Maritime record MWX2108 - Ethel 1918

Probable remains of the 1918 wreck of an English cargo vessel torpedoed by the German submarine UB 104, approximately 4.5 miles SSW of Portland Bill. She was a steel-hulled steamer, en route from Rouen to Barry in ballast.

JANE MARY EDWARDS (JME) 28-OCT-1993 - 28-OCT-1993 (1)
Built: 1898 Propulsion: screw-driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine (2)(3)

Was torpedoed by the German submarine UB-104 8 miles SE from Berry Head, Devon. Taken in tow for Portland, she sank before reaching her destination. Wreck lies in 36m in two sections with bow lying at right angles to a more substantial stern section. Her funnel was still standing in 1991. (2)(3)

The ETHEL was torpedoed in Lyme Bay near Berry Head by German submarine UB104. Was taken in tow but sank near Portland. Bow section lying at right angles to the more substantial stern part. A funnel can be discerned on inspection of the sonar trace.(1)

27-SEP-1918 Position accepted as 50 28 45N, 02 21 00W approx.(1)
04-JUN-1991 Wreck of old steamship [boilers and old nav. lights] located and dived on in 50 28 24N, 02 20 43W.(1)
11-JUN-1991 Wreck of twin screw steamship, 200 feet long, located in 50 28 24.5N, 02 20 42W.(1)
28-AUG-1991 Dived on and identified as a steamship. Much copper and lead piping found in what was the boiler room.(1)
25-SEP-1991 Large wreck, length 90m, beam 15m. Least echo sounder depth 29.8 in general depth 36m.(1)
19-SEP-1991 Examined in 50 28 22N, 02 20 44W Swept clear at 30.1, Foul at 30.4m. Least echo sounder depth 29.8 in general depth 36m. Lies 049/229 deg.(1)
10-JAN-1992 Least echo sounder depth 29.8m, accepted as shoaler than swept depth, but rounded down to 29.5m.(1)

Gross Tonnage

Position 50 28.37N 2 21.20W taken from (8)

Located two miles off the back of the Shambles Bank. Sea bed depth is 36m. The bows are detached and lying on the western side of the main body of the ship. (8)

A 6" porthole recovered from this wreck.(Droit A/995) (6)

A brass tap for steam or water recovered from this wreck. The coordinates for the discovery were recorded as 50 28N 02 20W. (Droit 244/08) (10)

02-MAR-2009: Located in 5028.403N, 0220.796W [WGD] using DGPS. The least multibeam depth was 30.11m ina general depth of 34.8m. No scour. Length 88.4m. Width 22.0m. Height 4.7m. The wreck is orientated 055/235 degrees. Strong magnetic anomaly. Apparently broken up. (11)(12)

Wreck event and documentary evidence:

Was torpedoed by the German submarine UB-104 8 miles SE from Berry Head, Devon. Taken in tow for Portland, she sank before reaching her destination. Wreck lies in 36m in two sections with bow lying at right angles to a more substantial stern section. Her funnel was still standing in 1991. (2)(3)

ETHEL, was struck by a torpedo at 2.20am on 16-SEP-1918 fired by UB-104, below the waterline, flooding number 2 hold, stokehold and engine room while destroying the bridge, charthouse and portside decking. The master was blown overboard but picked up later. The 1st mate, Mr Rice ordered the boats to be lowered and abandoned ship. The mate's boat was picked up by ML 133 and later rescued the second boat. HMS SUNFISH found the steamer still afloat and took her under tow and the master got a lift from the steam drifter TORBAY and rejoined his ship. She was being towed by the patrol trawlers WYNDHAM (3303), MIURA (3302), and JOHN LYONS (3511), they were joined by the tug PILOT however she sank off Portland Bill. (7)

She was torpedoed by a submarine at 1.20am, 8 miles SE from Berry Head, on the surface between No 2 holsd and the stokehold. The engine room and the stoke hold were flooded and the ship abandoned. The submarine was seen just as the explosion occurred. The master was blown overboard but was picked up. The vessel was taken in tow but sank at 5.00am. The crew were picked up by a motor boat and landed at Torquay. (9)

The ETHEL was torpedoed in Lyme Bay near Berry Head by German submarine UB104. Was taken in tow but sank near Portland. Bow section lying at right angles to the more substantial stern part. A funnel can be discerned on inspection of the sonar trace.

Built: 1898 (2)(3) 1899 (8)
Where built: Stockton upon Tees (8)
Propulsion: screw-driven, 3 cylinder triple expansion engine (2)(3)
Owners: Burdick and Cook, 34, St Mary Ave, London (9)
Armament: 1 x 12pdr, 12 cwt gun (9)

Master: Frederick James Lucker (7)
Crew: 26 (7)
1st Mate: Mr Rice (7)
Gunners: L.D. Aitcheson RNR No 7921, C.D. Maltby RNVR No BZ 5731 (7)

Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, 1992, Hydrographic Office wreck index (Index). SWX4837.

<2> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<3> 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.

<4> Tennant, A J, 1990, British Merchant Ships Sunk by U boats in the 1914-1918 War, p32 (Monograph). SWX4539.

<5> 1990, Lloyds war losses, The First World War: Casualties to shipping through enemy causes 1914-1918, p234 (Index). SWX4540.

<6> 2001, Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Receiver of Wreck Amnesty, 23-Jan to 24-Apr-2001 (Index). SWX4542.

<7> Maw, Neil, 1999, World War One Channel Wrecks (Vessels lost in the English Channel 1914-1918), 171 (Monograph). SDO20146.

<8> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition), No 158 p 118 (Monograph). SWX1.

<9> Admiralty Records, ADM/135/2964 p473 (Monograph). SDO20160.

<10> Receiver of Wreck, Receiver of Wreck Droit, 2008 (Unpublished document). SWX6384.

<11> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Wreck report, 18582 (Monograph). SDO20514.

<12> SeaZone Hydrospatial, Digital marine geographic information derived from SeaZone Hydrospatial, 01-Dec-17 (Digital archive). SDO20540.

<13> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 136 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<14> National Record of the Historic Environment, 904611 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 11 2024 2:57PM