The Loss of the Leasowe Castle

[tharkin56]

Photograph of Pettit extracted from City of Coventry They Served in the Great War

[Philip Wilson]

Trevor

Thanks for photo of Pettit

Philip

[Dido]

Has anyone ever seen a photo of this ship? I have been looking for pictures of her but never found any.

[Philip Wilson]

Has anyone ever seen a photo of this ship? I have been looking for pictures of her but never found any.

Suggest you contact the National Maritime Museum - back in 1992 they supplied a copyright picture of the Leasowe Castle taken in 1915 when she was wearing camouflage - negative number P19112 for a fee.

Since then the world has moved on - see their terms on their website

www.nmmimages.com/?service=page&action=show_home_page

Philip

[Philip Wilson]

QUOTE (Dido @ Apr 10 2010, 08:43 AM) Has anyone ever seen a photo of this ship? I have been looking for pictures of her but never found any.

Dido - I knew I had seen photos of the ship actually sinking,with men in rowing boats and with survivors packed onto other vesels in close proximity. We have some of these photos in the WY Museum - supplied many years ago by the Imperial War Museum, copyright reserved.

If you want a list of the negative numbers then please email direct, likewise anybody else. We also have some privately taken photos of the sinking which are the property of the WY Museum Trust.

Philip Wilson,

Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum Trustee.

[vicrus]

Has anyone ever seen a photo of this ship? I have been looking for pictures of her but never found any.

Three years on from the last post to this thread.......

Here are a couple of photos taken on the Leasowe Castle before she was sunk.

My grandfather was on board as a member of the WY/MGC and survived the sinking.

[Philip Wilson]

VICRUS

Thanks for the above two images - picture 1 we have in the Museum but not the second image.

The Museum remains closed whilst major building works continue - we are not likely to re-open until the Spring of 2014

[Yebnah]

I have 3 postcard photos of the Leasowe Castle in which my husband's grandfather, Corporal Anthony Gardner Hanson, sailed, prior to the torpedo incident. Each one has an account of the incident in his own handwriting on the reverse. Fascinating!! I can scan them for you if you'd like, Phillip.

[Philip Wilson]

I have 3 postcard photos of the Leasowe Castle in which my husband's grandfather, Corporal Anthony Gardner Hanson, sailed, prior to the torpedo incident. Each one as an account of the incident in his own handwriting on the reverse. Fascinating!! I can scan them for you if you'd like, Phillip.

Yes would welcome scanned images of postcards including Corporal Anthony Gardner HANSON'S account of sinking. Please post them here or alternatively please contact me via Museum website. Our archives remain closed whilst we continue to refurbish the Museum, the earliest we are likely to re-open is July 2014 date to be agreed depending on extent of progress in the next 6 weeks - for this a huge task and it cannot be rushed.

[Yebnah]

Philip,

Thanks for the reply. I'll forward them to you via the museum website. I also have many photos scanned of the days leading up to the Charge at Huj near Gaza on 8 Nov 1917 with Tony's description beneath each one. He was with the Warwickshire Yeomanry/MGC and was born in Rowington, Warwickshire, following several generations of Hansons. He died at 83yrs in Durban, South Africa after a long and interesting life. Fascinating

[Philip Wilson]

Philip,

Thanks for the reply. I'll forward them to you via the museum website. I also have many photos scanned of the days leading up to the Charge at Huj near Gaza on 8 Nov 1917 with Tony's description beneath each one. He was with the Warwickshire Yeomanry/MGC and was born in Rowington, Warwickshire, following several generations of Hansons. He died at 83yrs in Durban, South Africa after a long and interesting life. Fascinating

Thanks please fill in enquiry form on our Museum website - addressing your enquiry to Archivist - by magic it will come to me at home and I will then respond from home requesting images be sent to my home email address whilst Museum remains closed.

Philip

[Guest]

I have a first hand account of this by my Grandfather who was in the Berkshire and bucks yeomanry with the MGC for anyone with an interest. Written at the time in Alex in Hotel Majestic where officers were sent to await repatriation. John.creedy@prsystemsuk.com. I am keen to research this before the 100th anniversary date May 2018. Please email.

[Philip Wilson]

The 100th Anniversary of 'The Loss of the Leasowe Castle' will be marked in The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum during May/June 2018. Much has been written about this unfortunate sinking and loss of life. One of the best accounts remains that which can be found in ADDERLEY's 'The Warwickshire Yeomanry in The Great War' published in 1922. Here is an image of the vessel

http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3541.html

Philip

[Leasowe]

Does anybody have an account or record of where the surviving ships crew were taken to after she sank? My grandfather was a ships engineer on the Leasowe and survived.

Thanks Leasowe

[Philip Wilson]

Leasowe - There is nothing in ADDERLEY's 'The Warwickshire Yeomanry in the Great War to indicate what happened to the ship's crew after the sinking other than the following:

'Immediately after the final catastrophe, at 2am; the "Lily" already overladen with troops, started back for Alexandria, having to proceed with every precaution as two other enemy submarines were reported in the vicinity. The Japanese Destroyer remained to protect and assist the boats still searching the wreckage and received on board any who were rescued, the ship's Doctor attending to the sick or wounded. It was now dark, the moon having set, but about 11am HM Sloop "Ladybird" and two other ships arrived on the scene, and by about 11.30am all survivors had been picked up for conveyance to Alexandria, which was reached at 7pm. Officers and men were treated with the utmost kindness and hospitality on board the rescuing ships, and again on landing on the Quay at Alexandria, where food and clothing were distributed by the Red Cross. The officers were sent to various hotels, and the men conveyed by train to Sidi Beshar Camp."

.

It was the Japanese Destroyer R that stood by when the Leasowe Castle was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side, a little forward of amidships at 12.25 within 45 minutes boats were got away transhipping to the Japanese Destroyer. At 1.45am HM Sloop "Lily" appeared having turned back from the convey and she ran her bows up to the starboard bow of the Leasowe Castle and made fast so the troops on board were able to pass quickly to the "Lily". Suddenly at 2am a bulkhead in the after part of the ship gave way, and with a loud rendering noise the Leasowe Castle sank rapidly by the stern, the bows rearing straight on end. 'The Lily had a narrow escape as the hawsers connecting her with the sinking ship were cut with an axe in the nick of time.'

We are currently re- cataloguing our Warwickshire Yeomanry Archive for the Great War and if I find any eye witness accounts of the sinking in amongst letters and diaries held in the Museum then I will post relevant details here.

Philip

[Yebnah]

Some photos I have of HMT Leasowe Castle, the lifeboats and my husband's late grandfather, Cpl Anthony G Hanson, Warwicks Yeomanry/MGC

[Yebnah]

Reverse of Leasowe Castle postcard, handwritten by Cpl AG Hanson, WY/MGC

Edited 25 January , 2017 by Yebnah

[Historian2]

My great uncle Captain Noel Sutton was on the Leasowe Castle. I found the following on the net recently:

Captain Sutton described his experience, 

"We had got about 9 hours out. nearly all of us were asleep in bed. I was subconsciously aware of a sudden jar, but what I do remember was sitting on my berth and asking what happened, and was told if I didn't get out pretty quickly I should pretty soon know what it was. I pulled on a pair of shoes and tying on my lifebelt scuttled along the corridor, and slipped up at the foot of the stairs. I went straight to our emergency station and found the other men arriving. They were awfully good on the ship, and there was no panic. The yeoman is a downright good fellow and I take off my hat to him. The ship soon stopped. There was a very slight list. The boats were got off and the rafts too and when all the men were off the ship and I said to about half a dozen still there "Well we'll go now" The water was then awash in the after well deck. So clad in pyjamas, canvas shoes and a wrist watch, I climbed down about six feet of ladder, held my breath, looked at the black water, and dropped quietly in. I had a swim of about 30 to 50 yards. I had a life belt on, a splendid thing. When we got the life raft (a collapsible canvas sided boat), we rowed and rowed round in circles till a motor launch came and took us in tow, and then we arrived in an auxiliary ship of war. while we were getting on board the auxiliary had 2 torpedoes launched at her but both were misses thank God. A few minutes after, the ship went down with a rush. we made of back towards Alexandria with over 1,100 survivors on board. The night was wonderfully warm and I never felt cold, even in wet pyjamas. However some kind naval officer fitted me out in a naval tunic and a pair of trousers, and of course I was the butt of many jests. All were fitted up with blankets or something to keep the warm and some food. About ten hours afterwards we arrived back in Alex. On the quay we were give clothes, army issue, and the red cross gave us tea and biscuits. "

The above account was written 2 days after in Alexandria.

[Philip Wilson]

 

The 100th Anniversary of 'The Loss of the Leasowe Castle' will be commemorated in The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum during May/June 2018.

 

We will  also cover the events leading up to the sinking of Leasowe Castle in our Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum Face Book Group  as we approach the actual 100th Anniversary in May 2018.  Much has been written about this unfortunate sinking and loss of life. One of the best Warwickshire Yeomanry accounts remains that which can be found in ADDERLEY's 'The Warwickshire Yeomanry in The Great War' published in 1922. Most of the images posted so far in this thread can also be seen in our Museum.

 

Philip

Edited 29 January , 2018 by Philip Wilson

[Guest]

Hi,

I've been researching my Grandfather's history with regard to his service in the South Notts Hussars.  He died in 1934 when my father was only 15. It is only just recently that my interest has been rekindled as previously I've just hit the old brick walls, very little from my Grandmother as it was "not done" to talk about such things and of course Dad knew only a bit and he died 40 years ago!  Is there any way to find out if he was on the Leasowe Castle?  His SNH number was 1508 and his MGC number was 164798.  The only other info I have is, oddly, his original marriage certificate which is dated 9th June 1917, Hammersmith, London, giving his Rank/Profession as Corporal South Notts Hussars (Motor Driver). I can only assume he must have been home on leave quite possibly as a result of being ill at Salonika (I believe illness was rife there). Again I assume he went back to Egypt to continue the war.

 

If he indeed was aboard the Leasowe Castle then there is a twist of fate in his story.  Although the family hailed from the Nottingham, Hucknall/Huthwaite area, the family had moved to the Wirral, Hoylake to be precise on his return from the war and he died a few miles from the original Leasowe Castle on the Wirral! I'm in touch with the SNH Museum and they have been most helpful in putting me on the track. His name BTW was James Gladstone Neville.

 

Cheers, Peter Neville

Rainow, East Cheshire.

Edited 5 December , 2019 by Guest