| Summary : 1917 wreck of English schooner which foundered 8 miles N x E of Pendeen Lighthouse, after being shelled, then stopped and scuttled with charges by UC-51, while bound from Runcorn for Cherbourg. She was the fourth of five vessels to be attacked by UC-51 on this day, the first being the MOSS ROSE (906461), then the MARY SEYMOUR (906458) and MARY ORR (1109064). After the attack on the WATER LILY, the JANE WILLIAMSON was sunk later that afternoon (906459). UC-51 would herself be lost in November 1917 but there are variant reports of her last resting place (929128 account of wreck event; 832137 possible remains).Constructed of wood in 1876, the WATER LILY was a sailing vessel. |
More information : Primary Sources:
10-SEP-1917: WATER LILY, British sailing vessel of 111 tons, sunk by submarine about 8 miles N x E of Pendeen Lighthouse. (4)
Secondary Sources:
Position given as 8 miles N by E fron Pendeen lighthouse, approx 50 17.45N 005 41.31W. (1)
When the master of this schooner saw other vessels being attacked by a surfaced submarine at 10.30am, he prepared his boat, instructed the crew to collect their belongings and burnt the ship's confidential papers and log book. Shortly after noon the enemy turned their attention to the WATER LILY, a shell hitting both the ship's crew and the vessel just as the former was shoving off. The mate and cook were both wounded and the boat damaged. The crew were then called to row alongside the submarine for questioning, but were refused bandages for the wounded, their boat being used to carry scuttling charges across to the MARY ORR. It would appear that the WATER LILY was sunk by similiar means. Her crew were picked up by the Belgian SS ADOUR and landed at St. Ives. (2)(5)
10-SEP-1917: The WATER LILY was stopped and sunk 8 miles N x E of the Pendeen Lighthouse, or position 50 18N 005 40W, while bound from Runcorn for Cherbourg with coal. (6)
Built: 1876 (2)(5)(6)
Builder: Watson (2)(5)(6)
Where Built: Banff (2)(5)
Crew: 4 (2)(5)
Owner: H C Chugg (2)(5)(6), Barnstaple (6)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
N11.1917(ADM.137), ;R 1917-1918 No 54(SV) |