Irene incident facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irene Incident
Part of Piracy in Asia
A Chinese spear taken as a prize of war from the pirates by the Royal Navy.
Date 19–20 October 1927 Location Bias Bay, China, South China Sea Result British victory, pirates captured
Belligerents
United Kingdom Royal Navy	Republic of China Pirates
Commanders and leaders
Frederick J. C. Halahan	Unknown
Strength
2 × submarines (HMS L4 & HMS L5) 1 × destroyer (HMS Stormcloud) 1 × cruiser (HMS Delhi) 1 × minesweeper (HMS Magnolia) Hong Kong Police	1 × steamer: SS Irene
Casualties and losses
None	~1 pirate killed 17 pirates captured SS Irene sunk
Civilian casualties: 14 passengers on SS Irene killed.

The Irene incident was a big event in 1927. It was part of the British Royal Navy's efforts to stop piracy in China. Pirates had taken over a merchant ship called SS Irene. This happened near Bias Bay, about 60 miles from Hong Kong. British submarines attacked the ship on the night of October 19. The Royal Navy stopped the pirates, but the ship sank during the fight.

Piracy in China: A New Approach

After sailing ships were replaced by steamships, pirates in southern China had to change their ways. Large fleets of armed sailing junks were no longer useful. By 1927, pirates had a new method. They would board a merchant ship as regular passengers. Then, once at sea, they would take over the vessel.

Pirate Hideouts and Royal Navy Plans

Many successful pirate groups operated from Bias Bay. They would hijack a ship close to the bay. Then they would anchor it near shore to unload valuable goods. They also took hostages. British warships often tried to catch them. But the pirates usually got a warning and escaped.

So, the Royal Navy came up with a secret plan. They decided to use submarines to patrol the area quietly. The British fleet in Hong Kong had twelve submarines. For this mission, they chose two L-class submarines: HMS L4 and HMS L5. Lieutenant Frederick John Crosby Halahan commanded L4. The submarines left Hong Kong as if they were doing normal training. But they were actually heading to Bias Bay.

The Attack on SS Irene

The location of the Irene incident.

The two submarines arrived near Mendoza Island (now Shenggao Island). This island is at the entrance of Bias Bay. They then split up. L4 patrolled the bay's entrance. L5 patrolled inside the bay. Bias Bay had many rocks and fishing boats. This made it hard for the submarines to stay hidden. But they managed to watch the area without being seen.

Spotting the Pirate Ship

On the morning of October 20, they saw the SS Irene. She was steaming near Cake Island. At least eighteen pirates had taken over the ship. They were armed with automatic pistols. It was still dark. L4 was on the surface. One crew member was ready at the 4-inch (102 mm) gun. Another was ready with the searchlight.

Lieutenant Halahan knew that torpedoes would not help capture the ship. But his submarine had a powerful 4-inch deck gun. When Irene was spotted, Halahan moved L4 into position. The searchlight was turned on. The gun crew fired a blank warning shot. The pirates ignored it. So, a second, live shot was fired. It blew a hole through the ship. One pirate on deck was hit.

The sinking SS Irene (left) and tug Alliance (right).

The pirates still tried to reach the shore. So, the 4-inch gun fired again. By this time, L5 had arrived. Its crew saw eight flashes from L4's gun. Lieutenant Gilbert Hackforth Jones on L5 said they were too far to fire. But they saw Irene burning after many hits.

Rescuing Survivors and Pirate Capture

Lieutenant Halahan signaled L5. He said that lifeboats were being lowered from Irene. He was moving in to rescue people. L5 followed. Both submarines sent a small boat with an officer and a sailor to the burning Irene. The pirates were waiting. They had hidden and opened fire when the British boats got close. Their shots missed the sailors.

The submarines turned around to fire their deck guns again. After a few more shots, something on Irene exploded. It was a very bright explosion. After this, the pirates stopped fighting. They jumped off the ship. Some of them drowned in the cold water.

Aftermath of the Incident

The SS Irene was burning badly. More ships were called to help. Most of Irene's 258 passengers were saved. But fourteen passengers were never found. The survivors were taken onto the submarines. Later, they were moved to other British ships. These included the HMS Stormcloud, the cruiser HMS Delhi, and the minesweeper HMS ''Magnolia''. These ships also helped put out the fire.

Ship's Fate and Pirate Justice

The British put out the fire. But they had sprayed so much water into the ship. Because of this, Irene eventually tipped over and sank the next day. Several British sailors received awards for their bravery. Lieutenant Halahan received the Distinguished Service Cross.

The Hong Kong Police helped find the pirates. Some pirates tried to pretend they were passengers. Seven more pirates were found by L5. Lieutenant Jones said they found these pirates in a lifeboat. They were crying, so the crew thought they were civilians. They were taken aboard. A few days later, the crew of L5 learned that these seven men were actually the pirates.

In the end, seventeen Chinese men were found guilty of piracy. They were punished in Hong Kong. Some reports say ten pirates were punished. The owners of Irene later tried to sue Lieutenant Halahan. But he won the case. The court decided that any naval commander can sink a ship controlled by pirates. Irene stayed partly underwater for a while. But it was later salvaged and put back into service.

See also

• Piracy in Somalia
• Piracy in Nigeria
• Piracy on Falcon Lake