Maritime record MWX1614 - Apache (Formerly White Heather)

Ex. YACHT (formerly WHITE HEATHER) (4)(5)

She was built in 1890 by J Reid and Co, Glasgow. She is a propelled by a combination of Sail/steam, the latter by a 3 cylinder triple expansion engine. The vessel was owned by Ligne Cettoise de Navigation a Vapeur and her Master was J M Rouxell. She had a crew of 19 of which 15 were lost. Machinery supplied by Alley and MacLellan, Glasgow.

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: BOT.Wreck Returns 1917 Pt.II (1) p12; ST 13.10.1917®; LR 1917 18 N 1134(A).

Gross tonnage


Wreck site and archaeological remains:

July-2004: Dived in 5029.25N, 0226.74W (WGD) using DGPS. The wreck stands 3m high by depth gauge. 4m high by echosounder. This is a small, upright, intact steamship lying with bows to the north. Identified as APACHE from the builder's plate. (1)(2)

28-FEB-2009: Wreck located in 5029.282N, 0226.815W (WGD) using DGPS. The least multibeam depth is 33.18m in a general depth of 36.7m. Scour 0.9m deep. Length 52m. Width 30.0m. Height 4.45m. The wreck lies orientated 156/336 degrees, with the bows to the NNW. A strong magnetic anomaly. (1)(2)

Charted as APACHE by the UKHO in position 50 29.282N, 002 26.815W (WGS84). (1)(2)

A brass capstan head, measuring 9 inches in diameter, 4 inches deep, and weighing approximately 20kg; A wooden sheave block assembly. The objects were recovered from the wreck of the APACHE. (Droit 171/11) (3)

Wreck event and documentary evidence:

Ex. YACHT; Ex. WHITE HEATHER. (4)(5)

FRANCH BARQUE SUNK. Loss of 15 of the crew. The French auxiliary screw barque APACHE is reported to have foundered during a gale on Friday. Four of the crew were saved, but the remaining 15 were drowned. The APACHE was of 493 tons, fitted for burning oil fuel, and was built at Port Glasgow in 1890 as the WHITE HEATHER. She was owned at Cette. (6)

Built: 1890 (5)
Builder: J Reid and Co. (5)
Where Built; Port Glasgow (5)
HP: 73 (5)
Boilers: 1 (5)
Propulsion: Sail/steam; 3 cylinder triple expansion engine (5)
Owner: Ligne Cettoise de Navigation a Vapeur (5)
Master: J M Rouxell (5)
Crew: 19 (5)
Crew Lost: 15 (5)
Machinery: Alley and MacLellan, Glasgow (5)

Ownership history:
1890-1898: WHITE HEATHER. R.Cecil Leigh. GBR Port Glasgow
1898-1900: WHITE HEATHER. Charles G.Miller. GBR Port Glasgow
1900-1902: WHITE HEATHER. Executors of Charles G.Miller. GBR Port Glasgow
1902-1904: WHITE HEATHER. Harrison I.Drummond. USA New York
1904-1909: APACHE. Edmund Randolph. USA New York
1909-1917: APACHE. L.Legrue. FRA Le Havre
1917-1917: APACHE. Ligne Cettoise de Nav a Vapeur. FRA Sete (7)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index:
BOT.Wreck Returns 1917 Pt.II(1) p12; ST 13.10.1917®; LR.1917-18 No.1134(A)

<1> SeaZone Hydrospatial, Digital marine geographic information derived from SeaZone Hydrospatial, 28-Apr-16 (Digital archive). SDO20540.

<2> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Wreck report, 65652 (Monograph). SDO20514.

<3> Receiver of Wreck, Receiver of Wreck Droit, 2011 (Unpublished document). SWX6384.

<4> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<5> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<6> The Times, Monday 08-OCT-1917, No. 41,603 p5 (Serial). SWX3285.

<7> Miramar Ship Index www.miramarshipindex.org.nz, ccessed 28-APR-2016 (Digital archive). SDO20161.

<8> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, 958 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<9> Cumming, E, The Dorset shipwreck and maritime incident directory, 9 (Monograph). SDO16406.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1603293 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 11 2024 12:23PM