Irish maritime events during World War II facts for kids

Memorial erected in Dublin in 1991 to members of the Irish Mercantile Marine lost during the Emergency

During World War II, Ireland remained neutral. This period was known in Ireland as The Emergency. Even though Ireland was neutral, its ships and sailors faced many dangers at sea. Irish sailors called this time The Long Watch because they were always on alert. This article shares important events that affected Irish ships, or ships carrying goods to and from Ireland, and other incidents near the Irish coast during this time.

Dangerous Waters: A Timeline of Sea Events
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Dangerous Waters: A Timeline of Sea Events

This timeline shows how dangerous the seas were for ships during World War II. Many ships, including those from neutral countries, were attacked.

1939: War Begins, Dangers Emerge

September 4: The British ship SS Athenia was the first to be sunk by a German U-boat (U-30). A Norwegian ship, Knut Nelson, bravely rescued 450 survivors and brought them to Galway.
September 8: Ireland's oil tanker fleet, owned by Inver Tankers, was moved to the British shipping registry. Sadly, all seven of these tankers were later lost during the war.
September 11: The Irish tanker Inverliffey, carrying gasoline, was shelled and sunk by the German U-boat U-38.
September 13: The ship ST Rudyard Kipling was stopped and sunk by U-27 off Clare Island. The U-boat crew took the 13 sailors aboard and later put them in lifeboats near Killybegs.
October 4: U-35 landed survivors from a Greek ship called Diamantes at Ballymore, Dingle.
December 15: U-48 sank the neutral Greek freighter Germaine near Cork. The U-boat falsely claimed the ship was heading to England.

1940: Attacks Increase

January 17:' The Norwegian ship Enid went to help a torpedoed British ship near Shetland. The same U-boat (U-25) then shelled and sank Enid. Luckily, Enids crew survived.
January 22: The neutral Norwegian ship Songa was torpedoed and sunk by U-25. Its crew survived, with some rescued by a trawler and others guided to safety by lighthouse keepers on Rock Island.
February 2: The ship Munster hit a mine and sank while entering Liverpool. One person died.
February 9: A German spy, Ernst Weber-Drohl, was landed by U-37 at Killala Bay, County Sligo. He was quickly arrested.
March 3: The British ship Cato, sailing from Dublin, hit a mine near Nash Point. Thirteen people died.
March 9: The trawler Leukos was sunk by gunfire from U-38 near Tory Island. Eleven people died.
March 11: The City of Bremen rescued 33 survivors from a Dutch ship in the North Sea.
May 12: The Kyleclare managed to escape from Antwerp during an air raid.
May 27: The neutral Argentinian ship Uruguay, carrying maize to Limerick, was sunk by U-37. Fifteen people died.
June 10: The neutral Greek ship Violando N Goulandris, carrying wheat to Waterford, was torpedoed by U-48. Six people died.
June 12: U-38 landed another German spy, Karl Simon, in Dingle. He was also quickly arrested.
June 19: The neutral Greek ship Adamandios Georgandis, carrying wheat to Cork, was torpedoed by U-28. One person died.
June 29: The neutral Greek ship Frangoula B Goulandris was torpedoed and sunk by U-26.
July 10: The Finnish ship Petsamo, carrying maize to Cork, was torpedoed and sunk by U-34 within sight of the Irish coast. Four people died, but 34 survivors landed safely at Baltimore, County Cork.
July 11: The Moyalla rescued 20 survivors from a British ship off Cape Clear Island.
July 12: The Greek ship Ia, carrying wheat to Cork, was torpedoed and sunk by U-99. Three people died.
July 14: The Greek ship Thetis A, carrying grain to Limerick, was torpedoed and sunk by U-52. Nine people died.
July 15: The City of Limerick was bombed by aircraft in the Bay of Biscay. Two people died.
July 15: The Greek ship Naftilos, carrying grain to Dublin, was torpedoed and sunk by U-34. One person died.
July 20: The City of Waterford was shelled by a submarine in the North Atlantic but managed to escape.
July 30: The Kyleclare rescued 88 survivors from a British ship that had been torpedoed by U-99. They were brought to Enniscrone.
August 1: The collier SS Kerry Head was bombed off Kinsale but survived this attack. Germany later admitted responsibility and paid compensation.
August 15: The Meath, carrying 700 cattle, hit a mine and sank off Holy Island, Anglesey. All the cattle drowned, but the crew were rescued.
August 16: The MV Lock Ryan was bombed off Land's End but survived.
August 20: A German bomber attacked SS Macville, causing damage. The attack also damaged the lighthouse on Blackrock Island.
August 24: The City of Waterford was bombed in the Irish Sea but survived.
August 26: The town of Campile was bombed, likely to stop Irish exports to Britain. Three people were killed.
August 27: The Lanahrone rescued 18 survivors from a British ship off the Kerry coast.
September 4: The Luimneach was sunk by gunfire from U-46 in the Bay of Biscay.
September 4: The Edenvale was machine-gunned by German aircraft off the Waterford coast.
September 17: The Greek tanker Kalliopi S was bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Sheephaven Bay.
September 27: The trawler SS Kosmos was machine-gunned by German aircraft north of Scotland.
October 8: The Greek ship Delphin, carrying maize and wheat, was torpedoed and sunk by U-103. All crew survived.
October 17: The MV Edenvale was attacked by German aircraft off the coast of Waterford.
October 22: The Kerry Head was bombed again, and all 12 sailors were lost, witnessed by people on Cape Clear Island.
October 31: The British ship SS Hillfern, carrying coal to Cork, was sunk by German aircraft.
November 11: The Ardmore hit a mine and sank off the Saltee Islands. Twenty-four people died.
November 11: Survivors from the Norwegian ship Davanger, which had been sunk by U-48, were seen off the Mayo coast. Locals helped them, and they were taken to Belmullet hospital.
December 8: The Finnish schooner Penang, carrying grain, was torpedoed by U-140. All 18 crew members were lost.
December 19: The Isolda, a lightship tender, was sunk by German bombers near Carnsore Point. Six people were killed and seven wounded.
December 20: The British-flagged ferry Cambria was attacked by German aircraft after leaving Dún Laoghaire. Another ferry, Hibernia, also had a close call.
December 20: The SS Lanahrone was damaged by falling debris during an air raid while anchored in Liverpool docks.
December 21: The MV Innisfallen hit a mine and sank near New Brighton after leaving Liverpool. Four people died.

1941: Irish Shipping Formed

February 22: The SS Menapia hit a mine but survived.
February 22: The British ship Nailsea Lass was sunk by U-48. Its crew members landed safely in County Kerry and County Cork.
March 21: The SS Glencullen and SS Glencree were both attacked by German aircraft in the Bristol Channel.
March 21: Irish Shipping was created. This new company, mostly owned by the Irish state, was formed to help Ireland get vital supplies during the war.
March 22: The collier Saint Fintan was attacked by two German bombers and sank with all hands. Nine people died.
March 26: The Edenvale was bombed and machine-gunned by four German planes.
March 27: The SS The Lady Belle was bombed and machine-gunned by German aircraft in the Irish Sea.
April 2: The MV Edenvale was bombed and machine-gunned again by German aircraft in the Bristol Channel.
May 5: The MV Dundalk was damaged during an air raid while anchored in the river Mersey.
May 12: The SS Menapia was bombed and machine-gunned by German aircraft off the Welsh coast. Two people were wounded.
May 15: The SS Assaroe was attacked by German aircraft off Howth Head.
May 17: The SS Glenageary was bombed and machine-gunned by German aircraft off the Welsh coast.
May 19: The SS City of Waterford was bombed and machine-gunned by German aircraft off the Welsh coast. One person was wounded.
May 30: The SS Kyleclare was bombed off the Waterford coast.
June 13: The British-flagged ferry Saint Patrick was bombed by German aircraft. Thirty people died.
August 22: The SS Clonlara rescued 13 sailors from another ship but was later torpedoed and sunk by U-564 off Spain. Thirteen survivors were rescued, but 11 died.
September 17: The schooner Crest was wrecked after running aground on a sandbank in the Bristol Channel while trying to avoid mines.
September 19: The SS City of Waterford collided with a Dutch tugboat and sank. Its crew were rescued, but five of them died two days later when their rescue ship was bombed.
October 7: The MV Kerlogue hit a mine in Cardigan Bay.
October 16: The MV Edenvale was attacked from the air off the Cork coast.
October 25: The SS Glenageary was attacked from the air.
October 26: The SS Margaret Lockington was attacked from the air off the Waterford coast.
October 29: The SS Lanahrone was attacked from the air off Saltee Islands.
November 5: The SS Glencree was attacked from the air off the Welsh coast. Two people were wounded.
November 5: The SS Glencullen was machine-gunned in the Irish Sea.

1942: Rescues and Losses

March 7: The schooner Lock Ryan was wrecked on the Donegal coast.
June 2: The SS City of Bremen was bombed in the Bay of Biscay.
August 11: The Irish Rose rescued all 7 crew members from an American ship sunk by U-86.
August 13: The Irish Pine rescued 19 survivors from a British ship sunk by U-176.
August 26: The Irish Willow rescued 47 survivors from a British ship sunk by U-438 and U-176.
September 17: The Irish Larch rescued 40 survivors from a Panamanian ship sunk by U-594.
November 7: The Irish Beech rescued 13 survivors from the Roxby, which had sunk with the loss of 34 lives.
November 15: The Irish Pine, sailing from Boston to Dublin, was torpedoed and sunk by U-608 in the North Atlantic. Thirty-three people died.
November 30: The SS Kyleclare was bombed in the Bay of Biscay.
December 12: The Irish Poplar collided with a launch and a pilot boat in Cork harbour during a gale. Five people died.

1943: More Attacks and a Heroic Rescue

February 23: The SS Kyleclare, carrying wheat and sugar, was torpedoed by U-456 in the North Atlantic. Eighteen people died.
May 15: The Irish Oak was torpedoed and sunk by U-607 far west of Ireland. Its crew was rescued by the Irish Plane eight hours later.
June 2: The SS City of Bremen was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay. All 11 crew members were lost.
October 23: The MV Kerlogue was attacked by a Polish Royal Air Force squadron in the Bay of Biscay. Four people were wounded.
December 29: The MV Kerlogue, with a crew of 11, performed a heroic rescue, saving 164 Germans from the Bay of Biscay.

1944: Continued Dangers

March 22: The schooner Cymric was lost between Ardrossan and Lisbon. Eleven people died.
July 21: The Irish Fir reported a 'near miss' torpedo attack in the North Atlantic.
December 20: The schooner Mary B Mitchell was wrecked in the Solway Firth during a gale.

1945: The War Ends, But Dangers Remain

March 12: The German U-boat U-260, damaged by a mine, was scuttled (sunk on purpose by its crew) near Union Hall, County Cork. The 48 crew members were interned in Ireland.
April 24: The British ship Monmouth Coast was torpedoed and sunk by U-1305. Sixteen people died, but one survived.
May 2: The Motor Trawler FS Naomh Garbhan hit a mine off the Wexford Coast and sank. Three people died.