S.S Swanmore 25/04/1917

[izzy]

A casualty that im doing some research on died 25/04/1917 while serving on the S.S Swanmore can anyone please enlighten me on the loss of this ship ie mine, Torpedo etc and also her destination and cargo if possible.

[Michael Lowrey]

Izzy,

See http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5863.html

Best wishes,

Michael

[ph0ebus]

Hi Izzy,

Looks like the NA has a fair amount on this ship...have you checked with them yet?

I'll dig around and see what else may be around.

Interesting vessel. I've been chasing one of her 'sister' ships, the Vedamore, for some time now.

-Dan

[Wrecktec]

The eleven men who died on SS Swanmore:

ALVAREZ, Jose Trimmer MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

BELLO, Custodio Fireman MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

COLE, John Fireman & Trnr MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

CORCORAN, John Thomas 2nd Steward MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 254.17

COREDO, Eduardi Greaser MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

GREENE, Lawrence Sailor MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

JONES, David Seaman & Quartermaster MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

MARFIL, Castro Fireman MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) killed 25.4.17

O’CONNOR, Edward Seaman MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

TALBOT, Frederick Arthur Apprentice MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) drowned 25.4.17

TURNER, Arthur Glendenning Apprentice MM SS Swanmore (Liverpool) killed 27.4.17

Cheers Ron

[kin47]

Hello

SWANMORE departed Baltimore for Liverpool with a cargo of ordnance.

All best

don

[per ardua per mare per terram]

This file at Kew might be of interest; the others dealing with her relate to previous voyages. BT 110/420/22 Ship Swanmore, official number: 135503. When built: 1913. Registry closed: 1917.

If I read the results correctly, the Newfoundland Maritime History Archive holds Swanmore's crew list:

http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombine...icial_No=135503

[Wrecktec]

SWANMORE departed Baltimore for Liverpool with a cargo of ordnance.

All best

don

Hi Don

Starke Schell registers and Lloyd's say she was carrying general cargo, unless the ordnance was part of that ?

Cheers Ron

[izzy]

Thanks for all the replies the person im researching is Frederick Arthur Talbot M.N age 17. Mentioned on my sons school memorial. His rank is given as a Cadet.

[Wrecktec]

Hello Izzy

Just realised this is in Volume 2 of Silent Warriors:

On April 22nd 1917 and at the entrance to the North Channel, U 93 intercepted the full-rigged, iron hulled, Norwegian ship VESTELV (1880 - Henschiens Rederi A/S, Tvedestrand), transporting pitch pine from Mobile, Alabama to Liverpool. This time a scuttling party was sent on board armed with explosive charges, adding 1,729-tons more to the tally!

Pursuing a course down the west coast of Ireland, two days passed before a further opportunity presented itself. By April 25th, having reached her designated operational zone some 200-miles, southwest of Fastnet Rock, a large fast steamer suddenly appeared, heading west. Von Spiegel may have misjudged the steamer’s speed because the torpedo missed, so he surfaced and attacked the ship using the deck gun. Strangely, more shells appeared to be striking the vessel than U 93 was firing – the reason being, U 43 (Hellmuth Jürst) was also blasting away. The steamer finally outpaced them and the two submarines were forced to break off the pursuit. In fact the 6,373-ton SWANMORE, which was armed for defence, had not escaped, because U 50 (Gerhard Berger) was waiting for her and by the end of that day, 230-miles into the Atlantic from Fastnet Rock, the ship was torpedoed without warning and then shelled and sunk. SWANMORE (1913 - Johnston Line Ltd.) was transporting general cargo and ordnance from Baltimore, Maryland for Liverpool and eleven of the crew perished:

Alvarez, Jose 21yrs, Trimmer

Bello, Custodio 26yrs, Fireman

Cole, John 32yrs, Fireman and Trimmer

Corcoran, John Thomas 19yrs, 2nd Steward

Coredo, Eduardi 34yrs, Greaser

Greene, Lawence 35yrs, Sailor

Jones, David 19yrs, Able Seaman and Quartermaster

Marfil, Castro 26yrs, Fireman

O’Connor, Edward 19yrs, Seaman

Talbot, Frederick Arthur 17yrs, Appentice

Turner, Arthur Glendenning 17yrs, Apprentice

Meanwhile the two U-boat skippers Jürst and Spiegel exchanged information and greetings before parting. Such fortuitous meetings were always a welcome respite.

Cheers Ron

[izzy]

Ron thanks for going the extra mile.