Clan MacLeod (3)


On Wednesday, the 1st December, 1915, at 8.15 a.m., the s.s. Clan Macleod was shelled by a submarine while endeavouring to escape. Soon after the ship was first hit the master stopped her, hoisted the international code signal indicating that she surrendered, and blew two blasts on his whistle.

The submarine, however, again opened fire at a range of about a quarter of a mile, first blowing the bridge and captain's accommodation to bits, and then destroying the two starboard boats. This fire killed eight of the crew.

All hands were now ordered into the portside boats, the master taking charge of the lifeboat, with 50 on board, while the first mate took the cutter with a crew of 20. After sinking the ship the submarine came alongside the boat, and some of the Germans bound up the wounds of the master and an apprentice.

The position was 100 miles from land. The lifeboat was adrift until 5.30 p.m. on Thursday, the 2nd December, when she was picked up by a steamer. The mate's boat was adrift until 2 a.m. on Saturday, the 4th December, when she was picked up by a French destroyer. In the meantime one of the wounded in this boat had died.

Shelled and Sunk in The Mediterranean - 1915

Vessel

Built

Service

Tonnage

Clan MacLeod (3)

1903

1915 Captured and sunk by submarine near Malta

4796

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

HP

Screws

115783

Furness Withy

Hartlepool

Richardsons Westgarth

Hartlepool

Steam 3 Cyl

448 NHP

2300 IHP

1

Master

Date

Left

Destination

A W Simpson

1/1914

Glasgow



2/1915

Glasgow


H S Southward

8/1915

Glasgow

Pakistan

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