S.T. "PORPOISE", NIGERIAN MARINE, SUNK 31JANUARY 1917?

[Guest]

Could any old salt give any information about the fate of the Steam Trawler "Porpoise", seemingly sunk off the coast of Nigeria on 31st January 1917? I am having difficulties finding out anything about the ship or its fate.

I was trying to trace information on ALBERT EDWARD BROWN, Mate, lost with this vessel on 31/1/1917 and commemorated on a memorial at St.Saviours Church, Lagos. He lived in Wanstead in the east of London,whose Roll I am trying to complete. I have some basic information about him- birth,residence, Board of Trade certificates. All show that he spent many years chugging up and down the coast of Africa- usually outward bound from Liverpool, usually to Nigeria -though his daughter was born in Durban.

A search of casualtiesties on WGC for 31/1/1917 and Nigerian Marine reveals what looks suspiciously like the full crew of of a trawler, from the Master, John Davies down to the lowliest Fireman, Jumbo.

I would hazard a guess at mine or U-Boat but I have drawn a blank- Cannot even trace the right "Porpoise" of several of that name.

Help appreciated

[Michael Lowrey]

Certainly not a U-boat — no German submarines there then.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Guest]

Micahel-Thanks- Narrows it down. Accident? Mine? Surface raider?

[Michael Lowrey]

Almost certainly an accident. The movement of Germany's few surface raiders are well understood and they weren’t off Nigeria then. Wolf did carry mines, but Cape Town is the closest to Nigeria that they were laid.

[Darloboy]

As this post

Could any old salt give any information about the fate of the Steam Trawler "Porpoise", seemingly sunk off the coast of Nigeria on 31st January 1917? I am having difficulties finding out anything about the ship or its fate.

I was trying to trace information on ALBERT EDWARD BROWN, Mate, lost with this vessel on 31/1/1917 and commemorated on a memorial at St.Saviours Church, Lagos. He lived in Wanstead in the east of London,whose Roll I am trying to complete. I have some basic information about him- birth,residence, Board of Trade certificates. All show that he spent many years chugging up and down the coast of Africa- usually outward bound from Liverpool, usually to Nigeria -though his daughter was born in Durban.

A search of casualtiesties on WGC for 31/1/1917 and Nigerian Marine reveals what looks suspiciously like the full crew of of a trawler, from the Master, John Davies down to the lowliest Fireman, Jumbo.

I would hazard a guess at mine or U-Boat but I have drawn a blank- Cannot even trace the right "Porpoise" of several of that name.

Help appreciated

AS this post is five years old I imagine that you have solved the mystery by now.

There was a trawler Porpoise sunk on the 23 August 1914 off the Lincolnshire coast but there was also a  paddle tug owned by the Nigerian Marine which was armed for use in the capture of German Kamerun.

Two photographs of her appear in "OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE WAR. MILITARY OPERATIONS. TOGOLAND AND THE CAMEROONS"

[Guest]

Hi Dunboy- Thans for the info- Wrong Porpoise. I did carck it, She was employed in Nigerian waters,usually doing the mail run between Lagos and Old Calabar. She was taken up on Admiralty terms in 1914 and was armoured to go up the shallow rivers in the 1915 campaign in the Cameroons. As to her fate- she simply left Lagos on a mail run and never arrived at Old Calabar. Not really a war casualty but may still technically have been on Admiralty retainer from the Nigerian Marine. I have yet to see the relevant annual re0ort of the Nigerian Marine in case it adds more dtails.

   Bit of a nuisance ships having the same name- Why cant thy be like racehorses or greyhounds!!

Thank you again for thinking of me.