Accidents and Incidents 

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 19th March 1915:

 

    With commendable enterprise, Milford trawler owners are replacing the vessels which have been commandeered by the Admiralty for minesweeping.  The steam trawler Victoria has been purchased by Mr. Curzon  from the Hudson Street Fishing Company, Fleetwood, and is under the management of Messrs. Brand and Co. 

 

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The Times, Jun 05, 1915; pg. 5; Issue 40873; col B
    

FISHERMEN KILLED BY SHELL FIRE

TWO TRAWLERS SUNK

        The Milford Haven trawler Victoria and the Cardiff trawler Hirose have been sunk off the Scillies by a German submarine (believed to be the U 34), the former on Tuesday and the latter on Wednesday.  In the case of the Victoria five men and a boy were killed by shell fire.  The survivors from both vessels, numbering 14, were landed at Milford Haven on Thursday night by the Cardiff steamer Ballater.

        The Victoria carried a crew of nine and a boy named James Jones, who was out with her on a pleasure trip.  Of these only George Huddlestone, deck hand; John Craig, third hand; Clem Franklin, boatswain; and George Scriven, of Yarmouth, second engineer, survive.  Huddlestone states that they were about 130 miles off St. Ann's Head on Tuesday evening when a shot came over head smashing their small boat.  The boy Jones was sent on the bridge and the crew lashed some boards into a raft.  A second shot killed the boy.  The skipper, Steve Stephenson, went forward and was talking to the chief engineer, Albert Cole, in the forecastle doorway, when a shell killed them both.  Huddlestone was struck on the arm and hand by shrapnel and fell down the forecastle ladder.  Another shot blew off both the legs of the mate, Dennis McCarthy, and another broke both the legs of the trimmer, Frank Slade, of Haverfordwest. Four survivors, with George Rudge, of Milford, the cook, got aboard the improvised raft, but Rudge was drowned.  The other four were taken aboard the submarine and kept there throughout the night.  They were treated courteously and the doctor dressed Huddlestone's wounds, remarking that England started the war.  In the morning bombs were put aboard the Victoria and she went down head first when they exploded.

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Extract from the War Diary (KTB) of U-34, Kapitänleutenant Rücker:

 

01.06.1915
50.36N  06.20W

[The first lines of the text were unclear and could not be translated.]

“Ordered the trawler to stop by warning shots, but was not recognised.  After first hit from our gun the steamer tried to escape with maximum speed.  Finally the vessel caught fire at a distance between 40 and 30 hm after having been hit by 10-12 direct shots.  Afterwards I directed the boat to the steamer which was named VIKTORIA with port of registry Fleetwood and sank the vessel with explosive charge.  4 survivors of the crew of which 3 were in the sea and one onboard the steamer were taken on board the boat.  The captain and 5 crew men were killed by gunfire.  The survivors stated that after the first warning shot they asked the captain on their knees to stop.  He rejected having the opinion that he could manage to escape.  I think it is most probable that only the captain knew the purpose that the vessel was acting as guard vessel.  The whole behaviour in any case makes it obvious that it was a guard vessel which fulfilled also fishing duties.  It is very remarkable that although the steamer received a lot of hits with inner and head ignition ammunition it didn’t sink.  It was obvious that the effect on the steamer was extremely devastating.

07.40h  Voyage continued
11.00h  After beginning of dark voyage continued under water to give the crew relaxing time.

02.06.1915

04.50h south of St. George Channel, cloudy, good sight Surfaced.  On the horizon a couple of trawlers came into sight which are apparently doing fishing work.

06.25h
A trawler comes close to us so that he can be reached by gun.  It was ordered to stop.  Also on this occasion the steamer stops only after he received the first hit of our gun.  The crew and the 4 crew members of VIKTORIA were placed in the dinghy and sent to the closest fishing vessel.  The steamer which was named HIROSE from Cardiff was sunk by explosive charge.  (49.50N  07.10W).

Also the action of the captain of this steamer gives a doubtful impression.  He stated that he didn’t stop after our first warning shot, because he did not realise that a submarine was there.  This can be excluded, because the distance was only 30hm.”

 

[I am greatly indebted to Michael Lowrey for copying this translation by Jochen Krüsmann, and to Roger Griffiths for forwarding it to me. ]

 

 Information from the CWGC on the casualties:

 

COLES, First Engineer, A G, Steam Trawler "Victoria" (Fleetwood). Mercantile Marine. Killed by gunfire from enemy submarine 1st June 1915. Age 36. Husband of Agnes M. Coles, of 16, Trafalgar Rd., Milford. Born at Cardiff.

 

McCARTHY, Mate, D, Steam Trawler "Victoria" (Fleetwood). Mercantile Marine. Killed, by gunfire from enemy submarine, 1st June 1915. Age 41. Born at Brixham.

 

RUDGE, Cook, G J, Steam Trawler "Victoria" (Fleetwood). Mercantile Marine. Killed, by gunfire from enemy submarine, 1st June 1915. Age 56. Born at Hull.

 

SLATE, Trimmer, F, Steam Trawler "Victoria" (Fleetwood). Mercantile Marine. Killed by gunfire from enemy submarine, 1st June 1915. Age 48. Husband of Ellen Slate, of 28, Church St., Haverfordwest. Born at Haverfordwest.

 

STEVENSON, Skipper, J, "Victoria". Mercantile Marine. 1st June 1915.

 

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From the Haverfordwest & Milford Haven Telegraph of Wednesday 9th June 1915:

 

 

MILFORD FISHERMEN MURDERED BY PIRATES.

 

 

    It would be difficult to describe the feeling of Milford people on Thursday, when what to them was the worse tragedy of the war was brought home by the arrival of the steamer "Ballater", and four survivors of the steam trawler "Victoria". We had grown accustomed to the arrival of shipless crews as a result of the German submarine piracy campaign in Western waters, but now that the pirates have turned their attention to our own fishing craft, the feeling as of a new horror seizes people of all classes. Wives and relatives have become anxious, and in this connection it would be well if habitual rumour-mongers stayed their tongues out of consideration for anxious families. On Friday there were rumours spread regarding the fate of other trawlers, all fortunately groundless. Folk should, therefore, be guarded in the spreading of what they hear. The reality is likely and serious enough without being made worse.

    The "Victoria" was one of the smaller class of trawlers and had not been at the port for long, having been purchased from Fleetwood by Mr Curzon and was managed by Messrs, Brand & Co. (The large "Victoria", owned by Mr James Thomas, is on Admiralty service.) The full story of this little craft's fate is given below, but some of the particulars of the men who were so wantonly killed may be told. It is a fact that one family has been especially hard hit, as three members connected with it are amongst the killed, as will be seen from the list. The fate of the little boy Jones is painfully distressing. He was only twelve years of age, the son of Mr William Jones, Skipper of the Milford steam trawler "Tenby", and had gone off on a pleasure fishing trip with his uncle, Skipper Stevenson.

    Skipper Steven Stevenson who was about 33 years old, was a son-in-law of Mr J.Gray, Avondale Hotel, Upper Hill Street, Hakin, and leaves a wife and four children. Mate Dennis McCarthy was a widower with no family. Chief Engineer Albert Cole, was about 33 years of age, a son-in-law of Mr John Elliott, Trafalgar Road, Milford. He leaves a wife and five children. Cook Harvey Rudge was a man between 55 and 60 years of age, and a brother of Mrs Gray, Avondale Hotel, Hakin. Trimmer Frank Slate, was a native of Haverfordwest. James Jones, the little boy, was a grandson of Mr & Mrs J. Gray, Avondale Hotel, Hakin.

    The wounded lad, George Huddleston, is the son of the Milford Skipper, Mr Joe Huddleston, Wellington Road, Hakin.

    Two of the other crew members were not locals, but were natives of Yarmouth.

 

 

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