In 1914, Clyde Steamer passengers make a German band play "God save the King"

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated 14th August 1914

The crowds on a Clyde steamer this week made a German band play "God save the King."
This is adding insult to injury.

Hamburg-American Line's MOLTKE leaves New York for Gibraltar, Naples and Genoa

Contributed by Darren Fitzpatrick (Toronto, Canada)

Union Castle Liner LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE launched at Fairfield Shipyard, Govan, Glasgow

Motor lighter INNISEANE leaves Campbeltown with a cargo of coal for Bowmore (Isle of Islay)

   The five crew members of the motor lighter INNISEANE were rescued today when the vessel sank near Port Ellen, Isle of Islay.

   INNISEANE, essentially a Clyde puffer and owned by John M. Paton of Paton & Hendry’s Glasgow Steam Coasters Company, had left Campbeltown on Saturday morning with a cargo of coal for Bowmore, Isle of Islay.

   On Saturday evening, about 8 miles south of Port Ellen Lightship, the ship’s engine broke down and the vessel drifted broadside onto the sea and was pitching, rolling and bumping heavily and shipping water everywhere.

   It was noticed that she had sprung a leak and was gradually filling with water and the decision was taken to abandon ship.   The five crewmen took to the ship’s lifeboat and shortly afterwards INNISEANE sank beneath the waves.

   After about four hours being tossed about by the rough sea the lifeboat was seen by a fishing trawler from Fleetwood (England) and the men and their lifeboat were taken aboard.   They had lost all of their possessions when their ship sank and only had the clothes that they were wearing.

   The trawler took the men to Campbeltown and they rowed ashore in their own lifeboat and reported the loss of INNISEANE.

Hamburg-American Line's HAMBURG due to leave New York for Gibraltar, Naples and Genoa

Contributed by Darren Fitzpatrick (Toronto, Canada)

Five crewmen rescued after Glasgow motor lighter INNISEANE sinks near Port Ellen, Isle of Islay

    The five crew members of the motor lighter INNISEANE were rescued today when the vessel sank near Port Ellen, Isle of Islay.

   INNISEANE, essentially a Clyde puffer and owned by John M. Paton of Paton & Hendry’s Glasgow Steam Coasters Company, had left Campbeltown on Saturday morning with a cargo of coal for Bowmore, Isle of Islay.

   On Saturday evening, about 8 miles south of Port Ellen Lightship, the ship’s engine broke down and the vessel drifted broadside onto the sea and was pitching, rolling and bumping heavily and shipping water everywhere.

   It was noticed that she had sprung a leak and was gradually filling with water and the decision was taken to abandon ship.   The five crewmen took to the ship’s lifeboat and shortly afterwards INNISEANE sank beneath the waves.

   After about four hours being tossed about by the rough sea the lifeboat was seen by a fishing trawler from Fleetwood (England) and the men and their lifeboat were taken aboard.   They had lost all of their possessions when their ship sank and only had the clothes that they were wearing.

   The trawler took the men to Campbeltown and they rowed ashore in their own lifeboat and reported the loss of INNISEANE.

Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH sinks German cargo ship MARKOMANNIA off Sumatra

    The Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH has sunk the Hamburg Amerikan Line cargo steamer MARKOMANNIA off Sumatra and has captured and taking into harbour the Greek steamer PONTOPORSO.   Both of these vessels had previously been reported as accompanying the German cruiser EMDEN, the MARKOMANNIA acting as collier.

   The First World War had started and at 0610 H.M.S. YARMOUTH was on patrol and sighted two steamers on her port bow.   On approach, one vessel was identified as the Hamburg Amerika Line steamer MARKOMANNIA and the cruiser fired twice across her bows, causing her to stop.

   A boarding party from H.M.S. YARMOUTH boarded the German ship and took off her crew and, at 0917 and again at 1135, explosive charges were fired on MARKOMANNIA, but she refused to sink.   At 1235 the cruiser opened fire with 4 rounds of 5” shells and MARKOMANNIA sank at 1310.

Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH sinks German cargo ship MARKOMANNIA off Sumatra

    The Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH has sunk the Hamburg Amerikan Line cargo steamer MARKOMANNIA off Sumatra and has captured and taking into harbour the Greek steamer PONTOPORSO.   Both of these vessels had previously been reported as accompanying the German cruiser EMDEN, the MARKOMANNIA acting as collier.

   The First World War had started and at 0610 H.M.S. YARMOUTH was on patrol and sighted two steamers on her port bow.   On approach, one vessel was identified as the Hamburg Amerika Line steamer MARKOMANNIA and the cruiser fired twice across her bows, causing her to stop.

   A boarding party from H.M.S. YARMOUTH boarded the German ship and took off her crew and, at 0917 and again at 1135, explosive charges were fired on MARKOMANNIA, but she refused to sink.   At 1235 the cruiser opened fire with 4 rounds of 5” shells and MARKOMANNIA sank at 1310.

Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH captures Greek cargo ship PONTOPORSO off Sumatra

    The Royal Navy Light Cruiser H.M.S. YARMOUTH has sunk the Hamburg Amerikan Line cargo steamer MARKOMANNIA off Sumatra and has captured and taking into harbour the Greek steamer PONTOPORSO.   Both of these vessels had previously been reported as accompanying the German cruiser EMDEN, the MARKOMANNIA acting as collier.

   The First World War had started and at 0610 H.M.S. YARMOUTH was on patrol and sighted two steamers on her port bow.   On approach, one vessel was identified as the Hamburg Amerika Line steamer MARKOMANNIA and the cruiser fired twice across her bows, causing her to stop.

   A boarding party from H.M.S. YARMOUTH boarded the German ship and took off her crew and, at 0917 and again at 1135, explosive charges were fired on MARKOMANNIA, but she refused to sink.   At 1235 the cruiser opened fire with 4 rounds of 5” shells and MARKOMANNIA sank at 1310.

CLAN STUART was wrecked at Simons Bay, Cape Colony, after arriving at Cape Town from UK

DATE is correct but ACTUAL TIME is not known - any TIME SHOWN is our estimate for guidance

Bill McKellar writes : From Norman Middlemiss's excellent Clan Line Book :

Completed in 1900 by William Doxford Shipyard at Sunderland for Clan Line Steamers, Glasgow

On 21st November 1914 she was wrecked at Simons Bay, Cape Colony, after arriving at Cape Town from UK

HMS Pactolus based in Ardrossan during World War 1

1914 First World War,
HMS Pactolus
Ship was placed in harbour to care for submarines
A pier was modified ( Montgomerie pier ) with 3 x 6000t fuel tanks, pipes and pumps for refuelling

From The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald dated Friday 25th September 1964

In these notes last week we mentioned that Mr James Guthrie, who emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand, 39 years ago, had once been stationed in Ardrossan when he served aboard the submarine "Pactolus,"
But Mr Archibald Murray, No. 2 Staff House, Maternity Hospital,, Kilmarnock, informs us that he does not recall a submarine of that name in Ardrossan.

"There was," he writes, "a repair and depot ship in the new dock during the 1914 -18 war.
She was an engineless old battle cruiser fitted out as a workshop.
She was called H.M.S. Pactolus and was moored with her bow into the corner of the dock and her stern out in the basin so that access to her could only be gained by the one and only gangway up to the bow.

"She was a very busy vessel during the war but security was very strict and no unauthorised persons ever got aboard.
I was a milk delivery boy at that time and delivered milk aboard her, so I remember her well."

Crew List for CLAN CAMPBELL in 1915

Contributed by Graeme McIver

Reference:
BT 400/3990/2  

Description:

Ship: Clan Campbell; Official number: 136320. 

W H Price; rank/rating, Master; age, 57; place of birth, Liverpool; previous ship, Clan Macdougall. 

W P Smith; rank/rating, 1st Mate; age, 36; place of birth, Glasgow; previous ship, Clan Macquarrie. 

W Pollock; rank/rating, 2nd Mate; age, 30; place of birth, Swatow, Nbbs; previous ship, Clan Sutherland. 

J W Durling; rank/rating, 3rd Mate; age, 23; place of birth, London; previous ship, Clan Macdonald. 

John S Munro; rank/rating, 4th Mate and Assistant Wireless; age, 24; place of birth, Edinburgh; previous ship, Oriflamme. 

N Grady; rank/rating, Carpenter; age, 38; place of birth, Govan; previous ship, Clan Mcarthur. 

J H Morton; rank/rating, Steward; age, 39; place of birth, Dublin; previous ship, Clan Urquhart. 

Charles McIver; rank/rating, 1st Engineer; age, 43; place of birth, Cookstown; previous ship, Clan Macbride. 

John Creber; rank/rating, 2nd Engineer; age, 48; place of birth, Devonshire; previous ship, Clan Macewan. 

J M Arnott; rank/rating, 3rd Engineer; age, 25; place of birth, Ibrox; previous ship, Clan Macintyre. 

Thomas D Symons; rank/rating, 4th Engineer; age, 23; place of birth, Selkirk; previous ship, Clan Murray. 

Andrew C Fraser; rank/rating, 5th Engineer; age, 21; place of birth, Kirkaldy; previous ship, first. 

L G Sparks; rank/rating, Wireless Operator; age, 18; place of birth, Bristol; previous ship, first. 

Richard Hay; rank/rating, Apprentice; year of birth, 1895; place of birth, Leith; Indentured at Glasgow in 1911. 

Frederick Joseph Hurst; rank/rating, Apprentice; year of birth, 1896; place of birth, Londonderry; Indentured at Liverpool in 1913. 

Clan Line's CLAN CAMPBELL calls at Honolulu to load coal bunkers

Contributed by Graeme McIver

HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1915
The British steamer Clan Campbell
carrying a cargo of about 7500 tons of
sugar and hemp from the Philippines,
came into the harbor this morning to
take bunkers. William H. Price is her
master. She will go to New York, and
Boston via Panama 

Sunday, 19 September 1915
Baron Ardrossan, squadron supply ship
GOSLING, William A T, Petty Officer, 119167, illness in Malta

Steam lighter MOOR founders off the mouth of the River Tay on the east coast of Scotland