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HMD South Esk

Picture
Drifter South Esk. Drawing W.Sadler
HMD South Esk.  (No 2021) 07/07/1917
​
Displacement:  93 grt.

Length: 26.1 m.    Beam: 5.6 m.   Draught: 2.6  m.

Propulsion:  Steam, 1 x boiler Triple Expansion Engine.

Machinery: J A Abernethy & Co. Aberdeen.

Complement:  9 officers and men.

​Crew Lost: 4

Armament: 1 x 3pdr


Southesk was a steel steam drifter built by J. Duthie Torry Shipbuilding Co, Aberdeen in 1912 for Johnstone J. & Sons Ltd Montrose.  Registered in Montrose with the fishing number ME-195.
   
Picture
Model of South Esk. Montrose Museum.
In 1915 Southesk was hired to the Royal Navy, and in documents and telegrams, the vessel appears to have been renamed South Esk.  First used as a Boom Vessel but then as a minesweeper with pennant number 2021. 

                                                                                     ​
Picture
Painting of the drifter Southesk fishing . B Mearns

THE LOSS
On 7th July 1917 HMD South Esk, together with HMD Olive, and two other drifters, were conducting minesweeping operations east of Kirkwall. At 12.10 in the afternoon HMD South Esk and HMD Olive fouled their sweep between Stronsay and Auskerry.  Eyewitnesses from the island of Stronsay said both drifters let go of the sweep which was then hauled in over the bow of HMD South Esk.

At 12.35 there was a ''terrific explosion'' right below South Esk and the bow was blown away. It is thought that maybe the sweepers had fouled 2 or more mines and these had detonated when they came in contact with each other. 


The badly damaged vessel floated for about one and a half minutes before sinking, leaving four crew dead and five survivors.
The survivors were all injured and were taken to The Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.


Picture
Auskerry Sound. Photo: Keith Rendall

UC-33 
 
The mine or mines that sank HMD South Esk were from a line of six mines laid by UC 33 (Kptlt. Martin Schelle) on the night of 29th June 1917. (Minesperren 133a) These mines were laid in a line running north/south between Auskerry and Stronsay.


UC-33 KTB


A translation of the logbook (KTB) For UC 33 29/06/1917 states.............

Closed with a line of 6 mines, 200m apart, between Auskerry Island and Ingle Skerry, laid on course 0 deg, Auskerry Sound (Quadrat 125a 3) blocked. 

​
Picture
U Boat grid chart showing square 125a highlighted.            

The Wreck Today. ​
​

​

The wreck of HMD South Esk has not been located but is part of an ongoing project. 

The Crew.
Picture
Picture
HMD South Esk Casualty List ADM 242/ 014 - National Archives
Picture
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 18 July 1917

PicturePhoto: Guido Blokland
Angus McLean
Deck Hand - RNR 9019.A. (Ch)


Angus was just 19 when laid to rest in Lyness Cemetery.  He was the only recovered body of four casualties when the  Drifter HM South Esk struck a mine on 7th July 1917; his body found the following day.  Angus was born on 12th March 1898 in Brue Barvas, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, to parents Alexander and Catherine.  Standing at 5’9” tall, Angus had a dark complexion and grey eyes.  His duty within the RNR was to be a deck hand for the duration of his service throughout the war, dispatched from Stornoway on 28th June 1916.
He joined HMS GATWICK (attached to the depot ship HMS Halcyon) on 25th July 1916, leaving HMS PEMBROKE the previous day.  He remained with Gatwick until the end of 1916, returning to Pembroke for just over 2 months.  He left the Chatham base on 12th March 1917 and joined HMD SOUTH ESK  which was attached to HMS ZARIA, the Auxiliary Patrol depot ship in the Orkney Isles.
His Victory and British medals were sent to his father following his death.



Picture
​Sources:
Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 - National Archives
WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/9; Scan Number: 0281
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 122
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; 014; (1914 Jan 01 - 1919 Dec 31)
UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current
CWGC Register
Researched by Wendy Sadler

Picture
William Scott Bremner
Deck Hand - RNR 9915 DA


William was 24 years old when he died on the South Esk  - like his younger crew mates, he was unmarried, his loss remembered by his parents and siblings.

Born on the 25th May 1893 in Wick, Caithness, the earliest record of him is on the 1901 Scotland census recorded as 7 years old, the second of 4 children to parents Roderick and Annie.  
His previous occupation unknown, William joined the Royal Navy Reserve on 30th November 1915 and was posted to HMS ZARIA on which he served for three and a half months.  
He was recorded as 5’3” tall with blue eyes and a fresh complexion and following from Zaria, he was then posted to HMD South Esk on 17th March 1916 where he served until 7th July 1917, killed aboard the ship.





​Sources:
1901 Scotland Census - Ancestry.com
Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 - National Archives
CWGC Register
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current
​Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/7; Scan Number: 0464

Researched by Wendy Sadler



Picture
James Copland
Trimmer - RNR 6133 TS

James, like his crewmate Angus, was just 19 years old when he was killed in the mine explosion on South Esk.  Born on the 2nd February 1898, on the Isle of Burray, part of the Orkney Islands,  to parents Agnes and James, on the 1901 Scotland census he was recorded aged 3, living with his parents and 2 siblings, Alexander and Isabella.

He enrolled with the Royal Navy Reserve on 11th October 1916, recorded as being 5’5” tall with fair hair and blue eyes and had left his home at Rosebank, Burray.  Just a month later he was posted to HMD SOUTH ESK which was attached to HMS ZARIA in the port of Kirkwall, where he began his service aboard from 28th November 1916.  He served just 8 months before his life was cut tragically short.  His younger brother Alexander followed James into the Navy, but did not take up service until 1922 and was invalided out on 30th June 1925.



​


​Sources:

1901 Scotland Census
Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 - National Archives
CWGC Register
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242 014 (1914 Jan 01 - 1919 Dec 31)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; (1914 - 1919)
WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; PRC Ledgers; Reference: 644/01D
Photo courtesy of Brian Budge

Researched by Wendy Sadler

Picture
James Copland Memorial. Brian Budge

Picture
William Cormack
2nd Hand - RNR 2063 SA

William was the oldest crew member aboard South Esk who died in the explosion, just 4 days short of his 38th birthday.  Born on 11th July 1879 in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, William joined the Royal Navy Reserve on 26th June 1915 and was posted to HMD SOUTH ESK on 3rd July 1915, on which he served for over two years. 
William was married to Elizabeth and they had 3 children - Ivy, James and William.  His Star, Victory and British medals were awarded to his eldest son James following his death.
William is remembered on the Banff War Memorial. 

                                                                                              Banff War Memorial
​Sources:
Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 National Archives
Photographs courtesy of 
Roy Stevely.
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/7; Scan Number: 0891
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: Piece 007; Piece Description: Piece 007 (1914 - 1919)
Researched by Wendy Sadler

RESCUE
​The Skipper of South Esk, Francis Fraser RNR, was thrown through the wheelhouse window by the explosion and was  badly wounded. The skipper of HMD Olive, W H Armstrong, jumped overboard to save him.
Picture
The Scotsman - Thursday 16 August 1917
Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal
Picture
Case number: 43493
Date:  30 July 1917
Case number:  43493
Occupation: Skipper, R.N.R.
Location:
RHS Report: 1917

​
At 1.30 p.m. on the 7th July, 1917, a man was thrown into Auskerry Sound owing to his vessel being blown up by a mine. W.H. Armstrong, Skipper, R.N.R., jumped from his ship and succeeded in supporting him till they were picked up

Picture
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 All rights reserved. Due to the immense amount of research that enabled us to build this site we would like to point out that all material on this website is owned by Lost In Waters Deep though photos are credited to their respect
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​
  • Home
  • About Us
  • ROYAL NAVY SHIPS
    • HM BATTLESHIPS >
      • HMS VANGUARD
    • HM CRUISERS >
      • HMS HAMPSHIRE
    • HM MINESWEEPERS >
      • HMS JASON
    • HM DESTROYERS >
      • HMS ALBACORE
      • HMS PHEASANT
      • HMS CHEERFUL
      • HMS MARMION
      • HMS ITCHEN
      • HMS HOSTE
      • HMS NEGRO
      • HMS NESSUS
      • HMS GOLDFINCH
      • HMS ERNE
      • HMS SUCCESS
    • HM TRAWLERS (North) >
      • HMT KIRKLAND
      • HMT LAUREL CROWN
      • HMT LOCH GARRY
      • HMT ASIA
      • HMT ORSINO
      • HMT SARAH ALICE
      • HMT NEATH CASTLE
      • HMT TERN
      • HMT STRATHGARRY
      • HMT ENDEAVOUR
      • HMT LORENZO
      • HMT RESPONSO
      • HMT RONDO
      • HMT VULTURE II
    • HM TRAWLERS (West) >
      • HMT THOMAS STRATTON
      • HMT ROBERT SMITH
      • HMT CALLIOPE II
      • HMT CRATHIE
      • HMT RHODESIA
      • HMT ROLULO
      • HMT JOHN G. WATSON
      • HMT EDISON
    • HM TRAWLER (East) >
      • HMT PITSTRUAN
      • HMT KNOT
      • HMT YESSO
      • HMT GELSINA
      • HMT OTHONNA
      • HMT PLETHOS
      • HMT TEAL
    • HM DRIFTERS >
      • HMD SOUTH ESK
      • HMD LUSTRING
      • HMD CHANCE
      • HMD SUSIE ROSS
      • HMD LEONARD
    • HM AUXILIARY VESSELS >
      • HMS OTWAY
      • HMS DUKE OF ALBANY
      • HMS FIONA
      • HMS GRIVE
      • HMS ROEDEAN
      • HMHS MAINE
    • HM YACHTS >
      • HMY CONQUEROR II
      • HMY ZAREFAH
    • HM TUGS >
      • HM TUG OCEANA
    • HM SLOOPS >
      • HMS RHODODENDRON
      • HMS CARNATION
      • HMS BLACKMOREVALE
    • HM SUBMARINES >
      • HMS C34
      • HMS E-49
    • ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY >
      • RFA BEACON LIGHT
      • RFA OAKLEAF
    • HM STEAM PINNACE >
      • Steam Pinnace 288
      • Steam Pinnace 499
      • Steam Pinnace 588
      • Steam Pinnace Unknown
    • HM LIGHTER >
      • HMS X-138
      • HMS X-172
    • HM WATER CARRIER >
      • WATER TANKER PROGRESS
    • HM MOTOR LAUNCH >
      • HM M.L. 62
      • HM M.L. 191
      • HM M.L. 18
    • HM PUFFER >
      • S.P. DRONE
  • MERCHANT SHIPS
    • S.S. RUBY
    • S.S. EXPRESS
    • S.S. ARGUS
    • S.S. REMUS
    • S.S. SWIFTSURE
    • TRAWLER AMADAVAT
    • S.V. URANIA
    • S.S, ANGLO DANE
  • OTHER TRAGEDIES
    • RNAS AVIATION >
      • SSP 2
      • SSP 4
      • Short 74 Seaplane ''77''
    • ORKNEY >
      • Orkney Tragedies
      • Lieut. Gerald F.W. Addison
      • Diver P.O. Alfred Edwin Church
      • A.B. William Sydney Wooldridge
      • A.B. Charles James Moody
      • Houton ''whaler'' tragedy
      • The Murder of Kuno Eversberg
      • Orkney Rescues
    • SHETLAND >
      • Shetland Tragedies
      • Lieut. James Winstanley-Pochin R.N.
      • Lerwick Explosion
    • U BOATS >
      • WW1 U BOAT TYPES
      • SM U 18
      • SM U 36
      • SM U 77
      • SM U 92
      • SM U 102
      • SM UC 55
    • INTERNATIONAL >
      • U.S.S RICHARD BULKELEY
      • U.S.S. Curlew
      • USS WILLIAM ROCKEFELLER
  • MAP
  • MEDALS & AWARDS
  • Acknowledgements
  • Abbreviations
  • LINKS
  • Contact