Membland - Final Voyage Mystery

Dundee Evening Telegraph – November 25^th, 1915
THE MEMBLAND MYSTERY. A Message from the Sea. At Carton Hall, Westminster, Captain David Davies held an inquiry into the loss of the British steamship Membland while on a voyage from Hull to the Tyne on February 15th, 1915. Mr. A. J. B. Tapling, on behalf of the Board of Trade, said the vessel left Hull on February 15th, and was last seen on the same day off Spurn Lighthouse. There were 20 of the crew, and in addition a North Sea pilot and assistant engineer, and there was reason to believe the wife of the chief officer and their child, as well as the wife of the chief engineer, were on board.

The vessel was in water ballast at the time, and was going to the Tyne for a cargo of coal for a gas company in Buenos Ayres. The owners were Messrs. Macbeth, with registered offices at Great Clyde Street, Glasgow, and they bought the vessel for £30,000 only six days before the voyage. Messrs. Macbeth surveyed her, and found her equipment and life-saving apparatus satisfactory, and that she was in a quite seaworthy condition. When she was last seen, at 10.40 a.m., there was moderate fresh breeze from the N.N.W. and a moderate sea.

A thin piece of wood, a foot long and two inches broad, had been found off the coast, bearing the words, written in indelible pencil, " S.S. Membland torpedoed engine-room port side. Good-bye, dear." Witnesses thought that the handwriting was known, but this was now doubtful. There were no survivors. Mr. W. G. Macbeth, one of the owners, said the vessel and freight were insured for £36,500 and at war risks. On the day before the vessel sailed the captain wrote to the managers that he could not leave dock that day owing to rough weather. Witness had not heard that she sustained any damage in opting out of dry dock at Hull. Mr. Wilfrid Wright, a carman, said he found the message on the shore at Hornsea on April 11^th. He showed it to the coastguard, who expressed the opinion that it was genuine but unfinished. It was further stated that no enemy ships were seen in the neighbourhood at the time, and there had been reports that several vessels had been damaged by mines.
This closed the inquiry. The Commissioner will examine letters from relatives of the crew, and if necessary will ask for further evidence as to identification of the handwriting.

Western Times – February 6^th, 1916
SEA MYSTERY Message on a Piece of Wood Doubted by Inspector. The report Captain David Davies; Board of Trade Inspector, of the inquiry into the loss, or supposed loss in the North Sea of the steamship Membland, of Glasgow, has just been issued. Among the witnesses was Fred Wright who stated that on April 11^th, when walking along the beach he picked up a piece of oak stave. It was about 50 yards from the cliff and about the same distance from the water's edge, and on it was written in indelible pencil- "s.s. "Membland" torpedoed engine-room port side. Good-bye dear.” The Inspector, in his report states that that this oak stave had. At one time a rougher surface, but now it is as smooth glass. This smoothing process, in his opinion, had been brought about by the continued action the sea washing up and down the beach, tide after tide, for very long time. If the wood had been written when it had a rougher surface, he contends that all t writing would have been obliterated before the surface had become so smooth. Therefore he is led to believe that it could not have been written anyone on board the "Membland."
"I have come to the conclusion," he add "that she must have struck a mine, or mines which damaged her bottom so badly that she sank immediately, carrying everything to the bottom with her. thus giving no time for anyone to do anything, even to save their lives.”

Related items :