Sketch of emblem
for the Strick Lines, found on wreck of Tangistan.
See original
image at http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?65686 SS Tangistan [+1915]
Sketch of the
Tangistan by Jame. See original image at http://www.archeosousmarine.net/bdd/fichetech.php?id=15004
Tangistan, of
London registration,
In Strick Line
trade of Mediterranean,
Was a cargo ship
built 1906 - this
Boat made its way
Monday 8 March,
From Benisaf, the
Mediterranean
Port of northwest
Algeria -
Conveying a cargo
of iron ore,
From mines, south
of that town.
The voyage
proceeded as many
Other times -
sighting no mines
Or enemy vessels - the master,
Mercantile
Mariner David Edmunds
With the crew of
39, approached
Their destination
of Middlesborough.
Darkness was
advancing and with
The hour too
early to meet a tide,
The Tangistan
reduced speed
To sit, ready for
an early arrival
In port - The tired
crew settled for
The night - seven
seaman, four
Engineers, the
boatswain, three
Mates a
carpenter, and Captain
Edmunds along
with Arab
Passengers from
Aden, Yemen.
The Tangistan, at
point between
Whitby and
Flamborough Head,
Was hit - without
any warning
Came a rumble
from amidships
The boat trembled
from end to end
As an explosion
ripped through -
The midnight hour
stuck
As if in alarm,
as all lights went out.
Able Seaman James
O'Toole
Rushed on deck
with the crew
To find Tangistan
was rapidly
Sinking - the Captain from
The bridge
shouted for boats
To be lowered -
The Tangistan
Would be
abandoned - on even
Keel almost
silently the Tangistan
Sank, as
lifeboats still attached
Started to hit
the water.
Amid the action
Able Seaman
O'Toole dived into
the sea.
Amid the
explosion
Debris had been
blown
Onto the water -
finding a spar
He clung to this,
to see
The funnel and
masts
Of the Tangistan
As it quickly
floated down.
The damage too
great to allow
the crew to get
quickly clear -
He saw lifeboats
possibly still
Attached, or two
close,
Also pulled down.
Now in the cold
sea, James
O'Toole heard
shouts and cries
Of fellow crew,
as some of them
Surfaced. In the
darkness
It was hopeless
and soon
Those cries faded
away.
Holding onto the
spar to
Fight a numbing
cold he heard
Other voices and
saw shapes.
Four of the Arab
passengers
Had a hold of
broken wood, but
Slowly their
voices also faded
As O'Toole held
on.
Unaware of the
silent sinking
Other ships came
close by
The survivor on
the spar
Shouted out, but
his voice
Went unheard -
twice, more
Shapes appeared
he renewed
Hope trying to
get their
Attention - two
hours passed
And exhaustion
filled him.
Then the SS
Woodville heard
His faint cry and
hurried
To pick up the
sole survivor
Of the stricken
Tangistan
On his safe
return to Hartlepool
O'Tool told of
the Tangistan loss.
The explosions
origin stayed
Disputed, with a
German claim
U12 had targeted
the vessel,
This remained the
belief
But that U-boat
attack was
Likely to have
been on
The Aberdon and that
Tangistan
Had in fact hit a
mine laid
In water by the
cruiser Kolberg.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Loss
of the Tangistan. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 10 Mar. P.9. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11452883/Daily-Telegraph-March-10-1915.html[Accessed:
10 March 2015].
Source.,1915.
Tuesday 9 March, North Sea, [online] Available at: http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishBVLSMN1501.htm
[Accessed: 10 March 2015].
Source.,1915. Master
Mariner David EDMUNDS. [online] Available at: http://www.masonicgreatwarproject.org.uk/writeup.php?string=944[Accessed:
10 March 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 10 March 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
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