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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

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Maritime - Highland
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Maritime
  • Former County Not Applicable

Archaeology Notes

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.

Activities

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

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