The photo was taken by a member of the crew of the USCGC Bibb who took her in tow to the Clyde after she was torpedoed. The survivors of the Coulmore were rescued by the Bibb and the HMCS Dauphin
So glad they made it home. The ship looks so alone though obviously there was a ship close by and a man with a camera. Does any one know whether she survived the war?
Hi Nick, the full story, copied and pasted as below from earlier posts Re; Coulmore Best regards
Note. - there wre only 7 survivors, 40 perished. A member later confirmed to CraigP she did not sail on the Arctic convoys.
C
1 - 6 of 6 Posts CraigP
Registered
Joined Sep 21, 2013
3 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 • Sep 21, 2013
Does anyone have information on the SS Coulmore in 1944-5 please? I know she had been torpedoed in 1943 and was then rebuilt. I need to know whether she was on the Arctic convoys 1944-45.
Built 1936 by the Ayrshire Dockyard Company of Irvine, Scotland.
As part of Convoy SC-121 the cargo ship was on a passage from Philadelphia - New York - London when she ran into trouble.
At 01.04 hours on 10th March 1943, in a position West of the Hebrides,U-229 fired a torpedo at the convoy SC-121 south of Reykjavik, followed by a spread of two torpedoes at 01.05 hours, then reported two ships sunk and another damaged. In fact, the torpedoes sank Nailsea Court and damaged the steamer S.S. Coulmore.
The COULMORE was abandoned by the crew after a torpedo hit in peak tanks on the port side, but one lifeboat was swept away empty and another swamped, drowning the occupants. Two survivors were picked up by HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (T/Lt M.H. Wallace, RCNR) and more by USCGC Bibb (WPG 31), which located the abandoned vessel the next morning in 58°30N/19°31W. Tugs were sent out to salvage S.S. COULMORE and she was towed to the Clyde, where she arrived on 23rd March. The ship wasduly repaired and returned to service in July 1943.
In 1948, she was renamed S.S. AVISFORD for Purvis Shipping Coy. Ltd. (N.W. Purvis), London. In 1950 she was renamed S.S. STRIPA for P. Skjold. In 1957, she was sold to Sweden and renamed S.S. NAUTIC for F.H. Andersson, Stockholm. In 1966 she was renamed S.S. Saratoga for M. Starita.
Vessel went for breaking at Venice in January 1969.
Hi Nick, the full story, copied and pasted as below from earlier posts Re; Coulmore Best regards
Note. - there wre only 7 survivors, 40 perished. A member later confirmed to CraigP she did not sail on the Arctic convoys.
C
1 - 6 of 6 Posts CraigP
Registered
Joined Sep 21, 2013
3 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 • Sep 21, 2013
Does anyone have information on the SS Coulmore in 1944-5 please? I know she had been torpedoed in 1943 and was then rebuilt. I need to know whether she was on the Arctic convoys 1944-45.
Built 1936 by the Ayrshire Dockyard Company of Irvine, Scotland.
As part of Convoy SC-121 the cargo ship was on a passage from Philadelphia - New York - London when she ran into trouble.
At 01.04 hours on 10th March 1943, in a position West of the Hebrides,U-229 fired a torpedo at the convoy SC-121 south of Reykjavik, followed by a spread of two torpedoes at 01.05 hours, then reported two ships sunk and another damaged. In fact, the torpedoes sank Nailsea Court and damaged the steamer S.S. Coulmore.
The COULMORE was abandoned by the crew after a torpedo hit in peak tanks on the port side, but one lifeboat was swept away empty and another swamped, drowning the occupants. Two survivors were picked up by HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (T/Lt M.H. Wallace, RCNR) and more by USCGC Bibb (WPG 31), which located the abandoned vessel the next morning in 58°30N/19°31W. Tugs were sent out to salvage S.S. COULMORE and she was towed to the Clyde, where she arrived on 23rd March. The ship wasduly repaired and returned to service in July 1943.
In 1948, she was renamed S.S. AVISFORD for Purvis Shipping Coy. Ltd. (N.W. Purvis), London. In 1950 she was renamed S.S. STRIPA for P. Skjold. In 1957, she was sold to Sweden and renamed S.S. NAUTIC for F.H. Andersson, Stockholm. In 1966 she was renamed S.S. Saratoga for M. Starita.
Vessel went for breaking at Venice in January 1969.
Thank you very much. I am glad she ended up having a long life. It was fortunate she was a newish ship when the torpedo hit her and that her collision bulkhead held. Maybe it was a bit precipitous of the master to abandon the ship and not wait until morning and size up the situation. Sorry, should not indulge in deja vu, should I?
Not at all Nick, by all accounts the master was just a bit too hasty - but then, we weren't to know what was in his mind, to launch the boats in heavy weather (the chap who took that photo took another of the USS Greer - fair diving into the big grey ones) - is always a risky old business as you would appreciate.
All the women and children were lost in very similar cir***stances before the Princess Victoria went down, in the daylight hours back in 1953. As we learnt from others misfortunes - you just have to respect the elements - man proposes, god disposes. - the truism - "there by a bit of luck and the grace of god, go I".
IMO 5247861 , Dead.
Ship Type : General Cargo Ship.
Dim : Lpp x Beam - 107.5 x 15,3 mtr.
Built in 1936 by Ayrshire Dockyard Co Ltd, Irvine United Kingdom as " COULMORE " for Dornoch Shipping Co. Ltd.( Lambert Bros. Ltd. Glasgow as manager ) Glasgow Scotland United Kingdom.
As part of Convoy SC-121 the cargo ship was on a passage from Philadelphia - New York - London when she ran into trouble. At 01.04 hours on 10th March 1943, in a position West of the Hebrides,U-229 fired a torpedo at the convoy SC-121 south of Reykjavik, followed by a spread of two torpedoes at 01.05 hours, then reported two ships sunk and another damaged. In fact, the torpedoes sank Nailsea Court and damaged the steamer S.S. Coulmore. The COULMORE was abandoned by the crew after a torpedo hit in peak tanks on the port side, but one lifeboat was swept away empty and another swamped, drowning the occupants. Two survivors were picked up by HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (T/Lt M.H. Wallace, RCNR) and more by USCGC Bibb (WPG 31), which located the abandoned vessel the next morning in 58°30N/19°31W. Tugs were sent out to salvage S.S. COULMORE and she was towed to the Clyde, where she arrived on 23rd March. The ship wasduly repaired and returned to service in July 1943.
1948 Sold to The Aviation & Shipping Co. Ltd. ( N. W. Purvis London as manager ) London United Kingdom,renamed " AVISFORD ". 1950 Sold to Stallbergs Grufve A/B Rederi ( Per Skiold Stockholm ) Stockholm Sweden,renamed " STRIPA ".
1957 Sold to Rederi A/B Nordic ( F. H. Andersson Stockholm ) Stockholm Sweden.renamed " NAUTIC ".
1963 Sold to Marazul S.A.(Giovanni del Gatto Naples Italy) Panama City Panama. " NAUTIC ".
1966 Sold to Firamar S.A.( Mario Starita Naples Italy) Panama City Panama,renamed '' SARATOGA ".
IMO 5247861 , Dead.
Ship Type : General Cargo Ship.
Dim : Lpp x Beam - 107.5 x 15,3 mtr.
Built in 1936 by Ayrshire Dockyard Co Ltd, Irvine United Kingdom as " COULMORE " for Dornoch Shipping Co. Ltd.( Lambert Bros. Ltd. Glasgow as manager ) Glasgow Scotland United Kingdom.
As part of Convoy SC-121 the cargo ship was on a passage from Philadelphia - New York - London when she ran into trouble. At 01.04 hours on 10th March 1943, in a position West of the Hebrides,U-229 fired a torpedo at the convoy SC-121 south of Reykjavik, followed by a spread of two torpedoes at 01.05 hours, then reported two ships sunk and another damaged. In fact, the torpedoes sank Nailsea Court and damaged the steamer S.S. Coulmore. The COULMORE was abandoned by the crew after a torpedo hit in peak tanks on the port side, but one lifeboat was swept away empty and another swamped, drowning the occupants. Two survivors were picked up by HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (T/Lt M.H. Wallace, RCNR) and more by USCGC Bibb (WPG 31), which located the abandoned vessel the next morning in 58°30N/19°31W. Tugs were sent out to salvage S.S. COULMORE and she was towed to the Clyde, where she arrived on 23rd March. The ship wasduly repaired and returned to service in July 1943.
1948 Sold to The Aviation & Shipping Co. Ltd. ( N. W. Purvis London as manager ) London United Kingdom,renamed " AVISFORD ". 1950 Sold to Stallbergs Grufve A/B Rederi ( Per Skiold Stockholm ) Stockholm Sweden,renamed " STRIPA ".
1957 Sold to Rederi A/B Nordic ( F. H. Andersson Stockholm ) Stockholm Sweden.renamed " NAUTIC ".
1963 Sold to Marazul S.A.(Giovanni del Gatto Naples Italy) Panama City Panama. " NAUTIC ".
1966 Sold to Firamar S.A.( Mario Starita Naples Italy) Panama City Panama,renamed '' SARATOGA ".
Thank you, all, again. I feel it is a very good thing that a few of us are remembering the ship after all these years, and the many brave men who were lost in the stormy seas early that March morning, seventy seven years ago.
'....and in the morning, we shall remember them'.
If I ever get to Tower Hill again I shall certainly look for the name ' Coulmore'.
Hi,
I see from the above that "Tugs were sent out to salvage S.S. COULMORE and she was towed to the Clyde, where she arrived on 23rd March."
That is a bit of a simplification.
My father was a Sub-Lieutenant (RNVR) on the Flower Class Corvette HMS Aubrietia (K96) which was despatched from Londonderry to assist with the salvage. He, a colleague (RNR Sub-Lieutenant) together with crew members formed a boarding party which in conjunction with the attendant tugs managed he salvage.
I have in my father's papers:
The official report from HMS Aubrietia's commanding officer (Lt G.D.Fowler RNR) dated 24/3/43,
My father's description of the event as written in a letter home to his parents,
An official admiralty note of the salvage fee paid to my father (£148 13s 10d),
An official note from the Port Intelligence Officer in Glasgow requesting safe passage back to Londonderry for the two officers and crew as they had boarded SS Coulmore with no official ID or papers.
Also, as the story made the national press, my father was approached by Lt Guy Morgan RNVR who was the Official Naval Reporter - Western Approaches. After reading Dad's letter home it was decided that Dad would record two items for the BBC for later broadcast on the Home Service. This was done later in 1943 at the BBC studios in Belfast. Dad was paid the princely sum of four guineas and I have the cheque stub.
More than happy to share some/all of the do***ents with you if there is interest.
Mark Taylor
Report