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William H Welch (Stern Portion): Eilean Furadh Mor, Loch Ewe, North Minch
Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name William H Welch (Stern Portion): Eilean Furadh Mor, Loch Ewe, North Minch
Classification Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Louva Island; Luva Island; Black Bay; William H Welch (Stern Section)
Canmore ID 103016
Site Number NG79SE 8001
NGR NG 79590 93405
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/103016
- Council Highland
- Parish Maritime - Highland
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NG79SE 8001 7958 9340
N57 52.55 W5 43.05
NLO: Eilean Furadh Mor [name: NG 797 932]
Loch Ewe [name centred NG 84 86].
Formerly entered as NG79SE 8592.
For bow portion at NG 8148 9240 [N57 52.0667 W5 41.0833], see also NG89SW 8003.
Steamer WILLIAM H. WELCH lost 26 Feb 1944, 4.35am. North west corner of Louva or Luva Island, approximately 7 mile from Rudh Pie Lighthouse. Wind north strong to moderate gale with showers of sleet of short duration. Sea rough, heavy ground swell. 65 persons lost, 12 saved.
[Contemporary] source: Donald Mackenzie, Principal Lightkeeper, Rudh Pie Lighthouse.
Horizontal Datum = UND
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
17 February 1975. The Liberty steamship WILLIAM H WELCH was wrecked on a rock 36 metres off the west end of Eilean Furadh More with a depth of less than 0.9 metres at low water. The vessel broke in half and the stern sank quickly, whilst the forward section drifted off and sank later (witnessed by local crofters).
Report taken from a letter from J B Savage dated 14 February 1975.
The WILLIAM H WELCH broke in two and sank on voyage from London to New York. She ran aground in Black Bay, Loch Ewe. 62 out of 74 lives were lost.
Source; Dictionary of Disasters at Sea.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
17 February 1975. The wreck is badly broken up and covers an area the size of a football pitch. Nothing stands much more than 3 metres above the seabed which is rock.
Note: it is thought that this wreck could possibly be the 'WILLIAM H WELCH' in posn 57 52 04N, 005 41 05W.
Report taken from a letter from J B Savage dated 14 February 1975.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship, in ballast: date of loss cited as 26 February 1944). William H Welch: this vessel stranded at Black Bay, and broke into two. The aft section sank.
Registration: American. Built 1943. 7167grt. Length: 132m. Beam: 17m.
(Location of loss cited as N57 52.07 W5 41.08).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The source of the cited location is unclear; it falls just outside the entrance to Loch Ewe, and to its West. Eilean Furadh Mor [name: NG 797 932] is situated immediately W of the entrance into Loch Ewe from the North Minch. Black Bay is not noted as such on the 1997 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 4 April 2002.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 732
Name : WILLIAM H WELCH
Latitude : 575204
Longitude : 54105
Date Built : 1943
Registration : AMERICAN
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 7176
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 132
Beam : 17
Draught : 17m
Position : Position Approximate
Loss Day : 26
Loss Month : 2
Loss Year : 1944
Comment : Stranded at Black Bay, broke in two. Aft section sank.
Cargo : BALLAST
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 001986
Feature Class : Wreck
Wreck Category : Non-dangerous wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 57.87553,-5.71868
Horizontal Datum : WGS (1984)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 57.87553,-5.71868
WGS84 Origin : Original
Previous Position : 57.87588,-5.71752
Position Quality : Precisely known
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 2
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : WILLIAM H WELCH (STERN SECTION)
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 134.4
Beam : 17.4
Draught : 10.7
Tonnage : 7176
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : BALLAST
Date Sunk : 26/02/1944
Bottom Texture : Rock
Contact Description : Notable debris
Original Sensor : Diver Sighting
Original Detection Year : 1975
Original Source : Divers
Circumstances of Loss : **A LIBERY SHIP. PASSAGE LONDON & THE TYNE FOR NEW YORK. RAN ASHORE IN A STORM IN BLACK BAY, LOCH EWE AND BROKE IN HALF OFF EILEAN FURADH MOR. THE STERN SANK BUT BOWS DRIFTED OFF BEFORE RUNNING AGROUND. WITNESSED BY LOCAL CROFTERS. OF CREW OF 74, 62 WERE LOST.
Surveying Details : **H1310/74 17.2.75 WRECKED ON A ROCK 40 YARDS OFF THE WEST END OF EILEAN FURADH MOR IN 575233N, 054303W. SHE IS BADLY BROKEN UP AND COVERS AN AREA THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL PITCH AND STANDS NO MORE THAN 10 FEET ABOVE THE SEABED WHICH IS ROCK. (J B SAVAGE, LTR DTD 14.2.75).
POSITIONS BELOW THIS POINT ARE IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND DECIMALS OF A MINUTE
**[WGD] POSN: 5752.532N, 0543.121W.
General Comments : VERY WELL BROKEN UP
Chart Symbol : NDW
Date Last Amended : 05/03/2012
Date Position Last Amended : 05/03/2012
