Hms Calgarian: North Channel

NR22SE 8002 2833 2326

N55 25.6667 W6 17.6667

Possibly in Irish waters.

Formerly entered as NR22SE 9227, and classified as Auxiliary Cruiser.

Quality of fix = HF6

Evidence = Echo sounder

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 106

Orientation of keel/wreck = 350170

Circumstances of Loss Details

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HMS CALGARIAN, an armed merchant cruiser, was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U19.

Sources: World War I Shipping Loses, Der Krieg zur See.

49 lives were lost.

Source: Dictionary of Disasters at Sea.

24 February 1981. The vessel took over an hour to sink.

Report from NHB memo, 4 Febraury 1981.

Surveying Details

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25 March 1918. The vessel sank 6 miles due N from Rathlin Island. Report taken from the court martial of survivors.

5 July 1957. The site was not found during a sonar sweep.

Report by HMS COOK, 1956.

10 June 1968. No sonar contact was made in this area.

Report by HMS MERMAID, 20 May 1968.

16 October 1974. The wreck's position is reported as 55 25 00N, 006 15 00W by Risdon Beazley Marine.

10 May 1985. The site was examined on 16 October 1984 at 55 25 40N, 006 17 40W or decca (n brit) red h 20.38, purple g 70.24. The least echosounder depth was 98 in a general depth of 106 metres. No scouring was observed. The side scan sonar indicated a height of 8.5 metres, and a length of 80 metres (262 feet), approximately. The wreck is apparently intact and lying with its keel on an orientation of 350/170 degrees. A large mast is still standing near the centre of the vessel.

Report by HMS BEAGLE.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

Name: HMS Calgarian

Date of loss: 1 March 1918

Place of loss: 2 miles North of Rathlin

This 17,515 g.t. British Auxiliary Cruiser (Steamship), on convoy duty, sank very shortly after it was hit four (three) times by torpedoes from the submarine U19. Two officers and 47 ratings were lost. The vessel was built by Fairfield Co. in 1914, and was owned by Allan Line S.S. Co., but had been taken over by the Admiralty in the same year. It had a length of 568.8 ft., a beam of 70.3 ft. and a depth/draught of 41.6 ft. The Calgarian, under captain R.A. Newton R.N., was transporting naval ratings at the time of the attack. (WA - from Hocking, Dictionary of Disasters at sea Vol. 1)

Cecil, 1990 The Harsh winds of Rathlin p.53. WA G15.

Information from Wes Forsythe (Centre for Maritime Archaeology, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. Derry), 5 April 2007.

Hocking: Dictionary of Disasters at sea Vol. 1; Cecil 1990 The Harsh winds of Rathlin p.53.

The loss of this vessel is not cited by I G Whittaker (1998), presumably on account of its Westerly location.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 April 2007.