On Mar. 20, 1893 a small iron barquentine named Cymric was launched at William Thomas & Sons on Anglesey Island, Wales. Only 226 tons and 123' long this ship would prove to be a durable stout little ship. She sailed between Ireland and ports in South America for the first ten or so years of her career. In the early 1900's she was sold and used to transport Spanish wine to the Emerald Isle. She was hired by the Admiralty on Mar. 15, 1918 (25 years after her launch) and converted into a Q-Ship named Olive. Her job, lure German U-Boats to their doom. Unfortunately the only submarine ever sunk by Cymric was HMS J-6 on Oct. 15, 1918. Sixteen men were killed in the incident which occurred only 27 days before the armistice was signed ending the war. Cymric was released from war service in Apr. of 1919 and returned to her owners. She would sail for another 25 years.

On February 23, 1944 (slightly less than 51 years after her launch) she left Ardrossen, Scotland with a hold full of coal bound for Lisbon, Portugal. She was to pick up supplies for Ireland, like she had done before. In fact a number of Irish ships, using a neutral flag, were used to supply the Irish during the war. After being seen off Dublin on Feb. 24 the ship and her eleven man crew were never seen again. It has been almost 100 years since she left port, and to this day her wreck has not been found. A war cause (mine) is possibly the best explanation as to the cause of her disappearance, but none of the other normal dangers of the sea can be discounted.

© 2015 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

Bergin, P

Crewman

Brennan, J.

Crewman

Cassidy, Christopher

Master

Crosbie, J.

Crewman

Furlong, K.

Crewman

Kierman, B.

Crewman

McConnell, C.

Crewman

O'Rourke, W.

Crewman

Ryan, M.

Crewman

Seaver, P.

Crewman

Tierney, M

Crewman

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