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Tribute to crew of 'Isleford' which sank off Wick





The ill-fated Isleford, which ran aground in a storm off Wick.
The ill-fated Isleford, which ran aground in a storm off Wick.

A WARTIME tragedy will be commemorated when a plaque is unveiled to the 15 men who lost their lives when their boat sank off Wick almost 70 years ago.

The memorial to the crew of the Isleford will be unveiled at a special ceremony which is to take place in the town at the weekend.

The vessel, requisitioned by the Navy to ferry munitions and other supplies, came to grief in a gale below Proudfoot in January 1942. The 150ft vessel ran into difficulties after developing engine trouble and was driven on to the rocks.

Conditions at the time were so severe it was not possible to launch the local lifeboat. The life-saving crew turned out but was unable to get a line aboard the stricken boat.

A searchlight picked out the beleaguered Isleford in what was described as “a seething mass of water”.

Five of the 15 men were seen round the bridge and rigging but were swept away one by one.

Only two bodies were recovered after conditions improved the following morning. A massive operation was also launched to recover mines and ammunition which drifted ashore.

On Sunday the tragic loss of the Isleford will be commemorated when the plaque is unveiled at the Kirkhill memorial area in High Street by the Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, Anne Dunnett.

She will perform the task after the names of the dead men are read out by Captain Duncan Lamb, of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The dedication of the memorial will be undertaken by Scrabster Mission superintendent Colin Mackay. Wreaths will then be laid and a two-minute silence observed. The unveiling ceremony will be preceded by a short parade from Market Place by Merchant Navy veterans, the Merchant Navy Association, the Royal British Legion of Scotland, the Sea Cadets and the Wick RBLS Pipe Band.

The event has been organised by the Merchant Navy Association which will be holding its annual service at the St Fergus Church at 11.30am.

Association secretary and treasurer Mike Coupland said the 70th anniversary of the tragedy takes place in January and it was thought it would be appropriate to erect a plaque in memory of those who died.

“It will be a poignant occasion but it will help bring closure to a very sad event which happened off Wick and was witnessed by local people,” he said.

Mr Coupland said due to wartime reporting restrictions very little is known about the circumstances leading up to the loss of the Isleford, a converted steamer which was built by the ?Ardrossan Dry Dock Company in 1913. “There is even doubt as to whether she was going from Invergordon to Scapa Flow in Orkney or in the other direction,” Mr Coupland told the Caithness Courier.

“What we do know is that sometime in the early hours of January 25, 1942, during a terrible storm with driving snow, she developed engine trouble and decided to make for Wick harbour. Unfortunately, she ran aground on the rocks below Proudfoot and the bow section broke away. Only two bodies were recovered and we don’t know their names.After the storm subsided the shoreline was littered with mines and shells. The Navy sent up a recovery team to reclaim them and still have to deal with washed-up ammunition to this day.”

Mr Coupland pointed out the memorial event could not take place without the extensive research undertaken by retired Wick teacher Andy Anderson. He also stated the plaque was donated by Caithness Stone Industries and ? designed by Tamara Hicks.

THE 15 men who lost their lives when the Isleford sank off Wick in January 1942 were:

Captain David A.K. Foalie

Chief officer William A. Hall

Second officer Hector MacNichol

Chief engineer Horace D. Gumbell

Second engineer William A. Cleghorn

Gunner John Frederick Clark

Crew member Cyril S. Cook

Crew member Victor D. Kingdom

Crew member William Witham

Crew member Roy C. McGrane

Crew member George W. Smith

Crew member Harry J. Lawrence (fireman)

Crew member Frank Rawlins (fireman)

Crew member Harry Rowe (described as a boy)

Crew member Sydney G. Davis (described as a boy)


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