HMS Pheasant
M Class Destroyer (HMS Marmion)
HMS Pheasant. 01/03/1917
M Class Destroyer
Displacement: 1025 ton
Length: 82 m. Beam: 8.4 m. Draught: 2.7 m.
Propulsion:
Complement: 89 officers and men.
Armament: 3 x 4" gun, 3 x 2 , 2 x twin 21'' Torpedo tubes
M Class Destroyer
Displacement: 1025 ton
Length: 82 m. Beam: 8.4 m. Draught: 2.7 m.
Propulsion:
Complement: 89 officers and men.
Armament: 3 x 4" gun, 3 x 2 , 2 x twin 21'' Torpedo tubes
HMS Pheasant left the anchorage at Stromness at 5.15 am on the morning of 1st March 1917 and headed out through Hoy Sound and then south towards the Pentland Firth.
HMT ''Grouse'' was at anchor under Rora Head as there was a heavy sea running from the north. At 6.00 am deck hand Alexander Milton heard an explosion and could see smoke. He told deck hand John McCrae to wake 2nd Hand A Crossland but it was not until 8.00 am that the skipper Thomas Francis was informed. HMT ''Grouse''proceeded to where Milton thought the explosion occurred but saw the 5th Mine Sweeping Flotilla in the area.
HMT ''Cairo'' had been patrolling Hoy Sound. Skipper Alfred Jackson came on deck at 6.30 am and had heard nothing but it was reported to him by 2nd Hand Edward Bass and deck hand John Daly that they had heard a faint noise, possibly gun fire and no importance attached to it.
The first report of the loss was at 8.15 am when ''Oropesa'' signalled ''Large quantities of oil and some wreckage one mile west of Old Man of Hoy. A recovered life buoy was marked H.M.S. ''Pheasant'',''
On receiving that message ''Brandenburg'', ''Admire'', ''Harvest Hope'', ''Alert'' and ''M.L.112'' were sent to '' steam along the coast off Hoy and to search''
At 9.05 am ''Loch Kildonan''entered Stromness with the body of Midshipman R.A. Cotter RNR who had been picked up by the ''Loch Kildonan'' off The Old Man of Hoy. Amongst the personal effects found on Midshipman Cotter were three bunches of keys labelled H.M.S Pheasant and a wristwatch with water under the glass stopped at eleven minutes past six.
At 2.10 pm Lieut Westray who was in ''Admire'' reported oil coming to the surface, Black Craig E.N.E , Kame of Hoy S.E, Old Man of Hoy S, and that there was little wreckage,
At 2.33 pm all vessels were ordered back to harbour and search called off.
HMT ''Grouse'' was at anchor under Rora Head as there was a heavy sea running from the north. At 6.00 am deck hand Alexander Milton heard an explosion and could see smoke. He told deck hand John McCrae to wake 2nd Hand A Crossland but it was not until 8.00 am that the skipper Thomas Francis was informed. HMT ''Grouse''proceeded to where Milton thought the explosion occurred but saw the 5th Mine Sweeping Flotilla in the area.
HMT ''Cairo'' had been patrolling Hoy Sound. Skipper Alfred Jackson came on deck at 6.30 am and had heard nothing but it was reported to him by 2nd Hand Edward Bass and deck hand John Daly that they had heard a faint noise, possibly gun fire and no importance attached to it.
The first report of the loss was at 8.15 am when ''Oropesa'' signalled ''Large quantities of oil and some wreckage one mile west of Old Man of Hoy. A recovered life buoy was marked H.M.S. ''Pheasant'',''
On receiving that message ''Brandenburg'', ''Admire'', ''Harvest Hope'', ''Alert'' and ''M.L.112'' were sent to '' steam along the coast off Hoy and to search''
At 9.05 am ''Loch Kildonan''entered Stromness with the body of Midshipman R.A. Cotter RNR who had been picked up by the ''Loch Kildonan'' off The Old Man of Hoy. Amongst the personal effects found on Midshipman Cotter were three bunches of keys labelled H.M.S Pheasant and a wristwatch with water under the glass stopped at eleven minutes past six.
At 2.10 pm Lieut Westray who was in ''Admire'' reported oil coming to the surface, Black Craig E.N.E , Kame of Hoy S.E, Old Man of Hoy S, and that there was little wreckage,
At 2.33 pm all vessels were ordered back to harbour and search called off.
SM U-81
21st January 1917. at 7.30 am U-81 laid 4 mines 0.9 sea miles from land.
21st January 1917. at 7.30 am U-81 laid 4 mines 0.9 sea miles from land.
U-80 mine map. 21/01/1917.
MBES Survey of HMS Pheasant conducted for the ORCA/SULA Shiptime Project.
The wreck Today.
HMS Pheasant was first located by John Thornton on MV Karin in May 1996 and dived by a group of British Soldiers from the Army Sub Aqua Club along with two Americans Bernie Chowdhury and Tom Easop.
UKHO Wreck Card for HMS Pheasant is 62013. The charted position on the card is 58°52,07'N 03°27,41'W.
In 2017 the Shiptime Maritime Archaeology Project Orkney conducted a Multi Beam survey of the site. The wreck is in two pieces in approximately 85m of water 300m NW of the charted position.
The Wreck is Protected Place. The wreck can be dived but not touched.
The Shiptime Maritime Archaeology Project Orkney was led by Sandra Henry of ORCA (Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology), UHI, the University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute and Kevin Heath of SULA Diving who have brought together universities, commercial companies and government bodies including Historic Environment Scotland, Marine Scotland, Ulster University, Heriot-Watt University, and Seatronics – an Acteon company.
The Crew HMS Pheasant (Research on the crew is ongoing)
Missing
1.ATCHESON, JAMES , Petty Officer 1st Class (no. 165519)
2.BATES, HARRY (25), Stoker 2nd Class (no. K/32428)
3.BOURNE, GEORGE (24), Engine Room Artificer 4th Class (no. M/21465)
4.BOWEN, WILLIAM (38), Chief Stoker (no. 291526)
5.BOXER, WILLIAM TREMAIN (25), Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class (no. M/6011)
6.BRADLEY, AUSTIN (32), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/61179)
7.BRENNAN, ALEXANDER (22), Able Seaman (no. SS/4773)
8.BROMING, EDMUND SAMUEL (32), Stoker 1st Class (no. 302199)
9.CANTRILL, JAMES HORACE (19), Wireman 2nd Class (no. M/11612)
10.CARR, WILLIAM (23), Petty Officer Stoker (no. 213118)
11.CLAPCOTT, FREDERICK , Officers’ Steward 3rd Class (no. L/9320)
12.CONNOLLY, PATRICK (48), Stoker (no. 1394U)
13.CONVIN, SIDNEY , Officers’ Steward 3rd Class (no. L/5098)
14.CRUNDALL, FREDERICK WALTER MARVYN , Stoker 1st Class (no. K/18053)
15.CUNNINGTON, JOHN RALPH (20), Leading Telegraphist (no. J/16494)
16.DAVIES, DAVID (28), Signalman (no. Wales Z/3105)
17.DOLLIGAN, BERNARD (28), Stoker (no. 5132S)
18.EDWORTHY, FREDERICK WILLIAM STABBACK (19), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/47908)
19.ELDER, GEORGE , Able Seaman (no. J/25754)
20.EVENS, JOSEPH REGINALD (27), Petty Officer Stoker (no. 309864)
21.FISHER, ARTHUR MERTON (24), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/49742)
22.FLETCHER, NELSON SCOTT , Able Seaman (no. J/13938)
23.GIDLEY, ERNEST (38), Petty Officer Stoker (no. 307503)
24.GLYNN, WILLIAM (18), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/35679)
25.GRANTHAM, JAMES NORMAN (23), Able Seaman (no. J/7765)
26.GREBBELL, CYRIL WILKINSON (26), Leading Seaman (no. 236776)
27.GRIFFITH, HUBERT WILLIAM DOUGLAS (29), Lieutenant,
28.GRIMSHAW, GEORGE ALBERT (31), Stoker 1st Class (no. K/6642)
29.GROOM, HORACE EDWARD , Leading Cooks Mate (no. 347811)
30.GYLLENSHIP, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS (36), Leading Seaman (no. 194276)
31.HAMILTON, JAMES HOPE (25), Able Seaman (no. 239262)
32.HAMILTON, JOHN (21), Able Seaman (no. J/29355)
33.HANDS, HENRY LEWIS (32), Stoker 1st Class (no. 309300)
34.HAWORTH, SAMUEL BAMFORD (23), Able Seaman (no. J/12119)
35.HEARN, HENRY WALTER EDWARD , Lieutenant,
36.HERLIHY, SIDNEY HOLLOWAY (41), Gunner,
37.HOLLOWOOD, HARRY (23), Able Seaman (no. J/5461),
38.HOLMES, CHARLEY (30), Petty Officer (no. 229380)
39.HOWARTH, TOM (19), Able Seaman (no. J/31132)
40.HUNT, HENRY (19), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/60695)
41.JOHNSON, OSWALD MAUGHAN (21), Sub-Lieutenant
42.JOHNSON, WILLIAM HAROLD (25), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/61172)
43.JOHNSTONE, GEORGE (22), Stoker 1st Class (no. SS/115144)
44.KAY, WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE , Able Seaman (no. SS/3520)
45.KAYES, JOSEPH (34), Leading Seaman (no. 220440)
46. KELLY, WALTER (24), Able Seaman (no. J/8761)
47. KITCHEN, REED BLACKETT (20), Ordinary Seaman (no. K/60687)
48. LACEY, PETER (25), Able Seaman (no. J/46017)
49. LILLIS, FRED (37), Petty Officer (no. 182523)
50. LLOYD, ALFRED , Leading Stoker (no. K/8947)
51. LOMAS, HENRY HUGH , Petty Officer Stoker (no. K/13883)
52. MARKS, ERNEST GEORGE (25), Leading Stoker (no. K/5640)
53. MARTIN, HENRY THOMAS (22), Able Seaman (no. J/43132)
54. MASKELL, FRED (24), Stoker 2nd Class (no. K/37261)
55. MCCARTHY, DANIEL (44), Petty Officer Stoker (no. 176750)
56. MCDONALD, ANGUS , Able Seaman (no. 218050)
57. MCLOUGHLIN, MICHAEL (18), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/42975)
58. MOONEY, JOHN , Able Seaman (no. J/20534)
59. NEAL, EDWARD JOHN SILK (25), Able Seaman (no. Clyde Z/1528)
60. NEALE, CHARLES HILARY (22), Stoker 2nd Class (no. K/32434)
61. PACEY, HARRY , Stoker 2nd Class (no. K/32430)
62. PIRRY, WILLIAM (20), Able Seaman (no. J/25237)
63. PORTER, WILLIAM (19), Able Seaman (no. J/24623)
64. PRESTON, MATTHEW (26), Able Seaman (no. J/45368)
65. RANDALL, JOSEPH (21), Able Seaman (no. SS/4355)
66. RICHARDSON, FREDERICK WILLIAM , Signalman (no. 233380)
67. ROBERTSON, JAMES , Able Seaman (no. SS/6522)
68. ROGERS, CYRIL SPENCER , Signalman (no. J/25441)
69. RYAN, THOMAS (20), Able Seaman (no. J/27836)
70. SCRIVEN, FREDERICK JOHN (20), Able Seaman (no. J/29501)
71. SEARLE, PERCY WILLIAM (21), Able Seaman (no. J/29551)
72. SHERWELL, ROWLAND ZEBEDEE HOLTEN , Engine Room Artificer 4th Class (no. M/7810)
73. SIMES, HENRY CHARLES NATHANIEL , Engineer Lieut Commander
74. STEWART, WILLIAM (25), Able Seaman (no. SS/4863)
75. SULTAN, HARRY (24), Leading Seaman (no. J/9290)
76. TAYLOR, EDWARD PEARCE (23), Able Seaman (no. J/12751)
77. TERRY, WILLIAM JOHN , Petty Officer Stoker (no. K/5121)
78. TRAYHERN, BENJAMIN EDWARD , Stoker 1st Class (no. SS/107187)
79. TWYMAN, FREDERICK LESLIE (16), Boy Telegraphist (no. J/48585)
80. WALKER, GORDON PATRICK , Surgeon Probationer
81. WATSON, ARTHUR , Able Seaman (no. SS/3754)
82. WEAVER, IVOR TOM (18), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/43133)
83. WHEALE, JOSEPH (27), Stoker (no. 8168S)
84. WHITHAM, ALBERT (25), Ordinary Seaman (no. J/49933)
85. WIGHT, JAMES (22), Able Seaman (no. Tyneside/Z/324)
86. WOODLAND, WALTER JOHN , Chief Engine Room Artificer (no. 270702)
87. WOOLCOCK, HUBERT EDMUND JACKSON (21), Officer's Steward 2nd Class (no. L/4974)
88. WRIGHT, RICHARD , Stoker 1st Class (no. SS/106052)
Recovered
89. COTTER, REGINALD ALEXANDER Reginald, Midshipman.