe easterly gale drove Erne (and two other vessels) ashore in this area; reportedly there was no loss of life from her approximate crew of 70.

8/2 1915

Turkish merchant steamer WASHINGTON (782 grt) (ex: american) sunk at Trapzond by the Russian cruiser KAGUL and PAMIAT MERKURIIA.

12/2 1915: British sailing vessel Invercoe, 1,421grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, 890 miles E by S ¼ S from Cape Frio, and sunk by bombs
13/2 1915

Russian armoured cruiser RURIK badly damaged by grounding in the Baltic, she was later refloated and repaired.

German large torpedoboat V 25 mined and sunk in the North Sea, killing 79 crew.

Belgian steamer MORINIER capsized and foundered in pos. 47.01'N-07°48'W (Bay of Biscay) in heavy weather when o/v Cardiff - Lisboa with coal. Portuguese trawler VASCO DE GAMA rescued Capt. Van den Bogaert and 5 crew members. The captain's wife and 16 crew members were lost.  (1874 grt/1909 built by Short Bros Ltd, Sunderland, owned by Antwerpsche Zeevaartmij (SA de Commerce & de Navigation mgrs), Antwerp, Belgium)

14/2 1915

Sailing from Liverpool to W. Africa with a general cargo, the British steamship ABEOKUTA foundered in the Bay of Biscay. (Elder Dempster; 1901; R. Duncan & Co.; 1,817 tons; 280 - 2 x 40-1x]8-2; 199 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

15/2 1915

British steamer Dulwich, 3,289grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 27 miles NNE from Cape la Hève, and sunk, 2 lives lost

British steamer Membland, 3,027grt, believed mined and sunk, North Sea, date uncertain, listed as 15th?, 20 lives lost including Master
17/2 1915

German light cruiser BREMEN mined and sunk in the Baltic.

Swedish steamer A. WICANDER grounded at Stengrundet off Landskrona, Sweden at 18:45, the weather was strong breeze from south and hazy. She was refloated the day after by the Danish salvagesteamer E. SWITZER. The grounding had never occured if the lighthouse not have been extinguished beacuse of the war. (Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, Stockholm, Sweden; build 1891 by Motala Co., Gothenburg; 928 grt, 559 nrt; 201.5 x 29.6 x 15.4 ft; T.3-cyl. 118 nhp build by the yard; Off.no: 2685).

18/2 1915

British destroyer GOLDFINCH was wrecked in fog on Sanay Island, Orkneys, during the night of the 18th – 19th.

Germany's blockade of Britain by submarine begins.

British steamer Mary Ada Short, 3,605grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, 400 miles E by N ¾ N from Pernambuco, and sunk by bombs

19/2 1915 American steamer Evelyn sunk by mines in North Sea near Isle of Borkum, 10 miles west of Norderney; 1 killed. (ex: Badsworth; Philadelphia & Gulf S.S. Co., Philadelphia, USA; build 1883.06. by Oswald, Morduant & Co., Southampton; 1.963 grt, 1.185 nrt; 263.8 x 36.1 x 24.2 ft; C.2-cyl. 205 nhp, build by the yard).

British destroyer GOLDFINCH, ran aground in North Sea, on Sandoy Island in the Orkneys. Serving with the Grand Fleet. Ran ashore in fog and wrecked; casualties not known, normal complement 72 officers and men.

German large torpedoboat S 14 sunk after internal explosion, in Jade. She was raised the same year and scrapped in Wilhelmshaven.

Naval attack on Dardanelles.

20/2 1915

British steamer Willerby, 3,630grt, captured by German auxiliary cruiser Prinz Eitel Friedrich, 490 miles NE by N from Pernambuco, and sunk by bombs

British steamer Cambank, 3,112grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 10 miles E from Point Lynas, and sunk, 4 lives lost

British steamer Downshire, 337grt, captured by a German submarine, 8 miles NW ½ W from Calf of Man, and sunk by bomb
22/2 1915

American steamer CARIB sunk by mine in the North Sea; 3 killed. (ex: Kimon, ex: President Garfield; Clyde S.S. Co., New York; build 1882.01 by W. Hamilton & Co., Port Glasgow; 2.087 grt, 1.280 nrt; 288.4 x 36.2 x 22.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 241 nhp build by Dunsmuir &  Jackson, Glasgow).

23/2 1915

British steamer Oakby, 1,976grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 4 miles E by N from Royal Sovereign LV, and sunk.

British steamer Branksome Chine, 2,026grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 6 miles E by S ¾ S from Beachy Head, and sunk.

24/2 1915

French destroyer DAGUE sunk after hitting a drifting mine in southern Adriatic Sea in Antivari Roads laid by the German submarine UC 25. Dague, on duty off the port of Antivari through which Allied supplies passed for Montenegro, was the first French warship lost in the Adriatic.

British steamer Rio Parana, 4,015grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 4 miles SE from Beachy Head, and sunk

British steamer Western Coast, 1,165grt, torpedoed without warning by a German  submarine 8 miles SE by E ½ E from Beachy Head, and sunk

British steamer Deptford, 1,208grt, mined and sunk, 3 miles off Scarborough, 1 lives lost

British steamer Harpalion, 5,867grt, torpedoed without warning by a German  submarine 6 ½ miles W from Royal Sovereign LV, 3 lives lost
25/2 1915

Afric. Lugger, 12 tons. Foundered off Croker Island, NT, in a cyclone.

Harriet. Lugger. Last seen with her crew of three near Port Essington, NT, in a cyclone.

Leila. Lugger. Ashore on Darch Island, NT, during a cyclone.

Leila. Lugger. Ashore on Darch Island, NT, during a cyclone.

27/2 1915 British sailing vessel, Conway Castle, 1,694grt, captured by German light cruiser Dresden 560 miles SW by W ½ W from Valparaiso, and scuttled
3/3 1915

Belgian steamer TIFLIS had explosion and fire in forepeak while lying in e Alicante, Spain. (2862 grt/1900, built by Armstrong, Newcastle, owned by SA d'Armement, d'Industrie & de Commerce, Antwerp, Belgium)

4/3 1915

Norwegian general cargo steamer ASKUR scuttled in the North Sea, crew saved. (B. Berg, Stavanger; build 1872/89 by Sven Olsson, Oscarshamn; 346 grt, 240 nrt; 142.7 x 24.4 x 11.4 ft; C.2-cyl. 40 nhp, build by Bergsunds M.V., Stockholm).

British destroyers VIKING, GHURKA and URE forced the German submarine U-8 to the surface and surrender. URE took here in tow for Dover but she sunk before reaching the port.

6/3 1915

British steamer BILLITER steel screw 832grt/468nrt was sunk by the Turkish Authorities at Channel of Smyrna Harbour. She was one of three British steamers detained at Smyrna at the outbreak of the war. The others were Assiout (3146 grt) and City of Khios (3496 grt). All three were scuttled.

7/3 1915 British steamer Bengrove, 3,840grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 5 miles NNE from Ilfracombe, and sunk.
9/3 1915 British destroyer ARIEL rammed the German submarine U12 off the Scottish coast.

British steamer Princess Victoria, 1,108grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 16 miles NW by N from Liverpool Bar LV, and sunk

British steamer Blackwood, 1,230grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 18 miles SW by S from Dungeness, and sunk

British steamer Tangistan, 3,738grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine, 9 miles N from Flamborough Head, and sunk, 38 lives lost including Master
10/3 1915 The French battleship BOUVET (1898, 12,200t, 2-30.5cm) is either mined or hit by a heavy shell in a magazine and sinks in the Dardanelles with most of her crew.

British battlecruiser Inflexible (Capt Phillimore) hits a mine in the Dardanelles, is badly flooded with 29 men killed, but reaches Tenedos before going on to Malta for repairs.

British battleship IRRESISTIBLE (1902, 14,500t, 4-12in) hit a moni in the Dardanelles and is abandoned and sinks three hours later.

German submarine U-12 rammed and sunk in the North Sea by the British destroyer ARIEL.

11/3 1915

American steamer WILLIAM FRYE sunks by the German raider PRINS EITEL FRIEDRICH.

Seaplane carrier Anne Rickmers, a captured German merchantman, is torpedoed and damaged by German-commanded Turkish torpedo boat Demir Hissar.

British steamer Florazan, 4,658grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine, 53 miles NE ½ E from Longships, and sunk, 1 lives lost

12/3 1915

British steamer Headlands, 2,988grt, chased by a German submarine, 8 miles S from Scilly Isles, and sunk by torpedo

British steamer Indian City, 4,645grt, captured by a German submarine, 10 miles S from St Mary's, Scilly, and sunk by torpedo

British steamer Andalusian, 2,349grt, captured by a German submarine 25 miles WNW from Bishop Rock, and scuttled

British steamer Invergyle, 1,794grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 12 miles NNE from Tyne, and sunk

13/3 1915 British steamer Hartdale, 3,839grt, chased by a German submarine, 7 miles SE by E from South Rock, Co Down, sunk by torpedo, 2 lives lost
14/3 1915 The German auxiliary cruiser DRESDEN is scuttled near Juan Fernandez Island after action with British cruiser KENT and GLASGOW. Blown up by her own crew.
15/3 1915

Motor Vessel Pass of Balhamas, 1,571 grt; stranded at Westerland, Germany; salvaged; no casualties.

British steamer Fingal, 1,562grt, torpedoed without warning by a German submarine 6 miles E by S from Coquet Island, and sunk, 6 lives lost.

17/3 1915

British steamer LEEUWARDEN Sunk four miles west by north half-north from the Maas Lightvessel by the German submarine U-28 on a voyage to London from Harlingen, in ballast. (General Steam Navigation Company, London; built 1903.03. by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough; 990 grt, 374 nrt; 230.3 x 34.1 x 13.9 ft; T.3-cyl 258 nhp build by Richardsons, Westgarth & Co. Ltd., Middlesbrough).

German torpedoboat A-2 sunk by gunfire in the North Sea by British destroyer.

18/3 1915

British and French warships once again attacked the Ottoman defenses at the Dardanelles. The Turks had worked hard to rectify the weaknesses exposed by the Allied attacks of the previous month. Mines proved their most effective weapon; the British old battleships Irresistible and Ocean, and the French Bouvet, were all sunk, and the battlecruiser Inflexible damaged. Admiral de Robeck called off the attack, not realizing that the Turks themselves were on the verge of collapse

The French battleship GAULOIS was badly damaged by a mine and forced to beach near Drapano. She was later refloated but had the mishap to encounter the German submarine UB-47, which sank her on October 27th 1915.

German submarine U-29 rammed and sunk off Moray Firth by the British battleship DREADNOUGHT.

British steamer Glenartney, 5,201grt, torpedoed without warning by the German submarine U34, 4 miles S from Royal Sovereign LV, and sunk, 1 lives lost

21/3 1915

USS submarine F-4 (SS-21) is lost off Honolulu Harbor with the loss of 19 men. She is the first US submarine loss.

British steamer CAIRNTORR torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 7 miles S. from Beachy Head by the German submarine U-34 whilst on a voyage from Tyne to Genoa with a cargo of coal. (Cairns, Noble & Co. Ltd., Newcastle Upon Tyne, Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd., 3.588 grt/1904).

British, Torpedo Boat TB64, ran aground and wrecked in bad weather in Aegean Sea.

British steamer Cairntorr, 3,588grt, torpedoed without warning by the German submarine U34, 7 miles S from Beachy Head, and sunk

23/3 1915

British steamer VOSGES, sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 38 miles W by N from Trevose Head in pos. 50.12N, 05.35W by German submarine U-28 whilst on  voyage Bordeaux-Liverpool with general cargo. 1 lost. (build 1911 at Sir Rayton Dixon (494nrt/1295grt steel screw)

24/3 1915

AB Vulcan, Turku, Finland sign a order of a 620 grt general cargo and passengersteamer. Ordered by Captain M. Gronroos.

Italian destroyer Turbine, sunk by Austro-Hungarian scout cruiser Helgoland and two destroyers in the southern Adriatic during an Austrian raid.

26/3 1915

German submarine U-29 sunk.

27/3 1915

The steamship Aguila, Capt, Bannerman, was bound for Lisbon and the Canary Islands with 46 persons, of whom three were passen­gers. At 6 p.m. on March 27th, 1915, the Aguila was sighted and chased by the German submarine U-28, Cdr, Baron von Forstner, some miles off Pembroke. The ship at once increased to full speed,  but as she was not capable of more than 14 knots, she was soon overhauled by her pursuer which was of the latest type, mounted two 22 pdr. gums and had a surface speed of 16 knots. The Aguila was compelled to stop after a shot had been fired across her bows. She lowered her boats, the first of which capsized on launching drowning one woman passenger and a stewardess. Only four min­utes elapsed between the launching of the boats and the submarine's 1 shelling of the vessel. The chief engineer and two men were killed by the firing and altogether 20 shells struck the ship before she was sent to the bottom by a torpedo which split her in two. At the time of the sinking she was 47 miles S.W. of the Smalls Light. Eight lives were lost, the survivors, including Capt. Bannerman, were picked up shortly afterwards by the s.s. St. Stephen and the steam trawler Ottilie. (Yeoward Bros.; 1909; Caledon Shipbuilding Co.; 2,114 tons; 275,4 x 38 x 17; 278 n.h.p. ; 14 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

28/3 1915

British passenger steamer Falaba captured and torpedoed in the St. George’s Channel 38 miles W. from the Smalls by the German submarine U-28 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to West Africa. 104 lost including master. (Elder Line, 4.806 grt, build 1906)

1/4 1915

German submarine U-37 mined and sunk in the English Channel.

2/4 1915

Steamship GREENBRIER, 3,322 grt; sunk by mine in the North Sea, near Amrum, North Frisian Islands; no casualties. (Tropical Fruit S.S. Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool; build 1893 by Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool; 3.332 grt, 2.139 nrt; 345.0 x 41.2 x 18.6 ft; T.3-cyl. 445 nhp build by T. Richardson & Sons, Hartlepool).

3/4 1915 The Turks lose one of their few major warships when light (or protected) cruiser Medjidiye in company with the Hamidieh and four torpedo boats sails to bombard Odessa. She hits a mine and sinks in shallow water just 15 miles short of the target. Medjidiye is soon raised by the Russians, and is back in service by  year's end as the Prut, named after the minelayer lost to Goeben in October 1914.

Portugese steamer DOURO, 218 t., sunk off Scilly. (ex: Ben Bheula; Pescarias de Portugal Ld., Lisbon; build 1907.03 by J. Duthie Torry S.B. Co., Aberdeen; 302 grt, 111 nrt; 140.3 x 22.7 x 12.2 ft; T.3-cyl. 80 nhp build by Clyne, Mitchell & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen)

5/4 1915

German torpedoboat T 57 hit a Russian mine and sunk in the Baltic Sea.

9/4 1915

GUERNSEY. Went ashore on at Cap de la Hague Guernsey, with a loss of seven crew while outward bound from Guernsey to Southampton. (L. & S.W. Railway Co., Southampton; build 1874 by J. & W. Dudgeon, London; 534 grt, 117 nrt; 195.5 x 26.0 x 13.4 ft; T.3-cyl. 189 nhp build by Day, Summers & Co, Southampton).

The German passenger steamer Prinz Eitel Friedrich was in South East Asia when World War I broke out. After being equipped as an auxiliary cruiser in Tsingtau, the ship first served as flagship for all auxiliary vessels there. After that it operated with the German cruiser squadron off the South American coast for a short time until it started its own merchant warfare operation in October 1914. In the following 7 months, the ship was able to sink or capture a total of 11 ships in the Pacific and the South Atlantic. Because of coal shortages being surrounded by British warships and auxiliary cruisers, the ship interned in Newport News, USA on 09.04.1915. In April 1917 it was taken over by the USA as troop transport De Kalb , in 1921 it was renamed to Mont Clay and used as passenger ship again. It was in active duty until 1924 and scrapped in 1935. (Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen; build 1904 by Akt. Ges. „Vulcan“, Stettin; 8.797 grt, 4.812 nrt; 488.3 x 55.7 x 32.1 ft; Q.8-cyl. 417 nhp build by the yard)

15/4 1915

British submarine E.15 lost in Dardanelles.

17/4 1915 Turkish torpedo boat DEMIR HISSAR (1906, 97t, 3tt). The German-commanded vessel, after her exploits off Smyrna, heads into the Aegean. On the 17th, after failing to sink a British transport, she is intercepted south of the Greek island of Chios by British destroyers Jed, Kennet and Wear and runs herself aground. Some sources claim protected cruiser Minerva forced Demir Hissar ashore.

A second Allied submarine attempts to break through the Dardanelles to the Sea of Marmara. Early in the morning of the 17th, after leaving Mudros, the British submarine E-15 (1914, 670/810t, 5-18in tt, 1-12pdr, Lt Cdr T S Brodie) runs aground some ten miles in, under Kephaz Point. Fired on and disabled, Cdr Brodie and members of the crew are killed. Various attempts are now made to destroy E-15 (Scrapped in 1920). Submarine B-6, with Cdr Brodie's brother on board, tries to sink her by torpedo, but misses. Later, during the night, destroyers Grampus and Scorpion, and torpedoed by picket-boats of H.M. ships Triumph and Majestic.

21/4 1915

German large torpedoboat S 21 sunk in collision on the North Sea with the German cruiser HAMBURG, killing 36 crew..

23/4 1915

The Finnish steamer  FRÅCK sunk by German submarine U-26.

26/4 1915

German submarine UB-16 torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by the British submarine E 34.

27/4 1915 French armoured cruiser LEON GAMBETTA (1905, 12,000t, 4-19.4cm & 16-16.47cm). Units of the French fleet continue to blockade the Austrians in the Adriatic, but now under threat from Austrian and reported German U-boats. On the night of the 26th/27th while on patrol off the Straits of Otranto, unescorted Leon Gambetta is hit by two 18in torpedoes fired by Austrian U-5. She sinks rapidly, taking down with her over 600 men.
28/4 1915

American vessel Cushing sunk by a German aeroplane.

30/4 1915

The Royal Australian Navy submarine the E-class AE 2 was built by Vickers, and completed in 1913. In 1915, she was sent to the Eastern Mediterranean, to participate in the Dardanelles Campaign. Under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Henry Stoker RN she was sent into the Sea of Marmora in April 1915. She would be the first submarine in any of the British Commonwealth/Empire Navies to transit the Dardanelles. Attacked by Turkish  torpedo boat SULTAN HISSAR she was scuttled by her crew to avoid capture at pos. 40°31'30"N/27°18'E Sea of Marmara, north of Kara Burnu.

1/5 1915

American steam tanker Gulflight torpedoed by German submarine U-30, 20 miles west of Scilly Islands; towed in; 3 killed. (Texas Oil Company; 5,189 grt)

British destroyer HMS RECRUIT, southern North Sea, near Galloper Light Vessel off the Thames Estuary, SE England - torpedoed, probably by German U-6 or UB-6. Recruit and sister-ship Brazen were on patrol off Galloper when Recruit was torpedoed by U-6 of the newly formed Flanders Flotilla based at Zeebrugge, Belgium. She was cut in two and sank around 11.20hrs. Brazen attacked the U-boat without success. Some 35 men were lost, but a Dutch steamship saved four officers and twenty two ratings. Sources vary on the identity of the attacker and include U-6, U-66, UB-6 and UB-16. Only U-6 and UB-6 were in commission by this date

French submarine JOULE (Q 84) sunk by Turkish mines at Turkish waters, in the Dardanelles Narrows.  On the 25th April, the first Allied submarine, Australian AE 2, broke through to the Sea of Marmara although she only survived until the 30th. Next day, and following the loss of Saphir in mid January, Joule was the next French boat to try and fail. She attempted to negotiate the ten lines of mines guarding the final few miles to Chanak, but detonated one or more and was lost with all hands.

German Torpedo Boats A2 & A6, sunk by the British destroyers Laforey, Lawford, Leonidas and Lark after they had sunk a British trawler in the North Sea.

2/5 1915

The Norwegian steamship America was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the North Sea. (A/S Norge Mexico Gulf Linjen; 1914; Sorlandets Skibsbyggeri; 3,706 tons; 357,5 x 48 x 27,2; 310 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

3/5 1915

Gotaverken AB launch the Swedish battleship SVERIGE.

5/5 1915

The Dalles-Celilo Canal on Columbia River opens to traffic

Danish steamer CATHAY, 4076 t., mined or torpedoed 4 miles ENE of N Goodwin LV, Probably it must have been a English mine layed 9-2-1915. It was a minefield of 600 mines in the direction of WNW-ESE about 4 NM N off Goodwin N LV. The English layed more than 4000 mines between Margate and Dunqirke in February, 1915. (ex: Kitai, ex: Cathay; A/S Det Östasiatiske Kompagni, Copenhagen; build 1898.07 by Ramage & Ferguson Ltd., Leith; 4.076 grt, 2.596 nrt; 369.3 x 46.8 x 18.5 ft; T.3-cyl. 327 nhp build by the yard).

7/5 1915

British ocean liner LUSITANIA is torpedoed without warning by the German submarine U-20 off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain. (Cunard S.S. Co. Ltd.Liverpool; build 1907.08. by J. Brown & Co. Ltd., Glasgow; 31.550 grt, 9.145 nrt; 762.2 x 87.8 x 56.6 ft; 4 steam turbines build by the yard).

The British destroyer MAORI, mined at southern North Sea, off the Wielingen Light Vessel, near Zeebrugge, Belgium. Maori (Cdr B W Barron) and sister-ship Crusader were spotting for German batteries near Dunkirk, when Maori was mined and started sinking. Her crew abandoned ship and Crusader lowered her boats to go to the rescue. The German shore battery fire was so hot, Cusader was forced further off shore and after an hour and a half, had to leave the scene, leaving at least some of her boats behind. Maori’s 95 officers and crew and some of Crusader’s boats crew were captured by the Germans and taken to Zeebrugge as pow’s.

8/5 1915

German torpedo boat V-107 (ex-Dutch small destroyer, 1915, 340t, 2-8.8cm, 2-45cm tt). As the Germans take Libau, V-107 has her bow blown off by a mine in the harbour entrance (56-33N, 20-58E), and becomes a total loss. Libau becomes an important base for the German Baltic Fleet.

10/5 1915

German battlecruiser Goeben meets heavy units of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including pre-dreadnought Evstafi, on a raid off the Turkish coast. She is damaged by two 30.5cm (12in) shells to the east of the Bosphorus.

12/5 1915

The British battleship GOLIATH torpedoed by Turkish destroyer MAUVENET of Mouvanets-i-Millet type in the Dardanelles. Goliath sank with the loss of 570 crew.

15/5 1915

Italian steamer ASTREA sunk off Taranto. (ex: Gundulic, ex: Renfrew; D. & E. Fratelli Bozzo, Genoa; build 1880 by Palmers Co. Ltd., Newcastle; 2.123 grt, 1.299 nrt; 286.0 x 37.3 x 23.1 ft; C.2-cyl. 235 nhp build by the yard).

Turkish merchant steamer YECHIL IRMAK sunk at Eregli by the Russian battleship EVSTAFII.

18/5 1915

German large torpedoboat V 150 sunk in a collision with torpedoboat V 157 off Jade.

British steamer DRUMCREE; 4.052 Grt, Built 1905. Torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 11 miles N. by E. from Trevose Head by the German submarine U 27 whilst on a voyage from Barry to Port Arthur, Texas in ballast.

23/5 1915

Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary.

25/5 1915

The British battleship TRIUMPH torpedoed by German submarine U-21 off Gallipoli Peninsula. 3 officers and 75 ratings were lost.

American steamship Nebraskan torpedoed by German submarine 40 miles south by west of Southcliffe, off southwest; salvaged; no casualties. (American-Hawaiian S.S. Co, New York; build 1902.07. by New York S.B. Co., Camden, N.J.;4.409 grt, 2.824 nrt; 360.0 x 46.2 x 24.6 ft; T.6-cyl. 465 nhp build by the yard).

26/5 1915

Swedish wooden barque M. ROOSVAL. M.Roosval inlastade i Oskarshamn 147 std. sågade och kantade bräder samt plank för  Sunderland och avseglade tisdagen den 11 maj 1915, väl bemannat och i fullt sjövärdigt  skick. Under växlande väder förlöpte resan lyckligt till onsdagen den 26 maj. Kl. 4.30 em. nämnda dag befann sig fartyget på lat. N 56° 31', long. O 2° 14'  då på styrbords sida förnummos två kraftiga stötar, »liknande ett fartygs  häftiga grundstötning mot hårt  föremål«,  omedelbart följda av en våldsam explosion, som fullständigt fläkte upp  fartygssidan och däcket midskepps samt kastade delar av däckslasten i sjön. Både stormast och mesanmast gingo överbord, och 2 man av besättningen, vilka uppehöllo sig vid stormasten, dödades ögonblickligen. De begrovos fullständigt under  vrakspillrorna, och som vid tillfället rådde hög sjö, visade det sig trots upprepade försök  omöjligt att bärga liken. M. Roosval var fullständigt vrak men höll sig fortfarande flytande. De kvarlevande av besättningen samlades förut, där fartyget i det stora hela var oskadat - fockmasten stod exempelvis ännu kvar. Livbåtarna gjordes klara, och nödflagg hissades i bramriggen. Omkring kl. 9.30 på aftonen observerades en ångares topplantärna, och genom ideligt blossande lyckades de skeppsbrutna draga ångarens uppmärksamhet till vraket varefter  den satte kurs på detsamma. Fartygets båtar sattes då i sjön, och medtagande det viktigaste av  sina tillhörigheter rodde de skeppsbrutna ångaren till mötes. Denna  befanns vara trålaren Tres Fratres från Ymuiden, på väg till Island. De skeppsbrutna  togos ombord varefter trålaren fortsatte resan, lämnande vraket åt sitt öde. M. Roosvals besättning blev på bästa sätt omhuldad av såväl befäl som besättning på  trålaren och landsattes den 28 maj i Bergen. - Enligt befälhavaren på M.Roosval  åsikt hade explosionen förorsakats av en torped. Omkomna: 2 män. (byggt 1874 av trä, 309/281. (Off.no: 412) Huvudredare: Hugo Wijkström, Oskarshamn; Off.no: 412).

27/5 1915

British steamer AGUILA. Captured and torpedoed by the German U-boat U-28, 47 miles south-west of the Smalls Lighthouse while on a voyage Liverpool to Las Palmas with general cargo. 8 lost. (Yeoward Brothers, Liverpool, 2.114 grt, build 1909)

At approximately 11:15 the British minelayer Princess Irene was anchored off Port Victoria Pier in Salt Pan Reach, near Grain, when she suddenly suffered an internal explosion. Eye witnesses stated the flames rose as much as 2 miles high before settling into a dense cloud of white smoke. The water was thick with oil and wreckage.

The British battleship MAJESTIC torpedoed off Gallipoli Peninsula (Cape Helles) by the German submarine U-21.

British merchant ship ARGYLLSHIRE missed by two torpedoes from a submarine of Le Havre. (Scottish Shire Line Ltd. (Turnbull, Martin and Co Ltd., managers), Glasgow; build 1911.06 by J. Brown & Co.Ltd., Glasgow; 10.392 grt, 6.610 nrt; 526.2 x 61.4 x 33.3 ft; Q.8-cyl. 1.264 nhp build by the yard)

British steamer CADEBY captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 20 miles S.W. by S. from Wolf Rock, 8 miles S.W. of Land's End by the German submarine U-41 whilst on a voyage from Oporto to Cardiff with a cargo of pitwood. (Blackwater, A. F. & J. C., Glasgow, Cadeby S.S. Co. Ltd., 1.130 grt/1892).

29/5 1915

German torpedoboat T 47 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea.

German torpedoboat T 51 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea.

?/6 1915

German auxiliary minelayers Meteor laid 285 mines at the entrance to the White sea.

 
1/6 1915

AB Vulcan, Turku, Finland laid down a 620 grt general cargo & passengersteamer ordered by Captain M. Gronroos.

British destroyer MOHAWK struck a mine and sunk about 6 miles off Dover, refloated and repaired.

3/6 1915

British steamer IONA captured and torpedoed in the North Sea 22 miles S.S.E. from Fair Isle in position 59.13N 01.12W by the German submarine U-19 whilst on a voyage from Tees to Montreal with general cargo. (Cairns, Noble & Co. Ltd., Newcastle Upon Tyne, Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd., 3.344 grt/1892).

French minelayer CASABIANCA (1895, 970t, 100 mines). The Allies now attempt to close the Gulf of Smyrna with minefields. During the operations, the old torpedo cruiser Casabianca, converted to a minelayer, blows up and sinks on one of her own mines.

4/6 1915

Russian minelayer YENISEI (II) (or Enisej, 1910, 2,900t, 320 mines). Russian minelaying operations are not without their losses. German U-26 (sank armour cruiser Pallada in October 1914) torpedoes and sinks Yenisei off the Gulf of Finland to the west of Revel (Tallinn) as she makes her way to Moon Sound.

5/6 1915

Two British submarines continue offensive patrols, E-9 (Horton) torpedoes and sinks a German collier and badly damages destroyer S 148, to the west of Windau.

German submarine U-14 rammed and sunk by the British trawler HAWK in the North Sea.

7/6 1915

Belgian steamer MENAPIER torpedoed and sunk in pos. 51,28,05 N-01,35,15 E (2 m off Tongue L/V) by UB-10 when on voyage Algiers-Middlesbrought with iron ore. Capt. De Brock was lost with his ship. (1886 grt/1908, built by Short Bros Ltd, Sunderland and owned by Antwerpsche Zeevaartmij (SA de Commerce & de Navigation mgrs), Antwerp Belgium)

8/6 1915

The Canadian freighter A. W. PERRY was wrecked at Chebucto Head while on a voyage from Boston to Halifax with a general cargo. (Geo. Hall Corporation; 1913; Detroit S.B. Co.; 1,899 tons; 244 x 43 x 21.8; 146 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines. Canada Atlantic & Plant S.S. Co.; 1897; Workman, Clark & Co.; 1,601 tons; 255 x 34 x 22; 291 n.h.p., triple-expansion engines.)

British steamer STRATHCARRON torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel 60 miles W. from Lundy Island in position 51.50N 06.10W by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Barry with a cargo of coal. (Burrell & Son. Glasgow, 4.347 grt/1912).

9/6 1915

British light cruiser Dublin. Taking part in a sweep off the Albanian coast, and escorted by French and Italian destroyers, Dublin is hit and damaged by a torpedo from Austrian submarine U-4. Soon working up to 17 knots, Dublin gets back to Brindisi but is out of action for several months.

10/6 1915

The British torpedoboats No.10 and No.12 torpedoed in the North Sea by an unknown German submarine. [Another source says; The British torpedo boats 10 and 12 (aka Greenfly and Moth) were sunk on mines laid by UC-11 between Sunk LV and Shipwash S Buoy.]

Italian submarine MEDUSA (1912, 250/305t, 2-45cm tt). the German-crewed UB-15 commanded by Lt Heimburg, sinks Medusa in the northern Adriatic off Venice at ca. 45°34'N, 12°41'E. (As German submarines are transferred to the Austrian Navy, and also prepare to operate in the Mediterranean under the Austrian flag, they score their first successes in the Adriatic. After completion at Pola and shortly before being handed over to the Austrians as U-11.)

11/6 1915

British steamer ARNDALE mined and sunk at pos 67N, 41.32E from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (T.Smailes & Sons S.S. Co. Ltd., Whitby; build 1906.04 by R. Thompson & Sons, Sunderland; 3.583 grt, 2.240 nrt; 340.0 x 48.5 x 23.2 ft; T.3-cyl. 321 nhp build by N. E. Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., Sunderland)

British torpedo boats No.10 & 12 lost by gunfire in the North Sea.

13/6 1915 British HMS PATIA torpedoed in Bristol Channel.
14/6 1915

Norwegian steamer DAVANGER  was sunk by German sub U-33 in pos. 5820N 00810W. The crew landed at Flannan L/H. The crew were picked up by a patrol vessel called JOLAIRE. (Owner: A/S Davanger (H. Westfal-Larsen), Bergen. Year of building and shipyard: 10.1888 by J.C.Blumer & Co., Sunderland (b.no. 90)  Former name "CEYLON"-15. Owner:Harloff & Rødseth, Bergen.)

Greek steamer VIRGINIA mined off Cape Salvore. (A. Fokias, Piraeus; build 1874.11. by M. Pearse & Co., Stockton; 1.159 grt, 703 nrt; 235.0 x 31.1 x 17.5 ft; T.3-cyl. 124 nhp build by Blair & Co., Stockton)

15/6 1915

Swedish steamer VERDANDI, 947 grt, captured at pos. 57 47 N, 08 40E by the German auxiliary cruiser Meteor and was then sunk by explosives and 20 shells. The crew was picked up by Meteor and was the following morning taken over to a German torpedobot at Drogden light ship and transported to a Swedish fishingvessel outside Limhamn. (Rederi AB Commercial (E. Johnsson), Höganäs; build 1893 by Nylands Verksted, Christiania; 950 grt, 670 nrt; 196.0 x 30.3 x 12.1 ft; T.3-cul. 79 nhp build by the yard).

British steamer STRATHNAIRN torpedoed and sunk in St. George's Channel 25 miles N. by E. from Bishop and Clerks, 2 miles W. of Ramsey Island by the German submarine U-22 whilst on a voyage from Penarth to Archangel with a cargo of coal. 21 lost including Master. (Burrell & Son. Glasgow, 4.336 grt/1906).

16/6 1915

Norwegian steamer GRANIT captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Meteor 15 miles S of Christiansand and sunk. (A/S Granit (H. Nielsen, Porsgrund; build 1899 by S. McKnight & Co. Ltd., Ayr; 662 grt, 249 nrt; 180.0 x 30.2 x 10.1 ft; T.3-cyl. Build by McKie & Baxter, Glasgow).

17/6 1915

Russian motorship NICOLAI mined and sunk at the entrance to White Sea, from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (P. Belaieff´s Successors, Sankt Petersburg; build 1912 by Sandvikens M.V., Helsinki; 154 grt, 83 nrt; 95.1 x 21.0 x 10.1 ft).

20/6 1915

British steamer TWILIGHT mined and damaged in the entrance to White Sea from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (J. Wood & Co., West Hartlepool; build 1905.10. by W. Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool; 3.100 grt, 1.994 nrt; 331.0 x 47.5 x 22.3 ft; T.3-cyl. 283 nhp build by Cen. Mar. Eng. Works, W. Hartlepool).

23/6 1915

German submarine U-40 torpedoed and sunk off Aberdeen by the British submarine C24.

26/6 1915

British steamer DRUMLOIST mined and sunk in the entrance to White Sea from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (W. Christie & Co. Ltd., London; build 1905.09 by W. Gray & Co. Ltd., W. Hartlepool; 3.118 grt, 1.989 nrt; 335.0 x 49.9 x 21.1 ft; T.3-cyl. 307 nhp build by Cen. Mar. Eng. Works., W. Hartlepool).

27/6 1915

Danish 3 mast schooner ELLEN BENZON  Burned up by German uboat in the northsea on voyage Helsingborg - Sunderland. (build 1914 in Waterhuizen) Bought from the Builders yard by Hans Petersen from Marstal on the island of Aerø as owner).

The submersible Russian mine-layer Crab, commanded by Senior-Lieutenant Lev Fenshow, planted 58 mines off the Bosporus.

Italian Torpedo Boat 5 PN, torpedoed by the German submarine UB1 in the Gulf of Venice.  At the time UB1 was disguised as the Austrian U10 as Germany and Italy were not at war at the time.
30/6 1915

British destroyer LIGHTNING. One of the old destroyers on patrol for German minelayers and raids, Lightning (Lt Cavendish) sank in a minefield laid by one of the new UC-type coastal minelayers at southern North Sea, off the Thames Estuary, SE England near the Kentish Knock lightship. One source gives the date of loss as the 9th August 1915. Another gives the location as 51-04’N, 01-19’E, too far south to match the Kentish Knock location

2/7 1915

The German minelayer Albatross was very active in the first few weeks of the First World War when she laid minefields off the Tyne. She proved a most useful vessel to the Germans in operations both in the North Sea and the Baltic. On July 2nd, 1915, the ship formed one of a small squadron consisting of the armoured cruiser Roon, and the light cruisers Augsburg and Bremen. The ships were steaming through a dense fog off the island of Gotland in the Baltic when they suddenly fell in with a superior Russian squadron consisting of the cruisers Admiral Makharoff, Bayan, Bogatyr and Oleg. There was a brief engagement which, owing to the fog, did not produce any great results for the Russians. They did, however, cut off the Albatross from her consorts and drove her ashore badly damaged near the little village of Östergarn. She received 25 hits in her hull, her foremast was shot away and both funnels riddled. Her casualties amounted to 27 killed and 33 wounded out of a complement of 189. The island of Gotland, being Swedish territory, the crew were taken off and interned. A statement by the Germans that the Russians continued to fire after the ship had surrendered may be true as the density of the fog and the damage to the Albatross's wireless made the reception of signals difficult. The Swedish government protested to Russia and received a satisfactory explana­tion in return. (German Navy, minelayer; 1907; Weser, Brevten; 2,165 tons; 262 x 39,5 x 16,5; 5,500 i.h.p.; 21 knots; triple-expansion engines; eight 3-5 in. guns, 400 mines.)

German submarine UC-2 rammed and sunk off Yarmouth by steamer COTTINGHAM.

Belgian steamer BODUOGNAT torpedoed and sunk in pos. 49,20 N-05,54 W (S. of Lizard Point) by U-39 on voyage Bayonne-Barry Docks with pit props. (1460 grt/1909 built by W. Pickersgill & Sons, Sunderland and owned by Antwerpsche Zeevaartmij (SA de Commerce & de Navigation mgrs), Antwerp Belgium)

Italian Torpedo Boat 17 OS, mined off the Istrian coast by one of her own mines whilst laying a minefield.

6/7 1915

Norwegian steamer Peik sunk by German submarine U-3 in the North Sea (another source said 5/7 1915) (And. Jacobsen, Christiania; build 1896 by Nylands Verksted, Christiania; 1.168 grt, 753 nrt; 221.1 x 33.7 x 12.3 ft; T.3-cyl. 106 nhp build by the yard).

British steamer AFRICAN MONARCH mined and sunk 1.5 miles E of Toryaneff  Island. and 9 miles S of C. Orloff  from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (Monarch S.S. Co. Ltd. (Raeburn & Verel Ltd.); build 1898 by C. S. Swan & Hunter Ltd., Newcastle; 4.003 grt, 2.593 nrt; 376.7 x 48.0 x 26.3 ft; T.3-cyl. 330 nhp build by Wallsend Slipway Co. Ltd., Newcastle).

Norwegian steamer LYSAKER mined and sunk at pos. 67N, 41.30E from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (ex: Bardistan; A/S Hekla (Mail & Holby), Christiania; build 1899.03. by W. Gray & Co. Ltd., W. Hartlepool; 2.013 grt, 1.279 nrt; 275.0 x 41.6 x 17.7 ft; T.3-cyl 206 nhp build by Cen. Mar. Eng. Works, W. Hartlepool).

7/7 1915

The Italian battleship Amalfi has been described in various quarters as an armoured cruiser, a battle cruiser and a battleship. Probably the best definition is that of a lightly armed, lightly armoured second class battleship of the pre-dreadnought era. On July 7th, 1915, the ship was returning to Venice after a bombard­ment of the Austrian coastal defences near Trieste, under escort of two light cruisers and several destroyers. At dawn, when about 15 miles from Venice, the ship was attacked by the Austrian submarine, the UB-15. Only one torpedo was fired and this struck the Amalfi a mortal blow, and in a very short time she sank with about 150 of her complement of 550. The remaining 400 were taken off by the escorting vessels. One remarkable incident which is probably unique in maritime annals occurred in this disaster. The engineer-commander of the Amalfi when swimming close to the sinking ship was drawn under and his arm severed by one of the screws. He came to the surface and was assisted by the ship's surgeon who was swimming nearby. The surgeon managed to make a tourniquet of his belt and affixed i it to the wounded man's arm while still in the water. Later both were picked up by a boat from one of the other ships. The UB-15 was a small-type submarine with a crew of 14, and had been sent overland in sections to Pola. UB-15 pretending to be the Austrian U26 in the Adriatic.

9/7 1915 Norwegian steamer Nordaas (1.110 grt). Built 1914 at Moss by Moss Vaerft. Owned F. Walter, Bergen. No previous names. Captured, shelled and sunk by U-25 30 miles east of Aberdeen w.o.p. Blyth to Petschora with coal.
11/7 1915

Turkish merchant steamer ZAFFER (332 grt) capzised and sunk at Haidar Pacha.

German Light Cruiser Königsberg, sunk in East Africa by British monitors.

14/7 1915

Finnish steamer URANIA mined and sunk S of Sviatoi Nos from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. (Finska Ångf. AB (L. Krogius); build 1897 by Sunderland S.B. Co (Ltd), Sunderland; 1.934 grt, 746 nrt; 281.5 x 37.0 x 25.7 ft; T.3-cyl. 377 nhp, build by N. E. Mar. Co., Newcastle).

18/7 1915

Italian cruiser GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI (1901, 8,100t, 1-25.4cm & 2-20.3cm). and her cruiser division are off the southern Dalmatian coast, bombarding the railway line between Ragusa and Cattaro. She is hit by one or two torpedoes and sinks off Gravosa, victim of the Austrian U-4, which damaged Dublin in June.

20/7 1915

British steamer Rhiannon, 137 grt, sunk by German submarine U-3.

German submarine U-23 Torpedoed and sunk off Fair Isle by the British submarine C27.

21/7 1915 British steam guardship Briton sunk by German submarine U-3. (Standard Fishing Co. Of Aberdeen Ltd., Aberdeen; build 1906.10 by Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen; 196 grt, 61 nrt; 110.5 x 21.9 x 11.7 ft; T.3-cyl 68 nhp build by the yard).
24/7 1915

Early on the morning of Saturday, July 24, 1915, with a light rain falling and the air filled with much anticipation and excitement, thousands were gathering along the Chicago River for Western Electric’s fifth annual employee picnic.  In fact, over 7,000 tickets had been purchased. The passenger steamer Eastland, known as the "speed queen of the Great Lakes," was part of a fleet of five excursion boats assigned to take Western Electric employees, their families and friends across Lake Michigan to Michigan City, Indiana, for the day’s festivities. But the Eastland, docked at the Clark Street Bridge, never left the Chicago River.  It instead rolled into the river at the wharf’s edge with over 2,500 passengers, including crew members, on board.  Over 800 people lost their lives, including 22 entire families.

German submarine U-36 sunk off Hebrides by the British Q ship PRINCE CHARLES.

25/7 1915

American steamship Leelenaw fired on, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine off the north coast of Scotland about 60 miles northwest of the Orkney Islands; no casualties. (Leelenaw S.S. Co., San Francisco; build 1886 by Palmers Co. Ltd., Newcastle; 1.924 grt, 1.377 nrt; 280.5 x 36.2 x 23.0 ft; T.3-cyl. 225 nhp. Build by the yard).

26/7 1915

British steamer MADURA, 4.484 grt, mined and damaged 2.5 miles E-N3/4 N of Danilov Island from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR.

French submarine MARIOTTE (Q 74) damaged by accidental grounding; gunned by Turkish shore batteries and scuttled by her officers, Dardanelles Narrows, off Chanak (Canakkale).

German large torpedoboat V188 torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by British submarine E-15. [Also reported as V138]

28/7 1915

TRONDHJEMSFJORD, ex. COTSVOLD RANGE, sunk in the North sea. (7500 dwt, buildt 1912 in Sunderland, taken over by owner Den Norske Amerikalinje in 1914).

29/7 1915

Norwegian barque CIMBA grounded at the entrance to St. Lawrens River at Pointes des Monts, totaly wrecked.

Belgian steamer PRINCESSE MARIE JOSE  torpedoed and sunk 1,5 m from Shipwash L/V by UB-4. (1954 grt/1909, owned by Cie Dens "Ocean", Antwerp, Beelgium)

30/7 1915

Belgian steamer PRINCE ALBERT sunk by mine laid by UC-1 in pos. 52.00 N-01,41 E, Shipwash L/V. (1810 grt/1904, owned by Cie Dens "Ocean", Antwerp, Belgium)

1/8 1915

British fishing vessel LARK, sunk off Lowestoft.

Belgian steamer KOOPHANDEL torpedoed and sunk in pos. 48°41'N-08°25'W by U-28 on voyage Swansea-Savona with coal. (1736 grt/1911, built by Irvine's Shipb. & D.D. C° Ltd, West Hartlepool and owned by Scheepvaart Mij Gylsen (SA de Commerce & de Navigation mgrs), Antwerp, Belgium)

British fishing vessel ALERT, 59 t., sunk by UB 10 NE of Cross Sand Lightvessel, NE off Great Yarmouth.

4/8 1915 Pass of Balhamas, motor vessel, (1,571 grt), voluntarily surrendered by the master to a German submarine in the North Sea; converted into raider Seeadler; wrecked August 2, 1917; no casualties.

British steamer MIDLAND QUEEN captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 70 miles S.W. by W. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U-28 whilst on a voyage from Sydney, (CB) to Newport, Mon. with a cargo of steel goods. (Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal, Richelieu & Ontario Division, 1.993 grt/1901).

5/8 1915

Italian submarine NEREIDE (1913, 220t, 2-45cm tt). The Italians occupied the Austrian island of Pelagosa in the central Adriatic in July, and later the same month, the Austrians made an unsuccessful attempt to recapture it. The Italian Nereide is laying offshore in support of the garrison. Surfaced, she is torpedoed and sunk by the Austrian Lt von Trapp's U-5 at pos. 42°23'17"/16°15'45"E. Raised in 1972 by Yugoslav salvage firm BRODOSPAS.

8/8 1915

Turkish pre-dreadnought HAYREDDIN BARBAROSSA (1893, 10,000t, 6-28cm). Returning to the Sea of Marmara for the second time, British submarine E-11 (Lt-Cdr Naismith VC) accounts for numerous vessels including a gunboat during the month. Then on the 8th, off Bulair on the Gallipoli Peninsula, he torpedoes and sinks the ex-German pre-dreadnought "Hayreddin Barbarossa" on its way to support the Turkish land defences.

British steamer BENARTHUR, 2029 grt, mined and sunk abt 8 miles S of C. Orloff from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR.

HMS armed boarding ship RAMSEY, 1.443 grt, sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Meteor with shelling and a torpedo in the North Sea.

Norwegian sailing vessel JASON, 189 grt, was sunk by the German auxiliary cruiser Meteor at pos. 57 26N, 02 48E.

British auxiliary cruiser LYDIA torpedoed off Norway.

German torpedoboat T 52 & T 58 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea, whilst trying to sweep a Russian minefield as part of a German attempt to penetrate the Bay of Riga..

British Steamer GLENRAVEL captured and sunk with bombs in the North Sea 25 miles N. from Kinnard Head, N. of Fraserburgh by the German submarine U-17 whilst on a voyage from Belfast to Leith with general cargo. (Antrim Iron Ore Co. Ltd., Belfast, 1.092 grt/1906).

9/8 1915

British destroyer LYNX sunk in northern North Sea off the Moray Firth, Scotland - German mine laid by raider Meteor. Lynx was serving at the time with 4th DF, Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow. Many of the crew of approximately 70 men were lost including the CO; four officers and 22 men were saved.

A British submarine sank the Turkish battleship BARBAROSSA.

British destroyer HMS LIGHTNING was mined off the East Coast of England.

German auxiliary minelayers METEOR scuttled to avoid capture by the British light cruiser squadron, 50 miles N.W. of Horns Reef. (METEOR was ex: VIENNA (British), taken over by Germany in German port at outbreak of war).

10/8 1915

German large torpedoboat S 31 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea off Riga.

Turkish merchant steamer ZONGULDAK (1884 grt) sunk at Kefken by the Russian submarine TJULEN.

12/8 1915

Austrian-Hungarian submarine U-12 (1911, 240t, 2-45cm tt). while trying to intrude in Venice harbour intercepted by Italian gun boat Brondolo and lured into mine field ca 42° 12'N / 18° 57E, Venice lagoon, near Punta Sabbioni; raised by the Italians; scrapped.

British HMS ORACLE rammed German submarine U44 off Norway.

Flight Commander Edmonds of the Royal Naval Air Service conducted the first ever successful aerial torpedo attack. Flying a Short 184 seaplane from HMS Ben-My-Chree off the Dardanelles, he sank a Turkish supply ship in the Sea of Marmara

13/8 1915

British steamer ROYAL EDWARD ex Cairo, torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea 6 miles W. from Kandeliusa in position 36.31N 25.51E by the German submarine UB-14 whilst on a voyage from Avonmouth and Alexandria to Mudros with a cargo of Government stores. 132 lost including Master. Lost whilst on Government service employed as a troopship. (11,117 gross ton ship, length 526.1ft x beam 60.2ft, two funnels, two masts, three screws, steam turbine engines, speed 19 knots, accommodation for 344-1st, 210-2nd and 560-3rd class passengers. Built by Fairfield & Co, Glasgow, she was launched in Jul.1907 as the CAIRO for the short lived, British owned Egyptian Mail Line. Sold to the Canadian Northern S.S.Co in 1910, she was renamed ROYAL EDWARD and from May 1910 to Sep.1914 was used on the Avonmouth - Quebec / Montreal route in summer and Halifax in winter. Taken over as a troopship in 1914)

Austrian-Hungarian submarine U-3 (1909, 240t, 2-45cm tt). Far to the south, but still on the 12th, U-3 attacks and misses the Italian armed merchant cruiser Città di Catania on patrol in the Straits of Otranto. The AMC attempts to ram, but apparently unsuccessfully, and Allied destroyers are sent out. Next morning on the 13th, U-3 is sighted and sunk by the gunfire of the French Bisson NE of Brindisi at pos. 41°N/18°15'E.

14/8 1915

British trawler BONA FIDE, 59t., sunk 35 miles ENE of Lowestoft by German submarine UB4.

15/8 1915

Russian minelayer LADOGA (ex-old armour cruiser Minin, 1878, 6,100t, c900 mines) is lost on mines laid by German UC-4 off the Aaland island of Oro in the northern Baltic.

German submarine UB-4 sunk by British armed trawler INVERLYON off Yarmouth in the North Sea.

16/8 1915

German torpedoboat T.46 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea whilst taking part in an attempt to penetrate the Bay of Riga..

17/8 1915

British steamer Glenby. Captured and sunk by gunfire in the St. George’s Channel 23 miles W. by S. from Bardsey Island by the German submarine U-38 whilst on a voyage from Barry with a cargo of coal. The Germans then machine gunned the survivors in the life boats, killing two and seriously wounding two others in an act of gross inhumanity. (Sir R. Ropner & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool, 2.196 grt, build 1900)

Italian submarine JALEA (1913, 250t, 2-45cm tt). Less than two weeks after the loss of Nereide, Jalea is lost on an Austrian mine in the upper Adriatic, in the Gulf of Trieste at pos. 45°38'N/13°31'E.

Following his torpedo success on 12 August, Commander Edmonds sank a second Turkish ship. Flight Lieutenant Dacre also sank a Turkish vessel with a torpedo, albeit by the unorthodox means of taxiing on the water whilst experiencing engine problems.

German DestroyerV99 whilst taking part in an attempt to penetrate the Bay of Riga V99 was damaged by the Russian destroyer Novik and whilst trying to escape hit two floating mines.

19/8 1915

In the Baltic west of Dago, covering German battlecruiser Moltke is torpedoed in the bow and slightly damaged by British submarine E-1 (Lt-Cdr Laurence) in her first success with the Baltic flotilla.

Russian gunboat SIVUCH was sunk by the German dreadnought POSEN in the Gulf of Riga, the Russian gunboat KORIETZ managed to escape but run aground and was blown up by her crew.

British submarine E-13 (1915, 670t, 5tt, 1-12pdr). The Admiralty decide to reinforce the small Baltic flotilla with four more 'E'-class submarines. Sailing from the English East Coast port of Harwich on the 14th, E-8 gets through safely on the night of the 17th/18th, but E-13 runs aground on the neutral Danish island of Saltholm at the southern end of the Sound late on the 18th. Next morning, two German torpedo boats appear, including the G-132, and in spite of Danish Navy attempts to shield the submarine, open heavy fire. The disabled E-13 (Lt Cdr Layton) is interned and only returned to the Royal Navy at the end of the war. Cdr Layton escapes back to England.

The British liner Arabic was torpedoed and sunk 50 miles South by West 1/2 West, from the Old Head of Kinsale in pos. 50.50N, 08.23W by the German u-boat U-24 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to New York carrying passenger and general cargo including mails. 44 lost. (White Star Line, 15.801 grt, build 1903).

German submarine U-27 sunk off Scillies by British Q ship BARALONG.

German Destroyer S31 mined whilst taking part in an attempt to penetrate the Bay of Riga.

20/8 1915

Belgian steamer DAGHESTAN  20.8.15 torpedoed and sunk in pos. 48°35'N-06°23'W by U-38. (2218 grt/1898, owned by SA d'Armement, d'Industrie & de Commerce, Antwerp Belgium)  In Admiralty service 29.9.14-10.5.15.

British submarine E.13 wrecked on Dutch coast.

22/8 1915

British steamer PALMGROVE ex: RADLEY captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 46 miles W. by N.½N. from Bishop Rock, Scilly Isles in pos. 49.52N, 07.40W bu the German submarine U-38 whilst on a voyage from Clyde to Porto-Vecchio with a cargo of coal. (Alexander & Mair, Glasgow, 3.100 grt/1896).

23/8 1915

The armed trawler Miura was sunk at 00.45 hrs  off Corton, Norfolk, after a large explosion blew her stern off. The court of enquiry thought it most likely that she had been torpedoed; the survivors stated they saw the dark shape of a submarine shortly afterwards, and heard the sound of it's engines. The area was swept for mines afterwards and none found.

German torpedoboat A-15 sunk by gunfire off Belgian coast by French destroyers Oriflamme and Branlebas.

British steamer SILVIA captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 47 miles W. from the Fastnet Rock in position 51.70N 10.46W by the German submarine U-38 whilst on a voyage from Halifax, (NS) to Queenstown with a cargo of oil. (Bowring, C. T., London, Oil Tank S.S. Co. Ltd., 5.268 grt / 1913).

British submarine torpedoed German battle-cruiser MOLTKE in Baltic Sea.

31/8 1915

Norwegian steamer HELGA, 949 grt, mined and sunk 15 miles S of C. Orloff from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR.

3/9 1915

Oskarshamns Mek. Verkstads & Skeppsdockas AB sign a contract on buildingno: 260 a general cargo and passenger steamer of 1.377 grt. Ordered by Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, Stockholm.

4/9 1915 British steamer HESPERIAN torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 85 miles S.W. by S. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U-20 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to Montreal with general cargo. 32 lost. (Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd., Montreal,  Allan Line S.S. Co. Ltd., 10.920 grt/1908).

German U-26 (1914, 670t, 4-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm). Operating off the Gulf of Finland, and after presumably torpedoing a Russian transport to the NW of the island of Worms on the 30th August, U-26 disappears. Her previous victims included armour cruiser Pallada and minelayer Yenesei. She is believed to have been a victim of mines to the west of the larger island of Dago (c 59-40N, 23-50E) around the 4th September.

British steamer MIMOSA captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 137 miles S.W. by W. from the Fastnet Rock in position 49.40N 12.00W by the German submarine U-33 whilst on a voyage from New York to Belfast with a cargo of oil. (Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd., London, 3.466 grt/1905).

British steamer CYMBELINE captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 29 miles W. by S. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U-33 whilst on a voyage from Port Arthur, Texas to Dartmouth with a cargo of oil. 6 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, Bear Creek Oil & Shipping Co. Ltd., 4.505 grt/1902).

5/9 1915

British submarine E-7 (1914, 655t, 4tt, 1-12pdr). is lost to the Dardanelles defences. Heading from Mudros on the 4th for another patrol in the Sea of Marmara, E-7 (Lt Cdr Cochrane) is trapped in A/S nets at Nagara and shaken by exploding mines. Next day on the 5th and still enmeshed, the boat is reportedly damaged by charges lowered from a rowing boat by Lt Cdr Heimburg, commander of the recently-arrived German UB-14 and his cook! The British boat reaches the surface to be scuttled by Cdr Cochrane at pos. 40°13'N/26°25'E, Nagara Point; Dardanelles Narrows.

8/9 1915

German Destroyer G12 collided with V1 in the North Sea causing one of her torpedoes to explode and the loss of 47 crew.

British steamer MORA captured and sunk by gunfire in the Bay of Biscay 68 miles W. by S. from Belle Ile near Lorient in position 46.50N 04.40W by the German submarine U-20 whilst on a voyage from Santander to Newport, Mon. with a cargo of steel. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.047 grt/1899).

9/9 1915 British steamer CORNUBIA; 1.736 Grt, Built 1889. Captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 75 miles S.E. by S. from Cartagena in position 36.46N 00.15E by the German submarine U 39 whilst on a voyage from Alexandria and Cartagena to Clyde with a cargo of beans.
12/9 1915

Swedish Ore steamer NORRBOTTEN. departured Narvik with a cargo of 10.538 ton iron ore for Philadelphia. At 23 september the company recived the last call from the ship which then was at the Atlantic, 100 miles E. of Cape Race. After this date is Norrbotten not heard of anymore. There was 42 persons on board. (Rederi AB Luleå – Ofoten).

British steamer Ashmore struck a mine and sunk off the mouth of the River Thames 5 miles E.½E. from Kentish Knock Lightvessel laid by the German submarine U-3 whilst on a voyage from Rosario to Rotterdam with cargo of maize. 4 lost. (Adam S.S. Co. Ltd, London, 2.519 grt/1899).

15/9 1915

French submarine FOUCAULT (Q 70) bombed by Austrian-Hungarian. sea planes L 132 and L 135, off Cattaro.

German submarine U-6 torpedoed and sunk by the british submarine E16 off Norway.

16/9 1915

 British steamer AFRICA struck a mine and sunk in the Downs 1½ miles off Kingsdown, 2½ miles S. of Deal laid by the German submarine UC-6 whilst on a voyage from London to Boulogne with general cargo. 2 lost. (Bennett S.S. Co. Ltd., Goole, 1.038 grt/1903).

17/9 1915

German Ore steamer ENTRERIO stranded, broke in two and sank off Öregrund, Sweden. The crew, 37 men, saved.

French steamer RAVITAILLEUR (2.813 grt). Sunk by a submarine in the Mediterranean.

20/9 1915

British steamer HORDEN struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea ½ mile E. from Aldeburgh Napes Buoy laid by the German submarine UC-6 whilst on a voyage from London to Hartlepool in ballast. (Burnett & Co., Newcastle Upon Tyne, Burnett S.S. Co. Ltd., 1.434 grt/1906).

22/9 1915

Koningin Emma. Built for the Nederland Royal Mail Line, in 1913. She struck a mine a mile west of the Sunk Light Vessel in the Thames Estuary, while returning from Batavia to Rotterdam.

23/9 1915

Dutch steamer EEMDIJK, 6180 t., mined in North Sea en route to Copenhagen.

24/9 1915 German submarine U-41 sunk off Scillies by the British Q ship WYANDRA (ex: BARALONG).
27/9 1915

British steamer Caribbean while sailing for Scapa Flow, she foundered off Cape Wrath, Scotland in bad weather. The loss of life totalled 15. A tow by HMS Birkenhead was unsuccessful. (formerly the Dunottar Castle of the Union Castle Line, she was requisitioned for war service as a transport. A Royal Mail Line steamer of 5,800 grt)

American schooner VINCENT, 1,904 grt, sunk by mine near Cape Orloff, Russia;  from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR. 4 wounded.

Italian pre-dreadnought BENEDETTO BRIN (1905, 14,700t, 4-30.5cm). The Italian Navy suffers another major loss, but in mysterious circumstances. The Benedetto Brin explodes in Brindisi harbour and sinks with heavy loss of life, including the commander of the 3rd Battle Division. Austrian sabotage is later claimed to be the cause.

30/9 1915

French destroyer BRANLEBAS mined at southern North Sea, off Nieuport, West Flanders, Belgium. Serving with the North Sea flotillas. (The 1919 "Jane’s Fighting Ships" locates her loss further west off Dunkirk, France).

Norwegian sailing vessel LAURA, 171t., sunk in North Sea.

Leichardt. Government schooner, two-masted, 127 tons, 80 ft. Destroyed by fire while beached at Darwin for repairs.

?/10 1915

German ore steamer HERMIA stranded at Prestgrundet off Söderhamn, Sweden.

1/10 1915

The German Minelayer ALBATROSS  (see 2/7 1915) refloated and towed in to Oscarshamn by the Swedish Neptunbolagets salvagesteamer HERAKLES and interned in Oscarshamn, Sweden.

2/10 1915

A German naval guard ship was on Swedish territorial waters firing on a Swedish submarine and killed one man.

4/10 1915 A steamer named vosges sunk at Maricas beach, Brazil.
6/10 1915

British steamer BRIGHTON QUEEN struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel off Nieuport near Ostend laid by the German submarine UC-5. Lost whilst on Government service employed as a Minesweeper. (Campbell, P. and A. Ltd., Shoreham, 553 grt/1897).

7/10 1915

German torpedoboat T 43 mined and sunk in the North Sea with the loss of 3 crew.

8/10 1915

Austrian-Hungarian monitors Enns and Temes suffered leaks through artillery hits during the taking of Belgrade.

Belgian steamer APSCHERON torpedoed and sunk 24 m S. of Cape Chersones by UB-14. (1850 grt/1887, owned by SA d'Armement, d'Industrie & de Commerce, Antwerp Belgium) (30.12.14-8.10.15 Imperial Russian Navy auxiliary (Black Sea)

9/10 1915

British steamer APOLLO captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 63 miles S. from Gavdo Island, Crete in position 33.44N 24.40E by the German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Port Said with a cargo of coal and two lighters. (Brys & Glysen Ltd., London, Anglier S.S. Co. Ltd., 3.774 grt/1905).

14/10 1915 British steamer Salerno, (2071 grt), struck a mine and sunk in the mouth of the River Thames 2½ miles S. from Long Sand Lightvessel in pos.51.45N, 01.42E laid by the German submarine U-3 whilst on a voyage from Hull to Marseilles, Naples and Genoa with General cargo.
15/10 1915

German large torpedo boat T-100 (or S-100, 1901, 390t, 3tt) is lost in collision with the 2,900 grt railway ferry PREUSSEN off Sassnitz on the German coast (54-30N, 13-43E).

17/10 1915

British trawler JAVELIN, 205 grt, sunk by German submarine U-3.

18/10 1915

British steamer MADURA torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 23 miles W.S.W from Bishop Rock in pos.49.36N, 06.56W by the German submarine U-62 whilst on a voyage from Montreal to france with general cargo. 3 lost.

21/10 1915

British steamer CAPE ANTIBES, 2549 grt, mined and sunk at pos. 67 35N, 41 16E from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR.

German submarine UC-9 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

Belgian steamer ROI LEOPOLD wrecked on Macau Bank (Gironde) on voyage Hull - ­Bordeaux with coal. She was raised and repaired 1920. (2713 grt/1909, built by W. Dobson & C°, Newcastle (#162), owned by Cie Dens "Ocean", Antwerp, Belgium)

22/10 1915

HMS ARLANZA, 15044 grt, mined and damaged in White Sea from mines laid by the German auxiliary minelayer METEOR.

23/10 1915

German armoured cruiser PRINZ ADALBERT (1904, 9,700t, 4-21cm) sole sister ship of the Friedrich Carl lost on mines in November 1914, is also sunk in the Baltic. In July three months before, Prinz Adalbert was badly damaged by a torpedo from Lt Horton's E-9. On the 23rd October as the escorted cruiser sails into Libau on her first cruise, she is attacked by Lt Cdr Goodhart's E-8. Hit in a magazine by one torpedo, she explodes and sinks with the loss of 672 crew (56-33N, 20-28E). German heavy warships withdrew from the Baltic as the British flotilla continues to attack the Swedish iron ore trade.

British steamer MARQUETTE ex Bordicea, torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean Sea 36 miles from Salonica Bay by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Alexandria to Salonica with a cargo of Government stores and ammunition. 29 lost. (Atlantic Transport Co. Ltd., London, 7.057 grt/1898)

25/10 1915

British destroyer HMS VELOX, mined in the English Channel, 1.5miles E of Bembridge, Isle of Wight (50.41N, 01.02W). One of the Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla destroyers out on patrol when she struck a German contact mine off the Nab Light Vessel. Casualties are not known

British battleship TRIUMPH torpedoed off Gallipoli.
26/10 1915

The British armoured cruiser ARGYLL wrecked on East Scottish Coast on night of 26th to 27th Oct. 1915.

Monitor HMS Terror laid down.

30/10 1915

French submarine TURQUOISE (Q46) grounded on a shoal; damaged by Turkish gunfire, beached at Dardanelles Narrows. Captured by the Turkish, renamed MUSTECIP OMBASHI, but not commissioned.

31/10 1915

British destroyer LOUIS (1913, c1000t, 3-4in, 4tt) ran aground and wrecked at the Turkish Aegean coast, in Sulva Bay, Gallipoli. She was driven ashore in Sulva Bay by a fierce south-westerly gale which lasted for several days. Unable to get off because of the weather she became a total wreck. In some sources she was destroyed by Turkish shore batteries. In another the date is given as the 1st November 1915

?/11 1915

Norwegian steamer ADOUR stranded off Halmstad, Sweden.

1/11 1915

The British torpedoboat No.96 sunk in the Straits of Gibraltar from collision with the British mercantile cruiser TRINGA.

4/11 1915

German submarine UC-8 stranded at Terschelling, interned at Nieuwdiep and Alkmaar. Later transferred to Netherlands as M.1.

5/11 1915

Swedish barque DAGMAR, departured Glasgow for voyage to Gothenburg. After departure not heard of. Reason can have been severe storms in North Atlantic by that time north of Scotland during the month of November 1915 or that she hit a mine and sunk in North Sea. All crew (24) missed. (Rederi AB Magda (V. R. Olburs), Gothenburg, Sweden).

British submarine E-20 (1915, 670t, 5tt, 1-12pdr). With information gleaned from the captured French submarine Turquoise, the German UB-14 waits for and hits E-20 with a single torpedo in the Sea of Marmara. Only nine men including the C.O. are picked up after the British boat explodes. [Some sources credit the sinking to UB-15, which after assembly at Pola, had been temporarily commanded by Heimburg before transfer to the Austrian Navy. UB-15 stayed in the Adriatic.]

British steamer BURESK torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 30 miles N. by W. from Cape Bengut in position 37.23N 03.40E by the German submarine U-38 whilst on a voyage from Malta to Barry Roads in ballast. (Burdick & Cook, London, Buresk S.S. Co. Ltd. 3.673 grt/1914).

German Torpedo Boat S129 ran aground in the North Sea with no casualties.

6/11 1915

British steamer Alastair, 366 grt, struck a mine and sank 4 miles E of Southwold. The captain and 6 others were lost. (another source said “sunk by German submarine U-3). (Duncan & Leith; 1902; J. Duthie, Sons & Co.; 366 tons; 145, 2 x 24,3 x 11,3; 71 r.h.p ; triple-expansion engines).

British submarine E.30 sunk in Dardanelles.

British steamer CLAN MACALISTER, 4.835 Grt, Built 1903. Captured and torpedoed in the Mediterranean 120 miles S. by E. from Cape Martello in position 33.10N 25.50E by the German submarine U 35 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta with general cargo.

7/11 1915

German light cruiser UNDINE (1904, 2,700t, 10-10.5cm). On patrol in the western Baltic, E.19 (Lt Cdr Cromie) hits Undine with two torpedoes, sinking her south of the southern Swedish town of  Trelleborg (54.59N, 13.51E). 14 crew killed.

German torpedoboat A-3 lost without trace, on passage Kiel – Danzig.

8/11 1915

The Italian liner Ancona left Naples for New York at 11.45 p.m. on Saturday, November 6th, 1915, under command of Capt. Massardo. The liner called at Messina on Sunday and embarked 130 more passengers, leaving again at 5 p.m. with a total of 446 on board of whom 163 were crew. On Monday, November 8th, when the Ancona was off Cap Carbonara she was sighted by a submarine flying the Austrian flag which gave chase and fired about 100 rounds at the liner. Later, at about 1 p.m., the liner was torpedoed. The boats were then hurriedly launched, but as the Ancona was still steaming slowly they capsized as soon as they reached the water. The death-roll was very heavy. One hundred and ninety-four persons, of whom 11 were American citizens, lost their lives and the U.S. government at once demanded satisfaction from Austria. After some delay the Austrians admitted that their submarine commander exceeded his instructions, but stated in extenuation of his action that he believed the Ancona to have been a transport. The shelling was admitted, but it was contended that only 16 rounds, and not 100 as stated by the Italians, were fired. The loss of life owing to the capsizing of the boats was due, not to any Austrian action, but to a foolhardy attempt to launch them whilst the liner was under way. Several of the Ancona's boats were picked up by the French cruiser Platon, which put out from Bizerta in the hope of rendering assistance. A new light on the whole incident came later when it was dis­covered that the torpedoing was the work of the U-38, a German submarine flying the Austrian flag and commanded by Lt.Cdr. Max Valentiner, an exceptionally able, but very callous officer. At the time of the sinking Italy was not at war with Germany. (Italia Steamship Co.; 1908; Workman, Clark & Co.; 8,210 tons; 482,3 x 58,3 x 26,2; 1,221 n.h.p. ; 15 knots; triple­expansion engines.)

British steamer DEN OF CROMBIE captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 112 miles S. by W. from Cape Martello, Crete in position 33.10N 24.50E by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Bangkok to Lisbon and Oporto with general cargo. (Barrie, Charles & Sons, Dundee, 4.949 grt / 1907)

9/11 1915

The Swedish Ore steamer SKANDIA on a voyage Narvik - Rotterdam with a cargo of ore, sunk  at the Norwegian coast after a collision with the Norwegian steamer FREIKOLL. Of the crew of 35 men, 32 was saved. SKANDIA and her sistership SVARTÖN had during a storm, anchored at Storesund inside Haugsholmens lighthouse near Aalesund, when during the night the steamer FREIKOLL collided with her. (Rederi AB Luleå – Ofoten).

British destroyer MATCHLESS was mined off Harwich, the stern being blown off, but she was towed in by MURRAY.

11/11 1915

British steamer Rhineland, 1501 grt, struck a mine and sank 6½ mile S.E.½S. from Southwold laid by the German submarine UC-3. The crew of 20 killed. RHINELAND was on a voyage from Tees to Nantes with a cargo of steel bars.

17/11 1915

Norwegian steamer Ulriken, 2380 grt, struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea. [Another source said “ Sunk by German submarine U-3”].

The British auxiliary hospital ship Anglia, Capt. L. J. Manning, was crossing the Channel from France with a large number of wounded, when she was mined and sunk one mile E. of Folkstone Gate. The steamship was struck on the port side, forward of the bridge, the violence of the explosion blowing Capt. Manning from his position on the bridge to the deck below. Fortunately he remained in possession of his faculties and at once ordered out the boats, the first of which, with about 50 occupants, got away safely. After this the ship took a heavy list and within ten minutes she sank, taking with her four military officers, one nurse and 129 soldiers and crew. The total number of wounded on board was 13 officers and 372 other ranks, in addition to whom were the usual medical staff and crew. The disaster occurred about 12.30 p.m. and was observed by the collier Lusitania, 1,834 tons, London to Lisbon, which steamed to the Anglia's assistance and lowered two boats. These had scarcely left the side when the Lusitania herself struck a mine and began to sink, her boats therefore returned and took off the remainder of her company, there being no loss of life. Capt. Manning of the Anglia was among the survivors. The mines had been laid by the German submarine UC-5 (London & North Western Railway Co.; 1900; W. Denny &Bros.; 1,862 tons; 329 x 39,1 x 15,7; 424 n.h.p. ; 21 knots; triple­expansion engines.)

German Armoured Cruiser Prinz Adalbert sunk by torpedo by British submarine E8 in the Baltic with the loss of 672 crew.
18/11 1915

Helen Martin, schooner, gross 2,265 tons; sunk by mine in North Sea, 3 miles west-northwest of Cape Orloff, Russia; salvaged; 4 wounded.

23/11 1915

German UC-13 (1915, 170t, 12 mines). A few small German submarines have now reached the Black Sea, via Constantinople, and based mainly at Varna on the Bulgarian coast. After being assembled at Pola earlier in the year, UC-13 now patrols off the Caucasian coastline, and on returning, runs aground in a heavy storm to the east of the Bosphorus, near the mouth of the Sakaria River (41°09N, 30°30E). She either sinks after the incident, or is later destroyed by gunfire.

The Swedish Sabrina started leaking in the North Sea on 23.11.15 and was abandoned. A short time later the entire crew (8) was picked up by the Norwegian barque Louise of Fredriksstad, on a voyage from Leith to Christiania, and landed in Emden, Germany.

The Austro-Hungarian submarine U16 attack and sink near San Giovanni di Medua Italian ship UNIONE on its way from Brindisi to San Giovanni.

24/11 1915 French steamer Harmonie shelled by uboat and aircraft in San Giovanni di Medua
25/11 1915 German light cruiser Danzig is badly damaged in a newly-laid Russian minefield south of the Swedish island  Gotland.

British steamer Socotra on a voyage from Brisbane to London stranded near Le Touquet, France. No loss of life. (Steel steamer, 6.009 tons. Built 1897. Lbd 450 x 52.2 x 30.5 ft for the P.& O. Line.)

28/11 1915

Russian submarine AKULA (c1911, 370t, 4-45.7cm tt and 4 drop collars). Three days after the mine damage to the German Danzig, Akula, herself on a mining mission is probably sunk in a German minefield in the area off Libau.

29/11 1915

British steamer DUCHESS OF HAMILTON struck a mine and sunk off the mouth of the River Thames near Galloper Lightvessel in position 51.47N 01.40E laid by the German submarine UC-3. Lost whilst on Government service employed as a Minesweeper. (Caledonian Steam Packet Co. Ltd., Glasgow, 553 grt/1890).

The French steamship Algerien was torpedoed by a German submarine in the Mediterranean on, or about, November 29th, 1915. One boat containing eight persons came safely to land, one of the party having died when adrift. Twenty-nine persons were missing. (Cie. de Navigation Mixte; 1881; A. McMillan & Son; 1,703 tons; 259,2 x 37 x 22,7; 232 n.h.p. ; 11 knots; compound engines.)

30/11 1915 British steamer MIDDLETON, 2.506 Grt, Built 1895. Captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 75 miles S.W. by W. from Gavdo Island in position 33.58N 22.56E by the German submarine U 39 whilst on a voyage from Mudros to Alexandria with a cargo of sandbags. 4 lost.
1/12 1915

British steamer UMETA captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 112 miles E.S.E. from Malta by the German submarine U-33 whilst on a voyage from Port Said to Marseilles in ballast. 2 lost. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 5.312 grt/1914).

British steamer CLAN MACLEOD, 4.796 Grt, Built 1903. Captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 100 miles E.S.E. from Malta by the German submarine U 33 whilst on a voyage from Chittagong to London with general cargo. 2 lost.

3/12 1915

Turkish destroyer YARHISAR  Torpedoed by the British submarine E11 in the Gulf of Ismit.  The torpedo hit the after boiler room and the destroyer splits in two.  Some survivors were captured by E11. (c1907, 280t, 1-65mm, 2tt).

4/12 1915

Svenska Amerika Linjens passenger steamer STOCKHOLM arrived Gothenburg.

Italian destroyer INTREPIDO (1913, 680t, 1-12cm, 2-45cm tt). Austrian and German submarines attack Allied supply routes in the Adriatic, and German UC-14 lays mines of Valona, Albania across the Straits of Otranto from the heel of Italy. On the 4th, Intrepido and a transport sink in UC-14's field.

5/12 1915

French submarine FRESNEL (Q 65) stranded because of bad navigation; destroyed by gunfire of Austrian-Hungarian destroyer Warasdiner, ca. 41°52'N/19°22'E at Bojana esturary

10/12 1915

Norwegian steamer Rereus, 742 grt, sunk by the German submarine U-3.

11/12 1915

Swedish passenger steamer STOCKHOLM departure Gothenburg for New York.

British steamer Pinegrove struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel W.½S. from Cape Gris Nez laid by the German submarine UC-3 whilst on a voyage from Dunkirk to London in ballast. 2 lost. (Alexander & Mair, Glasgow, 2.847 grt/1896).

12/12 1915

German Destroyer V107 mined near Libau with the loss off one life.

15/12 1915

Swedish Iron barque CAROLINA, (Sten Aurell, Stockholm, Sweden). When on a voyage from Mobile to Freeport, Texas to load sulphur to Gothenburg, Sweden, she developed a leak at 07.00 am in the Bay of Mexico but managed to go into Freeport´s anchorage, where she sank. The crew was saved

17/12 1915

German light cruiser BREMEN (1904, 3,760t, 10-10.5cm) and large torpedo boat V191 (or destroyer, 1911, 650t, 2-8.8cm, 4-50cm tt). A Russian minefield off German-occupied Courland between Windau and Lyserort account for three German warships in December. On the 17th, cruiser Bremen and destroyer V191 go down, both at position 57-31N, 21-24E. [Some sources report both ships torpedoed by British submarine E-9].

18/12 1915

Norwegian steamer Rico, 712 grt, sunk by the German submarine U-3.

20/12 1915

Swedish steamer ARGO captured by German torpedoboats on Swedish water when on a voyage from Copenhagen to Raumo, Finland with general cargo.

British steamer HUNTLY torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off Boulogne by the German submarine UB-10 whilst on a voyage Portishead to Boulogne with a cargo of petrol. 2 lost. (The Admiralty, London, 1.153 grt/1912).

21/12 1915

HMS minesweeper Lady Ismay (495 grt), mined and sunk near the Galloper lightship [Another source said “Sunk by the German submarine U-3”].

The albanian schooner FIGLIO PRELIGIONA (80 grt) was sunk by U15 at 41°47'N-19°31'E.

23/12 1915

German large torpedo boat S-177 (or destroyer, 1911, 650t, 2-8.8cm, 4-50cm tt). sunk in a Russian minefield off Courland with the loss of 7 crew at position 57-30N, 21-27E.

Launch Spray destroyed in a cyclone in Darwin Harbour.

25/12 1915

British steamer VAN STIRUM captured and torpedoed in the St. George’s Channel 8 miles S.S.W. from the Smalls off the coast of Pembrokeshire in pos. 51.55N, 06.16W by the German submarine U-24 whilst on a voyage from rouen to Liverpool. 2 lost. (The Admiralty, London, 3.284 grt/1915).

26/12 1915

Belgian steamer MINISTRE BEERNAERT torpedoed and sunk in pos. 50°41'N-05°05'W, 40 m S. of Lundy Island, Bristol Channel, by U-24. (4266 grt/1907, built by Northumberland SB Co, Newcastle, owned by Cie Royale Belgo-Argentine (Deppe), Antwerp, Belgium)

British submarine E.6 mined in the North Sea.

27/12 1915

British steamer Hadley, (1.777 grt), struck a mine and sunkin the North Sea 3 miles S.E.½E. from Shipwash Lightvessel laid by the German submarine UC-3 whilst on a voyage from Tyne to London with a cargo of coal.

British Torpedo Boat TB46 wrecked whilst under tow near Lemnos.

British torpedo boat No.79 wrecked in the Mediterranean.

28/12 1915

British steamer EL ZORRO captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 10 miles S. from Old Head of Kinsale, co. Cork by the German submarine U-24 whilst on a voyage from Port Arthur, Texas to Dartmouth with a cargo of oil. 2 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, Lokitos Oilfields Ltd., 5.989 grt/1914).

29/12 1915

French submarine MONGE sunk by Austrian warships at south Adriatic Sea, south of Cattaro (Kotor). An Austrian force of new scout cruiser Helgoland and five 'Tatra' class destroyers sailed from the advance southern Austrian base of Cattaro late on the 28th to attack Durazzo and interfere with the evacuation of Serbian forces. On passage they sighted the Monge early on the 29th on patrol to the south of Cattaro. Destroyer Balaton opened fire, rammed and sank her. Before the Austrian operation was over, two destroyers, LIKA & TRIGLAV, lost on mines. [The 1919 "Jane’s Fighting Ships" attributes her loss to ramming by the cruiser Helgoland off Cattaro]. [ another source says: French submarine MONGE (Q 67) rammed by Austrian-Hungarian. cruiser HELGOLAND, when surfaced gunned by destroyer BALATON and finally scuttled by her captain (Roland Morillot) at ca. 42° 11'N/18°24'E, off Durazzo, in 1947 the French named the ex-German type XXI sub U 2518 after Morillot].

30/12 1915

The armoured cruiser HMS Natal blew up whilst moored in Cromarty Firth when a fire spread to a magazine. 421 crew were lost with the ship, which is now designated as a Controlled Site under the Protection of Military Remains Act

USS submarine D-2 (SS 18) Sank alongside pier at Submarine Base New London.

Greek steamer ANTHIPI (1166 grt), sunk off San Giovanni di Medua after hitting an mine.

British steamer CLAN MACFARLANE; 4.823 Grt, Built 1898. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 66 miles S.E. by S. from Cape Martello in position 34.50N 25.55E by the German submarine U 38 whilst on a voyage from Glasgow and Liverpool to Bombay with general cargo. 52 lost including Master.

   
   
1916  
?/1 1916

AB Götaverken deliver steam tanker HAMLET ordered by The Nobel Brothers.

Sandusky. Union SS Company ship. Captured and later sunk by U-43 30 miles NE of Malin Head, Donegal, Ireland, en route from Avonmouth, England to the USA. 10 lives lost.

HMS Zulu. Tribal Class Royal Navy destroyer. Hit a mine which destroyed the after part of the ship.

HMS Nubian. Tribal Class Royal Navy destroyer. Hit by a torpedo from a German destroyer which destroyed the fore part of the ship. (Of the two ships mentioned directly above, the fore part of Zulu and the aft part of Nubian were salvaged and later joined together to form Zubian. This ship went on to acquire battle honours, to be sold later in 1919.)

German ore steamer HERMIA which stranded at Prestgrundet near Söderhamn, Sweden refloated and towed to Sandarne for temporary repair.

The american barque ANDREW WELCH arrived Halmstad, Sweden.

British Ben Lee. Shortly after leaving Liverpool for Sydney, run down and sunk by the American steamer St. Paul about thirty kilometres south west of Southstock. Crew of twenty-nine saved. The Ben Lee settled deep in the water but did not sink; minesweepers towed her to Holyhead where she was anchored in five fathoms where she sank, drowning a watchman. She lay on the sea bed until the end of World War 1 when she was raised, towed to Liverpool and converted to a hulk. (Steel ship, 2341 tons. Built at Glasgow, 1893. Lbd 284.5 x 42.2 x 24.5 ft. Owned by J. J. Rae of Liverpool.)

2/1 1916

Norwegian MOLLY BRASK lost, damaged ? off N coast of Brittany (France).

6/1 1916

The British submarine E-17 disabled and sunk off the Texel.

British Pre-Dreadnought Battleship King Edward VII, mined off Cape Wrath by a mine laid by the German auxiliary raider Moewe.  The explosion was under the starboard engine room and caused the ship to list.  Attempts to tow her by the collier Princess Melita and the destroyer Kempenfelt failed and after about five hours the ship was abandoned although it took another four hours to sink. [Another source give the date 9/1].

11/1 1916

German light cruiser ROSTOCK torpedoed and sunk at Jutland.

12/1 1916

British steamer Dromonby. was sunk by the German raider Moewe 180 miles nw of Fastnet Rock on January 12th. (Built in 1900 for the Ropner fleet)

British Destroyer HMS Skate laid down.

18/1 1916

The British submarine H.6 wrecked off the Dutch coast.

20/1 1916

An unidentified British submarine was wrecked on the Dutch Coast.

24/1 1916

The Russian Empress Maria appeared at the head of the fleet off Zongulak, but remained in a screened position since the main blow was delivered by eleven seaplanes from two seaplane carriers. Lying at the pier, the Turkish steamship Irmingard was sunk during the bombardment.

26/1 1916

British torpedo-boat TB.13, sunk after collision in the North Sea .

The British destroyer LEVEN sank the German submarine UB35 off Dover.

29/1 1916

British destroyer VIKING was mined off Le Colbart Light Vessel, losing her stern but was towed in for repairs.

1/2 1916

Empress Queen. Stranded in fog off Bembridge, Isle of Wight, where she later broke up. Although there were 1300 troops on board all were got off.

U-35  torpedoes and sinks British "Flower" class fleet sweeping sloop Primula south of Cape Matapan, southern Greece. (1916, 1,250t, 2-4.7in)

Dutch tanker ARTEMIS (3882 grt / 1914). Damaged by submarine torpedo off Noord Hinder L/V, brought into Rotterdam.

British steamer BELLE OF FRANCE torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 126 miles N.W. by W. from Alexandria in position 32.30N 27.45E by the German submarine U-21 whilst on a voyage from Karachi to Algiers with a cargo of grain. 19 lost. (Belle Agency Ltd., Liverpool, 3.876 grt/1905).

4/2 1916

Belgian steamer LUXEMBOURG sunk by German raider MOEWE in the South Atlantic, off Brasil (pos. 04°S-32°W) on a voyage Newport,Mon-Buenos Aires with coal. (4322 grt/1908, built by Flensburger Schiffsbau Ges., Flensburg and owned by Armement Deppe, Antwerp, Belgium)

8/2 1916

On patrol off the Syrian coast, the French armoured cruiser AMIRAL CHARNER is torpedoed by the German U-21. The old ship goes down rapidly to the west of Beirut and just one survivor is picked up. (French Navy, cruiser; 1893; France; 4,750 tons; 8,700 i.h.p.; 18,5 knots; triple-expansion engines; Belleville boilers; two 7,6 in, guns, six 5,5 in., 4 T. T.)

British steamer ARGO ex Moorhen, struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel 4½ miles N.W. from Boulogne Pier laid by the German submarine UC-3 whilst on a voyage from Boulogne to Dunkirk with a cargo of pitwood. 1 lost. (Bristol Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Bristol, 1.720 grt/1882).

9/2 1916

Russian torpedo boat LEITENANT PUSHCHIN  is lost on an enemy mine off the Bulgarian port. (1905, 350t, 2 or 3-45.7cm tt)

10/2 1916 British minesweeper ARABIS sunk off Dogger Bank by collision.
11/2 1916

British Light Cruiser Arethusa mined near Felixstowe by a mine laid by the German submarine UC7.  Hit under the machinery spaces the ship eventually broke in two.

12/2 1916

Belgian steamer ADUATIEK sunk in pos. 52°08'N-O1°44'E on mine laid by UC-4 on voyage Newcastle-Savona with coal. (2221grt/1890, built by S.P. Austin & Sons, Sunderland, owned by Antwerpsche Zeevaart Mij (SA de Commerce & d'Industrie mgrs), Antwerp, Belgium)

14/2 1916

German raider GEIER, scuttled off Ilha da Trinidade in position 21.01S - 31.49W.

16/2 1916

German coastal minelayer UC-12 (1915, 170t, 12 mines). Sailing on another minelaying operation as the Austrian U-24, UC-12 is sunk off the southern Italian base of Taranto by the explosion of one of her own mines (40°27N, 17°11E). She is the first of only two German submarines lost in 1916 in the Mediterranean. The Italians salvage UC-12, and in 1917 commission her into the Italian Navy as X-1.

18/2 1916

French destroyer RENAUDIN (1913, 760t, 2-10cm, 4-45cm tt). On a sweep from Brindisi across the Adriatic with other Allied ships, Renaudin is hit by a torpedo from U-6, one of the few Austrian submarines available for operations, and even than mainly in the Adriatic. Cut in two, the destroyer goes down off Durazzo.

23/2 1916

British destroyer HMS VIOLET stranded on the Haile Sands on the N.E. coast. She was refloated 11 days later.

24/2 1916

Swedish steamer TORBORG departured West Hartlepool 8/2 for Marseille with 1.440 tons of coal. Seized in Mediterranean, about 40 miles from Marseille by the German submarine U-38 which hoisted a Austrian flag. The crew was ordered to abandon the ship and U-38 sink her with 5 shells from her deck cannon. TORBORG sunk after 20 minutes. The submarine towed the crew to about 20 miles ENE Cape San Sebastian at the Spanish coast, where the later was picked up by the Spanish steamer LEKEITIO, and taken to Livorno. (Rederi AB Torborg, Landskrona, Sweden).

26/2 1916

PROVENCE II. French auxil. Cruiser 13,753 tons. Torpedoed by U-35 West of Kithira Island, Greece.

German auxiliary cruiser WOLF run aground at the Island of Neuwerk and was badly damaged. As the engines were damages beyond repair, the ship was decommissioned two days later. After the war, it was given to France where it was renamed to Iowa , in 1934 it was scrapped. (The German frighter Belgravia was converted into an auxiliary cruiser and commissioned as Wolf in January 1916).

28/2 1916

Normanby. Built in 1889 for the Ropner Company, the ship was mined and sunk off the Shipwash Lightship.

Swedish steamer KNIPPLA mined and sunk off Falsterbo. The crew, 11 men and 2 women, was saved by the Swedish steamer EVY and landed in Malmö.

29/2 1916

The Russian steamship Alexander Wentzel was sunk by a German submarine in the Mediterranean. (Northern S.S. Co.; 1899; Irvine's S.B. & D.D. Co.; 2,838 tons; 320,5 x 45,9 x 20,4; 278 n.h. p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

Duel between British armed merchant cruiser ALCANTARA and German raider GREIF in the North Sea. Both ship sank.

?/3 1916

The British steamship Alacrity struck a mine and sank in the North Sea. The captain and 13 others were lost. (Harries Bros. & Co.; 1883; Castle Steel & Iron Works; 1,080 tons; 225,2 x 32,3 x 13,3; 99 r.h.p. ; compound engines.)

1/3 1916 The R.M.S.P. Co.'s liner, Alcantara, was taken over by the Admiralty at the beginning of the First World War and converted into an auxiliary cruiser. The ship formed one of the 10th Cruiser Squadron and was commanded by Capt. T. E. Wardle, her chief duty being the maintenance of the patrol between Scapa Flow and the coast of Norway. At about mid-day on February 28th, 1916, the position of the Alcantara was 60 miles E. of the north of the Shet­lands, where she was to contact her relief ship, the Andes, also an ex R.M.S.P. liner, when a wireless message instructed her to remain thereabouts and keep a sharp look-out for a suspicious steamship coming out of the Skagerrak. At about 8.45 on the following morn­ing Capt. Wardle descried smoke on the horizon on his port beam. He bore up for the steamship, receiving at the same time a wireless warning from the Andes that this was in all probability the ship he was seeking. The Alcantara signalled to the vessel to stop, and fired two rounds of blank ammunition. The ships had approached to within 1,000 yards of each other, the Alcantara coming up astern and lowering a boarding boat, when the stranger, which had Norwegian colours painted on her side and her name, Rena - Tönsberg, distinctly visible, dropped her bulwarks and ran out her guns. The British ship was at a disadvantage, though all her guns were manned, and she sustained a tremendous salvo which destroyed her telemotor steering gear, engine-room telegraph and telephones, as well as killing many men, but her guns replied at a range at which it was almost impossible to miss. The action was short but intense, and after some 15 to 20 minutes both ships were in a bad way. The German, which proved to be the raider Greif, was on fire and sinking, while the Alcantara had a heavy list to port and was making water so rapidly that Capt. Wardle gave orders to "abandon ship". She had been hit by a torpedo and gradually capsized, lying keel uppermost for a time, thus affording her crew an opportunity to secure rafts and pieces of wreckage. The Andes, followed by the cruiser Comus and the destroyer Munster, now came upon the scene and picked up the survivors. Meanwhile the Greif had also been abandoned and the cruisers sank her by gunfire. Thus ended one of the most fiercely-fought actions between merchant ships in the First World War. The Alcantara lost two officers and 67 men, Capt. Wardle being among the survivors. The total rescued from the Greif was 220 out of a complement of about 300.
6/3 1916

The french sailing vessel TROIS FRERES (107 tx) sunk by the German submarine U-32.

7/3 1916

British destroyer COQUETTE,  mined at English North Sea coast. Coquette (Lt Vere Seymour) was on North Sea patrol, when she was mined and sank rapidly. Lt Seymour and 21 ratings were lost, approximately 40 men survived.

British torpedo-boat TB.11 (ex-"Mayfly"), mined at English North Sea coast. TB.11 went down with three officers and 20 ratings.

9/3 1916

Swedish steamer MARTA mined near Afläggan off Falsterbo, first in the bow and later at the mid ship. The steamer was abandoned by her crew, 14 men, but was keep floating on her wooden cargo and was salvaged by the Swedish torpedo gun boat CLAES UGGLA and towed to Kockums M.V., Malmö for repair. She was on a voyage from Baltic Sea harbours to England.

Russian destroyer ZADORNI sunk.

The Norwegian sailing-vessel SILIUS (1551 tons) sunk.

British destroyer LENNOX collided with destroyer MIRANDA on the night 9th – 10th .

10/3 1916

Russian Destroyer Leitenant Pushchin hit Bulgarian mine off Varna whilst scouting the harbour for an aborted attack.

16/3 1916

Dutch steamer TUBANTIA owned by Koninkl. Hollandsche Lloyd was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank near Noorhinders lighthouse, she was on a voyage from Amsterdam to South-America. All passenger, around 1.500, and nearly all crew was saved.

German submarine UC-12 blown up on own mines off Taranto, salved and to Italy as X.1.

18/3 1916

French destroyer RENAUDIN torpedoed by Austrian U-6 at southern Adriatic Sea, off Durazzo (Durres), Albania. On a sweep from Brindisi across the Adriatic with other Allied ships, Renaudin was hit by one of the few Austrian submarines available for operations. As with other French destroyer losses, she also was cut in two.

20/3 1916

Norwegian ship LANGELI (1565 tons) sunk by German submarine UB-38.

22/3 1916

German submarine U-68 sunk west of Dunmore Head by the British Q ship FARNBOROUGH.

23/3 1916

British steamer MINNEAPOLIS torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 195 miles E.½ N. from Malta in position 36.30N 18.22E by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Marseilles to Alexandria in ballast. 12 lost. (Atlantic Transport Co. Ltd., London, 13.543 grt/1900).

24/3 1916

Norwegian ship KANNIK (2397 tx) sunk by the German submarine UB-18 near Le Havre.

British submarine E.24 lost in the North Sea.

British steamer KELVINBANK torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel in Le Havre Roads by the German submarine UB-18 whilst on a voyage from Buenos Aires to Le Havre with a cargo of frozen meat and oats. 1 lost. (Black, John & Co., Glasgow, Glasgow S.S. Co. Ltd., 4.209 grt/1903).

British steamer ENGLISHMAN ex Sandusky ex Montezuma ex Ionia, captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 30 miles N.E. from Malin Head, co. Donegal by the German submarine U-43 whilst on a voyage from Avonmouth to Portland (Me) with general cargo. 10 lost. (British & North Atlantic Steam Navigation Co., ­Liverpool, Dominion Line, 5.257 grt/1891).

25/3 1916

British Destroyer Medusa collided with British destroyer Laverock off the Danish coast whilst under attack by German aircraft.  She had been screening the seaplane carrier Vindictive on a raid. 

26/3 1916

German large torpedoboat G 194 sunk by ramming in the North Sea by British light cruiser CLEOPATRA.

German large torpedoboat S 22 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

27/3 1916

British steamer EMPRESS OF MIDLAND struck a mine and sunk off the mouth of the River Thames 9 miles S. from Kentish Knock Lightvessel in position 51.31N 01.43E laid by the German submarine UC-1 whilst on a voyage from Tyne to Rouen with a cargo of coal. (Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal, 2.224 grt/1907).

28/3 1916

British steamer Thornaby, 1782 grt., Sunk by the German submarine U-3.

31/3 1916

Swedish steamer HOLLANDIA sunk in English Channel near Gallopers lighthouse. The crew, 21 men, saved and landed at Ramgate. (Ångf. AB Götha, Göteborg build 1912 at Göteborg).

The British steamship Achilles was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-44, 90 miles W.N.W. of Ushant whilst on a voyage from Sydney, NSW and Cape Town to London and Liverpool with a cargo of cereals and wool. Five men were killed. The captain was among the survivors. (Alfred Holt & Co.; 1900; Scott's Shipbuilding Co.; 7,043 tons; 442 - 5 x 52 - 8 x 32 - 1; 521 n.h.p. ; 13 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

British steamer GOLDMOUTH captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 60 miles W.N.W. from Ushant by the German submarine U-44 whilst on a voyage from Tarakan to Falmouth with a cargo of fueloil. Master taken prisoner. (Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., London, 7.446 grt/1903).

?/4 1916

Transatlantic Motorship Company, Norway sold their barque FINGAL to Svenska Lantmännens Riksförbund  for 950.000 SEK. She was taken over in Stockholm.

1/4 1916 Svenska Amerikalinjens passenger steamer STOCKHOLM arrived Göteborg from New York.
2/4 1916  
3/4 1916 British steamer CLAN CAMPBELL; 5.897 Grt, Built 1914. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 29 miles S.E. from Cape Bon by the German submarine U 39 whilst on a voyage from Tuticorn to London with a cargo of cotton and foodstuff.
4/4 1916  
5/4 1916

Norwegian vessel BAUS (1287 tx) sunk by German submarine UB-18 15 miles WnW of Cap de la Heve (Le Havre).

German submarine UB-26 sunk in harbour defences, Le Havre. Later salved.

British steamer CHANTALA torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 15 miles N. from Cape Bengut, Algeria by the German submarine U-34 whilst on a voyage from Tees and London to Malta and Calcutta with general cargo. 9 lost. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 4.951 grt/1913).

6/4 1916

British steamer KASTALIA torpedoed and sunk by German aircraft alongside the quay at Roytta whilst serving as a troop transport. Later raised and taken to Abo, repaired and returned to service.

8/4 1916

Swedish passenger steamer BIRGER JARL departure Trelleborg for Sassnitz in order to from Germany retrieve it first contigent exchanged war invalids and to transfer them to Trelleborg for furthermore transport.

British steamer ZAFRA captured and sunk with bombs in the Mediterranean 44 miles N. from Oran by the German submarine U-34 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Malta with a cargo of coal. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.578 grt/1905).

9/4 1916 British steamer AVON, 1.574 Grt, Built 1897. Struck a mine and sunk off the mouth of the River Thames 2½ miles S.E by S. from the Tongue Lightvessel laid by the German submarine UC 7 whilst on voyage from London to Leith with general cargo. 2 lost.
11/4 1916

Swedish ore steamer MURJEK belonging to shipping company Luleå - Ofoten, Stockholm sank outside the Scottish coast as a result of an explosion from a mine or torpedo. The boat was on a voyage from Philadelphia to Narvik with a cargo of coal. The entire crew was salvaged apart from the the Norwegian able seaman Henriksen wich drowned.

British steamer ANGUS captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 76 miles E. by N. from Valencia in position 39.57N 01.08E by the German submarine U-34 whilst on a voyage from Calcutta to Barcelona and Bilbao with a cargo of cotton and jute. (Bruce, John P., Dundee, 3.619 grt/1904).

13/4 1916

British steamer CHIC ex Camperdown, torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 45 miles S.W. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U-22 whilst on a voyage from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Manchester with a cargo of wood pulp. 9 lost including Master. (Becker & Co. Ltd., London,  Preston Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. 3.037 grt/1914).

15/4 1916

Oskarshamns Mek. Verkstads & Skeppsdockas AB sign a contract on bn: 262 a steamer of 2.160 brt. Ordered by Rederi AB Svenska Lloyd, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Oskarshamns Mek. Verkstads & Skeppsdockas AB sign a contract on bn: 263 a steamer of 2.172 grt. Ordered by Rederi AB Svenska Lloyd, Gothenburg, Sweden.

17/4 1916 Swedish steamer FOLKE which sunk in the harbour of Trollhättans was raised by a pontoon crane.
20/4 1916

British steamer CAIRNGOWAN captured and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 55 miles W. by N. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U-69 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to Newport News. (Cairns, Noble & Co. Ltd., Newcastle Upon Tyne, Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd., 4.017 grt/1911).

22/4 1916 British battleship HMS AUSTRALIA in collision with British battleship HMS NEW ZEALAND, heavely damaged and taken to Rosyth for repair.
23/4 1916

HMCS Rainbow captured the German merchant vessel OREGON, off the West Coast of the USA

German submarine UB-13 sank after it got caught in a mine and net barrier off  Walcheren. During this disaster 17 crewmembers died.

British battleship HMS NEPTUNE in collision with neutral steamer off Britain’s east coast.

24/4 1916

Dutch vessel BERKELSTROOM (736 tx) sunk by the German submarine U-18.

With British forces besieged by the Ottomans at Kut in Mesopotamia, a small naval crew under Lieutenant Commander Cowley and Lieutenant Firman attempted to break the blockade on the Tigris with the small steamer Julna, laden with two hundred tons of supplies. The steamer was raked by machine-gun and artillery fire from the banks, but pressed on, only to be stopped by hawsers stretched across the river. She was then pounded relentlessly, Firman falling in action. Cowley and other survivors were believed taken prisoner then murdered.

British destroyer FIREDRAKE captured German submarine UC5 off the English east coast.

British drifter GLEANER OF THE SEA sank German submarine UB3 off Zeebrugge.

25/4 1916

Russian torpedo boat ZHIVUCHI (1906, 350t, 1-11pdr, 2-45.7cm tt). The only threat to Russian dominance in the Black Sea comes from the few German U-boats. After being assembled at Pola in mid-1915 and later making the voyage to Turkey, small minelayer UC-15 mines the approaches to Sevastopol. The old Russian destroyer, now torpedo boat Zhivuchi, sinks on one of them.

Swedish iron barque NIOLA, (E. G. Holm and others, Halmstad, Sweden). On voyage Pensacola - Dundee she was captured in the North Sea about 15' SE from Smiths Knolls Lightvessel by a German torpedo destroyer with pennant number 44. The crew was taken on board at the German and NIOLA was sunk by explosives and shelling. The crew was taken to Wilhelmshaven and the day after handed over to the Swedish consulate in Bremen.

British submarine E.22 lost in the North Sea.

27/4 1916

British battleship RUSSELL (1903, 13,300t, 4-12in) & sloop NASTURTIUM (1916, 1,250t, 2-4.7in). Sailing from Germany and now heading for Cattaro, the large, 750 ton minelayer U-73 lays mines off Malta's Grand Harbour. On the 27th, approaching Malta after service in the Aegean, the old battleship Russell is sunk with the loss of over 120 men. Later that day, fleet sweeping sloop Nasturtium, sister-ship to the recently lost Primula, goes down in the same small field. A naval armed yacht follows them to the bottom next day.

German submarine UC-5 stranded of Harwich and captured, put on display, later scrapped.

1/5 1916

German torpedoboat destroyer S 123 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

2/5 1916

HMCS Rainbow captured the German schooner Leonor, which had served as a collier for cruiser Leipzig.

5/5 1916

Swedish sailing vessel Harald left Göteborg (Sweden) the 30. April with timber, destination was Tyne. The 5. May 1230 on position 56'40N-03'40E, a german U-Boat submerged 1 mile behind Harald and fired 2 warningshots. Harald stopped and the German sub went alongside. After seeing the manifests the swedish crew (8 men) got 15-20 minutes to leave Harald. They were taken onboard the the German U-Boat UB-21? and 2 Germans went to Harald with fuzes and petrol and started fire in 3 different positions. After the 2 Germans had left Harald they fired shells at her. The swedish crew also claim that there was fired a torpedo gainst Harald, which didn't hit. The U-Boat left Harald laying deep in the water and burning. The Swedish crew was still standing on deck of the U-Boat with wawes to the waist, when they headed east. After 2 hours they meet the norwegian steamer Rondana from Kristania (Oslo, Norway) which took ower the Swedish crew.

7/5 1916

Swedish schooner SVANHILD mined at Almagrundet in Stockholm's archipelago. Floating on her cargo of timber she managed to go in to Sandhamn, where from she was town in to Stockholm. The ship was on a voyage from Gävle to Denmark.

13/5 1916

Austrian-Hungarian submarine U-6 (1910, 240t, 2-45cm tt). Until 1917, only one enemy U-boat is definitely caught by the Otranto barrage - Austrian U-6 on the night of the 13th May 1916. Trapped in the nets of patrolling British fishing drifter Calistoga, she surfaces to be shelled by the Dulcie Doris and Evening Star II, and is then scuttled by her crew some 12m ENE of Cape Otranto at pos. ca. 40° 10'N/18° 45'E.

13-14/5 1916

British monitor M-30 (1915, 350t, 2-6in). British forces still blockade the Turkish Gulf of Smyrna, partly with a small naval force occupying Long Island at the entrance to the gulf. The Turks react with shore-based gunfire, and on the night of the 13th or the 14th (sources vary), the small monitor M-30 is hit and set on fire before sinking. With the airfield also out of action, Long Island is shortly abandoned.

23/5 1916

Russian submarine SOM (ex-Fulton, 1904, 105t, 1-38.1cm tt). In the northern Baltic off the Aaland Islands, the old Russian boat is lost in collision with Swedish steamer Ångermanland.

24/5 1916 British submarine E-18 (1915, 670t, 5tt, 1-12pdr). On the 24th or sometime after, the first of the British boats are lost in action within the Baltic. Accounts vary. Some sources show E-18 sunk off Bornholm in the south by German decoy or Q-ship 'K'. Others that she went on to torpedo and damage German destroyer V-100 off Libau, and on her return in late May/early June, was lost in a German minefield, perhaps west of the island of Osel.
25/5 1916

British steamer Denewood, 1221 grt., Sunk by the German submarine U-3.

Italian sailing vessel RITA (200 tons) sunk.

27/5 1916

German U-10 (1911, 490t, 4-45cm tt). Leaving for patrol on the 27th, U-10 goes missing. She is assumed lost on Russian mines off the Gulf of Finland, possibly north of the island of Dago (c 59-30N, 21-00E).

German submarine U-74 sunk in the North Sea by the British trawler SEARANGER, OKU, RODINO and KIMBERLEY.

German submarine UC-3 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

British steamer LINCAIRN; 3.638 Grt, Built 1904. Struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea 8 miles N. by E. from Shipwash lightvessel in position 52.08N 01.42E laid by the German submarine UC 10 whilst on a voyage from Tyne to Gibraltar with a cargo of coal.

29/5 1916

British steamer ELMGROVE ex Treasury captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 96 miles N.E. from Algiers in position 34.00N 04.00E by the German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from Toulon to Huelva in ballast. (S.S. Elmgrove Co. Ltd., 3018 Grt. Bit. 1896).

British steamer SOUTHGARTH captured and sunk with bombs in the Mediterranean 60 miles N.N.E. from Algeirs by German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from Marseilles to Benisaf in ballast. (Balls, William D. C. & Son, North Shields, 2.414 grt/1891).

30/5 1916

British destroyer TRIDENT attacked by German submarine U-32  off the Forth with no success.

British steamer DALEGARTH captured and torpedoed in the Mediterranean 12 miles N.E. from Cape Corbelin, Algiers by the German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from Limni to Clyde with a cargo of magnesite. (Ashdown, C. G., London, City of London Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd., 2.265 grt/1889).

31/5 1916

Battle of Jutland. The largest-ever battleship action took place in the North Sea off Jutland. 151 British warships, including 28 Dreadnought battleships and nine battlecruisers, fought 96 German warships, including 22 battleships and 5 battlecruisers.

British destroyer Defender, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916 - German heavy gunfire. With 1st DF, Battlecruiser Fleet during Battle of Jutland. Hit by 1-12in shell from the 3rd German Battle Squadron; one man killed.

British destroyer FORTUNE, - North Sea - German naval gunfire. Battle of Jutland. Sunk by 5.9in hits from dreadnought Westfalen and other battleships; 67 men killed.

British destroyer SHARK, - central North Sea - German gunfire and torpedo. With the 4th DF in the Battle of Jutland; sunk during the daylight action.

British destroyer Moorsoom, - damaged in North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst or Koenig. Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded.

British destroyer Nessus, - damaged in North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst. Battle of Jutland as part of 12th Flotilla, Main Battlefleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 7 men killed.

British destroyer NESTOR, - North Sea - German naval gunfire. Battle of Jutland with 13th DF, Battlecruiser Fleet. Nestor (Cdr Bingham) was hit by two 4.1in shells, but sunk by 5.9in from battleships; LOST with 6 killed.

British destroyer NOMAD, - North Sea - German naval gunfire. Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas at Battle of Jutland. Hit by 10.5cm shellfire but sunk by 5.9in battleship guns; 8 men killed.

British destroyer Obdurate, damaged in North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst or Koenig, Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded.

British destroyer Onslow, - damaged in North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst or Koenig. Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded.

German large torpedoboat V 29 torpedoed and sunk at Jutland by the British destroyer PETARD.

British destroyer Petard, - damaged  North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought Grosser Kürfurst or Koenig. Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded.

German cruiser FRAUENLOB was torpedoed and sunk by the British cruiser SOUTHAMPTON during the Battle of Jutland.

British battleship HMS INDEFATIGABLE sustained serious hits from German VON DER TANN in the Battle of Jutland, broke apart after explosion and sank. 1.017 killed, only four survivors.

British battleship HMS QUEEN MARY exploded and sink of Jutland after receiving heavy hits from German DERFFLINGER and SEYDLITZ. 1.278 killed anly 9 survivors.

German large torpedoboat V 27, S35 & V48 sunk by gunfire at Jutland.

?/6 1916

AB Chrichton, Turku, Finland lay a keel to a coastguard steamer (# 2091) later named TURUNMAA

AB Chrichton, Turku, Finland lay a keel to a coastguard steamer (# 2092) later named KARJALA

1/6 1916

British destroyer TIPPERARY lost at the Battle of Jutland, in the North Sea. Leading the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Battle Fleet, British Grand Fleet, she was hit by secondary armament 5.9in (15cm) gunfire from dreadnought Westfalen of the the German 1st BS, 1st Division and other battleships. Out of a normal crew of 197, 185 men were killed.

British destroyer ARDENT, - North Sea - German naval gunfire. Battle of Jutland. Sunk by 5.9in shell hits from dreadnought Westfalen and other battleships; 78 men killed.

British destroyer SPARROWHAWK, - central North Sea - collision with destroyer Broke. Serving with the 4th DF at the Battle of Jutland, Sparrowhawk (Lt Cdr S Hopkins) was disabled in collision with destroyer Broke and light cruiser Contest and scuttled by gunfire; 47 men reportedly killed.

British destroyer TURBULENT, - North Sea - German naval forces. Battle of Jutland. Serving with 10th DF, Harwich Force as part of Battlecruiser Fleet. Completed on the 12th May and less than 3 weeks later went down. Two versions - hit by 5.9in gunfire of dreadnought Westfalen and other battleships and then possibly finished off by a torpedo from German destroyer V71 with 96 men killed, or cut in two by a German battlecruiser with 90 men lost.

German dreadnought POMMERN torpedoed and sunk by a British destroyer in the Battle of Jutland.

The German battleship OSTFRIESLAND struck one of the mines lay by the British destroyer ABDIEL three weeks earlier in the Bight of Heligoland.

German light cruiser WEISBADEN sunk at Jutland.

German light cruiser ELBING sunk at Jutland when in collision with German Battleship POSEN after battle damage.

German large torpedoboat V4 sunk at Jutland.

3/6 1916

British steamer GOLCONDA ex Nulli Secundus ex Transpacific, struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea 5 miles S.E. by E. from Aldeburgh laid by the German submarine UC-3 whilst on a voyage from Tees and London to Calcutta with general cargo. 19 lost. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 5.874 grt/1887).

5/6 1916 French destroyer FANTASSIN in collision with French destroyer Mameluk in Central Mediterranean off the island of Fano, south of the Straits of Otranto in the Ionian Sea.  Rammed at night during a submarine hunt, Fantassin was finished off by gunfire from the older destroyer Fauconneau.
6/6 1916

British trawler LITTLE JESSIE foundered 3 miles off Berwick upon Tweed (55.46N - 01.53W) with a cargo of slag and manure.

The armored cruiser HMS Hampshire, taking the Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, to Russia for a strategic conference, struck a German mine off Scapa Flow and sank. 650 men, including Lord Kitchener, were lost. The mine was laid by the German submarine by U75 in a shipping lane rarely used by the British but owing to bad weather this route was used.

14/6 1916

Outside Häfringe in Södermanland's archipelago has during the night to June 14 - on international sea territory - a fight been fought between German and Russian naval forces. Ten German merchant steamers from north Swedish ports had earlier on the evening at Landsort meet the German konvoj flottila with the auxiliary cruiser HERRMANN on 3.600 tons and four armed trawlers. Then when the German convoy at midnight was located about 10 miles S of Häfringe they was attacked by three Russian destroyers. The German auxiliary cruiser HERRMAN was sunk and of her crew of 96 men, only 39 was saved.

16/6 1916

British steamer GAFSA captured and sunk by gunfire in the Mediterranean 80 miles S.W. by S. from Genoa by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Swansea to Genoa with a cargo of patent fuel and coal. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.922 grt/1906).

British destroyer EDEN lost by collision in the English Channel.

17/6 1916

German ore steamer HERMANTHIS grounded on Borussiagrundet near Germundön off Luleå. The steamer managed to take her self of the ground by own power, but because of a considerable leak she have to put her argon again at Junköklippan. One of Neptunbolagets salvagesteamers brought her in to Luleå.

18/6 1916

Steamship Seaconnet, 2,294 grt; sunk by mine in the North Sea, off Great Yarmouth, England; no casualties.

British destroyer EDEN went down in English Channel when in collision with steamship France with the loss of her captain and half her crew, normal complement 70. [One source dates her loss on the night of the 16th June].
19/6 1916

German merchant steamer EMS of Hamburg on a voyage from Kristiania (Oslo) to Lübeck was intercepted outside Stranninge in Morup, Sweden of an English submarine, which ordered the crew to go in the liveboats. When this was done, the submarine opened fire and sunk the steamer. Another German steamer, Doris, could have shared EMS fate unless the Swedish torpedboat ASTREA arrived to the place.

Swedish steamer Oxelösund capsized and sank in the bay of Gävle in the vicinity of Västra Banken. The reason to the accident is considered cargo displacement of the deck load. The crew was salvaged apart from botswain F. Hedin from Norrtälje.

22/6 1916

German ore steamer HERMANTHIS on a voyage Luleå - Stettin with a cargo of ironore was intercepted by two Russian torpedoboats outside Jättenholmarna on the Swedish east coast. The torpedoboats ordered the steamer to to chance course to  the east, but HERMANTHIS that was on Swedish sea territory, set course on  to the Swedish coast. The torpedoboat took up the pursuit but gave up after a while.

23/6 1916

French destroyer FOURCHE torpedoed by Austrian U-15 at southern Adriatic Sea, east of Otranto in the Strait of Otranto -. Fourche was in company with Italian AMC Città di Messina when the latter was hit by U-15 and sank. The destroyer attacked with depth-charges, and believing the submarine destroyed, started to pick up survivors from the AMC. Hit by another torpedo, the Brindisi-based Fourche was cut in half .

British steamer BURMA struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea 5 miles N. by E.½ E. from Shipwash Lightvessel, 15 miles E. of Harwich, Essex laid by the German submarine UC-6 whilst on a voyage from London to Goole in ballast. 7 lost. (Bennett S.S. Co. Ltd., Goole, 706 grt/1891).

24/6 1916

German submarine U-81 torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine E54, w off Ireland.

26/6 1916

USS submarine E-2 (SS-23) Grounded while running submerged off Montauk Point.

28/6 1916

Repair ship HMS Vindictive laid down.

Italain Torpedo Boat Serpente in collision with Citta di Bari in the Adriatic.

6/7 1916 German submarine UC-7 sunk off Yarmouth by the British patrol boat SALMON.

British submarine E.26 lost in the North Sea.

7/7 1916

German submarine U-77 lost in the North Sea.

10/7 1916

Steamship Goldshell, 5.614 grt; struck mine in the Bay of Biscay; salvaged; no casualties.

Italian destroyer IMPETUOSO (1914, 680t, 1-12cm, 4-45cm tt). Protecting the Otranto barrage drifters, the Impetuoso is torpedoed and sunk by Austrian submarine U-17 in the Otranto Straits.

12/7 1916

Norwegian barque INGER (1.450 grt / 1894) wrecked at Langley Island on passage from Pugwash to Sharpness with a cargo of deals.

13/7 1916

British steamer SILVERTON ex Lincolnshire, captured and torpedoed in the Mediterranean 14 miles N.E. from Canai Rocks, Tunis by the German submarine U39 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Gibraltar and Alexandria with a cargo of coal. (Cairns, David Ltd., Leith, 2.682 grt/1891).

14/7 1916

Italian submarine BALILLA (1915, 730t, 4-45cm tt, 2-7.6cm). On the night of the 14th, the new Balilla is in action with guns and torpedoes with Austrian-Hungarian torpedo boats Tb65-F and Tb66-F. She goes down off the Austrian island of Lissa half-way up the Adriatic at pos. ca 43°10'N/16°10'E.

German submarine U51 torpedoed and sunk at Ems Estuary off Heligoland by the British submarine H.5.

15/7 1916

British submarine H.3 (1915, 360t, 4tt). Further south on patrol off the Cattaro naval base, the smaller, but equally new H.3 is believed lost on mines.

16/7 1916

British steamer MOPSA struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea 7 miles S. of Lowestoft laid by the German submarine UC-1 whilst on a voyage from Goole to Boulogne with general cargo and coal. (Bennett S.S. Co. Ltd., Goole, 885 grt/1902).

17/7 1916

Danish aux. schooner SAMSÖ departured Halmstad with a cargo of wood to England, was shelled by a German submarine in the North Sea, but floting on her cargo towed to Tyne.

20/7 1916

Swedish steamer FRIDLAND Owned by Rederi AB Tirfing which was mined in the English Channel earlier this year, and was towed to London where she was temporary repaired, was today dry docked at Kockums M.V. AB, Malmö for repair.

British steamer YZER ex Cayo Manzan, captured and torpedoed in the Mediterranean 56 miles N.W. ½ N. from Algiers by the German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from Cette to Gibraltar in ballast. 1 lost. (Brys & Glysen Ltd., London, 3.538 grt/1904).

26/7 1916 British Coastal Destroyer TB9 (Grasshopper), was involved in a collision in the North Sea.
27/7 1916

English steamer Georg Allen were hijacked outside Landskrona, Sweden of the German Navy, but was released, since the shown itself that the ship had been in Swedish waters. The steamer grounded outside Landskrona after the Germans had released her.

German minesweeper M12 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

31/7 1916

Italian submarine GIACINTO PULLINO ran aground due to navigation error at pos. 44°42'N/14°10'E, off Istria, Galiola cliff. Next day salvaged by Austrian.-Hungarian. but sunk when in tow (as a pilot on board was the Austrian subject Nazario Sauro. He was executed as traitor by the Austrians and is glorified by the Italians as a national martyr). Raised on 28.2.1931 by Italian Navy, scrapped.

1/8 1916

German submarine DEUTSCHLAND departured Baltimore for Germany.

German Destroyer G94 mined in the North Sea with 13 dead.

2/8 1916

Italian dreadnought LEONARDO DA VINCI (1914, 23,000t, 13-30.5cm). Nearly a year after the old battleship Benedetto Brin blew up at Brindisi, Leonardo da Vinci catches fire, also blows up and capsizes in Taranto harbour with heavy loss of life. Faulty ammunition was suspected, but the cause is put down to Austrian sabotage. As one of the few Italian dreadnoughts, she joins the ranks other Allied dreadnoughts lost by explosion in harbour - the Russian Imperatritsa Mariya in 1916, the British Vanguard in 1917 and the Japanese Kawachi in 1918.

Swedish passenger steamer HUDIKSVALL (481 grt / 1849). Captured by a German submarine when on a voyage to Mäntyluoto, The crew was forced into the lifeboats, and the ship was shelled and sunk.

4/8 1916

German coastal submarine UB-44 (1916, served as Austrian U-44, 260t, 2-50cmtt, 1-8.8cm). After completing at Pola, UB-44 is lost. Sailing from Cattaro on the 4th bound for the Dardanelles, she is believed depth-charged and sunk by British drifters Quarry Knowe and Carragill patrolling the Otranto Barrage (40°12N, 18°46E). The U-boat, only the second and last one to be sunk in the Med in 1916, may have first been caught in mined nets. In some sources, she is shown as missing, fate unknown. The drifter Quarry Knowe, sometimes listed as two vessels - Quarry and Knowe, is sunk in the May 1917 in a Austrian raid on the Otranto Barrage.

Italian ship TETI sunk by U-35.

5/8 1916 British steamer SPIRAL, 1.342 Grt, Built 1906. Captured and sunk with bombs in the English Channel 40 miles W.S.W. from St. Catherine's Point by the German submarine UB 18 whilst on a voyage from Tyne to Bordeaux with a cargo of coal.
8/8 1916

Swedish steamer GAMEN, Sunk by a German submarine 35 miles WSW  Scilly Islands. She had departured Barry 7/9 with around 4.000 ton coal on a voyage to Alger. The crew was landed at St. Marys on Scilly Island. (build at Blyth 1902 for Red. AB Condor (B. A. F. Georgii), Stock­holm.)

9/8 1916

British submarine B-10 (1906, 290t, 2tt), is one of six B-class boats allocated to the British Adriatic Squadron. After a number of unsuccessful patrols in the northern Adriatic, she is lying alongside her depot ship, the Italian armoured cruiser Marco Polo in Venice harbour with sister boat B-8. An attack by Austrian aircraft flying from Trieste and Pola results in damage to both boats, sufficient in the case of B-10 for her to founder. She is the first submarine sunk by air attack. Salvaged 23.8, sold for scrap.

10/8 1916

Japanese ship TENMEI MARU (3360 tons) shelled and sunk by U-35 in Mediterranean. (3.360grt, Dim: 345.6 x 42.2 x 24.5ft, T3cy 271nhp built 1889 Harland & Wolff, Belfast, owned: Hakuyo Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha).

11/8 1916

British Q-ship REMEMBRANCE (or Lammeroo, collier, 1910, 3,660grt, 2-4in). "Q-ships" also attempt to play their part in the war against the Mediterranean-based German U-boats, but Remembrance is sunk in the Aegean by U-38.

German minesweeper M27 sunk in collision with steamer PARANAGUA in Baltic Sea.

12/8 1916

German submarine UC-68 torpedoed and sunk off Schouwen by the British submarine C7.

13/8 1916

British destroyer LASSOO, - North Sea, off the Maas L.V. - probably mined. Believed lost on U-boat-laid mines, although she may have been torpedoed.

Former Japanese protected cruiser KASAGI, now a trining ship, was wrecked in the Tsugaru Strait.

14/8 1916

Norwegian sailing vessel FREMAD 104 ton sunk by submarine.

Italian sailing-vessel PAUSANICA 107 tx sunk by U-35.

Italian sailing-vessel LAVINIA 243 tx sunk by U-35.

Italian ship SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA sunk by U-35.

15/8 1916

German large torpedo boat V162 (coastal defence vessel, 1909, 640t, 2-8.8cm, 2-50cm tt). Dense Russian minefields in the Irben Strait guarding the southern passage into the Gulf of Riga continue to take a toll of warships. Screening minesweeping operations, V162 goes down off Lyserort (57-35N, 21-35E) on the Courland coast.

16/8 1916

Italian sailing vessel MADRE  sunk by U-35.

18/8 1916 Japanese Proteced Cruiser Kasagi wrecked in Tsugaru Strait.
19/8 1916

British battleship HMS HERCULES in collision with British battleship HMS COLOSSUS.

British battleship HMS CONQUEROR and HMS MONARCH in collision with HMS ORIO

The British Grand Fleet sailed to intercept the German fleet and crossed a German submarine line.  U52 torpedoed light cruiser Nottingham off Flamborough Head, scoring two hits with the initial attack and a further hit later to finisher her off.  During the same operation light cruiser Falmouth was hit by two torpedoes from U66 but the damaged cruiser stayed afloat and was making it back to port when she was hit torpedoed again, this time by U52 off Flamborough Head.

21/8 1916

Russian destroyer DOBROVOLETZ (1906, 570t, 2-10.2cm, 3-45.7cm tt) is lost six days later in the Irben Straits on a Russian mine while on a laying operation herself.

German submarine UC-10 torpedoed and sunk by British submarine E54, in the North Sea off Schouwen.

Turkish merchant steamer TURKESTAN (161 grt) seized and captured W off Bosphorus by the Russian destroyer DERZKII and PROZINTELNII (Became Russian transport N 141)

22/8 1916

German submarine U-85 sunk in English Channel by the British Q ship PRIVET.

23/8 1916

German merchant submarine DEUTSCHLAND arrived Bremen.

24/8 1916

French submarine GUSTAVE ZEDE sunk in Adriatic area after having an battery explosion. Gray reports her sunk with 4 men dead and 36 survivors. She was not stricken until 1937, and was presumably refloated and returned to service. Also in other sources, Gustave Zédé was steam-powered until after the war.

Belgian steamer LIEGEOISE shelled and sunk by U-38 in pos. 42°12'N-05°21'E on voyage Newport,Mon-Genoa with coal. (3889 grt/1901, built by Palmers SB & Iron Co, Newcastle, owned by SA de Navigation (A. Manceau mgr), Antwerp, Belgium)

28/8 1916

Italy's declaration of war against Germany took effect during World War I

29/8 1916

Swedish schooner MAGNUS (Off.no: 4228) grounded off Humber during a storm. She was on a voyage Uddevalla—Hull with a cargo of props. She was later salvaged.

Finnish steamer WELLAMO onvoyage Sundsvall – Yxpila, Finland, was torpedoed near Gamle Karleby and sank. Crew saved.

Steamer Hsin Iu sinks off China coast, 1,000 drown.

Belgian steamer ANTIGOON torpedoed and sunk by U-38, 30 m N. of Mallorca Isl. On voyage Cardiff-Genoa with coal. (1884 grt/1889, built by J. Blumer & Co, Sunderland, owned by Antwerpsche Zeevaart Mij (SA de Commerce & de Navigation mgrs), Antwerp, Belgium)

30/8 1916

Italian destroyer AUDACE (1914, 800t, 1-12cm, 2-45cm tt), escorting a convoy in the Ionian Sea, is sunk at night in collision with merchantman SS Brasile.

1/9 1916

British seaplane carrier Raven II. This German prize, converted in 1915 to carry one to six seaplanes, is damaged at Port Said in a German bombing raid.

2/9 1916

British steamer KELVINIA struck a mine and sunk in the Bristol Channel 9 miles S. by W. from Caldy Island laid by the German submarine U 78 whilst on a voyage from Newport News to Clyde with general cargo. (Black, John & Co., Glasgow, 5.039 grt/1913).

3/9 1916

Norwegian steamship SETESDAL sunk six nm NO from Belle-Ile on French coast when in a collision with the English steamship WOOLSTON.

5/9 1916

Belgian steamer MARCEL torpedoed and sunk by UB-18, 20 m ENE Cap Barfleur. (1433 grt/1908, built by Blyth Shipbuilding Co, Blyth, owned by Armement Louis Hermans, e Bruges Belgium)

6/9 1916

British steamer STRATHTAY captured and torpedoed in the English Channel 4 miles N. from Pointe de Pontusval, near Ushant by the German submarine UB-39 whilst on a voyage from New York to Le Havre with general cargo. (Burrell & Son. Glasgow, 4.428 grt/1906).

French sailing vessel YVONNE (104 grt) sunk by the German submarine UB-29.

10/9 1916

Italian Destroyer Nembo torpedoed by German submarine U16 which was also sunk in the same action in the Southern Adriatic.

French Destroyer Fourche torpedoed by Austrian submarine U15 in the Adriatic after the French ship has tried to depth charge the submarine.

15/9 1916

French submarine FOUCAULT bombed by Austrian Navy flying boats at central Adriatic Sea, ten miles off Cattaro (Kotor). Caught by flying boats or seaplanes L-132 and L-135, Foucault was the first submarine sunk at sea by aircraft. The two aircraft landed, took the survivors on board and waited for a torpedo-boat to arrive.

20/9 1916 Russian Dreadnought Imperatrista Mariya had a accidental internal explosion at Sevastapol.
21/9 1916

Turkish merchant steamer TULU YAVER (114 grt) sunk off Eregli by the Russian battleship IMPERATRITZA MARIA.

22/9 1916

GIOVANNI ZAMBELLI, sunk by submarine 38N-2.50E.

23/9 1916

British steamer CHARTERHOUSE captured and sunk with bombs in the Mediterranean 26 miles E. by S.½ S. from S.E. point of Formentera Island, Balearic Islands by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Toulon to Gibraltar in ballast. Master and 2 Gunners taken prisoner. (Becker & Co. Ltd., London,  Preston Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., 3.021 grt/1895).

German Torpedo Boat T64 (ex S64) mined in the Baltic whilst attempting to sweep a Russian minefield.

British trawler Mercury GY 1151 sunk by German submarine UC16.

27/8 1916

British Destroyer Flirt was on patrol in when she was torpedoed by a German destroyer.

British Destroyer Nubian torpedoed by German destroyers in the English Channel.  Her stern was later combined with the remain of Zulu to form HMS Zubian.

28/9 1916

Russian Destroyer Kazanets mined near Odensholm.

Swedish steamer VIOLA (1.278 grt / 1882). Rammed by British steamer ARRACAN (5.520 grt / 1911) in the Solent and sank when on a voyage from Gefle, Sweden, with a cargo of timber. Crew saved. Raised and repaired in July 1918.

30/9 1916

Ottoman destroyer Gayret-i-Vataniye beached at Varna en route to Istanbul.

1/10 1916 German coastal submarine UB-7 (1915, 130t, 2-45cm tt). Leaving for the Crimea in late September, she is believed to have been bombed and sunk by Russian aircraft off Sevastopol on or around the 1st October (44°30N, 33°15E). Some sources show her mined or lost, cause unknown.
2/10 1916 During the Romanian campaign Austrian-Hungarian monitors Bodrog took five, Körös twelve direct hits.
3/10 1916

Belgian steamer PAUL (J. Huyghebaert, Nieuwpoort, Belgium) collided with the British paddle patrol vessel ALBERT VICTOR.

4/10 1916  
5/10 1916 Swedish steamer VERA, sunk by a Austrian submarine 45 miles SSE Isle de Caroli in Mediterranean. She was on voyage Newport - Naples with cargo of coal. (Rederi AB Scania (J. P. Jönsson), Landskrona, Sweden).

British steamer ISLE OF HASTINGS, 1.575 Grt, Built 1885. Captured and sunk with bombs in the Atlantic 10 miles S. by W. from Ushant by the German submarine UC 26 whilst on a voyage from Fray Bentos to London with a cargo of tinned meat.

6/10 1916

The Italian steamship Alberto struck a mine and sank in the Mediterranean. (Societa Ligure Comm. di Nav.; 1884; Tyne Iron S.B. Co.; 2,011 Ions; 291 x 37 x 21; compound engines.)

7/10 1916 The Russian Empress Maria was lost at Sevastopol after an onboard explosion.
8/10 1916

BLOMMERSDIJK (ex: BLÖTBERG) turretsteamer, sunk by gunfire by German submarine U-53 near Nantucket Lightvessel when on a voyage New York - Rotterdam.

British steamer STEPHANO captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 2½ miles E.N.E. from Nantucket Lightvessel by the German submarine U-53 whilst on a voyage from St. John's, NFL to New York with general cargo. (Bowring, C. T., London, New York, Newfoundland & Halifax S.S. Co. Ltd., 3.449 grt/1911).

British steamer STRATHDENE captured and torpedoed in the Atlantic 20 miles S.E. from Nantucket Lightvessel by the German submarine U 53 whilst on a voyage from New York to Bordeaux with general cargo. (Burrell & Son. Glasgow, 4.321 grt/1909).
9/10 1916  
10/10 1916 British steamer ELAX torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 70 miles W.S.W. from Cape Matapan in position 35.54N 21.19E by the German submarine UB-43 whilst on a voyage from Rangoon to Malta with a cargo of oil. (Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., London, 3.980 grt/1893).
11/10 1916  
12/10 1916  
13/10 1916  
14/10 1916  
15/10 1916  
16/10 1916  
17/10 1916 Italian destroyer NEMBO (1902, 400t, 4-7.6cm, 2-45cm tt) & Austrian-Hungarian coastal submarine U-16 (1915, 125t, 2-45cm tt). During a convoy attack, U-16 torpedoes and sinks destroyer Nembo off Valona in Albania, but is herself lost. Surfaced right under the escorted steamer Bormida and damaged irreparably at pos. 40°08'N/19°30°E off Strade Bianche.
18/10 1916  
19/10 1916

The Cunard liner Alaunia carrying 180 passengers and 166 crew struck a mine and sank 2 miles S. of the Royal Sovereign lightship. The mines was laid by the German submarine UC-16 Two members of the crew were missing, and their bodies were later washed ashore on the South Coast. The remainder came to land without further casualties. ALAUNIA was on a voyage from New York to London with general cargo. (Cunard Line; 1913; Scotts' S. B. & E. Co. ; 13,405 tons; 520,3 x 64 x 43,1; 14 knots; quadruple-expansion engines.)

German cruiser MUNCHEN sunk by a British submarine.
20/10 1916

British steamer HUGUENOT struck a mine and sunk off the mouth of the River Thames 4 miles N.E. ½ E. from the Sunk Lightvessel laid by the German submarine UC-11 whilst on a voyage from London to Tyne in ballast. (Austin, Elliot & Co., Newcastle upon Tyne, 1.032 grt/1892).

British steamer MOMBASSA torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 8 miles N.W. by N. from Cape Corbelin by the German submarine U-39 whilst on a voyage from London to Zanzibar Island with general cargo. 1 lost. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 4.689 grt/1889).

British destroyer MARMION sunk after collision in the North Sea.

21/10 1916

Employed as an Admiralty collier the Adriatic left Newport, Mon. for Marseilles with a cargo of coal, but was not seen again. (W. H. Cockerline & Co.; 1904; Irvine's S.B. & D.D. Co.; 3,028 tons; 325x47-1 x13-7, 227 n.h.p.; triple-expansion engines.)

22/10 1916

The Norwegian steamship Alix was sunk by a German submarine in the English Channel. (A/S Alix; 1889; Gourlay Bros. & Co.; 1,584 tons; 257,5 x 36 x 16,9; 157 n.h.p.; triple-expansion engines.)

23/10 1916 German torpedoboat T-64 mined and sunk in the Baltic Sea.
24/10 1916  
25/10 1916

Belgian steamer COMTESSE DE FLANDRE torpedoed and sunk by UB-19, 3 m WNW of Casquets. (1810 grt/1906, owned by Cie Dens "Ocean", Antwerp, Belgium)

Battleship USS California laid down.

26/10 1916 British destroyer Nubian, damaged night of the 26th/27th October 1916, English Channel off Folkestone - torpedoed by German destroyer. Took part in the night action against German destroyers raiding the Dover Barrage patrol drifters when "C" class Flirt was sunk. Trying to ram one of the attackers, "Nubian’s" bows were blown off and she had to be run ashore on the coast at South Foreland.
27/10 1916

British destroyer HMS FLIRT, English Channel in Strait of Dover - German destroyers. On the night of the 26th/27th Flirt (Lt R Kellett with a crew of about 80) left Dover around 20.00hrs and two hours later heard gunfire from the drifter line guarding the Dover anti-U-boat net and mine barrage. A German destroyer raid was in progress, part of a force of two and a half flotillas attacking the drifters, patrolling destroyers and any other Allied shipping . Flirt came across drifter Waveney II on fire and lowered a boat to render assistance. In the early hours of the 27th, on a very dark, overcast night, enemy destroyers appeared, and opened fire sinking her with all hands, except for the boat’s crew who survived. Some sources credit Flirt’s loss to a torpedo. A total of six drifters and the empty transport QUEEN were sunk and destroyer Nubian torpedoed and damaged that night.

28/10 1916  
27/10 1916  
28/10 1916

Steamship Lenao (Philippine steamship), 692 grt; bombed and sunk by a German submarine 30 miles off Cape Vincent, Portugal; no casualties.

Russian dreadnought IMPERATRITSA MARIYA (1915, 23,000t, 12-30.5cm). Barely challenged by the few German submarines available, the Russian Navy continues to dominate the Black Sea, supporting the Russian army on the Caucasus front and blockading the Bosphorus and the coal-mining areas around Zonguldak. Now it suffers its worst loss of the war and in the process, the Allies lose another dreadnought in harbour. On the 20th, the 30.5cm (12in) magazines of the Imperatritsa Mariya explode and she sinks to the bottom at Sevastopol. Russian supremacy at sea, however, carries on well into 1917.

Turkish destroyer GAIRET-I-WATANIJE (or "Gaireti Vatanye", 1910, 665t, 2-8.8cm, 3-45cmtt) runs aground off Varna and is abandoned. Sources vary on the date of Gairet-i-Watanije's loss.

Russian torpedo boat KAZANETS (or destroyer, or 'Kazanec', 1905, 580t, 2-11pdr, 3-45.7cm tt). German submarines have concentrated on minelaying in the Gulf of Finland. On the 28th, the old destroyer Kazanets sinks on a mine laid by UC-27 off Odensholm at the southern entrance to the Gulf.

29/10 1916  
30/10 1916

German large torpedoboat S 168 sunk off Varna, Black Sea when she ran on rocks and scuttled.

German submarine UC-15 mined and sunk in the Black Sea.

1/11 1916  
2/11 1916

German U22 on 09.30h sank Russian sailing vessel VANADIS, (384 grt), with gunfire, 10 miles S of Raumo (61°05‘N-21°04'O)

German U22 on 11.58h sank Swedish motor vessel FRANS (Kpt. Englund, 133 grt), by gunfire, bombs, 14 miles off Raumo (61°03‘N-20°33'O), crew set on board Swedish steamer RUNHILD.

U 22 on 12.38h captured and seized Swedish steamer RUNHILD (Kpt. Krokstedt, 1087 grt), off Raumo (61°06‘N-20°35'O), voyage Stockholm - Raumo with general cargo.  RUNHILD was ordered to sail to Libau as a German prize but was mined the next day on 09.18h off Soderarm in Baltic Sea

German submarine U-56 sunk in the Arctic Ocean by Russian ships.

3/11 1916

AB Öresundsvarvet, Landskrona sign contract on a turbine steamer of 2.325 brt. Ordered by  Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, Stockholm, Sweden.

French destroyer YATAGAN, in collision with British steamship TEVIOT in English Channel off Dieppe, France. Yatagan spent the war as a fishery protection vessel and was on these duties when rammed and sunk. Some sources date her loss on the 4th November, suggesting the night of the 3rd/4th.
4/11 1916 British steamer CLAN LESLIE; 3.937 Grt, Built 1902. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 200 miles E½S. from Malta in position 35.56N 18.37E by the German submarine UB 43 whilst on a voyage from Bombay to London with general cargo. 3 lost.
5/11 1916 German submarine U-20 Scuttled after stranding on Danish Coast, broken up 1925.
6/11 1916 German coastal submarine UB-45 (1916, 260t, 2-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm) is sunk on Russian mines laid off the Bulgarian base of Varna (43°12N, 28°09E).
7/11 1916

Norwegian steamer THUHAUG, (ex: LUTTI) owned by D/S A/S Haug (L. Maeland), Haugesund  lost.

Steamship Columbian, 8,673 grt; bombed and sunk by German submarine U-49, 50 miles northwest of Cape Ortegal, Spain, no casualties.

Russian destroyer LETUN (1916, 1,260t, 4-10.2cm, 9-45.7cm tt). German submarine-laid mines in the Gulf of Finland continue to account for Russian ships, one to the successful UC-27. On the 7th, newly completed destroyer Letun is badly damaged north of Reval, laid up and not recommissioned.

Norwegian steamer REIME (1.913 grt). Captured and sunk with explosives by the German submarine UB-40, 51 miles SW of Dungeness at pos. 50.16 N, 0.26 E when on a voyage Yarrow – Rouen with a cargo of 3.050 ton coal.

8/11 1916

British destroyer Zulu, damaged in English Channel off Dunkirk, France (51°04’N, 2°04’E) - mined. Zulu’s stern was wrecked. In possibly a unique operation, at least for warships, her fore part was joined to the after part of Nubian, and the impishly-named Zubian was born, commissioned in June 1917.

Turkish merchant steamer TURSEN (150 grt) sunk by Russian submarine TJULEN.

Italian steamer LUIGI PASTRO, (3137 grt / 1899) Sunk by U 34 (ex German MUDROS ex ASIA)

9/11 1916  
10/11 1916

German large torpedo boats V 75, S 57, V 72, G 90, S 57, S 58, S 59, V76 (or destroyers, all 1916, 920t, 3-8.8cm, 6-50cm tt, 24 mines). Ships of the 10th Torpedo boat Flotilla suffer even more heavily from Russian mines - seven out of eleven new vessels lost during an attack on shipping in the Reval area. On the way into the Gulf of Finland, late on the 10th, V 75 sinks and the damaged S 57 scuttled. An abortive attack is made on Baltic Port, and as they return, V 72, G 90, S 57, S 58, S 59 and V 76 are sunk early on the 11th, although casualties are light (all at c 59-23N, 22-30E).

11/11 1916

Swedish steamer RIVAL on a voyage Goteborg - Stettin stranded in Halmstad bay on the Swedish west coast. Refloated 13/11 and towed in to Halmstad for repair

German large torpedo boat V 72 mined and sunk in Gulf of Finland.

German large torpedo boat G 90 mined and sunk in Gulf of Finland.
12/11 1916  
13/11 1916  
14/11 1916

German Coastal minelayer UC-15 (1915, 170t, 12 mines) sails from Constantinople for operations off Sulina, Rumania, at the mouth of the Danube, and disappears without trace. She may have been lost on the 14th or 15th in the area on previously-laid German mines or by the explosion of one of her own (45°05N, 29°50E).

15/11 1916

British steamer LORCA torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 200 miles W. from Ushant by the German submarine U-49 whilst on a voyage from Gulfport and Norfolk (Va) to Cherbourg with a cargo of timber. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 4.129 grt/1910).

16/11 1916 British trawler ANTHONY HOPE. Built 1913, 288t, sunk by mine off Le Harve.
17/11 1916  
18/11 1916  
19/11 1916 Russian armoured cruiser RURIK badly damaged when she hit a mine in the Baltic, salvaged and repaired.
20/11 1916  
21/11 1916  
22/11 1916

British submarine E.30 lost in the North Sea.

German U22 stopped at 06.40h Swedish schooner ALERT, searched and released her SW of Raumo (60°52'N-20°31'O)

23/11 1916

Swedish steamer ARTHUR, (Rederi AB Arthur ( A. Olsson), Stockholm, Sweden). Sunk by explosive charge by a German submarine about 6 miles from Skagens Light ship. The ship was on voyage from Leith to Gothenburg with cargo of  1.676 ton coal and 200 bags of mail. The crew was later picked up by the fishing boat DELFIN and landed in Gothenburg.

Belgian steamer PAUL (J. Huyghebaert, Nieuwpoort, Belgium) 23/11 1916 rescued the crew of a sunken ship.

24/11 1916

Norwegian sailing vessel PADANG Stranded at Isles Moline (Ouessant) near Brest. Crew saved. On voyage: Aalborg - Rio de Janeiro. Cargo: Cement in barrels. (The vessel started leaking in storm west of Ireland, and they tried to reach "safe haven" in Brest. It was impossible to get a pilot and they try to anchor but dragged and stranded. The crew was saved by boats from ashore.)

Steamer JERSEYMAN was torpedoed and sunk by UB 19, while on passage from Swansea for Treport with coal. (ex: EARLESFORD, ex: SYLFAEN built by J Fulleron & Co. at Paisley in 1883; 398-ton; compound steam engine.)

25/11 1917 British submarine D.2 lost in the North Sea.
26/11 1916

Steamship Chemung, 3,061 grt; torpedoed and sunk with gunfire by Austrian submarine in Mediterranean, 14 miles east of Cape de Gata, no casualties.

French battleship SUFFREN torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-52 off the Portuguese coast while sailing without escort to Brest for repair.

27/11 1916 British steamer MAUDE LARSSEN ex Wilhelm Behrens, captured and sunk with bombs in the Mediterranean 22 miles W.S.W. from Marittimo Island by the German submarine U-63 whilst on a voyage from Bagnoli to Seville in ballast. (Calvert, Alfred, Goole, Maude S.S. Co. Ltd., 1.222 grt/1897).
28/11 1916  
29/11 1916 British steamer MINNEWASKA struck a mine and sunk in the Mediterranean in Suda Bay, Crete, laid by the German submarine UC-23 whilst on a voyage from Alexandria to Malta in ballast. (Atlantic Transport Co. Ltd., London, 14.317 grt/1909).
30/11 1916

German submarine UB19 sunk by gunfire off Portland Bill by the British Q ship PENSHURST.

1/12 1916

USS submarine H-3 (SS-25) Ran aground just outside Humbolt Bay, CA. USS Memphis wrecked trying to tow off. Towed across sand bar overland to Humbolt Bay and refloated.

British steamer BURCOMBE torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 100 miles S. E. by E. from Malta in position 35.20N 16.23E by the German submarine UC22 whilst on a voyage from Karachi to Hull with a cargo of grain. 2 lost. (Burdick & Cook, London, 3.516 grt/1913).

British submarine E.37 lost on the North Sea.

2/12 1916

Rebecca B. Douglas, schooner, 475 grt; stranded at Crabtree Point, Frenchmans Bay, Maine; absence of lights; no casualties.

British steamer ISTRAR torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 120 miles N.N.W. ½ W. from Alexandria in position 33.00N 28.40E by the German submarine U39 whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta with general cargo and coal. 1 lost, Chief Engineer taken prisoner. (Brocklebank, T. & J. Ltd., Liverpool, Anchor-Brocklebank Line, 4.582 grt/1896).

3/12 1916

British Q-ship PERUGIA torpedoed and sunk by German U63 in the Gulf of Genoa, northwest coast of Italy at pos. 42.56N, 07.56E. Lost whilst on Government service employed as Special Service Ship Q-1. (Anchor Line (Henderson Brothers) Ltd., Glasgow, 1901, 4,350grt,1-4in).

French gunboat SURPRISE sunk.

4/12 1916

British destroyer LLEWELLYN sank the German submarin UC17 at Dover Straits with depth charges. [Another source says it was UC19]

The French steamship Algerie was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the Mediterranean. (Societe Generale de Trans. Mar. å Vap.; 1901; Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee; 4,035 tons; 331 x 46,5 x 22,5; 473 n.h.p.; triple-expansion engines.)

Swedish iron barque SENTA, (Rederi AB Quinta, Gothenburg, Sweden). On voyage Gothenburg - Delagoa Bay, South Africa with a cargo of boards, captured in Skagerak about 6 miles south Ryvingen by a German submarine. The crew was forced in their lifeboats and the ship was sunk by a torpedo. The crew was later saved by the Norwegian steamer MIA from Stavanger and landed in Helsingborg the day after.

British steamer CALEDONIA torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 125 miles E. by S. from Malta in position 35.40N 17.05E by the German submarine U-65 whilst on a voyage from Salonica to Marseilles with a cargo of mails. 1 lost, Master taken prisoner. (Anchor Line (Henderson Brothers) Ltd., Glasgow, 9.223 grt/1904).

5/12 1916  
6/12 1916

The Norwegian steamship Amicitia was sunk by a German sub­marine in the Bay of Biscay. (A/S D/S Amicitia; 1904; Bergens Mek. Værks.; 1,111 tons; 228,8 x 35,3 x 15,9; 106 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

German submarine UC19 sunk in Dover Straits by the British destroyer LLEWELLYN.

British HMS ARIEL sank German submarine UB29 off Scillies.
7/12 1916 German coastal submarine UB46 (1916, 260t, 2-50cm tt, 1-8.8cm) is lost on Russian ship-laid mines, 30 miles off the Bosphorus (41°26N, 28°35E).
8/12 1916 British steamer CONCH torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 12 miles S. by W. ½ W. from Anvil Point, 10 miles S. of Poole in position 50.23N 02.02W by the German submarine UB-23 whilst on a voyage from Calcutta and Rangoon to River Thames with a cargo of benzine. 28 lost including Master. (Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., London, 5.620 grt/1909).
9/12 1916 British steamer FORTH, 1.159 Grt, Built 1886. Struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea 4 miles S.W. from Shipwash Lightvessel laid by the German submarine UC 11 whilst on a voyage from London to Leith with general cargo.
10/12 1916 British steamer STRATHALBYN struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel 2 miles N.E. from Cherbourg breakwater in position 49.41N 01.37W laid by the German submarine UC-26 whilst on a voyage from New York to Le Havre with general cargo. (Burrell & Son. Glasgow, 4.331 grt/1909).
11/12 1916

Italian pre-dreadnought REGINA MARGHERITA (1904, 14,100t, 4-30.5cm). A year after her mines sank the Italian destroyer Intrepido in the Adriatic off Valona, German UC-14 is credited with an even greater success. Leaving Valona for docking in Taranto, the pre-dreadnought Regine Margherita hits two of the U-boat's mines and sinks with heavy loss of life, a major disaster for the Italian Navy.

The British steamer Yarrowdale was captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Möwe on 11.12.1916 in the Atlantic. Send to Germany, the ship was modified as an auxiliary cruiser and renamed to Leopard . Camouflaged as the Norwegian Rena , the ship left Germany in March 1917 but was stopped by the British cruiser Achilles on 16.03.1917 near the Faroers islands. Escorted to the armed boarding vessel Dundee , the British started an investigation of the ship when the Leopard fired two torpedoes on the Dundee which both missed. In the following close range battle, the Leopard was sunk with all hands.

12/12 1916 British steamer LOATH ex Skerryvore, torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off Beachy Head, 3 miles S.W. of Eastbourne by the German submarine UB-38 whilst on a voyage from Le Havre. 16 lost including Master. (Bazeley, George & Sons Ltd., Penzance, 975 grt/1882).
13/12 1916 German submarine UB-29 sunk in the English Channel by the British destroyer ARIEL.
14/12 1916 British steamer BURNHOPE struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea in Hartlepool Bay laid by the German submarine UC-32 whilst on a voyage from Hartlepool to London with a cargo of coal. 1 lost (Master). (Burnett & Co., Newcastle Upon Tyne, Burnett S.S. Co. Ltd., 1.941 grt/1907).
15/12 1916  
16/12 1916  
17/12 1916  
18/12 1916

Steamship Kansan, gross 7,913 tons; struck mine in the Bay of Biscay; salvaged; 6 wounded.

18/12 1916:   Swedish steamer MALCOLM, (Rederi AB Malcolm (F. O. Liljefors), Landskrona, Sweden). Seized by the German submarine U-84 in North Sea and taken to Cuxhaven. She was on voyage Sandesund, Norway - Grimsby, U.K..
21/12 1916: Reported confiscated by the German Prize Court and transferred to Reichkommisar für die Priesenschiffe, no change of name.
19/12 1916  
20/12 1916

British steamer ITONUS ex Anglia, torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 60 miles N.W. by W. ½ W. from Malta by the German submarine U-38 whilst on a voyage from Marseilles to Sydney, NSW with cargo of tiles. 5 lost, Master taken prisoner. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 5.340 grt/1898).

21/12 1916

British destroyer NEGRO, - northern North Sea off Fair Isle/Shetland Islands - collision with British flotilla leader Hoste and detonated depth charges. Serving with 13th DF and sailed on 19th December to screen the Grand Fleet on a sweep between Norway and Shetlands. As the force returned to Scapa Flow in very bad weather and heavy seas, flotilla leader Hoste suffered a steering failure and collided with Negro. Two of Hoste's depth charges came loose and exploded, damaging both ships severely. Negro foundered with heavy loss of life. Hoste was taken in tow by Marmion and Marvel, but had to be abandoned. She too foundered.

British destroyer HOSTE, - northern North Sea off Fair/Shetland Islands - collision with British destroyer Negro and detonated depth charges. Serving with 12th DF, Grand Fleet. Lost after a career lasting only 38 days. Hoste was taken in tow by Marmion and Marvel, but had to be abandoned.

British steamer MUREX torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 94 miles N.W. from Port Said in position 32.20N 31.00E by the German submarine U-73 whilst on a voyage from Mudros, Aegean Sea to Port Said in ballast. 1 lost. (Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., London, 3.564 grt/1892).

22/12 1916 USS submarine K-5 (SS 36) Grounded off Pelican Shoal near Key West
23/12 1916

British steamer THISTLEBAN struck a mine and was damaged in the Mediterranean 5 miles N.N.W. from Alexandria laid by the German submarine U-73 whilst on a voyage from  Karachi to Hull with a cargo of rape, seed, linseed and peas, Later beached but became a total loss.   (Allan, Black & Co, Sunderland, Albyn Line, 4.117 grt/1910).

24/12 1916  
25/12 1916  
26/12 1916  
27/12 1916 French battleship GAULOIS (1899, 11,100t, 4-30.5cm), under escort and on passage around Greece from Corfu to Salonika, torpedoed and sunk by German UB-47, she goes down between the islands of Cerigo (or Cythera) and Milo in the southern Aegean.
28/12 1916

The British freighter Saint Théodore was captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Möwe in the North Atlantic on 28.12.1916. First put into German service as an auxiliary ship, it then was equipped by the Möwe as an auxiliary cruiser with two 5,2 cm guns. The now named Geier operated in the South Atlantic until its engines were totally used up. On 14.02.1917 it was scuttled near the island of Ilha da Trindade after all military material was removed by the Möwe again.

29/12 1916

The British steamship Alondra was wrecked on Kedge Rocks, near Baltimore, Ireland while on a voyage from Las Palmas to Liverpool. (YeowardBros.; 1899; D. J. Dunlop & Co.; 2,244 tons; 298,7 x 38,3 x 18; 380 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)

30/12 1916  
31/12 1916  
   
1917  
1/1 1917  
2/1 1917  
3/1 1917 Norwegian steamer Fama was captured by UC37 and sunk by gunfire near Cape St. Vincent S off Algarve whilst on a voyage Portland ME – Marseilles with a cargo of wheat. (Russell & Co., Greenock (# 211); 2427 grt, 1527 nrt; 294.5 x 40.2 x 18.4 ft; 3Exp. (J. Howden & Co., Glasgow), 222 ihp)
4/1 1917

Steamship Norlina, 4,596 grt; damaged by torpedo fired by German submarine U-88 in Atlantic Ocean about 180 miles northwest of Inishtrahull Island off the north coast of Ireland, did not sink; no casualties.

Russian cruiser PERESVIET (1901, 12,700t, 4-25.4cm). Two Allied warships are lost to the mines and torpedoes of German U-boats; a third is sunk by the Turks. Russian battleship Peresviet was sunk in the 1905 Russo-Japanese war, raised and re-commissioned into the Japanese Navy. Returned to the Russians in 1916 and re-rated a cruiser, she is on passage through the Mediterranean to serve with the Russian Arctic Flotilla. Off  Port Said, Peresviet sinks on mines laid by German UC-73.

5/1 1917  
6/1 1917

The French steamship Alphonse Conseil was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the Bay of Biscay. (Societe les Affreteurs Reunis; 1884; Palmers' Co.; 1,591 tons; 241 x 34,3 x 17,1; 196 n.h.p., compound engines.)

The British submarine E.17 lost on the Dutch coast.

7/1 1917  
8/1 1917 British steamer LYNFIELD captured and sunk with bombs in the Mediterranean 32 miles S.E. by S. from Malta by the German submarine U-35 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Alexandria with a cargo of coal. 1 lost, Master taken prisoner. (Aston, E., Stockton-on-Tees, Field S.S. Co. Ltd., 3.023 grt/1905).
9/1 1917 British battleship CORNWALLIS (1904, 13,700t, 4-12in). Sailing from the Aegean back to Britain, the old battleship is torpedoed a number of times by U-32 about 60 miles to the southeast of Malta. Some 15 men are lost, but the rest are taken off by the escorting destroyer.
10/1 1917 Danish steamer HARALD (1.970 grt) stopped, controlled and released by the German submarine U84.
11/1 1917

British seaplane carrier BEN-MY-CHREE (1908, converted 1915, 3,900t, 2-4in, 4 seaplanes) arrived in the Mediterranean in 1915 for the Dardanelles campaign. She is sunk by shore batteries off the south coast of Turkey, near the island of Castellorizo.

British battleship HMS CORNWALLIS torpedoed near Malta.

12/1 1917  
13/1 1917

Steamship Nyanza, damaged by gunfire from German submarine; 1 wounded.

U.S armoured cruiser MILWAUKEE stranded off Eureka, California, when attemting to salve the submarine H3, and then broke in two in a storm in November 1918.

Italian submarines H-1 & H-2 departed Shelburne NS for Bermuda.

Destroyer HMS Verdun laid down

14/1 1917 German submarine UB-37 sunk in the English Channel by the British Q ship PENSHURST.
15/1 1917  
16/1 1917  
17/1 1917  
18/1 1917  
19/1 1917

Nailsea Court, 3295 grt, sunk by U-48 32 nm west of the Skelligs, while en route Bougie to Barrow with a cargo of iron ore.

The British submarine E.36 lost in the North Sea.
20/1 1917  
21/1 1917  
22/1 1917

Dutch tanker JUNO (2345 grt / 1912). Damaged by mine in North Sea. Arrived Downs 25 January, and to Niewe Waterway 31 January for repairs.

Belgian steamer EUPHRATES torpedoed and sunk by U-57, 240 m SWbyW Fasnet in pos. 48°00'N-13°05'W on voyage Rotterdam-Galveston in ballast. Was sailing with safe conduct papers for account of "Belgian Relief". 30 crew lost. One survivor was rescued by a lifeboat of British ss TREVEAN which has also been sunk (probably by the same submarine) (2809 grt/1901, built by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co, Newcastle (#715) Launch 24/10 1901, owned by Cie Royale Belgo-Argentine (Deppe), Antwerp, Belgium)

23/1 1917

British destroyer SIMOON, torpedoed by German destroyer S.50 in the North Sea, off Schouwen Bank. The Harwich Force including light cruisers Centaur, Conquest, Aurora, Penelope, Cleopatra, Undaunted and 18 destroyers, was in action with the German 6th TBF off the Schouwen light vessel. After Simoom was hit, she was scuttled by destroyer Matchless. One German torpedoboat was also lost in the battle.

Belgian steamer EGYPTE sunk by shelling of UC-17 in Atlantic, 70 m W of Brest in pos. 48°18'N-06°10'W in heavy weather. Was on voyage Bordeaux-Barry Docks with pit props. No survivors. (2437 grt/1901, built by John Cockerill SA, Hoboken, owned by Armement Deppe, Antwerp, Belgium)

British steamer JEVINGTON torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 52 miles N.W. ½W. from Cape Ortegal, near Ferrol in position 44.08N 09.00W by the German submarine U-43 whilst on a voyage from Rosario to Rochefort, Bay of Biscay with a cargo of wheat. (Bell, Symondson & Co., London, Southdown S.S. Co. Ltd., 2.747 grt/1905).

British steamer CLAN SHAW; 3.943 Grt, Built 1902. Struck a mine and was damaged in the Firth of Tay laid by the German submarine UC 29 and was beached 8 miles N.E. from St. Andrew's and became a wreck whilst on a voyage from Calcutta via London to Dundee with a cargo of jute. 2 lost.

24/1 1917  
25/1 1917

The liner Amiral Magon was carrying 900 French troops to Salonika when she was torpedoed by a German submarine. The liner remained afloat for only ten minutes, going down with most of those on board. (Chargeurs Reunis; 1904; A tel. & Ch. Loire; 5,566 tons; 389,5 x 49,8 x 26,3; 2,900 i.h.p.; 12 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

SS Laurentic hit two mines when leaving Lough Swilly and sank with a loss of 354 men. She was carrying 44 tons of gold in payment for munitions delivered to UK from the USA.

26/1 1917  
27/1 1917 German submarine U-76 sunk in the Arctic Ocean when rammed by a Russian trawler.
28/1 1917

British torpedo-boat TB.24, wrecked in English Channel, on Dover breakwater (51-07’N, 01-21’E). She is believed to have wrecked herself on the breakwater; some sources suggest she was lost in collision off the breakwater.

29/1 1917 The Spanish steamship Algorta was sunk by a German submarine off Ushant. (Compania Naviera Sota y Aznar; 1898; W. Gray & Co.; 2,117 tons; 275 x 41,7 x 17,8; 208 n.h.p.; triple-expansion engines.)
30/1 1917  
31/1 1917 British steamer DUNDEE torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 10 miles N. by W. from St. Ives Head in position 50.22N 05.36W by the German submarine U-55 whilst on a voyage from London to Swansea in ballast. 1 lost. (Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal, 2.290 grt/1906).
1/2 1917  
2/2 1917 German submarine UB23 sink French steamer Gabrielle (1.410 grt).
3/2 1917

Steamship Housatonic, 3,143 grt; bombed and sunk by German submarine U-53, 20 miles south of Bishops Light off Scilly Islands, Great Britain, no casualties.

British steamer MONGARA torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 1½ miles from Messina breakwater in position 38. 10N 15.36E by the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-28 whilst on a voyage from Sydney, NSW to London with general cargo. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 8.205 grt/1914).

British steamer HOLLINSIDE ex Robert Coverdale; 2.862 Grt, Built 1905. Torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 115 miles W.S.W. from the Fastnet Rock by the German submarine U 43 whilst on a voyage from Sunderland to Marseilles with a cargo of coal. 1 lost, Master taken prisoner.

4/2 1917  
5/2 1917

LUX, (2621 gross ton tanker), built 1893 by Forges & Chantiers de la Mediteranee, Havre for Deutsch & Cie, Le Havre as the LE LION. 1904 sold to Lux Navigation Co, Ltd (Lane & Macandrew), London torpedoed and sunk S.W. of Ireland by U-60 on voyage New York to Calais with a cargo of oil, 29 lost including the Master.

British merchant ship ARGYLLSHIRE owned by Scottish Line (Turnbull, Martin and Co Ltd., managers) torpedoed by submarine 3 miles S.W. of Start Point, reached Falmouth safely.
6/2 1917

FERRUCCIO (1916); sunk by submarine in the North Sea.

Italian torpedoboat PERSEO sank after a collision with ASTORE off Stromboli.

7/2 1917

British steamer VEDAMORE  Torpedoed and sunk 20 miles West of Fastnet Rock in position 51.17N 10.03W by the U.85 while on passage Baltimore to Liverpool with general cargo.23 lives lost. (6.330 grt, built 1896 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast for the Johnston Line, Liverpool).

British steamer CALIFORNIA torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 38 miles W. by S. from the Fastnet Rock in position 51.10N 09.24W by the German submarine U-85 whilst on a voyage from New York to Clyde with general cargo. 43 lost. (Anchor Line (Henderson Brothers) Ltd., Glasgow, 8.669 grt/1907).

8/2 1917

Swedish steamer ARLA developed a leak when in ice in Limfjorden, Denmark on a voyage Newcastle - Aalborg with a cargo of coal, and sank.

British destroyer Thrasher sank UC-39 off the English East Coast off Flamborough Head 53.56N 00.05E. 7 dead, unknown number of survivors.

British destroyer GHURKA, mined in English Channel, off Dungeness, Kent, SE coast of England (50-51’N, 00-53’E). Ghurka blew up on a German-laid mine at 19.45hrs, 4 miles SW (SE according to one source) from Dungeness Bouy. Many of the crew were killed outright, and the survivors rescued with great difficulty in rough seas. Armed trawler Highlander managed to pick up at least 10.

British destroyer LIBERTY rammed and sunk the German submarine UC-46 in Dover Straits.

British steamer LULLINGTON struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel 3 miles E. from Royal Sovereign Lightvessel, 10 miles S.W. of Hastings in position 50.42'/2N 00.33E laid by the German submarine UC-47 whilst on a voyage from Blyth to Rouen with a cargo of coal. (Bell, Symondson & Co., London, Southdown S.S. Co. Ltd., 2.816 grt/1903).

British steamer MANTOLA torpedoed and sunk by gunfire in the Atlantic 143 miles W.S.W. from the Fastnet Rock in position 49.50N 12.20W by the German submarine U-81 whilst on a voyage from London to Calcutta carrying passengers and general cargo. 7 lost. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 8.253 grt/1916).

9/2 1917 German minesweeper M56 mined and sunk in the North Sea.
10/2 1917  
11/2 1917  
12/2 1917

Lyman M. Law, schooner, 1.300 grt; captured and sunk by German submarine U-35 in the Mediterranean about 25 miles from land near Cagliari, Sardinia, no casualties.

The liner Afric was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine in the English Channel, 12 miles S.S.W. of the Eddystone. Five were killed by the explosion and 17 were drowned. There were 145 survivors, including the captain. (White Star Line; 1899; Harland & Wolff; 11,999 tons; 550,2 x  63,3 x 39.9; 4,800 i.h.p. ; 13-5 knots; quadruple-expansion engines.)

The Greek steamship Aghios Spyridon was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the Bristol Channel. (J. Roussos & Sons; 1878; W. Gray & Co.; 1,618 tons; 258,6 x 34,7 x 19,3; 175 n.h. p. ; compound engines.)

Swedish barque HUGO HAMILTON, (August Leffler & Sons Nya AB, Gothenburg, Sweden). On voyage Caleta Buena, Chile - Gothenburg with a cargo of salpetre she was captured by a German submarine in North Atlantic on pos. 55.39 N, 12.03 W. The crew was forced in their life boats and she was shelled and sunk by the submarine. HUGO HAMILTON sank at pos. 55.45 N, 12.10 W. The crew was saved 18 hours later by the Norwegian steamer RIO DE LA PLATA which landed the crew 20/2 at Funchal, Madeira.

13/2 1917  
14/2 1917  
15/2 1917  
16/2 1917

600 died when the SS Mendi sank. The vessel collided with the warship SS Darro in the English Channel on its way to France.

Russian SVIATOGORE 1423/03 sunk in collision with Russian destroyer BYSTRY, 20 miles SW of Batoum.
17/2 1917

Avetoro. ex-Valdes. This Yeoward Bros. ships was torpedoed and sunk, 7 miles south of Portland Bill, Dorset.

U-85 spotted a vulnerable merchant ship, Farnborough, west of Fastnet, and hit her aft in the engine-room with a torpedo. As the merchantman's crew could be seen taking to a lifeboat, U-85 surfaced to finish off her badly damaged victim, which was already sinking. However, the hunter now became the hunted - Farnborough was in fact HMS Q-5, one the famous Q-ships, commanded by Commander Campbell. As the "Panic Party" escaped in the lifeboats as planned, Campbell remained behind with a small gunnery team, ignored the rising water, and patiently waited for his target to close to point-blank range. Their concealed guns opened fire on the U-boat at only 100 yards, and hit her with almost every round out of 45 fired, quickly sinking her. Campbell then summoned help to tow Q-5 towards shore, where she was safely beached.

18/2 1917  
19/2 1917 British steamer LADY OLIVE ex Tees Trader, sunk by gunfire in the English Channel N.W. of St. Malo in position 49.15N 02.34W by the German submarine UC-18, Lost whilst on Government service employed as a Special Service Ship Q-18. The sinking Q-18 lured UC-18 within range before opening fire with her concealed guns, and managed to sink the submarine before going down herself. (British & Irish Steam Packet Co. Ltd., London, 701 grt/1913).
20/2 1917 French torpedo cruiser CASSINI is sunk by a submarine in the Straits of Bonifacio.
21/2 1917  
22/2 1917 The Norwegian steamship Aiax was sunk by a German submarine in the Bay of Biscay. (A/S DIS Bris; 1904; Framnes Mek. Verksted; 1,468 tons; 231,8 x 35,2 x 20,5; 111 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)
23/2 1917

German submarine UC-32 blown up by own mines in the North Sea off Sunderland.

British steamer BELGIER captured and sunk by gunfire in the Bay of Biscay 30 miles W. from Belle Ile in position 47.32N 03.58W by the German submarine UC-17 whilst on a voyage from New York and Norfolk (Va) to Le Havre with a cargo of munitions. (Brys & Glysen Ltd., London, 4.588 grt/1914).

24/2 1917 English steamer ABOSSO owned by Elder Dempster Line, torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine 180 nm. V off Fastnet. 65 persons killed.
25/2 1917

Laconia, A Cunard ship. Sunk by torpedo attack from German U-boat U-50 on the return journey from the USA to Liverpool while about 150 miles north west of the Fastnet Rock. There was a crew of 217 and she was carrying 75 passengers. 12 people were killed, 6 crew and 6 passengers.

German submarine UB-30 stranded at Walcheren Island, Netherlands, salved and interned.

26/2 1917

Finnish general cargo steamer TAMMERFORS (980 grt / 1872). Scuttled by the German submarine UB-40 near Caen.

The steamship Algiers was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine three miles S. of the Owers Light vessel. Eight were killed. The captain was among the survivors. (Franco-British Steamship Co.; 1882; Wigham Richardson, 2,361 tons; 300,2 x 37,2 x 26,8; 220 n.h.p.; 9 - 5 knots; com­pound engines.)

British steamer CLAN FARQUHAR; 5.858 Grt, Built 1899. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 80 miles E. from Benghazi in position 33.30N 20.50E by the German submarine UB 43 whilst or. a voyage from Calcutta and Bombay to London with a cargo of cotton, jute and tea. 49 lost, 2nd Engineer taken prisoner.

27/2 1917

British steamer BRODMORE ex Graf Muravjev ex Count Muravieff ex Rangatira, torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 70 miles N.W. by N. from Marsa Susa, Libya in position 33.50N 21.02E by the German submarine UB-43 whilst on a voyage from Majunga to Marseilles with a cargo of frozen meat. Master taken prisoner. (Blue Star Line, London, 4.071 grt/1890).

Italian sailing vessel S CIRO PALMINO 113 tons sunk by UC 38.

28/2 1917

French minelayer CASSINI (1895, 970t, 100 mines). German U-boats also operate in the Western Mediterranean, and include amongst their successes the sinking of the old French torpedo cruiser "Cassini" now converted to a minelayer. First thought to have been sunk by torpedo, she is more likely lost on mines laid by UC-35 in the Straits of Bonificio between Corsica and Sardinia. [Some sources give the date as the 20th].

1/3 1917 British destroyer PHEASANT, mined NW Scottish waters, 1 mile west of the Old Man of Hoy, Orkney Island. Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas. Apparently detonated a floating mine.
2/3 1917  
3/3 1917 Danish ROSBORG 1877/07 sunk by U61
4/3 1917  
5/3 1917  
6/3 1917 Belgian steamer NARCIS foundered in pos. 49°30'N-22°17'W (Atlantic) in heavy weather. (3490 grt/1912, owned by SA d'Entreposage et de Transports, Antwerp, Belgium)
7/3 1917  
8/3 1917 Dutch tanker ARES (3783 grt / 1913). Sunk by gunfire of German submarine UC.74 off mouth of Tagus (38-12N, 10-19W) on a voyage from Suez to Rouen.
9/3 1917 Danish sailvessel LAURITS of 183/1907 grt sunk by UC 43.
10/3 1917

Italian submarine GUGLIELMOTTI (1917, 710t, 5-45cm tt, 2-7.6cm). An Italian submarine is mistaken at night for a German U-boat, and rammed and sunk. The submarine is the newly completed Guglielmotti on her maiden voyage. She crosses an Allied convoy route to the east of Corsica and is sunk by the British sloop Cyclamen on escort duty, northwest of Capraia Island.

The Portuguese steamship Angola was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off Ushant. (Emp. National de Nav. a Vap. para a Africa Portuguesa; 1906; Russell & Co.; 4,297 tons; 385 x 49,8 x 18,4; 435n.h.p., triple-expansion engines.)

German submarine UC-43 torpedoed and sunk, off Shetlands by British submarine G.13. [Another source says it was the British submarine G.2]

11/3 1917

British steamer KWASIND ex Turret Bell, struck a mine and sunk in the North Sea off Southwold in position 52.08N 01.45E laid by the German submarine UC-4 whilst on a voyage from Bilbao to Hartlepool with a cargo of iron ore. 12 lost. (Bentinck-Smith, W. F., Quebec, Arctic S.S. Co. Ltd., 2.211 grt/1894).

12/3 1917

Steamship Algonquin, gross 2,832 tons; sunk with gunfire and bombs by German submarine U-62, 65 miles west of Bishops, off Scilly Islands, Great Britain, no casualties.

Belgian steamer HAINAUT torpedoed and sunk by U-53 in pos. 52°02'N-11°23 'W. (4118 grt/1897, built by Flensburger Schiffbau Ges., Flensburg, (#165), Launch 21/11 1896, Trial 16/1 1897, owned by Armement Deppe, Antwerp Belgium)

British destroyer MEDEA sank the German submarine UC18 in the North Sea.

British patrol vessel Q.19 sank the German submarine U85 in the English Channel.

The British submarine E.49 lost by a mine.
13/3 1917

French trawler ARETHUSE shelled in the Northsea by UB32.

Swedish schooner DAG. (Carl Robert Gustaf Andrè and others) Captured by a German submarine in the North Atlantic and sunkt with explosives at pos. 49.17 N, 09.28 V. The crew was saved in their lifeboats and arrived 16/3 to Coningbeg Light Vessel.
14/3 1917  British steamer BRIKA torpedoed and sunk in the St. George's Channel 13 miles S.E. by S. from Coningbeg Lightvessel in position 51.55N 06.24W by the German submarine UC-47 whilst on a voyage from Santiago de Cuba to Bristol with a cargo of sugar. 2 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.549 grt/1908).
15/3 1917 British destroyer FOYLE, Mined in English Channel, off Dover in the Strait of Dover (51-07’N, 01-27’E) - one German U-boat-laid mine. According to one source Foyle broke in half with her forward part sinking in the above position. Her stern was then taken in tow and sank elsewhere
16/3 1917

Steamship Vigilancia, gross 4.115 tons; torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-70, 145 miles west of Bishops, off Scilly Islands, Great Britain; 15 killed.

German minesweeper M24 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

British steamer NARRAGANSETT torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic off S.W. Ireland in position 50.12N 17.34W by the German submarine U-44 whilst on a voyage from New York to London with a cargo of lubricating oil. 46 lost including Master. (Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd., London, 9.196 grt/1903).

17/3 1917

Steamship City of Memphis, gross 5,252 tons; sunk with gunfire by German submarine (UC type), 33 miles south of Fastnet, Ireland; no casualties.

British destroyer PARAGON, night of 17th/18th March 1917, English Channel, off Dover in the Strait of Dover (51-07’N, 01-27’E) - torpedoed by German destroyer. Paragon (Lt Bowyer) in company with "Laforey" class destroyers Laertes, Laforey and Llewellyn was patrolling the Dover Straits anti-submarine barrage when a night raid aimed at breaking the barrage was launched by a German destroyer force (Cdr Tillessen). The 6th Flotilla (7 destroyers) and First Zeebrugge Half-flotilla (5) were to attack the barrage and the Second Zeebrugge Half-flotilla (4 destroyers) sink any shipping in the Downs. As the unknown warships approached, Paragon flashed a challenge only to receive a torpedo in reply. She blew up and sank immediately, taking down all but ten of her 77 crew. As Llewellyn picked up the survivors, she too was torpedoed but reached port, steaming stern first. The Germans also sank a steamer in the Downs and shelled Ramsgate and Broadstairs,

French dreadnought DANTON was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-64 south-west of San Prieto.

Merchant steamer Antonio was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 whilst enroute from Barry to Cherbourg with a cargo of hay. Eleven members lost including the Master.

British steamer ANTONY torpedoed and sunk in the St. George's Channel 19 miles W. by N. from Coningbeg Lightvessel, Saltee Islands, co. Wexford in position 51.56N 07.09W by the German submarine UC-48 whilst on a voyage from Para to Liverpool with general cargo. 55 lost. (Booth Steamship Co. Ltd., Liverpool, 6.466 grt/1907).

British sloop MIGNONETTE struck a mine and sunk off the Irish coast.

18/3 1917

American steamtanker Illinois, (5,225 grt) sunk with bombs by German submarine UC21 in the English Channel, 20 miles north of Alderney, Channel Islands; no casualties.

British destroyer LLEWELLYN lost her bow when stricking a mine.

The British sloop Alyssum was mined and sunk off the S.W. coast of Ireland. At the time of her loss she was one of the vessels based on Queenstown under command of Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly for service as a convoy escort. (British Navy, sloop; 1915; Earle's Shipbuilding Co.; 1,250 tons; 267,7 x 33,5 x 11,7; 2,400 i.h.p.; 17 knots; triple-expansion engines; two 4-7 in. guns, two 3 par.)

British steamer POLA torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 280 miles W.N.W. from Ushant in position 48.30N 12.00W by the German submarine U-81 whilst on a voyage from Cardiff to Norfolk (Va) with a cargo of coal. 5 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.061 grt/1898).

British destroyer PARAGON torpedoed and sunk off Dover.

19/3 1917

French pre-dreadnought DANTON (1911, 18,300t, 4-30.5cm & 12-24cm). The French suffer their worst loss of the war at sea. The comparatively new Danton is returning to Corfu with destroyer escort from a refit at Toulon, when she is torpedoed and sunk with heavy loss of life by U-64 off southwest Sardinia. (See also 17/3 1917).

The liner Alnwick Castle, Capt. B. Chave, was an intermediate steamer of the Union-Castle Line. In 1914 she was taken over by the government as a troopship and in 1915 was at the Dardanelles. Later she returned to the company and continued to sail between Southampton and the Cape as a passenger vessel. On March 17th, 1917, she left Plymouth for South Africa having on board 14 passengers and 100 crew. Next day she picked up 25 survivors from the Hain steamship Trevose, which had just been torpedoed by a submarine. At 6.10 on the morning of the 19th, when 310 miles W.JS. of the Bishop Rock, Scilly Isles, the Alnwick Castle was torpedoed without warning and sank within half-an-hour. The lifeboats, of which there were six, got away without mishap, but the weather worsened and the boats were separated. Two of them were never heard of again but the Chief Officer's boat, containing 31 persons, drifted about for nine days before being rescued by Spanish fishing boats and taken into Carino, near Cape Ortegal. Ten persons had died, some had lost their reason, and all were suffering from intense thirst, the water having given out some days before. The captain's boat had fared little better. She was five days adrift and was picked up by the French Fabre liner Venezia. Four persons had died from exposure. When a final muster of the survivors was made some weeks later it was found that out of 139 persons on board the Alnwick Castle when she was torpedoed, 40, including three of the crew of the Trevose, had been drowned or had died. (Union-Castle Line; 1901; W. Beardmore & Co.; 5,900 tons; 400,4 x 50,2 x 26,8; 650 n.h.p. ; 14 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

German submarine UB-25 sunk in Kiel after collision with German torpedoboat V26, later salved.

Dutch steamer CHARLOIS on voyage New York to Rotterdam torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-59, at pos. 57.30 - 04.30).

Norwegian steamer KONG INGE was on her way Glasgow-Marseilles with various goods (acc. german sources coal), when she was torpedoed and sunk by german u-boat UC 36 4 kvm SW to W of Brest. KONG INGE had stopped to take aboard the lifeboats with the crew of BRODE (1905 / brt:2363) wich had been torpedoed by the same u-boat shortly before.
When the u-boat surfaced again, the captain of KONG INGE sat full speed towards land, but had to stop when the u-boat opened fire. The ship was then abandoned before it was blown up. After an hour the crew was taken up by a french torpedoboat and taken to Brest.

20/3 1917

Phineas W. Sprague, schooner, gross 789 tons; grounded and lost near Carboneras, Spain; previously reported torpedoed; no casualties.

British destroyer Swift, damaged 20th/21st April 1917, English Channel in Dover Straits - in action with German destroyers. Battle of Dover Strait - In their last raid on the Dover Straits for another ten months, twelve German destroyers of the Flanders Flotillas, in two groups, sailed to bombard Dover and Calais and attack any warships patrolling the Dover Barrage. Only British destroyer leaders Broke and Swift on the British side were on patrol, although Sabreur is listed as present. Calais was bombarded, followed by Dover just before midnight on the 20th. The six Dover attackers were then engaged by the two British destroyers. In a typically confusing night action using guns and torpedoes, Swift torpedoed G-85, and Broke rammed G-42. Locked together, Broke's sailors had to repel German boarders in hand-to-hand fighting. Both G-42 & G-85 were sunk at 51°09N, 01°37E near the Goodwin Sands. The badly damaged Broke was towed home, the equally damaged Swift made her own way. "Broke's" captain, Cdr Edward Evans was feted in the British press as "Evans of the "Broke", and both destroyers were awarded the Battle Honour Dover 21st April 1917. One source quotes "G-85" torpedoed by "Broke".

21/3 1917

Steamship Healdton, tanker, gross 4,489 tons; torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine 25 miles north of Terschelling, Holland, 20 killed.

German minesweeper M16 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

German minesweeper M26 mined and sunk in the North Sea.

22/3 1917

Launching of USS New Mexico, first dreadnought with turboelectric drive.

British steamer CHORLEY torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 25 miles E. by S. from Start Point in position 50.14N 03.02W by the German submarine UC-48 whilst on a voyage from Norfolk (Va) to Le Havre with general cargo. (Brys & Glysen Ltd., London, 3.828 grt/1901).

23/3 1917

Dutch tanker J.B. AUG. KESSLER (5104 grt / 1902). Damaged by torpedo and gunfire of UC-48 off Start Point on a voyage from Le Havre to Cardiff. Towed into Plymouth by a British tug.

British destroyer LAFOREY, mined in the English Channel, 11 miles S by W of Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, S coast of England (50-39’N, 00.14’W). Detonated German-laid mine off Shoreham; casualties not known. [Some sources date her loss on the 25th March].

The channel steamship Achille Adam was intercepted and sunk by a German submarine 31 miles S.E. by S. of Beachy Head. Six of the crew were killed. (South Eastern and Chatham Railway Co.; 1887; Samuda Bros.; 460 tons; 190 x 27 x 11-8; 107 n.h.p.; 10 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

British steamer MAINE ex Sierra Blanca, torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 11 miles S.E. by E. from Start Point, 9½ miles S.S.W. of Dartmouth by the German submarine UC-17 whilst on a voyage from London to Philadelphia. (Atlantic Transport Co. Ltd., London, 3.616 grt/1905).

British steamer CLAN MACMILLAN; 4.525 Grt, Built 1901. Torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 10 miles W. from Beachy Head in position 50.41N 00.01W by the German submarine UB 39 whilst on a voyage from Chittagong via London to Glasgow with a cargo of coir matting.

24/3 1917  
25/3 1917

The steamship Adenwen was torpedoed and sunk by a submarine six miles S.E. by E. of the North Arklow Light-vessel and ten men were killed. The captain was among the survivors. (W. & C. T. Jones Steamship Co.; 1913; Bartram & Sons; 3,798 tons; 350 x 50 x 23.7; 320 n.h.p.; 10 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

British steamer BERBERA ex Nidderdale, torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 60 miles E. from Catania, Strait of Messina by the German submarine U-64 whilst on a voyage from Bombay to Marseilles with a cargo of grain, cotton and manganese ore. 1 lost, 2nd Officer and 2 Cadets taken prisoner. (British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London, 4.352 grt/1905).

26/3 1917 British destroyer MYRMIDON, probably mined in English Channel. "Myrmidon" served with the Dover Patrol 6th Flotilla from August 1914. Most sources credit her loss to mines, presumably in or near the Strait of Dover. At least one source puts her loss down to collision with steamship Hamborn.

British steamer LEDBURY, ex Obi, 3.046 Grt, Built 1892. Torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 90 miles N. by E. from Benghazi by the German submarine UB 43 whilst on a voyage from Karachi to Italy with a cargo of maize, barley and peas. 3 lost.

27/3 1917 British steamer KELVINHEAD struck a mine and sunk in the Irish Sea 3/4 mile W.S.W. from Liverpool Bar Lightvessel laid by the German submarine UC-65 whilst on a voyage from Clyde and Liverpool to Buenos Aires with general cargo. (Black, John & Co., Glasgow, 3.063 grt/1905).
28/3 1917

South Arklow Light vessel Italian submarine Guillemot was sunk.

British steamer GAFSA ex Dominion, torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 10 miles S. E. ½ S. from Kinsale Head, co. Cork in position 51.31N 08.18W by the German submarine U-57 whilst on a voyage from Port Arthur, Texas to Queenstown (fo) with a cargo of fuel oil. 7 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, English & American Shipping Co. Ltd., 3.974 grt/1902).

29/3 1917

Belgian steamer SCHALDIS torpedoed and sunk by UC-75, 6 m NNE of Whitby on voyage Dunston-Calais with coal.(1238 grt/1878, built by T. Turnbull & Son, Whitby, owned by SA Belge de Navigation a Vapeur "SCHALDIS" (Van Hemelryck & Geurts mgrs), Antwerp, Belgium)

British steamship CRISPIN torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 14 miles S. from Hook Point, co. Wexford in position 51.54N 06.49W by the German submarine U-57 whilst on a voyage from Newport News to Avonmouth with a consignment of horses. 8 lost. (Booth Steamship Co. Ltd., Liverpool, 3.965 grt/1907).

30/3 1917 German minesweeper M15 mined and sunk in the North Sea.
31/3 1917

British steamer BRODNESS ex Banffshire, torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 5 miles W.N.W. from Anzio by the German submarine UC-38 whilst on a voyage from Genoa to Port Said in ballast. (Blue Star Line, London, 5.736 grt/1894).

Dutch motor tanker HESTIA, under Capt. J.M. van't Hoen, was captured, and sunk by gunfire and torpedo by UB-23 when 32 miles west of Maas Lightvessel whilst on a voyage from Rotterdam to London in ballast. Thirteen of the crew were lost. Had Dutch and Chinese crew. The small motor tanker was of 959 gross tonnage and 1,030 tons deadweight. Length 190.0 ft. x 32.7 ft. x 13.2 ft. She was owned by N.V. Nederland. Indische Tankstoomboot Mij., The Hague, and was built in 1916 by Gebr. Pot, Bolnes.

The small steamship Acton was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the English Channel about the end of March, 1917. Six men, including the captain, were killed. (Acton Steamship Co.; 1917; W. J. Yarwood & Sons; 207 tons; 99 - 9 x 22 x 9.9; 30 r.h. p. ; 8 - 5 knots; triple-expansion engines.)

1/4 1917

Austrian coastal submarine U-30 (1917, 260t, 2-45cm tt, 1-7.5cm). Submarines of the Central Powers suffer one of their few losses of 1917 when coastal boat U-30 disappears around this date. Sailing from Cattaro on the 31st March, she may have been mined in the Straits of Otranto.

American steamer AZTEC, torpedeod and sunk by U-46 , approx 25 miles off Ouessant Lighthouse, Ushant. Vessel was on passage from New York to Le Havre with a cargo of timber, copper , steel , chemicals and machinery. The vessel was armed. Twenty eight members of the crew were killed including one USN personnel.

WARREN ex Libuse ex Hornby Castle, torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean 20 miles S.W. from Civitavecchia by the German submarine UC-38 whilst on a voyage from Karachi to Civitavecchia and Spezia with a cargo of grain. 3 lost, Master taken prisoner. (Axarlis, A. D., London, 3.709 grt/1899).

2/4 1917 The Norwegian steamship Anna Fostenes was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the North Sea. (A/S Fostenes D/S; 1902; Scheepsw. v. Jan Smit, Czn.; 2,577 tons; 320,2 x 44 x 20,7; 236 n.h.p. ; triple-expansion engines.)
3/4 1917  
4/4 1917

Marguerite, schooner, gross 1,553 tons; sunk with bombs by German submarine U-35 in the Mediterranean, 35 miles southwest of Sardinia; no casualties.

Steamship Missourian, gross 7,924 tons; shelled with gunfire and sunk by German submarine U-52 in the Mediterranean, near Porto Maurizio, Italy, no casualties.

Belgian steamer TREVIER torpedoed and sunk by UB-23 in pos. 52°15'N­03°49'E. (3006 grt/1907, built by Irvine's Shipb. & D.D. Co, West Hartlepool, owned by Lloyd Royal Belge SA, Antwerp, Belgium)

British steamer MARGIT torpedoed and sunk 80 miles S.W.½W. from Cape Matapan, Greece in position 35.28N 21.24E by the German submarine U-63 whilst on a voyage from Malta to-with cargo of coal. (Alexander & Mair, Glasgow, 2.490 grt/1903).

5/4 1917

Belgian steamer SIBERIER torpedoed and sunk by U-86 in pos. 52°18'N-~ 11°40'W on voyage Gulfports-Calais with timber. (2968 grt/1907, built by Irvine's Shipb. & D.D. Co, West Hartlepool, owned by Lloyd Royal Belge, Antwerp, Belgium)

British submarine C.7 sank a German submarine in the North Sea.

6/4 1917

U.S. declares war on Germany.

British steamer ROSALIND torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 180 miles W.N.W. from the Fastnet Rock in position 51.39N 14.20W by the German submarine U-86 whilst on a voyage from Port Arthur, Texas and Norfolk (Va) to Queenstown with a cargo of oil. 2 lost. (Bowring, C. T., London, Oil Tank S.S. Co. Ltd., 6.535 grt/1913).

British destroyer ITCHEN torpedoed in the North Sea.
7/4 1917

Steamship SEWARD, gross 3,390 tons; shelled and sunk by German submarine U-52 in the Gulf of Lyons, Mediterranean Sea, about 25 miles east of Port Vendres, France, or 22 miles northeast of Cape Bagur, Spain; no casualties.

Edwin R. Hunt, schooner, gross 1,132 tons; sunk with gunfire by German submarine UC-25 in the Mediterranean 40 miles off Cape de Gata, Spain; no casualties.

German submarine U-88 sunk in the Bay of Biscay of the Brititish Q ship STONECROP.

British torpedo-gunboat JASON mined.

8/4 1917

German large torpedoboat G88 torpedoed and sunk off Zeebrugge by the British C.M.B.

British steamer UMVOTI torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic 200 miles N.W. by W. from Ushant in position 48.48N 10.15W by the German submarine U-55 whilst on a voyage from Cape Town to London with general cargo. 4 lost, Master and 1 Gunner taken prisoner. (Bullard, King & Co., London, Natal Line, 2.616 grt/1896).

9/4 1917

U.S. steamer New York, struck mine 4 miles off Bar Lightship, Liverpool, England while voyaging fro New York to Liverpool; salvaged; no casualties. (10,080 grt; Owner: International Mercantile Marine Co., New York; She was built in 1888 as CITY OF NEW YORK)

10/4 1917

British steamer SALTA struck a mine and sunk in the English Channel ½ mile N. from Whistle Buoy, Le Havre laid by the German submarine UC-26 whilst on a voyage from Southampton to Le Havre with a cargo of hospital stores. Lost whilst on Government service employed as Hospital Ship. (The Admiralty, London, 7.284 grt/1911).

British steamer PLUTO torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 32 miles S.E. by E. from Lowestoft in position 52.19N 02.34E by the German submarine UB-20 whilst on a voyage from Rotterdam to Bristol with general cargo. (Bristol Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Bristol, 1.266 grt/1897).

British Patrol vessel P.26 mined in the English Channel.
11/4 1917 British steamer DUCHESS OF CORNWALL; 1.706 Grt, Built 1889: Torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 5 miles N. from Cape Ilarfleur by the German submarine UC 26 whilst on a voyage from London to Le Havre. 23 lost including Master.
12/4 1917

The