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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Transylvania


Bob Coulson

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Not very familiar with the Navy in the Great War.

Would anyone have any information on the sinking of the "Trannsylvania" on May 4th 1917.

Details of the sinking and/or the ship would be very helpful.

Bob.

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Bob,

The hired transport Transylvania (14,315 tons) was sunk by torpedo off Cape Vado, south of Savona, Italy on 4th May 1917. In addition to the crew there were 398 military casualties which included a number from 3rd Bn Hampshire Regiment on their way to Salonika as reinforcements.

I'm sure that other pals will be able to elaborate further.

Regards

Marc

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Bob,

There's a lad on Stamford War Memorial, whose commemorated on the Savona Memorial, with the date of death of 4 May 1917.

Serving with 906th MT Coy.

Jim

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The Transylvania was torpedoed by the U 63 on 4th May and one of her escort ships was the Japanese destroyer Matsu, one of 8 Japanese ships of the 10th & 11th destroyer flotillas and commanded by Real Admiral Kozo Sato. His flagship was the Akashi and these vessels were Japan's contribution to the Mediterranean Campaign.

The Matsu went alongside the Transylvania and rescued nearly all the 3000 men on board, despite great risk to herself. I can find no reference to the fate of U63 and assume she must have survived the war and was handed over to the allies....unless another pal can prove otherwise!

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At 10 a.m. on the 4th May, 1917, after the s.s. Transylvania had been torpedoed in the Gulf of Genoa, one of the crew was seen in the water clinging to a raft. Andrew G. McLay, who had been picked up, jumped from a destroyer going 30 knots, and supported the man till they were picked up.

McLay was awarded the Roual Humane Society Bronze Medal.

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This from "Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam" by Charles Hocking.

"The liner Transylvania, Lt S Brennel RNR , completed just before the outbreak of the First World War, was taken over for service as a transport on completion. She was designed to accommodate 1,379 passengers but the Admiralty fixed her capacity at 200 officers and 2,860 men, beside the crew. She was carrying nearly this number when she left Marseilles for Alexandria on March 3rd 1917, with an escort of two Japanese destroyers, the Matsu and the Sakaki. At 10 am on the 4th the Transylvania was struck in the port engine room by a torpedoe from a submarine.

At the time the ship was on a zig-zag course at a speed of 14 knots, being two and a half miles South of Cape Vado, Gulf of Genoa. She at once headed for the land two miles distant, while the Matsu came alongside to take off the troops, the Sakaki meanwhile steaming around to keep the submarine submerged. Twenty minutes later a torpedoe was seen coming straight for the destroyer alongside, which saved herself by going astern at full speed. The torpedoe then struck the Transylvania and she sank very quickly, less than an hour having elapsed since she was first hit.

Lt Brennell, one other officer and ten men of the crew, 29 military officers and 373 other ranks were killed."

Out of interest, the original CWGC registers give details of where men were buried relative to where their bodies were washed up. A number were buried in Savona town cemetery and, from memory, a memorial was erected to those who were drowned or killed in another Italian cemetery.

Terry Reeves

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The figure of 398 military casualties mentioned in my original post comes from the CWGC website. A small discrepancy with the number mentioned by Charles Hocking above.

Marc

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A large number of Royal Sussex men died on this ship - Bob, if you contact me via email I will see what I have on their part in this. I know I have something - somewhere!

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Bob,

I may be visiting Savona later this year so if there is a particular individual whose headstone or memorial inscription you require please let me know.

Marc

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