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Remembered Today:

U-Boat 44 - 14 March 1917


Anneca

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Would anyone have a war diary (if one exists) relating to U-Boat 44 commanded by Kapitan leutnant Paul Wagenfuhr? I am looking for information, logs or references to a particular day for this submarine, namely 14 March 1917. Her position that day was 375 miles NW x W off Fastnet, Location 50.04N - 18.50W.

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Would anyone have a war diary (if one exists) relating to U-Boat 44 commanded by Kapitan leutnant Paul Wagenfuhr? I am looking for information, logs or references to a particular day for this submarine, namely 14 March 1917. Her position that day was 375 miles NW x W off Fastnet, Location 50.04N - 18.50W.

anneca,

Kapitanleutnant Paul Wagenfuhr and the crew of U44 were extremely busy during those days in March 1917, as on :-

March 10, 1917, U44 attacked and damaged with gunfire the British Steamer " Aracataca " 4154 tons ( 1 casualty )

250 miles WNW of Fastnet - position : 51.19N 16.03W.

March 14, 1917, U44 attacked and sank the British Steamer " Bray Head " 3077 tons ( 21 casualties )

375 miles NW x W of Fastnet - position : 52.04N 18.50W.

March 16, 1917, U44 attacked and sank the British Tanker " Narragansett " 9196 tons ( 46 casualties )

S.W of Ireland - position : 50.12N 17.34W.

I hope this helps you.

There is another Forum thread about the " Bray Head " ( Ships and Navies - Jan 18, 2012 ) in which I list the 21 crew members who were lost.

Kind regards,

LF

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anneca,

Some more info on U44 -

Launched - 15 October, 1914 - Her only Commander was Paul Wagenfuhr.

During U44's service, she sank 22 ships for a total of 72,542 tons - damaged 2 ships for 5404 tons - and took 3 ships as prizes.

On 12 August, 1917, U44 was rammed by H.M.S. Oracle off S. Norway and was lost with all 44 crew members.

Regards,

LF

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anneca,

Some more info on U44 -

Launched - 15 October, 1914 - Her only Commander was Paul Wagenfur.

During U44's service, she sank 22 ships for a total of 72,542 tons - damaged 2 ships for 5404 tons - and took 3 ships as prizes.

On 12 August, 1917, U44 was rammed by H.M.S. Oracle off S. Norway and was lost with all 44 crew members.

Regards,

LF

Thank you for responding LF. Yes, the Commander and crew of U44 were extremely busy during March of that year as you have said, and thank you for mentioning the previous thread about the 'Bray Head' which I have already seen. I am particularly interested in the content of any reports that might have been logged for that particular day as my interest stems from the sinking of the Bray Head. However I hadn't known that Paul Wagenfur had been her only Commander.

Regards

Anne

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Thank you for responding Terry. I have already seen the uboat.net site which gives information on not only the Commander of the U-boat but also the ships it had attacked. I suppose I am trying to find something which does not exist, namely the U-boat's log or 'war diary'. However, I appreciate your help.

Regards

Anne

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Anne,

I do not know if you have seen these various notes on the sinking of the ' Bray Head ' before, including an eye witness account of the sinking ?

Just in case you have not, I shall post them for you.

There is also a photograph of one of the ' Bray Head ' crew, Alexander Reid.

Cameron, James. Age 32. Fireman, s.s. "Bray Head," shelled by submarine in Atlantic Ocean, 14th March, 1917. In boat which perished with part of crew after leaving ship.

Son of William and Ann Jane Cameron, of Blackhead (Castletown); husband of Lizzie Brennan, of Carrickfergus.

Hoy, John Curry. Age 41. Master of the s.s. "Bray Head." Ship shelled and sunk by submarine in the Atlantic, 580 miles west of Blasket Islands (Co Kerry) on 14th March, 1917.

Son of the late Jospeh and Mary Isabel Hoy (M'Lar non),. and brother of the Misses Hoy, Port Davey. Husband of Margaret Brown Gibb, since deceased; survived by one son, now an apprentice on s.s. "Rathlin Head," and a daughter, who reside with their relatives at Port Davey.

The s.s. "Bray Head" was on voyage from St. John's, N.B., to the U.K., and was attacked on Wednesday evening of the date mentioned, at 6-30 o'clock. The only gun carried by the ship was a three-pounder, in charge of two marines, but Captain Hoy personally took charge and served the piece until the ammunition failed. The action lasted for two hours, when it was found the ship was on fire; and following a destructive explosion, officers and crew,

numbering thirty-eight, took to the two life-boats and stood by until the ship went down. Making a course for the Irish coast, the boats kept in touch with each other until, on the second night, during a rising wind and sea, they became separated, and the captain's, with its complement' of nineteen men, appears to have foundered, as it never afterwards was heard of. Besides the master of the ship, three others belonging to Islandmagee were lost in the ill- fated boat. The other boat, in charge of the chief officer, was picked up by the light cruiser ,. Adventure," on the following Sunday morning, after drifting and sailing for almost four days, and landed at Galway. Two of the occupants of this boat had died from exposure. Amongst the survivors were the 3rd officer, William Henderson, of Cloghfin; and the boatswain, William Wilson, of Mullaghdub

Kane, James Macaulay. Age 19. 4th officer, s.s. "Bray Head," sunk by submarine action in the Atlantic, on 15th March, 1917; in boat which foundered after leaving the ship.

Son of John Kane (master mariner), "The Heughs," Mullaghdubh, and the late Kate Kane (nee Macauley) . Grandson of. Mrs. Sarah J. Macauley, Thornhill, Mullaghdubh, with whom he resided.

Alexander Reid who was killed when the ship on which he was serving the SS Bray Head was sunk by a German submarine in March 1917. The Bray Head formerly the Indralema, was part of the Head Line or Ulster Steamship Company. The crew were put into open boats and the ship was sunk by gunfire - over 20 of the crew were killed including the master.

Regards,

LF

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Anne,

I do not know if you have seen these various notes on the sinking of the ' Bray Head ' before, including an eye witness account of the sinking ?

Just in case you have not, I shall post them for you.

There is also a photograph of one of the ' Bray Head ' crew, Alexander Reid.

LF - I have never seen these notes or the eye witness account of the sinking which are amazing. Alexander Reid must have been so young as he looks no more than a child in the photograph, very sad. It must have been a terrible time for the crew knowing their ship was on fire after being the subject of attack for two hours before exploding.

The 1st Engineer of the Bray Head, Charles John Curry also lost his life and from your notes I reckon he would have either been one of the two who died of exposure on the Chief Officer's life boat, or one of the men on the Captain's life boat which floundered.

Thank you very much for this amazing information LF which is most appreciated.

Regards

Anne

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Anne,

I am pleased it is of interest to you, should I find any more information on the sinking of the ' Bray Head ', I shall let you know.

Regards,

LF

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Anne,

I am pleased it is of interest to you, should I find any more information on the sinking of the ' Bray Head ', I shall let you know.

Regards,

LF

You're a star!!!
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  • 6 years later...

Hi Anneca, 

I have been researching my great uncle Thomas Dalton who was a fourth engineer on the SS Bray Head when she was sunk by U44, and came across these posts between you and LF.   Did you ever obtain more information about the ship than what is here?

EE

 

 

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  • 3 months later...
On ‎28‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 16:46, Ellen E. said:

Hi Anneca, 

I have been researching my great uncle Thomas Dalton who was a fourth engineer on the SS Bray Head when she was sunk by U44, and came across these posts between you and LF.   Did you ever obtain more information about the ship than what is here?

EE

 

 

Hello Ellen,  my apologies for such a late reply as I have just found your post.  I'm afraid I have found no further information although I see Thomas Dalton was born in Glasgow and son of Harriet Dalton from Eden, Carrickfergus.  Although I haven't been to Eden for more than 50 years I remember it well, a beautiful little place just beside the sea where the train dropped one off at the halt.  It was not far from Dean Swift's cottage.  Thomas was just 24 when he died in 1917 and is remembered at Tower Hill Memorial.  You can find him as one of the people on board here:

https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?133673

Kind regards,

Anne

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Here is Spindler's account of this patrol

U-44.jpg

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