| Summary : 1915 wreck of British cargo vessel which foundered approximately 3.5 miles south of Beachy Head, following a collision in fog with the SS RUNIC. Constructed of iron in 1883 as the Scottish cargo vessel CROSSHILL, she was a steam-driven vessel. She entered German service in 1900 as the HUGO & CLARA, becoming HORST MARTINI in 1913. She was impounded as a prize vessel in Newport, Monmouthshire, on the outbreak of war in 1914, and re-entered British service as a collier. |
More information : Background and Prior History:
Built as CROSSHILL in 1883, for Macbeth & Gray, Glasgow; 954 tons, 64m x 9m; thence under that name in 1891 to the Shamrock SS Co. of Larne Ltd, registered in Belfast; sold into German service in 1900 under the name of HUGO & CLARA, of Hamburg, and thence to Rostock in 1914; into Admiralty ownership 1914. (2)(3)
HORST MARTINI, published in the list of German vessels interned at the outbreak of war; impounded at Newport, Monmouthshire. (4)
Listed among the 34 'enemy steamers which were detained in United Kingdom ports at the outbreak of war' to enter service in the East Coast coal trade. (5)
Wreck Event - Primary Sources:
'THE SINKING OF A REQUISITIONED ENEMY VESSEL. THE RUNIC . . .
'This action was brought by "the owners of the steamship HORST MARTINI, and her master and crew proceeding for their lost effects," against the owners of the steamship RUNIC in respect of a collision between the two vessels near Beachy Head in foggy weather on May 1 last.
'The HORST MARTINI, which sank after the collision, was one of the German vessels found in port at the beginning of hostilities and detained by order of the Prize Court. It appeared that the "owners of the HORST MARTINI" were the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, as at the time of the collision she had been requisitioned by the Admiralty and was carrying coals from Swansea to the Thames.
'The RUNIC, a vessel of 12,490 tons, belonging to the White Star Line, had been taken over by the Australian Government for transport work, but at the time of the collision she was bound from London to Liverpool with cargo.
' . . . the defendants, who, not being able to counterclaim against the Admiralty, counterclaimed, by amendment allowed in the course of the hearing, against the master of the HORST MARTINI.
'The learned President said that both vessels must be found to blame. The HORST MARTINI's speed was not excessive, but she mistook the position of the RUNIC's signals. That in itself was sufficient to emphasize how important it was to stop in order to localize sound signals in fog; and it was admitted that the HORST MARTINI did not stop. Further, she ported considerably across the bows of the RUNIC, and so contributed largely to the collision. The RUNIC was also to blame. She was going much too fast - as was shown by the fact that, although she had reversed her engines, her speed at the time of collision was estimated to be 4.5 knots, and it might have been more. His Lordship assessed the proportion of blame as to three-quarters to the HORST MARTINI and one-quarter to the RUNIC.' (6)
Wreck Event - Secondary Sources:
Vessel sank following a collision with the steamship RUNIC of Liverpool. (1)
Collision with the RUNIC 4 nautical miles off Beachy Head, en route from Swansea for London with coal. (2)
HORST MARTINI, 946 tons, sunk in collision with British SS RUNIC in the Channel 3.5 miles south of Beachy Head. (7)
Built: 1883 (1)(2)(3)
Builder: Ramage & Ferguson (1)(2)(3)
Where Built: Leith (1)(2)(3)
Propulsion: Screw-driven, 2-cylinder compound engine (1)(2)(3)
Engine HP: 112 (1)
Boilers: 1 (1)
Master: J Purvis (1)
Crew: 17 (1)
Owner: The Admiralty (1)(2)(3)(5)(6), last A Fahrenheim of Rostock, 1913 (2)(3)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
BOT WW1 Wk Abstract Part II p32
LR 1915-16 No.1100(N) |