Walvis Bay Ship 1915 Photo

[b2187101]

Hello, the photo post card below is marked on the back, "Walvis Bay 1915." I do not know enough about British ships, 1914-1918, to identify what the smaller ships in the foreground are?  The nearest is marked either "5C 80" or "SC 80" it is difficult to tell.  Perhaps these are smaller coastal merchant ships or smaller Union Defense Force ships?  

Thanks so much for your help!

[GreyC]

SC=submarine chaser.

See here:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/150080.htm

Had you googled SC 80 you´d have found it out in no time.

GreyC

Edited 1 August , 2023 by GreyC

[KizmeRD]

The only issue we have with the photo is the date-line.
Problem being there weren’t any ‘submarine chasers’ existing in any navy in 1915.

MB

[b2187101]

I searched SC 80, found much information about US Navy ships... since the USN SC 80 was a later ship, I shrugged it off.

KizmeRD, you are correct, these seem to be SC-1 Class US Navy Subchasers, which, would mean this photo is not Walvis Bay.  

Why the discrepancy in faint pencil writing on the back and what the photo actually is? Poor memory, a mix up in a collection, a tall tale?  

Thanks

[KizmeRD]

If I had to guess, I’d say that the photo is more likely to have been taken at Fustipidima Point (eastern end of Corfu). A large number of USN submarine chasers (including SC80) arrived there 4 June 1918.
The larger ship in the background is probably USS Leonidas.

(The Corfu station was also known as Naval Base #25).

MB

 

[GreyC]

I would guess, that the date is wrong rather than the place?

GreyC

 

[b2187101]

Well, now that it's been determined that these are USN Sub Chasers... According to the National Museum of the US Navy, sub chasers arrived in Ireland in May 1918 and operated in the Azores, England, France, Gibraltar, Greece, and seemingly throughout the Mediterranean Sea.  The Azores is a long way from Walvis Bay, but perhaps.  The photo I posted looks arid, sandy... Azores, Greece, or Caribbean even? 

My shortwave black light and microscope show that it is old paper... Usually when people fake war memorabilia it is cooler than present day Swakopmund, Namibia.  ***

[KizmeRD]

37 minutes ago, b2187101 said:

According to the National Museum of the US Navy, sub chasers arrived in Ireland in May 1918 and operated in the Azores, England, France, Gibraltar, Greece, and seemingly throughout the Mediterranean Sea. 

There were no large concentrations of USN sub chasers in Walvis bay during WW1 (and certainly not SC80).

A total of 133 US built sub chasers crossed the Atlantic during the later months of the war. Around fifty or so were based in Plymouth with 30 of these transferred over to Queenstown (Cobh), there were another 30 based at Corfu (patrolling the Otranto Barrage), 18 were at Gibraltar, 12 at Brest, and 14 in the Azores. None were sent to South West Africa. 

MB
 

 

Edited 1 August , 2023 by KizmeRD

[KizmeRD]

Here’s a link to a very similar photo credited as being taken at the Chaser’s Corfu base, curtesy of subchaser.org https://www.subchaser.org/set-base25 (10 of 18)

MB

Edited 1 August , 2023 by KizmeRD

[b2187101]

Wow KizmeRD! The photo at link provided, #10 "Chasers and other vessels at Corfu" is very similar.  I am very happy that you found this link.  The list provided, of SC 80 stationed at Corfu is great.  I see by your profile Naval history is your expertise, again, I am very grateful for the information you have provided; I cannot thank you enough.