On Sunday 14 October, the town of Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, commemorated the loss of a vessel whose crew were almost entirely drawn from the town – apart from two who had strong Welsh connections. One was Samuel J Cocks, the general manager of the shipping company that owned the vessel. A widower, he was return...
The torpedoing of the LEINSTER is well known as the worst loss of life in the Irish Sea during the Great War. The 100th anniversary is being commemorated today by Holyhead Maritime Museum with a special event to be attended by descendants of the crew and passengers. Less well known is the contribution the LEINSTER made...
HIRANO MARU – Source: David James, West Wales Maritime Heritage Society. On 4 October 1918, the HIRANO MARU, a merchant ship owned by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line, was sailing from Liverpool to Yokohama via South Africa with 320 crew and passengers and a Scottish Captain, Hector Fraser. She was in a convo...
US Coastguard personnel with church representatives, David James from the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, and Simon Thomas from The Mission to Seafarers, Milford Haven. On 23 September 2018, during the Sunday service at St Tyfie and St Faith church, Lamphey, representatives of the US Coastguard Service pre...
Venue: Pater Hall, Pembroke Dock. The U-boat Project team is delighted to invite you to our two-day MOROL / U-Boat Project 1914-18 conference: ‘Commemorating the Welsh experience of the Great War at sea’, in Pater Hall, Pembroke Dock on 3 and 4 November 2018. Join us to explore the experiences of the mar...
Over the weekend of 22nd – 24th June, the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) will be running a maritime field school at the Red Wharf Bay Sailing & Water Sports Club on Traeth Bychan Beach, Anglesey. The event forms part of a Heritage Lottery Funded project instigated by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Hi...
The VANDALIA was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96 on 9 June 1918 about 18 miles WNW of the Smalls. At the time, it was owned by the famous Cunard Steamship Co Ltd, Liverpool. The VANDALIA was one of 20 ships lost by the company through enemy action, including their flagship the LUISITANIA on 7 May 1915 with ...
The wreck of the CORK is a poignant reminder of the essential ferry, cargo and mail-carrying services between Wales and Ireland that ran throughout the war. Neither of the key companies involved–City of Dublin Steamship Company (CDSPCo) and London and North Western Railway (LNWR)–escaped losses due to military serv...
3-4 November 2018 Pater Hall, Lewis Street, Pembroke Dock, SA72 6DD This two-day conference explores the experience of the mariners and communities of Wales who were engaged in Royal Navy, mercantile marine and fishing industries during the First World War. The conference is intended both to showcase research and proj...
SS Boscastle was built in West Hartlepool for E. Jenkins and Co., Cardiff. Her description at the launch in 1912 were as follows: “Length over all, 309ft.; breadth, 44ft. 9in.; and depth, 32ft. 1 in., with long bridge, poop, and top-gallant forecastle. The saloon, staterooms, captain’s, officers, and engineers...
