| More information : Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:
Method of Fix: PA (1)
Position approximate, given as 50 55.500N 004 59.000W. (6)
08-FEB-1984: located in position 251 degrees 18 miles from Hartland Point. Lies in 60m of water. Intend to dive on wreck later in 1984. (6)
The wreck is lying upright in in 60m, British India Line plates have been recovered. (10)
4 white china plates bearing the logo of the "British India Steam Navigation Co." have been recovered from a charted wreck 20 miles north of Padstow, i.e. the REWA. (Droit 081/04) (11)
A bell named REWA recovered 22 miles due north of Padstow. (Droit 100/04) (11)
A dented port oil lamp and an engine room telegraph head recovered from the REWA, position 50 54.804N 004 57.822W. (Droit 102/04) (11)
2 plain white side plates with a blue crest bearing the letters "BISN CO." Both plates are slightly chipped. Recovered from the REWA in position 50 55.35N 004 59.59W. (Droit 125/04) (11)
A three-lever machine telegraph and a window, without glass, recovered from the REWA in position 50 54.804N 004 57.822W. (Droit 131/04) (11)
A window recovered from the wreck of the REWA, charted 6 miles off Trevose Head. (Droit 280/04) (11)
A copper item, thought to be possibly an egg poacher, a copper fish poacher, a glass bottle, and a broken plate, recovered from the wreck of the REWA in 58m. (Droit 150/06) (12)
A small porthole with glass; 2 large porthole, one with glass, the other damaged; a decklight (frame only, glass missing); part of a brass lamp holder; 6 pieces of broken plates; a small glass bottle with stopper, and an empty champagne/wine bottle, recovered from the REWA, approximately 30 miles off the coast from Newquay, out near Lundy Island. (Droit 303/07) (13)
Located approximately 15 miles west of Higher Sharpnose Point. (17)
19 inch diameter porthole, 15 inch diameter porthole both brass with glass, both complete, of standard design, glass intact, backplates, hinges & dogs. (Droit 192/10) (20)
A rectangular brass porthole frame with hinge, glass missing, recovered from the wreck of the REWA, Falmouth sector. (Droit 208/12) (22)
An 18" x 14" porcelain sink recovered from the wreck of the REWA, Falmouth sector. (Droit 010/14) (23)
A brass winding window from the bridge area, dimensions 3ft 6in one side, 3ft on the other, width 2ft, recovered from the wreck of the REWA, Falmouth sector. (Droit 137/18) (24)
A small brass plaque, 10.5in x 2.5in, inscribed "1st Class Companion", recovered from the wreck of the REWA, Falmouth sector. (Droit 294/18) (24)
Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:
Torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel 19 miles W 0.25 S of Hartland Point in position 50.55N 004.49W by the German submarine U-55, whilst on a voyage from Mudros to Avonmouth carrying 279 wounded officers and troops. Lost whilst on Government service employed as Hospital Ship No.5. (2)
Torpedoed without warning with the loss of 4 lives 19 miles W 0.25 S of Hartland Point. (3)
The liner REWA was serving as an auxiliary hospital ship at the time of loss, and she was clearly marked with the Red Cross. She was coming to the end of her voyage with 279 sick and wounded from Greece, Malta and Gibraltar, with 80 medical staff and a crew of 207. At 11.15pm she was torpedoed abreast on the port side by a submarine which had approached unseen, although lights seen at the time and assumed to be those of a sailing vessel, may have been those of the attacker.
Fourteen boats were launched without mishap and all on board were saved except 3 Lascar members of the crew, the survivors being picked up by two trawlers and a tanker. (4)
Attacked by submarine in position 50 55N 004 49W en route from Salonica for Avonmouth, no cargo; described as a hospital ship. (5)
Torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-55. Vessel was employed on Government service as Hospital Ship No.5. The ship, which was clearly marked with the Red Cross and fully illuminated, was torpedoed at 11.15pm on the port side abreast the funnel. The discipline on board was excellent, 14 boats being launched without mishap under the direction of the captain. These stayed together, burning flares until they attracted the attention of two trawlers and a tanker, which picked up the survivors at 3am on 05.01. Those lost were Lascar members of the crew. (7)
N.B. Source (7) states location as 19 miles S, 0.25 miles W of Hartland Point. Departure given as Salonica, and vessel stated as being in ballast.
Although this hospital ship was sailing with all her lights burning brightly and the Red Cross emblems on the hull floodlit, she was torpedoed amidships on the port side abreast the funnel at 11pm by the German submarine U-55 and sank one hour later. On board were 279 wounded officers and troops. The REWA was employed on government service as Hospital Ship No 5. Fourteen boats were lowered and all saved except for the four Lascar crewmen killed in the explosion, these stayed together burning flares until they attracted the attention of two trawlers and a tanker which picked up the survivors at 3am on the 5th. (8)
Torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-55. Was on passage Mudros to Avonmouth with sick and wounded personnel from Greece, Malta and Gibraltar. Sank 19 miles W, 0.25 S from Hartland Point. (6)
'Germans Torpedo British Hospital Ship Without Warning, 3 of 550 Aboard Lost.
'London, Jan. 9. The hospital ship REWA was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel on Jan. 4 while on her way from Gibraltar, it is officially announced. All the wounded were saved. There were three casualties among the crew. The announcement follows:
"His Majesty's hospital ship REWA was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel at about midnight on Jan. 4, on her way home from Gibraltar. All the wounded were safely transferred to patrol vessels. There were only three casualties among the crew, three Lascars being missing.
"She was displaying all the lights and markings required by the Hague Convention. She was not and had not been within the so-called barred zone, as delimited in the statement issued by the German Government on Jan. 19, 1917."
'Most of the survivors of the REWA were landed at Swansea, Wales. Many of them were without clothing of any kind. The wounded were removed immediately to a hospital. The torpedo which sank the REWA went directly through the red cross painted on her side.
'The hospital ship was torpedoed without warning and sank within an hour. According to custom the vessel was lighted up after dark, so that there could be no possibility of submarines mistaking her identity. The torpedo struck the vessel with a terrific crash, and was so effective that there was no chance of saving her. There were 550 persons on board, including 30 bed-ridden and a number of soldiers suffering from malaria.
'The lights on the hospital ship were put out by the force of the explosion, and the wounded and sick had to grope about in the dark for their clothing. Many of them were unsuccessful in their quest and had to leave the ship without clothing. While in the boats and on rafts they had little or no protection from the piercing cold wind.
'All the patients, the ship's staff and the members of the crew, with the exception of three Lascars who were killed by the explosion, were safely rescued from the boats and rafts. They had hardly left the REWA, which was sinking on even keel, when the steamer suddenly plunged forward and disappeared. The rescued men were two hours adrift before they were picked up.' (14)
1906: Built as REWA for the British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Glasgow, 7267 tons.
04-JAN-1918: Torpedoed by submarine in position 50 55N 004 49W. (15)
'Torpedo Through the Cross: Successful Rescue Work.
'A Bristol Channel Port, Jan. 9.
' . . . After dark on Friday night the ship was lighted up in accordance with the present praactice, and she proceeded at about four knots. Some say that just before the attack suspicious lights were observed, and while they were being closely watched a torpedo struck the vessel with a terrific crash amidships - right on the hospital cross, as one man observed. It was a most effective shot, and completely destroyed all chance of saving the vessel . . .
' . . . with the exception of a couple of boats, which had apparently been destroyed by the explosion, every boat was successfully launched, and while the ship was obviously and rapidly settling down on a perfectly even keel - she had been holed right through, the boats were all well manned without the slightest accident.
'There were about 30 cot cases, and these were first got out and placed in the boats. The four women nurses were attended to next; and when every one else had left the ship the officers and crew followed. With the exception, it is believed, of three lascars, who cannot be accounted for, and who were probably killed by the torpedo explosion, every one on board was taken into the boats.
'About 10 minutes after the last boat was loaded the ship plunged head foremost into the water and disappeared. Fortunately, just before the engines stopped, wireless messages had been sent from on board, and they were picked up by two or three vessels, including a tank steamer and two patrols or mine-sweepers, and these craft diverted their courses and steered at full speed for the scene of the disaster. The boats kept close together, and, after being adrift for between one and two hours, they were picked up by the rescuing steamers, which, to their intense relief, came into sight in the moonlight . . . ' (18)
'Lost Hospital Ship. Report of the Captain on the Attack.
'. . . The following particulars are taken from the statement of the captain of the sunken hospital ship REWA:-
'The REWA was bound from Malta to a port on the west coast of the British Isles, having called at Gibraltar en route. the ship carried a crew of 207, 279 invalids, and a medical staff of about 80.
'On January 4, about 11pm, when I was on the bridge with the third officer, two small white lights were seen about a mile ahead on our port bow. As I could not determine what those lights were, I concluded that they were from a sailing craft and ported my helm accordingly, and though I ported my helm 2.5 points, I did not seem to alter my position as regards the bearing of these lights, which mainted their position about 4 points on my bow. After a pause of three or four minutes, and after I had ported my helm, an explosion occurred, approximately at 11.15pm, the ship being, in my opinion, torpedoed. The course of my ship at the time of the explosion was . . . [sic, from the original, clearly for secrecy] and we were steaming nine knots. We had our Red Cross flag up, our lights had been lit at sunset, namely steaming lights, navigation lights, and Convention lights, and they had remained and were alight at the time of the explosion. All the lights were electric. The ship was hit abreast of the funnel on the port side, as near amidships as possible.
'The vessel sank just after midnight - 10 minutes before being well down to her green line - when I left her in company with those officers and men of the staff who had been superintending the operations in connexion with the boats.
'In accordance with my orders, the 14 boats kept together as much as possible, coloured flares being burnt to attract attention. At about 3am, two trawlers and a small oiler arrived in the vicinity and picked up the boats and their occupants, who finally reached port just after 10am.' (19)
Built: 1906 (2)(4)(7)(8)(15)
Builder: W Denny and Bros. (4)(7)(8)(15)
Where Built: Dumbarton (7)(8)(15)
Engine HP: 850 (4)(8)
Boilers: 6 (7)(8)
Construction: poop-deck plus bridge 346ft.; forecastle 53ft (8)
Machinery: W Denny and Bros (8)
Propulsion: 3 screw propellers driving 3 steam turbine engines (4)(7)(8)
Official Number: 121332 (16)
Master: J E Drake (4)(8)
Crew: 207 (4)(8); 287 (7); 207 + 80 medical staff = 287 (19)
Crew Lost: 3 (4)(10)(14); 4 (3)(7)(8)
Passengers: 279 (19); 362 (1)(8); 359 (4)
On Board: 550 (14)
Owner: British India Steam Navigation Co. (4)(8)(11)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
NII.1918(ADM.137); LR.1917-18 No.364(R); Notes D/20A
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